ANKENY, Iowa (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;opened his bid for the Republican nomination for president Wednesday with a firm denunciation of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump,</a>&nbsp;accusing his two-time running mate of abandoning conservative principles and being guilty of dereliction of duty on Jan. 6, 2021.

Pence, launching his campaign in a suburb of Des Moines, became the first vice president in modern history to challenge the president under whom he served. He said Trump had disqualified himself when he insisted that Pence had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-senate-elections-elections-aaa00b96179c454426453a99ca1e2e30">the power to keep him in office</a>&nbsp;— even though he did not.

Trump, he said, “endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol” on the 6th. "But the American people deserve to know that on that day, President Trump also demanded I choose between him and our Constitution. Now voters will be faced with the same choice.”

“I believe anyone that puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States, and anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president of the United Sates again," he said.

Pence has spent much of the past two-and-a-half-years obliquely criticizing Trump, trying to navigate his political future in a party that has been transformed in Trump's image. But Wednesday, as he made his pitch to voters for the first time as a declared candidate, he did not hold his tongue.

He accused the former president of abandoning the conservative values he ran on, including on abortion. Pence, who supports a national ban on the procedure said that, “After leading the most pro-life administration in American history, Donald Trump and others in this race are retreating from the cause of the unborn. The sanctity of life has been our party’s calling for half a century — long before Donald Trump was a part of it. Now he treats it as an inconvenience, even blaming our election losses in 2022 on overturning Roe v. Wade.”

Trump has declined to say what limits he supports nationally and has blamed some midterm candidates’ rhetoric for their losses last November.

Pence also bemoaned the current politics of “grudges and grievances," saying the country needs leaders who know the difference between the “politics of outrage and standing firm."

“We will restore a threshold of civility in public life,” he pledged.

With Pence's entry into the race, on his 64th birthday, the GOP field is largely set. It includes Trump, who's leading in early polls, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who remains in second, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-burgum-north-dakota-president-1b187576423968c422d2adbd70c9b3dc">launched his campaign Wednesday</a>.

Pence's campaign will test the party's appetite for a socially conservative, mild-mannered and deeply religious candidate who has criticized the populist tide that has swept through his party under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>. And it will show whether Pence has a political future when many in his party still believe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump's false statements</a>&nbsp;that the 2020 election was stolen and that Pence had the power to reject the results of the election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">won by Democrat Joe Biden</a>.

Pence and his advisers see Iowa — the state that will cast the first votes of the GOP nominating calendar — as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-announcement-2024-presidential-trump-iowa-35c99dfa2f4f265b346b1aeddb6d7cae">key to his potential pathway to the nomination</a>. Its caucusgoers include a large portion of evangelical Christian voters, whom they see as a natural constituency for Pence, a social conservative who supports a national ban on abortion and often talks about his faith. They also think Pence, who represented Indiana in Congress and as governor, is a good personality fit with the Midwestern state.

“We believe the path to victory runs through Iowa and all of its 99 counties," said Scott Reed, co-chair of a super PAC that launched last month to support Pence's candidacy.

But Pence also faces steep challenges. Despite being one of the best-known Republican candidates in the crowded field, he is also saddled with high unfavorability ratings. Trump critics consider him complicit in the former president's most indefensible actions, while Trump loyalists have maligned him as a traitor.

A CNN poll conducted last month found 45% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they would not support Pence under any circumstance. Only 16% said the same about Trump.

Pence’s favorability has also slipped in Iowa, according to The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll. The poll also found Pence with higher unfavorable ratings than all of the other candidates it asked about, including Trump and DeSantis, with 26% of Republicans polled saying they have a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable view of him.

But Pence, who has visited Iowa more than a dozen times since leaving office, has been warmly welcomed by voters during his trips. During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-desantis-republican-presidential-candidates-iowa-26a86acff94e204362586c45ab0bc00f">a “Roast and Ride” event</a>&nbsp;over the weekend that drew a long list of 2024 candidates, Pence stood out as the only contender to actually mount a Harley and participate in the event’s annual motorcycle ride. When he arrived at a barbecue at the state fairgrounds, he moved easily from table to table, greeting and chatting with attendees.

But there remains lingering skepticism among many Republican voters who still believe Pence could have stopped Biden from becoming president. Trump's lies about mass voting fraud and Pence lacking the “courage” to do the right thing led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;to storm the Capitol, with some chanting “Hang Mike Pence!”

Pence advisers say they recognize the challenge and intend to explain to voters directly that Pence was adhering to his constitutional duty and never had the power to impact the vote.

“I think it’s something you have to walk straight through,” said his longtime adviser Marc Short.

Beyond Jan. 6, his team sees their primary goal as reintroducing Pence to a country that largely knows him as Trump's second-in-command. They want to remind voters of his time in congressional leadership and as governor and envision a campaign heavy with town halls, house parties and visits to local diners and Pizza Ranch restaurants — more intimate settings that will help voters get to know him personally.

“People have seen Mike Pence the vice president. I think what people are going to see is Mike Pence the person," said Todd Huston, the Indiana House speaker and a longtime friend who has signed on to help with outreach to state legislators.

Reed believes there is a strong desire in the party for a candidate like Pence who espouses Reagan-style conservatism, including traditional social values, hawkish foreign policy and small government economics.

“We think this nomination fight is going to be an epic battle for the heart and soul of the conservative, traditional wing of the Republican Party. And Pence is going to campaign as a classic conservative. His credentials are unmatched,” he said.

