WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Kansas City, Kansas have identified the victim as 22-year-old&nbsp;Gerald Jones, II, Kansas City, Kansas.

Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 6000 block of Leavenworth Road, according to a media release.

First responders discovered Jones in the parking lot of a business. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

&nbsp;This is the seventh homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Kansas City, Kansas have identified the victim as 22-year-old&nbsp;Gerald Jones, II, Kansas City, Kansas.Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 6000 block of Leavenworth Road, according to a media release.First responders discovered Jones in the parking lot of a business. He was pronounced deceased on scene.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.&nbsp;This is the seventh homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas.

Homicide: Police ID Kan. man found dead in parking lot of business

JERUSALEM (AP) — A warship — part of a U.S.-led coalition protecting shipping in the Mideast — intercepted an anti-ship ballistic missile fired over the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, the American military said, marking a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">new attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;after a recent lull.

The Houthis claimed the assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel's ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The explosion happened some 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said in a statement.

Early Thursday, the U.S. military's Central Command said a coalition warship shot down the missile likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members.

“There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships," Central Command said.

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, claimed the attack but insisted without evidence that the missile hit the Yorktown. Saree also claimed the Houthis targeted another ship in the Indian Ocean, without providing proof. The Houthis have made repeated claims that turned out to not be true during their yearslong war in Yemen.

The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and firing off drones and missiles steadily in the last months.

The Houthis have said they would continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The ships targeted by the Houthis largely have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

The assaults on shipping have raised the profile of the Houthis, who are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. The group seized Sanaa, Yemen's capital, in late 2014. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the group in a stalemated conflict since 2015.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lashed out at pro-Palestinian demonstrations on American college campuses, calling them antisemitic and comparing them to the lead-up to the Holocaust.

In a video statement released Wednesday, Netanyahu said that “antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities” where “they call for the annihilation of Israel.”

“This is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s,” he said. “It’s unconscionable.”

He called on state, local and federal officials to intervene.

Groups organizing the protests deny allegations of antisemitism, saying the demonstrations are directed at Israel and its actions in Gaza.

Students demanding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-protests-israel-divestment-palestinians-3f37f96f7be8e1124f266842d9caa627">schools cut financial ties</a>&nbsp;to Israel and divest from companies enabling its monthslong conflict, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel. Dozens have been arrested on charges of trespassing or disorderly conduct.

Some Jewish students are taking part in the protests, while others say the demonstrations have veered into antisemitism and made them afraid to set foot on campus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708804229711.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — A warship — part of a U.S.-led coalition protecting shipping in the Mideast — intercepted an anti-ship ballistic missile fired over the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, the American military said, marking a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">new attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;after a recent lull.The Houthis claimed the assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel's ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The explosion happened some 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said in a statement.Early Thursday, the U.S. military's Central Command said a coalition warship shot down the missile likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members.“There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships," Central Command said.Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, claimed the attack but insisted without evidence that the missile hit the Yorktown. Saree also claimed the Houthis targeted another ship in the Indian Ocean, without providing proof. The Houthis have made repeated claims that turned out to not be true during their yearslong war in Yemen.The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and firing off drones and missiles steadily in the last months.The Houthis have said they would continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.The ships targeted by the Houthis largely have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.The assaults on shipping have raised the profile of the Houthis, who are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. The group seized Sanaa, Yemen's capital, in late 2014. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the group in a stalemated conflict since 2015.Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lashed out at pro-Palestinian demonstrations on American college campuses, calling them antisemitic and comparing them to the lead-up to the Holocaust.In a video statement released Wednesday, Netanyahu said that “antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities” where “they call for the annihilation of Israel.”“This is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s,” he said. “It’s unconscionable.”He called on state, local and federal officials to intervene.Groups organizing the protests deny allegations of antisemitism, saying the demonstrations are directed at Israel and its actions in Gaza.Students demanding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-protests-israel-divestment-palestinians-3f37f96f7be8e1124f266842d9caa627">schools cut financial ties</a>&nbsp;to Israel and divest from companies enabling its monthslong conflict, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel. Dozens have been arrested on charges of trespassing or disorderly conduct.Some Jewish students are taking part in the protests, while others say the demonstrations have veered into antisemitism and made them afraid to set foot on campus.

