HUTCHINSON, Kan. — One of the many cast members to grace 2022 Smallville Con this weekend at the Kansas State Fairgrounds is Jack O' Halloran. He played Non, the menacing but mute member of the trio of Kryptonian supervillains in the first two Superman movies.

"It's like an immortal deal," O'Halloran said. "I knew that, when we did the film, that it was going to be there forever."

O'Halloran spoke glowingly of the brilliance of director Richard Donner. He believes the so-called Donner Cut of Superman II is more true to the intent of the story.

"Richard Donner is a tremendous director," O'Halloran said. "He had already shot 86% of Superman II. When they brought on Richard Lester, in order for him to be a named director on the film, he had to have shot better than 50% of the film, so he went back and reshot stuff and added a lot more comedy and stuff than Donner did. The Donner Cut is actually a much better version of Superman II."

One of the differences in the older Superman movies from current comic book fare is that it isn't nearly as dark.

"There was enough action in the film to make the story work extremely well," O'Halloran said. "You didn't need to go overboard. Today, the films get darker and darker and darker. Hopefully, that changes in the future."

Jack O’Halloran will have Q&amp;A on Saturday in the Sunflower North Building.&nbsp;<a href="https://smallvillecomiccon.com/sites/all/libraries/pdfjs/web/2022SmallvilleProgramSchedule.pdf">Here is the full schedule</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655495294065.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — One of the many cast members to grace 2022 Smallville Con this weekend at the Kansas State Fairgrounds is Jack O' Halloran. He played Non, the menacing but mute member of the trio of Kryptonian supervillains in the first two Superman movies."It's like an immortal deal," O'Halloran said. "I knew that, when we did the film, that it was going to be there forever."O'Halloran spoke glowingly of the brilliance of director Richard Donner. He believes the so-called Donner Cut of Superman II is more true to the intent of the story."Richard Donner is a tremendous director," O'Halloran said. "He had already shot 86% of Superman II. When they brought on Richard Lester, in order for him to be a named director on the film, he had to have shot better than 50% of the film, so he went back and reshot stuff and added a lot more comedy and stuff than Donner did. The Donner Cut is actually a much better version of Superman II."One of the differences in the older Superman movies from current comic book fare is that it isn't nearly as dark."There was enough action in the film to make the story work extremely well," O'Halloran said. "You didn't need to go overboard. Today, the films get darker and darker and darker. Hopefully, that changes in the future."Jack O’Halloran will have Q&amp;A on Saturday in the Sunflower North Building.&nbsp;<a href="https://smallvillecomiccon.com/sites/all/libraries/pdfjs/web/2022SmallvilleProgramSchedule.pdf">Here is the full schedule</a>.

Smallville Con brings movie actors to Hutchinson

WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — The Cowley County Attorney says three sheriff's deputies who fatally shot a woman near Winfield in April were justified in their actions. 

KAKE-TV reports County Attorney Larry Schwartz says in a report that the shooting of Andrea Barrow was “lawful and justified." Schwartz's report says the deputies were responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle when they encountered Barrow, of Arkansas City, who was acting erratically.

 He says the woman refused repeated orders to get out of her vehicle and eventually pulled a handgun and fired at the deputies. All three deputies were injured. Two deputies returned fire, killing Barrow.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650123044781.png" alt="Law enforcement investigators on the scene of the April fatal officer shooting in Cowley County-phot courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement investigators on the scene of the April fatal officer shooting in Cowley County-phot courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — The Cowley County Attorney says three sheriff's deputies who fatally shot a woman near Winfield in April were justified in their actions. KAKE-TV reports County Attorney Larry Schwartz says in a report that the shooting of Andrea Barrow was “lawful and justified." Schwartz's report says the deputies were responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle when they encountered Barrow, of Arkansas City, who was acting erratically. He says the woman refused repeated orders to get out of her vehicle and eventually pulled a handgun and fired at the deputies. All three deputies were injured. Two deputies returned fire, killing Barrow.

Kansas deputies cleared in woman's shooting death

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a Montgomery, Alabama man&nbsp; Thursday afternoon on Interstate 70 west of Salina after more than 27 pounds of marijuana and marijuana products were found in the rental vehicle he was driving.

Just before 3p.m., a deputy stopped an eastbound 2021 Chrysler Voyager on Interstate 70 just west of Halstead Road for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes

During a search of the vehicle, the deputy located 18 packages of raw marijuana weighing a total of 15.45 pounds. Additionally, 11.6 pounds of THC wax and THC edibles were located in the vehicle, Hughes said.

Deputies also found a set of brass knuckles near the driver's seat

Deputies arrested the driver of the rental vehicle, Willie Boswell, 49, of Montgomery, Ala., on requested charges of Possession of marijuana with intent to distribution, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of a weapon and Failure to signal a lane change.

Four others in the vehicle were not arrested, according to Hughes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655479246400.jpeg" alt="Willie Boswell-photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Willie Boswell-photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a Montgomery, Alabama man&nbsp; Thursday afternoon on Interstate 70 west of Salina after more than 27 pounds of marijuana and marijuana products were found in the rental vehicle he was driving.Just before 3p.m., a deputy stopped an eastbound 2021 Chrysler Voyager on Interstate 70 just west of Halstead Road for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff's Captain Jim HughesDuring a search of the vehicle, the deputy located 18 packages of raw marijuana weighing a total of 15.45 pounds. Additionally, 11.6 pounds of THC wax and THC edibles were located in the vehicle, Hughes said.Deputies also found a set of brass knuckles near the driver's seatDeputies arrested the driver of the rental vehicle, Willie Boswell, 49, of Montgomery, Ala., on requested charges of Possession of marijuana with intent to distribution, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of a weapon and Failure to signal a lane change.Four others in the vehicle were not arrested, according to Hughes.

Deputies find 27 pounds of pot, pot products on I-70

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide have identified the victim as 35-year-old Lorenzo Johnson of Kansas City, Missouri.

At 10p.m. on&nbsp; Tuesday, police responded to 800 block of Kindelberger Road, according to a media release. They located Johnson's body in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.

The KCKPD Major Crime Care Unit is in charge of the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide have identified the victim as 35-year-old Lorenzo Johnson of Kansas City, Missouri.At 10p.m. on&nbsp; Tuesday, police responded to 800 block of Kindelberger Road, according to a media release. They located Johnson's body in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.The KCKPD Major Crime Care Unit is in charge of the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Police ID man found dead in Kansas parking lot

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly firmly believes that if the state is not growing, it is dying. That is why she and her administration have placed such an emphasis on economic development during her first term in office.

"We have revived our state. We've fixed a lot of the things that were wrong, and clearly, that strategy is working," Kelly told Salina Post in an interview Thursday afternoon. "And I want to continue to build on that so that I leave Kansas a lot stronger than I found it."

Last week, it was announced that Kansas was one of only five states to win Area Development magazine’s coveted 2022 Gold Shovel Award, the second such award in as many years. The annual award is given to states that attract high-value investment projects that create a significant number of new jobs in their communities.

According to information from the governor's office, Kansas has received nearly $8.8 billion in new business investments, created and retained nearly 43,000 jobs, and been home to 645 new economic development projects during the Kelly administration. 

With two gold shovels in the state's trophy case, Kelly now has her sights set on a move upward to the recently created platinum shovel, a goal that she has conveyed to Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland.

"The first time he delivered the gold shovel (2021), I said, 'this is very nice, David, but next year we want the platinum one," but there wasn't one," she said.

Now, however a platinum shovel award has been established. How does Kansas win a platinum shovel?

"You just have to be very successful in landing new capital investments," Kelly explained. "We have been able to do that. In 2020, we set a record for the most new capital investments in state history. That was only good, though, for a silver shovel. But then, in 2021, we went above and beyond and hit $3.8 billion in capital investments. That earned us the gold shovel."

Some of those capital investments, or economic development projects, are right here in Salina, including expansions at Schwan's, Great Plains Manufacturing, and McShares. Kelly also noted the unique-to-Kansas services offered by 1 Vision Aviation and the company's growth at the Salina Regional Airport as a boost to the local and state economy.

While the job growth is a huge boost for Salina, it also has created a need for more housing in and around the city. On April 20, Kelly signed the new state budget that includes increases the state’s funding for housing by $65 million over two years. According to information from the governor's office, the funding "will be dedicated to the development and renovation of moderate-income housing and the creation of a state revolving loan program to support the state’s workforce needs and close the financing gap in rural communities."

