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

TOPEKA — The Ottawa Fire Department is working to become one of the first Kansas locations to install a baby drop-off box after implementation of legislation allowing for parents to surrender their infants anonymously.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2024/">House Bill 2024</a>, passed this year, allows an individual with lawful custody of an infant up to 60 days old to be dropped off in an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/14/kansas-lawmakers-approve-baby-box-drop-offs-foster-care-bill-of-rights/">established safety device</a>. The law changed the previous requirement that the infant be handed over to a person.

Under the bill, police stations, sheriff’s offices, law enforcement centers, fire stations, city and county health departments, and medical care facilities can now install a safety device. It must be temperature controlled, feature an alarm when a baby is inside and have a lock that makes the baby unreachable from the outside.

During a legislative committee on child welfare oversight June 29, Rep. Timothy Johnson, R-Basehor, said he was proud of the committee and the votes gathered to pass the bill.

Shawn Dillon, Ottawa assistant fire chief, also spoke at the hearing. He said about a year ago, a Franklin County resident contacted the department about creating a memorial for a child they recently lost.

The department is now receiving donations to install a Safe Haven Baby Box.

Johnson announced he and his wife would donate $500 to go toward the installation of the box.

Sen. Beverly Gossage, R-Eudora, said she would be honored to donate beside Johnson.

“I was proud to carry this bill on the Senate floor and that our senators and our House members passed this bill,” Gossage said.

Kevin Albin, social media director for Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said the process to produce and install the boxes typically takes eight to 12 weeks. Training, safety tests and other processes begin after installation.

Based in Woodburn, Indiana, Safe Haven Baby Boxes manufactures the boxes and ships them to the drop-off location, where people at the site can hire local companies to install the boxes, Albin said.

Multiple towns in Kansas are in the early stages of installation, and while Safe Haven can’t guarantee timelines, Albin said the company hopes there will be multiple fully operational boxes by the end of the year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688866190234.png" alt=" Shawn Dillon, Ottawa assistant fire chief, speaks during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight on June 30. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Shawn Dillon, Ottawa assistant fire chief, speaks during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight on June 30. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Ottawa Fire Department is working to become one of the first Kansas locations to install a baby drop-off box after implementation of legislation allowing for parents to surrender their infants anonymously.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2024/">House Bill 2024</a>, passed this year, allows an individual with lawful custody of an infant up to 60 days old to be dropped off in an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/14/kansas-lawmakers-approve-baby-box-drop-offs-foster-care-bill-of-rights/">established safety device</a>. The law changed the previous requirement that the infant be handed over to a person.Under the bill, police stations, sheriff’s offices, law enforcement centers, fire stations, city and county health departments, and medical care facilities can now install a safety device. It must be temperature controlled, feature an alarm when a baby is inside and have a lock that makes the baby unreachable from the outside.During a legislative committee on child welfare oversight June 29, Rep. Timothy Johnson, R-Basehor, said he was proud of the committee and the votes gathered to pass the bill.Shawn Dillon, Ottawa assistant fire chief, also spoke at the hearing. He said about a year ago, a Franklin County resident contacted the department about creating a memorial for a child they recently lost.The department is now receiving donations to install a Safe Haven Baby Box.Johnson announced he and his wife would donate $500 to go toward the installation of the box.Sen. Beverly Gossage, R-Eudora, said she would be honored to donate beside Johnson.“I was proud to carry this bill on the Senate floor and that our senators and our House members passed this bill,” Gossage said.Kevin Albin, social media director for Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said the process to produce and install the boxes typically takes eight to 12 weeks. Training, safety tests and other processes begin after installation.Based in Woodburn, Indiana, Safe Haven Baby Boxes manufactures the boxes and ships them to the drop-off location, where people at the site can hire local companies to install the boxes, Albin said.Multiple towns in Kansas are in the early stages of installation, and while Safe Haven can’t guarantee timelines, Albin said the company hopes there will be multiple fully operational boxes by the end of the year.

Donations begin for baby drop-off boxes allowed by new Kansas law

PHILLIPS —Monday's storm brought damaging winds, hail and heavy rain to portions of northwest Kansas.

The National Weather Service reported 60 mile per hour wind gusts in Phillips and Smith counties, a land spout near Weskan in Wallace county and hail in Thomas County.

The Phillips County Sheriff asked the public to avoid East 500 Road and US 36 due to power lines down across the highway. The storm also caused damage in the community of Agra, according to the sheriff's office. "A roof is in or near the highway and travel is not recommended between Phillipsburg and Smith Center."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689072229080.png" alt="Image during Monday's story NWS Goodland" />
 <figcaption>Image during Monday's story NWS Goodland</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPS —Monday's storm brought damaging winds, hail and heavy rain to portions of northwest Kansas.The National Weather Service reported 60 mile per hour wind gusts in Phillips and Smith counties, a land spout near Weskan in Wallace county and hail in Thomas County.The Phillips County Sheriff asked the public to avoid East 500 Road and US 36 due to power lines down across the highway. The storm also caused damage in the community of Agra, according to the sheriff's office. "A roof is in or near the highway and travel is not recommended between Phillipsburg and Smith Center."

Summer storm caused damage in NW Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.

On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.

Just before noon Monday police booked 27-year-old John D. Houze on requested charges of of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant stemming from the shooting.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.

King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688849063007.png" alt="Thomas-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.Just before noon Monday police booked 27-year-old John D. Houze on requested charges of of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant stemming from the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Kansas mass shooting suspect still hiding from police

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court Monday to temporarily block a lower court's order limiting executive branch officials' discussions with social media companies about controversial online posts.

The request for an emergency stay was filed at the 5th U.S. District Court of Appeals shortly after U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty rejected an administration motion that he put his own July 4 order on hold. The order came in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, as well as a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.

The lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by using threats of regulatory action or protection while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.

Doughty was nominated to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump. His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">injunction</a>&nbsp;blocked the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from meeting with or contacting social media companies for the purpose of “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

Administration attorneys said in the motion filed at the 5th Circuit that Doughty's ruling was too broad and vague, and had the potential to chill government officials' speech on important matters. And they said Doughty failed to point to any evidence that the administration had made threats against social media companies to coerce them to take down posts.

"The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content. Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to 'a series of public media statements,'" the administration said.

They asked that the 5th Circuit block Doughty's order while the case is pursued at the appeals court in New Orleans or, at minimum, grant a 10-day block of the order so the administration could prepare to go to the Supreme Court to seek a longer stay.

Earlier Monday, Doughty rejected administration requests that he stay his own order pending appeal.

“In essence," Doughty's Monday order said, "Defendants argue that the injunction should be stayed because it might interfere with the Government’s ability to continue working with social-media companies to censor Americans’ core political speech on the basis of viewpoint. In other words, the Government seeks a stay of the injunction so that it can continue violating the First Amendment.”

Government lawyers have argued that the companies control their own policies regarding misinformation and that the lawsuit casts officials' comments on issues and policy as threats. The administration said Doughty's July 4 order was unclear about who in the executive branch it covers and what they can or cannot say about important topics discussed on social media platforms.

The order could cause “grave harm” by preventing the government from “engaging in a vast range of lawful and responsible conduct,” government lawyers said in requesting the stay Thursday night.