Iran-backed terrorists target U.S. owned ship in the Gulf of Aden  

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged arson and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday, the Riley County Communication Center received a call of a fire alarm at the&nbsp;Parkwood Inn and Suites in the 500 block of S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Officers from RCPD and Quints 2 and 3 from the Manhattan Fire Department responded to the location. &nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews discovered an activated fire sprinkler head on the fourth floor.&nbsp;

Fire investigators determined an unknown item was ignited near the sprinkler head causing it to activate. Fire loss is estimated to be $500 with the area sustaining significant water damage.

Officers arrested Gerry Phillips, 32, of Manhattan on a probable cause offense of aggravated arson. His bond was set at $20,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The RCPD did not release the exact location of the fire. However, an online search&nbsp; indicates the fire occurred at the&nbsp;Parkwood Inn and Suites. at 505 MLK Jr. Drive in Manhattan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713992811779.png" alt="Parkwood Inn and Suites -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Parkwood Inn and Suites -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged arson and have a suspect in custody.Just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday, the Riley County Communication Center received a call of a fire alarm at the&nbsp;Parkwood Inn and Suites in the 500 block of S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.Officers from RCPD and Quints 2 and 3 from the Manhattan Fire Department responded to the location. &nbsp;Upon arrival, fire crews discovered an activated fire sprinkler head on the fourth floor.&nbsp;Fire investigators determined an unknown item was ignited near the sprinkler head causing it to activate. Fire loss is estimated to be $500 with the area sustaining significant water damage.Officers arrested Gerry Phillips, 32, of Manhattan on a probable cause offense of aggravated arson. His bond was set at $20,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;The RCPD did not release the exact location of the fire. However, an online search&nbsp; indicates the fire occurred at the&nbsp;Parkwood Inn and Suites. at 505 MLK Jr. Drive in Manhattan.

Police: Kansas man accused of starting a fire at hotel

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical Wednesday that state abortion bans after their sweeping ruling overturning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;violate federal healthcare law, though some also questioned the effects on emergency care for pregnant patients.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-726">Click here to listen to a replay</a> of the oral argument

The case marks the first time the Supreme Court has considered the implications of a state ban since overturning the nationwide right to abortion. It comes from Idaho, which is among 14 states that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/courts-abortion-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-district-of-columbia-kansas-city-fdd18338724547c9a9f069107ced4347">now ban abortion</a>&nbsp;at all stages of pregnancy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-idaho-emergency-care-000a2482fdd1f1299599c91a6cc7635a">with very limited exceptions</a>.

The high court has already allowed the state ban to go into effect, even in medical emergencies, and it was unclear whether members of the conservative majority were swayed by the Biden administration's argument that federal law overrides the state in rare emergency cases where a pregnant patient's health is at serious risk.

The closely watched case tests how open the six-justice conservative majority is to carving out limited exceptions to state abortion bans. Their ruling, expected by late June, could have wide implications&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-emergency-care-abortion-supreme-court-roe-9ce6c87c8fc653c840654de1ae5f7a1c">amid a spike</a>&nbsp;in complaints that pregnant women have been turned away from emergency rooms care since Roe was overturned.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/biden-vows-to-restore-roe-v-wade-0000018e1bf9dae6afdf9bf98ace0000">Biden administration says</a>&nbsp;abortion care must be allowed in those cases under a law that requires hospitals accepting Medicare to provide emergency care regardless of patients' ability to pay.

Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the decision overturning Roe v. Wade, was doubtful. “How can you impose restrictions on what Idaho can criminalize, simply because hospitals in Idaho have chosen to participate in Medicare?” he said.

Idaho contends its ban does have exceptions for life-saving abortions, and the administration wants to wrongly expand the times when it's allowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-arizona-law-florida-ban-7cdd6d2e3c320a89ec7a7c037824e7cd">turn hospitals into “abortion enclaves</a>."

But liberal justices detailed cases of pregnant women hemorrhaging or having to undergo hysterectomies after abortion care was denied or delayed in states with bans.

“Within these rare cases, there’s a significant number where the woman’s life is not in peril, but she’s going to lose her reproductive organs. She’s going to lose the ability to have children in the future unless an abortion takes place,” said Justice Elena Kagan.

Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, meanwhile, said she was “kind of shocked” that an attorney for Idaho appeared to hedge when asked whether the state would allow abortions in cases like those. Attorney Joshua N. Turner responded that doctors can use their “good faith” medical judgment under Idaho's life-saving exception, but Barrett continued to press: “What if the prosecutor thinks differently?”

