POTOSI, Mo. (AP) — A man convicted of killing six women 20 years ago in Kansas City, Missouri, has died, the Missouri Department of Corrections said.

Terry Blair, 62, was imprisoned at the Potosi Correctional Center on six counts of first-degree murder. He was taken to a hospital Saturday morning after being found unresponsive in his jail cell. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, the corrections department said.

Blair had a long history of violence. He was convicted of killing a woman in 1982, and served 21 years.

He was on probation when he was arrested in the deaths of six women who were killed in the period of July to September 2004. Their bodies were found in an area of Kansas City frequented by drug dealers and prostitutes.

Blair also was suspected in the deaths of two other women, but those charges were dropped.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715770478985.png" alt="Blair photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Blair photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>POTOSI, Mo. (AP) — A man convicted of killing six women 20 years ago in Kansas City, Missouri, has died, the Missouri Department of Corrections said.Terry Blair, 62, was imprisoned at the Potosi Correctional Center on six counts of first-degree murder. He was taken to a hospital Saturday morning after being found unresponsive in his jail cell. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, the corrections department said.An autopsy was planned.Blair had a long history of violence. He was convicted of killing a woman in 1982, and served 21 years.He was on probation when he was arrested in the deaths of six women who were killed in the period of July to September 2004. Their bodies were found in an area of Kansas City frequented by drug dealers and prostitutes.Blair also was suspected in the deaths of two other women, but those charges were dropped.

Man convicted of killing six women in Kansas City dies in prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates in June and September — the first on June 27 hosted by CNN — but their camps appeared far apart on key details like the ground rules for the presidential face-offs.

The quick agreement on the timetable to meet followed the Democrat's announcement that he will not participate in fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/political-debates">presidential debates</a>&nbsp;sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades. Biden's campaign instead proposed that media outlets directly organize the debates with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presumptive-nominee-biden-trump-6b2a3beb31896894ded9e96aa30cfcec">the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees</a>, with the first to be held in late June and the second in September before early voting begins. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site, said he was “Ready and Willing to Debate” Biden at the proposed times.

Hours later, Biden said he accepted an invitation from CNN to a debate on June 27, adding, “Over to you, Donald. As you said: anywhere, anytime, any place.” Trump told Fox News Digital he accepted the invitation: “I’ll be there,” he told the outlet.

Still, the two sides appeared to be hold significant differences on key questions of how to organize the debates, including agreeing on media partners, moderators, location and rules — some of the very questions that prompted the formation of the Commission on Presidential Debates in 1987. Biden's proposal would exclude third-party candidates, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-097ac973a32ddf2e8e4edecd6a8f3153">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>

Trump’s team did not immediately weigh in on the details of the Biden proposal, but Trump expressed his desire for a large live audience.

“I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds - That’s only because he doesn’t get them,” Trump said. “Just tell me when, I’ll be there.”

Trump has been pushing for more debates and earlier debates, arguing voters should be able to see the two men face off well before early voting begins in September. He has repeatedly said he will debate Biden “anytime, anywhere, any place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/hGDMG0MM6F4?feature=shared">even proposing the two men face off</a>&nbsp;outside the Manhattan courthouse where he is currently on criminal trial in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-hush-money-f96dd7289cf952145cdd6737b29add3d">a hush money case</a>. He also has been taunting Biden with an empty lectern at some of his rallies.

Biden’s campaign has long held a grudge against the nonpartisan commission for failing to evenly apply its rules during the 2020 Biden-Trump matchups — most notably when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-donald-trump-joe-biden-health-campaigns-0f7315791a3ead1919842c894bedb68f">didn’t enforce its COVID-19 testing rules on Trump</a>&nbsp;and his entourage — and Biden’s team has held talks with television networks and some Republicans about ways to circumvent the commission’s grip on presidential debates.

Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on Wednesday sent a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates to say that Biden’s campaign objected to the fall dates selected by the commission, which come after some Americans begin to vote, repeating a complaint also voiced by the Trump campaign. She also voiced frustrations over the rule violations and the commission's insistence on holding the debates before a live audience.

“The debates should be conducted for the benefit of the American voters, watching on television and at home — not as entertainment for an in-person audience with raucous or disruptive partisans and donors," she said. ”As was the case with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/today-in-history-covid-health-middle-east-ts-eliot-90ea2a57ca484c41565b1c1a257fc1d9">the original televised debates in 1960</a>, a television studio with just the candidates and moderators is a better, more cost-efficient way to proceed: focused solely on the interests of voters."

There was little love lost for the commission as well from Trump, who objected to technical issues at his first debate with Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 and was upset after a debate with Biden was canceled in 2020 after the Republican came down with COVID-19. The Republican National Committee had already promised not to work with commission on the 2024 contests.

The commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

The Trump campaign issued a statement on May 1 that objected to the scheduled debates by the commission, saying that the schedule “begins AFTER early voting” and that “this is unacceptable” because voters deserve to hear from the candidates before ballots are cast.

Under the debate commission's rules, Kennedy or other third-party candidates could qualify if they secured ballot access sufficient to claim 270 Electoral Votes and polled at 15% or higher in a selection of national polls.

O’Malley Dillon said the debates "should be one-on-one, allowing voters to compare the only two candidates with any statistical chance of prevailing in the Electoral College – and not squandering debate time on candidates with no prospect of becoming President.”

The Biden campaign also proposed that the Biden-Trump debates this year be hosted by “any broadcast organization that hosted a Republican Primary debate in 2016 in which Donald Trump participated, and a Democratic primary debate in 2020 in which President Biden participated — so neither campaign can assert that the sponsoring organization is obviously unacceptable: if both candidates have previously debated on their airwaves, then neither could object to such venue."

Those criteria would eliminate Fox News, which did not host a Democratic primary debate in 2020, and potentially NBC News, which did not host a GOP one in 2016 — though its corporate affiliates CNBC and Telmundo were co-hosts of one debate each that year.

In teeing up the debates, both Biden and Trump traded barbs on social media — each claiming victory the last time they faced-off in 2020.

“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020, since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate,' Biden said in a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. "Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal.”

Trump, for his part, said Biden was the “WORST debater I have ever faced - He can’t put two sentences together!”

The Democrat suggested that the two candidates could pick some dates, taking a dig at Trump’s ongoing New York hush money trial by noting that the Republican is “free on Wednesdays,” the usual day off in the trial.

The president first indicated he would be willing to debate Trump during an interview with the radio host Howard Stern last month, telling him that “I am, somewhere. I don’t know when. But I’m happy to debate him.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he will not participate in fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/political-debates">presidential debates</a>&nbsp;sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades and instead proposed two debates with former President Donald Trump to be held earlier in the year.

Biden's campaign proposed that the first debate between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presumptive-nominee-biden-trump-6b2a3beb31896894ded9e96aa30cfcec">the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees</a>&nbsp;be held in late June and the second in September before early voting begins. Trump responded to the letter in an interview with Fox News digital, calling the proposed dates “fully acceptable to me” and joked about providing his own transportation.

Biden, in a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, sought to needle his rival, saying, “Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020, since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal.”

Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on Wednesday sent a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates to say that Biden would not participate in its announced debates, choosing instead to participate in debates hosted by news organizations. The Biden campaign objected to the fall dates selected by the commission — which come after some Americans begin to vote — repeating a complaint also raised by the Trump campaign.

Biden's campaign has long-held a grudge against the nonpartisan commission for failing to evenly apply its rules during the 2020 Biden-Trump matchups — most notably when it didn't enforce its COVID-19 testing rules on Trump and his entourage — and Biden's team has held talks with television networks and some Republicans about ways to circumvent the commission's grip on presidential debates.

Biden indicated again last week that he was preparing to debate, telling reporters as he was leaving a White House event: “Set it up.”

Trump has repeatedly dared Biden to debate him, keeping a second podium open at rallies and claiming that his rival would not be up for the task.

Trump, too, has taken issue with the debate commission, but he and his team have maintained that they don’t care who hosts the debates as long as they happen.

The Trump campaign issued a statement on May 1 that objected to the scheduled debates by the Commission on Presidential Debates, saying that the schedule “begins AFTER early voting” and that “this is unacceptable” because voters deserve to hear from the candidates before ballots are cast.