"We're making serious investments for things that we know are critical for people in the state of Kansas," Kelly said.

Kelly said she has plenty to keep her busy should she win re-election in November.

"Obviously, I want to build on the successes of my first term. I want to continue to set records for economic development," Kelly told Salina Post. "I want to continue to fund our schools and our roads, all of the things that really contribute to our economic success and the quality of life here in the state."

Kelly said she also had some goals she had not yet been able to achieve, including Medicaid expansion.

"I have been pushing hard for that all four sessions as governor and before as a state senator. I am hoping that once the election is over and I'm no longer a candidate to be opposed that we can break that logjam in the legislature and get Medicaid expansion done," she said.

Additionally, Kelly wants to expand high-speed internet access in Kansas.

"Another thing I want to build on and complete is by the end of my second term, I want to have every home and every business in the State of Kansas that wants to be connected to high-speed internet to get connected," Kelly said. "We know that if we are going to continue to grow as a state and attract people and keep people in our state, we've got to have that connectivity, so that is a goal."

Taking care of early childhood needs also is a goal for Kelly.

"I've always said that I want my legacy as governor to be the most robust, comprehensive early childhood system in the country," she told Salina Post.

Kelly said some headway has been made in the early childhood area during her first term as governor, however, the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on those efforts and forced the Kelly administration to change its focus to making sure there were childcare slots available because so many childcare providers had to shut down during the pandemic.

"We've been focused on ensuring that there are places for parents to leave their kids in a quality environment while they work, but we want to go way beyond that," Kelly said. "We had begun to develop a public/private partnership approach to early childhood, and we will continue to build on that during my second term."

Local and area programs that contribute to economic development

Earlier this year, Kelly was in Salina twice. Once to announce that Salina had joined the state's revitalized Main Street program and also for the ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration of the expanded OCCK Transportation facility downtown. Additionally, OCCK celebrated the announcement that it was one of 26 agencies receiving funds as a part of the Access, Innovation, and Collaboration (AIC) Public Transit Program.

Kelly noted that both Salina efforts were boosts to economic development. The Kansas Main Street program, for instance, give communities access to key technical services, networking, and training opportunities. It also allows local officials to prioritize restoring and preserving unique, historic downtown business districts. The program supports community development and projects that bring in new businesses, that improve the quality of life, and slow the exodus of young Kansans from the state.

READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2571ccf9-4463-4322-b307-43b03ff0d8ef">Salina Downtown receives national accreditation</a>

Likewise, OCCK's efforts to provide transportation to those who need it, both in Salina and throughout the area, also boosts economic development.

"That was probably one of the most inspiring of all the dedications that I have done," Kelly said of the OCCK celebration in April. "To just see what OCCK has done in your area to really serve folks in need of transportation. Getting them to and from where they need to be. It started out so small and it has just grown like gangbusters."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655488006431.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly with the state's second Gold Shovel Award for economic development. Photo courtesy the governor's office" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly with the state's second Gold Shovel Award for economic development. Photo courtesy the governor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostKansas Governor Laura Kelly firmly believes that if the state is not growing, it is dying. That is why she and her administration have placed such an emphasis on economic development during her first term in office."We have revived our state. We've fixed a lot of the things that were wrong, and clearly, that strategy is working," Kelly told Salina Post in an interview Thursday afternoon. "And I want to continue to build on that so that I leave Kansas a lot stronger than I found it."Last week, it was announced that Kansas was one of only five states to win Area Development magazine’s coveted 2022 Gold Shovel Award, the second such award in as many years. The annual award is given to states that attract high-value investment projects that create a significant number of new jobs in their communities.According to information from the governor's office, Kansas has received nearly $8.8 billion in new business investments, created and retained nearly 43,000 jobs, and been home to 645 new economic development projects during the Kelly administration. With two gold shovels in the state's trophy case, Kelly now has her sights set on a move upward to the recently created platinum shovel, a goal that she has conveyed to Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland."The first time he delivered the gold shovel (2021), I said, 'this is very nice, David, but next year we want the platinum one," but there wasn't one," she said.Now, however a platinum shovel award has been established. How does Kansas win a platinum shovel?"You just have to be very successful in landing new capital investments," Kelly explained. "We have been able to do that. In 2020, we set a record for the most new capital investments in state history. That was only good, though, for a silver shovel. But then, in 2021, we went above and beyond and hit $3.8 billion in capital investments. That earned us the gold shovel."Some of those capital investments, or economic development projects, are right here in Salina, including expansions at Schwan's, Great Plains Manufacturing, and McShares. Kelly also noted the unique-to-Kansas services offered by 1 Vision Aviation and the company's growth at the Salina Regional Airport as a boost to the local and state economy.While the job growth is a huge boost for Salina, it also has created a need for more housing in and around the city. On April 20, Kelly signed the new state budget that includes increases the state’s funding for housing by $65 million over two years. According to information from the governor's office, the funding "will be dedicated to the development and renovation of moderate-income housing and the creation of a state revolving loan program to support the state’s workforce needs and close the financing gap in rural communities.""We're making serious investments for things that we know are critical for people in the state of Kansas," Kelly said.Looking to the futureKelly said she has plenty to keep her busy should she win re-election in November."Obviously, I want to build on the successes of my first term. I want to continue to set records for economic development," Kelly told Salina Post. "I want to continue to fund our schools and our roads, all of the things that really contribute to our economic success and the quality of life here in the state."Kelly said she also had some goals she had not yet been able to achieve, including Medicaid expansion."I have been pushing hard for that all four sessions as governor and before as a state senator. I am hoping that once the election is over and I'm no longer a candidate to be opposed that we can break that logjam in the legislature and get Medicaid expansion done," she said.Additionally, Kelly wants to expand high-speed internet access in Kansas."Another thing I want to build on and complete is by the end of my second term, I want to have every home and every business in the State of Kansas that wants to be connected to high-speed internet to get connected," Kelly said. "We know that if we are going to continue to grow as a state and attract people and keep people in our state, we've got to have that connectivity, so that is a goal."Taking care of early childhood needs also is a goal for Kelly."I've always said that I want my legacy as governor to be the most robust, comprehensive early childhood system in the country," she told Salina Post.Kelly said some headway has been made in the early childhood area during her first term as governor, however, the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on those efforts and forced the Kelly administration to change its focus to making sure there were childcare slots available because so many childcare providers had to shut down during the pandemic."We've been focused on ensuring that there are places for parents to leave their kids in a quality environment while they work, but we want to go way beyond that," Kelly said. "We had begun to develop a public/private partnership approach to early childhood, and we will continue to build on that during my second term."Local and area programs that contribute to economic developmentEarlier this year, Kelly was in Salina twice. Once to announce that Salina had joined the state's revitalized Main Street program and also for the ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration of the expanded OCCK Transportation facility downtown. Additionally, OCCK celebrated the announcement that it was one of 26 agencies receiving funds as a part of the Access, Innovation, and Collaboration (AIC) Public Transit Program.Kelly noted that both Salina efforts were boosts to economic development. The Kansas Main Street program, for instance, give communities access to key technical services, networking, and training opportunities. It also allows local officials to prioritize restoring and preserving unique, historic downtown business districts. The program supports community development and projects that bring in new businesses, that improve the quality of life, and slow the exodus of young Kansans from the state.READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2571ccf9-4463-4322-b307-43b03ff0d8ef">Salina Downtown receives national accreditation</a>Likewise, OCCK's efforts to provide transportation to those who need it, both in Salina and throughout the area, also boosts economic development."That was probably one of the most inspiring of all the dedications that I have done," Kelly said of the OCCK celebration in April. "To just see what OCCK has done in your area to really serve folks in need of transportation. Getting them to and from where they need to be. It started out so small and it has just grown like gangbusters."

Kelly: Economic development key to strengthening Kansas

PAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 4:30a.m.&nbsp; Friday in. Pawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Nissan passenger car driven by Courtney Dawn Towery, 28, Larned, was eastbound on Kansas 156, just east of Kansas 265.

The vehicle left the roadway and traveled into the south ditch.&nbsp; The driver over corrected. The car returned to the roadway and traveled left of center.&nbsp; A 2008 Kenworth semi driven by Asael&nbsp;Hernandez-Salas, 45, Syracuse, Kansas, struck the Nissan.