Doughty order said the administration “seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’” The order, which was to remain in effect pending further arguments in Doughty's court, was hailed by conservatives as a victory for free speech and a blow to censorship. But critics said the order and accompanying reasons, covering more than 160 pages, were broad, unclear and could chill government efforts to fight misinformation on important topics.

The criticisms were echoed in the government's Thursday night request for a stay. “The potential breadth of the entities and employees covered by the injunction combined with the injunction’s sweeping substantive scope will chill a wide range of lawful government conduct relating to Defendants’ law enforcement responsibilities, obligations to protect the national security, and prerogative to speak on matters of public concern,” the government's motion said.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs countered with a weekend filing opposing a stay. Among the arguments are that the July 4 injunction carves out exemptions allowing officials to contact social media companies about postings involving criminal activity or public safety threats; national security threats; election-related issues including voter suppression attempts, voting infrastructure threats and illegal campaign contributions; and saying officials can continue "exercising permissible public government speech promoting government policies or views on matters of public concern.”

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge in Louisiana refused Monday to put a temporary hold on his own order limiting Biden administration officials contacts with social media companies.

Biden administration attorneys had asked U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe to stay his own order, which was issued last Tuesday, while they pursue an appeal. That order came in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, as well as a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.

“Defendants do not identify any specific conduct that they claim is lawful but prevented by the injunction,” Doughty said in Monday's ruling. He refused to block is own order while it is appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The administration can also ask the appeals court for a stay.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court Monday to temporarily block a lower court's order limiting executive branch officials' discussions with social media companies about controversial online posts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 Today, a federal court denied the Biden Administration&#39;s motions to stay the injunction in Missouri v. Biden. This is a big victory, and continues to ensure that the Biden Administration can&#39;t censor speech online. Here are a few notable quotes from the order -&gt;&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1678484492976046080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The request for an emergency stay was filed at the 5th U.S. District Court of Appeals shortly after U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty rejected an administration motion that he put his own July 4 order on hold. The order came in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, as well as a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.The lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by using threats of regulatory action or protection while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.Doughty was nominated to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump. His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">injunction</a>&nbsp;blocked the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from meeting with or contacting social media companies for the purpose of “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”Administration attorneys said in the motion filed at the 5th Circuit that Doughty's ruling was too broad and vague, and had the potential to chill government officials' speech on important matters. And they said Doughty failed to point to any evidence that the administration had made threats against social media companies to coerce them to take down posts."The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content. Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to 'a series of public media statements,'" the administration said.They asked that the 5th Circuit block Doughty's order while the case is pursued at the appeals court in New Orleans or, at minimum, grant a 10-day block of the order so the administration could prepare to go to the Supreme Court to seek a longer stay.Earlier Monday, Doughty rejected administration requests that he stay his own order pending appeal.“In essence," Doughty's Monday order said, "Defendants argue that the injunction should be stayed because it might interfere with the Government’s ability to continue working with social-media companies to censor Americans’ core political speech on the basis of viewpoint. In other words, the Government seeks a stay of the injunction so that it can continue violating the First Amendment.”Government lawyers have argued that the companies control their own policies regarding misinformation and that the lawsuit casts officials' comments on issues and policy as threats. The administration said Doughty's July 4 order was unclear about who in the executive branch it covers and what they can or cannot say about important topics discussed on social media platforms.The order could cause “grave harm” by preventing the government from “engaging in a vast range of lawful and responsible conduct,” government lawyers said in requesting the stay Thursday night.Doughty order said the administration “seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’” The order, which was to remain in effect pending further arguments in Doughty's court, was hailed by conservatives as a victory for free speech and a blow to censorship. But critics said the order and accompanying reasons, covering more than 160 pages, were broad, unclear and could chill government efforts to fight misinformation on important topics.The criticisms were echoed in the government's Thursday night request for a stay. “The potential breadth of the entities and employees covered by the injunction combined with the injunction’s sweeping substantive scope will chill a wide range of lawful government conduct relating to Defendants’ law enforcement responsibilities, obligations to protect the national security, and prerogative to speak on matters of public concern,” the government's motion said.The lawsuit's plaintiffs countered with a weekend filing opposing a stay. Among the arguments are that the July 4 injunction carves out exemptions allowing officials to contact social media companies about postings involving criminal activity or public safety threats; national security threats; election-related issues including voter suppression attempts, voting infrastructure threats and illegal campaign contributions; and saying officials can continue "exercising permissible public government speech promoting government policies or views on matters of public concern.”----------------NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge in Louisiana refused Monday to put a temporary hold on his own order limiting Biden administration officials contacts with social media companies.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 Today, a federal court denied the Biden Administration&#39;s motions to stay the injunction in Missouri v. Biden. This is a big victory, and continues to ensure that the Biden Administration can&#39;t censor speech online. Here are a few notable quotes from the order -&gt;&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1678484492976046080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden administration attorneys had asked U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe to stay his own order, which was issued last Tuesday, while they pursue an appeal. That order came in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, as well as a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by using threats of regulatory action or protection while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.Doughty was nominated to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump. His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">injunction</a>&nbsp;blocked the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from meeting with or contacting social media companies for the purpose of “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”“Defendants do not identify any specific conduct that they claim is lawful but prevented by the injunction,” Doughty said in Monday's ruling. He refused to block is own order while it is appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The administration can also ask the appeals court for a stay.Government lawyers have argued that the companies control their own policies regarding misinformation and that the lawsuit casts officials' comments on issues and policy as threats. The administration said Doughty's July 4 order was unclear about who in the executive branch it covers and what they can or cannot say about important topics discussed on social media platforms.The order could cause “grave harm” by preventing the government from “engaging in a vast range of lawful and responsible conduct,” government lawyers said in requesting the stay Thursday night.Doughty order said the administration “seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’” The order, which was to remain in effect pending further arguments in Doughty's court, was hailed by conservatives as a victory for free speech and a blow to censorship. But critics said the order and accompanying reasons, covering more than 160 pages, were broad, unclear and could chill government efforts to fight misinformation on important topics.The criticisms were echoed in the government's Thursday night request for a stay. “The potential breadth of the entities and employees covered by the injunction combined with the injunction’s sweeping substantive scope will chill a wide range of lawful government conduct relating to Defendants’ law enforcement responsibilities, obligations to protect the national security, and prerogative to speak on matters of public concern,” the government's motion said.The lawsuit's plaintiffs countered with a weekend filing opposing a stay. Among the arguments are that the July 4 injunction carves out exemptions allowing officials to contact social media companies about postings involving criminal activity or public safety threats; national security threats; election-related issues including voter suppression attempts, voting infrastructure threats and illegal campaign contributions; and saying officials can continue "exercising permissible public government speech promoting government policies or views on matters of public concern.”

Biden continues court fight on interference in social media content

SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Wichita Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man.

The whereabouts of 74-year-old George C. Smith are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

George is likely driving a black 2002 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 881PKK. He was last seen in the 7700 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, Friday June 30, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He may have traveled southbound on I-35 toward Oklahoma.

George is described as a black male who is 5-feet-5 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and blue shorts. George requires dialysis several times a week and missed his appointment. He is also diabetic and doesn't have necessary medication.