Trump said at a Pennsylvania rally before his hush money trial began that the debates were needed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates in June and September — the first on June 27 hosted by CNN — but their camps appeared far apart on key details like the ground rules for the presidential face-offs.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. <a href="https://t.co/AkPmvs2q4u">pic.twitter.com/AkPmvs2q4u</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1790713878248038478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The quick agreement on the timetable to meet followed the Democrat's announcement that he will not participate in fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/political-debates">presidential debates</a>&nbsp;sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades. Biden's campaign instead proposed that media outlets directly organize the debates with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presumptive-nominee-biden-trump-6b2a3beb31896894ded9e96aa30cfcec">the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees</a>, with the first to be held in late June and the second in September before early voting begins. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site, said he was “Ready and Willing to Debate” Biden at the proposed times.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715783969577.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hours later, Biden said he accepted an invitation from CNN to a debate on June 27, adding, “Over to you, Donald. As you said: anywhere, anytime, any place.” Trump told Fox News Digital he accepted the invitation: “I’ll be there,” he told the outlet.Still, the two sides appeared to be hold significant differences on key questions of how to organize the debates, including agreeing on media partners, moderators, location and rules — some of the very questions that prompted the formation of the Commission on Presidential Debates in 1987. Biden's proposal would exclude third-party candidates, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-097ac973a32ddf2e8e4edecd6a8f3153">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>Trump’s team did not immediately weigh in on the details of the Biden proposal, but Trump expressed his desire for a large live audience.“I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds - That’s only because he doesn’t get them,” Trump said. “Just tell me when, I’ll be there.”Trump has been pushing for more debates and earlier debates, arguing voters should be able to see the two men face off well before early voting begins in September. He has repeatedly said he will debate Biden “anytime, anywhere, any place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/hGDMG0MM6F4?feature=shared">even proposing the two men face off</a>&nbsp;outside the Manhattan courthouse where he is currently on criminal trial in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-hush-money-f96dd7289cf952145cdd6737b29add3d">a hush money case</a>. He also has been taunting Biden with an empty lectern at some of his rallies.Biden’s campaign has long held a grudge against the nonpartisan commission for failing to evenly apply its rules during the 2020 Biden-Trump matchups — most notably when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-donald-trump-joe-biden-health-campaigns-0f7315791a3ead1919842c894bedb68f">didn’t enforce its COVID-19 testing rules on Trump</a>&nbsp;and his entourage — and Biden’s team has held talks with television networks and some Republicans about ways to circumvent the commission’s grip on presidential debates.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JUST ANNOUNCED: CNN will host a 2024 Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in Atlanta, GA. The debate will air live on 6/27 at 9pET on <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNN</a>, CNN Max and without a cable login on <a href="https://t.co/dOLGQHu7eC">https://t.co/dOLGQHu7eC</a>. More: <a href="https://t.co/rjbaLohxLs">https://t.co/rjbaLohxLs</a> <a href="https://t.co/g3PCztJInt">pic.twitter.com/g3PCztJInt</a>&mdash; CNN Communications (@CNNPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/1790757195455324413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on Wednesday sent a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates to say that Biden’s campaign objected to the fall dates selected by the commission, which come after some Americans begin to vote, repeating a complaint also voiced by the Trump campaign. She also voiced frustrations over the rule violations and the commission's insistence on holding the debates before a live audience.“The debates should be conducted for the benefit of the American voters, watching on television and at home — not as entertainment for an in-person audience with raucous or disruptive partisans and donors," she said. ”As was the case with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/today-in-history-covid-health-middle-east-ts-eliot-90ea2a57ca484c41565b1c1a257fc1d9">the original televised debates in 1960</a>, a television studio with just the candidates and moderators is a better, more cost-efficient way to proceed: focused solely on the interests of voters."There was little love lost for the commission as well from Trump, who objected to technical issues at his first debate with Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 and was upset after a debate with Biden was canceled in 2020 after the Republican came down with COVID-19. The Republican National Committee had already promised not to work with commission on the 2024 contests.The commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.The Trump campaign issued a statement on May 1 that objected to the scheduled debates by the commission, saying that the schedule “begins AFTER early voting” and that “this is unacceptable” because voters deserve to hear from the candidates before ballots are cast.Under the debate commission's rules, Kennedy or other third-party candidates could qualify if they secured ballot access sufficient to claim 270 Electoral Votes and polled at 15% or higher in a selection of national polls.O’Malley Dillon said the debates "should be one-on-one, allowing voters to compare the only two candidates with any statistical chance of prevailing in the Electoral College – and not squandering debate time on candidates with no prospect of becoming President.”The Biden campaign also proposed that the Biden-Trump debates this year be hosted by “any broadcast organization that hosted a Republican Primary debate in 2016 in which Donald Trump participated, and a Democratic primary debate in 2020 in which President Biden participated — so neither campaign can assert that the sponsoring organization is obviously unacceptable: if both candidates have previously debated on their airwaves, then neither could object to such venue."Those criteria would eliminate Fox News, which did not host a Democratic primary debate in 2020, and potentially NBC News, which did not host a GOP one in 2016 — though its corporate affiliates CNBC and Telmundo were co-hosts of one debate each that year.In teeing up the debates, both Biden and Trump traded barbs on social media — each claiming victory the last time they faced-off in 2020.“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020, since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate,' Biden said in a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. "Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal.”Trump, for his part, said Biden was the “WORST debater I have ever faced - He can’t put two sentences together!”The Democrat suggested that the two candidates could pick some dates, taking a dig at Trump’s ongoing New York hush money trial by noting that the Republican is “free on Wednesdays,” the usual day off in the trial.The president first indicated he would be willing to debate Trump during an interview with the radio host Howard Stern last month, telling him that “I am, somewhere. I don’t know when. But I’m happy to debate him.”------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he will not participate in fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/political-debates">presidential debates</a>&nbsp;sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades and instead proposed two debates with former President Donald Trump to be held earlier in the year.Biden's campaign proposed that the first debate between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presumptive-nominee-biden-trump-6b2a3beb31896894ded9e96aa30cfcec">the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees</a>&nbsp;be held in late June and the second in September before early voting begins. Trump responded to the letter in an interview with Fox News digital, calling the proposed dates “fully acceptable to me” and joked about providing his own transportation.Biden, in a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, sought to needle his rival, saying, “Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020, since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal.”The Democrat suggested that the two candidates could pick some dates, taking a dig at Trump’s ongoing New York hush money trial by noting that the Republican is “free on Wednesdays,” the usual day off in the trial.Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on Wednesday sent a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates to say that Biden would not participate in its announced debates, choosing instead to participate in debates hosted by news organizations. The Biden campaign objected to the fall dates selected by the commission — which come after some Americans begin to vote — repeating a complaint also raised by the Trump campaign.Biden's campaign has long-held a grudge against the nonpartisan commission for failing to evenly apply its rules during the 2020 Biden-Trump matchups — most notably when it didn't enforce its COVID-19 testing rules on Trump and his entourage — and Biden's team has held talks with television networks and some Republicans about ways to circumvent the commission's grip on presidential debates.The president first indicated he would be willing to debate Trump during an interview with the radio host Howard Stern last month, telling him that “I am, somewhere. I don’t know when. But I’m happy to debate him.”Biden indicated again last week that he was preparing to debate, telling reporters as he was leaving a White House event: “Set it up.”Trump has repeatedly dared Biden to debate him, keeping a second podium open at rallies and claiming that his rival would not be up for the task.Trump, too, has taken issue with the debate commission, but he and his team have maintained that they don’t care who hosts the debates as long as they happen.The Trump campaign issued a statement on May 1 that objected to the scheduled debates by the Commission on Presidential Debates, saying that the schedule “begins AFTER early voting” and that “this is unacceptable” because voters deserve to hear from the candidates before ballots are cast.Trump said at a Pennsylvania rally before his hush money trial began that the debates were needed.

🎥Biden and Trump agree on debates: 'Make my day pal'

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after an incident at a residence in&nbsp;southeast Shawnee County.

Just after 1a.m. May 11, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;began investigating a report of kidnapping and robbery at a residence in the 3700 block of SE 23rd Terrace, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. 

Deputies learned that, in two separate instances, individuals had gone to the residence expecting to meet a person they had been corresponding with through an online dating app.

The victims advised that when they arrived at the residence they were taken to the basement and held against their will by armed individuals demanding money. Deputies learned that one victim was forced to accompany the assailants to an ATM machine to withdraw money, and a second victim was released after convincing the armed suspects that they did not have any money. Both victims called 911 after being released.

Jackson C. Miller, 19, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated robbery, robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, kidnapping and interference with law enforcement. Miller also had multiple active warrants for his arrest.

