EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-university-campus-shootings-b52b808c621273dcad1c233ed4080fe4">opened fire at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;killed three students and wounded five, setting off an hourslong manhunt as frightened students hid in classrooms and cars. The shooter eventually killed himself, police announced early Tuesday.

Police at a news conference later Tuesday identified the gunman as 43-year-old Anthony McRae. They said he shot himself miles away from campus while being confronted by police.

Officials earlier said the gunman was not a student or employee and had no affiliation with the university.

The shooting began Monday night at an academic building and later moved to the nearby student union, a popular gathering spot for students to eat or study. As hundreds of officers scoured the East Lansing campus, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, students hid where they could. Four hours after the first shots were reported, police announced the man’s death.

“This truly has been a nightmare we’re living tonight,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department.

Dominik Molotky said he was learning about Cuban history around 8:15 p.m. when he and the other students heard a gunshot outside the classroom. He told ABC’s “Good Morning America" that a few seconds later, the gunman entered and fired three to four more rounds while the students took cover.

“I was ducking and covering, and the same with the rest of the students. He let off four more rounds and when it went silent for about 30 seconds to a minute, two of my classmates started breaking open a window, and that took about 30 seconds to happen. There was glass everywhere,” Molotky said.

“After that, we broke out the window and I climbed out of there, and then I booked it back to my apartment,” he said. He was unsure whether gunfire hit any of the students.

Ryan Kunkel, 22, was attending a class in the Engineering Building when he became aware of the shooting from a university email. Kunkel and about 13 other students turned off the lights and acted like there “was a shooter right outside the door,” he said.

“Nothing came out of anyone’s mouth” for over four hours, he said.

“I wasn’t ready to accept that this is really going on next door,” Kunkel said. “This is supposed to be a place where I’m coming, learning and bettering myself. And instead, students are getting hurt.”

The shooting is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S. Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, most notably in California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans.

In 2022, there were more than 600 mass shootings in the U.S. in which at least four people were killed or wounded, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls">Gun Violence Archive</a>.

“This is a uniquely American problem,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lamented.

Rozman, of the campus police, said two people were killed at Berkey Hall and another was killed at the MSU Union, while five people were in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital.

Police eventually confronted the shooter, who then died by a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Rozman said.

“We have no idea why he came to campus to do this tonight. That is part of our ongoing investigation,” the deputy chief said.

Ted Zimbo said he was walking to his dorm when he encountered a woman with a “ton of blood on her.”

“She told me, ‘Someone came in our classroom and started shooting,’” Zimbo told The Associated Press. “Her hands were completely covered in blood. It was on her pants and her shoes. She said, ‘It’s my friend’s blood.’”

Zimbo said the woman left to find a friend’s car while he returned to his SUV and threw a blanket over himself to hide for three hours.

Michigan State has about 50,000 students, including 19,000 who live on campus. All classes, sports and other activities were canceled for 48 hours.

Interim university President Teresa Woodruff said it would be a time “to think and grieve and come together.”

“This Spartan community — this family — will come back together,” Woodruff said.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-university-campus-shootings-b52b808c621273dcad1c233ed4080fe4">opened fire at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;killed three people and wounded five, setting off an hourslong manhunt as frightened students hid in classrooms and cars. The shooter eventually killed himself, police announced early Tuesday.

Officials do not know why the 43-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, targeted the campus. He was not a student or employee and had no affiliation with the university, according to campus police.

The shooting at Michigan State is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S. Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, most notably in California&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans.

Ted Zimbo said he was walking to his residence hall when he encountered a woman with a “ton of blood on her.”

During the manhunt, WDIV-TV meteorologist Kim Adams, whose daughter attends Michigan State, told viewers that students were worn down by the hourslong saga.

“They’ve been hiding, all the lights off in a dark room,” Adams said.

Aedan Kelley, a junior who lives a half-mile (less than a kilometer) east of campus, said he locked his doors and covered his windows “just in case.” Sirens were constant, and a helicopter hovered overhead.

“It’s all very frightening,” Kelley said. “And then I have all these people texting me wondering if I’m OK, which is overwhelming.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676373148382.png" alt="Security camera image of the suspect released by police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the suspect released by police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-university-campus-shootings-b52b808c621273dcad1c233ed4080fe4">opened fire at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;killed three students and wounded five, setting off an hourslong manhunt as frightened students hid in classrooms and cars. The shooter eventually killed himself, police announced early Tuesday.Police at a news conference later Tuesday identified the gunman as 43-year-old Anthony McRae. They said he shot himself miles away from campus while being confronted by police.Officials earlier said the gunman was not a student or employee and had no affiliation with the university.The shooting began Monday night at an academic building and later moved to the nearby student union, a popular gathering spot for students to eat or study. As hundreds of officers scoured the East Lansing campus, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, students hid where they could. Four hours after the first shots were reported, police announced the man’s death.“This truly has been a nightmare we’re living tonight,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department.Dominik Molotky said he was learning about Cuban history around 8:15 p.m. when he and the other students heard a gunshot outside the classroom. He told ABC’s “Good Morning America" that a few seconds later, the gunman entered and fired three to four more rounds while the students took cover.“I was ducking and covering, and the same with the rest of the students. He let off four more rounds and when it went silent for about 30 seconds to a minute, two of my classmates started breaking open a window, and that took about 30 seconds to happen. There was glass everywhere,” Molotky said.“After that, we broke out the window and I climbed out of there, and then I booked it back to my apartment,” he said. He was unsure whether gunfire hit any of the students.Ryan Kunkel, 22, was attending a class in the Engineering Building when he became aware of the shooting from a university email. Kunkel and about 13 other students turned off the lights and acted like there “was a shooter right outside the door,” he said.“Nothing came out of anyone’s mouth” for over four hours, he said.“I wasn’t ready to accept that this is really going on next door,” Kunkel said. “This is supposed to be a place where I’m coming, learning and bettering myself. And instead, students are getting hurt.”The shooting is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S. Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, most notably in California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans.In 2022, there were more than 600 mass shootings in the U.S. in which at least four people were killed or wounded, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls">Gun Violence Archive</a>.“This is a uniquely American problem,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lamented.Rozman, of the campus police, said two people were killed at Berkey Hall and another was killed at the MSU Union, while five people were in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital.Police eventually confronted the shooter, who then died by a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Rozman said.“We have no idea why he came to campus to do this tonight. That is part of our ongoing investigation,” the deputy chief said.Ted Zimbo said he was walking to his dorm when he encountered a woman with a “ton of blood on her.”“She told me, ‘Someone came in our classroom and started shooting,’” Zimbo told The Associated Press. “Her hands were completely covered in blood. It was on her pants and her shoes. She said, ‘It’s my friend’s blood.’”Zimbo said the woman left to find a friend’s car while he returned to his SUV and threw a blanket over himself to hide for three hours.Michigan State has about 50,000 students, including 19,000 who live on campus. All classes, sports and other activities were canceled for 48 hours.Interim university President Teresa Woodruff said it would be a time “to think and grieve and come together.”“This Spartan community — this family — will come back together,” Woodruff said.EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-university-campus-shootings-b52b808c621273dcad1c233ed4080fe4">opened fire at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;killed three people and wounded five, setting off an hourslong manhunt as frightened students hid in classrooms and cars. The shooter eventually killed himself, police announced early Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE: The suspect has been located off campus. It appears he has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. There is no longer a threat to campus and the shelter-in-place has been lifted. <a href="https://t.co/6s2KGvoKpV">pic.twitter.com/6s2KGvoKpV</a>&mdash; MSU Police and Public Safety (@msupolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/msupolice/status/1625366344899100672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officials do not know why the 43-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, targeted the campus. He was not a student or employee and had no affiliation with the university, according to campus police.The shooting began Monday night at an academic building and later moved to the nearby student union, a popular gathering spot for students to eat or study. As hundreds of officers scoured the East Lansing campus, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, students hid where they could. Four hours after the first shots were reported, police announced the man’s death.“This truly has been a nightmare we’re living tonight,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department.Dominik Molotky said he was learning about Cuban history around 8:15 p.m. when he and the other students heard a gunshot outside the classroom. He told ABC’s “Good Morning America" that a few seconds later, the gunman entered and fired three to four more rounds while the students took cover.“I was ducking and covering, and the same with the rest of the students. He let off four more rounds and when it went silent for about 30 seconds to a minute, two of my classmates started breaking open a window, and that took about 30 seconds to happen. There was glass everywhere,” Molotky said.“After that, we broke out the window and I climbed out of there, and then I booked it back to my apartment,” he said. He was unsure whether gunfire hit any of the students.Ryan Kunkel, 22, was attending a class in the Engineering Building when he became aware of the shooting from a university email. Kunkel and about 13 other students turned off the lights and acted like there “was a shooter right outside the door,” he said.“Nothing came out of anyone’s mouth” for over four hours, he said.“I wasn’t ready to accept that this is really going on next door,” Kunkel said. “This is supposed to be a place where I’m coming, learning and bettering myself. And instead, students are getting hurt.”The shooting is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S. Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, most notably in California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans.In 2022, there were more than 600 mass shootings in the U.S. in which at least four people were killed or wounded, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls">Gun Violence Archive</a>.“This is a uniquely American problem,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lamented.Rozman, of the campus police, said two people were killed at Berkey Hall and another was killed at the MSU Union, while five people were in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital.Police eventually confronted the shooter, who then died by a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Rozman said.“We have no idea why he came to campus to do this tonight. That is part of our ongoing investigation,” the deputy chief said.Ted Zimbo said he was walking to his dorm when he encountered a woman with a “ton of blood on her.”“She told me, ‘Someone came in our classroom and started shooting,’” Zimbo told The Associated Press. “Her hands were completely covered in blood. It was on her pants and her shoes. She said, ‘It’s my friend’s blood.’”Zimbo said the woman left to find a friend’s car while he returned to his SUV and threw a blanket over himself to hide for three hours.Michigan State has about 50,000 students, including 19,000 who live on campus. All classes, sports and other activities were canceled for 48 hours.Interim university President Teresa Woodruff said it would be a time “to think and grieve and come together.”“This Spartan community — this family — will come back together,” Woodruff said.___EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-university-campus-shootings-b52b808c621273dcad1c233ed4080fe4">opened fire at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;killed three people and wounded five, setting off an hourslong manhunt as frightened students hid in classrooms and cars. The shooter eventually killed himself, police announced early Tuesday.Officials do not know why the 43-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, targeted the campus. He was not a student or employee and had no affiliation with the university, according to campus police.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE: All five victims at Sparrow Hospital are in critical condition. The suspect is a 43-year-old male and is not affiliated in any way with MSU. <a href="https://t.co/ckKwl72fqM">pic.twitter.com/ckKwl72fqM</a>&mdash; MSU Police and Public Safety (@msupolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/msupolice/status/1625385162547638273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The shooting began Monday night at an academic building and later moved to the nearby student union, a popular gathering spot for students to eat or study. As hundreds of officers scoured the East Lansing campus, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, students hid where they could. Four hours after the first shots were reported, police announced the man’s death.“This truly has been a nightmare we’re living tonight,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department.Ryan Kunkel, 22, was attending a class in the Engineering Building when he became aware of the shooting from a university email. Kunkel and about 13 other students turned off the lights and acted like there “was a shooter right outside the door,” he said.“Nothing came out of anyone’s mouth” for over four hours, he said.“I wasn’t ready to accept that this is really going on next door,” Kunkel said. “This is supposed to be a place where I’m coming, learning and bettering myself. And instead, students are getting hurt.”The shooting at Michigan State is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S. Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, most notably in California&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans.In 2022, there were more than 600 mass shootings in the U.S. in which at least four people were killed or wounded, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls">Gun Violence Archive</a>.“This is a uniquely American problem,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lamented.Rozman, of the campus police, said two people were killed at Berkey Hall and another was killed at the MSU Union, while five people were in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital.Police eventually confronted the shooter, who then died by a “self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Rozman said.“We have no idea why he came to campus to do this tonight. That is part of our ongoing investigation,” the deputy chief said.Ted Zimbo said he was walking to his residence hall when he encountered a woman with a “ton of blood on her.”“She told me, ‘Someone came in our classroom and started shooting,’” Zimbo told The Associated Press. “Her hands were completely covered in blood. It was on her pants and her shoes. She said, ‘It’s my friend’s blood.’”Zimbo said the woman left to find a friend’s car while he returned to his SUV and threw a blanket over himself to hide for three hours.During the manhunt, WDIV-TV meteorologist Kim Adams, whose daughter attends Michigan State, told viewers that students were worn down by the hourslong saga.“They’ve been hiding, all the lights off in a dark room,” Adams said.Aedan Kelley, a junior who lives a half-mile (less than a kilometer) east of campus, said he locked his doors and covered his windows “just in case.” Sirens were constant, and a helicopter hovered overhead.“It’s all very frightening,” Kelley said. “And then I have all these people texting me wondering if I’m OK, which is overwhelming.”Michigan State has about 50,000 students, including 19,000 who live on campus. All classes, sports and other activities were canceled for 48 hours.Interim university President Teresa Woodruff said it would be a time “to think and grieve and come together.”“This Spartan community — this family — will come back together,” Woodruff said.___

