SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.

Just after 9p.m. January 19, the suspect as shown on security cameras&nbsp; entered a liquor store in the 2100 block of E. Central in Wichita, pointed a handgun at the clerk and demanded cash, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

The suspect was last seen running north across Central. He is described as a black male in his 30's, 6 feet tall and approximately 100-120 pounds. He was wearing a black puffy coat with fur around the hood, gloves and a mask.

If you know who this person is, or you have any other information on this case, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or download the free P3 mobile app to submit an anonymous tip. If your tip leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,500.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676565814090.png" alt="photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.Just after 9p.m. January 19, the suspect as shown on security cameras&nbsp; entered a liquor store in the 2100 block of E. Central in Wichita, pointed a handgun at the clerk and demanded cash, according to Officer Trevor Macy.The suspect was last seen running north across Central. He is described as a black male in his 30's, 6 feet tall and approximately 100-120 pounds. He was wearing a black puffy coat with fur around the hood, gloves and a mask.If you know who this person is, or you have any other information on this case, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or download the free P3 mobile app to submit an anonymous tip. If your tip leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,500.

Police ask for help to ID Kansas armed robbery suspect

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government agency responsible for tracking down contaminated peanut butter and defective pacemakers is taking on a new health hazard: online misinformation.

It’s an unlikely role for the Food and Drug Administration, a sprawling, century-old bureaucracy that for decades directed most its communications toward doctors and corporations.

But FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf has spent the last year warning that growing “distortions and half-truths” surrounding vaccines and other medical products are now “a leading cause of death in America.”

“Almost no one should be dying of COVID in the U.S. today,” Califf told The Associated Press, noting the government's distribution of free vaccines and antiviral medications. “People who are denying themselves that opportunity are dying because they're misinformed.”

Califf, who first led the agency under President Barack Obama, said the FDA could once rely on a few communication channels to reach Americans.

“We’re now in a 24/7 sea of information without a user guide for people out there in society," Califf said. "So this requires us to change the way we communicate.”

The FDA's answer? Short&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6G9rnQmEAk">YouTube videos</a>, long&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DrCaliff_FDA/status/1610727792450076679">Twitter threads</a>&nbsp;and other online&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control">postings</a>&nbsp;debunking medical misinformation, including bogus COVID-19 remedies like ivermectin, the anti-parasite drug intended for farm animals. “Hold your horses y'all. Ivermectin may be trending, but it still isn't authorized or approved to treat COVID-19” the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1429050070243192839">FDA told</a><a href="https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1518942739639017472"></a>&nbsp;its 500,000 Twitter followers in April.

On Instagram, FDA memes referencing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkYQaIHMsSF/">Scooby-Doo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj0cqUhMTPk/">SpongeBob</a>&nbsp;urge Americans to get boosted and ignore misinformation, alongside staid agency postings about the arrival of National Handwashing Awareness Week.

The AP asked more than a half-dozen health communication experts about the FDA's fledgling effort. They said it mostly reflects the latest science on combating misinformation, but they also questioned whether it’s reaching enough people to have an impact — and whether separate FDA controversies are undercutting the agency's credibility.

“The question I start with is, ‘Are you a trusted messenger or not?'” said Dr. Seema Yasmin, a Stanford University professor who studies medical misinformation and trains health officials in responding to it. “In the context of FDA, we can highlight multiple incidents which have damaged the credibility of the agency and deepened distrust of its scientific decisions."

In the last two years the FDA has come under fire for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-us-food-and-drug-administration-medication-dementia-8a4dea09ba183d7f047ee5eb10224289">controversial approval</a>&nbsp;of an unproven Alzheimer’s drug as well as its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-robert-califf-cce94aeeb3b53af5617d32086df01410">delayed response</a>&nbsp;to a contaminated baby formula plant, which contributed to a national supply shortage.

Meanwhile, the agency’s approach to booster vaccinations has been criticized by some of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-science--38544e89b9dba06d49a800189c3ed42d">top vaccine scientists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-panel-rejects-widespread-pfizer-booster-shots-1cd1cf6a5c5c02b63f8a7324807a59f1">advisers</a>.

“It’s not fair, but it doesn’t take too many negative stories to unravel the public’s trust,” said Georgetown University’s Leticia Bode, who studies political communication and misinformation.

About a quarter of Americans said they have “a lot” of trust in the FDA's handling of COVID-19, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ASAPH_Knowledge_Monitor_Fall_2022_web.pdf">survey</a>&nbsp;conducted last year by University of Pennsylvania researchers, while less than half said they have “some trust.”

"The FDA's word is still one of the most highly regarded pieces of information people want to see,” said Califf, who was confirmed to his second stint leading the FDA last February.

As commissioner he is trying to tackle a host of issues, including restructuring the agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-food-and-drug-administration-robert-califf-health-nutrition-963a3e590c1055f8be3132f237ad5108">food safety program</a>&nbsp;and more aggressively deploying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-ffdc3c1ce4a9622a064a672ce8aee543">FDA scientists</a>&nbsp;to explain vaccine decisions in the media.

The array of challenges before the FDA raises questions about the new focus on misinformation. And Califf acknowledges the limits of what his agency can accomplish.

“Anyone who thinks the government’s going to solve this problem alone is deluding themselves," he said. “We need a vast network of knowledgeable people who devote part of their day to combating misinformation.”

Georgetown's Bode said the agency is “moving in the right direction,” on misinformation, particularly its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ZLdnLAtLM&amp;list=PLey4Qe-UxcxZlA84cUxA7RMdXnomNp5SO">“Just a Minute”</a>&nbsp;series of factchecking videos, which feature FDA’s vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks succinctly addressing a single COVID-19 myth or topic.

“FDA’s YouTube videos have a minuscule audience,” said&nbsp;Brendan Nyhan, who studies medical misinformation at Dartmouth College. The people watching FDA videos ”are not the people we typically think about when we think about misinformation.”

Research by Nyhan and his colleagues suggests that fact-checking COVID-19 myths briefly dispels false beliefs, but the effects are “ephemeral.” Nyhan and other researchers noted the most trusted medical information source for most Americans is their doctor, not the government.

Even if the audience for FDA’s work is small, experts in online analytics say it may be having a bigger impact.

An FDA page dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control">“Rumor Control”</a>&nbsp;debunks a long list of false claims about vaccines, such as that they contain pesticides. A Google search for “vaccines” and “pesticides” brings up the FDA’s response as a top result, because the search engine prioritizes credible websites.

“Because the FDA puts that information on its website, it will actually crowd out the misinformation from the top 10 or 20 Google results,” said David Lazer, a political and computer scientist at Northeastern University.

Perhaps the most promising approach to fighting misinformation is also the toughest to execute: introduce people to emerging misinformation and explain why it’s false before they encounter it elsewhere.

That technique, called “pre-bunking," presents challenges for large government agencies.

“Is the FDA nimble enough to have a detection system for misinformation and then quickly put out pre-bunking information within hours or days?” Lazer asked.

Califf said the FDA tracks new misinformation trends online and quickly decides whether — and when — to intervene.

“Sometimes calling attention to an issue can make it worse,” he notes.

Other communication challenges are baked into how the FDA operates. For instance, the agency consults an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-57a21c137541c97a6eafed41b2497971">independent panel of vaccine specialists</a>&nbsp;on major decisions about COVID-19 shots, considered a key step in fostering trust in the process.

But some of those&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2215780">experts have disagreed</a>&nbsp;on who should receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters or how strong the evidence is for their use, particularly among younger people.

The FDA then largely relies on news media to translate those debates and its final decisions, which are often laden with scientific jargon.

The result has been “utter confusion,” about the latest round of COVID-19 boosters, says Lawrence Gostin, a public health specialist at Georgetown.