Towery was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. Hernandez-Salas was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

PAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 4:30a.m.&nbsp; Friday in. Pawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Nissan passenger car driven by Courtney Dawn Towery, 28, Larned, was eastbound on Kansas 156, just east of Kansas 265.The vehicle left the roadway and traveled into the south ditch.&nbsp; The driver over corrected. The car returned to the roadway and traveled left of center.&nbsp; A 2008 Kenworth semi driven by Asael&nbsp;Hernandez-Salas, 45, Syracuse, Kansas, struck the Nissan.Towery was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. Hernandez-Salas was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after crash with a semi

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Abortion providers in some places where the procedure could be banned if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade are bracing for a ruling by halting scheduling for the procedure, transitioning staff to help patients travel to other states and creating networks of clinics that will span across regions of the country.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, which operates three clinics that provide abortions in the state, is not scheduling the procedure beyond June 25 as it anticipates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-religion-government-and-politics-e75b43ad1dd5608fbd7a186b3afe59a6">a late June decision reversing the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights nationwide.</a>&nbsp;The organization in recent weeks has dedicated two staff members to help patients book appointments and figure out how to get to clinics.

Whether clinics in Wisconsin will be able to provide abortions, though, has turned into a day-to-day question.

“One of the hardest aspects of this is not knowing what day this decision will come down and what it will be,” said Michelle Velasquez, the director of legal advocacy and services at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. “The unknown has been difficult.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-travel-health-b0561979f5b28c7aebc164c1e159ba0a">It’s a window into what abortion providers and access funds are planning</a>&nbsp;in more than a dozen other states across the South and Midwest. In South Dakota this week, the state’s only abortion clinic, also operated by Planned Parenthood, announced it had “paused” scheduling abortions beyond the end of the month. In Oklahoma, providers already stopped the procedure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-texas-legislature-a43f7f21c1b8e07a383b120d1bdbc695">after a law was enacted to ban it.</a>

In Wisconsin, a law banning abortion has been on the books since 1849, but Roe v. Wade overrode it. While Roe’s fall would likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-wisconsin-madison-6109f177299eb861d8fa7a2e888e086a">spark a legal tussle</a>&nbsp;over whether it is valid, Planned Parenthood does not want to put its staff at risk of prosecution.

Velasquez said clinic staff wanted to provide abortions in Wisconsin up until the last minute it was legal, but also had to consider that scheduling appointments for dates when it could become illegal could create uncertainty and be “distressing” for patients.

Velasquez acknowledged that the Supreme Court could release its decision as soon as next week, even while Planned Parenthood has appointments on the books. She said if that happened, Planned Parenthood would help those patients book appointments for abortions in nearby states, such as Minnesota and Illinois. Patients could still get counseling, lab work and ultrasounds in Wisconsin in the meantime.

“We wouldn’t leave patients, like, ‘You’re on your own,’” Velasquez said.

“Even if we can’t provide the medications or we can’t do a procedure, we are absolutely able to help people find the care they need,” she added.

The strategy will inevitably put more pressure on providers in states in the region where abortion will still be legal, said Caitlyn Myers, an economic professor at Middlebury College who studies abortion access.

“As hundreds of thousands of women flood out of these states, it is going to enormously tax the resources of these providers,” she said. “I don’t think they are prepared for this huge influx.”

It comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-us-supreme-court-science-health-6a72fba07ebe4f8ba7cfb0ba66e3c592">the number and rates of U.S. abortions is on the rise after a long decline.</a>&nbsp;Abortions increased from 2017 to 2020, according to figures from the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. It counted more than 930,000 abortions in the U.S. in 2020.

Clinics shuttering, like one did in Idaho recently, or halting scheduling show that a post-Roe reality has already arrived in many places. Myers said getting an appointment for an abortion may soon become “critical” across the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648771341385.png" alt="Photo Planned Parenthood" />
 <figcaption>Photo Planned Parenthood</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Abortion providers in some places where the procedure could be banned if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade are bracing for a ruling by halting scheduling for the procedure, transitioning staff to help patients travel to other states and creating networks of clinics that will span across regions of the country.Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, which operates three clinics that provide abortions in the state, is not scheduling the procedure beyond June 25 as it anticipates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-religion-government-and-politics-e75b43ad1dd5608fbd7a186b3afe59a6">a late June decision reversing the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights nationwide.</a>&nbsp;The organization in recent weeks has dedicated two staff members to help patients book appointments and figure out how to get to clinics.Whether clinics in Wisconsin will be able to provide abortions, though, has turned into a day-to-day question.“One of the hardest aspects of this is not knowing what day this decision will come down and what it will be,” said Michelle Velasquez, the director of legal advocacy and services at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. “The unknown has been difficult.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-travel-health-b0561979f5b28c7aebc164c1e159ba0a">It’s a window into what abortion providers and access funds are planning</a>&nbsp;in more than a dozen other states across the South and Midwest. In South Dakota this week, the state’s only abortion clinic, also operated by Planned Parenthood, announced it had “paused” scheduling abortions beyond the end of the month. In Oklahoma, providers already stopped the procedure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-texas-legislature-a43f7f21c1b8e07a383b120d1bdbc695">after a law was enacted to ban it.</a>In Wisconsin, a law banning abortion has been on the books since 1849, but Roe v. Wade overrode it. While Roe’s fall would likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-wisconsin-madison-6109f177299eb861d8fa7a2e888e086a">spark a legal tussle</a>&nbsp;over whether it is valid, Planned Parenthood does not want to put its staff at risk of prosecution.Velasquez said clinic staff wanted to provide abortions in Wisconsin up until the last minute it was legal, but also had to consider that scheduling appointments for dates when it could become illegal could create uncertainty and be “distressing” for patients.Velasquez acknowledged that the Supreme Court could release its decision as soon as next week, even while Planned Parenthood has appointments on the books. She said if that happened, Planned Parenthood would help those patients book appointments for abortions in nearby states, such as Minnesota and Illinois. Patients could still get counseling, lab work and ultrasounds in Wisconsin in the meantime.“We wouldn’t leave patients, like, ‘You’re on your own,’” Velasquez said.“Even if we can’t provide the medications or we can’t do a procedure, we are absolutely able to help people find the care they need,” she added.The strategy will inevitably put more pressure on providers in states in the region where abortion will still be legal, said Caitlyn Myers, an economic professor at Middlebury College who studies abortion access.“As hundreds of thousands of women flood out of these states, it is going to enormously tax the resources of these providers,” she said. “I don’t think they are prepared for this huge influx.”It comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-us-supreme-court-science-health-6a72fba07ebe4f8ba7cfb0ba66e3c592">the number and rates of U.S. abortions is on the rise after a long decline.</a>&nbsp;Abortions increased from 2017 to 2020, according to figures from the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. It counted more than 930,000 abortions in the U.S. in 2020.Clinics shuttering, like one did in Idaho recently, or halting scheduling show that a post-Roe reality has already arrived in many places. Myers said getting an appointment for an abortion may soon become “critical” across the country.___

Some clinics halting abortions while bracing for Roe's fall

LAKE OZARK, Mo. (AP) — Former NASCAR driver and Fox Sports analyst Clint Bowyer struck and killed a pedestrian on a highway in southwest Missouri earlier this month, police said.

The crash occurred June 5 on an exit ramp off of U.S 54 near Osage Beach, Missouri, according to a crash report from Lake Ozark police.

Bowyer, a native of Emporia, Kansas, stopped immediately after the collision and called 911, police said. The woman, 47-year-old Mary Jane Simmons, of Camdenton, died at the scene.

The crash report says Bowyer showed no signs of impairment and provided a roadside blood sample that showed no trace of alcohol.