Unlike Trump and DeSantis, Pence has argued that cuts to Social Security and Medicare must be on the table and has blasted those who have questioned why the U.S. should continue to send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">aid to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression</a>.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;opened his bid for the Republican nomination for president Wednesday with a firm denunciation of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump,</a>&nbsp;accusing his two-time running mate of abandoning conservative principles and being guilty of dereliction of duty on Jan. 6, 2021.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hello, Iowa! Indiana will always be home, but <a href="https://twitter.com/KarenPence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarenPence</a> and I wanted to be here today, in person, because we know this is where the great American Comeback begins! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pence2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pence2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/mPYBaFwbng">pic.twitter.com/mPYBaFwbng</a>&mdash; Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1666531712833028096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Pence, launching his campaign in a suburb of Des Moines, became the first vice president in modern history to challenge the president under whom he served. He said Trump had disqualified himself when he insisted that Pence had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-senate-elections-elections-aaa00b96179c454426453a99ca1e2e30">the power to keep him in office</a>&nbsp;— even though he did not.Trump, he said, “endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol” on the 6th. "But the American people deserve to know that on that day, President Trump also demanded I choose between him and our Constitution. Now voters will be faced with the same choice.”“I believe anyone that puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States, and anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president of the United Sates again," he said.Pence has spent much of the past two-and-a-half-years obliquely criticizing Trump, trying to navigate his political future in a party that has been transformed in Trump's image. But Wednesday, as he made his pitch to voters for the first time as a declared candidate, he did not hold his tongue.He accused the former president of abandoning the conservative values he ran on, including on abortion. Pence, who supports a national ban on the procedure said that, “After leading the most pro-life administration in American history, Donald Trump and others in this race are retreating from the cause of the unborn. The sanctity of life has been our party’s calling for half a century — long before Donald Trump was a part of it. Now he treats it as an inconvenience, even blaming our election losses in 2022 on overturning Roe v. Wade.”Trump has declined to say what limits he supports nationally and has blamed some midterm candidates’ rhetoric for their losses last November.Pence also bemoaned the current politics of “grudges and grievances," saying the country needs leaders who know the difference between the “politics of outrage and standing firm."“We will restore a threshold of civility in public life,” he pledged.With Pence's entry into the race, on his 64th birthday, the GOP field is largely set. It includes Trump, who's leading in early polls, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who remains in second, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-burgum-north-dakota-president-1b187576423968c422d2adbd70c9b3dc">launched his campaign Wednesday</a>.Pence's campaign will test the party's appetite for a socially conservative, mild-mannered and deeply religious candidate who has criticized the populist tide that has swept through his party under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>. And it will show whether Pence has a political future when many in his party still believe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump's false statements</a>&nbsp;that the 2020 election was stolen and that Pence had the power to reject the results of the election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">won by Democrat Joe Biden</a>.Pence and his advisers see Iowa — the state that will cast the first votes of the GOP nominating calendar — as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-announcement-2024-presidential-trump-iowa-35c99dfa2f4f265b346b1aeddb6d7cae">key to his potential pathway to the nomination</a>. Its caucusgoers include a large portion of evangelical Christian voters, whom they see as a natural constituency for Pence, a social conservative who supports a national ban on abortion and often talks about his faith. They also think Pence, who represented Indiana in Congress and as governor, is a good personality fit with the Midwestern state.“We believe the path to victory runs through Iowa and all of its 99 counties," said Scott Reed, co-chair of a super PAC that launched last month to support Pence's candidacy.But Pence also faces steep challenges. Despite being one of the best-known Republican candidates in the crowded field, he is also saddled with high unfavorability ratings. Trump critics consider him complicit in the former president's most indefensible actions, while Trump loyalists have maligned him as a traitor.A CNN poll conducted last month found 45% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they would not support Pence under any circumstance. Only 16% said the same about Trump.Pence’s favorability has also slipped in Iowa, according to The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll. The poll also found Pence with higher unfavorable ratings than all of the other candidates it asked about, including Trump and DeSantis, with 26% of Republicans polled saying they have a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable view of him.But Pence, who has visited Iowa more than a dozen times since leaving office, has been warmly welcomed by voters during his trips. During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-desantis-republican-presidential-candidates-iowa-26a86acff94e204362586c45ab0bc00f">a “Roast and Ride” event</a>&nbsp;over the weekend that drew a long list of 2024 candidates, Pence stood out as the only contender to actually mount a Harley and participate in the event’s annual motorcycle ride. When he arrived at a barbecue at the state fairgrounds, he moved easily from table to table, greeting and chatting with attendees.But there remains lingering skepticism among many Republican voters who still believe Pence could have stopped Biden from becoming president. Trump's lies about mass voting fraud and Pence lacking the “courage” to do the right thing led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;to storm the Capitol, with some chanting “Hang Mike Pence!”Pence advisers say they recognize the challenge and intend to explain to voters directly that Pence was adhering to his constitutional duty and never had the power to impact the vote.“I think it’s something you have to walk straight through,” said his longtime adviser Marc Short.Beyond Jan. 6, his team sees their primary goal as reintroducing Pence to a country that largely knows him as Trump's second-in-command. They want to remind voters of his time in congressional leadership and as governor and envision a campaign heavy with town halls, house parties and visits to local diners and Pizza Ranch restaurants — more intimate settings that will help voters get to know him personally.“People have seen Mike Pence the vice president. I think what people are going to see is Mike Pence the person," said Todd Huston, the Indiana House speaker and a longtime friend who has signed on to help with outreach to state legislators.Reed believes there is a strong desire in the party for a candidate like Pence who espouses Reagan-style conservatism, including traditional social values, hawkish foreign policy and small government economics.“We think this nomination fight is going to be an epic battle for the heart and soul of the conservative, traditional wing of the Republican Party. And Pence is going to campaign as a classic conservative. His credentials are unmatched,” he said.Unlike Trump and DeSantis, Pence has argued that cuts to Social Security and Medicare must be on the table and has blasted those who have questioned why the U.S. should continue to send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">aid to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression</a>.

Pence opens presidential bid with denunciation of Trump

By ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/30/open-enrollment-missouri-school-choice/">Missouri Independent</a>

&nbsp;A week into Pride month, Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation Wednesday&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/10/missouri-house-sends-bill-banning-transgender-health-care-for-minors-to-governor/">banning minors from beginning gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;and limiting sports participation for transgender athletes.

In a press release announcing his decision to sign the bills, Parson said he supports every person’s right to “his or her own pursuit of happiness.”

However, he continued, “we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured.”

Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, sponsored the bill banning minors’ access to puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or gender-affirming surgeries. After a compromise, his legislation was amended in the Senate to sunset the ban on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones after four years.

Those under 18 who have already begun treatment may stay on their doctor-approved regimens.

Parson argues the bill protects “Missouri children from harmful, irreversible treatments and procedures.&nbsp;

“These decisions have permanent consequences for life and should not be made by impressionable children who may be in crisis or influenced by the political persuasions of others.”

The law will also prohibit Missouri’s Medicaid program MO HealthNet from paying for cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers or gender-affirming surgeries. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_phy/print.pdf">current MO HealthNet handbook</a>&nbsp;already states it will not cover gender-affirming surgeries or cosmetic procedures, like hair transplants. It does not mention hormones or puberty blockers.

Incarcerated Missourians will be unable to receive gender-affirming surgeries while in state custody, according to the legislation.

Parson also signed a bill sponsored by Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder, R-Scott City, pitched by supporters as an effort to&nbsp; “protect women’s sports” by mandating athletes’ participation to their sex as assigned at birth.

Since 2012, the Missouri State High School Activities Association has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/27/missouri-gop-resurrects-bills-limiting-transgender-athletes-participation/">permitted 12 transgender student athletes</a>&nbsp;to compete according to their gender identity.

Conflicting with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/1/19/media-center-board-of-governors-updates-transgender-participation-policy.aspx">NCAA policy</a>, the legislation also prohibits college athletes from competing according to their gender identity.

“Women and girls deserve and have fought for an equal opportunity to succeed,” Parson said, “and with this legislation today, we stand up to the nonsense and stand with them as they take back their sport competitions.”

The legislative efforts, and a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/16/missouri-attorney-general-withdraws-emergency-rule-banning-transgender-health-care/">now-withdrawn emergency order</a>&nbsp;from the Missouri attorney general, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/16/theres-no-point-in-staying-transgender-missourians-describe-toll-of-legislative-session/">pushed some LGBTQ+ families in Missouri to move</a>, or consider moving, out of state.

“The governor had a chance to protect innocent families who are just trying to live their lives in peace. Instead he chose to persecute them,” House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said in a statement. “The governor could have said ‘no’ to bigotry and hate. Instead, he embraced it.”&nbsp;

“History tends to reflect poorly on oppression and the oppressors, and the stain of this action will not wash away,” said Quade, who is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article274199310.html">openly considering a run for governor next year</a>.

<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/25/st-louis-mayor-signs-executive-order-seeking-to-shield-trans-youth-from-new-state-laws/">Kansas City and St. Louis signed local orders</a>&nbsp;to combat the effects of state legislation. Springfield recently announced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://civicclerk.blob.core.windows.net/stream/SPRINGFIELDMO/20c850eb-2d57-42cd-8ce6-98e5ced2ca4d.pdf?sv=2022-11-02&amp;st=2023-06-07T17%3A39%3A04Z&amp;se=2024-06-07T17%3A44%3A04Z&amp;sr=b&amp;sp=r&amp;sig=0YarPaO78Xx%2Bq4bDGSvUkMXUMttxYPjxfSyoXHWblqA%3D">a resolution for Pride month</a>.