“If you’re trying to counteract misinformation on social media your first job is to clarify, simplify and explain things in an understandable way to the lay public,” said Gostin. “I don’t think anyone could say that FDA has done a good job with that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653259399279.png" alt="In May, the Food and Drug Administration advised consumers to double-check their jars of Jif peanut butter.&nbsp;Jif’s creamy, crunchy, natural and reduced fat peanut butters had been linked to a salmonella outbreak across 12 states&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>In May, the Food and Drug Administration advised consumers to double-check their jars of Jif peanut butter.&nbsp;Jif’s creamy, crunchy, natural and reduced fat peanut butters had been linked to a salmonella outbreak across 12 states&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The government agency responsible for tracking down contaminated peanut butter and defective pacemakers is taking on a new health hazard: online misinformation.It’s an unlikely role for the Food and Drug Administration, a sprawling, century-old bureaucracy that for decades directed most its communications toward doctors and corporations.But FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf has spent the last year warning that growing “distortions and half-truths” surrounding vaccines and other medical products are now “a leading cause of death in America.”“Almost no one should be dying of COVID in the U.S. today,” Califf told The Associated Press, noting the government's distribution of free vaccines and antiviral medications. “People who are denying themselves that opportunity are dying because they're misinformed.”Califf, who first led the agency under President Barack Obama, said the FDA could once rely on a few communication channels to reach Americans.“We’re now in a 24/7 sea of information without a user guide for people out there in society," Califf said. "So this requires us to change the way we communicate.”The FDA's answer? Short&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6G9rnQmEAk">YouTube videos</a>, long&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DrCaliff_FDA/status/1610727792450076679">Twitter threads</a>&nbsp;and other online&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control">postings</a>&nbsp;debunking medical misinformation, including bogus COVID-19 remedies like ivermectin, the anti-parasite drug intended for farm animals. “Hold your horses y'all. Ivermectin may be trending, but it still isn't authorized or approved to treat COVID-19” the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1429050070243192839">FDA told</a><a href="https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1518942739639017472"></a>&nbsp;its 500,000 Twitter followers in April.On Instagram, FDA memes referencing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkYQaIHMsSF/">Scooby-Doo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj0cqUhMTPk/">SpongeBob</a>&nbsp;urge Americans to get boosted and ignore misinformation, alongside staid agency postings about the arrival of National Handwashing Awareness Week.The AP asked more than a half-dozen health communication experts about the FDA's fledgling effort. They said it mostly reflects the latest science on combating misinformation, but they also questioned whether it’s reaching enough people to have an impact — and whether separate FDA controversies are undercutting the agency's credibility.“The question I start with is, ‘Are you a trusted messenger or not?'” said Dr. Seema Yasmin, a Stanford University professor who studies medical misinformation and trains health officials in responding to it. “In the context of FDA, we can highlight multiple incidents which have damaged the credibility of the agency and deepened distrust of its scientific decisions."In the last two years the FDA has come under fire for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-us-food-and-drug-administration-medication-dementia-8a4dea09ba183d7f047ee5eb10224289">controversial approval</a>&nbsp;of an unproven Alzheimer’s drug as well as its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-robert-califf-cce94aeeb3b53af5617d32086df01410">delayed response</a>&nbsp;to a contaminated baby formula plant, which contributed to a national supply shortage.Meanwhile, the agency’s approach to booster vaccinations has been criticized by some of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-science--38544e89b9dba06d49a800189c3ed42d">top vaccine scientists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-panel-rejects-widespread-pfizer-booster-shots-1cd1cf6a5c5c02b63f8a7324807a59f1">advisers</a>.“It’s not fair, but it doesn’t take too many negative stories to unravel the public’s trust,” said Georgetown University’s Leticia Bode, who studies political communication and misinformation.About a quarter of Americans said they have “a lot” of trust in the FDA's handling of COVID-19, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ASAPH_Knowledge_Monitor_Fall_2022_web.pdf">survey</a>&nbsp;conducted last year by University of Pennsylvania researchers, while less than half said they have “some trust.”"The FDA's word is still one of the most highly regarded pieces of information people want to see,” said Califf, who was confirmed to his second stint leading the FDA last February.As commissioner he is trying to tackle a host of issues, including restructuring the agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-food-and-drug-administration-robert-califf-health-nutrition-963a3e590c1055f8be3132f237ad5108">food safety program</a>&nbsp;and more aggressively deploying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-ffdc3c1ce4a9622a064a672ce8aee543">FDA scientists</a>&nbsp;to explain vaccine decisions in the media.The array of challenges before the FDA raises questions about the new focus on misinformation. And Califf acknowledges the limits of what his agency can accomplish.“Anyone who thinks the government’s going to solve this problem alone is deluding themselves," he said. “We need a vast network of knowledgeable people who devote part of their day to combating misinformation.”Georgetown's Bode said the agency is “moving in the right direction,” on misinformation, particularly its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ZLdnLAtLM&amp;list=PLey4Qe-UxcxZlA84cUxA7RMdXnomNp5SO">“Just a Minute”</a>&nbsp;series of factchecking videos, which feature FDA’s vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks succinctly addressing a single COVID-19 myth or topic.But how many people are seeing them?“FDA’s YouTube videos have a minuscule audience,” said&nbsp;Brendan Nyhan, who studies medical misinformation at Dartmouth College. The people watching FDA videos ”are not the people we typically think about when we think about misinformation.”Research by Nyhan and his colleagues suggests that fact-checking COVID-19 myths briefly dispels false beliefs, but the effects are “ephemeral.” Nyhan and other researchers noted the most trusted medical information source for most Americans is their doctor, not the government.Even if the audience for FDA’s work is small, experts in online analytics say it may be having a bigger impact.An FDA page dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control">“Rumor Control”</a>&nbsp;debunks a long list of false claims about vaccines, such as that they contain pesticides. A Google search for “vaccines” and “pesticides” brings up the FDA’s response as a top result, because the search engine prioritizes credible websites.“Because the FDA puts that information on its website, it will actually crowd out the misinformation from the top 10 or 20 Google results,” said David Lazer, a political and computer scientist at Northeastern University.Perhaps the most promising approach to fighting misinformation is also the toughest to execute: introduce people to emerging misinformation and explain why it’s false before they encounter it elsewhere.That technique, called “pre-bunking," presents challenges for large government agencies.“Is the FDA nimble enough to have a detection system for misinformation and then quickly put out pre-bunking information within hours or days?” Lazer asked.Califf said the FDA tracks new misinformation trends online and quickly decides whether — and when — to intervene.“Sometimes calling attention to an issue can make it worse,” he notes.Other communication challenges are baked into how the FDA operates. For instance, the agency consults an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-57a21c137541c97a6eafed41b2497971">independent panel of vaccine specialists</a>&nbsp;on major decisions about COVID-19 shots, considered a key step in fostering trust in the process.But some of those&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2215780">experts have disagreed</a>&nbsp;on who should receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters or how strong the evidence is for their use, particularly among younger people.The FDA then largely relies on news media to translate those debates and its final decisions, which are often laden with scientific jargon.The result has been “utter confusion,” about the latest round of COVID-19 boosters, says Lawrence Gostin, a public health specialist at Georgetown.“If you’re trying to counteract misinformation on social media your first job is to clarify, simplify and explain things in an understandable way to the lay public,” said Gostin. “I don’t think anyone could say that FDA has done a good job with that.”___

FDA’s own reputation could be restraining its misinfo fight

KANSAS CITY (AP) — It was pharmacist Gwendolyn Herzig's first time testifying before a legislative committee when she spoke to several Arkansas lawmakers in a packed hearing room this month about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-state-government-gender-health-586e773f62600b34e4ed55422a5a3de8">a bill restricting gender-affirming care for minors</a>.

Herzig, who is transgender, spoke out against the legislation and told the panel that one of the biggest obstacles trans people face is a lack of empathy. Only a few minutes later, a Republican lawmaker asked her an inappropriate question about her genitalia.

<a href="https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00284/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20230213/-1/26533?viewMode=1#agenda_">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;Herzig's testimony

The exchange, which was&nbsp;livestreamed on the Legislature's website&nbsp;and has since been widely shared on social media, is an example of the type of demeaning questions and rhetoric that transgender people meet when they show up to statehouses to testify against new bills targeting their rights.

The Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature on Thursday approved a group of bills targeting transgender people and gender-affirming health care. Two bills approved by the Senate would<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb233/" target="_blank">&nbsp;ban doctors from providing gender-affirming</a>&nbsp;care to children and create&nbsp;<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/" target="_blank">the so-called “women’s bill of rights</a>” that legally defines a person’s sex as the sex they were assigned at birth. The bills now head to the House for consideration.

(Click below to watch&nbsp;Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays comments on the bill)

In South Dakota, a lawmaker invoked “furries" — people who dress up as animals — when talking about gender-affirming care. In Montana, a legislator compared parents supporting their children in finding treatment to asking doctors to carry out medically assisted suicide.

Advocates worry that increasingly hostile rhetoric about transgender people could have a chilling effect on those who want to speak out against new restrictions and could do lasting damage to a community of trans youth that is already marginalized.

“I feel like that's what they're trying to do, to keep us from coming and exercising this right that we have," said Rumba Yambu, executive director of Intransitive, an advocacy and support group for transgender people in Arkansas. “Because who wants to go and be asked about their genitalia in front of a bunch of strangers? Especially strangers in power."

So far this year, at least 150 bills targeting transgender people have been introduced, which is the highest in a single year, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Bans on gender-affirming care for minors have already been enacted this year in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sd-state-wire-kristi-noem-health-south-dakota-gender-2b6ba634acc1f17f6ab9ade36fc1ae96">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-utah-state-government-gender-d699cef2d20c6cea03f1754d11a5ef7b">Utah</a>, and Republican governors in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-tennessee-state-government-health-gender-181952f6bd94a8e8c0a35be81afe00ad">Tennessee</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-tate-reeves-health-880325ae03127d7fc868d96c2c02171b">Mississippi</a>&nbsp;are expected to sign similar bans into law.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-arkansas-american-civil-liberties-union-4d93ef6d5f1978832949f8a46da2a871">Arkansas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-alabama-gender-identity-d01d4e362647b28800da7a378041371c">Alabama</a>&nbsp;have bans that were temporarily blocked by federal judges.

The push has included efforts in some states to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and proposed bans on drag shows that opponents have warned would also discriminate against transgender people.

