By ALLISON WINTER <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01/billions-in-federal-farm-payments-flow-to-a-select-group-of-producers-report-shows/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The
 top 10% of recipients of federal farm payments raked in more than 79% 
of total subsidies over the last 25 years — producing billions of 
dollars for a relatively small group of U.S. producers, according to a 
new analysis of federal data from an environmental group.

In total, the federal government paid
 more than $478 billion from 2015 to 2021 in farm support for crop 
insurance, disasters, conservation payments and subsidies for certain 
crops such as corn and soybeans, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ewg.org/research/updated-ewg-farm-subsidy-database-shows-largest-producers-reap-billions-despite-climate">analysis of federal data</a> the Environmental Working Group released Wednesday.&nbsp;

The U.S. Agriculture Department 
programs support hundreds of thousands of producers across the country. 
But a select group of super collectors is bringing in an outsized 
portion of farm subsidies.&nbsp;

The top 1% collected 27% of total subsidies between 1995 and 2021, according to the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some of the farm payments are more 
opaque. The government does not release information on all of the 
individuals who receive support for crop insurance. And the Trump
 administration changed how it reported some farm subsidies, so it lists
 them by banks instead of individuals, making it harder to see who 
received some of the payments from 2019 to 2021.&nbsp;

More than half of farm subsidies over
 the last 25 years were commodity payments to crops such as corn, 
soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice, according to the EWG database.&nbsp;

“Based on what we do know, we can 
still see the most successful farm businesses are still collecting the 
lion’s share of subsidies … while the vast majority of farmers are 
getting little or nothing,” said Scott Faber, vice president of 
government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, an independent 
nonprofit that conducts extensive research.&nbsp;

The biggest of those were corn subsidies.&nbsp;

Federal spending on crop insurance 
has grown in recent farm bills, and crop insurance payments now make up a
 quarter of all subsidy payments.

In Iowa, the family farm that is 
managed by the son of Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a farm policy
 leader, received more than $1.4 million from 1995 to 2021, the report 
shows. The payments included disaster, corn, soybean and oat commodity subsidies.&nbsp;

The payments are listed for Robin
 Grassley, the family farm manager. Chuck Grassley and Republican Sen. 
Joni Ernst of Iowa both sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee.&nbsp;

Pat Grassley, a state representative 
in Iowa and the senator’s grandson, collected $55,500 in federal 
payments since 2005. Most of those were relatively small commodity 
payments from $700 to $2,000 a year — with the exception of 2020, when 
he received $20,000.

The database compiles data collected from federal reporting and Freedom of Information Act requests.

<a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/?_ga=2.237948168.96044977.1675267085-584142049.1674755652">The distribution of farm subsidies</a> does not necessarily follow the amount of agricultural production in a state.&nbsp;

For instance, California is the most 
agriculture-producing state, according to the USDA, but is 11th on the 
list for subsidy payments.&nbsp;

North Carolina is in the top 10 for 
agriculture production but ranks 20th for farm subsidy receipts. 
Instead, more money goes to Texas, Iowa and Illinois, where large farms 
grow subsidized commodity crops, such as corn and soybeans.

The top 15 states with the most total farm subsidies distributed from 1995 to 2021, ranked by payments, were:&nbsp;

Here is a link to the <a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=31000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;regionname=Nebraska">top recipients</a> of commodity subsidies in Nebraska in 1995-2021, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Pennsylvania, a major agricultural 
state, is 29th on the list with $3.4 billion from 1995-2021. The biggest
 subsidy programs in the state are for dairy farmers.&nbsp;

But 80% of Pennsylvania’s producers do not receive federal farm subsidies, according to the report.&nbsp;

Producers in House Agriculture 
Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson’s congressional district in 
Pennsylvania received nearly $35 million in commodity payment support 
from 1995 to 2021, according to the database. The largest of those went 
to Long Acres Potato Farms in Tionesta, which collected more than $1.5 
million over that time period.&nbsp;

The report comes as Congress kicks 
off its rewrite of the sweeping federal farm bill, which will set both 
policy and funding levels for farm, food and conservation programs for 
the next five years. The Senate Agriculture Committee held its first 
farm bill hearing of the year Wednesday. The current farm bill expires 
at the end of September.

Originally a product of the New Deal,
 the first farm bill in 1933 focused on commodity price support to 
provide relief for farmers and ensure a steady domestic food supply for 
Americans during the Great Depression.&nbsp;

Since then, lawmakers have passed 18 farm bills and greatly expanded the reach of the legislation.&nbsp;

For example, Congress added a 
conservation section to the farm bill in 1985 with payments for farmers 
who conserve soil, idle land for wildlife habitat or employ certain 
conservation practices.&nbsp;

But the biggest spending in recent farm bills is not on farms at all but in the nutrition title, which includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.&nbsp;

The politically fraught process of 
authoring a new farm bill faces extra challenges this year from a 
divided Congress, a looming debate over the federal debt ceiling and the
 potential for extended amendments in the House.&nbsp;

The leaders of the House and Senate 
Agriculture committees, Thompson and Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of 
Michigan, have each said they will aim to finish a new farm bill on time
 but acknowledged it will be a challenge this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We know because of the timeline and 
all of the complexity of everything going on and the challenges in the 
House that it may take a little bit longer, but we’re committed to 
getting it done,” Stabenow said in a January interview on the web 
broadcast <a target="_blank" href="https://www.agri-pulse.com/media/videos/play/942">Agri-Pulse newsmakers</a>.

Crop subsidies come under fire in 
every farm bill debate — both from environmental groups that would like 
to see the money invested elsewhere and budget hawks who want to trim 
federal spending.&nbsp;

The Republican Study Committee, whose
 members make up 80% of all Republican members of Congress, proposed 
drastic cuts for the farm bill and limits on some farm subsidies in the <a target="_blank" href="https://banks.house.gov/uploadedfiles/rsc_2023_budget_final_version.pdf">draft budget</a> it released last summer as a “Blueprint to Save America.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

But Agriculture Committee leaders have not indicated they intend to undertake any massive overhaul in this farm bill.

Thompson has said he does not want to
 dismantle farm supports, which he and other farm state lawmakers see as
 a safety net critical for producers and rural communities.&nbsp;

Democrats on his committee have not shown enthusiasm for an overhaul of farm subsidies, either.&nbsp;

In a recent list of farm bill 
priorities, Georgia Rep. David Scott, the top Democrat on the House 
Agriculture Committee, did not include changes for farm subsidies other 
than extending programs for livestock producers and&nbsp; small farmers.