“Missouri Republicans in the legislature have now given the government new power to control people they’ve never met, over an issue they don’t understand,” said Sen. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City. “When these bills expire in four years, I plan on being there to make sure they never come back.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686157451251.png" alt="Gov. Mike Parson also on Wednesday signed legislation that would ban transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams -Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Parson also on Wednesday signed legislation that would ban transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams -Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/30/open-enrollment-missouri-school-choice/">Missouri Independent</a>&nbsp;A week into Pride month, Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation Wednesday&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/10/missouri-house-sends-bill-banning-transgender-health-care-for-minors-to-governor/">banning minors from beginning gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;and limiting sports participation for transgender athletes.In a press release announcing his decision to sign the bills, Parson said he supports every person’s right to “his or her own pursuit of happiness.”However, he continued, “we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686162486813.png" alt=" A counterprotestor holds a sign over the balcony that says, "Trans kids have heartbeats too" during a rally for a gender-affirming-care ban in March (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> A counterprotestor holds a sign over the balcony that says, "Trans kids have heartbeats too" during a rally for a gender-affirming-care ban in March (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, sponsored the bill banning minors’ access to puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or gender-affirming surgeries. After a compromise, his legislation was amended in the Senate to sunset the ban on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones after four years.Those under 18 who have already begun treatment may stay on their doctor-approved regimens.The law will take effect Aug. 28.Parson argues the bill protects “Missouri children from harmful, irreversible treatments and procedures.&nbsp;“These decisions have permanent consequences for life and should not be made by impressionable children who may be in crisis or influenced by the political persuasions of others.”The law will also prohibit Missouri’s Medicaid program MO HealthNet from paying for cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers or gender-affirming surgeries. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_phy/print.pdf">current MO HealthNet handbook</a>&nbsp;already states it will not cover gender-affirming surgeries or cosmetic procedures, like hair transplants. It does not mention hormones or puberty blockers.Incarcerated Missourians will be unable to receive gender-affirming surgeries while in state custody, according to the legislation.Parson also signed a bill sponsored by Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder, R-Scott City, pitched by supporters as an effort to&nbsp; “protect women’s sports” by mandating athletes’ participation to their sex as assigned at birth.Since 2012, the Missouri State High School Activities Association has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/27/missouri-gop-resurrects-bills-limiting-transgender-athletes-participation/">permitted 12 transgender student athletes</a>&nbsp;to compete according to their gender identity.Conflicting with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/1/19/media-center-board-of-governors-updates-transgender-participation-policy.aspx">NCAA policy</a>, the legislation also prohibits college athletes from competing according to their gender identity.“Women and girls deserve and have fought for an equal opportunity to succeed,” Parson said, “and with this legislation today, we stand up to the nonsense and stand with them as they take back their sport competitions.”The legislative efforts, and a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/16/missouri-attorney-general-withdraws-emergency-rule-banning-transgender-health-care/">now-withdrawn emergency order</a>&nbsp;from the Missouri attorney general, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/16/theres-no-point-in-staying-transgender-missourians-describe-toll-of-legislative-session/">pushed some LGBTQ+ families in Missouri to move</a>, or consider moving, out of state.“The governor had a chance to protect innocent families who are just trying to live their lives in peace. Instead he chose to persecute them,” House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said in a statement. “The governor could have said ‘no’ to bigotry and hate. Instead, he embraced it.”&nbsp;“History tends to reflect poorly on oppression and the oppressors, and the stain of this action will not wash away,” said Quade, who is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article274199310.html">openly considering a run for governor next year</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/25/st-louis-mayor-signs-executive-order-seeking-to-shield-trans-youth-from-new-state-laws/">Kansas City and St. Louis signed local orders</a>&nbsp;to combat the effects of state legislation. Springfield recently announced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://civicclerk.blob.core.windows.net/stream/SPRINGFIELDMO/20c850eb-2d57-42cd-8ce6-98e5ced2ca4d.pdf?sv=2022-11-02&amp;st=2023-06-07T17%3A39%3A04Z&amp;se=2024-06-07T17%3A44%3A04Z&amp;sr=b&amp;sp=r&amp;sig=0YarPaO78Xx%2Bq4bDGSvUkMXUMttxYPjxfSyoXHWblqA%3D">a resolution for Pride month</a>.“Missouri Republicans in the legislature have now given the government new power to control people they’ve never met, over an issue they don’t understand,” said Sen. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City. “When these bills expire in four years, I plan on being there to make sure they never come back.”

Mo. gov. signs ban on gender-affirming care, restrictions for trans athlete

WASHINGTON (AP) — Global prices for wheat and corn soared Tuesday after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kakhovka-dam-flood-evacuation-eecc9952c2d9f500c38b0a873f69438c">major dam in Ukraine collapsed</a>, renewing market fears about the fragility of the country's ability to ship food to Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia as it fights a war with Russia.

Wheat prices gained 2.4% in early trading Tuesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, to $6.39 a bushel. The cost of corn rose more than 1%, to $6.04 a bushel, and oats gained 0.73%, to $3.46 per unit. Prices were higher earlier in the day but faded.

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station, which sits in a Russian-controlled area on the Dnieper River, raised concerns about disruption to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-africa-lifestyle-middle-east-1b41faaa7ac0984d0673023b68d39a70">Ukraine's affordable supplies of wheat</a>, barley, corn and sunflower oil getting to developing nations where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunger-africa-sahel-jihadi-violence-7c9e54def06b88d0e60b9e53a814301f">people are struggling with hunger</a>&nbsp;and high food prices.

“Anytime this war shows signs of getting further escalated, there’s a lot of concern,” said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. “Markets react to that.”

Ukraine and Russia are both major agricultural suppliers and the war's disruption to their exports&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-covid-politics-health-middle-east-58bb99da6bf9fc6af5a5a645022bc4d7">worsened a global food crisis</a>&nbsp;tied to droughts and other factors. Breakthrough agreements brokered by the U.N. and Turkey last year got food moving again through the Black Sea, but it's faced setbacks.

Russia briefly pulled out of the deal last year, has threatened to leave again, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-grain-ships-fertilizer-limit-e683cfb5e79559b39d0c983aea563291">accused of slowing shipments from Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-grain-food-security-67e9fd1b5ee8b46fdd9c28955dbcb465">only agreed to renew the deal for two months</a>&nbsp;at a time.

“People are going to be watching to see what happens with the agreement,” said Glauber, former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “This reminds everyone that it’s not just pro forma, that this could be a very serious development if indeed the agreement is broken.”

There are massive agricultural fields in southern Ukraine where the dam burst, and while the collapse has endangered crops in the path of the floodwaters, Glauber says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-grain-farmers-food-a9df0827d8009c3fef347378061f9dd7">less wheat has been planted</a>&nbsp;in that area because it's near the fighting and a lot is growing elsewhere.

The collapse has threatened drinking water supplies, with officials also warning of a looming environmental disaster — pointing to oil escaping from the dam machinery and significant flooding.

Andrey Sizov, managing director of Black Sea agricultural markets research firm SovEcon, said the dam collapse looked "like a big escalation with dire consequences and huge headline risk.”

“This could be just the start of the bull run,” Sizov&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/sizov_andre/status/1665938993769316354?cxt=HHwWhIC80YaszZ4uAAAA">wrote on Twitter</a>&nbsp;early Tuesday.