Herzig came to the state Capitol to testify against a bill attempting to reinstate Arkansas' ban on gender-affirming care for minors by making it easier to file malpractice lawsuits against providers. In her testimony, Herzig talked about working with transgender patients who are on hormone replacement therapy.

“Bills like SB199 are designed to hinder, not help, Arkansans by creating barriers to evidence-driven health care they deserve under the guise of helping the young and innocent," she said, later saying a vote for the bill was “unpatriotic, and casts doubts on our own health and research institutions who have worked through health care fields to improve the lives of Americans.”

During follow-up questions, Republican Sen. Matt McKee asked Herzig if she is transgender.

When she said yes, he asked: “Do you have a penis?"

The question was met with jeers and audible gasps in the packed committee room.

“That's horrible," Herzig responded, telling McKee that asking her such a question was inappropriate and noting she was testifying as a health care professional.

“I had never been so publicly humiliated in my life,” Herzig told The Associated Press in an interview days later.

McKee did not respond to an email or phone call, but defended his question in a written statement.

“As a father of 4 daughters, I will do everything in my power to protect my children and the children of Arkansas, especially from the woke mob who intend to push their agenda and beliefs down our throats and destroy our families," McKee's statement said.

The idea of protecting children by withholding medical care is undermined by health experts, who have said minors with gender dysphoria who do not receive appropriate care face dramatically increased risk of suicide and serious depression.

McKee's questions were similar in tone to those posed to Debi Jackson's teen Avery, who is transgender and nonbinary, when they testified before Missouri legislators last year about a proposal to ban trans girls and women from participating on sports teams matching their gender identity.

During the hearing, a lawmaker asked Avery if they were “gonna go through the procedure." Since that exchange, Jackson said Avery hasn't wanted to testify again before the Legislature.

“It’s this same idea that in any of these discussions about trans people just being treated with basic dignity and respect, legislators want to reduce them to one body part," Jackson said. “They miss the entirety of the human being sitting in front of them having a conversation.”

Advocates say the rhetoric surrounding these proposed bans further exacerbates an already treacherous environment for transgender people, their families and medical providers. Children’s hospitals around the country have faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-social-media-boston-7a6bed81a86fe5576ca0145d893ad153">an uptick of harassment and threats of violence</a>&nbsp;for providing gender-confirming care.

Though she said she's received an outcry of support since her testimony, Herzig said she and the pharmacy she owns have also gotten hateful emails and calls.

People opposed to gender-affirming care for minors argue that children are too young to make decisions about their futures, sometimes comparing such treatments to child abuse. That's despite medical experts saying the care is safe when administered properly.

Nearly every major medical group, including the American Medical Association, has opposed the bans on such care for minors.

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last year ordered the state’s child welfare agency to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-child-abuse-child-welfare-greg-abbott-ken-paxton-65c054b6ccd9040e81ad1a4be11403b9">investigate reports of gender-affirming care for kids as abuse</a>, but a judge has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-lawsuits-d2af85158fd7dd1660b9d18871e0e7b0">blocked those investigations</a>.

Amber Briggle, the mother of a transgender teenager in Texas whose family was investigated after Abbott's order, said she gets frustrated when speaking before lawmakers in her state who she thinks already have made up their minds on the issue. But Briggle said she plans on returning to Texas' Capitol this year and that Herzig's encounter motivates her even more to show up and speak out.

“They should not have to fight this alone," Briggle said of transgender people testifying in statehouses. “They should know they have loving, supporting allies in their corner."

Herzig said she probably would not have testified had she known she was going to be asked about her genitalia.

“I felt like I was pretty much prepared for any combative question," she said. “Except that."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677510504772.png" alt="Gwendolyn Herzig during her testimony before Arkansas lawmakers-image courtesy Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee" />
 <figcaption>Gwendolyn Herzig during her testimony before Arkansas lawmakers-image courtesy Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — It was pharmacist Gwendolyn Herzig's first time testifying before a legislative committee when she spoke to several Arkansas lawmakers in a packed hearing room this month about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-state-government-gender-health-586e773f62600b34e4ed55422a5a3de8">a bill restricting gender-affirming care for minors</a>.Herzig, who is transgender, spoke out against the legislation and told the panel that one of the biggest obstacles trans people face is a lack of empathy. Only a few minutes later, a Republican lawmaker asked her an inappropriate question about her genitalia.“It was horrifying," she said.&nbsp; <a href="https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00284/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20230213/-1/26533?viewMode=1#agenda_">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;Herzig's testimonyThe exchange, which was&nbsp;livestreamed on the Legislature's website&nbsp;and has since been widely shared on social media, is an example of the type of demeaning questions and rhetoric that transgender people meet when they show up to statehouses to testify against new bills targeting their rights.The Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature on Thursday approved a group of bills targeting transgender people and gender-affirming health care. Two bills approved by the Senate would<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb233/" target="_blank">&nbsp;ban doctors from providing gender-affirming</a>&nbsp;care to children and create&nbsp;<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/" target="_blank">the so-called “women’s bill of rights</a>” that legally defines a person’s sex as the sex they were assigned at birth. The bills now head to the House for consideration.(Click below to watch&nbsp;Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays comments on the bill)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KGAzsPA9Vqg?start=26325" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>In South Dakota, a lawmaker invoked “furries" — people who dress up as animals — when talking about gender-affirming care. In Montana, a legislator compared parents supporting their children in finding treatment to asking doctors to carry out medically assisted suicide.Advocates worry that increasingly hostile rhetoric about transgender people could have a chilling effect on those who want to speak out against new restrictions and could do lasting damage to a community of trans youth that is already marginalized.“I feel like that's what they're trying to do, to keep us from coming and exercising this right that we have," said Rumba Yambu, executive director of Intransitive, an advocacy and support group for transgender people in Arkansas. “Because who wants to go and be asked about their genitalia in front of a bunch of strangers? Especially strangers in power."So far this year, at least 150 bills targeting transgender people have been introduced, which is the highest in a single year, according to the Human Rights Campaign.Bans on gender-affirming care for minors have already been enacted this year in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sd-state-wire-kristi-noem-health-south-dakota-gender-2b6ba634acc1f17f6ab9ade36fc1ae96">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-utah-state-government-gender-d699cef2d20c6cea03f1754d11a5ef7b">Utah</a>, and Republican governors in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-tennessee-state-government-health-gender-181952f6bd94a8e8c0a35be81afe00ad">Tennessee</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-tate-reeves-health-880325ae03127d7fc868d96c2c02171b">Mississippi</a>&nbsp;are expected to sign similar bans into law.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-arkansas-american-civil-liberties-union-4d93ef6d5f1978832949f8a46da2a871">Arkansas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-alabama-gender-identity-d01d4e362647b28800da7a378041371c">Alabama</a>&nbsp;have bans that were temporarily blocked by federal judges.The push has included efforts in some states to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and proposed bans on drag shows that opponents have warned would also discriminate against transgender people.Herzig came to the state Capitol to testify against a bill attempting to reinstate Arkansas' ban on gender-affirming care for minors by making it easier to file malpractice lawsuits against providers. In her testimony, Herzig talked about working with transgender patients who are on hormone replacement therapy.“Bills like SB199 are designed to hinder, not help, Arkansans by creating barriers to evidence-driven health care they deserve under the guise of helping the young and innocent," she said, later saying a vote for the bill was “unpatriotic, and casts doubts on our own health and research institutions who have worked through health care fields to improve the lives of Americans.”During follow-up questions, Republican Sen. Matt McKee asked Herzig if she is transgender.When she said yes, he asked: “Do you have a penis?"The question was met with jeers and audible gasps in the packed committee room.“That's horrible," Herzig responded, telling McKee that asking her such a question was inappropriate and noting she was testifying as a health care professional.“I had never been so publicly humiliated in my life,” Herzig told The Associated Press in an interview days later.McKee did not respond to an email or phone call, but defended his question in a written statement.“As a father of 4 daughters, I will do everything in my power to protect my children and the children of Arkansas, especially from the woke mob who intend to push their agenda and beliefs down our throats and destroy our families," McKee's statement said.The idea of protecting children by withholding medical care is undermined by health experts, who have said minors with gender dysphoria who do not receive appropriate care face dramatically increased risk of suicide and serious depression.McKee's questions were similar in tone to those posed to Debi Jackson's teen Avery, who is transgender and nonbinary, when they testified before Missouri legislators last year about a proposal to ban trans girls and women from participating on sports teams matching their gender identity.During the hearing, a lawmaker asked Avery if they were “gonna go through the procedure." Since that exchange, Jackson said Avery hasn't wanted to testify again before the Legislature.“It’s this same idea that in any of these discussions about trans people just being treated with basic dignity and respect, legislators want to reduce them to one body part," Jackson said. “They miss the entirety of the human being sitting in front of them having a conversation.”Advocates say the rhetoric surrounding these proposed bans further exacerbates an already treacherous environment for transgender people, their families and medical providers. Children’s hospitals around the country have faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-social-media-boston-7a6bed81a86fe5576ca0145d893ad153">an uptick of harassment and threats of violence</a>&nbsp;for providing gender-confirming care.Though she said she's received an outcry of support since her testimony, Herzig said she and the pharmacy she owns have also gotten hateful emails and calls.People opposed to gender-affirming care for minors argue that children are too young to make decisions about their futures, sometimes comparing such treatments to child abuse. That's despite medical experts saying the care is safe when administered properly.Nearly every major medical group, including the American Medical Association, has opposed the bans on such care for minors.Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last year ordered the state’s child welfare agency to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-child-abuse-child-welfare-greg-abbott-ken-paxton-65c054b6ccd9040e81ad1a4be11403b9">investigate reports of gender-affirming care for kids as abuse</a>, but a judge has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-lawsuits-d2af85158fd7dd1660b9d18871e0e7b0">blocked those investigations</a>.Amber Briggle, the mother of a transgender teenager in Texas whose family was investigated after Abbott's order, said she gets frustrated when speaking before lawmakers in her state who she thinks already have made up their minds on the issue. But Briggle said she plans on returning to Texas' Capitol this year and that Herzig's encounter motivates her even more to show up and speak out.“They should not have to fight this alone," Briggle said of transgender people testifying in statehouses. “They should know they have loving, supporting allies in their corner."Herzig said she probably would not have testified had she known she was going to be asked about her genitalia.“I felt like I was pretty much prepared for any combative question," she said. “Except that."