A crystalline substance was found with the woman’s belongings and residents at a recreational vehicle park where she was staying said they believed she was under the influence of drugs, according to the police statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-sports-charlotte-nascar-clint-bowyer-ead024f089682ede9e85953a4faf1859">Bowyer retired in 2020</a>&nbsp;after winning 10 Cup Series races over 15 years. His sense of humor has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daytona-beach-jeff-gordon-nascar-clint-bowyer-fd1cdcada40ba723b13d1d914444cea6">a hit in the Fox Sports booth</a>&nbsp;since jumping into that job as a second career.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655484827252.png" alt="Clint Bowyer, a native of Emporia, Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Clint Bowyer, a native of Emporia, Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>LAKE OZARK, Mo. (AP) — Former NASCAR driver and Fox Sports analyst Clint Bowyer struck and killed a pedestrian on a highway in southwest Missouri earlier this month, police said.The crash occurred June 5 on an exit ramp off of U.S 54 near Osage Beach, Missouri, according to a crash report from Lake Ozark police.Bowyer, a native of Emporia, Kansas, stopped immediately after the collision and called 911, police said. The woman, 47-year-old Mary Jane Simmons, of Camdenton, died at the scene.The crash report says Bowyer showed no signs of impairment and provided a roadside blood sample that showed no trace of alcohol.A crystalline substance was found with the woman’s belongings and residents at a recreational vehicle park where she was staying said they believed she was under the influence of drugs, according to the police statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-sports-charlotte-nascar-clint-bowyer-ead024f089682ede9e85953a4faf1859">Bowyer retired in 2020</a>&nbsp;after winning 10 Cup Series races over 15 years. His sense of humor has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daytona-beach-jeff-gordon-nascar-clint-bowyer-fd1cdcada40ba723b13d1d914444cea6">a hit in the Fox Sports booth</a>&nbsp;since jumping into that job as a second career.

Former NASCAR driver, Kan. native Clint Bowyer involved in fatal crash

WASHINGTON— U.S. Representative Tracey Mann and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran&nbsp;led several of their colleagues in sending a letter&nbsp;to the U.S. Department of Commerce, urging it to consider the record-high fertilizer cost and suspend the duties it placed on urea ammonium nitrate fertilizer imports from Trinidad and Tobago.

<a href="https://mann.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mann.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/FINAL_ITC_2_RAIMONDO.pdf">CLICK here to read</a> the letter

"We're seeing the price of fertilizer, which is many times based on fossil fuel increase 300 to 400%," Mann said this week.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) heard final arguments on Thursday in the antidumping duty investigation of UAN fertilizers from Trinidad and Tobago.

"When you quadruple the price of fertilizer and other inputs, it's all about the margin and what you actually take home," Mann said. "We're putting our ag producers, the best in the world, in a really bad spot right now."

<a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/fertilizer-prices-expected-remain-higher-longer">The World Bank posted on its blog last month</a>&nbsp;that fertilizers are now at their least affordable levels since the 2008 global food crisis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627660813904.png" alt="Kansas First District congressman Tracey Mann" />
 <figcaption>Kansas First District congressman Tracey Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— U.S. Representative Tracey Mann and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran&nbsp;led several of their colleagues in sending a letter&nbsp;to the U.S. Department of Commerce, urging it to consider the record-high fertilizer cost and suspend the duties it placed on urea ammonium nitrate fertilizer imports from Trinidad and Tobago.<a href="https://mann.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mann.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/FINAL_ITC_2_RAIMONDO.pdf">CLICK here to read</a> the letter"We're seeing the price of fertilizer, which is many times based on fossil fuel increase 300 to 400%," Mann said this week.The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) heard final arguments on Thursday in the antidumping duty investigation of UAN fertilizers from Trinidad and Tobago."When you quadruple the price of fertilizer and other inputs, it's all about the margin and what you actually take home," Mann said. "We're putting our ag producers, the best in the world, in a really bad spot right now."<a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/fertilizer-prices-expected-remain-higher-longer">The World Bank posted on its blog last month</a>&nbsp;that fertilizers are now at their least affordable levels since the 2008 global food crisis.

Mann, Moran respond to record high cost of fertilizer

U.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week.

The Food and Drug Administration’s action follows its advisory panel’s unanimous recommendation for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer. That means U.S. kids under 5 — roughly 18 million youngsters — are eligible for the shots, about 1 1/2 years after the vaccines first became available in the U.S. for adults, who have been hit the hardest during the pandemic.

The FDA also authorized Moderna’s vaccine for school-aged children and teens. Pfizer’s shots had previously been the only ones available for those ages.

There’s one step left: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends how to use vaccines and its vaccine advisers are set to discuss the shots for the youngest kids Friday and vote on Saturday. A final signoff would come from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

At a Senate hearing Thursday, Walensky said her staff was working over the Juneteenth federal holiday weekend “because we understand the urgency of this for American parents.”

She said pediatric deaths from COVID-19 have been higher than what is generally seen from the flu each year.

“So I actually think we need to protect young children, as well as protect everyone with the vaccine and especially protect elders,” she said.

For weeks, the Biden administration has been preparing to roll out the vaccines. States, tribes, community health centers and pharmacies preordered millions of doses. FDA’s emergency use authorization allows manufacturers to begin shipping vaccine across the country. Vaccinations could begin as early as Monday or Tuesday.

Some parents have been anxiously awaiting the chance to protect their little ones.

While young children generally don’t get as sick from COVID-19 as older kids and adults, their hospitalizations surged during the omicron wave and FDA’s advisers determined that benefits from vaccination outweighed the minimal risks. Studies from Moderna and Pfizer showed side effects, including fever and fatigue, were mostly minor.

The two brands use the same technology but there are differences.

Pfizer’s vaccine for kids younger than 5 is one-tenth of the adult dose. Three shots are needed: the first two given three weeks apart and the last at least two months later.

Moderna’s is two shots, each a quarter of its adult dose, given about four weeks apart for kids under 6.

The vaccines are for children as young as 6 months. Moderna next plans to study its shots for babies as young as 3-months-old. Pfizer has not finalized plans for shots in younger infants. A dozen countries, including China, already vaccinate kids under 5.

Dr. Beth Ebel, professor of pediatrics at University of Washington in Seattle, said the tot-sized vaccines would be especially welcomed by U.S. parents with children in daycare where outbreaks can sideline parents from jobs, adding to financial strain.

“A lot of people are going to be happy and a lot of grandparents are going to be happy, too, because we’ve missed those babies who grew up when you weren’t able to see them,” Ebel said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655473904908.png" alt="A final signoff must come from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky who answered questions Thursday before the Senate Health Committee- Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A final signoff must come from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky who answered questions Thursday before the Senate Health Committee- Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By LINDSEY TANNER, Associated PressU.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week.The Food and Drug Administration’s action follows its advisory panel’s unanimous recommendation for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer. That means U.S. kids under 5 — roughly 18 million youngsters — are eligible for the shots, about 1 1/2 years after the vaccines first became available in the U.S. for adults, who have been hit the hardest during the pandemic.The FDA also authorized Moderna’s vaccine for school-aged children and teens. Pfizer’s shots had previously been the only ones available for those ages.There’s one step left: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends how to use vaccines and its vaccine advisers are set to discuss the shots for the youngest kids Friday and vote on Saturday. A final signoff would come from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.At a Senate hearing Thursday, Walensky said her staff was working over the Juneteenth federal holiday weekend “because we understand the urgency of this for American parents.”She said pediatric deaths from COVID-19 have been higher than what is generally seen from the flu each year.“So I actually think we need to protect young children, as well as protect everyone with the vaccine and especially protect elders,” she said.For weeks, the Biden administration has been preparing to roll out the vaccines. States, tribes, community health centers and pharmacies preordered millions of doses. FDA’s emergency use authorization allows manufacturers to begin shipping vaccine across the country. Vaccinations could begin as early as Monday or Tuesday.Some parents have been anxiously awaiting the chance to protect their little ones.While young children generally don’t get as sick from COVID-19 as older kids and adults, their hospitalizations surged during the omicron wave and FDA’s advisers determined that benefits from vaccination outweighed the minimal risks. Studies from Moderna and Pfizer showed side effects, including fever and fatigue, were mostly minor.The two brands use the same technology but there are differences.Pfizer’s vaccine for kids younger than 5 is one-tenth of the adult dose. Three shots are needed: the first two given three weeks apart and the last at least two months later.Moderna’s is two shots, each a quarter of its adult dose, given about four weeks apart for kids under 6.The vaccines are for children as young as 6 months. Moderna next plans to study its shots for babies as young as 3-months-old. Pfizer has not finalized plans for shots in younger infants. A dozen countries, including China, already vaccinate kids under 5.Dr. Beth Ebel, professor of pediatrics at University of Washington in Seattle, said the tot-sized vaccines would be especially welcomed by U.S. parents with children in daycare where outbreaks can sideline parents from jobs, adding to financial strain.“A lot of people are going to be happy and a lot of grandparents are going to be happy, too, because we’ve missed those babies who grew up when you weren’t able to see them,” Ebel said.