The wheat futures rally overnight and early Tuesday lost steam as the day progressed. As of around 3 p.m. ET, for example, the price of wheat was down to $6.27 a bushel.

Wheat, vegetable oil and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-business-climate-and-environment-00539505ec5db37de5877137b9febeb8">food commodity prices have fallen from record highs</a>&nbsp;last year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine — thanks in part to the Black Sea grain deal — but the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-prices-inflation-ukraine-war-economy-8daa7e3d92666d290d87932dc8f25a94">relief in prices has not made it to markets</a>, grocery stores and kitchen tables.

Citi commodities analysts called the dam breach a “reminder of lingering inflationary risk in the goods market.”

It's possible temporary jumps in prices follow significant news events, like the dam collapse, analysts say.

But circumstances are key — and expectations for food exports from Ukraine will likely “continue to diminish as we recognize that Ukrainian production will continue to be severely impaired because of the war,” said Joe Janzen, assistant professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

The supply of grain Ukraine is able to export is 40% lower than it was two years ago, Glauber said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686057672800.png" alt="Image made from video provided by Ukraine's Presidential Office&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image made from video provided by Ukraine's Presidential Office&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Global prices for wheat and corn soared Tuesday after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kakhovka-dam-flood-evacuation-eecc9952c2d9f500c38b0a873f69438c">major dam in Ukraine collapsed</a>, renewing market fears about the fragility of the country's ability to ship food to Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia as it fights a war with Russia.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaIsATerroristState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaIsATerroristState</a> and the only way to stop it, is to kick it out of Ukraine. Blowing up the Kakhovska HPP will have devastating consequences,incl drowning in the region, long term water shortage, irreparable damages to thousands of lives of innocent civilians and ecosystem <a href="https://t.co/Cj2lTaoVZd">pic.twitter.com/Cj2lTaoVZd</a>&mdash; MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) <a href="https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine/status/1665964127477481473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Wheat prices gained 2.4% in early trading Tuesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, to $6.39 a bushel. The cost of corn rose more than 1%, to $6.04 a bushel, and oats gained 0.73%, to $3.46 per unit. Prices were higher earlier in the day but faded.The destruction of the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station, which sits in a Russian-controlled area on the Dnieper River, raised concerns about disruption to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-africa-lifestyle-middle-east-1b41faaa7ac0984d0673023b68d39a70">Ukraine's affordable supplies of wheat</a>, barley, corn and sunflower oil getting to developing nations where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunger-africa-sahel-jihadi-violence-7c9e54def06b88d0e60b9e53a814301f">people are struggling with hunger</a>&nbsp;and high food prices.“Anytime this war shows signs of getting further escalated, there’s a lot of concern,” said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. “Markets react to that.”Ukraine and Russia are both major agricultural suppliers and the war's disruption to their exports&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-covid-politics-health-middle-east-58bb99da6bf9fc6af5a5a645022bc4d7">worsened a global food crisis</a>&nbsp;tied to droughts and other factors. Breakthrough agreements brokered by the U.N. and Turkey last year got food moving again through the Black Sea, but it's faced setbacks.Russia briefly pulled out of the deal last year, has threatened to leave again, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-grain-ships-fertilizer-limit-e683cfb5e79559b39d0c983aea563291">accused of slowing shipments from Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-grain-food-security-67e9fd1b5ee8b46fdd9c28955dbcb465">only agreed to renew the deal for two months</a>&nbsp;at a time.“People are going to be watching to see what happens with the agreement,” said Glauber, former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “This reminds everyone that it’s not just pro forma, that this could be a very serious development if indeed the agreement is broken.”There are massive agricultural fields in southern Ukraine where the dam burst, and while the collapse has endangered crops in the path of the floodwaters, Glauber says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-grain-farmers-food-a9df0827d8009c3fef347378061f9dd7">less wheat has been planted</a>&nbsp;in that area because it's near the fighting and a lot is growing elsewhere.The collapse has threatened drinking water supplies, with officials also warning of a looming environmental disaster — pointing to oil escaping from the dam machinery and significant flooding.Andrey Sizov, managing director of Black Sea agricultural markets research firm SovEcon, said the dam collapse looked "like a big escalation with dire consequences and huge headline risk.”“This could be just the start of the bull run,” Sizov&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/sizov_andre/status/1665938993769316354?cxt=HHwWhIC80YaszZ4uAAAA">wrote on Twitter</a>&nbsp;early Tuesday.The wheat futures rally overnight and early Tuesday lost steam as the day progressed. As of around 3 p.m. ET, for example, the price of wheat was down to $6.27 a bushel.Wheat, vegetable oil and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-business-climate-and-environment-00539505ec5db37de5877137b9febeb8">food commodity prices have fallen from record highs</a>&nbsp;last year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine — thanks in part to the Black Sea grain deal — but the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-prices-inflation-ukraine-war-economy-8daa7e3d92666d290d87932dc8f25a94">relief in prices has not made it to markets</a>, grocery stores and kitchen tables.Citi commodities analysts called the dam breach a “reminder of lingering inflationary risk in the goods market.”It's possible temporary jumps in prices follow significant news events, like the dam collapse, analysts say.But circumstances are key — and expectations for food exports from Ukraine will likely “continue to diminish as we recognize that Ukrainian production will continue to be severely impaired because of the war,” said Joe Janzen, assistant professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.The supply of grain Ukraine is able to export is 40% lower than it was two years ago, Glauber said.

Wheat prices jump following collapse of major dam in Ukraine

KANSAS CITY — Kansas woman charged with multiple felony counts in connection with a recent shooting at a hotel in Blue Springs, Missouri, is now in custody, according to the Blue Springs,&nbsp; Police Department.

Samantha J. Thrasher, 24, faces two counts of Assault 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.

According to court records, Blue Springs police officers were dispatched&nbsp; on May 20, to a hotel in the 700 block of NW South Outer Road in Blue Springs after a caller said a shot had been fired inside the hotel. 

Officers located two victims, one an adult who had been shot multiple times and the other, a juvenile, was wounded in the elbow. Video surveillance showed the defendant taking a gun from a vehicle. She went into the hotel lobby, where she earlier was involved in an altercation, and fired multiple shots, striking both victims.

The Blue Springs Police Department had an active arrest warrant&nbsp; Thrasher. She is being held in the Platte County Jail, according to online records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686151702739.png" alt="Thrasher-photo Platte Co." />
 <figcaption>Thrasher-photo Platte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Kansas woman charged with multiple felony counts in connection with a recent shooting at a hotel in Blue Springs, Missouri, is now in custody, according to the Blue Springs,&nbsp; Police Department.Samantha J. Thrasher, 24, faces two counts of Assault 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685702173582.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, Blue Springs police officers were dispatched&nbsp; on May 20, to a hotel in the 700 block of NW South Outer Road in Blue Springs after a caller said a shot had been fired inside the hotel. Officers located two victims, one an adult who had been shot multiple times and the other, a juvenile, was wounded in the elbow. Video surveillance showed the defendant taking a gun from a vehicle. She went into the hotel lobby, where she earlier was involved in an altercation, and fired multiple shots, striking both victims.The Blue Springs Police Department had an active arrest warrant&nbsp; Thrasher. She is being held in the Platte County Jail, according to online records.

Police: Kan. woman who shot man, 7-year-old is in custody

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-hospital-health-intestine-64750f0392511ea6dc6824b8f8db4f5a">latest malady</a>&nbsp;to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago.