Georgia Republican Rep. Austin Scott,
 who will chair the subcommittee that oversees farm commodities, said at
 a farm bill listening session last month that he wants to look at the 
reference prices that trigger payments for row crops but has not 
expressed interest in a massive subsidy overhaul.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675280755915.png" alt="Corn grows in Saunders County, Nebraska, just outside Ashland. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) " />
 <figcaption>Corn grows in Saunders County, Nebraska, just outside Ashland. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) </figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON WINTER <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01/billions-in-federal-farm-payments-flow-to-a-select-group-of-producers-report-shows/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The
 top 10% of recipients of federal farm payments raked in more than 79% 
of total subsidies over the last 25 years — producing billions of 
dollars for a relatively small group of U.S. producers, according to a 
new analysis of federal data from an environmental group.In total, the federal government paid
 more than $478 billion from 2015 to 2021 in farm support for crop 
insurance, disasters, conservation payments and subsidies for certain 
crops such as corn and soybeans, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ewg.org/research/updated-ewg-farm-subsidy-database-shows-largest-producers-reap-billions-despite-climate">analysis of federal data</a> the Environmental Working Group released Wednesday.&nbsp;The U.S. Agriculture Department 
programs support hundreds of thousands of producers across the country. 
But a select group of super collectors is bringing in an outsized 
portion of farm subsidies.&nbsp;The top 1% collected 27% of total subsidies between 1995 and 2021, according to the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some of the farm payments are more 
opaque. The government does not release information on all of the 
individuals who receive support for crop insurance. And the Trump
 administration changed how it reported some farm subsidies, so it lists
 them by banks instead of individuals, making it harder to see who 
received some of the payments from 2019 to 2021.&nbsp;More than half of farm subsidies over
 the last 25 years were commodity payments to crops such as corn, 
soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice, according to the EWG database.&nbsp;“Based on what we do know, we can 
still see the most successful farm businesses are still collecting the 
lion’s share of subsidies … while the vast majority of farmers are 
getting little or nothing,” said Scott Faber, vice president of 
government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, an independent 
nonprofit that conducts extensive research.&nbsp;The biggest of those were corn subsidies.&nbsp;Federal spending on crop insurance 
has grown in recent farm bills, and crop insurance payments now make up a
 quarter of all subsidy payments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675280824960.jpeg" alt="U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley won election to his eighth term in the Senate on Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Mike Franken. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley won election to his eighth term in the Senate on Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Mike Franken. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure>In Iowa, the family farm that is 
managed by the son of Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a farm policy
 leader, received more than $1.4 million from 1995 to 2021, the report 
shows. The payments included disaster, corn, soybean and oat commodity subsidies.&nbsp;The payments are listed for Robin
 Grassley, the family farm manager. Chuck Grassley and Republican Sen. 
Joni Ernst of Iowa both sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee.&nbsp;Pat Grassley, a state representative 
in Iowa and the senator’s grandson, collected $55,500 in federal 
payments since 2005. Most of those were relatively small commodity 
payments from $700 to $2,000 a year — with the exception of 2020, when 
he received $20,000.The database compiles data collected from federal reporting and Freedom of Information Act requests.<h2>Harvesting federal support</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/?_ga=2.237948168.96044977.1675267085-584142049.1674755652">The distribution of farm subsidies</a> does not necessarily follow the amount of agricultural production in a state.&nbsp;For instance, California is the most 
agriculture-producing state, according to the USDA, but is 11th on the 
list for subsidy payments.&nbsp;North Carolina is in the top 10 for 
agriculture production but ranks 20th for farm subsidy receipts. 
Instead, more money goes to Texas, Iowa and Illinois, where large farms 
grow subsidized commodity crops, such as corn and soybeans.The top 15 states with the most total farm subsidies distributed from 1995 to 2021, ranked by payments, were:&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675280862244.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Here is a link to the <a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=31000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;regionname=Nebraska">top recipients</a> of commodity subsidies in Nebraska in 1995-2021, according to the Environmental Working Group.Pennsylvania, a major agricultural 
state, is 29th on the list with $3.4 billion from 1995-2021. The biggest
 subsidy programs in the state are for dairy farmers.&nbsp;But 80% of Pennsylvania’s producers do not receive federal farm subsidies, according to the report.&nbsp;Producers in House Agriculture 
Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson’s congressional district in 
Pennsylvania received nearly $35 million in commodity payment support 
from 1995 to 2021, according to the database. The largest of those went 
to Long Acres Potato Farms in Tionesta, which collected more than $1.5 
million over that time period.&nbsp;<h2>Farm bill debate launches</h2>The report comes as Congress kicks 
off its rewrite of the sweeping federal farm bill, which will set both 
policy and funding levels for farm, food and conservation programs for 
the next five years. The Senate Agriculture Committee held its first 
farm bill hearing of the year Wednesday. The current farm bill expires 
at the end of September.Originally a product of the New Deal,
 the first farm bill in 1933 focused on commodity price support to 
provide relief for farmers and ensure a steady domestic food supply for 
Americans during the Great Depression.&nbsp;Since then, lawmakers have passed 18 farm bills and greatly expanded the reach of the legislation.&nbsp;For example, Congress added a 
conservation section to the farm bill in 1985 with payments for farmers 
who conserve soil, idle land for wildlife habitat or employ certain 
conservation practices.&nbsp;But the biggest spending in recent farm bills is not on farms at all but in the nutrition title, which includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.&nbsp;The politically fraught process of 
authoring a new farm bill faces extra challenges this year from a 
divided Congress, a looming debate over the federal debt ceiling and the
 potential for extended amendments in the House.&nbsp;The leaders of the House and Senate 
Agriculture committees, Thompson and Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of 
Michigan, have each said they will aim to finish a new farm bill on time
 but acknowledged it will be a challenge this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We know because of the timeline and 
all of the complexity of everything going on and the challenges in the 
House that it may take a little bit longer, but we’re committed to 
getting it done,” Stabenow said in a January interview on the web 
broadcast <a target="_blank" href="https://www.agri-pulse.com/media/videos/play/942">Agri-Pulse newsmakers</a>.<h2>Crop subsidies could face attacks</h2>Crop subsidies come under fire in 
every farm bill debate — both from environmental groups that would like 
to see the money invested elsewhere and budget hawks who want to trim 
federal spending.&nbsp;The Republican Study Committee, whose
 members make up 80% of all Republican members of Congress, proposed 
drastic cuts for the farm bill and limits on some farm subsidies in the <a target="_blank" href="https://banks.house.gov/uploadedfiles/rsc_2023_budget_final_version.pdf">draft budget</a> it released last summer as a “Blueprint to Save America.”&nbsp;&nbsp;But Agriculture Committee leaders have not indicated they intend to undertake any massive overhaul in this farm bill.Thompson has said he does not want to
 dismantle farm supports, which he and other farm state lawmakers see as
 a safety net critical for producers and rural communities.&nbsp;Democrats on his committee have not shown enthusiasm for an overhaul of farm subsidies, either.&nbsp;In a recent list of farm bill 
priorities, Georgia Rep. David Scott, the top Democrat on the House 
Agriculture Committee, did not include changes for farm subsidies other 
than extending programs for livestock producers and&nbsp; small farmers.Georgia Republican Rep. Austin Scott,
 who will chair the subcommittee that oversees farm commodities, said at
 a farm bill listening session last month that he wants to look at the 
reference prices that trigger payments for row crops but has not 
expressed interest in a massive subsidy overhaul.

Report: Billions in federal farm payments flow to a select group

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly last week announced that since its launch in July 2022, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has handled a nearly 27% increase in call volume compared to the six months before its launch, according to a statement from the governor's office.

Based on national projections, Kansas is estimated to reach 120,000 Kansans in the hotline’s first full year of operation.

In June 2022, Governor Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDEuNzA4MjAzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktc2lnbnMtbGVnaXNsYXRpb24tY3JlYXRpbmctYS1zdWljaWRlLXByZXZlbnRpb24tYW5kLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtY3Jpc2lzLWhvdGxpbmUvIn0.R0yjYoblykXQXOaP9eKw7MB2biJdHLaLWPrUDa_87Vw/s/1303160919/br/153802977769-l" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;Senate Bill 19, bipartisan legislation that created the state’s three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). The hotline is backed by federal funding, with the idea that – like 9-1-1 – 9-8-8 is easier to remember in a crisis.

“The successes we are seeing with the implementation of 9-8-8 are a reflection that when Kansas leaders come together to invest in mental health, more Kansans can access essential care,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “I continue to encourage Kansans to tell their families, friends, and neighbors that this resource is here for them whenever they need it.”

Now, calls, texts, or chats to 9-8-8&nbsp;involving thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crises, or other kinds of emotional distress are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can also receive the immediate support of mobile crisis teams in cases of extreme risk, referral to local mental health services, and resources for follow-up care.

“One of the key things we’re trying to do through 9-8-8 is increase access to mental health services and resources,”&nbsp;Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard said. “Youth experiencing mental health crises are acclimated to communicating with peers and adults through text or chat rather than by phone, so these formats go a long way to help meet these young people where they are, using a method they feel comfortable with.”

According to data from Vibrant, the current administrator of the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 9-8-8 centers in Kansas have maintained an in-state call-answer rate of 85% to 91% month-over-month amid increased call volume. Other states have struggled with call volume, causing higher rates of sending calls to an out-of-state center. Just a few years ago, Kansas answered about 60% of NSPL calls in-state, with many calls rolling over to national backup centers.

Kansas has also fared better than its regional peers on its “abandon” rate, or the number of received calls that disconnect before engagement with an in-state counselor. That rate has consistently remained below 10%.

In Kansas, 9-8-8 contact centers are independently operated. They receive additional state funding and oversight from KDADS and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDEuNzA4MjAzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktbWFrZXMtYXBwb2ludG1lbnRzLWZvci1yZWNlbnRseS1sYXVuY2hlZC05ODgtbWVudGFsLWhlYWx0aC1saWZlbGluZS8ifQ.uGjE6DSbj7PkoxaNJYLf16E3_V1WNwMvf0yWwxS1Heg/s/1303160919/br/153802977769-l" target="_blank">the 9-8-8 Coordinating Council appointed last fall by Governor Kelly</a>.

Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ (KSPHQ) reports that 9-8-8 funding has allowed them to hire positions for both chat/text and calls, increasing the capacity to receive calls from Kansans and plan for expanded chat access.

“Overall, we’ve been able to hire more support in the call center to help take calls, manage resources and work on mobile response across the state,”&nbsp;Sarah Robertson, Communications and Development at KSPHQ, said.

The Kelly Administration has also worked to ensure every Kansan knows that this new resource is available.

KDADS commissioned a Kansas-based marketing firm, Mammoth Creative Company, to support the launch of a social media campaign to build awareness. According to the most recent data, the campaign has reached 1.6 million Kansans. In addition, Mammoth and KDADS are conducting research to better understand the messaging most likely to generate engagement with Kansans in crisis and among several different demographic and at-risk groups.

“Our team is very proud to partner with KDADS to create and place messaging that supports the mental health of all Kansans,”&nbsp;Ronnie Murphy, Mammoth Creative Company Vice President of Client Strategy, said.

“Since 9-8-8 launched six months ago, this new mental health tool has proven to be an invaluable resource for people in crisis,”&nbsp;KDADS Behavioral Health Services Commissioner Andy Brown said. “The continued commitment by Governor Kelly, the state legislature, and our agency, with help from our state call centers and strategic marketing partners, ensures Kansans have easy-to-use access to the help they need all day, every day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909299467.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly last week announced that since its launch in July 2022, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has handled a nearly 27% increase in call volume compared to the six months before its launch, according to a statement from the governor's office.Based on national projections, Kansas is estimated to reach 120,000 Kansans in the hotline’s first full year of operation.In June 2022, Governor Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDEuNzA4MjAzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktc2lnbnMtbGVnaXNsYXRpb24tY3JlYXRpbmctYS1zdWljaWRlLXByZXZlbnRpb24tYW5kLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtY3Jpc2lzLWhvdGxpbmUvIn0.R0yjYoblykXQXOaP9eKw7MB2biJdHLaLWPrUDa_87Vw/s/1303160919/br/153802977769-l" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;Senate Bill 19, bipartisan legislation that created the state’s three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). The hotline is backed by federal funding, with the idea that – like 9-1-1 – 9-8-8 is easier to remember in a crisis.“The successes we are seeing with the implementation of 9-8-8 are a reflection that when Kansas leaders come together to invest in mental health, more Kansans can access essential care,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “I continue to encourage Kansans to tell their families, friends, and neighbors that this resource is here for them whenever they need it.”Now, calls, texts, or chats to 9-8-8&nbsp;involving thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crises, or other kinds of emotional distress are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can also receive the immediate support of mobile crisis teams in cases of extreme risk, referral to local mental health services, and resources for follow-up care.“One of the key things we’re trying to do through 9-8-8 is increase access to mental health services and resources,”&nbsp;Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard said. “Youth experiencing mental health crises are acclimated to communicating with peers and adults through text or chat rather than by phone, so these formats go a long way to help meet these young people where they are, using a method they feel comfortable with.”According to data from Vibrant, the current administrator of the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 9-8-8 centers in Kansas have maintained an in-state call-answer rate of 85% to 91% month-over-month amid increased call volume. Other states have struggled with call volume, causing higher rates of sending calls to an out-of-state center. Just a few years ago, Kansas answered about 60% of NSPL calls in-state, with many calls rolling over to national backup centers.Kansas has also fared better than its regional peers on its “abandon” rate, or the number of received calls that disconnect before engagement with an in-state counselor. That rate has consistently remained below 10%.In Kansas, 9-8-8 contact centers are independently operated. They receive additional state funding and oversight from KDADS and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDEuNzA4MjAzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktbWFrZXMtYXBwb2ludG1lbnRzLWZvci1yZWNlbnRseS1sYXVuY2hlZC05ODgtbWVudGFsLWhlYWx0aC1saWZlbGluZS8ifQ.uGjE6DSbj7PkoxaNJYLf16E3_V1WNwMvf0yWwxS1Heg/s/1303160919/br/153802977769-l" target="_blank">the 9-8-8 Coordinating Council appointed last fall by Governor Kelly</a>.Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ (KSPHQ) reports that 9-8-8 funding has allowed them to hire positions for both chat/text and calls, increasing the capacity to receive calls from Kansans and plan for expanded chat access.“Overall, we’ve been able to hire more support in the call center to help take calls, manage resources and work on mobile response across the state,”&nbsp;Sarah Robertson, Communications and Development at KSPHQ, said.The Kelly Administration has also worked to ensure every Kansan knows that this new resource is available.KDADS commissioned a Kansas-based marketing firm, Mammoth Creative Company, to support the launch of a social media campaign to build awareness. According to the most recent data, the campaign has reached 1.6 million Kansans. In addition, Mammoth and KDADS are conducting research to better understand the messaging most likely to generate engagement with Kansans in crisis and among several different demographic and at-risk groups.“Our team is very proud to partner with KDADS to create and place messaging that supports the mental health of all Kansans,”&nbsp;Ronnie Murphy, Mammoth Creative Company Vice President of Client Strategy, said.“Since 9-8-8 launched six months ago, this new mental health tool has proven to be an invaluable resource for people in crisis,”&nbsp;KDADS Behavioral Health Services Commissioner Andy Brown said. “The continued commitment by Governor Kelly, the state legislature, and our agency, with help from our state call centers and strategic marketing partners, ensures Kansans have easy-to-use access to the help they need all day, every day.”

Kan. 9-8-8 crisis lifeline sees dramatic increase in call volume 

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

<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/t_bSlWLaQ64?feature=share">Click here to watch </a>the video of the theft

Just after 9:a.m. on&nbsp; January 19, police responded to a robbery call at a gas station in the 2000 block of S. Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. An employee of a gas station was walking to her vehicle with a bank deposit bag full of cash when an unknown suspect ran by and took it from her.

The suspect,&nbsp; wearing red pants, red shoes, and a black hoodie with the Colorado Flag on the front, left the scene running south and then east through a neighborhood.

Anyone with information regarding this crime, or any crime that occurred in Sedgwick 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674852135870.png" alt="Image of the suspect from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image of the suspect from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.<a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/t_bSlWLaQ64?feature=share">Click here to watch </a>the video of the theftJust after 9:a.m. on&nbsp; January 19, police responded to a robbery call at a gas station in the 2000 block of S. Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. An employee of a gas station was walking to her vehicle with a bank deposit bag full of cash when an unknown suspect ran by and took it from her.The suspect,&nbsp; wearing red pants, red shoes, and a black hoodie with the Colorado Flag on the front, left the scene running south and then east through a neighborhood.Anyone with information regarding this crime, or any crime that occurred in Sedgwick

Kan. suspect wearing red shoes, pants stole deposit bag of cash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Emboldened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-state-government-kentucky-6ed9dbcdaae33312f1425ea38b681a7e">anti-abortion activists</a>&nbsp;are looking to the 2024 presidential election as an opportunity to solidify their influence over the Republican Party.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, the most influential group in the anti-abortion movement, is telling each potential GOP presidential hopeful that to win its backing — or avoid being a target of its opposition — they must support national restrictions on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">the procedure</a>. Exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother are acceptable, the activists say, but leaving the question for states to decide is not.

“It is a level of protection that goes to every single state. That’s the baseline of what we’re looking to do,” said Frank Cannon, Susan B. Anthony's chief political strategist. “Anything less than that will not be acceptable and will not be somebody that SBA can support. So, it’s that simple.”

That directive is creating an early litmus test for Republicans considering entering the first presidential election since the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, the landmark decision that enshrined federal protections for abortion for roughly 50 years. While the hard-line stance could please anti-abortion activists who hold sway in GOP primaries, it could create problems for the party's eventual nominee in the general election.

Voters protected abortion rights via&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-8779f3ee57d4d20d54861a5ed6ba72ff">ballot measures</a>&nbsp;in six states in 2022, including Kansas, a state former President Donald Trump twice won by double-digit margins. AP VoteCast, a survey of the midterm electorate, showed the Supreme Court's decision was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 said they were angry or dissatisfied by it, and roughly the same percentage said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Supporters of abortion rights say the issue was a “game changer” that helped Democrats last year and that will motivate voters even more in 2024, after two years of seeing the effects of restrictions.