🎥Trans people face 'horrifying' rhetoric at statehouses

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man is charged in the fatal shooting in January 2022 of Desmond Matthews at city BP station, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Shyrone H. Daniels, 18,&nbsp; faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 3000 block of Van Brunt in Kansas City. Officers found the victim 19-year-old Desmond Matthews partially inside a vehicle in the BP gas station lot.

 Video surveillance showed a suspect confront the victim as they came face to face at the station. The suspect showed a handgun and pointed it at the victim and shot, striking him in the neck and upper back. A witness identified the shooter as Daniels. He was certified recently to stand trial as an adult.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677797109319.png" alt="Daniels-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Daniels-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man is charged in the fatal shooting in January 2022 of Desmond Matthews at city BP station, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Shyrone H. Daniels, 18,&nbsp; faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 3000 block of Van Brunt in Kansas City. Officers found the victim 19-year-old Desmond Matthews partially inside a vehicle in the BP gas station lot. Video surveillance showed a suspect confront the victim as they came face to face at the station. The suspect showed a handgun and pointed it at the victim and shot, striking him in the neck and upper back. A witness identified the shooter as Daniels. He was certified recently to stand trial as an adult.

KC teen charged in killing will stand trial as an adult

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Attorney General Kris Kobach signed an appellate court brief in support of a Kentucky photographer’s objection to potentially being compelled to serve clients at a same-sex wedding.

Kobach, a Republican who took office in January,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/dn-42-ky-et-al-amicus-brief.pdf?sfvrsn=39f5bd1a_2">added Kansas to a list of 21 states</a>&nbsp;backing Louisville photographer Chelsey Nelson’s challenge of a city ordinance that forbid her from advertising she only worked opposite-sex ceremonies because those events were inconsistent with her beliefs. The amicus brief embraced by Kobach was filed by the Kentucky attorney general in the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Anthony Powell, Kobach’s solicitor general in Kansas, said the case resembled that of a Colorado baker who said his Christian beliefs forbid him from making a wedding cake for a gay couple in 2012.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2018 a Colorado state court was wrong to find the baker engaged in unlawful discrimination, but that opinion wasn’t extended by the Supreme Court to florists, photographers and others who refused to work with gay couples.

“When the state of Colorado tried force a baker to create designs antithetical to his beliefs, so many Americans were outraged that the phrase ‘you will bake the cake’ has entered our nation’s lexicon,” Powell said. “In this case, a photographer in Louisville, Kentucky, is being forced to create images which are contrary to her deeply held beliefs.”

Powell said the Kansas attorney general’s office took the view government shouldn’t compel speech, especially when that speech was offensive to the individual compelled to speak.

“We are joining other states in an amicus brief defending this photographer and her First Amendment rights,” Powell said.

According to court records, the Kentucky photographer had never been forced to photograph a same-sex wedding. The photographer’s attorneys urged the Court of Appeals to uphold a federal district judge’s ruling that protected her religious liberty and free speech rights.

Kobach joined attorneys general from Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Texas on the appellate brief.

In 2019, Nelson filed a lawsuit alleging Louisville’s “fairness ordinance” violated her constitutional rights and that she couldn’t be directed by the city to accept jobs photographing same-sex weddings. A U.S. District Court judge issued a 44-page ruling granting an injunction against the city’s ordinance, declaring the fairness ordinance couldn’t trample First Amendment rights.

The perspective endorsed by Kobach, captured in the amicus brief, said: “In the end, although Louisville’s interest in preventing discrimination must give way here, its ordinance retains its full force in most situations. All the city cannot do is directly force Nelson to speak in a way that sends a message with which she deeply disagrees. And that’s a good thing.”

The ACLU of Kentucky, however,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu-ky.org/sites/default/files/doc_32_-_20230130_aclu-ky_amicus_brief89.pdf">filed its own amicus brief in January</a>&nbsp;asking the appeals court to uphold Louisville’s LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections. The brief asked the appellate court to reverse the lower court judge ruling opening the door for businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people.

Louisville’s anti-discrimination&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/louisvillemetro/latest/loukymetro/0-0-0-7850">anti-discrimination ordinance</a>&nbsp;bars businesses open to the public from refusing service to customers based on clearly defined innate characteristics, including a customer’s sexual orientation.

“Louisville Metro Government unquestionably has the authority to prohibit businesses within its borders from discriminating against LGBTQ people in the sales of goods and services to the general public,” said Corey Shapiro, legal director at ACLU of Kentucky. “If a business needs to know who the service is for to decide whether it will provide those services, that is identity-based discrimination.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Kris-Kobach-gop-4-1024x768.jpg" alt="Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach signed onto a federal court brief defending the right of a Kentucky photographer to refuse to work at same-sex weddings because it would violate her Christian beliefs. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach signed onto a federal court brief defending the right of a Kentucky photographer to refuse to work at same-sex weddings because it would violate her Christian beliefs. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Attorney General Kris Kobach signed an appellate court brief in support of a Kentucky photographer’s objection to potentially being compelled to serve clients at a same-sex wedding.Kobach, a Republican who took office in January,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/dn-42-ky-et-al-amicus-brief.pdf?sfvrsn=39f5bd1a_2">added Kansas to a list of 21 states</a>&nbsp;backing Louisville photographer Chelsey Nelson’s challenge of a city ordinance that forbid her from advertising she only worked opposite-sex ceremonies because those events were inconsistent with her beliefs. The amicus brief embraced by Kobach was filed by the Kentucky attorney general in the U.S. Court of Appeals.Anthony Powell, Kobach’s solicitor general in Kansas, said the case resembled that of a Colorado baker who said his Christian beliefs forbid him from making a wedding cake for a gay couple in 2012.The U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2018 a Colorado state court was wrong to find the baker engaged in unlawful discrimination, but that opinion wasn’t extended by the Supreme Court to florists, photographers and others who refused to work with gay couples.“When the state of Colorado tried force a baker to create designs antithetical to his beliefs, so many Americans were outraged that the phrase ‘you will bake the cake’ has entered our nation’s lexicon,” Powell said. “In this case, a photographer in Louisville, Kentucky, is being forced to create images which are contrary to her deeply held beliefs.”Powell said the Kansas attorney general’s office took the view government shouldn’t compel speech, especially when that speech was offensive to the individual compelled to speak.“We are joining other states in an amicus brief defending this photographer and her First Amendment rights,” Powell said.According to court records, the Kentucky photographer had never been forced to photograph a same-sex wedding. The photographer’s attorneys urged the Court of Appeals to uphold a federal district judge’s ruling that protected her religious liberty and free speech rights.Kobach joined attorneys general from Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Texas on the appellate brief.In 2019, Nelson filed a lawsuit alleging Louisville’s “fairness ordinance” violated her constitutional rights and that she couldn’t be directed by the city to accept jobs photographing same-sex weddings. A U.S. District Court judge issued a 44-page ruling granting an injunction against the city’s ordinance, declaring the fairness ordinance couldn’t trample First Amendment rights.The perspective endorsed by Kobach, captured in the amicus brief, said: “In the end, although Louisville’s interest in preventing discrimination must give way here, its ordinance retains its full force in most situations. All the city cannot do is directly force Nelson to speak in a way that sends a message with which she deeply disagrees. And that’s a good thing.”The ACLU of Kentucky, however,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu-ky.org/sites/default/files/doc_32_-_20230130_aclu-ky_amicus_brief89.pdf">filed its own amicus brief in January</a>&nbsp;asking the appeals court to uphold Louisville’s LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections. The brief asked the appellate court to reverse the lower court judge ruling opening the door for businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people.Louisville’s anti-discrimination&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/louisvillemetro/latest/loukymetro/0-0-0-7850">anti-discrimination ordinance</a>&nbsp;bars businesses open to the public from refusing service to customers based on clearly defined innate characteristics, including a customer’s sexual orientation.“Louisville Metro Government unquestionably has the authority to prohibit businesses within its borders from discriminating against LGBTQ people in the sales of goods and services to the general public,” said Corey Shapiro, legal director at ACLU of Kentucky. “If a business needs to know who the service is for to decide whether it will provide those services, that is identity-based discrimination.”