The Vatican said there were no complications during the three-hour surgery, which required Francis to be under general anesthesia. Soon after the procedure, the surgeon who performed the operation said the pope was awake and fine and that the hernia was fixed.

The pontiff was expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for several days. As a precaution, all papal audiences were canceled through June 18, the Vatican said.

While hernia operations are rarely performed on an emergency basis, the procedure appeared somewhat urgent, scheduled just a day after Francis went to the hospital for tests. The pontiff's doctors no doubt also wanted to give him ample time for recovery ahead of a busy travel schedule later this summer.

The pope was suffering from a “painful and worsening” hernia that formed over a previous scar, presumably from his 2021 colon surgery. Experts said the formation of the hernia, called a laparocele, is a known complication from intestinal surgery. The concern is that a portion of his intestine may have bulged through the tear and become trapped.

At three hours, the pope’s procedure was considerably longer than the standard 60 to 90 minutes doctors say the operation usually takes.

Spending more time under anesthesia, coupled with being on a ventilator for so long — in someone who has lost part of one lung as a young man — could put the pontiff at risk of breathing complications or a longer-than-expected recovery time.

It was also unclear if doctors removed any more sections of the pope’s colon, which may have been made necessary by the hernia.

Francis went to the hospital for previously unannounced tests Tuesday, returned to the Vatican and presided over his audience Wednesday morning, but then went straight to Gemelli for the procedure afterward.

“When the intestines are trapped, the blood supply to the bowel is compromised. And if you don’t take care of it, the bowel will die, and you will have gangrenous intestines,” said Dr. Walter Longo, chief of colon and rectal surgery at Yale University School of Medicine.

He said Francis should be OK after a few weeks of recovery, but he noted that the aging pope is already frail. “There’s the risk of going through surgery, operating on a fragile individual, but if he can get through it, he will be fine,” he said.

Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-21bf68ed6376f57cd9e0a0af631b11d7">remains in charge</a>&nbsp;of the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while unconscious and in the hospital, according to canon law.

In July 2021, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-religion-pope-francis-bfb9d24c1f6c430dcd9312221a62fc5d">spent 10 days</a>&nbsp;at Gemelli to remove 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his large intestine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">In an interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in January, Francis said the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, that prompted that surgery had returned.

After that surgery, Francis lamented that he hadn’t responded well to the general anesthetic used in the longer-than-expected procedure. That reaction in part explained his refusal to have surgery to repair strained knee ligaments that have forced him to use a wheelchair and walker for over a year.

Dr. Manish Chand, a professor of surgery at University College London who specializes in colorectal surgery, said the surgery itself is usually straightforward — but it does require general anesthesia. In the procedure, a surgeon typically frees the trapped intestine and then repairs the hernia and implants a prosthetic, most likely a piece of mesh.

He said the greatest issue afterwards would be pain management and making sure the wound heals properly.

“In the first six weeks after this type of surgery, you’re at risk of getting a recurrence again,” he said. To avoid that, patients are advised not to do anything strenuous.

Dr. Robin Phillips, an emeritus professor of colorectal surgery at Imperial College London, pointed out that abdominal surgery can also compromise lung function.

The Argentine pope had part of one lung removed when he was a young man. In late March, Francis spent three days at Gemelli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-hospital-26d91fdd7a880e9c309581110c00e8bd?0=utm_source=ground.news&amp;1=utm_medium=referral">for bronchitis</a>&nbsp;and was treated with intravenous antibiotics. He emerged April 1 saying “Still alive!”

“I suspect they are doing it now because they are worried it might become more complicated and result in an emergency operation, which would carry an even bigger risk than leaving it alone or operating now,” Phillips said.

After celebrating his weekly general audience, the pope was driven in his Fiat 500 out of the Vatican shortly after 11 a.m. and arrived at the Gemelli some 20 minutes later, escorted by police.

“The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow for the normal post-operative course and full functional recovery,” the Vatican said in a statement. An update was not expected until after the procedure.

The pope had appeared in good form Wednesday morning at his audience in St. Peter’s Square, zipping around the square in his popemobile greeting the faithful. He also had two meetings beforehand, the Vatican said.

Francis has had a packed schedule of late, with multiple audiences each day. The Vatican recently confirmed a travel-filled August, when the Holy See and Italy are usually on vacation, with a four-day visit to Portugal the first week of August and a similarly long trip to Mongolia starting Aug. 31.

In a sign that the trips were still on, the Vatican on Tuesday released the planned itinerary for Francis’ visit to Portugal for World Youth Day events from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6. The busy schedule includes all the protocol meetings of an official state visit plus multiple events with young people and a day trip to the Marian shrine at Fatima.