Craig W. Dodds Jr., 19, of Holton, was arrested and booked on two requested charges of aggravated assault and two counts of robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715722223910.png" alt="Dodds-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Dodds-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after an incident at a residence in&nbsp;southeast Shawnee County.Just after 1a.m. May 11, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;began investigating a report of kidnapping and robbery at a residence in the 3700 block of SE 23rd Terrace, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Deputies learned that, in two separate instances, individuals had gone to the residence expecting to meet a person they had been corresponding with through an online dating app.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715722169393.png" alt="Miller photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The victims advised that when they arrived at the residence they were taken to the basement and held against their will by armed individuals demanding money. Deputies learned that one victim was forced to accompany the assailants to an ATM machine to withdraw money, and a second victim was released after convincing the armed suspects that they did not have any money. Both victims called 911 after being released.Jackson C. Miller, 19, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated robbery, robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, kidnapping and interference with law enforcement. Miller also had multiple active warrants for his arrest.Craig W. Dodds Jr., 19, of Holton, was arrested and booked on two requested charges of aggravated assault and two counts of robbery.

Two rural Kan. men accused of violence in dating app scam

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the central bank is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation-mortgages-52156f98736527a254d5717b83e219f2">unlikely to raise</a>&nbsp;its key interest rate in response to signs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-f02b969d1b44a7ccb0385be03f766de0">stubborn inflation</a>&nbsp;and underscored his view that price increases would soon start to cool again.

Yet Powell, during a panel discussion in Amsterdam, said his confidence that inflation will ease “is not as high as it was” because price increases have been persistently hot in the first three months of this year. Powell stressed that the Fed’s preferred approach was to keep its benchmark rate at its current two-decade peak rather than increase it.

“I don’t think that it’s likely, based on the data that we have, that the next move that we make would be a rate hike,” Powell said. “I think it’s more likely that we’ll be at a place where we hold the policy rate where it is.”

Financial markets and economists have been hoping for signs that one or two Fed rate cuts might be coming this year, given that inflation is down sharply from its high in 2022. But with price pressures still elevated, Powell and other Fed officials have signaled that no rate cut is likely anytime soon.

Powell spoke hours after a report on U.S. producer prices showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-powell-c8c2bf0556446c1c4c858f6fc2f877ea">wholesale inflation picked up in April</a>. On Wednesday, the government will issue the latest monthly report on consumer inflation, which is expected to show that price growth cooled a bit last month.

In his remarks Tuesday, Powell downplayed the wholesale price report, which also showed that some costs cooled last month, including for airfares, hospital visits and car insurance.

“I wouldn’t call it hot,” he said of the wholesale inflation data. “I would call it sort of mixed.”

Economists are divided over whether the high inflation figures this year reflect a re-acceleration in price growth or are largely echoes of pandemic distortions. Auto insurance, for example, has soared 22% from a year ago, but that surge may reflect factors specific to the auto industry: New car prices jumped during the pandemic, and insurance companies are now seeking to offset the higher repair and replacement costs by raising their premiums.

Other economists point to consistent consumer spending on restaurant meals, travel and entertainment, categories where in some cases price increases have also been elevated, possibly reflecting strong demand.

Powell said that upcoming inflation reports will reveal whether such factors are keeping inflation high or whether inflation will soon fall back to the Fed’s 2% target, as he said he expects. Inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in the summer of 2022, is forecast to slow to 3.4% in Wednesday’s latest report.

The Fed chair noted that rising rents are one key factor keeping inflation high. He called that “a bit of a puzzle” because measures of new apartment leases show new rents barely increasing. Such weaker data has apparently yet to flow into the government’s measures, which cover all rents, including for tenants who renew their leases. Though rents are still growing faster for tenants who renew leases, Powell said the government’s measures should eventually show rent growth easing.

The Fed chair also acknowledged that the economy “is different this time” because so many Americans refinanced their mortgages at very low rates before the Fed began raising borrowing costs in March 2022. Many large businesses also locked in low rates at that time.

“It may be,” he said, that the Fed’s rate policy “is hitting the economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation-mortgages-52156f98736527a254d5717b83e219f2">not quite as strongly</a>&nbsp;as it would have if those two things were not the case.”

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation-mortgages-52156f98736527a254d5717b83e219f2">Fed officials underscored</a>&nbsp;that they were prepared to leave their key interest rate at 5.3%, the highest level in 23 years, as long as needed quell inflation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sharp interest rate hikes of the past two years will likely take longer than previously expected to bring down inflation, several Federal Reserve officials have said in recent comments, suggesting there may be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-prices-interest-rates-cuts-348e4db8a6c91f108268713d181d6a17">few, if any</a>, rate cuts this year.

A major concern expressed by both Fed policymakers and some economists is that higher borrowing costs aren't having as much of an impact as economics textbooks would suggest. Americans as a whole, for example, aren't spending much more of their incomes on interest payments than they were a few years ago, according to government data, despite the Fed's sharp rate increases. That means higher rates may not be doing much to limit many Americans' spending, or cool inflation.

“What you have right now is a situation where these high rates aren’t generating more braking power on the economy,” said Joseph Lupton, global economist at J.P. Morgan. “That would suggest that they either need to stay high for longer or maybe even higher for longer, meaning rate hikes might come into the conversation.”

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-prices-interest-rates-cuts-348e4db8a6c91f108268713d181d6a17">earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that an interest rate increase was “unlikely,” but he did not fully rule it out. Powell emphasized, however, that the Fed needed to take more time to gain “greater confidence” that inflation is actually returning to the Fed's 2% target.

“I think the Fed’s telling you hikes are not quite as on the table as the market was expecting,” said Gennadiy Goldberg, an economist at TD Securities.

On Friday, Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan said that it is “just too early to think" about cutting rates, according to news reports. She also suggested that it is unclear whether the Fed's rate is high enough to quell inflation. Logan is one of the 19 officials on the Fed's interest-rate setting committee, though she does not vote on rates this year.

Higher-for-longer borrowing costs are sure to disappoint many, from Americans hoping for lower mortgage rates before buying a home, to Wall Street traders eagerly awaiting a cut, to President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely benefit from lower rates.

On Wednesday, the government will release April's inflation report, and economists forecast it will show inflation declined slightly to 3.4%, from 3.5% in March. It has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-f02b969d1b44a7ccb0385be03f766de0">climbed from 3.1% in January</a>, however, after falling sharply last year, raising concerns about whether progress in reducing inflation has stalled.

The Fed has pushed its key rate to a 23-year high of 5.3% in an effort to bring down inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in June 2022.

Yet despite those sharp increases, Americans, on average, spent just 9.8% of their after-tax income paying interest and principal on their debts in last year’s fourth quarter. Two years earlier — before the Fed hiked rates — they spent 9.5%, a historically low percentage.

Why hasn't the figure risen by more? Millions of American homeowners refinanced their mortgages at very low rates during the past decade and a half when the Fed mostly kept its key rate at nearly zero to bolster the economy. As a result, their mortgages remain low and their finances largely unaffected by the Fed's policies. Consumers who paid off their cars, or who took out low-rate five-year car loans before rates rose, have also felt little impact.

The average rate for a new 30-year mortgage is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-a1e51b9f3da89e361d75ba93da23db28">nearly 7.1%</a>, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac. But Goldberg calculates that the average rate on all outstanding mortgages is just 3.8%, not much higher than 3.3% when the Fed began to hike rates. The gap between new rates and the average outstanding is the highest since the 1980s.

"One of the things we hear is that maybe because so many Americans refinanced their mortgages when mortgage rates dropped during the pandemic ... people are not feeling the bite of higher mortgage rates yet,” Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve's Minneapolis branch, said last week. “If that’s true, and I think there’s some truth to that, then it may take longer” for the Fed’s rate hikes “to be fully felt by the housing market and by the economy more broadly.”

Many large corporations also locked in low rates before the Fed began hiking, further limiting the impact of higher borrowing costs.

“I think the most likely scenario is where we are right now, which is just we stay put for an extended period of time,” Kashkari said, referring to the Fed's key rate.

There are signs that higher rates are causing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-credit-cards-delinquencies-scores-renters-85aab5e510f531df140f99629a4f60c3">more financial struggles</a>&nbsp;for many Americans, as delinquencies on credit cards and auto loans rise. And many younger Americans are becoming increasingly concerned that, with mortgage costs so high, they will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-inflation-housing-trump-home-price-rent-248ef02e197c3a7ffb801e370c529d33">not be able to afford</a>&nbsp;a home.