If you see George Smith or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688258232709.png" alt="George Smith -photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>George Smith -photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Wichita Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man.The whereabouts of 74-year-old George C. Smith are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.George is likely driving a black 2002 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 881PKK. He was last seen in the 7700 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, Friday June 30, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He may have traveled southbound on I-35 toward Oklahoma.George is described as a black male who is 5-feet-5 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and blue shorts. George requires dialysis several times a week and missed his appointment. He is also diabetic and doesn't have necessary medication.If you see George Smith or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4111.

Silver Alert continues for missing Kansas man

PLATTE COUNTY —Two women have been charged with a shooting at a restaurant on Saturday in Northmoor, Missouri. 

Renyshia Handson, 29, and Aaliyah Kidd, 21, were charged with separate offenses related to the incident.

On Saturday, Platte County deputies and officers of the Riverside Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at a restaurant in Northmoor, according to Sheriff Mark Owen.

The shooting allegedly occurred after an argument over a food order at the restaurant. Witnesses reported seeing and hearing an altercation between restaurant employees and Kidd.

Witnesses also reported seeing Handson produce a handgun and point it at the back of the head of one person. Witnesses also told deputies that Handson fired the gun, striking a second victim identified as a female employee of the restaurant in the left foot.

The injured employee was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Handson has been charged with Unlawful Use of a Weapon and is being held on a cash-only bond of $100,000. Kidd has been charged with Assault 3rd Degree with a cash-only bond of $5,000, according to&nbsp; Platte County Attorney Eric Zhand.

Both defendants are currently being held in the Platte County Detention Center. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing and additional charges could be filed, according to Zhand.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688910137806.png" alt="RENYSHIA HANDSON-photo Platte Co." />
 <figcaption>RENYSHIA HANDSON-photo Platte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY —Two women have been charged with a shooting at a restaurant on Saturday in Northmoor, Missouri. Renyshia Handson, 29, and Aaliyah Kidd, 21, were charged with separate offenses related to the incident.On Saturday, Platte County deputies and officers of the Riverside Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at a restaurant in Northmoor, according to Sheriff Mark Owen.The shooting allegedly occurred after an argument over a food order at the restaurant. Witnesses reported seeing and hearing an altercation between restaurant employees and Kidd.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688910038871.png" alt="AALIYAH KIDD-photo Platte Co." />
 <figcaption>AALIYAH KIDD-photo Platte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Witnesses also reported seeing Handson produce a handgun and point it at the back of the head of one person. Witnesses also told deputies that Handson fired the gun, striking a second victim identified as a female employee of the restaurant in the left foot.The injured employee was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Handson has been charged with Unlawful Use of a Weapon and is being held on a cash-only bond of $100,000. Kidd has been charged with Assault 3rd Degree with a cash-only bond of $5,000, according to&nbsp; Platte County Attorney Eric Zhand.Both defendants are currently being held in the Platte County Detention Center. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing and additional charges could be filed, according to Zhand.

2 charged for shooting at KC-area restaurant over food order

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — The suspect in the 1982 Tylenol poisonings that killed seven people in the Chicago area, triggered a nationwide panic, and led to an overhaul in the safety of over-the-counter medication packaging, has died, police said on Monday.

Officers, firefighters and EMTs responding to a report of an unresponsive person at about 4 p.m. Sunday found James W. Lewis dead in his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, Cambridge Police Superintendent Frederick Cabral said in a statement. He was 76, police said.

“Following an investigation, Lewis’ death was determined to be not suspicious,” the statement says.

No one was ever charged in the deaths of seven people who took the over-the-counter painkillers laced with cyanide. Lewis served more than 12 years in prison for sending an extortion note to manufacturer Johnson &amp; Johnson, demanding $1 million to “stop the killing.” He and his wife moved to Massachusetts in 1995 following his release. Listed numbers for his wife were not in service.

When Lewis was arrested in New York City in 1982 after a nationwide manhunt, he gave investigators a detailed account of how the killer might have operated. Lewis later admitted sending the letter and demanding the money, but he said he never intended to collect it. He said he wanted to embarrass his wife’s former employer by having the money sent to the employer’s bank account.

Lewis, who had a history of trouble with the law, always denied any role in the Tylenol deaths, but remained a suspect and in 2010 gave DNA samples to the FBI. He even created a website in which he said he was framed. Although the couple lived briefly in Chicago in the early 1980s, Lewis said they were in New York City at the time of the poisonings.

In a 1992 interview with The Associated Press, Lewis explained that the account he gave authorities was simply his way of explaining the killer’s actions.

“I was doing like I would have done for a corporate client, making a list of possible scenarios,” said Lewis, who maintained his innocence. He called the killer “a heinous, cold-blooded killer, a cruel monster.”

The FBI seized a computer and other items from Lewis’ home in February 2009 after Illinois authorities renewed the investigation.

The FBI’s Chicago office at the time cited “advances in forensic technology” and said it, along with the Illinois State Police and local police departments, was conducting a “complete review of all evidence developed in connection," with the killings.

In a span of three days beginning Sept. 29, 1982, seven people — including a 12-year-old girl — who took cyanide-laced Tylenol in the Chicago area died, triggering a nationwide recall of the product. The poisonings led to the widespread adoption of tamperproof packaging for many over-the-counter medications.

In 1978, he was charged in Kansas City, Missouri, with the dismemberment murder of Raymond West, 72, who had hired Lewis as an accountant. The charges were dismissed because West’s cause of death was not determined and some evidence had been illegally obtained.

He was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a 1981 credit card scheme in Kansas City accused of using the name and background of a former tax client to obtain 13 credit cards.

Lewis was charged in 2004 with rape, kidnapping and other offenses for an alleged attack on a woman in Cambridge. He was jailed for three years while awaiting trial, but prosecutors dismissed the charges on the day his trial was scheduled to begin after the victim refused to testify, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said at the time.

Police in 1983 described Lewis as a “chameleon” who lived in several states, used at least 20 aliases and held many jobs, including computer specialist, tax accountant, importer of Indian tapestries and salesman of jewelry, pharmaceutical machinery and real estate.

The lack of accountability in the case has long frustrated victims' families.

Monica Janus, who was 8 years old when three members of her family died after taking the tainted medication, told CBS Chicago in 2022 that she thought the investigation was “really sloppy.”