Police name gunman who killed 3 at Michigan State University

LYON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Monday in Lyon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by William D. Bond, 60, Emporia, was southbound on Interstate 35 approximately four miles south of the Matfield Green service area.

The driver had a medical incident. The car left the roadway, traveled through the ditch and struck a tree head-on.

EMS transported Bond to Newman hospital where he died. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

LYON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Monday in Lyon County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by William D. Bond, 60, Emporia, was southbound on Interstate 35 approximately four miles south of the Matfield Green service area.The driver had a medical incident. The car left the roadway, traveled through the ditch and struck a tree head-on.EMS transported Bond to Newman hospital where he died. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. man with medical incident dies after car strikes a tree

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer was hit by gunfire and wounded at the department's headquarters shortly after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, authorities said Monday.

The Kansas City Police Department said the officer's injuries are not life-threatening.

Police said in a news release Monday afternoon that detectives were investigating a “potential connection" with several shots fired about six blocks from police headquarters in downtown Kansas City around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, when the officer was injured.

Police said evidence, including apparent bullet damage to buildings, suggested several shots were fired in the area.

The shooting occurred just blocks from a large Super Bowl viewing party and about 15 minutes after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35.</a>

The officer was immediately taken to a hospital and is expected to recover. Police asked for help from anyone in the area at the time. No further information was immediately released.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer was hit by gunfire and wounded at the department's headquarters shortly after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, authorities said Monday.The Kansas City Police Department said the officer's injuries are not life-threatening.Police said in a news release Monday afternoon that detectives were investigating a “potential connection" with several shots fired about six blocks from police headquarters in downtown Kansas City around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, when the officer was injured.Police said evidence, including apparent bullet damage to buildings, suggested several shots were fired in the area.The shooting occurred just blocks from a large Super Bowl viewing party and about 15 minutes after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35.</a>The officer was immediately taken to a hospital and is expected to recover. Police asked for help from anyone in the area at the time. No further information was immediately released.

KC officer shot after Super Bowl; search for suspects continues

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9ff92816-18be-422f-b13b-d2095201b9aa">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — KFEQ celebrates 100 years on the air February 15th.

In a “Brief History of KFEQ,” longtime KFEQ engineer Kenny Lux reported John Scroggin began his first broadcast on <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9ff92816-18be-422f-b13b-d2095201b9aa">KFEQ</a> at three o’clock in the afternoon of Feb. 15, 1923. Yet, the “License for Land Radio Station” issued by the Department of Commerce contains a date of issue of Feb. 16, 1923.

No matter, KFEQ is one of the oldest radio stations in the country with its temporary 200-watt transmitter issued for three months to a University of Nebraska engineering student predating even creation of the Federal Communications Commission.

KFEQ now operates with a&nbsp;5,000 watt&nbsp;directional antennae&nbsp;at 680 AM&nbsp;that serves St. Joseph, northwest Missouri, northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska, and southwest Iowa.&nbsp;The powerhouse radio station serving the Midland Empire is a leader in providing commodity market reports, agricultural news, as well as news, talk, and sports.

And, it all began 100 years ago in tiny Oak, Neb.

Scroggin had been an engineering student&nbsp;at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln when a bout of measles forced him to return home to Oak. While recuperating, Scroggin began experimenting with a new medium called radio, first building a ham radio before starting KFEQ in the back of his father’s bank building in Oak. Scroggin moved the station to his home, broadcasting farm market reports from throughout the Midwest and entertainment from local musicians.

In 1926, the St. Joseph Booster Club, the St. Joseph Grain Exchange, and the St. Joseph Livestock Exchange convinced Scroggin to move his station to St. Joseph where it would grow to become one of the heritage agricultural market stations in the nation.

KFEQ has been serving St. Joseph and the region ever since, providing comprehensive agricultural reports, news about the community and the four-state region, as well as talk through the KFEQ Hotline, and sports, especially as the voice of the Missouri Western State University Griffons, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Kansas City Royals.

One hundred years ago, KFEQ received a license from the federal Department of Commerce “for broadcasting entertainment and like matter” and continues to stay true to that vision and more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676320696365.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9ff92816-18be-422f-b13b-d2095201b9aa">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — KFEQ celebrates 100 years on the air February 15th.Or 16th.It depends on the source.In a “Brief History of KFEQ,” longtime KFEQ engineer Kenny Lux reported John Scroggin began his first broadcast on <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/9ff92816-18be-422f-b13b-d2095201b9aa">KFEQ</a> at three o’clock in the afternoon of Feb. 15, 1923. Yet, the “License for Land Radio Station” issued by the Department of Commerce contains a date of issue of Feb. 16, 1923.No matter, KFEQ is one of the oldest radio stations in the country with its temporary 200-watt transmitter issued for three months to a University of Nebraska engineering student predating even creation of the Federal Communications Commission.KFEQ now operates with a&nbsp;5,000 watt&nbsp;directional antennae&nbsp;at 680 AM&nbsp;that serves St. Joseph, northwest Missouri, northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska, and southwest Iowa.&nbsp;The powerhouse radio station serving the Midland Empire is a leader in providing commodity market reports, agricultural news, as well as news, talk, and sports.And, it all began 100 years ago in tiny Oak, Neb.Scroggin had been an engineering student&nbsp;at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln when a bout of measles forced him to return home to Oak. While recuperating, Scroggin began experimenting with a new medium called radio, first building a ham radio before starting KFEQ in the back of his father’s bank building in Oak. Scroggin moved the station to his home, broadcasting farm market reports from throughout the Midwest and entertainment from local musicians.In 1926, the St. Joseph Booster Club, the St. Joseph Grain Exchange, and the St. Joseph Livestock Exchange convinced Scroggin to move his station to St. Joseph where it would grow to become one of the heritage agricultural market stations in the nation.KFEQ has been serving St. Joseph and the region ever since, providing comprehensive agricultural reports, news about the community and the four-state region, as well as talk through the KFEQ Hotline, and sports, especially as the voice of the Missouri Western State University Griffons, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Kansas City Royals.One hundred years ago, KFEQ received a license from the federal Department of Commerce “for broadcasting entertainment and like matter” and continues to stay true to that vision and more.

Eagle Radio station marks its 100th anniversary this month

PRATT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on child sex crime allegations.

Following a two-year investigation, the Pratt Police Department completed the extradition of 33-year-old Andrew P. Thornton II&nbsp; of Washington Courthouse, Ohio, according to a media release.