Kids under age 5 a step closer to COVID-19 vaccination

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday the American people are “really, really down” after a tumultuous two years with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus pandemic</a>, volatility in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-jerome-powell-economy-inflation-d595a997cb4f60e8ee3469b154a7059d">the economy</a>&nbsp;and now surging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">gasoline prices</a>&nbsp;that are slamming family budgets. But he stressed that a recession was “not inevitable” and held out hope of giving the country a greater sense of confidence.

Speaking to The Associated Press in a 30-minute Oval Office interview, the president emphasized the battered economy that he inherited and the lingering psychological scars caused by a pandemic that disrupted people’s sense of identity. He bristled at claims by Republican lawmakers that last year’s COVID-19 aid plan was fully to blame for inflation reaching a 40-year high, calling that argument “bizarre.”

As for the overall American mindset, Biden said, “People are really, really down.”

“Their need for mental health in America has skyrocketed because people have seen everything upset,” Biden said. “Everything they’ve counted on upset. But most of it’s the consequence of what happened, what happened as a consequence of the, the COVID crisis.”

That pessimism has carried over into the economy as record prices at the pump and persistent inflation have jeopardized Democrats’ ability to hold on to the House and Senate in the midterm elections. Biden addressed the warnings by economists that fighting inflation could tip United States into recession.

“First of all, it’s not inevitable,” he said. “Secondly, we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.”

As for the causes of inflation, Biden flashed some defensiveness on that count. “If it’s my fault, why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher? You ask yourself that? I’m not being a wise guy,” he said.

The president’s statement appeared to be about inflation rising worldwide, not necessarily whether countries had higher rates than the U.S. Annual inflation in Japan, for example, has risen in recent months though it’s still at a yearly rate of 2.4%, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The president said he saw reason for optimism with the 3.6% unemployment rate and America’s relative strength in the world.

But restoring confidence so far has eluded Biden, whose approval ratings have been in steady decline as he has lost support among Democrats and has little evidence to show that he could restore a sense of bipartisan normalcy to Washington.

Biden’s Oval Office is filled with the portraits of presidents who faced crises that have imperiled the country, and the president acknowledged there were parallels to his own situation. A picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt hangs over his fireplace, a place of prominence because the historian Jon Meacham told Biden that no president had come into office with the economy in such dire circumstances. There is also a painting of Abraham Lincoln, who became president with a nation brutally divided and on the verge of the Civil War.

Yet Biden’s remedy is not that different from the diagnosis made by former President Jimmy Carter in 1979, when the U.S. economy was crippled by stagflation. Carter said then the U.S. was suffering from a “crisis of confidence” and “the erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.”

The president said he wants to endow the U.S. with more verve, fortitude and courage.

“Be confident,” Biden said. “Because I am confident. We’re better positioned than any country in the world to own the second quarter of the 21st century.”

Biden’s bleak assessment of the national psyche comes as voters have soured on his job performance and the direction of the country. Only 39% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s performance as president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-approval-rating-drops-ap-norc-poll-d41bce85e1b062b588a32908b2affa65">according to a May poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research, dipping from already negative ratings a month earlier.

Overall, only about 2 in 10 adults said the U.S. is heading in the right direction or that the economy is good, both down from about 3 in 10 in April. Those drops were concentrated among Democrats, with just 33% within the president’s party saying the country is headed in the right direction.

Biden said Republican social policies were contributing to public anxieties. He suggested GOP lawmakers could face consequences in the midterms if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, possibly removing national protections for abortion access. Voters will consider the “failure of this Republican Party to be willing” to respond to “the basic social concerns of the country,” the president said.

The president outlined some of the hard choices he has faced, saying the U.S. needed to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine in February even though tough sanctions imposed as a result of that war have caused gas prices to surge, creating a political risk for Biden in an election year. He called on oil companies to think of the world’s short-term needs and increase production.

Asked why he ordered the financial penalties against Moscow that have disrupted food and energy markets globally, Biden said he made his calculation as commander in chief rather than as a politician thinking about elections.

“I’m the president of the United States,” he said. “It’s not about my political survival. It’s about what’s best for the country. No kidding. No kidding. So what happens? What happens if the strongest power, NATO, the organizational structure we put together, walked away from Russian aggression?”

Biden spun out the possibility of chaos in Europe if an unimpeded Russia kept moving deeper into the continent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lloyd-austin-singapore-asia-beijing-china-f96014dba8daf5002e5136c9cd4227a1">China was emboldened to take over Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and North Korea grew even more aggressive with its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-antony-blinken-north-government-and-politics-d3a28902b9c06eaa47c3199418ccf5f7">nuclear weapon ambitions</a>.

Biden renewed his contention that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-f73c882b0664a5d5dd62635a9a65364c">major oil companies</a>&nbsp;have benefited from higher prices without increasing production as much as they should. He said the companies needed to think of the world in the short term, not just their investors.

“Don’t just reward yourself,” he said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">Consumer prices</a>&nbsp;have jumped 8.6% over the past year, the steepest rise in more than 40 years. Republican lawmakers have said that Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package from last year kick-started a spiral of price increases.

The president said there was “zero evidence” for that claim, noting that other countries have endured higher prices as economies reopened and people became vaccinated. Still, Biden acknowledged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-janet-yellen-jerome-powell-business-government-and-politics-fbbfda135bb00b5b9f7b8e8cf800f68c">Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s contention</a>&nbsp;that the spending had a limited inflationary effect.

“You could argue whether it had a marginal, a minor impact on inflation,” he said. “I don’t think it did. And most economists do not think it did. But the idea that it caused inflation is bizarre.”

Still, high inflation has created a conundrum for Biden. He prioritized bringing back millions of jobs and has seen the unemployment rate return to close to pre-pandemic levels. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday increased its benchmark interest rate, in hopes of slowing the economy and pulling inflation down to its target rate of 2%.

The tightening of Fed policy has caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-japan-asia-financial-markets-859cf34a8a2bba21e76c585356bb961b">financial markets</a>&nbsp;to slump and led many economists to warn of a potential recession next year. The president encouraged Americans to stay patient.

“They shouldn’t believe a warning,” he said. “They should just say: ‘Let’s see. Let’s see which is correct.’”

The president is still trying to steer his domestic agenda through Congress, after an earlier iteration last year failed to clear a 50-50 Senate. Biden said “I believe I have the votes” to lower prescription drug prices, reduce families’ utility bills with tax incentives and place a 15% minimum tax on corporations. He said his plans would lower expenses for many Americans, though the measure would be scaled back from earlier intentions for an expanded child tax credit, universal pre-kindergarten and other programs.

“I’m going to be able to get, God willing, the ability to pay for prescription drugs,” Biden said. “There’s more than one way to bring down the cost for working folks.”