“We’re in a nation where 18 states have no access to abortion, and that number is not going down. It’s going to go up as additional court cases get decided,” said Jenny Lawson, vice president of organizing and engagement campaigns at Planned Parenthood Action Fund. She predicted people will see headlines “over and over again” about pregnant children forced to travel out of state for abortions or people unable to get proper miscarriage care because doctors are afraid of liability.

Pressure from the anti-abortion movement has put Trump, who announced his third run for the presidency last year, in perhaps the most complicated position.

He is arguably more responsible for the overturning of Roe than anyone else, having appointed three anti-abortion Supreme Court justices who backed last year’s ruling. But he has also made clear that he believes pushing any further will hurt Republicans, and he accused anti-abortion leaders of failing to do enough to help GOP candidates in the midterms.

“I just didn’t see them fighting during this last election, fighting for victory,” Trump said in an interview with David Brody, a longtime commentator for the Christian Broadcasting Network.

Trump, who described himself as “very pro-choice” before entering politics, stressed that objecting to exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother makes it “much harder to win elections.” He has criticized evangelical leaders who have been slow to endorse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">his latest run</a>, blasting decisions by pastors like Robert Jeffress to wait to assess the rest of the field as “a sign of disloyalty.”

Cannon called the notion that opposing abortion hurt the GOP last year “absolutely absurd,” pointing to candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a top potential GOP presidential candidate — who easily won reelection. DeSantis signed into law last year a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The Republican candidates who got “clobbered,” Cannon said, were those who tried to avoid the topic.

“What you have to do is argue for protections that the American people see as reasonable versus the extremism of no exceptions, even late-term abortion," Cannon said. "And if you do that, it’s a winning combination.”

SBA Pro-Life America, which raised over $60 million for 2020 campaigns along with its affiliated super PAC, is talking with each potential candidate, Cannon said. While records are being discussed, what matters in 2024 is what policies the candidates prioritize when they announce their bids. SBA's specific request is to support “at a minimum” a “heartbeat bill” or “pain-capable” bill, he said.

The heartbeat bill would make abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected, which occurs at roughly six weeks of pregnancy — before some women know they're pregnant. Legislation that references the fetus feeling pain, such as a measure introduced last year by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., would ban the procedure at around 15 weeks. Graham's bill didn't advance in the Democratic-controlled chamber, and even some fellow Republicans distanced themselves from it ahead of the midterms.

Trump’s stance has provided an opening on the right for potential rivals like former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both of whom are evangelical Christians with long-held anti-abortion stances.

Pence has spent months visiting so-called crisis pregnancy centers that counsel women against abortions. And he has embarked on a tour of megachurches, including Jeffress’ First Baptist Church in Dallas, and spoken before major anti-abortion groups.

His advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, has pushed for Congress to pass legislation including a national abortion ban beginning around six weeks of pregnancy and a bill that would establish legal personhood at conception. Marc Short, Pence’s former chief of staff and longtime adviser, said that when it comes to declared and potential 2024 candidates, “I see him as the most comfortable explaining his pro-life convictions and the basis for them."

For Pence, he said, the issue is about much more than politics.

“Mike does it because this is core to the reason that he ran for office and won for the first time. It’s always been for him a top issue and it’s a priority,” he said.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, is another potential candidate who signed abortion prohibitions into law in her state. The 2016 law bans abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy and includes an exception if the mother's life is in jeopardy but not for cases of rape or incest.

After the Supreme Court's decision, Haley said states, and not “unelected justices,” should control abortion policy. That position puts her at odds with SBA and other anti-abortion groups.

Others see abortion as a potential vulnerability for DeSantis. A spokesperson for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who is also exploring a potential run, recently unloaded on DeSantis, questioning where he stands on the issue.

“Governor Noem was the only Governor in America on national television defending the Dobbs decision,” Ian Fury wrote in an email to the National Review. “Where was Governor DeSantis? Hiding behind a 15-week ban. Does he believe that 14-week-old babies don’t have a right to live?”

Cannon stressed that those in the anti-abortion movement are the “foot soldiers” of the Republican Party during elections and comprise a huge percentage of primary voters.

“No Republican candidate can win the presidency without the backing of the pro-life movement," he said.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Emboldened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-state-government-kentucky-6ed9dbcdaae33312f1425ea38b681a7e">anti-abortion activists</a>&nbsp;are looking to the 2024 presidential election as an opportunity to solidify their influence over the Republican Party.Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, the most influential group in the anti-abortion movement, is telling each potential GOP presidential hopeful that to win its backing — or avoid being a target of its opposition — they must support national restrictions on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">the procedure</a>. Exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother are acceptable, the activists say, but leaving the question for states to decide is not.“It is a level of protection that goes to every single state. That’s the baseline of what we’re looking to do,” said Frank Cannon, Susan B. Anthony's chief political strategist. “Anything less than that will not be acceptable and will not be somebody that SBA can support. So, it’s that simple.”That directive is creating an early litmus test for Republicans considering entering the first presidential election since the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, the landmark decision that enshrined federal protections for abortion for roughly 50 years. While the hard-line stance could please anti-abortion activists who hold sway in GOP primaries, it could create problems for the party's eventual nominee in the general election.Voters protected abortion rights via&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-8779f3ee57d4d20d54861a5ed6ba72ff">ballot measures</a>&nbsp;in six states in 2022, including Kansas, a state former President Donald Trump twice won by double-digit margins. AP VoteCast, a survey of the midterm electorate, showed the Supreme Court's decision was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 said they were angry or dissatisfied by it, and roughly the same percentage said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.Supporters of abortion rights say the issue was a “game changer” that helped Democrats last year and that will motivate voters even more in 2024, after two years of seeing the effects of restrictions.“We’re in a nation where 18 states have no access to abortion, and that number is not going down. It’s going to go up as additional court cases get decided,” said Jenny Lawson, vice president of organizing and engagement campaigns at Planned Parenthood Action Fund. She predicted people will see headlines “over and over again” about pregnant children forced to travel out of state for abortions or people unable to get proper miscarriage care because doctors are afraid of liability.Pressure from the anti-abortion movement has put Trump, who announced his third run for the presidency last year, in perhaps the most complicated position.He is arguably more responsible for the overturning of Roe than anyone else, having appointed three anti-abortion Supreme Court justices who backed last year’s ruling. But he has also made clear that he believes pushing any further will hurt Republicans, and he accused anti-abortion leaders of failing to do enough to help GOP candidates in the midterms.“I just didn’t see them fighting during this last election, fighting for victory,” Trump said in an interview with David Brody, a longtime commentator for the Christian Broadcasting Network.Trump, who described himself as “very pro-choice” before entering politics, stressed that objecting to exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother makes it “much harder to win elections.” He has criticized evangelical leaders who have been slow to endorse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">his latest run</a>, blasting decisions by pastors like Robert Jeffress to wait to assess the rest of the field as “a sign of disloyalty.”Cannon called the notion that opposing abortion hurt the GOP last year “absolutely absurd,” pointing to candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a top potential GOP presidential candidate — who easily won reelection. DeSantis signed into law last year a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.The Republican candidates who got “clobbered,” Cannon said, were those who tried to avoid the topic.“What you have to do is argue for protections that the American people see as reasonable versus the extremism of no exceptions, even late-term abortion," Cannon said. "And if you do that, it’s a winning combination.”SBA Pro-Life America, which raised over $60 million for 2020 campaigns along with its affiliated super PAC, is talking with each potential candidate, Cannon said. While records are being discussed, what matters in 2024 is what policies the candidates prioritize when they announce their bids. SBA's specific request is to support “at a minimum” a “heartbeat bill” or “pain-capable” bill, he said.The heartbeat bill would make abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected, which occurs at roughly six weeks of pregnancy — before some women know they're pregnant. Legislation that references the fetus feeling pain, such as a measure introduced last year by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., would ban the procedure at around 15 weeks. Graham's bill didn't advance in the Democratic-controlled chamber, and even some fellow Republicans distanced themselves from it ahead of the midterms.Trump’s stance has provided an opening on the right for potential rivals like former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both of whom are evangelical Christians with long-held anti-abortion stances.Pence has spent months visiting so-called crisis pregnancy centers that counsel women against abortions. And he has embarked on a tour of megachurches, including Jeffress’ First Baptist Church in Dallas, and spoken before major anti-abortion groups.His advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, has pushed for Congress to pass legislation including a national abortion ban beginning around six weeks of pregnancy and a bill that would establish legal personhood at conception. Marc Short, Pence’s former chief of staff and longtime adviser, said that when it comes to declared and potential 2024 candidates, “I see him as the most comfortable explaining his pro-life convictions and the basis for them."For Pence, he said, the issue is about much more than politics.“Mike does it because this is core to the reason that he ran for office and won for the first time. It’s always been for him a top issue and it’s a priority,” he said.Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, is another potential candidate who signed abortion prohibitions into law in her state. The 2016 law bans abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy and includes an exception if the mother's life is in jeopardy but not for cases of rape or incest.After the Supreme Court's decision, Haley said states, and not “unelected justices,” should control abortion policy. That position puts her at odds with SBA and other anti-abortion groups.Others see abortion as a potential vulnerability for DeSantis. A spokesperson for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who is also exploring a potential run, recently unloaded on DeSantis, questioning where he stands on the issue.“Governor Noem was the only Governor in America on national television defending the Dobbs decision,” Ian Fury wrote in an email to the National Review. “Where was Governor DeSantis? Hiding behind a 15-week ban. Does he believe that 14-week-old babies don’t have a right to live?”Cannon stressed that those in the anti-abortion movement are the “foot soldiers” of the Republican Party during elections and comprise a huge percentage of primary voters.“No Republican candidate can win the presidency without the backing of the pro-life movement," he said.