Turner acknowledged that a doctor could face a criminal case in that situation. Performing an abortion outside of limited exceptions in Idaho is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Doctors have said Idaho’s abortion ban has already affected emergency care. More women whose conditions are typically treated with abortions must now be flown out of state for care, since doctors must wait until they are close to death to provide terminations within the bounds of state law.

Abortion opponents say doctors have mishandled maternal emergency cases, and argue the Biden administration overstates health care woes to undermine state abortion laws.

The justices also heard another abortion case this term seeking to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-mifepristone-telemedicine-4406d53e8af90f6a523264f535f5adf8">abortion medication</a>. It remains pending, though the justices overall seemed skeptical of the push.

The Justice Department originally brought the case against Idaho, arguing the state’s abortion law conflicts with the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-idaho-emergency-care-000a2482fdd1f1299599c91a6cc7635a">known as EMTALA</a>. It requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide emergency care to any patient regardless of their ability to pay. Nearly all hospitals accept Medicare.

A federal judge initially sided with the administration and ruled that abortions were legal in medical emergencies. After the state appealed, the Supreme Court allowed the law to go fully into effect in January.

Outside the court, dueling protesters gathered with signs like “Abortion saves lives,” from one side of the crowd and “Emergency rooms are not abortion clinics” from abortion opponents.

Inside, the audience was sparse, though, with several benches empty or sparingly used.

___ Associated Press writers Gary Fields and Mark Sherman contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider Wednesday when doctors can provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortions</a>&nbsp;during medical emergencies in states with bans enacted after the high court’s sweeping decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The case comes from Idaho, which is among 14 states that now ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy with limited exceptions. It marks the first time the Supreme Court has considered a state ban since Roe was reversed.

The Biden administration argues that even in states where abortion is banned, federal health care law says hospitals must be allowed to terminate pregnancies in rare emergencies where a patient’s life or health is at serious risk.

Idaho contends its ban has exceptions for life-saving abortions but allowing it in more medical emergencies would turn hospitals into “abortion enclaves.” The state argues the Biden administration is misusing a health care law that is meant to ensure patients aren't turned away based on their ability to pay.

The Supreme Court has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">allowed the Idaho law</a>&nbsp;to go into effect, even during emergencies, as the case played out.

Dueling protests were taking shape outside the court before the start of arguments on Wednesday. “Abortion saves lives,” read signs displayed by abortion rights supporters. Opponents displayed a sign that read, “Emergency rooms are not abortion clinics.”

Doctors have said Idaho’s abortion ban has already affected emergency care. More women whose conditions are typically treated with abortions must now be flown out of state for care, since doctors must wait until they are close to death to provide abortions within the bounds of state law.