Thornton is accused of child sex crimes involving a fifteen-year-old and a six-year-old in 2016. Thornton is being held in the Pratt County Jail in lieu of a $250,000.00 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676076671054.png" alt="Thornton photo Pratt County" />
 <figcaption>Thornton photo Pratt County</figcaption>
 </figure>PRATT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on child sex crime allegations. Following a two-year investigation, the Pratt Police Department completed the extradition of 33-year-old Andrew P. Thornton II&nbsp; of Washington Courthouse, Ohio, according to a media release.Thornton is accused of child sex crimes involving a fifteen-year-old and a six-year-old in 2016. Thornton is being held in the Pratt County Jail in lieu of a $250,000.00 bond.

Man extradited from Ohio faces child sex accusations in Kansas

KANSAS CITY— A Kansas City-area man was sentenced in federal court in two separate indictments for leading an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy and a separate bank fraud conspiracy, and for illegally possessing firearms.

Wandale J. Fulton, 41, Lee's Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a total of 15 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Fulton to pay $380,985 in restitution to the victims of his fraud schemes.

On Jan. 27, 2022, Fulton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use fire in the commission of wire and mail fraud, one count of arson in the commission of a federal felony, and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Fulton also pleaded guilty to the charge contained in a separate federal indictment, one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Fulton led an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy from 2013 through 2019. Fulton and co-conspirators bought houses in Kansas City, Mo., insured them, had them burned or vandalized, and then filed insurance claims on the houses. In each arson, according to court documents, the fire was set in the middle of the night. First responders arrived to find these homes — in densely populated neighborhoods — engulfed in flames and burning out of control. Fulton’s scheme resulted in the total destruction of three houses by fire and the ruinous vandalism of his personal residence, all to support false claims on insurance policies.

Fulton’s scheme to burn or destroy homes for insurance proceeds resulted in an intended loss of approximately $740,000 and an actual loss of $336,756 paid by insurance companies. To perpetrate his scheme, Fulton required the assistance of accomplices and co-conspirators to participate as straw home buyers and renters, to create and submit false documents to the insurance companies, and to set fire to the homes. Four of his co-conspirators have been sentenced after pleading guilty to their role in the conspiracy.

Fulton also led another criminal conspiracy to receive fraudulent car loans from Heartland Community Credit Union. According to court documents, Heartland approved a series of loans totaling approximately $121,500 based on fraudulent loan applications and supporting documents submitted by conspirators from April to August 2018. In each instance, the applicant defaulted on the loan and Heartland was unable to contact or recover payment from the applicant. The loan applicants appeared to be unrelated, but each loan was for a car supposedly purchased from C.E. Sales, a company controlled by Fulton. In each of those instances, Heartland issued a check to the loan applicant and the checks were delivered directly to Fulton, who deposited them into his own bank account.

ATF agents executed a search warrant at Fulton’s residence on March 26, 2019. During the search, agents found a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun in a shoebox in the bedroom closet and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 semi-automatic firearm in a backpack in a closet. Agents later found a Taurus 9mm pistol in a computer bag. Fulton, to avoid detection by law enforcement, utilized an accomplice to purchase at least two of the firearms recovered from his home.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fulton has a prior felony conviction for manslaughter for his involvement in a fatal shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676326116173.png" alt="Fulton-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Fulton-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A Kansas City-area man was sentenced in federal court in two separate indictments for leading an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy and a separate bank fraud conspiracy, and for illegally possessing firearms.Wandale J. Fulton, 41, Lee's Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a total of 15 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Fulton to pay $380,985 in restitution to the victims of his fraud schemes.On Jan. 27, 2022, Fulton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use fire in the commission of wire and mail fraud, one count of arson in the commission of a federal felony, and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Fulton also pleaded guilty to the charge contained in a separate federal indictment, one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.Fulton led an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy from 2013 through 2019. Fulton and co-conspirators bought houses in Kansas City, Mo., insured them, had them burned or vandalized, and then filed insurance claims on the houses. In each arson, according to court documents, the fire was set in the middle of the night. First responders arrived to find these homes — in densely populated neighborhoods — engulfed in flames and burning out of control. Fulton’s scheme resulted in the total destruction of three houses by fire and the ruinous vandalism of his personal residence, all to support false claims on insurance policies.Fulton’s scheme to burn or destroy homes for insurance proceeds resulted in an intended loss of approximately $740,000 and an actual loss of $336,756 paid by insurance companies. To perpetrate his scheme, Fulton required the assistance of accomplices and co-conspirators to participate as straw home buyers and renters, to create and submit false documents to the insurance companies, and to set fire to the homes. Four of his co-conspirators have been sentenced after pleading guilty to their role in the conspiracy.Fulton also led another criminal conspiracy to receive fraudulent car loans from Heartland Community Credit Union. According to court documents, Heartland approved a series of loans totaling approximately $121,500 based on fraudulent loan applications and supporting documents submitted by conspirators from April to August 2018. In each instance, the applicant defaulted on the loan and Heartland was unable to contact or recover payment from the applicant. The loan applicants appeared to be unrelated, but each loan was for a car supposedly purchased from C.E. Sales, a company controlled by Fulton. In each of those instances, Heartland issued a check to the loan applicant and the checks were delivered directly to Fulton, who deposited them into his own bank account.ATF agents executed a search warrant at Fulton’s residence on March 26, 2019. During the search, agents found a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun in a shoebox in the bedroom closet and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 semi-automatic firearm in a backpack in a closet. Agents later found a Taurus 9mm pistol in a computer bag. Fulton, to avoid detection by law enforcement, utilized an accomplice to purchase at least two of the firearms recovered from his home.Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fulton has a prior felony conviction for manslaughter for his involvement in a fatal shooting.

KC-area man sentenced for arson, insurance fraud conspiracy

RENO COUNTY —&nbsp;Hutchinson Regional Medical Center on Monday announced it will adjust staffing levels and reduce workforce by 85 employees as a direct result of the healthcare landscape being profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing supply costs, lower health insurance reimbursement rates and decreased patient volumes compared to pre-pandemic days, according to a media release from the organization.

Jeff Egbert, interim CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System said that, while difficult, the reduction is necessary as the system continues to navigate the substantial and lasting financial impacts of the global pandemic. Egbert says the hospital also has taken several actions to manage expenses by aligning the cost structure and service line staffing models with current patient volumes.

“These challenges aren’t unique to Hutchinson,” Egbert said. “Many hospitals and healthcare systems across our nation are facing similar challenges, including many in the Midwest.”

Impacted employees are eligible for a paid notice period, as well as the continuation of health benefits through COBRA.

According to the organization's 2019 Form 990, as reported by ProPublica, <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/480774005/05_2021_prefixes_47-52%2F480774005_202006_990_2021051118085427">the healthcare system lost over $11 million</a> in the period on the form through June 2020, which is the last year for which a Form 990 is available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583428390224.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —&nbsp;Hutchinson Regional Medical Center on Monday announced it will adjust staffing levels and reduce workforce by 85 employees as a direct result of the healthcare landscape being profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing supply costs, lower health insurance reimbursement rates and decreased patient volumes compared to pre-pandemic days, according to a media release from the organization.Jeff Egbert, interim CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System said that, while difficult, the reduction is necessary as the system continues to navigate the substantial and lasting financial impacts of the global pandemic. Egbert says the hospital also has taken several actions to manage expenses by aligning the cost structure and service line staffing models with current patient volumes.“These challenges aren’t unique to Hutchinson,” Egbert said. “Many hospitals and healthcare systems across our nation are facing similar challenges, including many in the Midwest.”Impacted employees are eligible for a paid notice period, as well as the continuation of health benefits through COBRA.According to the organization's 2019 Form 990, as reported by ProPublica, <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/480774005/05_2021_prefixes_47-52%2F480774005_202006_990_2021051118085427">the healthcare system lost over $11 million</a> in the period on the form through June 2020, which is the last year for which a Form 990 is available.

Hutchinson hospital cutting jobs, adjusting staffing levels

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday defended the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-charles-schumer-jake-sullivan-china-acc1a333326c50ee9649760c569c300f">shootdowns of three unidentified objects</a>&nbsp;in as many days even as it acknowledged that officials had no indication the objects were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">high-altitude Chinese balloon</a>&nbsp;that traversed American airspace earlier this month.

(Click below to watch a portion of the White House press briefing)

The three objects, including one shot down Sunday over Lake Huron, were traveling at such a low altitude as to pose a risk to civilian air traffic, said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. While the Biden administration does not yet have evidence that they were equipped for spying purposes — or even belonged to China — officials have not ruled that out, he said.

“These were decisions based purely and simply on what was in the best interests of the American people,” Kirby said.

The weeks-long succession of objects, starting with a giant white orb first detected over U.S. skies in late January, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-balloon-espionage-1cca3467f32a2751b35ec1686aadc310">puzzled American officials and captivated curiosity around the world.</a>&nbsp;Though the three most recent objects differed in size, maneuverability and other characteristics from the surveillance balloon shot down Feb. 4 off the Carolina coast, officials moved to eliminate each one from the sky — actions that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent.

“Because we have not been able to definitively assess what these most recent objects are, we acted out of an abundance of caution,” Kirby said.

One possibility that the U.S. has been able to rule out, officials said Monday, is any connection to extraterrestrial activity.

Other Western nations are also trying to assess the spate of incidents.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=rishi+sunak+apnews+balloon&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1038US1038&amp;oq=rishi+sunak+apnews+balloon&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j69i59l3.5745j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday</a>&nbsp;that the government would do “whatever it takes” to protect the country, as the U.K. announced a security review. And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “there is some sort of pattern” to the balloon and three other objects, though the U.S. has not echoed that claim.

Kirby spoke from the White House podium hours after China alleged that more than 10 U.S. high-altitude balloons have flown in its airspace during the past year without its permission. American officials have vigorously denied the claim, with Kirby saying Monday, “We are not flying surveillance balloons over China.”

The Chinese allegation came after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;that had crossed from above Alaska to South Carolina over a period of multiple days, sparking a new crisis in bilateral relations that have sunk to their lowest level in decades and prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a planned visit to China.