Pro-Life activists aim to sway GOP White House hopefuls

JEWELL COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before midnight Saturday in Jewell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Toyota 4-Runner driven by&nbsp; Elliott Phillip Whiteside, 18, Tryon, North Carolina, was southbound at 101 North McRoberts Street in Mankato.

The SUV traveled off the right side of the roadway into the ditch, went airborne and struck a tree. A child in the vehicle was ejected. He was pronounced deceased and transported to&nbsp;Melby's Mortuary.&nbsp; 

EMS transported Whiteside to Wesley Medical Center. The driver and passenger were not properly restrained, according to the KHP.

JEWELL COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before midnight Saturday in Jewell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Toyota 4-Runner driven by&nbsp; Elliott Phillip Whiteside, 18, Tryon, North Carolina, was southbound at 101 North McRoberts Street in Mankato.The SUV traveled off the right side of the roadway into the ditch, went airborne and struck a tree. A child in the vehicle was ejected. He was pronounced deceased and transported to&nbsp;Melby's Mortuary.&nbsp; EMS transported Whiteside to Wesley Medical Center. The driver and passenger were not properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Child dies after SUV crash in north-central Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft and threatened repercussions.

President Joe Biden issued the order but had wanted the balloon downed even earlier, on Wednesday. He was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water, U.S. officials said. Military officials determined that bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.

China responded that it reserved the right to “take further actions” and criticized the U.S. for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”

In its statement Sunday, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “China will resolutely uphold the relevant company’s legitimate rights and interests, and at the same time reserving the right to take further actions in response.” China's Ministry of Defense echoed the statement later in the day, saying it “reserves the right to take necessary measures to deal with similar situations.”

The presence of the balloon in the skies above the U.S. this week dealt a severe blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations that have been in a downward spiral for years. It prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">Secretary of State Antony Blinken</a>&nbsp;to abruptly cancel a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing tensions.

“They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,” Biden said after getting off Air Force One en route to Camp David.

The giant white orb was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. About 2:39 p.m. EST, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, senior defense officials said.

The spectacle had Americans looking to the skies all week, wondering whether the mysterious balloon had floated over them.

On Saturday, Ashlyn Preaux, 33, went out to get her mail in Forestbrook, South Carolina, and noticed her neighbors looking up — and there it was, the balloon in the cloudless blue sky. Then she saw fighter jets circling and the balloon get hit.

“I did not anticipate waking up to be in a ‘Top Gun’ movie today,” she said.

The debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallower than officials had expected, and it spread out over roughly seven miles and the recovery operation included several ships. The officials estimated the recovery efforts would be completed in a short time, not weeks. A salvage vessel was en route.

U.S. defense and military officials said Saturday that the balloon entered the U.S. air defense zone north of the Aleutian Islands on Jan. 28 and moved largely over land across Alaska and then into Canadian airspace in the Northwest Territories on Monday. It crossed back into U.S. territory over northern Idaho on Tuesday, the day the White House said Biden was first briefed on it.

The balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">was spotted Wednesday over Montana</a>, home to Malmstrom Air Force Base, which has fields of nuclear missile silos.

The Americans were able to collect intelligence on the balloon as it flew over the U.S., giving them a number of days to analyze it and learn how it moved and what it was capable of surveilling, according to two senior defense officials said. The officials briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

The officials said the U.S. military was constantly assessing the threat, and concluded that the technology on the balloon didn’t give the Chinese significant intelligence beyond what it could already obtain from satellites, though the U.S. took steps to mitigate what information it could gather as it moved along.

Republicans were critical of Biden's response.

“Allowing a spy balloon from the Communist Party of China to travel across the entire continental United States before contesting its presence is a disastrous projection of weakness by the White House,” said Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., tweeted: “Now that this embarrassing episode is over, we need answers from the Biden Administration on the decision-making process. Communist China was allowed to violate American sovereignty unimpeded for days. We must be better prepared for future provocations and incursions by the CCP.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was more positive: “Thank you to the men and women of the United States military who were responsible for completing the mission to shoot down the Chinese surveillance balloon. The Biden Administration did the right thing in bringing it down.”

China has claimed that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.

The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation of Blinken's trip. “In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement. Officials said the balloons are part of a fleet that China uses for surveillance, and they can be maneuvered remotely through small motors and propellers. One official said they carry equipment in the pod under the balloon that is not usually associated with standard meteorological activities or civilian research.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a question about the second balloon.

This isn’t the first time Chinese spy balloons have crossed into U.S. airspace in recent years, one of the officials said. At least three times during the Trump administration and at least one other time during Biden’s time as president they’ve seen balloons cross, but not for this long, the official said.

Blinken, who had been due to depart Washington for Beijing late Friday, said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call that sending the balloon over the U.S. was “an irresponsible act and that (China’s) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.”

Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leaped to use the news to mock the U.S.

China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the balloon’s journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to “smear” it because of the balloon.

In preparation for the operation Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coast, including the airports in Myrtle Beach and Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The FAA rerouted air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions. The FAA and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below the balloon as it reached the ocean.

Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the giant deflated balloon descending like a ribbon toward the water.

Bill Swanson said he watched the balloon deflate instantly from his house in Myrtle Beach as fighter jets circled around.