Yet delinquencies are climbing from very low levels and are not yet historically high. Pandemic-era stimulus checks and rising incomes allowed many people to pay down debt in the past few years.

And Americans, in total, are carrying much less debt as a percentage of their incomes than they did during the housing bubble 15 years ago, Lupton notes.

“With consumers and businesses alike sheltered from higher interest rates thanks to pandemic-era debt paydowns and refinancing, their aggregate interest burden is not yet historically elevated," Tom Barkin, president of the Richmond Federal Reserve, said in recent comments. “To me, that suggests the full impact of higher rates is yet to come.”

Goldberg said that greater borrowing costs will eventually start to bite as more Americans throw in the towel and purchase homes, even with higher mortgage rates. In some cases, they may move for a new job or have family changes that require a move. And more companies, over time, will have to borrow at higher rates as well, as their low-interest loans mature.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642689710083.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the central bank is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation-mortgages-52156f98736527a254d5717b83e219f2">unlikely to raise</a>&nbsp;its key interest rate in response to signs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-f02b969d1b44a7ccb0385be03f766de0">stubborn inflation</a>&nbsp;and underscored his view that price increases would soon start to cool again.Yet Powell, during a panel discussion in Amsterdam, said his confidence that inflation will ease “is not as high as it was” because price increases have been persistently hot in the first three months of this year. Powell stressed that the Fed’s preferred approach was to keep its benchmark rate at its current two-decade peak rather than increase it.“I don’t think that it’s likely, based on the data that we have, that the next move that we make would be a rate hike,” Powell said. “I think it’s more likely that we’ll be at a place where we hold the policy rate where it is.”Financial markets and economists have been hoping for signs that one or two Fed rate cuts might be coming this year, given that inflation is down sharply from its high in 2022. But with price pressures still elevated, Powell and other Fed officials have signaled that no rate cut is likely anytime soon.Powell spoke hours after a report on U.S. producer prices showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-powell-c8c2bf0556446c1c4c858f6fc2f877ea">wholesale inflation picked up in April</a>. On Wednesday, the government will issue the latest monthly report on consumer inflation, which is expected to show that price growth cooled a bit last month.In his remarks Tuesday, Powell downplayed the wholesale price report, which also showed that some costs cooled last month, including for airfares, hospital visits and car insurance.“I wouldn’t call it hot,” he said of the wholesale inflation data. “I would call it sort of mixed.”Economists are divided over whether the high inflation figures this year reflect a re-acceleration in price growth or are largely echoes of pandemic distortions. Auto insurance, for example, has soared 22% from a year ago, but that surge may reflect factors specific to the auto industry: New car prices jumped during the pandemic, and insurance companies are now seeking to offset the higher repair and replacement costs by raising their premiums.Other economists point to consistent consumer spending on restaurant meals, travel and entertainment, categories where in some cases price increases have also been elevated, possibly reflecting strong demand.Powell said that upcoming inflation reports will reveal whether such factors are keeping inflation high or whether inflation will soon fall back to the Fed’s 2% target, as he said he expects. Inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in the summer of 2022, is forecast to slow to 3.4% in Wednesday’s latest report.The Fed chair noted that rising rents are one key factor keeping inflation high. He called that “a bit of a puzzle” because measures of new apartment leases show new rents barely increasing. Such weaker data has apparently yet to flow into the government’s measures, which cover all rents, including for tenants who renew their leases. Though rents are still growing faster for tenants who renew leases, Powell said the government’s measures should eventually show rent growth easing.The Fed chair also acknowledged that the economy “is different this time” because so many Americans refinanced their mortgages at very low rates before the Fed began raising borrowing costs in March 2022. Many large businesses also locked in low rates at that time.“It may be,” he said, that the Fed’s rate policy “is hitting the economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation-mortgages-52156f98736527a254d5717b83e219f2">not quite as strongly</a>&nbsp;as it would have if those two things were not the case.”Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-inflation-mortgages-52156f98736527a254d5717b83e219f2">Fed officials underscored</a>&nbsp;that they were prepared to leave their key interest rate at 5.3%, the highest level in 23 years, as long as needed quell inflation.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The sharp interest rate hikes of the past two years will likely take longer than previously expected to bring down inflation, several Federal Reserve officials have said in recent comments, suggesting there may be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-prices-interest-rates-cuts-348e4db8a6c91f108268713d181d6a17">few, if any</a>, rate cuts this year.A major concern expressed by both Fed policymakers and some economists is that higher borrowing costs aren't having as much of an impact as economics textbooks would suggest. Americans as a whole, for example, aren't spending much more of their incomes on interest payments than they were a few years ago, according to government data, despite the Fed's sharp rate increases. That means higher rates may not be doing much to limit many Americans' spending, or cool inflation.“What you have right now is a situation where these high rates aren’t generating more braking power on the economy,” said Joseph Lupton, global economist at J.P. Morgan. “That would suggest that they either need to stay high for longer or maybe even higher for longer, meaning rate hikes might come into the conversation.”Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-prices-interest-rates-cuts-348e4db8a6c91f108268713d181d6a17">earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that an interest rate increase was “unlikely,” but he did not fully rule it out. Powell emphasized, however, that the Fed needed to take more time to gain “greater confidence” that inflation is actually returning to the Fed's 2% target.“I think the Fed’s telling you hikes are not quite as on the table as the market was expecting,” said Gennadiy Goldberg, an economist at TD Securities.On Friday, Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan said that it is “just too early to think" about cutting rates, according to news reports. She also suggested that it is unclear whether the Fed's rate is high enough to quell inflation. Logan is one of the 19 officials on the Fed's interest-rate setting committee, though she does not vote on rates this year.Higher-for-longer borrowing costs are sure to disappoint many, from Americans hoping for lower mortgage rates before buying a home, to Wall Street traders eagerly awaiting a cut, to President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely benefit from lower rates.On Wednesday, the government will release April's inflation report, and economists forecast it will show inflation declined slightly to 3.4%, from 3.5% in March. It has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-f02b969d1b44a7ccb0385be03f766de0">climbed from 3.1% in January</a>, however, after falling sharply last year, raising concerns about whether progress in reducing inflation has stalled.The Fed has pushed its key rate to a 23-year high of 5.3% in an effort to bring down inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in June 2022.Yet despite those sharp increases, Americans, on average, spent just 9.8% of their after-tax income paying interest and principal on their debts in last year’s fourth quarter. Two years earlier — before the Fed hiked rates — they spent 9.5%, a historically low percentage.Why hasn't the figure risen by more? Millions of American homeowners refinanced their mortgages at very low rates during the past decade and a half when the Fed mostly kept its key rate at nearly zero to bolster the economy. As a result, their mortgages remain low and their finances largely unaffected by the Fed's policies. Consumers who paid off their cars, or who took out low-rate five-year car loans before rates rose, have also felt little impact.The average rate for a new 30-year mortgage is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-a1e51b9f3da89e361d75ba93da23db28">nearly 7.1%</a>, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac. But Goldberg calculates that the average rate on all outstanding mortgages is just 3.8%, not much higher than 3.3% when the Fed began to hike rates. The gap between new rates and the average outstanding is the highest since the 1980s."One of the things we hear is that maybe because so many Americans refinanced their mortgages when mortgage rates dropped during the pandemic ... people are not feeling the bite of higher mortgage rates yet,” Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve's Minneapolis branch, said last week. “If that’s true, and I think there’s some truth to that, then it may take longer” for the Fed’s rate hikes “to be fully felt by the housing market and by the economy more broadly.”Many large corporations also locked in low rates before the Fed began hiking, further limiting the impact of higher borrowing costs.“I think the most likely scenario is where we are right now, which is just we stay put for an extended period of time,” Kashkari said, referring to the Fed's key rate.There are signs that higher rates are causing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-credit-cards-delinquencies-scores-renters-85aab5e510f531df140f99629a4f60c3">more financial struggles</a>&nbsp;for many Americans, as delinquencies on credit cards and auto loans rise. And many younger Americans are becoming increasingly concerned that, with mortgage costs so high, they will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-inflation-housing-trump-home-price-rent-248ef02e197c3a7ffb801e370c529d33">not be able to afford</a>&nbsp;a home.Yet delinquencies are climbing from very low levels and are not yet historically high. Pandemic-era stimulus checks and rising incomes allowed many people to pay down debt in the past few years.And Americans, in total, are carrying much less debt as a percentage of their incomes than they did during the housing bubble 15 years ago, Lupton notes.“With consumers and businesses alike sheltered from higher interest rates thanks to pandemic-era debt paydowns and refinancing, their aggregate interest burden is not yet historically elevated," Tom Barkin, president of the Richmond Federal Reserve, said in recent comments. “To me, that suggests the full impact of higher rates is yet to come.”Goldberg said that greater borrowing costs will eventually start to bite as more Americans throw in the towel and purchase homes, even with higher mortgage rates. In some cases, they may move for a new job or have family changes that require a move. And more companies, over time, will have to borrow at higher rates as well, as their low-interest loans mature.