And then, in acknowledgement of the political restraints he faces, Biden added, “I can’t get it all done.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652912839699.png" alt="“First of all, it’s not inevitable,” he said. “Secondly, we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.” -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“First of all, it’s not inevitable,” he said. “Secondly, we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.” -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday the American people are “really, really down” after a tumultuous two years with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus pandemic</a>, volatility in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-jerome-powell-economy-inflation-d595a997cb4f60e8ee3469b154a7059d">the economy</a>&nbsp;and now surging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">gasoline prices</a>&nbsp;that are slamming family budgets. But he stressed that a recession was “not inevitable” and held out hope of giving the country a greater sense of confidence.Speaking to The Associated Press in a 30-minute Oval Office interview, the president emphasized the battered economy that he inherited and the lingering psychological scars caused by a pandemic that disrupted people’s sense of identity. He bristled at claims by Republican lawmakers that last year’s COVID-19 aid plan was fully to blame for inflation reaching a 40-year high, calling that argument “bizarre.”As for the overall American mindset, Biden said, “People are really, really down.”“Their need for mental health in America has skyrocketed because people have seen everything upset,” Biden said. “Everything they’ve counted on upset. But most of it’s the consequence of what happened, what happened as a consequence of the, the COVID crisis.”That pessimism has carried over into the economy as record prices at the pump and persistent inflation have jeopardized Democrats’ ability to hold on to the House and Senate in the midterm elections. Biden addressed the warnings by economists that fighting inflation could tip United States into recession.<ul>
 <li><a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ap-interview-transcript-fefb405f8383c6fdb4674eef9706fd65">– CLICK here to read the full transcript of the AP interview&nbsp;</a></li>
 </ul>“First of all, it’s not inevitable,” he said. “Secondly, we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.”As for the causes of inflation, Biden flashed some defensiveness on that count. “If it’s my fault, why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher? You ask yourself that? I’m not being a wise guy,” he said.The president’s statement appeared to be about inflation rising worldwide, not necessarily whether countries had higher rates than the U.S. Annual inflation in Japan, for example, has risen in recent months though it’s still at a yearly rate of 2.4%, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.The president said he saw reason for optimism with the 3.6% unemployment rate and America’s relative strength in the world.But restoring confidence so far has eluded Biden, whose approval ratings have been in steady decline as he has lost support among Democrats and has little evidence to show that he could restore a sense of bipartisan normalcy to Washington.Biden’s Oval Office is filled with the portraits of presidents who faced crises that have imperiled the country, and the president acknowledged there were parallels to his own situation. A picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt hangs over his fireplace, a place of prominence because the historian Jon Meacham told Biden that no president had come into office with the economy in such dire circumstances. There is also a painting of Abraham Lincoln, who became president with a nation brutally divided and on the verge of the Civil War.Yet Biden’s remedy is not that different from the diagnosis made by former President Jimmy Carter in 1979, when the U.S. economy was crippled by stagflation. Carter said then the U.S. was suffering from a “crisis of confidence” and “the erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.”The president said he wants to endow the U.S. with more verve, fortitude and courage.“Be confident,” Biden said. “Because I am confident. We’re better positioned than any country in the world to own the second quarter of the 21st century.”Biden’s bleak assessment of the national psyche comes as voters have soured on his job performance and the direction of the country. Only 39% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s performance as president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-approval-rating-drops-ap-norc-poll-d41bce85e1b062b588a32908b2affa65">according to a May poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research, dipping from already negative ratings a month earlier.Overall, only about 2 in 10 adults said the U.S. is heading in the right direction or that the economy is good, both down from about 3 in 10 in April. Those drops were concentrated among Democrats, with just 33% within the president’s party saying the country is headed in the right direction.Biden said Republican social policies were contributing to public anxieties. He suggested GOP lawmakers could face consequences in the midterms if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, possibly removing national protections for abortion access. Voters will consider the “failure of this Republican Party to be willing” to respond to “the basic social concerns of the country,” the president said.The president outlined some of the hard choices he has faced, saying the U.S. needed to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine in February even though tough sanctions imposed as a result of that war have caused gas prices to surge, creating a political risk for Biden in an election year. He called on oil companies to think of the world’s short-term needs and increase production.Asked why he ordered the financial penalties against Moscow that have disrupted food and energy markets globally, Biden said he made his calculation as commander in chief rather than as a politician thinking about elections.“I’m the president of the United States,” he said. “It’s not about my political survival. It’s about what’s best for the country. No kidding. No kidding. So what happens? What happens if the strongest power, NATO, the organizational structure we put together, walked away from Russian aggression?”Biden spun out the possibility of chaos in Europe if an unimpeded Russia kept moving deeper into the continent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lloyd-austin-singapore-asia-beijing-china-f96014dba8daf5002e5136c9cd4227a1">China was emboldened to take over Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and North Korea grew even more aggressive with its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-antony-blinken-north-government-and-politics-d3a28902b9c06eaa47c3199418ccf5f7">nuclear weapon ambitions</a>.Biden renewed his contention that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-f73c882b0664a5d5dd62635a9a65364c">major oil companies</a>&nbsp;have benefited from higher prices without increasing production as much as they should. He said the companies needed to think of the world in the short term, not just their investors.“Don’t just reward yourself,” he said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4">Consumer prices</a>&nbsp;have jumped 8.6% over the past year, the steepest rise in more than 40 years. Republican lawmakers have said that Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package from last year kick-started a spiral of price increases.The president said there was “zero evidence” for that claim, noting that other countries have endured higher prices as economies reopened and people became vaccinated. Still, Biden acknowledged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-janet-yellen-jerome-powell-business-government-and-politics-fbbfda135bb00b5b9f7b8e8cf800f68c">Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s contention</a>&nbsp;that the spending had a limited inflationary effect.“You could argue whether it had a marginal, a minor impact on inflation,” he said. “I don’t think it did. And most economists do not think it did. But the idea that it caused inflation is bizarre.”Still, high inflation has created a conundrum for Biden. He prioritized bringing back millions of jobs and has seen the unemployment rate return to close to pre-pandemic levels. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday increased its benchmark interest rate, in hopes of slowing the economy and pulling inflation down to its target rate of 2%.The tightening of Fed policy has caused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-japan-asia-financial-markets-859cf34a8a2bba21e76c585356bb961b">financial markets</a>&nbsp;to slump and led many economists to warn of a potential recession next year. The president encouraged Americans to stay patient.“They shouldn’t believe a warning,” he said. “They should just say: ‘Let’s see. Let’s see which is correct.’”The president is still trying to steer his domestic agenda through Congress, after an earlier iteration last year failed to clear a 50-50 Senate. Biden said “I believe I have the votes” to lower prescription drug prices, reduce families’ utility bills with tax incentives and place a 15% minimum tax on corporations. He said his plans would lower expenses for many Americans, though the measure would be scaled back from earlier intentions for an expanded child tax credit, universal pre-kindergarten and other programs.“I’m going to be able to get, God willing, the ability to pay for prescription drugs,” Biden said. “There’s more than one way to bring down the cost for working folks.”And then, in acknowledgement of the political restraints he faces, Biden added, “I can’t get it all done.”

President Biden says a recession is 'not inevitable

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today announced expanded 
voice bot options to help eligible taxpayers easily verify their 
identity to set up or modify a payment plan while avoiding long wait 
times.

"This is part of a wider effort at the IRS to help improve the 
experience of taxpayers," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We 
continue to look for ways to better assist taxpayers, and that includes 
helping people avoid waiting on hold or having to make a second phone 
call to get what they need. The expanded voice bots are another example 
of how technology can help the IRS provide better service to taxpayers."

Voice bots run on software powered by artificial intelligence, which 
enables a caller to navigate an interactive voice response. The IRS has 
been using voice bots on numerous toll-free lines since January, 
enabling taxpayers with simple payment or notice questions to get what 
they need quickly and avoid waiting. Taxpayers can always speak with an 
English- or Spanish-speaking IRS telephone representative if needed.

Eligible taxpayers who call the Automated Collection System (ACS) and
 Accounts Management toll-free lines and want to discuss payment plan 
options can authenticate or verify their identities through a personal 
identification number (PIN) creation process. Setting up a PIN is easy: 
Taxpayers will need their most recent IRS bill and some basic personal 
information to complete the process.

"To date, the voice bots have answered over 3 million calls. As we 
add more functions for taxpayers to resolve their issues, I anticipate 
many more taxpayers getting the service they need quickly and easily," 
said Darren Guillot, IRS Deputy Commissioner of Small Business/Self 
Employed Collection &amp; Operations Support.

Additional voice bot service enhancements are planned in 2022 that 
will allow authenticated individuals (taxpayers with established or 
newly created PINs) to get:

In addition to the payment lines, voice bots help people who 
call the Economic Impact Payment (EIP) toll-free line with general 
procedural responses to frequently asked questions. The IRS also added 
voice bots for the Advance Child Tax Credit toll-free line in February 
to provide similar assistance to callers who need help reconciling the 
credits on their 2021 tax return.