“When it deflated it was pretty close to instantaneous,” he said. “One second it’s there like a tiny moon and the next second it’s gone.” Swanson added that a trail of smoke followed the balloon as it dropped.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675547938768.png" alt="Photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft and threatened repercussions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I ordered the Pentagon to shoot it down on Wednesday as soon as possible.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChineseSpyBalloon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChineseSpyBalloon</a> <a href="https://t.co/D5i5CRR8iy">https://t.co/D5i5CRR8iy</a> <a href="https://t.co/w2rr3SPIsF">pic.twitter.com/w2rr3SPIsF</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1621976063952707584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Joe Biden issued the order but had wanted the balloon downed even earlier, on Wednesday. He was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water, U.S. officials said. Military officials determined that bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.China responded that it reserved the right to “take further actions” and criticized the U.S. for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”In its statement Sunday, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “China will resolutely uphold the relevant company’s legitimate rights and interests, and at the same time reserving the right to take further actions in response.” China's Ministry of Defense echoed the statement later in the day, saying it “reserves the right to take necessary measures to deal with similar situations.”The presence of the balloon in the skies above the U.S. this week dealt a severe blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations that have been in a downward spiral for years. It prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">Secretary of State Antony Blinken</a>&nbsp;to abruptly cancel a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing tensions.“They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,” Biden said after getting off Air Force One en route to Camp David.The giant white orb was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. About 2:39 p.m. EST, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, senior defense officials said.The spectacle had Americans looking to the skies all week, wondering whether the mysterious balloon had floated over them.On Saturday, Ashlyn Preaux, 33, went out to get her mail in Forestbrook, South Carolina, and noticed her neighbors looking up — and there it was, the balloon in the cloudless blue sky. Then she saw fighter jets circling and the balloon get hit.“I did not anticipate waking up to be in a ‘Top Gun’ movie today,” she said.The debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallower than officials had expected, and it spread out over roughly seven miles and the recovery operation included several ships. The officials estimated the recovery efforts would be completed in a short time, not weeks. A salvage vessel was en route.U.S. defense and military officials said Saturday that the balloon entered the U.S. air defense zone north of the Aleutian Islands on Jan. 28 and moved largely over land across Alaska and then into Canadian airspace in the Northwest Territories on Monday. It crossed back into U.S. territory over northern Idaho on Tuesday, the day the White House said Biden was first briefed on it.The balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">was spotted Wednesday over Montana</a>, home to Malmstrom Air Force Base, which has fields of nuclear missile silos.The Americans were able to collect intelligence on the balloon as it flew over the U.S., giving them a number of days to analyze it and learn how it moved and what it was capable of surveilling, according to two senior defense officials said. The officials briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.The officials said the U.S. military was constantly assessing the threat, and concluded that the technology on the balloon didn’t give the Chinese significant intelligence beyond what it could already obtain from satellites, though the U.S. took steps to mitigate what information it could gather as it moved along.Republicans were critical of Biden's response.“Allowing a spy balloon from the Communist Party of China to travel across the entire continental United States before contesting its presence is a disastrous projection of weakness by the White House,” said Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., tweeted: “Now that this embarrassing episode is over, we need answers from the Biden Administration on the decision-making process. Communist China was allowed to violate American sovereignty unimpeded for days. We must be better prepared for future provocations and incursions by the CCP.”Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was more positive: “Thank you to the men and women of the United States military who were responsible for completing the mission to shoot down the Chinese surveillance balloon. The Biden Administration did the right thing in bringing it down.”China has claimed that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation of Blinken's trip. “In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement. Officials said the balloons are part of a fleet that China uses for surveillance, and they can be maneuvered remotely through small motors and propellers. One official said they carry equipment in the pod under the balloon that is not usually associated with standard meteorological activities or civilian research.China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a question about the second balloon.This isn’t the first time Chinese spy balloons have crossed into U.S. airspace in recent years, one of the officials said. At least three times during the Trump administration and at least one other time during Biden’s time as president they’ve seen balloons cross, but not for this long, the official said.Blinken, who had been due to depart Washington for Beijing late Friday, said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call that sending the balloon over the U.S. was “an irresponsible act and that (China’s) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.”Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leaped to use the news to mock the U.S.China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the balloon’s journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to “smear” it because of the balloon.In preparation for the operation Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coast, including the airports in Myrtle Beach and Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The FAA rerouted air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions. The FAA and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below the balloon as it reached the ocean.Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the giant deflated balloon descending like a ribbon toward the water.Bill Swanson said he watched the balloon deflate instantly from his house in Myrtle Beach as fighter jets circled around.“When it deflated it was pretty close to instantaneous,” he said. “One second it’s there like a tiny moon and the next second it’s gone.” Swanson added that a trail of smoke followed the balloon as it dropped.___

China condemns decision to shoot down spy balloon, issues threat

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue the search for a Kansas felon who escaped custody after a multi-county chase that started in Saline County.

Just after 11:50 p.m. Dec. 28, a Saline County Sheriff's deputy near the intersection of N. Broadway Boulevard and State Street noticed a 1992 GMC Sierra pickup with an expired license plate, according to Saline County Sheriff's Deputy Jim Hughes. 

The deputy attempted to stop the pickup, but it took off and a pursuit ensued that involved multiple law enforcement agencies, a number of Salina neighborhoods, and four counties.

At one point during the pursuit, the pickup stopped at the intersection of N. Brookville Road and Ottawa Road in northwestern Saline County at the Ottawa County line, and deputies attempted a traffic stop. 

The driver of the pickup, identified as Steven Moss, 37, of Salina, instead allegedly backed the pickup into one of the Saline County Sheriff's Office's patrol SUVs and took off again, Hughes said.

The pursuit continued into parts of Ottawa County and Lincoln County, where Moss allegedly swerved at a Lincoln County Sheriff's patrol vehicle coming from the opposite direction, Hughes said. The pursuit ended near the intersection of Old Highway 40 and 11th Road west of Ellsworth, where Lincoln County Sheriff's personnel and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers were able to apprehend Moss and a passenger in the pickup, Shaylynn Koch, 27, of Salina.

Deputies brought both back to the Saline County Jail, however, Moss was able to slip out of a handcuff and escape from the back of a Saline County Sheriff's vehicle while it was at the sallyport of the jail. 

A foot chase ensued, but Moss was able to elude law enforcement personnel and escaped.

Hughes said that if you know where Moss is or have information about him, you are asked to call Salina/Saline County Crimestoppers at 785-825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit <a href="http://www.pd.salina.org">www.pd.salina.org</a> and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 and you are not required to give your name. You also can call 911.

Once Moss is apprehended, he will face requested charges Felony flee and elude, Reckless driving, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, Aggravated escape from custody and a vehicle registration violation, according to Hughes. He has previous convictions for theft, burglary, criminal damagae to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

Koch was booked into the Saline County Jail for an outstanding warrant from Salina Municipal Court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672334302050.jpeg" alt="Steven Moss has previous convictions for theft, burglary, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. Photo-Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Steven Moss has previous convictions for theft, burglary, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. Photo-Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue the search for a Kansas felon who escaped custody after a multi-county chase that started in Saline County.Just after 11:50 p.m. Dec. 28, a Saline County Sheriff's deputy near the intersection of N. Broadway Boulevard and State Street noticed a 1992 GMC Sierra pickup with an expired license plate, according to Saline County Sheriff's Deputy Jim Hughes. The deputy attempted to stop the pickup, but it took off and a pursuit ensued that involved multiple law enforcement agencies, a number of Salina neighborhoods, and four counties.At one point during the pursuit, the pickup stopped at the intersection of N. Brookville Road and Ottawa Road in northwestern Saline County at the Ottawa County line, and deputies attempted a traffic stop. The driver of the pickup, identified as Steven Moss, 37, of Salina, instead allegedly backed the pickup into one of the Saline County Sheriff's Office's patrol SUVs and took off again, Hughes said.The pursuit continued into parts of Ottawa County and Lincoln County, where Moss allegedly swerved at a Lincoln County Sheriff's patrol vehicle coming from the opposite direction, Hughes said. The pursuit ended near the intersection of Old Highway 40 and 11th Road west of Ellsworth, where Lincoln County Sheriff's personnel and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers were able to apprehend Moss and a passenger in the pickup, Shaylynn Koch, 27, of Salina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672334663170.jpeg" alt="Shaylynn Koch-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Shaylynn Koch-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies brought both back to the Saline County Jail, however, Moss was able to slip out of a handcuff and escape from the back of a Saline County Sheriff's vehicle while it was at the sallyport of the jail. A foot chase ensued, but Moss was able to elude law enforcement personnel and escaped.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584553268286.jpeg" alt="The jail sallyport (large gray door to the left of the sign) can be seen in this Salina Post file photo from 2020." />
 <figcaption>The jail sallyport (large gray door to the left of the sign) can be seen in this Salina Post file photo from 2020.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hughes said that if you know where Moss is or have information about him, you are asked to call Salina/Saline County Crimestoppers at 785-825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit <a href="http://www.pd.salina.org">www.pd.salina.org</a> and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 and you are not required to give your name. You also can call 911.Once Moss is apprehended, he will face requested charges Felony flee and elude, Reckless driving, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, Aggravated escape from custody and a vehicle registration violation, according to Hughes. He has previous convictions for theft, burglary, criminal damagae to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of CorrectionsKoch was booked into the Saline County Jail for an outstanding warrant from Salina Municipal Court.