The latest of the the three objects was shot down Sunday over Lake Huron after being detected a day earlier over Montana.

On Friday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the combined U.S.-Canada organization known as NORAD that provides shared defense of airspace over the two nations, detected and shot down an object near sparsely populated Deadhorse, Alaska.

Later that evening, NORAD detected a second object, flying at a high altitude over Alaska, U.S. officials said. It crossed into Canadian airspace on Saturday and was over the Yukon, a remote territory, when it was ordered shot down by Trudeau.

In both of those incidents, the objects were flying at roughly 40,000 feet. The object on Sunday was flying at about 20,000 feet.

None of the three most recent objects has been recovered, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Brussels, where he was scheduled to attend a NATO defense ministers meeting this week.

Austin said weather has impeded recovery efforts in Alaska, while in Canada the object was shut down in a very remote area that was also impeding efforts. In Alaska, where the object landed on sea ice, windchill and safety concerns “are dictating recovery timelines,” he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday defended the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-charles-schumer-jake-sullivan-china-acc1a333326c50ee9649760c569c300f">shootdowns of three unidentified objects</a>&nbsp;in as many days even as it acknowledged that officials had no indication the objects were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">high-altitude Chinese balloon</a>&nbsp;that traversed American airspace earlier this month.(Click below to watch a portion of the White House press briefing)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F723262652590113%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=523" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The three objects, including one shot down Sunday over Lake Huron, were traveling at such a low altitude as to pose a risk to civilian air traffic, said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. While the Biden administration does not yet have evidence that they were equipped for spying purposes — or even belonged to China — officials have not ruled that out, he said.“These were decisions based purely and simply on what was in the best interests of the American people,” Kirby said.The weeks-long succession of objects, starting with a giant white orb first detected over U.S. skies in late January, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-balloon-espionage-1cca3467f32a2751b35ec1686aadc310">puzzled American officials and captivated curiosity around the world.</a>&nbsp;Though the three most recent objects differed in size, maneuverability and other characteristics from the surveillance balloon shot down Feb. 4 off the Carolina coast, officials moved to eliminate each one from the sky — actions that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent.“Because we have not been able to definitively assess what these most recent objects are, we acted out of an abundance of caution,” Kirby said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NSC Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby: &quot;I don&#39;t think the American people need to worry about aliens, with respect to these craft. Period.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dZxLKIbh6D">pic.twitter.com/dZxLKIbh6D</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1625211225658298408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>One possibility that the U.S. has been able to rule out, officials said Monday, is any connection to extraterrestrial activity.Other Western nations are also trying to assess the spate of incidents.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=rishi+sunak+apnews+balloon&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1038US1038&amp;oq=rishi+sunak+apnews+balloon&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j69i59l3.5745j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday</a>&nbsp;that the government would do “whatever it takes” to protect the country, as the U.K. announced a security review. And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “there is some sort of pattern” to the balloon and three other objects, though the U.S. has not echoed that claim.Kirby spoke from the White House podium hours after China alleged that more than 10 U.S. high-altitude balloons have flown in its airspace during the past year without its permission. American officials have vigorously denied the claim, with Kirby saying Monday, “We are not flying surveillance balloons over China.”The Chinese allegation came after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;that had crossed from above Alaska to South Carolina over a period of multiple days, sparking a new crisis in bilateral relations that have sunk to their lowest level in decades and prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a planned visit to China.The latest of the the three objects was shot down Sunday over Lake Huron after being detected a day earlier over Montana.On Friday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the combined U.S.-Canada organization known as NORAD that provides shared defense of airspace over the two nations, detected and shot down an object near sparsely populated Deadhorse, Alaska.Later that evening, NORAD detected a second object, flying at a high altitude over Alaska, U.S. officials said. It crossed into Canadian airspace on Saturday and was over the Yukon, a remote territory, when it was ordered shot down by Trudeau.In both of those incidents, the objects were flying at roughly 40,000 feet. The object on Sunday was flying at about 20,000 feet.None of the three most recent objects has been recovered, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Brussels, where he was scheduled to attend a NATO defense ministers meeting this week.Austin said weather has impeded recovery efforts in Alaska, while in Canada the object was shut down in a very remote area that was also impeding efforts. In Alaska, where the object landed on sea ice, windchill and safety concerns “are dictating recovery timelines,” he said.____

🎥 White House explains why U.S. is shooting down UFOs

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced the Chiefs Champions parade is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15.

<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bda12e63c3a534dbded3a5f/t/63ea74466ea80378442293ee/1676309578689/SBMAP_2023.pdf">The parade kicks off </a>at at noon at Sixth Street and Grand Boulevard, working its way down Grand until finally heading west at Union Station. The rally at Union Station&nbsp;and the National <a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn </a>will begin at approximately 1:45p.m and last approximately 1 hour.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial <a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">will offer reserved parking</a> and a discount admission rate for those who attend the parade.

Kansas City Public Schools canceled classes for Wednesday.

For the most updated information on transit, public safety, and other news relating to the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade, please sign up to receive notifications from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/talk-to-us/hear-from-us/alertkc" target="_blank">ALERTKC</a>&nbsp;by texting “KCPARADE” to 888-777.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676320844619.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced the Chiefs Champions parade is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15.<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bda12e63c3a534dbded3a5f/t/63ea74466ea80378442293ee/1676309578689/SBMAP_2023.pdf">The parade kicks off </a>at at noon at Sixth Street and Grand Boulevard, working its way down Grand until finally heading west at Union Station. The rally at Union Station&nbsp;and the National <a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn </a>will begin at approximately 1:45p.m and last approximately 1 hour.The National WWI Museum and Memorial <a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">will offer reserved parking</a> and a discount admission rate for those who attend the parade.Kansas City Public Schools canceled classes for Wednesday.For the most updated information on transit, public safety, and other news relating to the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade, please sign up to receive notifications from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/talk-to-us/hear-from-us/alertkc" target="_blank">ALERTKC</a>&nbsp;by texting “KCPARADE” to 888-777.&nbsp;

Kansas City confirms Chiefs Championship Parade route 

DENVER (AP) — On Colorado’s northeastern plains, where the pencil-straight horizon divides golden fields and blue sky, a farmer named Danny Wood scrambles to plant and harvest proso millet, dryland corn and winter wheat in short, seasonal windows. That is until his high-tech Steiger 370 tractor conks out.

The tractor's manufacturer doesn't allow Wood to make certain fixes himself, and last spring his fertilizing operations were stalled for three days before the servicer arrived to add a few lines of missing computer code for $950.

“That’s where they have us over the barrel, it’s more like we are renting it than buying it,” said Wood, who spent $300,000 on the used tractor.

Wood's plight, echoed by farmers across the country, has pushed lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states to introduce bills that would force manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for farmers to do their own repairs — thereby avoiding steep labor costs and delays that imperil profits.

"The manufacturers and the dealers have a monopoly on that repair market because it’s lucrative," said Rep. Brianna Titone, a Democrat and one of the bill's sponsors. “(Farmers) just want to get their machine going again.”

In Colorado, the legislation is largely being pushed by Democrats while their Republican colleagues find themselves stuck in a tough spot: torn between right-leaning farming constituents asking to be able to repair their own machines and the manufacturing businesses that oppose the idea.

The manufacturers argue that changing the current practice with this type of legislation would would force companies to expose trade secrets. They also say it would make it easier for farmers to tinker with the software and illegally crank up the horsepower and bypass the emissions controller — risking operators' safety and the environment.

Similar arguments around intellectual property have been leveled against the broader campaign called ‘right to repair,’ which has picked up steam across the country — crusading for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-apple-inc-smartphones-afb6e6603bdb5c0bb510de5b4c685f69">right to fix everything from iPhones</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-nevada-coronavirus-pandemic-laws-5ade405a7befdf16e9f0107b7e142be3">hospital ventilators</a>&nbsp;during the pandemic.

In 2011, Congress passed a law ensuring that car owners and independent mechanics — not just authorized dealerships — had access to the necessary tools and information to fix problems.

Ten years later, the Federal Trade Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-7e5d6c82ee4f1b66fd4c3b78d1ddd18e">pledged to beef up its right to repair enforcement</a>&nbsp;at the direction of President Joe Biden. And just last year, Titone sponsored and passed Colorado's first right to repair law, empowering people who use wheelchairs with the tools and information to fix them.

For the right to repair farm equipment — from thin tractors used between grape vines to behemoth combines for harvesting grain that can cost over half a million dollars — Colorado is joined by 10 states including Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont.

Many of the bills are finding bipartisan support, said Nathan Proctor, who leads Public Interest Research Group's national right to repair campaign. But in Colorado's House committee on agriculture, Democrats pushed the bill forward in a 9-4 vote along party lines, with Republicans in opposition even though the bill's second sponsor is Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg.

“That’s really surprising, and that upset me,” said the Republican Wood.

Wood's tractor, which flies an American flag reading “Farmers First,” isn't his only machine to break down. His grain harvesting combine was dropping into idle, but the servicer took five days to arrive on Wood's farm — a setback that could mean a hail storm decimates a wheat field or the soil temperature moves beyond the Goldilocks zone for planting.

“Our crop is ready to harvest and we can’t wait five days, but there was nothing else to do,” said Wood. “When it’s broke down you just sit there and wait and that’s not acceptable. You can be losing $85,000 a day.”

Rep. Richard Holtorf, the Republican who represents Wood's district and is a farmer himself, said he's being pulled between his constituents and the dealerships in his district covering the largely rural northeast corner of the state. He voted against the measure because he believes it will financially impact local dealerships in rural areas and could jeopardize trade secrets.

“I do sympathize with my farmers," said Holtorf, but added, “I don’t think it’s the role of government to be forcing the sale of their intellectual property.”

At the packed hearing last week that spilled into a second room in Colorado's Capitol, the core concerns raised in testimony were farmers illegally slipping around the emissions control and cranking up the horsepower.