Meanwhile, complaints of pregnant women being turned away from U.S. emergency rooms&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-emergency-care-abortion-supreme-court-roe-9ce6c87c8fc653c840654de1ae5f7a1c">spiked</a>&nbsp;after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, according to federal documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Anti-abortion groups blame doctors for mishandling maternal emergency cases. Idaho argues the Biden administration overstates health care woes to undermine state abortion laws.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713986233216.png" alt="Photo courtesy Physicians for Human Rights" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Physicians for Human Rights</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical Wednesday that state abortion bans after their sweeping ruling overturning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;violate federal healthcare law, though some also questioned the effects on emergency care for pregnant patients.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-726">Click here to listen to a replay</a> of the oral argumentThe case marks the first time the Supreme Court has considered the implications of a state ban since overturning the nationwide right to abortion. It comes from Idaho, which is among 14 states that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/courts-abortion-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-district-of-columbia-kansas-city-fdd18338724547c9a9f069107ced4347">now ban abortion</a>&nbsp;at all stages of pregnancy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-idaho-emergency-care-000a2482fdd1f1299599c91a6cc7635a">with very limited exceptions</a>.The high court has already allowed the state ban to go into effect, even in medical emergencies, and it was unclear whether members of the conservative majority were swayed by the Biden administration's argument that federal law overrides the state in rare emergency cases where a pregnant patient's health is at serious risk.The closely watched case tests how open the six-justice conservative majority is to carving out limited exceptions to state abortion bans. Their ruling, expected by late June, could have wide implications&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-emergency-care-abortion-supreme-court-roe-9ce6c87c8fc653c840654de1ae5f7a1c">amid a spike</a>&nbsp;in complaints that pregnant women have been turned away from emergency rooms care since Roe was overturned.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/biden-vows-to-restore-roe-v-wade-0000018e1bf9dae6afdf9bf98ace0000">Biden administration says</a>&nbsp;abortion care must be allowed in those cases under a law that requires hospitals accepting Medicare to provide emergency care regardless of patients' ability to pay.Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the decision overturning Roe v. Wade, was doubtful. “How can you impose restrictions on what Idaho can criminalize, simply because hospitals in Idaho have chosen to participate in Medicare?” he said.Idaho contends its ban does have exceptions for life-saving abortions, and the administration wants to wrongly expand the times when it's allowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-arizona-law-florida-ban-7cdd6d2e3c320a89ec7a7c037824e7cd">turn hospitals into “abortion enclaves</a>."But liberal justices detailed cases of pregnant women hemorrhaging or having to undergo hysterectomies after abortion care was denied or delayed in states with bans.“Within these rare cases, there’s a significant number where the woman’s life is not in peril, but she’s going to lose her reproductive organs. She’s going to lose the ability to have children in the future unless an abortion takes place,” said Justice Elena Kagan.Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, meanwhile, said she was “kind of shocked” that an attorney for Idaho appeared to hedge when asked whether the state would allow abortions in cases like those. Attorney Joshua N. Turner responded that doctors can use their “good faith” medical judgment under Idaho's life-saving exception, but Barrett continued to press: “What if the prosecutor thinks differently?”Turner acknowledged that a doctor could face a criminal case in that situation. Performing an abortion outside of limited exceptions in Idaho is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.Doctors have said Idaho’s abortion ban has already affected emergency care. More women whose conditions are typically treated with abortions must now be flown out of state for care, since doctors must wait until they are close to death to provide terminations within the bounds of state law.Abortion opponents say doctors have mishandled maternal emergency cases, and argue the Biden administration overstates health care woes to undermine state abortion laws.The justices also heard another abortion case this term seeking to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-mifepristone-telemedicine-4406d53e8af90f6a523264f535f5adf8">abortion medication</a>. It remains pending, though the justices overall seemed skeptical of the push.The Justice Department originally brought the case against Idaho, arguing the state’s abortion law conflicts with the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-idaho-emergency-care-000a2482fdd1f1299599c91a6cc7635a">known as EMTALA</a>. It requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide emergency care to any patient regardless of their ability to pay. Nearly all hospitals accept Medicare.A federal judge initially sided with the administration and ruled that abortions were legal in medical emergencies. After the state appealed, the Supreme Court allowed the law to go fully into effect in January.Outside the court, dueling protesters gathered with signs like “Abortion saves lives,” from one side of the crowd and “Emergency rooms are not abortion clinics” from abortion opponents.Inside, the audience was sparse, though, with several benches empty or sparingly used.___ Associated Press writers Gary Fields and Mark Sherman contributed to this report.--------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider Wednesday when doctors can provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortions</a>&nbsp;during medical emergencies in states with bans enacted after the high court’s sweeping decision overturning Roe v. Wade.The case comes from Idaho, which is among 14 states that now ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy with limited exceptions. It marks the first time the Supreme Court has considered a state ban since Roe was reversed.The Biden administration argues that even in states where abortion is banned, federal health care law says hospitals must be allowed to terminate pregnancies in rare emergencies where a patient’s life or health is at serious risk.Idaho contends its ban has exceptions for life-saving abortions but allowing it in more medical emergencies would turn hospitals into “abortion enclaves.” The state argues the Biden administration is misusing a health care law that is meant to ensure patients aren't turned away based on their ability to pay.The Supreme Court has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">allowed the Idaho law</a>&nbsp;to go into effect, even during emergencies, as the case played out.Dueling protests were taking shape outside the court before the start of arguments on Wednesday. “Abortion saves lives,” read signs displayed by abortion rights supporters. Opponents displayed a sign that read, “Emergency rooms are not abortion clinics.”Doctors have said Idaho’s abortion ban has already affected emergency care. More women whose conditions are typically treated with abortions must now be flown out of state for care, since doctors must wait until they are close to death to provide abortions within the bounds of state law.Meanwhile, complaints of pregnant women being turned away from U.S. emergency rooms&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-emergency-care-abortion-supreme-court-roe-9ce6c87c8fc653c840654de1ae5f7a1c">spiked</a>&nbsp;after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, according to federal documents obtained by The Associated Press.Anti-abortion groups blame doctors for mishandling maternal emergency cases. Idaho argues the Biden administration overstates health care woes to undermine state abortion laws.The justices also heard another abortion case this term seeking to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-mifepristone-telemedicine-4406d53e8af90f6a523264f535f5adf8">abortion medication</a>. It remains pending, though the justices overall seemed skeptical of the push.The Justice Department originally brought the case against Idaho, arguing the state’s abortion law conflicts with the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-idaho-emergency-care-000a2482fdd1f1299599c91a6cc7635a">known as EMTALA</a>. It requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide emergency care to any patient regardless of their ability to pay. Nearly all hospitals accept Medicare.A federal judge initially sided with the administration and ruled that abortions were legal in medical emergencies. After the state appealed, the Supreme Court allowed the law to go fully into effect in January.