Search continues for Kansas felon who escaped from arrest

THOMAS COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 7p.m. Saturday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2014 Ram 1500 driven by Jerry G. Dewitt, 75, Prairie View, was eastbound on U.S. 83 at County Road 35.

The vehicle traveled left of center and collided with a westbound 2005 E350 driven by Casey A.&nbsp;Quagliano, 25, Colby.

Dewitt and Quagliano were pronounced dead from their injuries. EMS transported a passenger in the&nbsp; Ford identified as 24-year-old Sabryn R.&nbsp; Quagliano of Colby to Citizen's Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP crash log.

THOMAS COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 7p.m. Saturday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2014 Ram 1500 driven by Jerry G. Dewitt, 75, Prairie View, was eastbound on U.S. 83 at County Road 35.The vehicle traveled left of center and collided with a westbound 2005 E350 driven by Casey A.&nbsp;Quagliano, 25, Colby.Dewitt and Quagliano were pronounced dead from their injuries. EMS transported a passenger in the&nbsp; Ford identified as 24-year-old Sabryn R.&nbsp; Quagliano of Colby to Citizen's Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP crash log.

2 Kansas men dead, woman injured after pickup, van crash

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a cold case murder are asked the public on Friday for help in solving the case.

On July 2, 1977, in the early morning hours, Overland Park Police responded to an anonymous call that a person had been severely injured, and needed assistance in a blue house near 87th and Lowell. 

  Responding officers located 19-year-old Anthony “Tony” Payne inside a residence in the 7900 block of W. 87th Street in critical condition.  Payne was taken to the hospital, but died later that day.

The initial homicide investigation conducted at the time was not able to bring closure to this case.  In the summer of 2021, the Overland Park Police Department re-opened this cold case homicide. 

Advancements in forensic and DNA technology in the years since the homicide prompted detectives to re-open the case, as these technologies were not available to investigators at the time of Payne’s homicide. 

 As part of this process, with the permission of Payne’s relatives, an examination of his remains at his burial location has been conducted. 

 Overland Park Detectives are seeking any new tips or information about this case.  This year will be the 46th anniversary of this unsolved homicide.

  Anyone with information about the homicide of Tony Payne, is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS.  A reward of up to $2,000.00 is available for information leading to an arrest in this case.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675454710871.png" alt="Payne photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Payne photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a cold case murder are asked the public on Friday for help in solving the case.On July 2, 1977, in the early morning hours, Overland Park Police responded to an anonymous call that a person had been severely injured, and needed assistance in a blue house near 87th and Lowell. Responding officers located 19-year-old Anthony “Tony” Payne inside a residence in the 7900 block of W. 87th Street in critical condition. Payne was taken to the hospital, but died later that day.The initial homicide investigation conducted at the time was not able to bring closure to this case. In the summer of 2021, the Overland Park Police Department re-opened this cold case homicide. Advancements in forensic and DNA technology in the years since the homicide prompted detectives to re-open the case, as these technologies were not available to investigators at the time of Payne’s homicide. As part of this process, with the permission of Payne’s relatives, an examination of his remains at his burial location has been conducted. Overland Park Detectives are seeking any new tips or information about this case. This year will be the 46th anniversary of this unsolved homicide. Anyone with information about the homicide of Tony Payne, is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $2,000.00 is available for information leading to an arrest in this case.&nbsp;

Police: Body exhumed in 46-year-old unsolved Kan. murder

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man with a history of crime is facing child sex crime charges. On Jan. 27,&nbsp;Lorenzo Gary, 37 of Wichita, was charged with 2 counts of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, contributing to a child’s misconduct or deprivation, and incest, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before&nbsp; 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, a 36-year-old woman reported to police that a 13-year-old was at a motel in the 2300 block of S. Broadway in Wichita with a man identified as Gary, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

The woman said that she believed the two were having unlawful sexual relations. Officers responded to the motel and located Gary and the juvenile who were both transported to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) for interviews. 

Police booked Gary into the Sedgwick County Jail. Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.&nbsp;His next court date is Feb. 6, according to the district attorney's office. He remains jailed on a $300,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674663153884.png" alt="Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man with a history of crime is facing child sex crime charges. On Jan. 27,&nbsp;Lorenzo Gary, 37 of Wichita, was charged with 2 counts of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, contributing to a child’s misconduct or deprivation, and incest, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before&nbsp; 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, a 36-year-old woman reported to police that a 13-year-old was at a motel in the 2300 block of S. Broadway in Wichita with a man identified as Gary, according to Officer Trevor Macy.The woman said that she believed the two were having unlawful sexual relations. Officers responded to the motel and located Gary and the juvenile who were both transported to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) for interviews. Police booked Gary into the Sedgwick County Jail. Gary has previous convictions that include forgery and robbery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.&nbsp;His next court date is Feb. 6, according to the district attorney's office. He remains jailed on a $300,000 bond.

Kan. felon charged after found with 13-year-old at motel

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast on orders from President Joe Biden, after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America, becoming the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Biden said he wanted the balloon downed on Wednesday, but was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water. Military officials determined that bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.

The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. At about 2:40 p.m. EST, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, senior defense officials said.

The debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallower than they had expected. Still, it was not immediately clear how long the recovery would take. The Navy is taking the lead, supported by the Coast Guard.

“They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it," Biden said after getting off Air Force One en route to Camp David.

The spectacle had Americans looking to the skies all week, wondering whether the mysterious balloon had floated over toward them.

The balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">was spotted Thursday over Montana</a>, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

The Americans were able to collect intelligence on the balloon as it flew over the U.S., giving them a number of days to analyze it and learn how it moved and what it was capable of surveilling, a senior defense official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing operation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

China has continued to claim that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.

The public disclosure of the balloon on Thursday prompted the cancellation of a visit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken</a>&nbsp;to Beijing for talks aimed at reducing U.S.-China tensions. The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation.

“In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday morning.

The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement.

Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the U.S.

Officials were aiming to time the operation so they could recover as much of the debris as possible before it sinks into the ocean. The Pentagon had previously estimated that any debris field would be substantial.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Saturday downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America and became the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.

An operation was underway in U.S. territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean to recover debris from the balloon, which had been flying at about 60,000 feet and was estimated to be about the size of three school buses.

President Joe Biden had told reporters earlier Saturday that "we’re going to take care of it,” when asked about the balloon. The Federal Aviation Administration and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below the balloon as it reached the ocean.

Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water. U.S. military jets were seen flying in the vicinity and ships were deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.

The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the coast. In preparation for the operation, the FAA Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including the airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The FAA rerouted air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions.

The Coast Guard advised mariners to immediately leave the area because of U.S. military operations “that present a significant hazard.”

Biden had been inclined to down the balloon over land when he was first briefed on it on Tuesday, but Pentagon officials advised against it, warning that the potential risk to people on the ground outweighed the assessment of potential Chinese intelligence gains.

The public disclosure of the balloon this week prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">the cancellation of a visit</a>&nbsp;by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing scheduled for Sunday for talks aimed at reducing U.S.-China tensions. The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation.

“In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that," China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday morning.

The balloon was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">spotted over Montana</a>, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the balloon's journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to “smear” it based on the balloon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is considering a plan to shoot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53">a large Chinese balloon</a>&nbsp;suspected of conducting surveillance on the U.S. military, by bringing it down once it is above the Atlantic Ocean where the remnants could potentially be recovered, according to four U.S. officials.

One of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation, said President Joe Biden had given the go-ahead. In a brief remark Saturday in response to a reporter’s question about the balloon, Biden said: “We’re going to take care of it.”

The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. In preparation for the operation, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including the airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, until at least 2:45 p.m. EST Saturday.

Meanwhile, people with binoculars and telephoto lenses tried to find the “spy balloon” in the sky as it headed southeastward over Kansas and Missouri at 60,000 feet (18,300 meters).

Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation.

Many users made jokes about the balloon. Some said that since the U.S. had put restrictions on the technology that China is able to buy to weaken the Chinese tech industry, they couldn’t control the balloon.

Others called it the “wandering balloon" in a pun that refers to the newly released Chinese sci-fi film called “The Wandering Earth 2.” In a sign of censorship, the “wandering balloon” hashtag on Weibo was no longer searchable by Saturday evening.

Still others used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the U.S.