The IRS also reminds taxpayers about numerous other available <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/get-ready-for-taxes-bookmark-irsgov-resources-and-online-tools-to-use-before-during-and-after-filing">self-service options</a>.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YX5LCHsuGSU"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today announced expanded 
voice bot options to help eligible taxpayers easily verify their 
identity to set up or modify a payment plan while avoiding long wait 
times."This is part of a wider effort at the IRS to help improve the 
experience of taxpayers," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We 
continue to look for ways to better assist taxpayers, and that includes 
helping people avoid waiting on hold or having to make a second phone 
call to get what they need. The expanded voice bots are another example 
of how technology can help the IRS provide better service to taxpayers."Voice bots run on software powered by artificial intelligence, which 
enables a caller to navigate an interactive voice response. The IRS has 
been using voice bots on numerous toll-free lines since January, 
enabling taxpayers with simple payment or notice questions to get what 
they need quickly and avoid waiting. Taxpayers can always speak with an 
English- or Spanish-speaking IRS telephone representative if needed.Eligible taxpayers who call the Automated Collection System (ACS) and
 Accounts Management toll-free lines and want to discuss payment plan 
options can authenticate or verify their identities through a personal 
identification number (PIN) creation process. Setting up a PIN is easy: 
Taxpayers will need their most recent IRS bill and some basic personal 
information to complete the process."To date, the voice bots have answered over 3 million calls. As we 
add more functions for taxpayers to resolve their issues, I anticipate 
many more taxpayers getting the service they need quickly and easily," 
said Darren Guillot, IRS Deputy Commissioner of Small Business/Self 
Employed Collection &amp; Operations Support.Additional voice bot service enhancements are planned in 2022 that 
will allow authenticated individuals (taxpayers with established or 
newly created PINs) to get:<ul>
 <li>Account and return transcripts.</li><li>Payment history.</li><li>Current balance owed.</li>
 </ul>In addition to the payment lines, voice bots help people who 
call the Economic Impact Payment (EIP) toll-free line with general 
procedural responses to frequently asked questions. The IRS also added 
voice bots for the Advance Child Tax Credit toll-free line in February 
to provide similar assistance to callers who need help reconciling the 
credits on their 2021 tax return.The IRS also reminds taxpayers about numerous other available <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/get-ready-for-taxes-bookmark-irsgov-resources-and-online-tools-to-use-before-during-and-after-filing">self-service options</a>.

🎥 IRS expands voice bot options for faster service, less wait time

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic and Republican senators were at odds Thursday over how to keep firearms from dangerous people as bargainers struggled to finalize details of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-texas-new-york-violence-shootings-5caad0ccca61ac3d308a3735f10628fc">a gun violence compromise</a>&nbsp;in time for their self-imposed deadline of holding votes in Congress next week.

Lawmakers said they remained divided over how to define abusive dating partners who would be legally barred from purchasing firearms. Disagreements were also unresolved over proposals to send money to states that have “red flag” laws that let authorities temporarily confiscate guns from people deemed dangerous by courts, and to other states for their own violence prevention programs.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-laws-senate-bipartisan-agreement-59d553f3d1e35fdbe4930e4341e74efb">election-year talks</a>&nbsp;have seemed headed toward agreement, with both parties fearing punishment by voters if Congress doesn’t react to the carnage of last month’s mass shootings. A total of 31 people were slain at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. An outline of a deal has been endorsed by President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a lead GOP bargainer, seemed visibly unhappy as he left Thursday’s closed-door session after nearly two hours, saying he was flying home.

“This is the hardest part because at some point, you just got to make a decision. And when people don’t want to make a decision, you can’t accomplish the result. And that’s kind of where we are right now,” Cornyn said.

“I’m not frustrated, I’m done,” he added, though he said he was open to continued discussions.

Lawmakers have said a deal must be completed and written into legislative language by week’s end if Congress is to vote by next week. It begins a July 4 recess after that. Leaders want votes by then because Washington has a long record of talking about reacting to mass shootings, only to see lawmakers’ and voters’ interest fade quickly over time.

Other bargainers seemed more optimistic, saying much of the overall package has been agreed to and aides were drafting bill language.

“A deal like this is difficult,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said when the meeting ended. “It comes with a lot of emotions, it comes with political risk to both sides. But we’re close enough that we should be able to get there.”

The measure would impose just small-scale curbs on firearms. It lacks proposals by Biden and Democrats to prohibit assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in Buffalo and Uvalde, or to raise the legal age for purchasing assault rifles from 18 to 21.

Even so, it would be Congress’ most robust move against gun violence since 1993. A ban lawmakers enacted that year on assault weapons took effect in 1994 and expired after a decade. Scores of high-profile mass shootings since have yielded little from Washington but partisan deadlock, chiefly due to Republicans blocking virtually any new restrictions.

Federal law bars people convicted of domestic violence against a spouse from acquiring guns, but leaves a loophole for other romantic relationships. Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates firearms curbs, says 31 states bar convicted domestic abusers from buying firearms, including 19 that cover violent dating partners.

Senators have disagreed over how to define such relationships, with Republicans working against a broad provision. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, the other lead GOP negotiator, said bargainers would use some state statutes as their guide, though their laws vary.

“You need to make sure that you’re capturing everyone that actually beat” up their girlfriends, said Murphy, a Democrat.

In addition, 19 states and the District of Columbia have “red flag” laws. Cornyn and the other lead bargainer, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., represent states that do not, and it is unclear how money in the bill would be divided among them.

Senators have not said what the measure’s overall price tag will be, though people following the talks have said they expect it to range around $15 billion or $20 billion. Lawmakers are looking for budget cuts to pay for those costs.

Twenty senators, 10 from each party, agreed to the outlines of a compromise measure last weekend. Top bargainers have labored ever since to translate it into details.

The framework includes access to the juvenile records of gun buyers age 18 to 20. Both shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde were 18, and both used AR-15 style rifles, which can load high-capacity magazines.

The plan also includes added spending for mental health and school safety programs, tougher penalties for gun trafficking and requirements that slightly more gun dealers obtain federal firearms licenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653505281036.png" alt="The May 24 assault at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. school since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012.-photo courtesy KSAT-TV" />
 <figcaption>The May 24 assault at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. school since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012.-photo courtesy KSAT-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic and Republican senators were at odds Thursday over how to keep firearms from dangerous people as bargainers struggled to finalize details of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-texas-new-york-violence-shootings-5caad0ccca61ac3d308a3735f10628fc">a gun violence compromise</a>&nbsp;in time for their self-imposed deadline of holding votes in Congress next week.Lawmakers said they remained divided over how to define abusive dating partners who would be legally barred from purchasing firearms. Disagreements were also unresolved over proposals to send money to states that have “red flag” laws that let authorities temporarily confiscate guns from people deemed dangerous by courts, and to other states for their own violence prevention programs.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-laws-senate-bipartisan-agreement-59d553f3d1e35fdbe4930e4341e74efb">election-year talks</a>&nbsp;have seemed headed toward agreement, with both parties fearing punishment by voters if Congress doesn’t react to the carnage of last month’s mass shootings. A total of 31 people were slain at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. An outline of a deal has been endorsed by President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a lead GOP bargainer, seemed visibly unhappy as he left Thursday’s closed-door session after nearly two hours, saying he was flying home.“This is the hardest part because at some point, you just got to make a decision. And when people don’t want to make a decision, you can’t accomplish the result. And that’s kind of where we are right now,” Cornyn said.“I’m not frustrated, I’m done,” he added, though he said he was open to continued discussions.Lawmakers have said a deal must be completed and written into legislative language by week’s end if Congress is to vote by next week. It begins a July 4 recess after that. Leaders want votes by then because Washington has a long record of talking about reacting to mass shootings, only to see lawmakers’ and voters’ interest fade quickly over time.Other bargainers seemed more optimistic, saying much of the overall package has been agreed to and aides were drafting bill language.“A deal like this is difficult,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said when the meeting ended. “It comes with a lot of emotions, it comes with political risk to both sides. But we’re close enough that we should be able to get there.”The measure would impose just small-scale curbs on firearms. It lacks proposals by Biden and Democrats to prohibit assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in Buffalo and Uvalde, or to raise the legal age for purchasing assault rifles from 18 to 21.Even so, it would be Congress’ most robust move against gun violence since 1993. A ban lawmakers enacted that year on assault weapons took effect in 1994 and expired after a decade. Scores of high-profile mass shootings since have yielded little from Washington but partisan deadlock, chiefly due to Republicans blocking virtually any new restrictions.Federal law bars people convicted of domestic violence against a spouse from acquiring guns, but leaves a loophole for other romantic relationships. Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates firearms curbs, says 31 states bar convicted domestic abusers from buying firearms, including 19 that cover violent dating partners.Senators have disagreed over how to define such relationships, with Republicans working against a broad provision. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, the other lead GOP negotiator, said bargainers would use some state statutes as their guide, though their laws vary.“You need to make sure that you’re capturing everyone that actually beat” up their girlfriends, said Murphy, a Democrat.In addition, 19 states and the District of Columbia have “red flag” laws. Cornyn and the other lead bargainer, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., represent states that do not, and it is unclear how money in the bill would be divided among them.Senators have not said what the measure’s overall price tag will be, though people following the talks have said they expect it to range around $15 billion or $20 billion. Lawmakers are looking for budget cuts to pay for those costs.Twenty senators, 10 from each party, agreed to the outlines of a compromise measure last weekend. Top bargainers have labored ever since to translate it into details.The framework includes access to the juvenile records of gun buyers age 18 to 20. Both shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde were 18, and both used AR-15 style rifles, which can load high-capacity magazines.The plan also includes added spending for mental health and school safety programs, tougher penalties for gun trafficking and requirements that slightly more gun dealers obtain federal firearms licenses.