“I know growers, if they can change horsepower and they can change emissions they are going to do it,” said Russ Ball, sales manager at 21st Century Equipment, a John Deere dealership in Western states.

The bill's proponents acknowledged that the legislation could make it easier for operators to modify horsepower and emissions controls, but argued that farmers are already able to tinker with their machines and doing so would remain illegal.

This January, the Farm Bureau and the farm equipment manufacturer John Deere did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-san-juan-moline-831b374a4f820dcde5ee2d647093e207">sign a memorandum of understanding</a>&nbsp;— a right to repair agreement made in the free market and without government intervention. The agreement stipulates that John Deere will share some parts, diagnostic and repair codes, and manuals to allow farmers to do their own fixes.

The Colorado bill's detractors laud that agreement as a strong middle ground while Titone said it wasn't enough, evidenced by six of Colorado's biggest farmworker associations that support the bill.

Proctor, who is tracking 20 right to repair proposals in a number of industries across the country, said the memorandum of understanding has fallen far short.

“Farmers are saying no," Proctor said. “We want the real thing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625596705829.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — On Colorado’s northeastern plains, where the pencil-straight horizon divides golden fields and blue sky, a farmer named Danny Wood scrambles to plant and harvest proso millet, dryland corn and winter wheat in short, seasonal windows. That is until his high-tech Steiger 370 tractor conks out.The tractor's manufacturer doesn't allow Wood to make certain fixes himself, and last spring his fertilizing operations were stalled for three days before the servicer arrived to add a few lines of missing computer code for $950.“That’s where they have us over the barrel, it’s more like we are renting it than buying it,” said Wood, who spent $300,000 on the used tractor.Wood's plight, echoed by farmers across the country, has pushed lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states to introduce bills that would force manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for farmers to do their own repairs — thereby avoiding steep labor costs and delays that imperil profits."The manufacturers and the dealers have a monopoly on that repair market because it’s lucrative," said Rep. Brianna Titone, a Democrat and one of the bill's sponsors. “(Farmers) just want to get their machine going again.”In Colorado, the legislation is largely being pushed by Democrats while their Republican colleagues find themselves stuck in a tough spot: torn between right-leaning farming constituents asking to be able to repair their own machines and the manufacturing businesses that oppose the idea.The manufacturers argue that changing the current practice with this type of legislation would would force companies to expose trade secrets. They also say it would make it easier for farmers to tinker with the software and illegally crank up the horsepower and bypass the emissions controller — risking operators' safety and the environment.Similar arguments around intellectual property have been leveled against the broader campaign called ‘right to repair,’ which has picked up steam across the country — crusading for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-apple-inc-smartphones-afb6e6603bdb5c0bb510de5b4c685f69">right to fix everything from iPhones</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-nevada-coronavirus-pandemic-laws-5ade405a7befdf16e9f0107b7e142be3">hospital ventilators</a>&nbsp;during the pandemic.In 2011, Congress passed a law ensuring that car owners and independent mechanics — not just authorized dealerships — had access to the necessary tools and information to fix problems.Ten years later, the Federal Trade Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-7e5d6c82ee4f1b66fd4c3b78d1ddd18e">pledged to beef up its right to repair enforcement</a>&nbsp;at the direction of President Joe Biden. And just last year, Titone sponsored and passed Colorado's first right to repair law, empowering people who use wheelchairs with the tools and information to fix them.For the right to repair farm equipment — from thin tractors used between grape vines to behemoth combines for harvesting grain that can cost over half a million dollars — Colorado is joined by 10 states including Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont.Many of the bills are finding bipartisan support, said Nathan Proctor, who leads Public Interest Research Group's national right to repair campaign. But in Colorado's House committee on agriculture, Democrats pushed the bill forward in a 9-4 vote along party lines, with Republicans in opposition even though the bill's second sponsor is Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg.“That’s really surprising, and that upset me,” said the Republican Wood.Wood's tractor, which flies an American flag reading “Farmers First,” isn't his only machine to break down. His grain harvesting combine was dropping into idle, but the servicer took five days to arrive on Wood's farm — a setback that could mean a hail storm decimates a wheat field or the soil temperature moves beyond the Goldilocks zone for planting.“Our crop is ready to harvest and we can’t wait five days, but there was nothing else to do,” said Wood. “When it’s broke down you just sit there and wait and that’s not acceptable. You can be losing $85,000 a day.”Rep. Richard Holtorf, the Republican who represents Wood's district and is a farmer himself, said he's being pulled between his constituents and the dealerships in his district covering the largely rural northeast corner of the state. He voted against the measure because he believes it will financially impact local dealerships in rural areas and could jeopardize trade secrets.“I do sympathize with my farmers," said Holtorf, but added, “I don’t think it’s the role of government to be forcing the sale of their intellectual property.”At the packed hearing last week that spilled into a second room in Colorado's Capitol, the core concerns raised in testimony were farmers illegally slipping around the emissions control and cranking up the horsepower.“I know growers, if they can change horsepower and they can change emissions they are going to do it,” said Russ Ball, sales manager at 21st Century Equipment, a John Deere dealership in Western states.The bill's proponents acknowledged that the legislation could make it easier for operators to modify horsepower and emissions controls, but argued that farmers are already able to tinker with their machines and doing so would remain illegal.This January, the Farm Bureau and the farm equipment manufacturer John Deere did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-san-juan-moline-831b374a4f820dcde5ee2d647093e207">sign a memorandum of understanding</a>&nbsp;— a right to repair agreement made in the free market and without government intervention. The agreement stipulates that John Deere will share some parts, diagnostic and repair codes, and manuals to allow farmers to do their own fixes.The Colorado bill's detractors laud that agreement as a strong middle ground while Titone said it wasn't enough, evidenced by six of Colorado's biggest farmworker associations that support the bill.Proctor, who is tracking 20 right to repair proposals in a number of industries across the country, said the memorandum of understanding has fallen far short.“Farmers are saying no," Proctor said. “We want the real thing.”

States consider 'right to repair' for farming equipment

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp; Governor Laura Kelly announced on Monday that she will donate her Super Bowl sports bet winnings of $165, including the original $15 she wagered, to the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy4xNWFuZHRoZW1haG9taWVzLm9yZy8ifQ.QTFBEOnjdY6V63L1YCgcfXAULG--XYgXv9pnxGrMZqI/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">15 and&nbsp;Mahomies&nbsp;Foundation</a>, Patrick Mahomes’ non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of children.

Last summer, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan legislation to legalize sports betting in Kansas. A week before football season began, she&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktcGxhY2VzLWZpcnN0LWxlZ2FsLXNwb3J0cy1iZXQtaW4ta2Fuc2FzLyJ9.Vskklr-8vX_PHzEbTwW3Txd41JD2c25bz2i1xlD6S5M/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">made</a>&nbsp;the state’s first legal sports bet at Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, wagering $15 dollars in honor of Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.&nbsp;

“It turns out the Chiefs are always a good bet,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“I chose my wager in September because I believe in Patrick Mahomes and the team. They are the reason I won this bet, and I’m more than happy to give my winnings to support all the good work Patrick is doing throughout the Kansas City community.”&nbsp;

15 and the Mahomies supports Kansas organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters Kansas; Harvesters Community Food Network; and the Sunflower House in Shawnee.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675975225163.png" alt="Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly placed the first legal sports bet in Kansas. She put $15 down to win $150 if the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl. photo by Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly placed the first legal sports bet in Kansas. She put $15 down to win $150 if the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl. photo by Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp; Governor Laura Kelly announced on Monday that she will donate her Super Bowl sports bet winnings of $165, including the original $15 she wagered, to the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy4xNWFuZHRoZW1haG9taWVzLm9yZy8ifQ.QTFBEOnjdY6V63L1YCgcfXAULG--XYgXv9pnxGrMZqI/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">15 and&nbsp;Mahomies&nbsp;Foundation</a>, Patrick Mahomes’ non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of children.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After a bipartisan effort to legalize sports betting last year, I cast Kansas’ first sports bet on the <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> to win the Super Bowl. It turns out the Chiefs are always a good bet. Now, I’ll donate my winnings to <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatrickMahomes</a>’ <a href="https://twitter.com/15andMahomies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@15andMahomies</a> to support their work across KC. <a href="https://t.co/UtQYQerlSv">pic.twitter.com/UtQYQerlSv</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1625213018458955786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Last summer, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan legislation to legalize sports betting in Kansas. A week before football season began, she&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktcGxhY2VzLWZpcnN0LWxlZ2FsLXNwb3J0cy1iZXQtaW4ta2Fuc2FzLyJ9.Vskklr-8vX_PHzEbTwW3Txd41JD2c25bz2i1xlD6S5M/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">made</a>&nbsp;the state’s first legal sports bet at Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, wagering $15 dollars in honor of Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.&nbsp;“It turns out the Chiefs are always a good bet,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“I chose my wager in September because I believe in Patrick Mahomes and the team. They are the reason I won this bet, and I’m more than happy to give my winnings to support all the good work Patrick is doing throughout the Kansas City community.”&nbsp;15 and the Mahomies supports Kansas organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters Kansas; Harvesters Community Food Network; and the Sunflower House in Shawnee.&nbsp;

🎥 Gov. donates Super Bowl bet winnings to Mahomes' foundation

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man from Texas was charged in connection to a&nbsp;fatal 2021 crash in Wichita.&nbsp;

On Friday, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=289252">35-year-old Scott Cabrales</a> was charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In June of 2021, police responded to an injury accident with a driver pinned in a vehicle at Maple and Martinson, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officer’s located 80-year-old Frankie Baxter pinned inside of a vehicle. Police with the assistance of the Wichita Fire Department removed her from the vehicle and she pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.

The investigation revealed that Baxter was driving a 2015 Hyundai Tucson northbound on Elizabeth Street in Wichita. She turned to travel eastbound on Maple.