Lewis' wife was out of town and contacted a neighbor when she could not get a hold of her husband, and the neighbor contacted police, Cabral said.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — The suspect in the 1982 Tylenol poisonings that killed seven people in the Chicago area, triggered a nationwide panic, and led to an overhaul in the safety of over-the-counter medication packaging, has died, police said on Monday.Officers, firefighters and EMTs responding to a report of an unresponsive person at about 4 p.m. Sunday found James W. Lewis dead in his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, Cambridge Police Superintendent Frederick Cabral said in a statement. He was 76, police said.“Following an investigation, Lewis’ death was determined to be not suspicious,” the statement says.No one was ever charged in the deaths of seven people who took the over-the-counter painkillers laced with cyanide. Lewis served more than 12 years in prison for sending an extortion note to manufacturer Johnson &amp; Johnson, demanding $1 million to “stop the killing.” He and his wife moved to Massachusetts in 1995 following his release. Listed numbers for his wife were not in service.When Lewis was arrested in New York City in 1982 after a nationwide manhunt, he gave investigators a detailed account of how the killer might have operated. Lewis later admitted sending the letter and demanding the money, but he said he never intended to collect it. He said he wanted to embarrass his wife’s former employer by having the money sent to the employer’s bank account.Lewis, who had a history of trouble with the law, always denied any role in the Tylenol deaths, but remained a suspect and in 2010 gave DNA samples to the FBI. He even created a website in which he said he was framed. Although the couple lived briefly in Chicago in the early 1980s, Lewis said they were in New York City at the time of the poisonings.In a 1992 interview with The Associated Press, Lewis explained that the account he gave authorities was simply his way of explaining the killer’s actions.“I was doing like I would have done for a corporate client, making a list of possible scenarios,” said Lewis, who maintained his innocence. He called the killer “a heinous, cold-blooded killer, a cruel monster.”The FBI seized a computer and other items from Lewis’ home in February 2009 after Illinois authorities renewed the investigation.The FBI’s Chicago office at the time cited “advances in forensic technology” and said it, along with the Illinois State Police and local police departments, was conducting a “complete review of all evidence developed in connection," with the killings.In a span of three days beginning Sept. 29, 1982, seven people — including a 12-year-old girl — who took cyanide-laced Tylenol in the Chicago area died, triggering a nationwide recall of the product. The poisonings led to the widespread adoption of tamperproof packaging for many over-the-counter medications.Lewis had prior run-ins with the law.In 1978, he was charged in Kansas City, Missouri, with the dismemberment murder of Raymond West, 72, who had hired Lewis as an accountant. The charges were dismissed because West’s cause of death was not determined and some evidence had been illegally obtained.He was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a 1981 credit card scheme in Kansas City accused of using the name and background of a former tax client to obtain 13 credit cards.Lewis was charged in 2004 with rape, kidnapping and other offenses for an alleged attack on a woman in Cambridge. He was jailed for three years while awaiting trial, but prosecutors dismissed the charges on the day his trial was scheduled to begin after the victim refused to testify, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said at the time.Police in 1983 described Lewis as a “chameleon” who lived in several states, used at least 20 aliases and held many jobs, including computer specialist, tax accountant, importer of Indian tapestries and salesman of jewelry, pharmaceutical machinery and real estate.The lack of accountability in the case has long frustrated victims' families.Monica Janus, who was 8 years old when three members of her family died after taking the tainted medication, told CBS Chicago in 2022 that she thought the investigation was “really sloppy.”Lewis' wife was out of town and contacted a neighbor when she could not get a hold of her husband, and the neighbor contacted police, Cabral said.

Suspect in Tylenol poisonings that killed 7 people in 1982 is dead

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon in connection with a robbery and gun fight that critically injured an 18-year-old man from Wichita.

Just after 11:30p.m. July 3, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of South Meridian in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolled. Upon arrival, officers located an 18-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his right upper back. 

The victim was transported to an area hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed that the victim was struck by gunfire after a 20-year-old victim of a robbery at the same location exchanged gunfire with a 19-year-old suspect after the suspect started shooting at him. 

Police believe 20-year-old Douglas Willis participated in the robbery with the 19-year-old suspect.

They arrested Willis on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and felony theft. He bonded out of jail Sunday and is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688909149347.png" alt="Willis-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Willis-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon in connection with a robbery and gun fight that critically injured an 18-year-old man from Wichita.Just after 11:30p.m. July 3, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of South Meridian in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolled. Upon arrival, officers located an 18-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his right upper back. The victim was transported to an area hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed that the victim was struck by gunfire after a 20-year-old victim of a robbery at the same location exchanged gunfire with a 19-year-old suspect after the suspect started shooting at him. Police believe 20-year-old Douglas Willis participated in the robbery with the 19-year-old suspect.They arrested Willis on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and felony theft. He bonded out of jail Sunday and is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Kan. teen hospitalized after caught in robbery, gunfight

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic,” who has been a fugitive from justice for the past four months, has been charged in federal court with bank theft for one of a string of robberies he is suspected of committing, according to a media release from the department of Justice.

Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, was charged with one count of bank theft and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on May 24, 2023. The federal criminal complaint was unsealed and made public Monday following Babudar’s arrest in Lincoln, California, on July 7. Babudar will have his initial court appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, Calif.

This case will be presented to a federal grand jury to determine whether to return an indictment on these or any additional charges.

Babudar enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic. He was charged in Tulsa County, Okla., with the robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar was released on bond in February 2023, and in late March 2023 removed his ankle monitor and fled prosecution. Investigators recently located Babudar near Sacramento and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest on this complaint.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Babudar traveled throughout the Midwest to perpetrate a string of robberies at various banks and credit unions. He allegedly laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos and bank accounts.

Following Babudar’s arrest in Oklahoma last December, FBI investigators began reviewing bank records, casino transaction records, and sensitive financial reporting to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities. Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022, the affidavit says.

Investigators also reviewed unsolved bank robberies throughout the Midwest during that time frame. Babudar’s cell phone was placed in the same cities and locations for these previously unsolved bank robberies and attempted robberies, the affidavit says. In addition to the bank theft with which Babudar is charged in this complaint and the bank robbery charged in Oklahoma, the affidavit specifically refers to four bank robberies in Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and to the attempted robberies of two credit unions in Minnesota.

The complaint charges Babudar with stealing $70,000 from Great Western Bank in Clive, Iowa, on March 2, 2022, then transporting the stolen money across state lines from Iowa to Missouri.

According to the affidavit, he entered the bank wearing a ski mask and handed a teller a note demanding money and indicating he had a firearm. The teller handed Babudar $70,000; law enforcement officers later found $1,460 in $20 bills in the nearby woods along with a glove worn by Babudar during the bank robbery.

Over the next six weeks, Babudar deposited the same approximate amount of money that was stolen from Great Western Bank into his money market savings account, the affidavit says, and engaged in multiple casino chip purchases and redemptions at the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Mo.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI. The Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted in the arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689010403536.png" alt="Babudar-from an earlier arrest in Tulsa County" />
 <figcaption>Babudar-from an earlier arrest in Tulsa County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic,” who has been a fugitive from justice for the past four months, has been charged in federal court with bank theft for one of a string of robberies he is suspected of committing, according to a media release from the department of Justice.Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, was charged with one count of bank theft and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on May 24, 2023. The federal criminal complaint was unsealed and made public Monday following Babudar’s arrest in Lincoln, California, on July 7. Babudar will have his initial court appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, Calif.This case will be presented to a federal grand jury to determine whether to return an indictment on these or any additional charges.Babudar enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic. He was charged in Tulsa County, Okla., with the robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar was released on bond in February 2023, and in late March 2023 removed his ankle monitor and fled prosecution. Investigators recently located Babudar near Sacramento and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest on this complaint.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Babudar traveled throughout the Midwest to perpetrate a string of robberies at various banks and credit unions. He allegedly laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos and bank accounts.Following Babudar’s arrest in Oklahoma last December, FBI investigators began reviewing bank records, casino transaction records, and sensitive financial reporting to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities. Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022, the affidavit says.Investigators also reviewed unsolved bank robberies throughout the Midwest during that time frame. Babudar’s cell phone was placed in the same cities and locations for these previously unsolved bank robberies and attempted robberies, the affidavit says. In addition to the bank theft with which Babudar is charged in this complaint and the bank robbery charged in Oklahoma, the affidavit specifically refers to four bank robberies in Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and to the attempted robberies of two credit unions in Minnesota.The complaint charges Babudar with stealing $70,000 from Great Western Bank in Clive, Iowa, on March 2, 2022, then transporting the stolen money across state lines from Iowa to Missouri.According to the affidavit, he entered the bank wearing a ski mask and handed a teller a note demanding money and indicating he had a firearm. The teller handed Babudar $70,000; law enforcement officers later found $1,460 in $20 bills in the nearby woods along with a glove worn by Babudar during the bank robbery.Over the next six weeks, Babudar deposited the same approximate amount of money that was stolen from Great Western Bank into his money market savings account, the affidavit says, and engaged in multiple casino chip purchases and redemptions at the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Mo.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI. The Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted in the arrest.