“The U.S. is hyping this as a national security threat posed by China to the U.S. This type of military threat, in actuality, we haven’t done this. And compared with the U.S. military threat normally aimed at us, can you say it’s just little? Their surveillance planes, their submarines, their naval ships are all coming near our borders,” Chinese military expert Chen Haoyang of the Taihe Institute said on Phoenix TV, one of the major national TV outlets.

China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675547938768.png" alt="Photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast on orders from President Joe Biden, after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America, becoming the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I ordered the Pentagon to shoot it down on Wednesday as soon as possible.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChineseSpyBalloon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChineseSpyBalloon</a> <a href="https://t.co/D5i5CRR8iy">https://t.co/D5i5CRR8iy</a> <a href="https://t.co/w2rr3SPIsF">pic.twitter.com/w2rr3SPIsF</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1621976063952707584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden said he wanted the balloon downed on Wednesday, but was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water. Military officials determined that bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. At about 2:40 p.m. EST, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, senior defense officials said.The debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallower than they had expected. Still, it was not immediately clear how long the recovery would take. The Navy is taking the lead, supported by the Coast Guard.“They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it," Biden said after getting off Air Force One en route to Camp David.The spectacle had Americans looking to the skies all week, wondering whether the mysterious balloon had floated over toward them.On Saturday, Ashlyn Preaux, 33, went out to get her mail in Forestbrook, South Carolina, and noticed her neighbors looking up — and there it was, the balloon in the cloudless blue sky. Then she saw fighter jets circling and the balloon get hit.“I did not anticipate waking up to be in a ‘Top Gun’ movie today,” she said.U.S. defense and military officials said Saturday that the balloon entered the U.S. air defense zone north of the Aleutian Islands on Jan. 28 and moved largely over land across Alaska and then into Canadian airspace in the Northwest Territories on Monday. It crossed back into U.S. territory over northern Idaho on Tuesday, the day the White House said Biden was first briefed on it.The balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">was spotted Thursday over Montana</a>, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.The Americans were able to collect intelligence on the balloon as it flew over the U.S., giving them a number of days to analyze it and learn how it moved and what it was capable of surveilling, a senior defense official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing operation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.China has continued to claim that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.The public disclosure of the balloon on Thursday prompted the cancellation of a visit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken</a>&nbsp;to Beijing for talks aimed at reducing U.S.-China tensions. The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation.“In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday morning.The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement.China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a question about the second balloon.Blinken, who had been due to depart Washington for Beijing late Friday, said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call that sending the balloon over the U.S. was “an irresponsible act and that (China’s) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.”Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the U.S.China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the balloon’s journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to “smear” it because of the balloon.In preparation for the operation Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coast, including the airports in Myrtle Beach and Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The FAA rerouted air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions. The FAA and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below the balloon as it reached the ocean.Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the giant deflated balloon descending like a ribbon toward the water.Bill Swanson said he watched the balloon deflate instantly from his house in Myrtle Beach as fighter jets circled around.“When it deflated it was pretty close to instantaneous,” he said. “One second it’s there like a tiny moon and the next second it’s gone.” Swanson added that a trail of smoke followed the balloon as it dropped.Officials were aiming to time the operation so they could recover as much of the debris as possible before it sinks into the ocean. The Pentagon had previously estimated that any debris field would be substantial.___WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Saturday downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America and became the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.An operation was underway in U.S. territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean to recover debris from the balloon, which had been flying at about 60,000 feet and was estimated to be about the size of three school buses.President Joe Biden had told reporters earlier Saturday that "we’re going to take care of it,” when asked about the balloon. The Federal Aviation Administration and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below the balloon as it reached the ocean.Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water. U.S. military jets were seen flying in the vicinity and ships were deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The FAA has paused departures from and arrivals to Wilmington (ILM), Myrtle Beach International (MYR) and Charleston International (CHS) airports to support the Department of Defense in a national security effort.&mdash; The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1621944424916721666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officials were aiming to time the operation so they could recover as much of the debris as possible before it sinks into the ocean. The Pentagon had previously estimated that any debris field would be substantial.The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the coast. In preparation for the operation, the FAA Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including the airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The FAA rerouted air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions.The Coast Guard advised mariners to immediately leave the area because of U.S. military operations “that present a significant hazard.”Biden had been inclined to down the balloon over land when he was first briefed on it on Tuesday, but Pentagon officials advised against it, warning that the potential risk to people on the ground outweighed the assessment of potential Chinese intelligence gains.The public disclosure of the balloon this week prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">the cancellation of a visit</a>&nbsp;by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing scheduled for Sunday for talks aimed at reducing U.S.-China tensions. The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation.“In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that," China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday morning.China has continued to claim that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.The balloon was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">spotted over Montana</a>, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement.China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a question about the second balloon.Blinken, who had been due to depart Washington for Beijing late Friday, said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call that sending the balloon over the U.S. was “an irresponsible act and that (China’s) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.”Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the U.S.China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the balloon's journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to “smear” it based on the balloon.-----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is considering a plan to shoot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53">a large Chinese balloon</a>&nbsp;suspected of conducting surveillance on the U.S. military, by bringing it down once it is above the Atlantic Ocean where the remnants could potentially be recovered, according to four U.S. officials.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The FAA has paused departures from and arrivals to Wilmington (ILM), Myrtle Beach International (MYR) and Charleston International (CHS) airports to support the Department of Defense in a national security effort.&mdash; The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1621944424916721666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>One of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation, said President Joe Biden had given the go-ahead. In a brief remark Saturday in response to a reporter’s question about the balloon, Biden said: “We’re going to take care of it.”The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. In preparation for the operation, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including the airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, until at least 2:45 p.m. EST Saturday.Biden had been inclined to down the balloon over land when he was first briefed on it on Tuesday, but Pentagon officials advised against it, warning that the potential risk to people on the ground outweighed the assessment of potential Chinese intelligence gains.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We have had several reports across northwest MO of a large balloon visible on the horizon. It is now visible from our office in Pleasant Hill and the KC Metro. We have confirmed that it is not an NWS weather balloon. <a href="https://t.co/CKQWOw7God">pic.twitter.com/CKQWOw7God</a>&mdash; NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity/status/1621562137717141505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The public disclosure of the balloon this week prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6">the cancellation of a visit</a>&nbsp;by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing scheduled for Sunday for talks aimed at reducing U.S.-China tensions. The Chinese government on Saturday sought to play down the cancellation.“In actuality, the U.S. and China have never announced any visit, the U.S. making any such announcement is their own business, and we respect that," China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday morning.China has continued to claim that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.The balloon was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-state-government-china-2a539a80a4a8473f102bd4ed66496d19">spotted over Montana</a>, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.Meanwhile, people with binoculars and telephoto lenses tried to find the “spy balloon” in the sky as it headed southeastward over Kansas and Missouri at 60,000 feet (18,300 meters).The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement.China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a question about the second balloon.Blinken, who had been due to depart Washington for Beijing late Friday, said he had told senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in a phone call that sending the balloon over the U.S. was “an irresponsible act and that (China’s) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.”Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation.Many users made jokes about the balloon. Some said that since the U.S. had put restrictions on the technology that China is able to buy to weaken the Chinese tech industry, they couldn’t control the balloon.Others called it the “wandering balloon" in a pun that refers to the newly released Chinese sci-fi film called “The Wandering Earth 2.” In a sign of censorship, the “wandering balloon” hashtag on Weibo was no longer searchable by Saturday evening.Still others used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the U.S.“The U.S. is hyping this as a national security threat posed by China to the U.S. This type of military threat, in actuality, we haven’t done this. And compared with the U.S. military threat normally aimed at us, can you say it’s just little? Their surveillance planes, their submarines, their naval ships are all coming near our borders,” Chinese military expert Chen Haoyang of the Taihe Institute said on Phoenix TV, one of the major national TV outlets.China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research.On Saturday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs again emphasized that the balloon's journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to “smear” it based on the balloon.Wang said China “has always strictly followed international law, we do not accept any groundless speculation and hype. Faced with unexpected situations, both parties need to keep calm, communicate in a timely manner, avoid misjudgments and manage differences.”Alfred Wu, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore, said China’s apology did not appear sincere.“In the meantime, the relationship will not improve in the near future ... the gap is huge.”