A 2008 Maxda Six driven by Cabrales, who lived in Wichita at the time, was eastbound on Maple at a high rate of speed and believed to be under the influence of alcohol.&nbsp; The Mazda struck the rear driver's side of the Hyundai. The impact caused the Hyundai to strike the curb and a tree.

EMS transported Cabrales to an area hospital for medical treatment of minor injuries and then booked him into jail.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=289252">Cabrales is scheduled</a> back in court on Feb. 21. He is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676078965589.png" alt="Cabrales-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Cabrales-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man from Texas was charged in connection to a&nbsp;fatal 2021 crash in Wichita.&nbsp;On Friday, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=289252">35-year-old Scott Cabrales</a> was charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In June of 2021, police responded to an injury accident with a driver pinned in a vehicle at Maple and Martinson, according to Officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officer’s located 80-year-old Frankie Baxter pinned inside of a vehicle. Police with the assistance of the Wichita Fire Department removed her from the vehicle and she pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.The investigation revealed that Baxter was driving a 2015 Hyundai Tucson northbound on Elizabeth Street in Wichita. She turned to travel eastbound on Maple.A 2008 Maxda Six driven by Cabrales, who lived in Wichita at the time, was eastbound on Maple at a high rate of speed and believed to be under the influence of alcohol.&nbsp; The Mazda struck the rear driver's side of the Hyundai. The impact caused the Hyundai to strike the curb and a tree.EMS transported Cabrales to an area hospital for medical treatment of minor injuries and then booked him into jail.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=289252">Cabrales is scheduled</a> back in court on Feb. 21. He is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Man charged in DUI crash that killed 80-year-old Kan. woman

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused of a sex crime involving a minor is scheduled for a court appearance Monday.

Makaela Denny, 20 of Wichita, is charged with aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, and furnishing alcohol to a minor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Police booked her into jail Jan. 31, in connection with an incident in October, according to court documents. Denny and two others were&nbsp;accused of engaging in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with a victim who is a minor and was incapable of giving consent because of the effect of alcohol, which was allegedly provided by the suspect.&nbsp;

She posted the $100,000 bond and is no longer in custody. Her preliminary hearing is set for 10:30a.m. before Judge Quentin Pittman, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675369981931.png" alt="Denny-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Denny-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused of a sex crime involving a minor is scheduled for a court appearance Monday.Makaela Denny, 20 of Wichita, is charged with aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, and furnishing alcohol to a minor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Police booked her into jail Jan. 31, in connection with an incident in October, according to court documents. Denny and two others were&nbsp;accused of engaging in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with a victim who is a minor and was incapable of giving consent because of the effect of alcohol, which was allegedly provided by the suspect.&nbsp;She posted the $100,000 bond and is no longer in custody. Her preliminary hearing is set for 10:30a.m. before Judge Quentin Pittman, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas woman charged with sex crimes due in court

BEIJING (AP) — The United States Navy and Marine Corps are holding joint exercises in the South China Sea at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing over the shooting down of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-north-carolina-302134762e8aeae53314ebd9fdb327e4">suspected Chinese spy balloon.</a>

The 7th Fleet based in Japan said Sunday that the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit have been conducting “integrated expeditionary strike force operations” in the South China Sea.

It said exercises involving ships, ground forces and aircraft took place Saturday but gave no details on when the began or whether they had ended.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and strongly objects to military activity by other nations in the contested waterway through which $5 trillion in goods are shipped every year.

The U.S. takes no official position on sovereignty in the South China Sea, but maintains that freedom of navigation and overflight must be preserved. Several times a year, it sends ships sailing past fortified Chinese outposts in the Spratly Islands, prompting protests from Beijing.

The U.S. has also been strengthening its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-united-states-government-philippines-manila-7889867cb056cf365c5a8fd49d16b52d">defense alliance with the Philippines,</a>&nbsp;which has faced encroachment on islands and fisheries by the Chinese coast guard and nominally civilian but government-backed fleets.

The U.S. military exercises were planned in advance. They come as already tense relations between Washington and Beijing have been exacerbated by a diplomatic row sparked by the balloon, which was shot down last weekend in U.S. airspace off the coast of South Carolina.

The U.S. said the unmanned balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals, but Beijing insists it was a weather research airship that had accidently blown off course.

The balloon prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes trip to Beijing aimed at easing tensions.

After first issuing a highly rare expression of regret over the balloon, China has toughened its rhetoric, calling the U.S. shootdown an overreaction and a violation of international norms.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-lloyd-austin-china-9d1b7c9aa40b22d0bda497ba29be8d9b">China's defense minister refused to take a phone call</a>&nbsp;from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the matter.

The United States has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-business-cdf319c71f097f7f8ef176b6d7b9526c">blacklisted six Chinese entities</a>&nbsp;it said were linked to Beijing’s aerospace programs as part of its response to the incident. The House of Representatives also voted unanimously to condemn China for a “brazen violation” of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.”

The balloon was part of a large surveillance program that China has been conducting for several years, the Pentagon said. The U.S. says Chinese balloons have flown over dozens of countries across five continents in recent years, and it learned more about the balloon program after closely monitoring the one shot down near South Carolina.

In its news release, the 7th Fleet said the joint operation had “established a powerful presence in the region, which supports peace and stability."

“As a ready response force, we underpin a broad spectrum of missions including landing Marines ashore, humanitarian disaster relief, and deterring potential adversaries through visible and present combat power," the release said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676220729193.png" alt="The 7th Fleet said the joint operation had “established a powerful presence in the region, which supports peace and stability.”photo courtesy Nimitz Carrier Strike Group U.S. 7th Fleet" />
 <figcaption>The 7th Fleet said the joint operation had “established a powerful presence in the region, which supports peace and stability.”photo courtesy Nimitz Carrier Strike Group U.S. 7th Fleet</figcaption>
 </figure>BEIJING (AP) — The United States Navy and Marine Corps are holding joint exercises in the South China Sea at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing over the shooting down of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-north-carolina-302134762e8aeae53314ebd9fdb327e4">suspected Chinese spy balloon.</a>The 7th Fleet based in Japan said Sunday that the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit have been conducting “integrated expeditionary strike force operations” in the South China Sea.It said exercises involving ships, ground forces and aircraft took place Saturday but gave no details on when the began or whether they had ended.China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and strongly objects to military activity by other nations in the contested waterway through which $5 trillion in goods are shipped every year.The U.S. takes no official position on sovereignty in the South China Sea, but maintains that freedom of navigation and overflight must be preserved. Several times a year, it sends ships sailing past fortified Chinese outposts in the Spratly Islands, prompting protests from Beijing.The U.S. has also been strengthening its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-united-states-government-philippines-manila-7889867cb056cf365c5a8fd49d16b52d">defense alliance with the Philippines,</a>&nbsp;which has faced encroachment on islands and fisheries by the Chinese coast guard and nominally civilian but government-backed fleets.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675373155059.png" alt="Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin in the Philippines last month -photo courtesy Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin in the Philippines last month -photo courtesy Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>The U.S. military exercises were planned in advance. They come as already tense relations between Washington and Beijing have been exacerbated by a diplomatic row sparked by the balloon, which was shot down last weekend in U.S. airspace off the coast of South Carolina.The U.S. said the unmanned balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals, but Beijing insists it was a weather research airship that had accidently blown off course.The balloon prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes trip to Beijing aimed at easing tensions.After first issuing a highly rare expression of regret over the balloon, China has toughened its rhetoric, calling the U.S. shootdown an overreaction and a violation of international norms.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-lloyd-austin-china-9d1b7c9aa40b22d0bda497ba29be8d9b">China's defense minister refused to take a phone call</a>&nbsp;from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the matter.The United States has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-business-cdf319c71f097f7f8ef176b6d7b9526c">blacklisted six Chinese entities</a>&nbsp;it said were linked to Beijing’s aerospace programs as part of its response to the incident. The House of Representatives also voted unanimously to condemn China for a “brazen violation” of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.”The balloon was part of a large surveillance program that China has been conducting for several years, the Pentagon said. The U.S. says Chinese balloons have flown over dozens of countries across five continents in recent years, and it learned more about the balloon program after closely monitoring the one shot down near South Carolina.In its news release, the 7th Fleet said the joint operation had “established a powerful presence in the region, which supports peace and stability."“As a ready response force, we underpin a broad spectrum of missions including landing Marines ashore, humanitarian disaster relief, and deterring potential adversaries through visible and present combat power," the release said.------------

US holds drills in South China Sea amid tensions with China

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer was hit by gunfire and wounded at the department's headquarters shortly after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, authorities said early Monday.

The Kansas City Police Department said the officer's injuries are not life-threatening. The source and motive of the gunfire are unknown.

The officer was shot just before 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the police department in downtown Kansas City, just blocks from a large Super Bowl viewing party and about 15 minutes after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35.</a>

The officer was immediately taken to a hospital and was stable Monday morning.

Detectives are investigating. No further information was immediately released.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer was hit by gunfire and wounded at the department's headquarters shortly after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, authorities said early Monday.The Kansas City Police Department said the officer's injuries are not life-threatening. The source and motive of the gunfire are unknown.The officer was shot just before 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the police department in downtown Kansas City, just blocks from a large Super Bowl viewing party and about 15 minutes after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35.</a>The officer was immediately taken to a hospital and was stable Monday morning.Detectives are investigating. No further information was immediately released.

Kansas City officer shot, hurt after Chiefs' Super Bowl win

GLENDALE, Ariz.—The Kansas City Chiefs are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">winners of Super Bowl 57.</a>&nbsp;Elected officials from Kansas and Missouri celebrated the victory.