KC Chiefs ‘Superfan’ captured in California, charged with bank theft

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town have made another arrest, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

On Friday police booked 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram in the case on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A 31-year-old Missouri man arrested in the case on July 3, was released when the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office determined he fired a weapon in self defense.

Police continue&nbsp;&nbsp;asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689015131240.png" alt="Houze has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon, fleeing police and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. -photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Houze has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon, fleeing police and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. -photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town have made another arrest, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Just before noon Monday police booked 27-year-old John D. Houze on requested charges of of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant stemming from the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688816302231.png" alt="King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Friday police booked 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram in the case on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;&nbsp;A 31-year-old Missouri man arrested in the case on July 3, was released when the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office determined he fired a weapon in self defense.Police continue&nbsp;&nbsp;asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688849063007.png" alt="Thomas-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Kansas felon accused in Wichita mass shooting is in custody

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

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced new initiatives Friday that could reduce health care costs, though none will take effect immediately.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/07/fact-sheetpresident-biden-announces-new-actions-to-lower-health-care-costs-and-protect-consumers-from-scam-insurance-plans-and-junk-fees-as-part-of-bidenomics-push/">The changes</a>&nbsp;include a proposed rule that would reduce the amount of time short-term health insurance plans can last and require companies that offer the plans to be more transparent about what is covered and what isn’t.

The administration is providing guidance to hospitals that patients are either in-network, with the costs for their health care falling under billing limitations in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html">the Affordable Care Act,</a>&nbsp;or it is out-of-network care and billing costs are covered by a federal law known as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises">the No Surprises Act.&nbsp;</a>

The White House is also requesting information about credit cards with especially high interest rates that can be offered within doctors’ offices to help people pay for their health care.

White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden said during a call with reporters on Thursday the proposed rule, which could be finalized later this year, would help Americans to understand the difference between health insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act and so-called “junk insurance.”

Those short-term health insurance plans, Tanden said, “are intended to provide temporary coverage as people transition from one source of coverage to another, like when we’re between jobs.”

During the Trump administration, those short-term plans, which don’t have to provide the same type of health care coverage as other insurance plans, were allowed to last as long as three years, she said.

“The ACA has helped tens of millions of Americans access high-quality, affordable health insurance that protects Americans from being discriminated against because of pre-existing conditions,” Tanden said. “Unfortunately, some types of insurance plans, like short-term limited duration insurance, don’t provide comprehensive coverage. Importantly, they don’t have to comply with the critical ACA protections.”

The short-term plans have left some people with thousands of dollars in medical debt, including a man in Montana who had $43,000 in medical bills after the short-term plan denied cancer coverage by claiming it was a pre-existing condition, she said.

In addition to limiting those short-term health insurance plans to three months with a one-month renewal option, the proposed rule would “require plans that discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and don’t offer comprehensive benefits to disclose their limits clearly to consumers,” Tanden said.

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin celebrated the move in a written statement, saying the short-term insurance plans often show up with a lower price than other plans, though that comes with pitfalls.

“The lower sticker price misleads Americans into buying health insurance that does not have to cover pre-existing conditions, prescription drugs, maternity care, and a host of other basic needs, all while sticking patients with a huge bill to pay out of pocket when they do need health care,” Baldwin said.

On surprise medical billing, the Department of Health and Human Services is sending guidance to hospitals that Biden administration officials hope will reduce or eliminate people receiving thousands in medical bills they did not expect.

“Under this new guidance, we’re making it clear that plans and providers cannot evade surprise billing rules simply by changing the terms they use in their contracts,” Tanden said.

“For example, some health plans contract with hospitals, then try to claim that they are not technically ‘in network,’” she added. “Frankly, what they are doing is gaming the system. This is not allowed and, as our guidance will describe, it must end.”

A senior administration official, speaking on background to describe details of the guidance, said it should clarify that there is no space between the protections for out-of-network costs covered under the federal law known as the No Surprises Act, or protections in the Affordable Care Act for in-network costs.

“We are saying there is no gray area here,” the official said. “It is either the protections of the No Surprises Act, or the protections for out-of-pocket costs.”

The third initiative from the administration unveiled Friday requests information from the public about credit cards and certain types of loans that are often offered to people to help them pay for health care.

Tanden said people signing up for that type of medical credit card may not understand how they work because they “often include teaser rates and deferred interest features that lead to higher costs for consumers.”

A second senior administration official, also speaking on background to discuss details of the plan, said those credit cards often come with interest rates that are much higher than a regular credit card. They are sometimes offered to patients in a health care provider’s office.

“So people are signing up for these things at the same time that they’re deciding on their medical care — those are certainly not going to be optimal conditions for anybody to be making financial decisions,” the official said, noting that many of the cards have “surprise tricks and straps built into them.”

Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, cheered the moves in a written statement.

“With today’s announcement, President Biden is delivering on his promise to promote access to affordable health care and lower families’ everyday costs,” Scott said. “In Congress, Democrats will continue to advance proposals that build on our progress and fiercely defend the ACA from Republican politicians’ persistent attacks.”