🎧Supreme Court divided over access to emergency abortions

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the left and right,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices seem to agree on a basic truth about the American system of government: No one is above the law, not even the president.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2023/23-939_l5gm.pdf">Click here to read a</a> transcript of the oral argument

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-939">Click here to listen to a replay </a>of the oral argument&nbsp;

“The law applies equally to all persons, including a person who happens for a period of time to occupy the Presidency,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in 2020.

Less than a year earlier, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, then a federal trial judge, wrote, “Stated simply, the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings.”

But former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and his legal team are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-jan-6-immunity-38fd48f47324bf812e2194831ef75471">putting that foundational belief to the test</a>&nbsp;on Thursday when the high court takes up the Republican’s bid to avoid prosecution over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump’s lawyers argue that former presidents are entitled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immunity-prosecution-capitol-riot-9fd5dc5947dab82bbd18d3efcb4267d8">absolute immunity</a>&nbsp;for their official acts. Otherwise, they say, politically motivated prosecutions of former occupants of the Oval Office would become routine and presidents couldn't function as the commander in chief if they had to worry about criminal charges.

Lower courts have rejected those arguments, including a unanimous three-judge panel on an appeals court in Washington, D.C. And even if the high court resoundingly follows suit, the timing of its decision may be as important as the outcome. That’s because Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has been pushing to delay the trial until after the November election, and the later the justices issue their decision, the more likely he is to succeed.

The court typically issues its last opinions by the end of June, which is roughly four months before the election.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">election interference conspiracy case</a>&nbsp;brought by special counsel Jack Smith in Washington is just one of four criminal cases confronting Trump, the first former president to face prosecution. He already is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-national-enquirer-1dd3c3111febf219bdf1d8627504a3c5">standing trial in New York</a>&nbsp;on charges that he falsified business records to keep damaging information from voters when he directed hush money payments to a former porn star to keep quiet her claims that they had a sexual encounter.

Smith’s team says the men who wrote Constitution never intended for presidents to be above the law and that, in any event, the acts Trump is charged with — including participating in a scheme to enlist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">fake electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden — aren’t in any way part of a president’s official duties.

Nearly four years ago, all nine justices rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from a district attorney’s subpoena for his financial records. That case played out during Trump’s presidency and involved a criminal investigation, but no charges.

Justice Clarence Thomas, who would have prevented the enforcement of the subpoena because of Trump’s responsibilities as president, still rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity and pointed to the text of the Constitution and how it was understood by the people who ratified it.

“The text of the Constitution … does not afford the President absolute immunity,” Thomas wrote in 2020.

The lack of apparent support on the court for the sort of blanket immunity Trump seeks has caused commentators to speculate about why the court has taken up the case in the first place.

Phillip Bobbitt, a constitutional scholar at Columbia University’s law school, said he worries about the delay, but sees value in a decision that amounts to “a definitive expression by the Supreme Court that we are a government of laws and not of men.”

The court also may be more concerned with how its decision could affect future presidencies, Harvard law school professor Jack Goldsmith wrote on the Lawfare blog.

But Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the court never should have taken the case because an ideologically diverse panel of the federal appeals court in Washington adequately addressed the issues.

"If it was going to take the case, it should have proceeded faster, because now, it will most likely prevent the trial from being completed before the election. Even Richard Nixon said that the American people deserve to know whether their president is a crook. The Supreme Court seems to disagree,” Roosevelt said.

The court has several options for deciding the case. The justices could reject Trump's arguments and unfreeze the case so that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan can resume trial preparations, which she has indicated may last up to three months.