Kan. AG aids cause of photographer opposed to working same-sex ceremonies

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Seven months after a decisive statewide vote&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">affirmed abortion rights</a>&nbsp;in Kansas, the Republican-controlled Legislature’s annual session in some ways looks a lot like previous ones, with multiple anti-abortion proposals.

But key players are focusing on incremental changes, instead of a ban. Their biggest goal this year is getting more financial help for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-united-states-government-kansas-health-c0c8a6cbe211ca4970e3a38b3aa7faf9">centers that discourage abortions while offering free pregnancy and post-pregnancy services</a>. An income tax credit for donors is one of three proposals that have gained traction in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature. The other two deal with medical malpractice insurance and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-kansas-city-planned-parenthood-7bbd62399537dac61093864166f0e81e">telemedicine abortions.</a>

Though abortion opponents have pulled some punches — quickly nixing an idea to try to pursue a 15-week ban — abortion-rights supporters argue even the limited changes being sought defy the will of voters.

“These extreme legislators think they know better than us what our families need to stay safe and healthy,” Ashley All, the main spokeperson for the campaign against the August ballot measure that would have allowed lawmakers to greatly restrict or ban the procedure, said in an email.

But abortion opponents contend that vote didn't preclude any new restrictions.

“You don’t have a full understanding of what that vote said about Kansas because of the complexities behind it," Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, told reporters. “So I just disagree that that’s the case, that it cuts against the grain of Kansas."

Kansas voters were the first in the U.S. to weigh in on the abortion issue after U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">struck down Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June. They resoundingly defeated a proposal to add an amendment to the Kansas Constitution stating that it does not grant the right to abortion.

That vote reset the national debate because the state leans Republican and has elected strong anti-abortion legislative majorities since the 1991 “Summer of Mercy” protests outside a Wichita clinic that was among a few in the nation known to perform third-trimester abortions.

The ballot measure was abortion foes' attempt to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;of the Kansas Supreme Court declaring access to abortion a matter of bodily autonomy and therefore a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights.

Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes, from the Kansas City-area, where the vote was especially lopsided in favor of abortion rights, said anti-abortion lawmakers are showing that they still intend to try to ban all abortions.

“And they will do it one piece at a time,” she said.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/documents/hcr5003_enrolled.pdf">proposed anti-abortion amendment</a>&nbsp;specifically asked voters to give “the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators” the power to “pass laws regarding abortion.” All, who campaigned against it, said the answer was a "19 points clear” no, referring to the final margin.

Many state restrictions remain despite the vote. Patients must wait 24 hours before getting an abortion, and minors must have the written consent of a parent or guardian. Most abortions are banned at 22 weeks.

But other restrictions are on hold, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-kansas-state-government-kris-kobach-e10773d1eb521e6d47d0c9d04f83835c">two separate lawsuits</a>&nbsp;before the Kansas Supreme Court over banning the most common second-trimester abortion procedure and imposing special health and safety rules specifically for abortion providers. A state law requiring the doctor to be in the same room with a patient taking their first dose of abortion medication also is on hold in the state courts.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb5/">One bill</a>&nbsp;approved by the Senate last week would require the doctor to be physically present to write a prescription for pregnancy-ending pills — banning online or teleconference prescribing.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb219/">Another</a>&nbsp;would prevent abortion providers who can't get their legally required malpractice insurance in the private market from turning to a state fund providing it.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb96/">The proposed income tax credit</a>&nbsp;is an attempt to strengthen the state's 50-plus network of centers that discourage women from having abortions through counseling or by providing free services, including pregnancy tests, sonograms and even housing. Arizona, Mississippi and Missouri have such credits, and Kansas' would be worth $10 million a year to donors.

Supporters say the centers address the financial needs of vulnerable women, girls and families. But opponents say they coerce women and provide inaccurate information — a contention the centers deny.

Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for Kansans for Life, the state’s most politically influential anti-abortion group, said opponents of the August ballot measure assured voters that rejecting still would leave limits on abortion “because they knew for decades, Kansans have supported reasonable regulations."

"There are things that can be passed, but when those are brought up, all of a sudden, oh, well, ‘The vote, the vote, the vote,’” Gawdun said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659494980922.png" alt="Kansas voters were the first in the U.S. to weigh in on the abortion issue after U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">struck down Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June. They resoundingly defeated a proposal to add an amendment to the Kansas Constitution stating that it does not grant the right to abortion." />
 <figcaption>Kansas voters were the first in the U.S. to weigh in on the abortion issue after U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">struck down Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June. They resoundingly defeated a proposal to add an amendment to the Kansas Constitution stating that it does not grant the right to abortion.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Seven months after a decisive statewide vote&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">affirmed abortion rights</a>&nbsp;in Kansas, the Republican-controlled Legislature’s annual session in some ways looks a lot like previous ones, with multiple anti-abortion proposals.But key players are focusing on incremental changes, instead of a ban. Their biggest goal this year is getting more financial help for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-united-states-government-kansas-health-c0c8a6cbe211ca4970e3a38b3aa7faf9">centers that discourage abortions while offering free pregnancy and post-pregnancy services</a>. An income tax credit for donors is one of three proposals that have gained traction in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature. The other two deal with medical malpractice insurance and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-kansas-city-planned-parenthood-7bbd62399537dac61093864166f0e81e">telemedicine abortions.</a>Though abortion opponents have pulled some punches — quickly nixing an idea to try to pursue a 15-week ban — abortion-rights supporters argue even the limited changes being sought defy the will of voters.“These extreme legislators think they know better than us what our families need to stay safe and healthy,” Ashley All, the main spokeperson for the campaign against the August ballot measure that would have allowed lawmakers to greatly restrict or ban the procedure, said in an email.But abortion opponents contend that vote didn't preclude any new restrictions.“You don’t have a full understanding of what that vote said about Kansas because of the complexities behind it," Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, told reporters. “So I just disagree that that’s the case, that it cuts against the grain of Kansas."Kansas voters were the first in the U.S. to weigh in on the abortion issue after U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">struck down Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June. They resoundingly defeated a proposal to add an amendment to the Kansas Constitution stating that it does not grant the right to abortion.That vote reset the national debate because the state leans Republican and has elected strong anti-abortion legislative majorities since the 1991 “Summer of Mercy” protests outside a Wichita clinic that was among a few in the nation known to perform third-trimester abortions.The ballot measure was abortion foes' attempt to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;of the Kansas Supreme Court declaring access to abortion a matter of bodily autonomy and therefore a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights.Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes, from the Kansas City-area, where the vote was especially lopsided in favor of abortion rights, said anti-abortion lawmakers are showing that they still intend to try to ban all abortions.“And they will do it one piece at a time,” she said.The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/documents/hcr5003_enrolled.pdf">proposed anti-abortion amendment</a>&nbsp;specifically asked voters to give “the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators” the power to “pass laws regarding abortion.” All, who campaigned against it, said the answer was a "19 points clear” no, referring to the final margin.Many state restrictions remain despite the vote. Patients must wait 24 hours before getting an abortion, and minors must have the written consent of a parent or guardian. Most abortions are banned at 22 weeks.But other restrictions are on hold, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-kansas-state-government-kris-kobach-e10773d1eb521e6d47d0c9d04f83835c">two separate lawsuits</a>&nbsp;before the Kansas Supreme Court over banning the most common second-trimester abortion procedure and imposing special health and safety rules specifically for abortion providers. A state law requiring the doctor to be in the same room with a patient taking their first dose of abortion medication also is on hold in the state courts.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb5/">One bill</a>&nbsp;approved by the Senate last week would require the doctor to be physically present to write a prescription for pregnancy-ending pills — banning online or teleconference prescribing.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb219/">Another</a>&nbsp;would prevent abortion providers who can't get their legally required malpractice insurance in the private market from turning to a state fund providing it.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb96/">The proposed income tax credit</a>&nbsp;is an attempt to strengthen the state's 50-plus network of centers that discourage women from having abortions through counseling or by providing free services, including pregnancy tests, sonograms and even housing. Arizona, Mississippi and Missouri have such credits, and Kansas' would be worth $10 million a year to donors.Supporters say the centers address the financial needs of vulnerable women, girls and families. But opponents say they coerce women and provide inaccurate information — a contention the centers deny.Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for Kansans for Life, the state’s most politically influential anti-abortion group, said opponents of the August ballot measure assured voters that rejecting still would leave limits on abortion “because they knew for decades, Kansans have supported reasonable regulations.""There are things that can be passed, but when those are brought up, all of a sudden, oh, well, ‘The vote, the vote, the vote,’” Gawdun said.