By JENNIFER SHUTT&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced new initiatives Friday that could reduce health care costs, though none will take effect immediately.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/07/fact-sheetpresident-biden-announces-new-actions-to-lower-health-care-costs-and-protect-consumers-from-scam-insurance-plans-and-junk-fees-as-part-of-bidenomics-push/">The changes</a>&nbsp;include a proposed rule that would reduce the amount of time short-term health insurance plans can last and require companies that offer the plans to be more transparent about what is covered and what isn’t.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Imagine you choose an &quot;in-network&quot; hospital to receive care but are charged for an “out-of-network” doctor that you did not choose – or even know was consulted. We&#39;re closing these surprise billing loopholes. Evading the law to charge patients outrageous prices must end. <a href="https://t.co/SoIfO3aZyR">pic.twitter.com/SoIfO3aZyR</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1677663837246431233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The administration is providing guidance to hospitals that patients are either in-network, with the costs for their health care falling under billing limitations in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html">the Affordable Care Act,</a>&nbsp;or it is out-of-network care and billing costs are covered by a federal law known as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises">the No Surprises Act.&nbsp;</a>The White House is also requesting information about credit cards with especially high interest rates that can be offered within doctors’ offices to help people pay for their health care.White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden said during a call with reporters on Thursday the proposed rule, which could be finalized later this year, would help Americans to understand the difference between health insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act and so-called “junk insurance.”Those short-term health insurance plans, Tanden said, “are intended to provide temporary coverage as people transition from one source of coverage to another, like when we’re between jobs.”During the Trump administration, those short-term plans, which don’t have to provide the same type of health care coverage as other insurance plans, were allowed to last as long as three years, she said.“The ACA has helped tens of millions of Americans access high-quality, affordable health insurance that protects Americans from being discriminated against because of pre-existing conditions,” Tanden said. “Unfortunately, some types of insurance plans, like short-term limited duration insurance, don’t provide comprehensive coverage. Importantly, they don’t have to comply with the critical ACA protections.”The short-term plans have left some people with thousands of dollars in medical debt, including a man in Montana who had $43,000 in medical bills after the short-term plan denied cancer coverage by claiming it was a pre-existing condition, she said.In addition to limiting those short-term health insurance plans to three months with a one-month renewal option, the proposed rule would “require plans that discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and don’t offer comprehensive benefits to disclose their limits clearly to consumers,” Tanden said.Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin celebrated the move in a written statement, saying the short-term insurance plans often show up with a lower price than other plans, though that comes with pitfalls.“The lower sticker price misleads Americans into buying health insurance that does not have to cover pre-existing conditions, prescription drugs, maternity care, and a host of other basic needs, all while sticking patients with a huge bill to pay out of pocket when they do need health care,” Baldwin said.<h2>Unexpected medical bills</h2>On surprise medical billing, the Department of Health and Human Services is sending guidance to hospitals that Biden administration officials hope will reduce or eliminate people receiving thousands in medical bills they did not expect.“Under this new guidance, we’re making it clear that plans and providers cannot evade surprise billing rules simply by changing the terms they use in their contracts,” Tanden said.“For example, some health plans contract with hospitals, then try to claim that they are not technically ‘in network,’” she added. “Frankly, what they are doing is gaming the system. This is not allowed and, as our guidance will describe, it must end.”A senior administration official, speaking on background to describe details of the guidance, said it should clarify that there is no space between the protections for out-of-network costs covered under the federal law known as the No Surprises Act, or protections in the Affordable Care Act for in-network costs.“We are saying there is no gray area here,” the official said. “It is either the protections of the No Surprises Act, or the protections for out-of-pocket costs.”The third initiative from the administration unveiled Friday requests information from the public about credit cards and certain types of loans that are often offered to people to help them pay for health care.Tanden said people signing up for that type of medical credit card may not understand how they work because they “often include teaser rates and deferred interest features that lead to higher costs for consumers.”A second senior administration official, also speaking on background to discuss details of the plan, said those credit cards often come with interest rates that are much higher than a regular credit card. They are sometimes offered to patients in a health care provider’s office.“So people are signing up for these things at the same time that they’re deciding on their medical care — those are certainly not going to be optimal conditions for anybody to be making financial decisions,” the official said, noting that many of the cards have “surprise tricks and straps built into them.”Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, cheered the moves in a written statement.“With today’s announcement, President Biden is delivering on his promise to promote access to affordable health care and lower families’ everyday costs,” Scott said. “In Congress, Democrats will continue to advance proposals that build on our progress and fiercely defend the ACA from Republican politicians’ persistent attacks.”

Biden administration to crack down on ‘junk’ health insurance plans, surprise billing

CHEROKEE COUNTY —The manhunt for a suspect who allegedly fired a shotgun and stole a pickup in southeast Kansas is over.

Charles L. Amos, 61, was captured just before midnight in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's office.

Just before 8:00 a.m. on Sunday,&nbsp; Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched after a resident discovered a farm truck had been stolen. The owner located the stolen truck and Amos nearby, after Amos stopped to siphon fuel out of the stolen farm truck to put into a van, which had been previously stolen in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

When the owner of the stolen farm truck - and family members of the owner - confronted the suspect, he discharged rounds from a shotgun at one of them, then fled in one of the family members' white 2015 Chevy 4 door truck.

During the day-long manhunt, Cherokee County Investigators coordinated with law enforcement partners in Southeast Kansas, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshal's Service and the Oklahoma City Violent Crimes Apprehension Team in efforts to locate and apprehend Amos.

Amos is currently in custody in Oklahoma City, pending extradition back to Kansas.

Cherokee County Authorities anticipate the filing of formal charges Monday to include Attempted Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Theft, Criminal Damage to Property and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689006737418.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CHEROKEE COUNTY —The manhunt for a suspect who allegedly fired a shotgun and stole a pickup in southeast Kansas is over.Charles L. Amos, 61, was captured just before midnight in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's office.Just before 8:00 a.m. on Sunday,&nbsp; Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched after a resident discovered a farm truck had been stolen. The owner located the stolen truck and Amos nearby, after Amos stopped to siphon fuel out of the stolen farm truck to put into a van, which had been previously stolen in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.When the owner of the stolen farm truck - and family members of the owner - confronted the suspect, he discharged rounds from a shotgun at one of them, then fled in one of the family members' white 2015 Chevy 4 door truck.During the day-long manhunt, Cherokee County Investigators coordinated with law enforcement partners in Southeast Kansas, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshal's Service and the Oklahoma City Violent Crimes Apprehension Team in efforts to locate and apprehend Amos.Amos is currently in custody in Oklahoma City, pending extradition back to Kansas.Cherokee County Authorities anticipate the filing of formal charges Monday to include Attempted Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Theft, Criminal Damage to Property and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Man wanted for alleged attempted murder in Kan. is captured

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state-court judge on Monday ordered Kansas to stop allowing transgender people to change the listing for their sex on their driver's licenses, ahead of the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by state's Republican attorney general against the practice.

District Judge Teresa Watson issued the order three days after Attorney General Kris Kobach sued two officials in Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's administration over her announcement that the state's motor vehicles division would continue changing driver's licenses for transgender people so that the sex listing matches their gender identities. Kobach contends that a law, which took effect on July 1, prevents such changes and requires the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-birth-certificates-kansas-df1e4120921749561ded2535263be223">to reverse any previous changes</a>&nbsp;in its records.

The order will stay in effect for up two weeks, although Watson can extend it. But the judge's move is significant because transgender people have been able to change their driver's licenses for four years, and almost 400 people have done so.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_enrolled.pdf">That new Kansas law</a>&nbsp;defines a person’s sex as male or female, based on the “biological reproductive system” identified at birth, applying that definition to any state law or regulation. It also says that “important governmental objectives” of protecting people’s privacy, health and safety justify single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.

Kelly's office has said attorneys for the motor vehicles division's parent agency, the Kansas Department of Revenue, concluded that their practice of allowing changes by transgender people did not violate the law.

Watson, a judge in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, said allowing the motor vehicles division to keep making changes for transgender people would case “immediate and irreparable injury.”

“Compliance with state legal requirements for identifying license holders is a public safety concern,” Watson wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623429479600.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state-court judge on Monday ordered Kansas to stop allowing transgender people to change the listing for their sex on their driver's licenses, ahead of the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by state's Republican attorney general against the practice.District Judge Teresa Watson issued the order three days after Attorney General Kris Kobach sued two officials in Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's administration over her announcement that the state's motor vehicles division would continue changing driver's licenses for transgender people so that the sex listing matches their gender identities. Kobach contends that a law, which took effect on July 1, prevents such changes and requires the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-birth-certificates-kansas-df1e4120921749561ded2535263be223">to reverse any previous changes</a>&nbsp;in its records.The order will stay in effect for up two weeks, although Watson can extend it. But the judge's move is significant because transgender people have been able to change their driver's licenses for four years, and almost 400 people have done so.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_enrolled.pdf">That new Kansas law</a>&nbsp;defines a person’s sex as male or female, based on the “biological reproductive system” identified at birth, applying that definition to any state law or regulation. It also says that “important governmental objectives” of protecting people’s privacy, health and safety justify single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.Kelly's office has said attorneys for the motor vehicles division's parent agency, the Kansas Department of Revenue, concluded that their practice of allowing changes by transgender people did not violate the law.Watson, a judge in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, said allowing the motor vehicles division to keep making changes for transgender people would case “immediate and irreparable injury.”“Compliance with state legal requirements for identifying license holders is a public safety concern,” Watson wrote.