GLENDALE, Ariz.—The Kansas City Chiefs are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">winners of Super Bowl 57.</a>&nbsp;Elected officials from Kansas and Missouri celebrated the victory.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For the second time since I became governor, the Kansas City <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> are SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS. Congrats to the whole team and all of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a>. To <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernorShapiro</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/Eagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eagles</a>, great game. Looking forward to those cheesesteaks and pretzels! <a href="https://t.co/btijFAvuty">https://t.co/btijFAvuty</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1624970730940284929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I see a lot of red in Arizona today, and I&#39;m feeling extra lucky to be cheering on the <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> at the <a href="https://twitter.com/SuperBowl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SuperBowl</a> with others from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a> <a href="https://t.co/K57EzKkexL">pic.twitter.com/K57EzKkexL</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1624891973306818562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As lifelong Chiefs fans and as the 57th Governor and First Lady of Missouri, Teresa and I could not be more proud of our <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> for the win at Super Bowl 57!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowlLVII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowlLVII</a> <a href="https://t.co/MBMEcbyU5r">pic.twitter.com/MBMEcbyU5r</a>&mdash; Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/status/1624975598492823552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congrats to the Chiefs’ offensive line, Coach Big Red, and Chief Nation. I salute the Eagles and a great season, a great game.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1624974958962135041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to the Super Bowl LVII Champions — our Kansas City Chiefs! <a href="https://t.co/A4BxAcpk8R">https://t.co/A4BxAcpk8R</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1624972235151646721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Never a doubt, not for a second! The <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> are Super Bowl Champs! <a href="https://t.co/82OktHnNt2">https://t.co/82OktHnNt2</a>&mdash; Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (@repcleaver) <a href="https://twitter.com/repcleaver/status/1624973083671945221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LET&#39;S GO!!!!! ❤️💛 <a href="https://t.co/Rl6Df5ONUp">https://t.co/Rl6Df5ONUp</a>&mdash; Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharicedavids/status/1624971155982393345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the entire Chiefs organization on a fantastic season and incredible Super Bowl victory! There&#39;s no better fan base in the world to be a part of than <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a>. Let&#39;s go Chiefs! <a href="https://t.co/Ekl40yO1lv">https://t.co/Ekl40yO1lv</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1624977893154488323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Elected officials celebrate Chiefs on Super Bowl 57 victory

The parade kicks off at noon and will last approximately an hour and a half, according to a statement from the city.

The city did not release specifics on the parade. However, in 2020, the parade route included traveling down Grand Boulevard in downtown Kansas City. It turned on Pershing Road and ended at Union Station

Wednesday's rally is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:45p.m. in front of Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn. The rally will last approximately 1 hour.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676320844619.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced the Chiefs Champions parade is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15.<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bda12e63c3a534dbded3a5f/t/63ea74466ea80378442293ee/1676309578689/SBMAP_2023.pdf">The parade kicks off </a>at at noon at Sixth Street and Grand Boulevard, working its way down Grand until finally heading west at Union Station. The rally at Union Station&nbsp;and the National <a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn </a>will begin at approximately 1:45p.m and last approximately 1 hour.The National WWI Museum and Memorial <a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">will offer reserved parking</a> and a discount admission rate for those who attend the parade.Kansas City Public Schools canceled classes for Wednesday.For the most updated information on transit, public safety, and other news relating to the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade, please sign up to receive notifications from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/talk-to-us/hear-from-us/alertkc" target="_blank">ALERTKC</a>&nbsp;by texting “KCPARADE” to 888-777.&nbsp;KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced the Chiefs Champions parade is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15.The parade kicks off at noon and will last approximately an hour and a half, according to a statement from the city.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LET’S HAVE A PARADE WEDNESDAY!!!&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1624970461162655744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The city did not release specifics on the parade. However, in 2020, the parade route included traveling down Grand Boulevard in downtown Kansas City. It turned on Pershing Road and ended at Union StationWednesday's rally is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:45p.m. in front of Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn. The rally will last approximately 1 hour.&nbsp;Kansas City Public Schools canceled classes for Wednesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to the Super Bowl Champions Kansas City <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>! The entire city is overflowing with pride and excitement. REMEMBER KCPS: We will still have school tomorrow Monday, but we will have the day off on Wednesday to celebrate with the city.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KCPSProud?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KCPSProud</a>🏈 <a href="https://t.co/TvjIfvZ873">pic.twitter.com/TvjIfvZ873</a>&mdash; KCPS (@kcpublicschools) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpublicschools/status/1624990125552721920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>For the most updated information on transit, public safety, and other news relating to the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade, please sign up to receive notifications from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/talk-to-us/hear-from-us/alertkc" target="_blank">ALERTKC</a>&nbsp;by texting “KCPARADE” to 888-777.&nbsp;

Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade set for Wednesday 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday on orders from President Joe Biden. It was the fourth such downing in eight days and the latest military strike in an extraordinary chain of events over U.S. airspace that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent.

Part of the reason for the repeated shootdowns is a “heightened alert” following a spy balloon from China that emerged over U.S. airspace in late January, Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, said in a briefing with reporters.

Since then, fighter jets last week also shot down objects over Canada and Alaska. Pentagon officials said they posed no security threats, but so little was known about them that Pentagon officials were ruling nothing out — not even UFOs.

“We have been more closely scrutinizing our airspace at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar, which may at least partly explain the increase,” said Melissa Dalton, assistant defense secretary for homeland defense.

U.S. authorities have made clear that they constantly monitor for unknown radar blips, and it is not unusual to shut down airspace as a precaution to evaluate them. But the unusually assertive response was raising questions about whether such use of force was warranted, particularly as administration officials said the objects were not of great national security concern and the downings were just out of caution.

VanHerck said the U.S. adjusted its radar so it could track slower objects. “With some adjustments, we’ve been able to get a better categorization of radar tracks now," he said, "and that’s why I think you’re seeing these, plus there’s a heightened alert to look for this information."

He added: “I believe this is the first time within United States or American airspace that NORAD or United States Northern Command has taken kinetic action against an airborne object."

Asked if officials have ruled out extraterrestrials, VanHerck said, “I haven’t ruled out anything at this point.”

The Pentagon officials said they were still trying to determine what exactly the objects were and said they had considered using the jets' guns instead of missiles, but it proved to be too difficult. They drew a strong distinction between the three shot down over this weekend and the balloon from China.

The extraordinary air defense activity began in late January, when a white orb the officials said was from China appeared over the U.S. and hovered above the nation for days before fighter jets downed it off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That event played out over livestream. Many Americans have been captivated by the drama playing out in the skies as fighter jets scramble to shoot down objects.

The latest brought down was first detected on Saturday evening over Montana, but it was initially thought to be an anomaly. Radar picked it up again Sunday hovering over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and it was going over Lake Huron, Pentagon officials said Sunday.

U.S. and Canadian authorities had restricted some airspace over the lake earlier Sunday as planes were scrambled to intercept and try to identify the object. According to a senior administration official, the object was octagonal, with strings hanging off, but had no discernable payload. It was flying low at about 20,000 feet, said the official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials were still trying to precisely identify two other objects shot down by F-22 fighter jets, and were working to determine whether&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-balloon-espionage-1cca3467f32a2751b35ec1686aadc310">China was responsible</a>&nbsp;as concerns escalated about what Washington said was Beijing's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">large-scale aerial surveillance program.</a>

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-canada-ottawa-93071207f2bbdf93b591d6b40ce1cb5a">object shot down Saturday over Canada's Yukon</a>&nbsp;was described by U.S. officials as a balloon significantly smaller than the balloon — the size of three school buses — hit by a missile Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-shoots-down-unknown-flying-object-175f9078d1df36e392b2956ba771001e">A flying object brought down over the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday</a>&nbsp;was more cylindrical and described as a type of airship.

Both were believed to have a payload, either attached or suspended from them, according to the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. Officials were not able to say who launched the objects and were seeking to figure out their origin.