Abortion opponents seek smaller changes in Kansas after vote

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;One year ago, five miles east of Hutchinson near 4th Ave., a smoldering fire, left unattended, was spread by the Kansas wind. That fire, now commonly called the Cottonwood Complex Fire, was responsible for burning 12,000 acres, killing one person,&nbsp;and destroying 36 homes, 92 outbuildings, and 110 vehicles.&nbsp;

Firefighters battled the fire for a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“That day we were under catastrophic fire conditions, winds were 30, 40 mile an hour sustained winds that day,” Doug Hanen, Hutchinson Fire Department Division Chief of Operations, said. ”On days like that you're sitting around, you're&nbsp;just waiting for the first one to come in, and you know that day is, if one gets going, it's going to be a major fire."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hanen said Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) knew this was going to be a major fire fairly early. &nbsp;

“As soon as the call came out, the smoke column was well developed and it was moving, I say probably when we first knew it was going to be a major fire was probably in the first 20 to 30 minutes when we went through the first wind shift,” Hanen said. “We went through three wind shift changes on that. It was initially southwest then it became west, then it eventually became northwest.&nbsp;

Hanen added the wind shifts made bringing the fire under control a task that required help from across south central Kansas.

HFD initially received the call at 12:37 p.m. The initial response was about 20 units, according to HFD&nbsp;Chief Steven Beer. The task force&nbsp;eventually grew to include units from McPherson, Rice, Harvey, and Sedgwick counties and the Kansas Forest Service. &nbsp;

HFD also had to activate their Task Force 5, their urban search and rescue group, to locate the one fatality that resulted from the fire. &nbsp;

HFD crews worked a constant rotation of 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a week. &nbsp;

“I want to say the easy part is putting out the fire. The hard part is the mop up work after the main body of fire is put out,” Beer said. “It's the saw work, the trees that got to be cut, it's the stuff that's smoldering and burning for days that really were the legwork. The main body of fire, that was a heck of a firefight for a lot of these individuals, but all week it was a lot of tough work, physical work.” &nbsp;

Chief Beer commended what firefighters did that day. &nbsp;

“That's bad enough by having one fatality but there could easily have been many, many more and what these men and women did that day to save some of the lives and&nbsp;property, it's truly a testament of what they do day in and day out,” Beer said. “We did lose a brush truck in that fire and we did have two of our firefighters that were on that brush truck when the flames came over the back of the truck and the cab of&nbsp;the truck, and zero&nbsp;visibility and they were very fortunate to get out of that fire.” &nbsp;

The fire was intense enough to partially melt that truck. &nbsp;

The sudden wind changes during this wildfire made the fire look like its own storm, with the smoke resembling a thunderhead. &nbsp;

What Beer remembers most about the fire is how little was left. &nbsp;

“It's the people. Whether it's a structure fire or whether it's a wildfire, if there's any other type of disaster, a flood, even a tornado, usually you can find a picture or something,” Beer said. “Many of these people lost everything. Everything you own. Just think about that. Every picture you saved from the day, from your child, all the way up to any things that were handed down through generations from grandparents. Everything was gone for these individuals.” &nbsp;

The humanitarian efforts of the Reno County community over the past year are not unnoticed. &nbsp;

“I think we're so fortunate living in Reno County here where the United Way is, what they did stepping up and right away getting these people supplies, getting everything set up at the State Fairgrounds, and where people could come in if they needed a new bank card, a&nbsp;driver's license, medications,” Beer said. “The stuff we don't think about, they were trying to get these people back on their feet within the next day or two. I think that's just a tribute to Hutch in general and the citizens."&nbsp;

That support also helped the working firefighters, as they were provided with Chapstick, pallets of water, Gatorade, and other resources. &nbsp;

The effects of the Cottonwood Complex fire still continue to change the fire department a year later. &nbsp;

“I went to the City Council and I went to the county commissioners and requested some additional funding to give my firefighters the tools and equipment they need to do their job,” Beer said. “We were fortunate to be able to order some additional brush trucks, get us out of outdated gear, and get some better tools and equipment along with hose to battle these fires.” &nbsp;

Beer knows that his firefighters have to be ready every day for wildfires when conditions are dry.

“This is not a game with these wildfires, these brush fires, this is life and death, in our business here. I think we pride ourselves in Hutch with how far we have come in the wildland firefighting game through the knowledge and expertise that we have&nbsp;with the joint venture with the Kansas Forestry Service here in town.” &nbsp;

Beer called that partnership vital in mitigating future fires. &nbsp;

Hanen added on to what Beer said about the mental impact to the fire department from the fight they faced a year ago

"You don’t drive back through that area without reliving some of the things that you saw that day, like Chief [Beer] alluded to, there were some pretty heroic things that happened out there in the sun,” Hanen said. “People jumping into ponds to save their life and burying their heads in the sand and our guys going in and finding them and bringing them out. It’s&nbsp;what they do day in, day out. When you have a fire to this magnitude that does this much destruction in a very close proximity area with 36 homes, probably 90% of them were all within three roads of each other, that's something that doesn't leave your mind.”&nbsp;

While the stresses&nbsp;of the Cottonwood Complex fire were felt by the citizens whose property burned and that memory is&nbsp;still there today, the fire department is not immune to the mental trauma either. &nbsp;

“As a chief of the department, I do worry about these big calls like this, and being a young agency there is a long-term effect of some of this stuff,” Beer said. “The traumatic stress we see, we try to give people help when they need help if they need help and stuff like that. We try to take care of our people through our peer support programs and even going outside of the department too.”&nbsp;

Firefighters and first responders even have access to a program that gives people one-on-one counseling. &nbsp;

“We are not exempt from the realities of this world,” Beer said. “What my men and women see on a daily basis, and I want to repeat that, what my men and women see on a daily basis, the average citizen in Hutchinson has no clue and will never see that in their entire life and that does take a toll on an individual over the course of their career.” &nbsp;

While the investigation into the Cottonwood Complex fire is still ongoing, according to Chief Beer, criminal intent was ruled out immediately. &nbsp;

The Hutchinson Fire Department is also quick to thank all the additional agencies that helped them both before and after the flames were out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Since it’s a wildfire, the fire department gets plugged pretty quick, but there was some big-time groups that stepped up, the United Way, <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/c52f7ec3-2106-4e92-bd06-9f52e4fc727a" target="_blank">VOAD,</a> those kinds of groups that helped all these families get back on their feet,” Hanen said. “This was a devastating fire.” &nbsp;

Other mutual aid departments helped that day, too. &nbsp;

“Reno County Sheriff’s Department, Reno County EMS, there’s so many supporting agencies that support us, that allow us to do what we do day in and day out,” Beer said. “The 911 center, huge players in the success of getting everything done, Reno County Emergency Management, Kansas Forestry Service, all great partners. We're all standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the command room over here, working like I said, shoulder to shoulder. That's how we mitigate these things, when all of these agencies are working together for the common goals.”&nbsp;

Chief Beer expressed pride in how well Reno County civil service agencies worked together, and credited their united efforts to keeping the citizens safe through the fire, even with as much damage as there turned out to be.

“With how devastating this one was, it could have been way worse, could have been 10 times worse,” Beer said. &nbsp;