Judge: Kan. must stop transgender people from changing gender on driver's license

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that fatally injured 16-year-old Elrecus Nolan from Wichita have a third suspect in custody. On Saturday, police reported the arrest of&nbsp;24-year-old Rico Brown from Valley Center.

Just before 10:30pm. Monday, police were dispatched to shots fired call at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Ellis Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police learned that a witness heard several gunshots before he noticed a silver 2002 Ford Taurus slowly rolling westbound on Mt. Vernon, hitting the curb before stopping on the sidewalk.

First responders located Nolan unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Nolan was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On Thursday, police arrested 21-year-old Dougqualynn Patterson and 21-year-old Kameron Solomon both from Wichita.&nbsp; All three suspects are being held on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder.&nbsp;

The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688845147553.png" alt="Brown-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that fatally injured 16-year-old Elrecus Nolan from Wichita have a third suspect in custody. On Saturday, police reported the arrest of&nbsp;24-year-old Rico Brown from Valley Center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688508501373.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation late Monday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation late Monday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 10:30pm. Monday, police were dispatched to shots fired call at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Ellis Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688743977576.png" alt="Patterson-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Patterson-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police learned that a witness heard several gunshots before he noticed a silver 2002 Ford Taurus slowly rolling westbound on Mt. Vernon, hitting the curb before stopping on the sidewalk.First responders located Nolan unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Nolan was pronounced deceased at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688745199407.png" alt="Solomon-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Solomon-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, police arrested 21-year-old Dougqualynn Patterson and 21-year-old Kameron Solomon both from Wichita.&nbsp; All three suspects are being held on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder.&nbsp;The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the shooting.

Three accused in death of 16-year-old Kansas boy

SALINE COUNTY— In a trench 9 feet below the surface, a worker employed by Precision Plumbing LLC was connecting a plumbing line to the municipal sewer in Salina in January when he was buried under dirt and rocks after a trench wall collapsed, according to a report from OSHA.

The company’s foreman entered the trench and tried to dig the worker out. Soon after, he then became buried up to his knees when the trench wall collapsed further. For more than an hour, first responders worked to rescue the two workers. Both survived one of the construction industry’s most serious hazards.

In an investigation by the&nbsp;U.S. Department of Labor’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.osha.gov/" target="_blank">Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>,&nbsp;inspectors determined the trench had no protection against cave-ins and the employer allowed soil piles and equipment within 2 feet of the excavation’s edge. OSHA found Precision Plumbing’s violations of these federal trench safety regulations willful.

Inspectors learned that a superintendent with the site’s general contractor, Multicon Inc. — a Wichita-based construction company — had identified the trench collapse hazards to the Precision Plumbing foreman but left the site before making certain the subcontractor corrected the hazard.

“Fortunately, first responders rescued two workers when a 9-foot trench collapsed. This incident is a stark reminder of how soil can shift suddenly and bury a person within seconds,” explained OSHA Area Director Todd Underwood in Wichita, Kansas.&nbsp;“Many other workers are less fortunate. In fact, OSHA investigated the deaths of 39 workers in trench collapses in 2022 alone.”

<a href="https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OPA/newsreleases/2023/07/OSHA2023149.pdf" target="_blank">OSHA’s investigation led the agency to issue Precision Plumbing, located in Cheney, two willful and six serious violations with proposed penalties of $333,949.</a>&nbsp;In addition to the willful violations related to the trench collapse, investigators found the company failed to do the following:

OSHA also cited Multicon Inc., the general contractor, for one serious violation for failing to protect employees from cave-in and engulfment hazards. The agency proposed penalties of $14,063.

OSHA has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/directives/CPL-02-00-161_0.pdf" target="_blank">national emphasis program on trenching and excavations</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/trench_safety_tips_card.pdf" target="_blank">Trenching standards require protective systems in trenches deeper than 5 feet</a>, and soil and other materials kept at least 2 feet from the edge of a trench. Additionally, trenches must be inspected by a competent person, be&nbsp;free of standing water and atmospheric hazards and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing a worker to enter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673053595660.jpeg" alt="Emergency responders at the scene of the accident in January&nbsp;Photos by Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Emergency responders at the scene of the accident in January&nbsp;Photos by Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY— In a trench 9 feet below the surface, a worker employed by Precision Plumbing LLC was connecting a plumbing line to the municipal sewer in Salina in January when he was buried under dirt and rocks after a trench wall collapsed, according to a report from OSHA.The company’s foreman entered the trench and tried to dig the worker out. Soon after, he then became buried up to his knees when the trench wall collapsed further. For more than an hour, first responders worked to rescue the two workers. Both survived one of the construction industry’s most serious hazards.In an investigation by the&nbsp;U.S. Department of Labor’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.osha.gov/" target="_blank">Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>,&nbsp;inspectors determined the trench had no protection against cave-ins and the employer allowed soil piles and equipment within 2 feet of the excavation’s edge. OSHA found Precision Plumbing’s violations of these federal trench safety regulations willful.Inspectors learned that a superintendent with the site’s general contractor, Multicon Inc. — a Wichita-based construction company — had identified the trench collapse hazards to the Precision Plumbing foreman but left the site before making certain the subcontractor corrected the hazard.“Fortunately, first responders rescued two workers when a 9-foot trench collapsed. This incident is a stark reminder of how soil can shift suddenly and bury a person within seconds,” explained OSHA Area Director Todd Underwood in Wichita, Kansas.&nbsp;“Many other workers are less fortunate. In fact, OSHA investigated the deaths of 39 workers in trench collapses in 2022 alone.”<a href="https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OPA/newsreleases/2023/07/OSHA2023149.pdf" target="_blank">OSHA’s investigation led the agency to issue Precision Plumbing, located in Cheney, two willful and six serious violations with proposed penalties of $333,949.</a>&nbsp;In addition to the willful violations related to the trench collapse, investigators found the company failed to do the following:<ol>
 <li>Make sure workers wore hard hats when exposed to overhead struck-by hazards.</li><li>Protect workers from drowning hazards due to an unsupported water pipe in the trench.</li><li>Provide workers with eye protection when workers were using chemicals.</li><li>Develop a program on chemical hazards and train workers on how to use chemicals safely.</li>
 </ol>OSHA also cited Multicon Inc., the general contractor, for one serious violation for failing to protect employees from cave-in and engulfment hazards. The agency proposed penalties of $14,063.OSHA has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/directives/CPL-02-00-161_0.pdf" target="_blank">national emphasis program on trenching and excavations</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/trench_safety_tips_card.pdf" target="_blank">Trenching standards require protective systems in trenches deeper than 5 feet</a>, and soil and other materials kept at least 2 feet from the edge of a trench. Additionally, trenches must be inspected by a competent person, be&nbsp;free of standing water and atmospheric hazards and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing a worker to enter.