The three objects were much smaller in size, different in appearance and flew at lower altitudes than the suspected spy balloon that fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the U.S. missile strike.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday on orders from President Joe Biden. It was the fourth such downing in eight days and the latest military strike in an extraordinary chain of events over U.S. airspace that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent.Part of the reason for the repeated shootdowns is a “heightened alert” following a spy balloon from China that emerged over U.S. airspace in late January, Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, said in a briefing with reporters.Since then, fighter jets last week also shot down objects over Canada and Alaska. Pentagon officials said they posed no security threats, but so little was known about them that Pentagon officials were ruling nothing out — not even UFOs.“We have been more closely scrutinizing our airspace at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar, which may at least partly explain the increase,” said Melissa Dalton, assistant defense secretary for homeland defense.U.S. authorities have made clear that they constantly monitor for unknown radar blips, and it is not unusual to shut down airspace as a precaution to evaluate them. But the unusually assertive response was raising questions about whether such use of force was warranted, particularly as administration officials said the objects were not of great national security concern and the downings were just out of caution.VanHerck said the U.S. adjusted its radar so it could track slower objects. “With some adjustments, we’ve been able to get a better categorization of radar tracks now," he said, "and that’s why I think you’re seeing these, plus there’s a heightened alert to look for this information."He added: “I believe this is the first time within United States or American airspace that NORAD or United States Northern Command has taken kinetic action against an airborne object."Asked if officials have ruled out extraterrestrials, VanHerck said, “I haven’t ruled out anything at this point.”The Pentagon officials said they were still trying to determine what exactly the objects were and said they had considered using the jets' guns instead of missiles, but it proved to be too difficult. They drew a strong distinction between the three shot down over this weekend and the balloon from China.The extraordinary air defense activity began in late January, when a white orb the officials said was from China appeared over the U.S. and hovered above the nation for days before fighter jets downed it off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That event played out over livestream. Many Americans have been captivated by the drama playing out in the skies as fighter jets scramble to shoot down objects.The latest brought down was first detected on Saturday evening over Montana, but it was initially thought to be an anomaly. Radar picked it up again Sunday hovering over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and it was going over Lake Huron, Pentagon officials said Sunday.U.S. and Canadian authorities had restricted some airspace over the lake earlier Sunday as planes were scrambled to intercept and try to identify the object. According to a senior administration official, the object was octagonal, with strings hanging off, but had no discernable payload. It was flying low at about 20,000 feet, said the official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.Meanwhile, U.S. officials were still trying to precisely identify two other objects shot down by F-22 fighter jets, and were working to determine whether&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-balloon-espionage-1cca3467f32a2751b35ec1686aadc310">China was responsible</a>&nbsp;as concerns escalated about what Washington said was Beijing's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">large-scale aerial surveillance program.</a>An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-canada-ottawa-93071207f2bbdf93b591d6b40ce1cb5a">object shot down Saturday over Canada's Yukon</a>&nbsp;was described by U.S. officials as a balloon significantly smaller than the balloon — the size of three school buses — hit by a missile Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-shoots-down-unknown-flying-object-175f9078d1df36e392b2956ba771001e">A flying object brought down over the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday</a>&nbsp;was more cylindrical and described as a type of airship.Both were believed to have a payload, either attached or suspended from them, according to the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. Officials were not able to say who launched the objects and were seeking to figure out their origin.The three objects were much smaller in size, different in appearance and flew at lower altitudes than the suspected spy balloon that fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the U.S. missile strike.The officials said the other three objects were not consistent with the fleet of Chinese aerial surveillance balloons that targeted more than 40 countries, stretching back at least into the Trump administration.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told ABC’s “This Week” that U.S. officials were working quickly to recover debris. Using shorthand to describe the objects as balloons, he said U.S military and intelligence officials were “focused like a laser” on gathering and accumulating the information, then compiling a comprehensive analysis.“The bottom line is until a few months ago we didn’t know about these balloons,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the spy program that the administration has linked to the People’s Liberation Army, China’s military. “It is wild that we didn’t know.”Eight days ago, F-22 jets downed the large white balloon that had wafted over the U.S. for days at an altitude of about 60,000 feet. U.S. officials immediately blamed China, saying the balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals and could maneuver itself. White House officials said improved surveillance capabilities helped detect it.China's Foreign Ministry said the unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course. Beijing said the U.S. had “overreacted” by shooting it down.Then, on Friday, North American Aerospace Defense Command, the combined U.S.-Canada organization that provides shared defense of airspace over the two nations, detected and shot down an object near sparsely populated Deadhorse, Alaska.Later that evening, NORAD detected a second object, flying at a high altitude over Alaska, U.S. officials said. It crossed into Canadian airspace on Saturday and was over the Yukon, a remote territory, when it was ordered shot down by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.In both of those incidents, the objects were flying at roughly 40,000 feet. The object on Sunday was flying at 20,000 feet.The cases have increased diplomatic tensions between the United States and China, raised questions about the extent of Beijing’s American surveillance, and prompted days of criticism from Republican lawmakers about the administration’s response.___WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday on orders from President Joe Biden, believed to be the same one tracked over Montana and monitored by the government beginning the night before, the Pentagon said.It was the fourth object shot out of the sky by U.S. fighter jets in eight days, along with ones over Alaska and Canada and a suspected Chinese spy balloon. Pentagon officials have said they don’t know when the last shootdown of an unknown or unauthorized object over U.S. territory occurred before this spate of incidents.U.S. authorities have made clear that they constantly monitor for unknown radar blips, and it is not unusual to shut down airspace as a precaution to evaluate them. But the unusually assertive response was raising questions about whether such use of force was warranted, particularly as administration officials said the objects were not of great national security concern and the downings were just out of caution.The extraordinary air defense activity began in late January, when a white orb the officials said was from China appeared over the U.S. and hovered above the nation for days before fighter jets downed it off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That event played out over livestream. Since, then many Americans have been captivated by the drama playing out in the skies as fighter jets scramble to shoot down objects.The latest brought down was first detected on Saturday evening over Montana, but it was initially thought to be an anomaly. Radar picked it up again Sunday hovering over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and it was going over Lake Huron, according to U.S. officials, who had knowledge of the downings and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operations.U.S. and Canadian authorities had restricted some airspace over the lake earlier Sunday as planes were scrambled to intercept and try to identify the object. It was octagonal, with strings hanging off, but had no discernable payload. It was flying low at about 20,000 feet, according to one of the officials.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675809745976.jpeg" alt="This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feb. 5, 2023. (U.S. Navy via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feb. 5, 2023. (U.S. Navy via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>Meanwhile, U.S. officials were still trying to precisely identify two other objects shot down by F-22 fighter jets, and were working to determine whether&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-balloon-espionage-1cca3467f32a2751b35ec1686aadc310">China was responsible</a>&nbsp;as concerns escalated about what Washington said was Beijing's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">large-scale aerial surveillance program.</a>An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-canada-ottawa-93071207f2bbdf93b591d6b40ce1cb5a">object shot down Saturday over Canada's Yukon</a>&nbsp;was described by U.S. officials as a balloon significantly smaller than the balloon — the size of three school buses — hit by a missile Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-shoots-down-unknown-flying-object-175f9078d1df36e392b2956ba771001e">A flying object brought down over the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday</a>&nbsp;was more cylindrical and described as a type of airship.Both were believed to have a payload, either attached or suspended from them, according to the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. Officials were not able to say who launched the objects and were seeking to figure out their origin.The three objects were much smaller in size, different in appearance and flew at lower altitudes than the suspected spy balloon that fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the U.S. missile strike.The officials said the other three objects were not consistent with the fleet of Chinese aerial surveillance balloons that targeted more than 40 countries, stretching back at least into the Trump administration.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told ABC’s “This Week” that U.S. officials were working quickly to recover debris. Using shorthand to describe the objects as balloons, he said U.S military and intelligence officials were “focused like a laser” on gathering and accumulating the information, then compiling a comprehensive analysis.“The bottom line is until a few months ago we didn’t know about these balloons,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the spy program that the administration has linked to the People’s Liberation Army, China’s military. “It is wild that we didn’t know.”Eight days ago, F-22 jets downed the large white balloon that had wafted over the U.S. for days at an altitude of about 60,000 feet. U.S. officials immediately blamed China, saying the balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals and could maneuver itself. White House officials said improved surveillance capabilities helped detect it.China's Foreign Ministry said the unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course. Beijing said the U.S. had “overreacted” by shooting it down.Then, on Friday, North American Aerospace Defense Command, the combined U.S.-Canada organization that provides shared defense of airspace over the two nations, detected and shot down an object near sparsely populated Deadhorse, Alaska.Later that evening, NORAD detected a second object, flying at a high altitude over Alaska, U.S. officials said. It crossed into Canadian airspace on Saturday and was over the Yukon, a remote territory, when it was ordered shot down by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.In both of those incidents, the objects were flying at roughly 40,000 feet. The object on Sunday was flying at 20,000 feet.The cases have increased diplomatic tensions between the United States and China, raised questions about the extent of Beijing’s American surveillance, and prompted days of criticism from Republican lawmakers about the administration’s response.Rep. Mike Turner, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the administration was looking “somewhat trigger-happy.”“Although that is certainly preferable to the permissive environment they showed when the Chinese spy balloon was coming over some of most sensitive sites,” Turner, R-Ohio, told CNN’s “State of the Union.”After the shootdown last weekend, Chinese officials said they reserved the right to “take further actions” and criticized the U.S. for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, urged the administration to be as forthcoming as possible, saying the lack of solid information was fueling online speculation.Himes said it was clear from briefings in recent years “that there is a lot of garbage up there” in the sky.“The truth is that most of our sensors and most of what we were looking for didn’t look like balloons,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”WASHINGTON (AP) — An "unidentified object” was shot down Sunday for the third time in as many days, this time over Lake Huron, after earlier ones in Alaska and Canada, U.S. officials said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The object has been downed by pilots from the US Air Force and National Guard. Great work by all who carried out this mission both in the air and back at headquarters. We’re all interested in exactly what this object was and it’s purpose. 1/ <a href="https://t.co/LsjwtjntCv">https://t.co/LsjwtjntCv</a>&mdash; Rep. Elissa Slotkin (@RepSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSlotkin/status/1624875335643721740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., tweeted that “the object has been downed by pilots from the U.S. Air Force and National Guard." The shootdown was confirmed by two U.S. officials who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.U.S. and Canadian authorities had restricted some airspace over the lake earlier Sunday as planes were scrambled to intercept and try to identify the object.The news comes as U.S. officials were still trying to precisely identify the other two objects blown from the sky by F-22 fighter jets over the past two days, and were working to determine whether&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-balloon-espionage-1cca3467f32a2751b35ec1686aadc310">China was responsible</a>&nbsp;as concerns escalate about what Washington says is Beijing's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">large-scale aerial surveillance program.</a>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-canada-ottawa-93071207f2bbdf93b591d6b40ce1cb5a">object shot down Saturday over the Yukon</a>&nbsp;was described by U.S. officials as a balloon significantly smaller than the three school bus-size balloon hit by a missile Feb. 4 while drifting off the South Carolina coast after traversing the country.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-shoots-down-unknown-flying-object-175f9078d1df36e392b2956ba771001e">A flying object brought down over the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday</a>&nbsp;was more cylindrical and described as a type of airship.Both were believed to have a payload, either attached or suspended from them, according to the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. Officials were not able to say who launched the objects and were seeking to figure out their origin.U.S. officials said the two more recent objects were much smaller in size, different in appearance and flew at lower altitudes than the suspected Chinese spy balloon that fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the U.S. missile strike. They said the Alaska and Canada objects were not consistent with the fleet of Chinese aerial surveillance balloons that targeted more than 40 countries, stretching back at least into the Trump administration.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-balloon-united-states-montana-47248b0ef2b085620fcd866c105054be">That large white orb first appeared over the U.S.</a>&nbsp;in late January, and since then Americans have been fixated on the sky above them. U.S. authorities made clear that they constantly monitor for unknown radar blips, and it is not unusual to shut down airspace as a precaution to evaluate them.On Sunday, the U.S. briefly closed the airspace over Lake Michigan; on Saturday night, that was done over rural Montana. Officials Sunday said they were no longer tracking any objects over those locations.