Beer and Reno County Emergency Management staff have been asked to present to the Board of County Commissioners on their plans for the 2023 Fire Season on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654951436825.jpeg" alt="Cottonwood Complex Fire-Photo by Rod Zook" />
 <figcaption>Cottonwood Complex Fire-Photo by Rod Zook</figcaption>
 </figure>JUDD WEIL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;One year ago, five miles east of Hutchinson near 4th Ave., a smoldering fire, left unattended, was spread by the Kansas wind. That fire, now commonly called the Cottonwood Complex Fire, was responsible for burning 12,000 acres, killing one person,&nbsp;and destroying 36 homes, 92 outbuildings, and 110 vehicles.&nbsp;Firefighters battled the fire for a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;“That day we were under catastrophic fire conditions, winds were 30, 40 mile an hour sustained winds that day,” Doug Hanen, Hutchinson Fire Department Division Chief of Operations, said. ”On days like that you're sitting around, you're&nbsp;just waiting for the first one to come in, and you know that day is, if one gets going, it's going to be a major fire."&nbsp;&nbsp;Hanen said Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) knew this was going to be a major fire fairly early. &nbsp;“As soon as the call came out, the smoke column was well developed and it was moving, I say probably when we first knew it was going to be a major fire was probably in the first 20 to 30 minutes when we went through the first wind shift,” Hanen said. “We went through three wind shift changes on that. It was initially southwest then it became west, then it eventually became northwest.&nbsp;Hanen added the wind shifts made bringing the fire under control a task that required help from across south central Kansas.HFD initially received the call at 12:37 p.m. The initial response was about 20 units, according to HFD&nbsp;Chief Steven Beer. The task force&nbsp;eventually grew to include units from McPherson, Rice, Harvey, and Sedgwick counties and the Kansas Forest Service. &nbsp;HFD also had to activate their Task Force 5, their urban search and rescue group, to locate the one fatality that resulted from the fire. &nbsp;HFD crews worked a constant rotation of 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a week. &nbsp;“I want to say the easy part is putting out the fire. The hard part is the mop up work after the main body of fire is put out,” Beer said. “It's the saw work, the trees that got to be cut, it's the stuff that's smoldering and burning for days that really were the legwork. The main body of fire, that was a heck of a firefight for a lot of these individuals, but all week it was a lot of tough work, physical work.” &nbsp;Chief Beer commended what firefighters did that day. &nbsp;“That's bad enough by having one fatality but there could easily have been many, many more and what these men and women did that day to save some of the lives and&nbsp;property, it's truly a testament of what they do day in and day out,” Beer said. “We did lose a brush truck in that fire and we did have two of our firefighters that were on that brush truck when the flames came over the back of the truck and the cab of&nbsp;the truck, and zero&nbsp;visibility and they were very fortunate to get out of that fire.” &nbsp;The fire was intense enough to partially melt that truck. &nbsp;The sudden wind changes during this wildfire made the fire look like its own storm, with the smoke resembling a thunderhead. &nbsp;What Beer remembers most about the fire is how little was left. &nbsp;“It's the people. Whether it's a structure fire or whether it's a wildfire, if there's any other type of disaster, a flood, even a tornado, usually you can find a picture or something,” Beer said. “Many of these people lost everything. Everything you own. Just think about that. Every picture you saved from the day, from your child, all the way up to any things that were handed down through generations from grandparents. Everything was gone for these individuals.” &nbsp;The humanitarian efforts of the Reno County community over the past year are not unnoticed. &nbsp;“I think we're so fortunate living in Reno County here where the United Way is, what they did stepping up and right away getting these people supplies, getting everything set up at the State Fairgrounds, and where people could come in if they needed a new bank card, a&nbsp;driver's license, medications,” Beer said. “The stuff we don't think about, they were trying to get these people back on their feet within the next day or two. I think that's just a tribute to Hutch in general and the citizens."&nbsp;That support also helped the working firefighters, as they were provided with Chapstick, pallets of water, Gatorade, and other resources. &nbsp;The effects of the Cottonwood Complex fire still continue to change the fire department a year later. &nbsp;“I went to the City Council and I went to the county commissioners and requested some additional funding to give my firefighters the tools and equipment they need to do their job,” Beer said. “We were fortunate to be able to order some additional brush trucks, get us out of outdated gear, and get some better tools and equipment along with hose to battle these fires.” &nbsp;Beer knows that his firefighters have to be ready every day for wildfires when conditions are dry.“This is not a game with these wildfires, these brush fires, this is life and death, in our business here. I think we pride ourselves in Hutch with how far we have come in the wildland firefighting game through the knowledge and expertise that we have&nbsp;with the joint venture with the Kansas Forestry Service here in town.” &nbsp;Beer called that partnership vital in mitigating future fires. &nbsp;Hanen added on to what Beer said about the mental impact to the fire department from the fight they faced a year ago"You don’t drive back through that area without reliving some of the things that you saw that day, like Chief [Beer] alluded to, there were some pretty heroic things that happened out there in the sun,” Hanen said. “People jumping into ponds to save their life and burying their heads in the sand and our guys going in and finding them and bringing them out. It’s&nbsp;what they do day in, day out. When you have a fire to this magnitude that does this much destruction in a very close proximity area with 36 homes, probably 90% of them were all within three roads of each other, that's something that doesn't leave your mind.”&nbsp;While the stresses&nbsp;of the Cottonwood Complex fire were felt by the citizens whose property burned and that memory is&nbsp;still there today, the fire department is not immune to the mental trauma either. &nbsp;“As a chief of the department, I do worry about these big calls like this, and being a young agency there is a long-term effect of some of this stuff,” Beer said. “The traumatic stress we see, we try to give people help when they need help if they need help and stuff like that. We try to take care of our people through our peer support programs and even going outside of the department too.”&nbsp;Firefighters and first responders even have access to a program that gives people one-on-one counseling. &nbsp;“We are not exempt from the realities of this world,” Beer said. “What my men and women see on a daily basis, and I want to repeat that, what my men and women see on a daily basis, the average citizen in Hutchinson has no clue and will never see that in their entire life and that does take a toll on an individual over the course of their career.” &nbsp;While the investigation into the Cottonwood Complex fire is still ongoing, according to Chief Beer, criminal intent was ruled out immediately. &nbsp;The Hutchinson Fire Department is also quick to thank all the additional agencies that helped them both before and after the flames were out.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Since it’s a wildfire, the fire department gets plugged pretty quick, but there was some big-time groups that stepped up, the United Way, <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/c52f7ec3-2106-4e92-bd06-9f52e4fc727a" target="_blank">VOAD,</a> those kinds of groups that helped all these families get back on their feet,” Hanen said. “This was a devastating fire.” &nbsp;Other mutual aid departments helped that day, too. &nbsp;“Reno County Sheriff’s Department, Reno County EMS, there’s so many supporting agencies that support us, that allow us to do what we do day in and day out,” Beer said. “The 911 center, huge players in the success of getting everything done, Reno County Emergency Management, Kansas Forestry Service, all great partners. We're all standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the command room over here, working like I said, shoulder to shoulder. That's how we mitigate these things, when all of these agencies are working together for the common goals.”&nbsp;Chief Beer expressed pride in how well Reno County civil service agencies worked together, and credited their united efforts to keeping the citizens safe through the fire, even with as much damage as there turned out to be.“With how devastating this one was, it could have been way worse, could have been 10 times worse,” Beer said. &nbsp;Beer and Reno County Emergency Management staff have been asked to present to the Board of County Commissioners on their plans for the 2023 Fire Season on Tuesday.

Burned into memory: One year after deadly 12,000 acre Kansas fire

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;cast himself Saturday as the only Republican candidate who can build on his White House legacy but shied away from directly critiquing his potential rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Trump, giving the headlining address at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, told a cheering crowd that he was engaged in his “final battle” as he tries to return to the White House.

“We are going to finish what we started,” he said. “We’re going to complete the mission. We’re going to see this battle through to ultimate victory.”

Though DeSantis, seen as Trump's biggest potential rival, is frequently a subject of name-calling and other attacks in Trump's social media posts and in interviews, he wasn't mentioned directly in Trump's address before conservative activists, who earlier in the day applauded when an old video clip of the Florida governor was shown in a montage.

While CPAC was once a must-stop for candidates mulling Republican presidential runs, DeSantis and other major likely contenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-bolsonaro-pence-cpac-desantis-youngkin-e237764ad60fbe07e0fe512f48c3c616">skipped this year's gathering</a>&nbsp;amid scandal and as the group has increasingly become aligned with Trump.

The former president's enduring popularity with this segment of voters was on display throughout the conference this week. Some attendees wore Trump-themed outfits, with “MAGA” hats and sequined jackets.

Members of his family and his presidential administration were swarmed like celebrities in the hallways and dominated the list of speakers. The handful of other potential and declared candidates not named Trump who spoke received only tepid applause.

And the annual CPAC straw poll, an unscientific survey of attendees, found Trump the top choice to be the party's nominee, with 62% support, trailed by DeSantis at 20% and businessman Perry Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-johnson-2024-presidential-campaign-b734b469aa0b56a94e19ef0125cf5997">who announced his long shot bid at the conference</a>, with 5%.

Nearly all — 95% of respondents — said they approved of Trump's performance as president.

Ahead of his speech, Trump told reporters that he would continue his third presidential campaign even if indicted. He is under investigation by prosecutors probing his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-only-on-ap-donald-trump-georgia-266e28c4e47e54731b233e0f770f6729">in Georgia and by the U.S. Justice Department,</a>&nbsp;as well as his handling of classified documents, among other issues.

He condemned all the probes as politically motivated and vowed that criminal charges wouldn’t deter him.

“Oh, absolutely, I won’t even think about leaving,” he told reporters, adding that “probably, it’ll enhance my numbers, but it’s a very bad thing for America. It’s very bad for the country.”

“This is an audience that supports President Trump,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the No. 3 House Republican, who endorsed Trump days before he officially launched his 2024 campaign.

The only member of House leadership to attend the conference, Stefanik told The Associated Press that Trump continued to be the party’s leader.

“President Trump is in a very strong position and I think he will be the Republican nominee,” she said.

While Trump did not launch broadsides against his potential challengers for the White House, many of whom were pitching themselves to conservative donors near his Florida home this week, he did repeatedly criticize the old guard of the Republican Party, which is eager to move past him.

“We had a Republican Party that was ruled by freaks, neo-cons, globalists, open borders zealots and fools. But we are never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove and Jeb Bush,” he said.

He took only a veiled jab at DeSantis, calling out those who have proposed raising the age for Social Security or privatizing Medicare — positions DeSantis has expressed support for in the past, but has since abandoned. “We’re not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans,” DeSantis recently said.

Trump told the crowd, “If that’s their original thought, that’s what they always come back to.”

Trump threaded his speech with grievances related to his term in office and outlined his agenda for a second, including restrictions on gender-affirming care and transgender athletes, which drew some of the strongest applause from the room and was a recurrent theme in speeches at the four-day conference.

While many top Republicans steered clear of the conference, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a potential candidate, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who declared her candidacy last month, both spoke Friday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cpac-trump-pompeo-haley-2024-election-d12b8dba671169aebcb479c303cf3627">made shrouded critiques of Trump</a>. Their refusal to call him out by name underscored the risks faced by challengers looking to offer an alternative in a party in which Trump remains the dominant force.