Gun bill: Senate bargainers can't agree on details 

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on sex charges. On June 8, police received a report of a sex offense involving a juvenile girl occurring at a residence located in Great Bend, according to a media release. As officers and detectives began compiling additional details of the report, it was learned that multiple sex offenses were alleged to have occurred at the Great Bend home involving a 32-year-old man later identified as Dustin Bosack and juvenile girl. During the course of this investigation, detailed information and evidence was compiled and multiple interviews were conducted which resulted in the probable cause arrest of Bosack.

He is being held without bond on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a Child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655411599018.jpeg" alt="Bosack photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Bosack photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on sex charges. On June 8, police received a report of a sex offense involving a juvenile girl occurring at a residence located in Great Bend, according to a media release. As officers and detectives began compiling additional details of the report, it was learned that multiple sex offenses were alleged to have occurred at the Great Bend home involving a 32-year-old man later identified as Dustin Bosack and juvenile girl. During the course of this investigation, detailed information and evidence was compiled and multiple interviews were conducted which resulted in the probable cause arrest of Bosack. He is being held without bond on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a Child.

Man accused of child sex crimes at home in Great Bend

BROWN COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident that was reported just before 6p.m. Thursday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Yamaha&nbsp;XVS65T driven by&nbsp; Luke E. Scheidt, 51, Hiawatha, was southbound on Kansas 73 one mile south of the Nebraska State line. 

The motorcycle left the roadway to the west, crossed a driveway and overturned.

Scheidt was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP. The actual time of the accident is unknown at this time.

BROWN COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident that was reported just before 6p.m. Thursday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Yamaha&nbsp;XVS65T driven by&nbsp; Luke E. Scheidt, 51, Hiawatha, was southbound on Kansas 73 one mile south of the Nebraska State line. The motorcycle left the roadway to the west, crossed a driveway and overturned.Scheidt was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP. The actual time of the accident is unknown at this time.

Kansas man dies in motorcycle crash

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for the shooting death of his friend in Wichita three years ago.

Brandon Craig, 25, of Independence, Missouri, was sentenced Wednesday in Sedgwick County District Court to 74 months in prison,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/missouri-man-sentenced-for-2019-wichita-murder/">television station KSN reported</a>. Craig pleaded guilty in April to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery in the shooting death of Justin Lane, 21, of Grain Valley, Missouri.

Police called to a Wichita home the night of April 12, 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6608508a48694d01a6d1f226f938a698">found Lane inside</a>, dead with a single gunshot wound to the head. Police described Lane and Craig as best friends who were visiting another friend at the Wichita home when they began fighting before Lane was shot.

Police said Craig changed his story about what happened several times, first telling investigators he never had a gun, then saying Lane was taking the gun from his hand when it went off, then later saying simply that he had accidentally shot Lane.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655390184843.png" alt="Craig from is 2019 arrest -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Craig from is 2019 arrest -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for the shooting death of his friend in Wichita three years ago.Brandon Craig, 25, of Independence, Missouri, was sentenced Wednesday in Sedgwick County District Court to 74 months in prison,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/missouri-man-sentenced-for-2019-wichita-murder/">television station KSN reported</a>. Craig pleaded guilty in April to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery in the shooting death of Justin Lane, 21, of Grain Valley, Missouri.Police called to a Wichita home the night of April 12, 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6608508a48694d01a6d1f226f938a698">found Lane inside</a>, dead with a single gunshot wound to the head. Police described Lane and Craig as best friends who were visiting another friend at the Wichita home when they began fighting before Lane was shot.Police said Craig changed his story about what happened several times, first telling investigators he never had a gun, then saying Lane was taking the gun from his hand when it went off, then later saying simply that he had accidentally shot Lane.

Man sentenced for killing best friend during fight at Kan. home 

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Thousands of cattle in feedlots in southwestern Kansas have died of heat stress due to soaring temperatures, high humidity and little wind in recent days, industry officials said.

The final toll remains unclear, but as of Thursday at least 2,000 heat-related deaths had been reported to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the state agency that assists in disposing of carcasses. Agency spokesman Matt Lara said he expects that number to rise as more feedlots report losses from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-weather-heat-waves-40c8f662a2a1a0a9113ad2842c5a6b16">this week’s heat wave.</a>

The cattle deaths have sparked unsubstantiated reports on social media and elsewhere that something besides the weather is at play, but Kansas agriculture officials said there’s no indication of any other cause.

“This was a true weather event — it was isolated to a specific region in southwestern Kansas,” said A.J. Tarpoff, a cattle veterinarian with Kansas State University. “Yes, temperatures rose, but the more important reason why it was injurious was that we had a huge spike in humidity ... and at the same time wind speeds actually dropped substantially, which is rare for western Kansas.”

Last week, temperatures were in the 70s and 80s, but on Saturday they spiked higher than 100 degrees, said Scarlett Hagins, spokeswoman for the Kansas Livestock Association.

“And it was that sudden change that didn’t allow the cattle to acclimate that caused the heat stress issues in them,” she said.

The deaths represent a huge economic loss because the animals, which typically weigh around 1,500 pounds, are worth around $2,000 per head, Hagins said. Federal disaster programs will help some producers who incurred a loss, she added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648736524409.png" alt="Beef cattle at a Kansas feedlot Chris Neal / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Beef cattle at a Kansas feedlot Chris Neal / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Thousands of cattle in feedlots in southwestern Kansas have died of heat stress due to soaring temperatures, high humidity and little wind in recent days, industry officials said.The final toll remains unclear, but as of Thursday at least 2,000 heat-related deaths had been reported to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the state agency that assists in disposing of carcasses. Agency spokesman Matt Lara said he expects that number to rise as more feedlots report losses from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-weather-heat-waves-40c8f662a2a1a0a9113ad2842c5a6b16">this week’s heat wave.</a>The cattle deaths have sparked unsubstantiated reports on social media and elsewhere that something besides the weather is at play, but Kansas agriculture officials said there’s no indication of any other cause.“This was a true weather event — it was isolated to a specific region in southwestern Kansas,” said A.J. Tarpoff, a cattle veterinarian with Kansas State University. “Yes, temperatures rose, but the more important reason why it was injurious was that we had a huge spike in humidity ... and at the same time wind speeds actually dropped substantially, which is rare for western Kansas.”Last week, temperatures were in the 70s and 80s, but on Saturday they spiked higher than 100 degrees, said Scarlett Hagins, spokeswoman for the Kansas Livestock Association.“And it was that sudden change that didn’t allow the cattle to acclimate that caused the heat stress issues in them,” she said.The deaths represent a huge economic loss because the animals, which typically weigh around 1,500 pounds, are worth around $2,000 per head, Hagins said. Federal disaster programs will help some producers who incurred a loss, she added.And the worst may be over. Nighttime temperatures have been cooler and — as long as there is a breeze — the animals are able to recover, Tarpoff said.Hagins said heat-related deaths in the industry are rare because ranchers take precautions such as providing extra drinking water, altering feeding schedules so animals are not digesting during the heat of the day, and using sprinkler systems to cool them down.“Heat stress is always a concern this time of year for cattle and so they have mitigation protocols put in place to be prepared for this kind of thing,” she said.Many cattle had still not shed their winter coats when the heatwave struck.“This is a one in 10-year, 20-year type event. This is not a normal event,” said Brandon Depenbusch, operator of the Innovative Livestock Services feedlot in Great Bend, Kansas. “It is extremely abnormal, but it does happen.”While his feedlot had “zero problems,” he noted that his part of the state did not have the same combination of high temperatures, high humidity, low winds and no cloud cover that hit southwestern Kansas.Elsewhere, cattle ranchers haven’t been so hard hit.The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Cattlemen said they have received no reports of higher-than-normal cattle deaths in the state, despite a heat index of well over 100 degrees this week.Oklahoma City National Stockyards President Kelli Payne said no cattle deaths have been reported since temperatures topped 90 degrees last Saturday, after rising from the mid 70s starting June 1.“We have water and sprinklers here to help mitigate heat and the heat wave,” Payne said, but “we don’t have any control over that pesky Mother Nature.”