Bad news for shoppers: Inflation not going away

WASHINGTON —KCPD Officer Jim Muhlbauer's name is now on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C.

Muhlbauer is one of 24,067 officers on the wall, all of whom died in the line of duty. The engraving was recently finished and dedicated this week.

Muhlbauer,&nbsp; who made the arrest in a notorious quintuple homicide nearly a decade ago, his police dog and a pedestrian were all killed when a driver crashed into the officer's cruiser in February of 2023.

The crash happened as Officer Muhlbauer was on patrol. The driver, later identified as&nbsp;Jerron Lightfoot, 20, of Tonganoxie, Kansas, who struck the cruiser suffered minor injuries and was sentenced last month to 10 years in prison.&nbsp; The crash also killed a pedestrian Jesse Eckes, who was 52, and Muhlbauer's police dog, Champ.

In 2014, Muhlbauer “heroically” arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f780e78dd98041049c76a5f62874a5ce">Brandon Howell</a>&nbsp;after Howell killed five people in a quiet cul-de-sac when his attempt to steal a classic Jaguar went awry, said Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. Howell, who previously was acquitted in the killings of two Kansas teens, is serving multiple life terms, with no chance of parole, in the quintuple homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676902567063.png" alt="Jim Muhlbauer and his K9 Champ" />
 <figcaption>Jim Muhlbauer and his K9 Champ</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —KCPD Officer Jim Muhlbauer's name is now on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C.Muhlbauer is one of 24,067 officers on the wall, all of whom died in the line of duty. The engraving was recently finished and dedicated this week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715719781112.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>Muhlbauer,&nbsp; who made the arrest in a notorious quintuple homicide nearly a decade ago, his police dog and a pedestrian were all killed when a driver crashed into the officer's cruiser in February of 2023.The crash happened as Officer Muhlbauer was on patrol. The driver, later identified as&nbsp;Jerron Lightfoot, 20, of Tonganoxie, Kansas, who struck the cruiser suffered minor injuries and was sentenced last month to 10 years in prison.&nbsp; The crash also killed a pedestrian Jesse Eckes, who was 52, and Muhlbauer's police dog, Champ.In 2014, Muhlbauer “heroically” arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f780e78dd98041049c76a5f62874a5ce">Brandon Howell</a>&nbsp;after Howell killed five people in a quiet cul-de-sac when his attempt to steal a classic Jaguar went awry, said Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. Howell, who previously was acquitted in the killings of two Kansas teens, is serving multiple life terms, with no chance of parole, in the quintuple homicide.

KC officer's name now included on national memorial wall

KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minnesota&nbsp; —A body recovered from Nest Lake on Tuesday has been positively identified as 39-year-old Shane White from Overland Park, Kansas, according to a statement from the&nbsp;&nbsp; Kandiyohi County Sheriff.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

At 11:30p.m. Saturday, deputies learned that White&nbsp; had left alone in a kayak from his vacation rental on the south side of Nest Lake and failed to return. An open water and shoreline search began shortly after deputies arrived and White's kayak was located by deputies at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

The Sheriff's Office requested that property owners in the vicinity check shorelines and outbuildings for White.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Minnesota DNR, the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, New London Fire Department, New London Ambulance, Spicer Fire Department, Spicer First Responders, Sunburg Fire Department, the MN State Patrol and the Kandiyohi County Water Rescue and Recovery Team.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715689605369.png" alt="Shane White- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Shane White- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minnesota&nbsp; —A body recovered from Nest Lake on Tuesday has been positively identified as 39-year-old Shane White from Overland Park, Kansas, according to a statement from the&nbsp;&nbsp; Kandiyohi County Sheriff.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.At 11:30p.m. Saturday, deputies learned that White&nbsp; had left alone in a kayak from his vacation rental on the south side of Nest Lake and failed to return. An open water and shoreline search began shortly after deputies arrived and White's kayak was located by deputies at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.The Sheriff's Office requested that property owners in the vicinity check shorelines and outbuildings for White.The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Minnesota DNR, the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, New London Fire Department, New London Ambulance, Spicer Fire Department, Spicer First Responders, Sunburg Fire Department, the MN State Patrol and the Kandiyohi County Water Rescue and Recovery Team.

Body of missing kayaker from Kansas found in Minnesota lake

WICHITA — On May 5, the City disclosed that it made the decision to take its computer systems offline to stop the spread of malware that locks access to computer files. In the last week, the city has made great strides in recovery efforts, according to a statement on the city website.

As part of our thorough review and assessment of this matter, the city identified that certain files were copied from the city computer network without permission between May 3 and 4. These files contained law enforcement incident and traffic information, which include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license or state identification card numbers, and payment card information.&nbsp;

The city identified that this matter is related to a recently disclosed security vulnerability that affects organizations throughout the world. The city of Wichita technical teams have been working around the clock to put the mitigation measures in place to resolve the issue. Further, we are coordinating with law enforcement to investigate this matter further.&nbsp;

"We understand that this matter has been an inconvenience for our residents and customers, and for that we appreciate your patience as we work through this process."

"Whether individuals wish to take additional steps in response to this matter is a personal decision. However, we are providing information about free resources as detailed below should individuals have concerns."

Steps Individuals Can Take To Protect Personal Information

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit&nbsp;www.annualcreditreport.com&nbsp;or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax—www.equifax.com&nbsp;and 1-888-298-0045

Experian—www.experian.com&nbsp;and 1-888-397-3742

TransUnion—www.transunion.com&nbsp;and 1-800-916-8800

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state Attorney General.&nbsp;The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580;&nbsp;www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state Attorney General.&nbsp;

We thank you again for your continued patience as we continue to evaluate this matter. We will keep the webpage up to date at www.wichita.gov/alert as we learn more about restoring services and other additional resources we can provide.

WICHITA — On May 5, the City disclosed that it made the decision to take its computer systems offline to stop the spread of malware that locks access to computer files. In the last week, the city has made great strides in recovery efforts, according to a statement on the city website.As part of our thorough review and assessment of this matter, the city identified that certain files were copied from the city computer network without permission between May 3 and 4. These files contained law enforcement incident and traffic information, which include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license or state identification card numbers, and payment card information.&nbsp;The city identified that this matter is related to a recently disclosed security vulnerability that affects organizations throughout the world. The city of Wichita technical teams have been working around the clock to put the mitigation measures in place to resolve the issue. Further, we are coordinating with law enforcement to investigate this matter further.&nbsp;"We understand that this matter has been an inconvenience for our residents and customers, and for that we appreciate your patience as we work through this process.""Whether individuals wish to take additional steps in response to this matter is a personal decision. However, we are providing information about free resources as detailed below should individuals have concerns."<h2>Steps Individuals Can Take To Protect Personal Information</h2>Monitor Relevant AccountsUnder U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit&nbsp;www.annualcreditreport.com&nbsp;or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:<ol>
 <li>Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);</li><li>Social Security number;</li><li>Date of birth;</li><li>Addresses for the prior two to five years;</li><li>Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;</li><li>A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and</li><li>A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.</li>
 </ol>Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:Equifax—www.equifax.com&nbsp;and 1-888-298-0045Experian—www.experian.com&nbsp;and 1-888-397-3742TransUnion—www.transunion.com&nbsp;and 1-800-916-8800Additional InformationConsumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state Attorney General.&nbsp;The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580;&nbsp;www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state Attorney General.&nbsp;We thank you again for your continued patience as we continue to evaluate this matter. We will keep the webpage up to date at www.wichita.gov/alert as we learn more about restoring services and other additional resources we can provide.

Hackers got personal, financial info from city of Wichita cyberattack

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.

It's the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jdam-2000-bomb-israel-pause-13c22dd220b2262890e92bccdc6c591b">3,500 bombs</a>&nbsp;— on hold this month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The White House has come under criticism from both sides of the political spectrum in the U.S. over its military support for Israel's now seven-month war against Hamas in Gaza. Some of President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats have pushed him to limit transfers of offensive weapons to Israel to pressure the U.S. ally to do more to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-aid-deliveries-us-pier-dangers-israel-f7b351934c22d58d94a48eb6ca5d60ff">protect Palestinian civilians</a>. Many Republicans condemn any lessening of military backing to Israel.