“There is no one in that field I want as my president other than Donald J. Trump,” said Waverly Woods, a Republican activist and marketer from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who said she likes DeSantis but that Trump has first claim on the hearts of many at the conference.

That includes Woods’ sometimes partner in local GOP races, Kim Shourds, whose car bears a “TRUMP WON” license plate.

DeSantis? She likes him, she said, but not enough. She wants the governor to sit down “and let my man come in and run this country,” Shourds said.

E. Payne Kilbourn, a retired Navy submarine captain from Neavitt, Maryland, who now writes and advocates for carbon dioxide, said he was “very, very” happy with Trump’s presidency, but now thinks it’s time for the party to move on.

“I think Donald Trump’s just too toxic for most of the country,” said Kilbourn, 69, an independent who votes for Republicans in general elections and wishes Trump would “bow out and just be the guy behind the scenes.”

Strategically, he sees DeSantis as better positioned to eventually win the White House.

“I think he would have a better chance of getting elected,” he said.

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;cast himself Saturday as the only Republican candidate who can build on his White House legacy but shied away from directly critiquing his potential rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>: &quot;They know that we can defeat them. They know that we will defeat them. But they&#39;re not coming after me. They&#39;re coming after you. And I&#39;m just standing in their way. <a href="https://t.co/2zGkokajh4">pic.twitter.com/2zGkokajh4</a>&mdash; CPAC (@CPAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC/status/1632155040000475139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, giving the headlining address at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, told a cheering crowd that he was engaged in his “final battle” as he tries to return to the White House.“We are going to finish what we started,” he said. “We’re going to complete the mission. We’re going to see this battle through to ultimate victory.”Though DeSantis, seen as Trump's biggest potential rival, is frequently a subject of name-calling and other attacks in Trump's social media posts and in interviews, he wasn't mentioned directly in Trump's address before conservative activists, who earlier in the day applauded when an old video clip of the Florida governor was shown in a montage.While CPAC was once a must-stop for candidates mulling Republican presidential runs, DeSantis and other major likely contenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-bolsonaro-pence-cpac-desantis-youngkin-e237764ad60fbe07e0fe512f48c3c616">skipped this year's gathering</a>&nbsp;amid scandal and as the group has increasingly become aligned with Trump.The former president's enduring popularity with this segment of voters was on display throughout the conference this week. Some attendees wore Trump-themed outfits, with “MAGA” hats and sequined jackets.Members of his family and his presidential administration were swarmed like celebrities in the hallways and dominated the list of speakers. The handful of other potential and declared candidates not named Trump who spoke received only tepid applause.And the annual CPAC straw poll, an unscientific survey of attendees, found Trump the top choice to be the party's nominee, with 62% support, trailed by DeSantis at 20% and businessman Perry Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-johnson-2024-presidential-campaign-b734b469aa0b56a94e19ef0125cf5997">who announced his long shot bid at the conference</a>, with 5%.Nearly all — 95% of respondents — said they approved of Trump's performance as president.Ahead of his speech, Trump told reporters that he would continue his third presidential campaign even if indicted. He is under investigation by prosecutors probing his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-only-on-ap-donald-trump-georgia-266e28c4e47e54731b233e0f770f6729">in Georgia and by the U.S. Justice Department,</a>&nbsp;as well as his handling of classified documents, among other issues.He condemned all the probes as politically motivated and vowed that criminal charges wouldn’t deter him.“Oh, absolutely, I won’t even think about leaving,” he told reporters, adding that “probably, it’ll enhance my numbers, but it’s a very bad thing for America. It’s very bad for the country.”“This is an audience that supports President Trump,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the No. 3 House Republican, who endorsed Trump days before he officially launched his 2024 campaign.The only member of House leadership to attend the conference, Stefanik told The Associated Press that Trump continued to be the party’s leader.“President Trump is in a very strong position and I think he will be the Republican nominee,” she said.While Trump did not launch broadsides against his potential challengers for the White House, many of whom were pitching themselves to conservative donors near his Florida home this week, he did repeatedly criticize the old guard of the Republican Party, which is eager to move past him.“We had a Republican Party that was ruled by freaks, neo-cons, globalists, open borders zealots and fools. But we are never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove and Jeb Bush,” he said.He took only a veiled jab at DeSantis, calling out those who have proposed raising the age for Social Security or privatizing Medicare — positions DeSantis has expressed support for in the past, but has since abandoned. “We’re not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans,” DeSantis recently said.Trump told the crowd, “If that’s their original thought, that’s what they always come back to.”Trump threaded his speech with grievances related to his term in office and outlined his agenda for a second, including restrictions on gender-affirming care and transgender athletes, which drew some of the strongest applause from the room and was a recurrent theme in speeches at the four-day conference.While many top Republicans steered clear of the conference, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a potential candidate, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who declared her candidacy last month, both spoke Friday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cpac-trump-pompeo-haley-2024-election-d12b8dba671169aebcb479c303cf3627">made shrouded critiques of Trump</a>. Their refusal to call him out by name underscored the risks faced by challengers looking to offer an alternative in a party in which Trump remains the dominant force.“There is no one in that field I want as my president other than Donald J. Trump,” said Waverly Woods, a Republican activist and marketer from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who said she likes DeSantis but that Trump has first claim on the hearts of many at the conference.That includes Woods’ sometimes partner in local GOP races, Kim Shourds, whose car bears a “TRUMP WON” license plate.DeSantis? She likes him, she said, but not enough. She wants the governor to sit down “and let my man come in and run this country,” Shourds said.But not everyone at CPAC was on board.E. Payne Kilbourn, a retired Navy submarine captain from Neavitt, Maryland, who now writes and advocates for carbon dioxide, said he was “very, very” happy with Trump’s presidency, but now thinks it’s time for the party to move on.“I think Donald Trump’s just too toxic for most of the country,” said Kilbourn, 69, an independent who votes for Republicans in general elections and wishes Trump would “bow out and just be the guy behind the scenes.”Strategically, he sees DeSantis as better positioned to eventually win the White House.“I think he would have a better chance of getting elected,” he said.

Trump pitches a sequel, but shies away from attacking rivals

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A second defendant has been convicted in the November 2019 fatal shootings of three persons in the 4500 block of South Benton in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

A Jackson County jury Thursday convicted 48-year-old&nbsp; Victor Sykes,&nbsp; of three counts of Murder in the 1st Degree and three counts of Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp;

According to court records, Kansas City police officers were on patrol in the area of 45th and South Benton in Kansas City, when they heard gunshots. They soon observed a woman in the area. She appeared to have a rifle in her hands. They also saw a man walking in the area of 45th and South Benton. The woman got into a black sedan, but was quickly taken into custody. 

The woman was identified as Lynnsey Jones. A firearm was found in the vehicle. An additional officer pursued the man, who was later identified as Victor Sykes. 

He was taken into custody after a foot pursuit. Police found a male victim, apparently deceased, in the street. Rifle casings were recovered from near the victim. The front door of a residence was ajar. Police found another victim on the floor A thied victim was found in the residence, also deceased from a gunshot.

 Jones told police she had gone to the residence to purchase narcotics. After she went inside and smoked marijuana with two unknown women, she told police, she went back outside and found two men arguing. Jones said the men had guns. She also admitted to shooting at all three victims -- later identified as 46-year-old Larona T. Jones; 44-year-old Larry T. Barnes and and 42-year-old Brandy Jones.

A judge has already sentenced co-defendant, Lynnsey D. Jones to three life sentences after she was convicted of the same counts by a Jackson County jury.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sykes will be sentenced on April 4.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677787449554.png" alt="Sykes-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Sykes-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A second defendant has been convicted in the November 2019 fatal shootings of three persons in the 4500 block of South Benton in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.A Jackson County jury Thursday convicted 48-year-old&nbsp; Victor Sykes,&nbsp; of three counts of Murder in the 1st Degree and three counts of Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp;According to court records, Kansas City police officers were on patrol in the area of 45th and South Benton in Kansas City, when they heard gunshots. They soon observed a woman in the area. She appeared to have a rifle in her hands. They also saw a man walking in the area of 45th and South Benton. The woman got into a black sedan, but was quickly taken into custody. The woman was identified as Lynnsey Jones. A firearm was found in the vehicle. An additional officer pursued the man, who was later identified as Victor Sykes. He was taken into custody after a foot pursuit. Police found a male victim, apparently deceased, in the street. Rifle casings were recovered from near the victim. The front door of a residence was ajar. Police found another victim on the floor A thied victim was found in the residence, also deceased from a gunshot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636135682333.png" alt="Jones-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Jones told police she had gone to the residence to purchase narcotics. After she went inside and smoked marijuana with two unknown women, she told police, she went back outside and found two men arguing. Jones said the men had guns. She also admitted to shooting at all three victims -- later identified as 46-year-old Larona T. Jones; 44-year-old Larry T. Barnes and and 42-year-old Brandy Jones.A judge has already sentenced co-defendant, Lynnsey D. Jones to three life sentences after she was convicted of the same counts by a Jackson County jury.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sykes will be sentenced on April 4.