The court could end Smith's prosecution by declaring for the first time that former presidents may not be prosecuted for official acts they took while in office.

It also might spell out when former presidents are shielded for prosecution and either declare that Trump's alleged conduct easily crossed the line or return the case to Chutkan so that she can decide whether Trump should have to stand trial.

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the left and right,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices seem to agree on a basic truth about the American system of government: No one is above the law, not even the president.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2023/23-939_l5gm.pdf">Click here to read a</a> transcript of the oral argument<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-939">Click here to listen to a replay </a>of the oral argument&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;We have a big case today this judge isn&#39;t allowing me to go. We have a big case today at the Supreme Court on presidential immunity. A president has to have immunity if you don&#39;t have immunity you just have a ceremonial president.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/oJB9O7eaud">pic.twitter.com/oJB9O7eaud</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1783481860468724184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The law applies equally to all persons, including a person who happens for a period of time to occupy the Presidency,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in 2020.Less than a year earlier, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, then a federal trial judge, wrote, “Stated simply, the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings.”But former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and his legal team are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-jan-6-immunity-38fd48f47324bf812e2194831ef75471">putting that foundational belief to the test</a>&nbsp;on Thursday when the high court takes up the Republican’s bid to avoid prosecution over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.Trump’s lawyers argue that former presidents are entitled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immunity-prosecution-capitol-riot-9fd5dc5947dab82bbd18d3efcb4267d8">absolute immunity</a>&nbsp;for their official acts. Otherwise, they say, politically motivated prosecutions of former occupants of the Oval Office would become routine and presidents couldn't function as the commander in chief if they had to worry about criminal charges.Lower courts have rejected those arguments, including a unanimous three-judge panel on an appeals court in Washington, D.C. And even if the high court resoundingly follows suit, the timing of its decision may be as important as the outcome. That’s because Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has been pushing to delay the trial until after the November election, and the later the justices issue their decision, the more likely he is to succeed.The court typically issues its last opinions by the end of June, which is roughly four months before the election.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">election interference conspiracy case</a>&nbsp;brought by special counsel Jack Smith in Washington is just one of four criminal cases confronting Trump, the first former president to face prosecution. He already is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-national-enquirer-1dd3c3111febf219bdf1d8627504a3c5">standing trial in New York</a>&nbsp;on charges that he falsified business records to keep damaging information from voters when he directed hush money payments to a former porn star to keep quiet her claims that they had a sexual encounter.Smith’s team says the men who wrote Constitution never intended for presidents to be above the law and that, in any event, the acts Trump is charged with — including participating in a scheme to enlist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">fake electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden — aren’t in any way part of a president’s official duties.Nearly four years ago, all nine justices rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from a district attorney’s subpoena for his financial records. That case played out during Trump’s presidency and involved a criminal investigation, but no charges.Justice Clarence Thomas, who would have prevented the enforcement of the subpoena because of Trump’s responsibilities as president, still rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity and pointed to the text of the Constitution and how it was understood by the people who ratified it.“The text of the Constitution … does not afford the President absolute immunity,” Thomas wrote in 2020.The lack of apparent support on the court for the sort of blanket immunity Trump seeks has caused commentators to speculate about why the court has taken up the case in the first place.Phillip Bobbitt, a constitutional scholar at Columbia University’s law school, said he worries about the delay, but sees value in a decision that amounts to “a definitive expression by the Supreme Court that we are a government of laws and not of men.”The court also may be more concerned with how its decision could affect future presidencies, Harvard law school professor Jack Goldsmith wrote on the Lawfare blog.But Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the court never should have taken the case because an ideologically diverse panel of the federal appeals court in Washington adequately addressed the issues."If it was going to take the case, it should have proceeded faster, because now, it will most likely prevent the trial from being completed before the election. Even Richard Nixon said that the American people deserve to know whether their president is a crook. The Supreme Court seems to disagree,” Roosevelt said.The court has several options for deciding the case. The justices could reject Trump's arguments and unfreeze the case so that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan can resume trial preparations, which she has indicated may last up to three months.The court could end Smith's prosecution by declaring for the first time that former presidents may not be prosecuted for official acts they took while in office.It also might spell out when former presidents are shielded for prosecution and either declare that Trump's alleged conduct easily crossed the line or return the case to Chutkan so that she can decide whether Trump should have to stand trial.

🎥Supreme Court hears Trump’s claim to ‘absolute immunity’

CRAWFORD COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a crash on a scooter.