The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.

There was no immediate indication when the arms would be sent. It’s not clear if this shipment is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-ukraine-aid-tiktok-senate-8fe738b17e5c4b2636bc0de11b2620b7">long-delayed foreign aid package</a>&nbsp;that Congress passed and Biden signed last month, a tranche from existing arms sale or a new sale.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans to move the package.

House Republicans were planning this week to advance a bill to mandate the delivery of offensive weaponry for Israel. Following Biden’s move to put a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">pause on bomb shipments</a>&nbsp;last week, Republicans have been swift in their condemnation, arguing it represents the abandonment of the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East.

The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass Congress. The bill also has practically no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the issue, and roughly two dozen have signed onto a letter to the Biden administration saying they were “deeply concerned about the message” sent by pausing the bomb shipment.

One of the letter’s signers, New York Rep. Ritchie Torres, said he would likely vote for the bill, despite the White House’s opposition.

“I have a general rule of supporting pro-Israel legislation unless it includes a poison pill — like cuts to domestic policy,” he said.

In addition to the written veto threat, the White House has been in touch with various lawmakers and congressional aides about the legislation, according to an administration official.

“We strongly, strongly oppose attempts to constrain the President’s ability to deploy U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week, adding that the administration plans to spend “every last cent” appropriated by Congress in the national security supplemental package that was signed into law by Biden last month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697623831480.png" alt="White House file photo" />
 <figcaption>White House file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.It's the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jdam-2000-bomb-israel-pause-13c22dd220b2262890e92bccdc6c591b">3,500 bombs</a>&nbsp;— on hold this month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.The White House has come under criticism from both sides of the political spectrum in the U.S. over its military support for Israel's now seven-month war against Hamas in Gaza. Some of President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats have pushed him to limit transfers of offensive weapons to Israel to pressure the U.S. ally to do more to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-aid-deliveries-us-pier-dangers-israel-f7b351934c22d58d94a48eb6ca5d60ff">protect Palestinian civilians</a>. Many Republicans condemn any lessening of military backing to Israel.The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.There was no immediate indication when the arms would be sent. It’s not clear if this shipment is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-ukraine-aid-tiktok-senate-8fe738b17e5c4b2636bc0de11b2620b7">long-delayed foreign aid package</a>&nbsp;that Congress passed and Biden signed last month, a tranche from existing arms sale or a new sale.The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans to move the package.House Republicans were planning this week to advance a bill to mandate the delivery of offensive weaponry for Israel. Following Biden’s move to put a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">pause on bomb shipments</a>&nbsp;last week, Republicans have been swift in their condemnation, arguing it represents the abandonment of the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East.The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass Congress. The bill also has practically no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the issue, and roughly two dozen have signed onto a letter to the Biden administration saying they were “deeply concerned about the message” sent by pausing the bomb shipment.One of the letter’s signers, New York Rep. Ritchie Torres, said he would likely vote for the bill, despite the White House’s opposition.“I have a general rule of supporting pro-Israel legislation unless it includes a poison pill — like cuts to domestic policy,” he said.In addition to the written veto threat, the White House has been in touch with various lawmakers and congressional aides about the legislation, according to an administration official.“We strongly, strongly oppose attempts to constrain the President’s ability to deploy U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week, adding that the administration plans to spend “every last cent” appropriated by Congress in the national security supplemental package that was signed into law by Biden last month.

U-turn: U.S. will send $1 billion in weapons to Israel

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas felon is going back to prison for selling drugs.

On May 8, John Michael Pace, 37, was sentenced to just over 31-years in prison for selling fentanyl, cocaine, meth, alprazolam, amphetamines and related possession crimes, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

Pace was found in possession of over 300 fentanyl pills, 67 grams of meth, over 8 grams of cocaine and over 2 grams of heroin.

He will be required to register for his lifetime, according to the district attorney.&nbsp; He has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715350731908.png" alt="Pace-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Pace-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas felon is going back to prison for selling drugs.On May 8, John Michael Pace, 37, was sentenced to just over 31-years in prison for selling fentanyl, cocaine, meth, alprazolam, amphetamines and related possession crimes, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.Pace was found in possession of over 300 fentanyl pills, 67 grams of meth, over 8 grams of cocaine and over 2 grams of heroin.He will be required to register for his lifetime, according to the district attorney.&nbsp; He has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. drug dealer caught with over 300 fentanyl pills, cocaine and heroin

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent knife attack and have made an arrest.

Just before 6 p.m. Sunday, police and EMS responded to a report of a stabbing at an apartment in the 13900 block of W 63rd Terrace in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release from police.


One man was transported to the hospital in serious but stable condition. One suspect was arrested at the scene. According to the Johnson County&nbsp; booking report 42-year-old Eric W. Eng is being held in connection with the crime.&nbsp; The case will be presented to the Johnson County District Attorney's office and Eng is scheduled for court on Friday, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715597471135.png" alt="Eng-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Eng-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent knife attack and have made an arrest.Just before 6 p.m. Sunday, police and EMS responded to a report of a stabbing at an apartment in the 13900 block of W 63rd Terrace in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release from police.
One man was transported to the hospital in serious but stable condition. One suspect was arrested at the scene. According to the Johnson County&nbsp; booking report 42-year-old Eric W. Eng is being held in connection with the crime.&nbsp; The case will be presented to the Johnson County District Attorney's office and Eng is scheduled for court on Friday, according to online jail records.

Man jailed for knife attack at Kansas apartment complex

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.

The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, which is located about 60 miles north of Kansas City.

Butker, who has made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, began his address by attacking what he called “dangerous gender ideologies” in an apparent reference to Pride month, which has been celebrated in June since the Stonewall riots in 1969. He also criticized an article by The Associated Press highlighting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-church-shift-orthodoxy-tradition-7638fa2013a593f8cb07483ffc8ed487">shift toward conservativism</a>&nbsp;in some parts of the Catholic Church.

The 28-year-old Butker then took aim at Biden's policies, including his response to COVID-19, which has killed nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique,” he said. “The bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.”

Butker later addressed the women in the audience, arguing that their “most important title” should be that of “homemaker.”

“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you," Butker said. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”

The Chiefs declined to comment on Butker's commencement address.

The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Georgia Tech has become of the NFL's best kickers, breaking the Chiefs' franchise record with a 62-yard field goal in 2022. Butker helped them win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and he kicked the field goal that forced overtime in a Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.

It has been an embarrassing offseason for the Chiefs, though.

Last month, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, soundly rejected a ballot initiative that would have helped pay for a downtown ballpark for the Royals and an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Chiefs. Many voters criticized the plan put forward by the Chiefs as catering primarily to VIPs and the wealthy.

The same week, wide receiver Rashee Rice turned himself into Dallas police on multiple charges, including aggravated assault, after he was involved in a high-speed crash that left four people with injuries. Rice has acknowledged being the driver of one of the sports cars that was going in excess of 100 mph, and video shows him leaving the scene without providing information or determining whether anyone needed medical attention.

Last week, law enforcement officials told The Dallas Morning News that Rice also was suspected of assaulting a person at a downtown nightclub; Dallas police did not name Rice as the suspect in detailing a report to The Associated Press.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715717735541.png" alt="Kansas City Chiefs’ placekicker Harrison Butker speaks to college graduates in his commencement address at Benedictine College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. | Photo courtesy Benedictine College" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs’ placekicker Harrison Butker speaks to college graduates in his commencement address at Benedictine College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. | Photo courtesy Benedictine College</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-JS7RIKSaCc?si=n5vTS7FShykUyMek&amp;start=10" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, which is located about 60 miles north of Kansas City.Butker, who has made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, began his address by attacking what he called “dangerous gender ideologies” in an apparent reference to Pride month, which has been celebrated in June since the Stonewall riots in 1969. He also criticized an article by The Associated Press highlighting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-church-shift-orthodoxy-tradition-7638fa2013a593f8cb07483ffc8ed487">shift toward conservativism</a>&nbsp;in some parts of the Catholic Church.The 28-year-old Butker then took aim at Biden's policies, including his response to COVID-19, which has killed nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique,” he said. “The bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.”Butker later addressed the women in the audience, arguing that their “most important title” should be that of “homemaker.”“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you," Butker said. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”The Chiefs declined to comment on Butker's commencement address.The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Georgia Tech has become of the NFL's best kickers, breaking the Chiefs' franchise record with a 62-yard field goal in 2022. Butker helped them win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and he kicked the field goal that forced overtime in a Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.It has been an embarrassing offseason for the Chiefs, though.Last month, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, soundly rejected a ballot initiative that would have helped pay for a downtown ballpark for the Royals and an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Chiefs. Many voters criticized the plan put forward by the Chiefs as catering primarily to VIPs and the wealthy.The same week, wide receiver Rashee Rice turned himself into Dallas police on multiple charges, including aggravated assault, after he was involved in a high-speed crash that left four people with injuries. Rice has acknowledged being the driver of one of the sports cars that was going in excess of 100 mph, and video shows him leaving the scene without providing information or determining whether anyone needed medical attention.Last week, law enforcement officials told The Dallas Morning News that Rice also was suspected of assaulting a person at a downtown nightclub; Dallas police did not name Rice as the suspect in detailing a report to The Associated Press.