Report: Kan. contractor exposed employees to potentially fatal hazard 

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

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and a bipartisan group of Kansas legislative leaders agreed Friday to designate $170,000 to cover the cost of deploying hazmat teams in Kansas after an anonymous person mailed letters contained white powder and hostile text to about 100 politicians in the state.

(click below to watch a replay of the meeting)

The State Finance Council, which includes Republicans and Democrats from the House and Senate, unanimously approved the expenditure sought by state fire marshal Doug Jorgensen. He said the request was necessary because he lacked authority to spend more than $25,000 per incident from the agency’s emergency response fund without consent of the State Finance Council.

“In the recent event,” Jorgensen said, “we had eight of those hazmat teams active.”

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation in mid-June began an inquiry of suspicious letters sent legislators and public officials in Kansas, including Attorney General Kris Kobach. The KBI had 60 special agents, forensic scientists and colleagues working to collect, screen, manage and track evidence.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said preliminary testing showed the white substance was presumptively negative for dangerous biological agents.

Delivery of similar letters in Tennessee and Montana prompted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take the lead role in the inquiry on June 20. So far, more than 120 Republicans in the three states have received the bizarre letters.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who received one of the letters, said after the State Finance Council’s vote that he was pleased Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, denounced individuals responsible for mailing the letters.

“I appreciate what she did,” Hawkins said. “I sure wished I would have heard from our governor about that.”

Kelly said she appreciated the House speaker’s point of view and promised to issue a formal statement when the federal and state investigation concluded.

“You can rest assured that there is no way in the world that I would approve or condone this kind of action,” the Democratic governor said. “I am waiting for the KBI and FBI to complete their investigation so we can know all the facts in the case.”

After inviting the governor to comment and listening to her remarks during the State Finance Council meeting, Hawkins issued a statement faulting Kelly’s approach to an investigation that hadn’t produced an arrest in Kansas or elsewhere. Hawkins said the governor’s decision to await outcome of the investigation was an “excuse” to sidestep talking about what he considered an “act of terror.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688838952944.png" alt="The State Finance Council approved expenditure of $170,000 by state fire marshal Doug Jorgensen in response to about 100 letters containing a white powder sent to Kansas political figures in June. House Speaker Dan Hawkins criticized Gov. Laura Kelly for not publicly denouncing the letters. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from State Finance Council’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>The State Finance Council approved expenditure of $170,000 by state fire marshal Doug Jorgensen in response to about 100 letters containing a white powder sent to Kansas political figures in June. House Speaker Dan Hawkins criticized Gov. Laura Kelly for not publicly denouncing the letters. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from State Finance Council’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and a bipartisan group of Kansas legislative leaders agreed Friday to designate $170,000 to cover the cost of deploying hazmat teams in Kansas after an anonymous person mailed letters contained white powder and hostile text to about 100 politicians in the state.(click below to watch a replay of the meeting)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UTtYD21s7i4?start=3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The State Finance Council, which includes Republicans and Democrats from the House and Senate, unanimously approved the expenditure sought by state fire marshal Doug Jorgensen. He said the request was necessary because he lacked authority to spend more than $25,000 per incident from the agency’s emergency response fund without consent of the State Finance Council.“In the recent event,” Jorgensen said, “we had eight of those hazmat teams active.”The Kansas Bureau of Investigation in mid-June began an inquiry of suspicious letters sent legislators and public officials in Kansas, including Attorney General Kris Kobach. The KBI had 60 special agents, forensic scientists and colleagues working to collect, screen, manage and track evidence.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said preliminary testing showed the white substance was presumptively negative for dangerous biological agents.Delivery of similar letters in Tennessee and Montana prompted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take the lead role in the inquiry on June 20. So far, more than 120 Republicans in the three states have received the bizarre letters.Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who received one of the letters, said after the State Finance Council’s vote that he was pleased Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, denounced individuals responsible for mailing the letters.“I appreciate what she did,” Hawkins said. “I sure wished I would have heard from our governor about that.”Kelly said she appreciated the House speaker’s point of view and promised to issue a formal statement when the federal and state investigation concluded.“You can rest assured that there is no way in the world that I would approve or condone this kind of action,” the Democratic governor said. “I am waiting for the KBI and FBI to complete their investigation so we can know all the facts in the case.”After inviting the governor to comment and listening to her remarks during the State Finance Council meeting, Hawkins issued a statement faulting Kelly’s approach to an investigation that hadn’t produced an arrest in Kansas or elsewhere. Hawkins said the governor’s decision to await outcome of the investigation was an “excuse” to sidestep talking about what he considered an “act of terror.”

🎥Kan. House Speaker critical of governor for not speaking out on ‘white powder’ letters

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688849063007.png" alt="Thomas-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Suspect in Wichita mass shooting is still at large

TAMPA, Fla.&nbsp;– On Saturday, the U.S. Central Command conducted a strike in Syria that resulted in the death of Usamah al-Muhajir, an ISIS leader in eastern Syria, according to a media release from the agency.

“We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. “ISIS remains a threat, not only to the region but well beyond.”

There are no indications that any civilians were killed in this strike, and the coalition is assessing reports of a civilian injury.

This will disrupt and degrade ISIS’s ability to plan and conduct terror attacks. However, CENTCOM’s operations against ISIS, alongside partner forces in Iraq and Syria, will continue in order to achieve the group’s enduring defeat.

The strike on Friday was conducted by the same MQ-9s that had, earlier in the day, been harassed by Russian aircraft in an encounter that had lasted almost two hours.

TAMPA, Fla.&nbsp;– On Saturday, the U.S. Central Command conducted a strike in Syria that resulted in the death of Usamah al-Muhajir, an ISIS leader in eastern Syria, according to a media release from the agency.“We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. “ISIS remains a threat, not only to the region but well beyond.”There are no indications that any civilians were killed in this strike, and the coalition is assessing reports of a civilian injury.This will disrupt and degrade ISIS’s ability to plan and conduct terror attacks. However, CENTCOM’s operations against ISIS, alongside partner forces in Iraq and Syria, will continue in order to achieve the group’s enduring defeat.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Regarding Russia&#39;s unprofessional behavior while reacting with U.S. aircraft over Syria, please see the video of today&#39;s encounter. For the full statement by Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, Commander, 9th AF (AFCENT) visit<a href="https://t.co/WKDYPiPT96">https://t.co/WKDYPiPT96</a><a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CENTCOM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofDefense</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usairforce</a> <a href="https://t.co/nmSSBxUojO">pic.twitter.com/nmSSBxUojO</a>&mdash; US AFCENT (@USAFCENT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAFCENT/status/1676712564686831619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The strike on Friday was conducted by the same MQ-9s that had, earlier in the day, been harassed by Russian aircraft in an encounter that had lasted almost two hours.

🎥US drones 'harassed' by Russian jets kill Islamic State leader 

FORD COUNTY—Authorities are working on a minor train derailment in Dodge City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688955321146.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY—Authorities are working on a minor train derailment in Dodge City.West Trail and Park Street in Dodge City were closed&nbsp; due to Burlington Northern Santa Fe train derailment Sunday, according to the Dodge City Fire Department.Railroad officials were on scene and had equipment on the way. All other rail crossings were open.&nbsp;&nbsp;There were no reports of injury and no hazmat issues.