Just before 1a.m. Monday, police on routine patrol in the area of West Martin Avenue and South Georgia Street in Pittsburg, Kansas, observed a subject riding a scooter in that area, according to a media release.

The driver of the scooter attempted to turn onto Martin Avenue from Georgia Street but failed to navigate the turn and wrecked at that intersection. 

The officer made contact with the driver, who was later identified as 32-year-old John D. Robertson Jr., of Frontenac, Kansas. 

However, at the time of the initial contact, the driver provided a false name to the investigating officer. While investigating the wreck, the officer discovered the scooter had been previously reported as stolen out of Pittsburg. 

The scooter was later towed away from the scene. Robertson, who reported being injured as a result of the wreck, was transported by Crawford County EMS to Ascension Via Christi Hospital’s emergency department for treatment. 

Once released from the hospital, Robertson was taken into custody and was transported to the jail at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for booking. Articles of contraband were located during the subsequent search of the driver incident to the arrest. Additionally, upon arrival at the jail, the driver’s identity was verified.

Robertson was booked into jail on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property, felony interference with law enforcement, felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Mr. Robertson is currently being held without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713870007587.png" alt="Robertson photo Crawford Co." />
 <figcaption>Robertson photo Crawford Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a crash on a scooter.Just before 1a.m. Monday, police on routine patrol in the area of West Martin Avenue and South Georgia Street in Pittsburg, Kansas, observed a subject riding a scooter in that area, according to a media release.The driver of the scooter attempted to turn onto Martin Avenue from Georgia Street but failed to navigate the turn and wrecked at that intersection. The officer made contact with the driver, who was later identified as 32-year-old John D. Robertson Jr., of Frontenac, Kansas. However, at the time of the initial contact, the driver provided a false name to the investigating officer. While investigating the wreck, the officer discovered the scooter had been previously reported as stolen out of Pittsburg. The scooter was later towed away from the scene. Robertson, who reported being injured as a result of the wreck, was transported by Crawford County EMS to Ascension Via Christi Hospital’s emergency department for treatment. Once released from the hospital, Robertson was taken into custody and was transported to the jail at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for booking. Articles of contraband were located during the subsequent search of the driver incident to the arrest. Additionally, upon arrival at the jail, the driver’s identity was verified.Robertson was booked into jail on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property, felony interference with law enforcement, felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Mr. Robertson is currently being held without bond.

Kansas man jailed after crash on a stolen scooter

BUTLER COUNTY—Investigators have identified the victims in a house fire rural Butler County as 80-year-old Paula J. Williams; 55-year-old Phillip A Williams and 52-year-old Melissa K. Williams, according to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.

Just after 3a.m. Saturday, deputies from the Butler County sheriff's office and police officers from Rose Hill were dispatched to the 15400 Block of SW County Line Road, rural Rose Hill for report of a 911 open line from a panicked woman with an unknown problem.

While responding to the address, Butler County Communication sreceived a second call from another woman at the same home stating she could not see anything and the house was filling with smoke, according to Cundiff. EMS and fire unites were immediately dispatched.

First responders found the home fully engulfed in flames as they attempted to locate the residents. fire personnel were able to make entry and removed one woman later identified as Paula Williams in extremely critical condition. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased, according to Cundiff. The two other victims were found deceased inside the home after the fire was extinguished. All of the victims were residents of the home. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

BUTLER COUNTY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fatal weekend fire in Butler County.

Just after 3a.m. Saturday, crews responded to the fire at a home near the&nbsp;15000 Block of SW County Line Road, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.&nbsp; When the first units arrived on scene the home was fully involved.

Firefighters removed a woman from the residence via a window and she was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. Two other people also died in the fire, according to Cundiff.