🎥Chiefs kicker rails against Pride month, Biden during commencement address

JOHNSON COUNTY—Fire crews were able to rescue a man from a trench collapse at 138th and Goodman in Overland Park Tuesday morning, according to the Overland Park Fire Department.

Only one man was in the trench. He was conscious and alert. Just after 1p.m. Overland Park Fire reported the man was in stable condition at an area hospital.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Fire crews were able to rescue a man from a trench collapse at 138th and Goodman in Overland Park Tuesday morning, according to the Overland Park Fire Department.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The man involved in this morning&#39;s trench collapse was rescued and is in stable condition at an area hospital. Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/OlatheFire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlatheFire</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Cfd2NEJoCoKS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cfd2NEJoCoKS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JoCoMedAct?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoCoMedAct</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandPark_PD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OverlandPark_PD</a> for assistance. This is scene video of the rescue. <a href="https://t.co/hFKe4RqWk1">pic.twitter.com/hFKe4RqWk1</a>&mdash; Overland Park Fire (@OverlandParkFD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandParkFD/status/1790450521184063880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Only one man was in the trench. He was conscious and alert. Just after 1p.m. Overland Park Fire reported the man was in stable condition at an area hospital.

🎥 Fire crews rescue man from trench collapse in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) —Thousands of women in states with abortion bans and restrictions are receiving abortion pills in the mail from states that have laws protecting prescribers, a new report shows.

Tuesday’s release of the #WeCount survey shows about 8,000 women a month in states that severely restrict abortion or place limits on having one through telehealth were getting the pills by mail by the end of 2023, the first time a number has been put on how often the medical system workaround is being used. The research was conducted for the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion rights.

Another 8,000 women in states without bans or major restrictions on telehealth abortion were receiving pills each month through virtual appointments, the study showed.

In all, the survey counted about 90,000 monthly surgical or medication abortions offered by medical providers in 2023, higher than the previous year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-supreme-court-27d18f91242eb08c4d805880ddb5bb60">Another study recently found</a>&nbsp;that close to two-thirds of the total use pills.

The group found that by December 2023, providers in states with the protections were prescribing pills to about 6,000 women a month in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">states where abortion was banned</a>&nbsp;at all stages of pregnancy or once cardiac activity can be detected — about six weeks, often before women realize they're pregnant. The prescriptions also were going to about 2,000 women a month in states where the local laws limit abortion pill prescriptions by telemedicine.

“People ... are using the various mechanisms to get pills that are out there,” Drexel University law professor David Cohen said. This "is not surprising based on what we know throughout human history and across the world: People will find a way to terminate pregnancies they don't want.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">Medication abortions</a>&nbsp;typically involve a combination two drugs:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-supreme-court-1d2221251197a391c9bca833918e4554">mifepristone</a>&nbsp;and misoprostol. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-supreme-court-27d18f91242eb08c4d805880ddb5bb60">rise of these pills</a>&nbsp;is one reason total abortion numbers increased even after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022.

After Roe was overturned, abortion bans took effect in most Republican-controlled states. Fourteen states now prohibit it with few exceptions, while three others bar it after about six weeks of pregnancy.

But many Democratic-controlled states went the opposite way. They've adopted laws intended to protect people in their states from investigations involving abortion-related crimes by authorities in other states. By the end of last year, five of those states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Washington — had such protections in place specifically to cover abortion pill prescriptions by telemedicine.

“If a Colorado provider provides telehealth care to a patient who's in Texas, Colorado will not participate in any Texas criminal action or civil lawsuit,” Cohen said. “Colorado says: ‘The care that was provided in our state was legal. It follows our laws because the provider was in our state.’”

Wendy Stark, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, called the shield law there “a critical win for abortion access in our state.”

James Bopp Jr., general counsel for the National Right to Life Committee, said the law where the abortion takes place — not where the prescriber is located — should apply in pill-by-telemedicine abortions. That's the way it is with other laws, he said.

But unlike many other aspects of abortion policy, this issue hasn't been tested in court yet.

Bopp said that the only way to challenge a shield law in court would be for a prosecutor in a state with a ban to charge an out-of-state prescriber with providing an illegal abortion.

“It’ll probably occur, and we’ll get a legal challenge,” Bopp said.

Researchers note that before the shield laws took effect, people were obtaining abortion pills from sources outside the formal medical system, but it’s not clear exactly how many.

Alison Norris, an epidemiologist at Ohio State University and a lead researcher on the #WeCount report, said the group is not breaking down how many pills were shipped to each state with a ban “to maintain the highest level of protection for individuals receiving that care and providers providing that care.”

Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, director of Aid Access, an abortion pill supplier working with U.S. providers, said having more shield laws will make the health care system more resilient.

“They’re extremely important because they make doctors and providers ... feel safe and protected,” said Gomperts, whose organization's numbers were included in the #WeCount report. “I hope what we will see in the end is that all the states that are not banning abortion will adopt shield laws.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967437018.png" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Thousands of women in states with abortion bans and restrictions are receiving abortion pills in the mail from states that have laws protecting prescribers, a new report shows.Tuesday’s release of the #WeCount survey shows about 8,000 women a month in states that severely restrict abortion or place limits on having one through telehealth were getting the pills by mail by the end of 2023, the first time a number has been put on how often the medical system workaround is being used. The research was conducted for the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion rights.Another 8,000 women in states without bans or major restrictions on telehealth abortion were receiving pills each month through virtual appointments, the study showed.In all, the survey counted about 90,000 monthly surgical or medication abortions offered by medical providers in 2023, higher than the previous year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-supreme-court-27d18f91242eb08c4d805880ddb5bb60">Another study recently found</a>&nbsp;that close to two-thirds of the total use pills.The group found that by December 2023, providers in states with the protections were prescribing pills to about 6,000 women a month in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">states where abortion was banned</a>&nbsp;at all stages of pregnancy or once cardiac activity can be detected — about six weeks, often before women realize they're pregnant. The prescriptions also were going to about 2,000 women a month in states where the local laws limit abortion pill prescriptions by telemedicine.“People ... are using the various mechanisms to get pills that are out there,” Drexel University law professor David Cohen said. This "is not surprising based on what we know throughout human history and across the world: People will find a way to terminate pregnancies they don't want.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">Medication abortions</a>&nbsp;typically involve a combination two drugs:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-supreme-court-1d2221251197a391c9bca833918e4554">mifepristone</a>&nbsp;and misoprostol. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-supreme-court-27d18f91242eb08c4d805880ddb5bb60">rise of these pills</a>&nbsp;is one reason total abortion numbers increased even after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022.After Roe was overturned, abortion bans took effect in most Republican-controlled states. Fourteen states now prohibit it with few exceptions, while three others bar it after about six weeks of pregnancy.But many Democratic-controlled states went the opposite way. They've adopted laws intended to protect people in their states from investigations involving abortion-related crimes by authorities in other states. By the end of last year, five of those states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Washington — had such protections in place specifically to cover abortion pill prescriptions by telemedicine.“If a Colorado provider provides telehealth care to a patient who's in Texas, Colorado will not participate in any Texas criminal action or civil lawsuit,” Cohen said. “Colorado says: ‘The care that was provided in our state was legal. It follows our laws because the provider was in our state.’”Wendy Stark, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, called the shield law there “a critical win for abortion access in our state.”James Bopp Jr., general counsel for the National Right to Life Committee, said the law where the abortion takes place — not where the prescriber is located — should apply in pill-by-telemedicine abortions. That's the way it is with other laws, he said.But unlike many other aspects of abortion policy, this issue hasn't been tested in court yet.Bopp said that the only way to challenge a shield law in court would be for a prosecutor in a state with a ban to charge an out-of-state prescriber with providing an illegal abortion.“It’ll probably occur, and we’ll get a legal challenge,” Bopp said.Researchers note that before the shield laws took effect, people were obtaining abortion pills from sources outside the formal medical system, but it’s not clear exactly how many.Alison Norris, an epidemiologist at Ohio State University and a lead researcher on the #WeCount report, said the group is not breaking down how many pills were shipped to each state with a ban “to maintain the highest level of protection for individuals receiving that care and providers providing that care.”Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, director of Aid Access, an abortion pill supplier working with U.S. providers, said having more shield laws will make the health care system more resilient.“They’re extremely important because they make doctors and providers ... feel safe and protected,” said Gomperts, whose organization's numbers were included in the #WeCount report. “I hope what we will see in the end is that all the states that are not banning abortion will adopt shield laws.”___

Survey: 8,000 women a month got abortion pills despite states' bans, restrictions

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man injured in a motorcycle accident last week has died, Topeka Police reported Tuesday afternoon.