The Vatican said there were no complications after the three-hour surgery, during which Francis was under general anesthesia. The 86-year-old pontiff was expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for several days. As a precaution, all papal audiences were canceled through June 18, the Vatican said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Francis went to the hospital for previously unannounced tests Tuesday, returned to the Vatican and presided over his audience Wednesday morning, but then went straight to Gemelli for the procedure afterward.image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Francis went to the hospital for previously unannounced tests Tuesday, returned to the Vatican and presided over his audience Wednesday morning, but then went straight to Gemelli for the procedure afterward.image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-hospital-health-intestine-64750f0392511ea6dc6824b8f8db4f5a">latest malady</a>&nbsp;to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago.The Vatican said there were no complications during the three-hour surgery, which required Francis to be under general anesthesia. Soon after the procedure, the surgeon who performed the operation said the pope was awake and fine and that the hernia was fixed.The pontiff was expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for several days. As a precaution, all papal audiences were canceled through June 18, the Vatican said.While hernia operations are rarely performed on an emergency basis, the procedure appeared somewhat urgent, scheduled just a day after Francis went to the hospital for tests. The pontiff's doctors no doubt also wanted to give him ample time for recovery ahead of a busy travel schedule later this summer.The pope was suffering from a “painful and worsening” hernia that formed over a previous scar, presumably from his 2021 colon surgery. Experts said the formation of the hernia, called a laparocele, is a known complication from intestinal surgery. The concern is that a portion of his intestine may have bulged through the tear and become trapped.At three hours, the pope’s procedure was considerably longer than the standard 60 to 90 minutes doctors say the operation usually takes.Spending more time under anesthesia, coupled with being on a ventilator for so long — in someone who has lost part of one lung as a young man — could put the pontiff at risk of breathing complications or a longer-than-expected recovery time.It was also unclear if doctors removed any more sections of the pope’s colon, which may have been made necessary by the hernia.Francis went to the hospital for previously unannounced tests Tuesday, returned to the Vatican and presided over his audience Wednesday morning, but then went straight to Gemelli for the procedure afterward.“When the intestines are trapped, the blood supply to the bowel is compromised. And if you don’t take care of it, the bowel will die, and you will have gangrenous intestines,” said Dr. Walter Longo, chief of colon and rectal surgery at Yale University School of Medicine.He said Francis should be OK after a few weeks of recovery, but he noted that the aging pope is already frail. “There’s the risk of going through surgery, operating on a fragile individual, but if he can get through it, he will be fine,” he said.Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-21bf68ed6376f57cd9e0a0af631b11d7">remains in charge</a>&nbsp;of the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while unconscious and in the hospital, according to canon law.In July 2021, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-religion-pope-francis-bfb9d24c1f6c430dcd9312221a62fc5d">spent 10 days</a>&nbsp;at Gemelli to remove 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his large intestine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">In an interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in January, Francis said the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, that prompted that surgery had returned.After that surgery, Francis lamented that he hadn’t responded well to the general anesthetic used in the longer-than-expected procedure. That reaction in part explained his refusal to have surgery to repair strained knee ligaments that have forced him to use a wheelchair and walker for over a year.Dr. Manish Chand, a professor of surgery at University College London who specializes in colorectal surgery, said the surgery itself is usually straightforward — but it does require general anesthesia. In the procedure, a surgeon typically frees the trapped intestine and then repairs the hernia and implants a prosthetic, most likely a piece of mesh.He said the greatest issue afterwards would be pain management and making sure the wound heals properly.“In the first six weeks after this type of surgery, you’re at risk of getting a recurrence again,” he said. To avoid that, patients are advised not to do anything strenuous.Dr. Robin Phillips, an emeritus professor of colorectal surgery at Imperial College London, pointed out that abdominal surgery can also compromise lung function.The Argentine pope had part of one lung removed when he was a young man. In late March, Francis spent three days at Gemelli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-hospital-26d91fdd7a880e9c309581110c00e8bd?0=utm_source=ground.news&amp;1=utm_medium=referral">for bronchitis</a>&nbsp;and was treated with intravenous antibiotics. He emerged April 1 saying “Still alive!”“I suspect they are doing it now because they are worried it might become more complicated and result in an emergency operation, which would carry an even bigger risk than leaving it alone or operating now,” Phillips said.After celebrating his weekly general audience, the pope was driven in his Fiat 500 out of the Vatican shortly after 11 a.m. and arrived at the Gemelli some 20 minutes later, escorted by police.“The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow for the normal post-operative course and full functional recovery,” the Vatican said in a statement. An update was not expected until after the procedure.The pope had appeared in good form Wednesday morning at his audience in St. Peter’s Square, zipping around the square in his popemobile greeting the faithful. He also had two meetings beforehand, the Vatican said.Francis has had a packed schedule of late, with multiple audiences each day. The Vatican recently confirmed a travel-filled August, when the Holy See and Italy are usually on vacation, with a four-day visit to Portugal the first week of August and a similarly long trip to Mongolia starting Aug. 31.In a sign that the trips were still on, the Vatican on Tuesday released the planned itinerary for Francis’ visit to Portugal for World Youth Day events from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6. The busy schedule includes all the protocol meetings of an official state visit plus multiple events with young people and a day trip to the Marian shrine at Fatima.-------------ROME (AP) — Pope Francis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-hospital-health-intestine-64750f0392511ea6dc6824b8f8db4f5a">latest malady</a>&nbsp;to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago.The Vatican said there were no complications after the three-hour surgery, during which Francis was under general anesthesia. The 86-year-old pontiff was expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for several days. As a precaution, all papal audiences were canceled through June 18, the Vatican said.While hernia operations are rarely performed on an emergency basis, the procedure appeared somewhat urgent, scheduled just a day after Francis went to the hospital for tests. The pontiff's doctors no doubt also wanted to give him ample time for recovery ahead of a busy travel schedule later this summer.The pope was suffering from a “painful and worsening” hernia that formed over a previous scar, presumably from his 2021 colon surgery. Experts said the formation of the hernia, called a laparocele, is a known complication from intestinal surgery. The concern is that a portion of his intestine may have bulged through the tear and become trapped.Francis went to the hospital for previously unannounced tests Tuesday, returned to the Vatican and presided over his audience Wednesday morning, but then went straight to Gemelli for the procedure afterward.“When the intestines are trapped, the blood supply to the bowel is compromised. And if you don’t take care of it, the bowel will die, and you will have gangrenous intestines,” said Dr. Walter Longo, chief of colon and rectal surgery at Yale University School of Medicine.He said Francis should be OK after a few weeks of recovery, but he noted that the aging pope is already frail. “There’s the risk of going through surgery, operating on a fragile individual, but if he can get through it, he will be fine,” he said.Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-21bf68ed6376f57cd9e0a0af631b11d7">remains in charge</a>&nbsp;of the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while unconscious and in the hospital, according to canon law.In July 2021, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-religion-pope-francis-bfb9d24c1f6c430dcd9312221a62fc5d">spent 10 days</a>&nbsp;at Gemelli to remove 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his large intestine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">In an interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in January, Francis said the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, that prompted that surgery had returned.After that surgery, Francis lamented that he hadn’t responded well to the general anesthetic used in the longer-than-expected procedure. That reaction in part explained his refusal to have surgery to repair strained knee ligaments that have forced him to use a wheelchair and walker for over a year.Dr. Manish Chand, a professor of surgery at University College London who specializes in colorectal surgery, said the surgery itself is usually straightforward — but it does require general anesthesia. In the procedure, a surgeon typically frees the trapped intestine and then repairs the hernia and implants a prosthetic, most likely a piece of mesh.He said the greatest issue afterwards would be pain management and making sure the wound heals properly.“In the first six weeks after this type of surgery, you’re at risk of getting a recurrence again,” he said. To avoid that, patients are advised not to do anything strenuous.Dr. Robin Phillips, an emeritus professor of colorectal surgery at Imperial College London, pointed out that abdominal surgery can also compromise lung function.The Argentine pope had part of one lung removed when he was a young man. In late March, Francis spent three days at Gemelli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-hospital-26d91fdd7a880e9c309581110c00e8bd?0=utm_source=ground.news&amp;1=utm_medium=referral">for bronchitis</a>&nbsp;and was treated with intravenous antibiotics. He emerged April 1 saying “Still alive!”“I suspect they are doing it now because they are worried it might become more complicated and result in an emergency operation, which would carry an even bigger risk than leaving it alone or operating now,” Phillips said.After celebrating his weekly general audience, the pope was driven in his Fiat 500 out of the Vatican shortly after 11 a.m. and arrived at the Gemelli some 20 minutes later, escorted by police.“The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow for the normal post-operative course and full functional recovery,” the Vatican said in a statement. An update was not expected until after the procedure.The pope had appeared in good form Wednesday morning at his audience in St. Peter’s Square, zipping around the square in his popemobile greeting the faithful. He also had two meetings beforehand, the Vatican said.Francis has had a packed schedule of late, with multiple audiences each day. The Vatican recently confirmed a travel-filled August, when the Holy See and Italy are usually on vacation, with a four-day visit to Portugal the first week of August and a similarly long trip to Mongolia starting Aug. 31.In a sign that the trips were still on, the Vatican on Tuesday released the planned itinerary for Francis’ visit to Portugal for World Youth Day events from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6. The busy schedule includes all the protocol meetings of an official state visit plus multiple events with young people and a day trip to the Marian shrine at Fatima.

Pope Francis emerges from 3-hour abdominal surgery without complications

WEBSTER COUNTY—One person died from injuries in an accident just after 5p.m. Tuesday in Webster County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Mercedes 320 driven by Julia M. Young, 38, Seymour, was southbound on Highway C two miles north of Seymour.

The car was passing and rear-ended an Amish buggy driven by Sammy W. Schwartz, 23, Seymour. Schwartz and two passengers of the buggy were ejected.

EMS transported Schwartz, Barbara Schwartz, 24, and a baby all from Seymour to Cox South in Springfield. The baby was pronounced deceased just before 8p.m., according to the MSHP. Young was not injured.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686146756144.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WEBSTER COUNTY—One person died from injuries in an accident just after 5p.m. Tuesday in Webster County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Mercedes 320 driven by Julia M. Young, 38, Seymour, was southbound on Highway C two miles north of Seymour.The car was passing and rear-ended an Amish buggy driven by Sammy W. Schwartz, 23, Seymour. Schwartz and two passengers of the buggy were ejected.EMS transported Schwartz, Barbara Schwartz, 24, and a baby all from Seymour to Cox South in Springfield. The baby was pronounced deceased just before 8p.m., according to the MSHP. Young was not injured.