Just after 5:30p.m. May 7, a motorcycle driven by&nbsp; Christopher L. Evans, 38, Topeka, and a car were involved in a crash at 1st Street and SW Topeka Boulevard in Topeka.. Evans was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on Saturday.

An occupant of the car identified as 31-year-old Rachel J. Anguiano ran from the crash and was later arrested and booked on a felony warrant.

The accident remains under investigation.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man injured in a motorcycle accident last week has died, Topeka Police reported Tuesday afternoon.Just after 5:30p.m. May 7, a motorcycle driven by&nbsp; Christopher L. Evans, 38, Topeka, and a car were involved in a crash at 1st Street and SW Topeka Boulevard in Topeka.. Evans was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on Saturday.An occupant of the car identified as 31-year-old Rachel J. Anguiano ran from the crash and was later arrested and booked on a felony warrant.The accident remains under investigation.

Kansas man injured in motorcycle, car crash May 7, has died

Other bills signed by governor include tougher penalties for fentanyl crimes and consolidation of IT services

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a drug overdose prevention measure that will no longer criminalize Kansans who seek help for themselves or others during overdoses.

The bill is part of a slew of legislation Kelly signed into law last week.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb419/">Senate Bill 419</a>, known as a “good Samaritan” law, provides immunity from prosecution for drug possession or use for those who call for help from law enforcement or emergency medical services when someone requires life-saving intervention.

“It’s critical that all Kansans are empowered to seek or deliver medical assistance during an emergency,” Kelly said. “This bill is a lifeline for families and Kansans who are battling substance use disorders. It will save lives and provide the opportunity for recovery.”

Before the change, Kansas was one of the two states left in the country where people who needed help during drug overdoses could be arrested. Wyoming is now the only state without some form of a good Samaritan opioid overdose law.

Lawmakers passed the measure 114-0 in the House and 36-0 in the Senate, citing the move as a way to fight fentanyl overdoses in the state. The measure follows last year’s legalization of fentanyl test strips as a tool to fight fentanyl overdoses.

“This bill comes on the heels of the decriminalization of fentanyl testing strips — and combined these two policies work to protect vulnerable Kansans by keeping them alive long enough to get the help they need to healthily recover,” said Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson. “This bill represents the sort of compassion and acceptance I’ve always known lives in the hearts of so many Kansans.”

While the extent of fentanyl use in the state is unknown, reports show rising numbers for synthetic opioids, a category that illicit fentanyl falls under. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31759/2022-Annual-Summary-Full-Report-PDF">Kansas Office of Vital Statistics reported</a>&nbsp;a rise in opioid-related deaths from 255 in 2020 to 428 in 2021 and 497 in 2022.&nbsp;

“By extending immunity from prosecution to those seeking or providing aid related to controlled substances, we recognize the inherent value and dignity in every life, even amidst drug-related challenges,” said Rep. Nick Hoheisel, R-Wichita. “Whether it’s teenagers experimenting with pills or older individuals battling addiction, each life is a precious gift deserving preservation.”

Kelly signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb414/">Senate Bill 414</a>, approved 114-0 in the House and 26-0 in the Senate, which increases criminal penalties for distribution of fentanyl-related substances.

It also adds fentanyl to the list of drugs included under the crime of child endangerment. Allowing a child to be in an environment where the person knows or suspects fentanyl is present would come with a heightened charge.

The law contains other changes to criminal policy, such as removing the element of concealment and secrecy from the crime of breach of privacy, and amending the Kansas code of procedure for municipal courts’ practices on fingerprinting for municipal convictions.

Kelly also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb291/">Senate Bill 291</a>, a law that will consolidate state IT services and modernize cybersecurity infrastructures. The measure passed 113-1 in the House and 27-9 in the Senate.&nbsp;Among other changes, state government branches would have to implement new cybersecurity standards. The change comes after an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/11/21/kansas-court-officials-confirm-details-of-evil-criminal-international-cyberattack/">October cyberattack</a>&nbsp;that took the judicial system offline for weeks and potentially compromised the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-court-investigation-confirms-cyberattack-compromised-personal-data-of-150k-people/">personal data of 150,000 Kansans</a>.

<figure>
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 </figure><h2>Other bills signed by governor include tougher penalties for fentanyl crimes and consolidation of IT services</h2>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a drug overdose prevention measure that will no longer criminalize Kansans who seek help for themselves or others during overdoses.The bill is part of a slew of legislation Kelly signed into law last week.<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb419/">Senate Bill 419</a>, known as a “good Samaritan” law, provides immunity from prosecution for drug possession or use for those who call for help from law enforcement or emergency medical services when someone requires life-saving intervention.“It’s critical that all Kansans are empowered to seek or deliver medical assistance during an emergency,” Kelly said. “This bill is a lifeline for families and Kansans who are battling substance use disorders. It will save lives and provide the opportunity for recovery.”<h2>State’s fentanyl battle</h2>Before the change, Kansas was one of the two states left in the country where people who needed help during drug overdoses could be arrested. Wyoming is now the only state without some form of a good Samaritan opioid overdose law.Lawmakers passed the measure 114-0 in the House and 36-0 in the Senate, citing the move as a way to fight fentanyl overdoses in the state. The measure follows last year’s legalization of fentanyl test strips as a tool to fight fentanyl overdoses.“This bill comes on the heels of the decriminalization of fentanyl testing strips — and combined these two policies work to protect vulnerable Kansans by keeping them alive long enough to get the help they need to healthily recover,” said Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson. “This bill represents the sort of compassion and acceptance I’ve always known lives in the hearts of so many Kansans.”While the extent of fentanyl use in the state is unknown, reports show rising numbers for synthetic opioids, a category that illicit fentanyl falls under. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31759/2022-Annual-Summary-Full-Report-PDF">Kansas Office of Vital Statistics reported</a>&nbsp;a rise in opioid-related deaths from 255 in 2020 to 428 in 2021 and 497 in 2022.&nbsp;“By extending immunity from prosecution to those seeking or providing aid related to controlled substances, we recognize the inherent value and dignity in every life, even amidst drug-related challenges,” said Rep. Nick Hoheisel, R-Wichita. “Whether it’s teenagers experimenting with pills or older individuals battling addiction, each life is a precious gift deserving preservation.”<h2>Other new laws&nbsp;</h2>Kelly signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb414/">Senate Bill 414</a>, approved 114-0 in the House and 26-0 in the Senate, which increases criminal penalties for distribution of fentanyl-related substances.It also adds fentanyl to the list of drugs included under the crime of child endangerment. Allowing a child to be in an environment where the person knows or suspects fentanyl is present would come with a heightened charge.The law contains other changes to criminal policy, such as removing the element of concealment and secrecy from the crime of breach of privacy, and amending the Kansas code of procedure for municipal courts’ practices on fingerprinting for municipal convictions.Kelly also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb291/">Senate Bill 291</a>, a law that will consolidate state IT services and modernize cybersecurity infrastructures. The measure passed 113-1 in the House and 27-9 in the Senate.&nbsp;Among other changes, state government branches would have to implement new cybersecurity standards. The change comes after an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/11/21/kansas-court-officials-confirm-details-of-evil-criminal-international-cyberattack/">October cyberattack</a>&nbsp;that took the judicial system offline for weeks and potentially compromised the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-court-investigation-confirms-cyberattack-compromised-personal-data-of-150k-people/">personal data of 150,000 Kansans</a>.