Patrol: Baby dies after car rear-ends buggy

RAWLINS COUNTY — The cause of Monday's fire at the Rawlins County/Atwood Jr. and Senior High has been determined to be arson, according to a media release from the Kansas State Fire Marshal.

On Tuesday night, two juveniles were taken into custody for this incident.

USD 105 Rawlins County Public Schools reported the Junior-Senior High School suffered significant damage from a fire Monday morning.

"Smoke was discovered when opening for the summer weight program," according to the post attributed to Superintendent Eric Stoddard. "Atwood, local, and area fire departments responded to the fire. It appears the building has sustained significant damage, but the extent is unknown."

The joint investigation with the State Fire Marshal also included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Atwood Police Department, and the Rawlins County Sheriff's Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686015953309.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>RAWLINS COUNTY — The cause of Monday's fire at the Rawlins County/Atwood Jr. and Senior High has been determined to be arson, according to a media release from the Kansas State Fire Marshal.On Tuesday night, two juveniles were taken into custody for this incident.USD 105 Rawlins County Public Schools reported the Junior-Senior High School suffered significant damage from a fire Monday morning."Smoke was discovered when opening for the summer weight program," according to the post attributed to Superintendent Eric Stoddard. "Atwood, local, and area fire departments responded to the fire. It appears the building has sustained significant damage, but the extent is unknown."The joint investigation with the State Fire Marshal also included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Atwood Police Department, and the Rawlins County Sheriff's Office.

Fire Marshal: Juveniles accused of setting fire at NW Kansas school

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion providers sued Kansas on Tuesday, challenging a new law requiring them to tell patients that an abortion medication can be stopped but also existing restrictions that include a decades-old requirement that patients wait 24 hours to terminate their pregnancies.

The lawsuit filed in state district court in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, argues that Kansas has created a “Biased Counseling Scheme” designed to discourage patients from getting abortions and to stigmatize patients who terminate their pregnancies. The lawsuit contends that the requirements have become “increasingly absurd and invasive” over time and spread medical misinformation.

Kansas voters in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed abortion rights,</a>&nbsp;refusing to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a state Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;three years earlier that declared access to abortion a matter of bodily autonomy and a fundamental right under the state constitution. The providers hope the state courts will invalidate the entire state law that spells out what they must tell patients — in writing — and when, with a single, specific style of type mandate for the forms.

Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, one of the providers filing the lawsuit, said the Republican-controlled Legislature's approval of the new abortion medication law caused providers to look at the broader law and restrictions they have always found problematic. Under the new law, set to take effect July 1, providers would be required to tell patients about a regime for stopping medication abortions that major medical groups consider ineffective and potentially dangerous.

“We thought about the fact that the voters were very clear in the fact that they want providers able to speak directly and honestly to their patients,” Wales said in an interview. “This addition would really harm patients potentially, so we felt compelled to do something.”

Last year's vote and the 2019 state Supreme Court decision mean that Kansas lawmakers cannot greatly restrict or ban abortion, in sharp contrast to other states with Republican-controlled Legislatures following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision</a>&nbsp;against abortion rights in June 2022. The new Kansas law was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">enacted over the veto</a>&nbsp;of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, an abortion rights supporter.

The medication abortion-reversal regime, touted for more than a decade by abortion opponents, uses doses of a hormone, progesterone, commonly used in attempts to prevent miscarriages. Supporters of the new law — and Kansas' entire Right to Know Act — argue that they are making sure that patients have the information they need to make informed decisions about ending their pregnancies.

Anti-abortion groups and lawmakers also are likely to be upset about the lawsuit because of the campaign leading up to the August 2022 vote. The measure on the ballot was a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have declared that it does not grant a right to abortion. Abortion opponents pitched it as a way to preserve reasonable restrictions. But as written, the Legislature would have gained the power to ban abortion — and that point was emphasized by abortion rights supporters.

Abortion foes warned repeatedly that without a change in the state constitution, the state risked having even longstanding restrictions reversed. Parts of the law being challenged — including the 24-hour waiting period — were enacted in 1997.

“With today’s lawsuit, the profit-driven abortion industry has launched an unprecedented attack on a woman’s right to informed consent before an abortion is performed on her," Danielle Underwood, spokesperson for Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group, said in a statement.

Underwood added that with the attack on the waiting period, “they’re aggressively working to speed up the decision-making process, seemingly forcing women into abortion without discussion of alternatives.”

The lawsuit was filed by the Planned Parenthood affiliate, which operates two clinics in the Kansas City area and one in Wichita; another center offering abortion services in the Kansas City area; its owner and another doctor working there. The defendants are state Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican who has vowed to defend state abortion laws; district attorneys in the Kansas City and Wichita areas who would enforce the restrictions; and the top staffer and chairman of the state medical board.

However a district court judge rules, the case is likely eventually to go to the Kansas Supreme Court. The seven justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">already are reviewing</a>&nbsp;a ban enacted in 2015 on the most common second-trimester abortion procedure and a 2011 law setting special health and safety regulations for abortion providers. Neither has been enforced.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion providers sued Kansas on Tuesday, challenging a new law requiring them to tell patients that an abortion medication can be stopped but also existing restrictions that include a decades-old requirement that patients wait 24 hours to terminate their pregnancies.The lawsuit filed in state district court in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, argues that Kansas has created a “Biased Counseling Scheme” designed to discourage patients from getting abortions and to stigmatize patients who terminate their pregnancies. The lawsuit contends that the requirements have become “increasingly absurd and invasive” over time and spread medical misinformation.Kansas voters in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed abortion rights,</a>&nbsp;refusing to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a state Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;three years earlier that declared access to abortion a matter of bodily autonomy and a fundamental right under the state constitution. The providers hope the state courts will invalidate the entire state law that spells out what they must tell patients — in writing — and when, with a single, specific style of type mandate for the forms.Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, one of the providers filing the lawsuit, said the Republican-controlled Legislature's approval of the new abortion medication law caused providers to look at the broader law and restrictions they have always found problematic. Under the new law, set to take effect July 1, providers would be required to tell patients about a regime for stopping medication abortions that major medical groups consider ineffective and potentially dangerous.“We thought about the fact that the voters were very clear in the fact that they want providers able to speak directly and honestly to their patients,” Wales said in an interview. “This addition would really harm patients potentially, so we felt compelled to do something.”Last year's vote and the 2019 state Supreme Court decision mean that Kansas lawmakers cannot greatly restrict or ban abortion, in sharp contrast to other states with Republican-controlled Legislatures following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision</a>&nbsp;against abortion rights in June 2022. The new Kansas law was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">enacted over the veto</a>&nbsp;of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, an abortion rights supporter.The medication abortion-reversal regime, touted for more than a decade by abortion opponents, uses doses of a hormone, progesterone, commonly used in attempts to prevent miscarriages. Supporters of the new law — and Kansas' entire Right to Know Act — argue that they are making sure that patients have the information they need to make informed decisions about ending their pregnancies.Anti-abortion groups and lawmakers also are likely to be upset about the lawsuit because of the campaign leading up to the August 2022 vote. The measure on the ballot was a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have declared that it does not grant a right to abortion. Abortion opponents pitched it as a way to preserve reasonable restrictions. But as written, the Legislature would have gained the power to ban abortion — and that point was emphasized by abortion rights supporters.Abortion foes warned repeatedly that without a change in the state constitution, the state risked having even longstanding restrictions reversed. Parts of the law being challenged — including the 24-hour waiting period — were enacted in 1997.“With today’s lawsuit, the profit-driven abortion industry has launched an unprecedented attack on a woman’s right to informed consent before an abortion is performed on her," Danielle Underwood, spokesperson for Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group, said in a statement.Underwood added that with the attack on the waiting period, “they’re aggressively working to speed up the decision-making process, seemingly forcing women into abortion without discussion of alternatives.”The lawsuit was filed by the Planned Parenthood affiliate, which operates two clinics in the Kansas City area and one in Wichita; another center offering abortion services in the Kansas City area; its owner and another doctor working there. The defendants are state Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican who has vowed to defend state abortion laws; district attorneys in the Kansas City and Wichita areas who would enforce the restrictions; and the top staffer and chairman of the state medical board.However a district court judge rules, the case is likely eventually to go to the Kansas Supreme Court. The seven justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">already are reviewing</a>&nbsp;a ban enacted in 2015 on the most common second-trimester abortion procedure and a 2011 law setting special health and safety regulations for abortion providers. Neither has been enforced.

Abortion providers sue Kansas over new medication rule, waiting period

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas teen died from injuries in a accident that occurred just after 8:30a.m. Sunday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by 16-year-old Kendall, Mackenzie Marie Dezyrae Kendall of Coffeyville was southbound in the 2000 Block of Country Road 4300. 

The car crossed the center line and the driver overcorrected. The car then traveled off the road to the west struck a metal fence and came to rest in a field.

EMS transported Kendall to a hospital in Tulsa where she died. Two passengers identified as 18-year-old Jacob Palmer and 21-year-old Christian Jovani&nbsp;Rodrigue-Rodriguez of Coffeyville were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas teen died from injuries in a accident that occurred just after 8:30a.m. Sunday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by 16-year-old Kendall, Mackenzie Marie Dezyrae Kendall of Coffeyville was southbound in the 2000 Block of Country Road 4300. The car crossed the center line and the driver overcorrected. The car then traveled off the road to the west struck a metal fence and came to rest in a field.EMS transported Kendall to a hospital in Tulsa where she died. Two passengers identified as 18-year-old Jacob Palmer and 21-year-old Christian Jovani&nbsp;Rodrigue-Rodriguez of Coffeyville were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

KHP IDs Kansas teen who died after car struck metal fence

SEDGWICK COUNTY —After 17 days, a woman wanted for a fatal shooting is finally in custody.

On Tuesday, police arrested 19-year-old La’Niha Banks&nbsp; stemming from a shooting investigation that fatally injured 19-year-old Lationna Johnson of Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Just after 11 pm May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N. in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers located the Johnson with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. 

EMS transported her to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries. She died on May 23, according to Rebolledo. 

The investigation revealed that Johnson was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but the Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.

Banks is being held on requested charges of one count of Felony Murder, two counts of Criminal Discharge into an Occupied Vehicle, one count of Attempted 1st Degree Murder and four counts of Aggravated Assault.

Police have not released details on the arrest.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting that sent a 19-year-old from Wichita to the hospital where she died May 23, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Officers continue the search for a suspect identified as&nbsp; 19-year-old La’Niha Banks who is considered armed and dangerous.

Just after 11 p.m. May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N in Wichita.

First responders located a woman with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed that the victim was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. 

After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but&nbsp; Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.

During the investigation, detectives were able to confirm Banks as the suspect. She was last seen fleeing in a red 2014 Buick Lacrosse with a paper 60-day tag. The police have located the car.

&nbsp;Banks is wanted on requested charges of aggravated battery, five counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and one count of&nbsp; murder.&nbsp; If you see Banks or know where she is, call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686138861430.png" alt="Banks photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Banks photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —After 17 days, a woman wanted for a fatal shooting is finally in custody.On Tuesday, police arrested 19-year-old La’Niha Banks&nbsp; stemming from a shooting investigation that fatally injured 19-year-old Lationna Johnson of Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Just after 11 pm May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N. in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers located the Johnson with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. EMS transported her to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries. She died on May 23, according to Rebolledo. The investigation revealed that Johnson was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but the Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.Banks is being held on requested charges of one count of Felony Murder, two counts of Criminal Discharge into an Occupied Vehicle, one count of Attempted 1st Degree Murder and four counts of Aggravated Assault.Police have not released details on the arrest.----------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting that sent a 19-year-old from Wichita to the hospital where she died May 23, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Officers continue the search for a suspect identified as&nbsp; 19-year-old La’Niha Banks who is considered armed and dangerous.Just after 11 p.m. May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N in Wichita.First responders located a woman with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed that the victim was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but&nbsp; Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684688157483.png" alt="Police reported on May 23 they had recovered Banks' car -photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Police reported on May 23 they had recovered Banks' car -photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, detectives were able to confirm Banks as the suspect. She was last seen fleeing in a red 2014 Buick Lacrosse with a paper 60-day tag. The police have located the car.&nbsp;Banks is wanted on requested charges of aggravated battery, five counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and one count of&nbsp; murder.&nbsp; If you see Banks or know where she is, call 911.

After 17 days, police capture Kansas murder suspect

LANE COUNTY —On Tuesday, Kansas Game Warden Angie Reisch asked the Lane County Sheriff's office for help with a Great Horned Owl chick, according to a social media report.

The owl had decided to leave the tree a little early, and was at risk of being injured by dogs or vehicles.

The rehab facility advised her to try to put the owl back in the tree by the nest.  Because of the height,  Kansas Municipal Energy Agency was called. Steven Porter put on the animal gloves and secured the Apex Predator (cute baby wrapped in it's blanket). 

He maneuvered the bucket hight up into the nesting tree and gently placed the Owl chick as close to the nest as possible. The Lane County Sheriff's office thanked KMEA, and Steven Porter for their assistance with this Owl family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686088721783.png" alt="Photo Lane Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Lane Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LANE COUNTY —On Tuesday, Kansas Game Warden Angie Reisch asked the Lane County Sheriff's office for help with a Great Horned Owl chick, according to a social media report.The owl had decided to leave the tree a little early, and was at risk of being injured by dogs or vehicles.The rehab facility advised her to try to put the owl back in the tree by the nest. Because of the height, Kansas Municipal Energy Agency was called. Steven Porter put on the animal gloves and secured the Apex Predator (cute baby wrapped in it's blanket). He maneuvered the bucket hight up into the nesting tree and gently placed the Owl chick as close to the nest as possible. The Lane County Sheriff's office thanked KMEA, and Steven Porter for their assistance with this Owl family.

Kansas game warden, sheriff rescue Great Horned Owl chick

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that took place Monday evening just before 9:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Elizabeth Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.

The victim has been identified as 35-year-old&nbsp; Thomas Wheeler of Kansas City, Missouri.

He was transported to an area hospital where police reported Tuesday afternoon that he died.

Police have not released any possible suspect details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that took place Monday evening just before 9:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Elizabeth Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.The victim has been identified as 35-year-old&nbsp; Thomas Wheeler of Kansas City, Missouri.He was transported to an area hospital where police reported Tuesday afternoon that he died.Police have not released any possible suspect details.

Police: Victim in Kansas shooting has died

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bulington and Vance are serving life sentences on murder convictions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Killer captured in Kansas offers apology before his execution

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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