Sheriff's office investigators are working to ID&nbsp;of all the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713807731459.png" alt="View of the home in rural Butler County-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>View of the home in rural Butler County-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY—Investigators have identified the victims in a house fire rural Butler County as 80-year-old Paula J. Williams; 55-year-old Phillip A Williams and 52-year-old Melissa K. Williams, according to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.Just after 3a.m. Saturday, deputies from the Butler County sheriff's office and police officers from Rose Hill were dispatched to the 15400 Block of SW County Line Road, rural Rose Hill for report of a 911 open line from a panicked woman with an unknown problem.While responding to the address, Butler County Communication sreceived a second call from another woman at the same home stating she could not see anything and the house was filling with smoke, according to Cundiff. EMS and fire unites were immediately dispatched.First responders found the home fully engulfed in flames as they attempted to locate the residents. fire personnel were able to make entry and removed one woman later identified as Paula Williams in extremely critical condition. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased, according to Cundiff. The two other victims were found deceased inside the home after the fire was extinguished. All of the victims were residents of the home. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.-------------BUTLER COUNTY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fatal weekend fire in Butler County.Just after 3a.m. Saturday, crews responded to the fire at a home near the&nbsp;15000 Block of SW County Line Road, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.&nbsp; When the first units arrived on scene the home was fully involved.Firefighters removed a woman from the residence via a window and she was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. Two other people also died in the fire, according to Cundiff.Sheriff's office investigators are working to ID&nbsp;of all the victims.

Sheriff IDs 3 victims in deadly Kansas house fire

GUYMON, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma prosecutors charged a fifth member of an anti-government group on Wednesday with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bodies-found-missing-kansas-women-search-oklahoma-91796a0b0b4d02db3d593da9c1bf0f5a">killing and kidnapping two Kansas women.</a>

Paul Jeremiah Grice, 31, was charged in Texas County with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder.

Grice told an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent that he participated in the killing and burial of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas, according to an arrest affidavit filed in the case.

Grice is being held without bond at the Texas County Detention Center in Guymon, a jail official said. Court and jail records don't indicate if Grice has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-oklahoma-missing-women-kansas-3db86ae1c45746a604bf4ee82053ba02">Four others</a>&nbsp;have been charged in connection with the deaths and are being held without bail: Tifany Adams, 54, and her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, of Keyes, and Cole, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, of Texhoma, Oklahoma.

Butler and Kelley disappeared March 30 while driving to pick up Butler’s two children for a birthday party. Adams, who is the children's grandmother, was in a bitter custody dispute with Butler, who was only allowed supervised visits with the children on Saturdays. Kelley was authorized to supervise the visits, according to the affidavits.

A witness who spoke to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents said all five suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation,” according to the affidavit. Investigators learned the group called themselves “God’s Misfits” and held regular meetings at the home of the Twomblys and another couple.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713991420283.png" alt="Grice-photo Texas Co." />
 <figcaption>Grice-photo Texas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GUYMON, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma prosecutors charged a fifth member of an anti-government group on Wednesday with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bodies-found-missing-kansas-women-search-oklahoma-91796a0b0b4d02db3d593da9c1bf0f5a">killing and kidnapping two Kansas women.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713359723848.jpeg" alt="This combination photo shows Veronica Butler, left, and Jilian Kelley, right. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>This combination photo shows Veronica Butler, left, and Jilian Kelley, right. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Jeremiah Grice, 31, was charged in Texas County with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder.Grice told an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent that he participated in the killing and burial of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas, according to an arrest affidavit filed in the case.Grice is being held without bond at the Texas County Detention Center in Guymon, a jail official said. Court and jail records don't indicate if Grice has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-oklahoma-missing-women-kansas-3db86ae1c45746a604bf4ee82053ba02">Four others</a>&nbsp;have been charged in connection with the deaths and are being held without bail: Tifany Adams, 54, and her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, of Keyes, and Cole, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, of Texhoma, Oklahoma.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713056452999.png" alt="Counterclockwise from top-43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly -photos Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation" />
 <figcaption>Counterclockwise from top-43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly -photos Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation</figcaption>
 </figure>Butler and Kelley disappeared March 30 while driving to pick up Butler’s two children for a birthday party. Adams, who is the children's grandmother, was in a bitter custody dispute with Butler, who was only allowed supervised visits with the children on Saturdays. Kelley was authorized to supervise the visits, according to the affidavits.A witness who spoke to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents said all five suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation,” according to the affidavit. Investigators learned the group called themselves “God’s Misfits” and held regular meetings at the home of the Twomblys and another couple.

5th member of anti-government group charged in Kansas women's killings

NEW YORK (AP) — A veteran tabloid publisher testified Tuesday that he pledged to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;'s “eyes and ears" during his 2016 presidential campaign, recounting how he promised the then-candidate that he would help suppress harmful stories and even arranged to purchase the silence of a doorman.

<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/">Click here to read the </a>transcript from Day 2 of the historic trial (-The court system is posting the daily transcripts of the trial proceedings. The transcript for each day is available before the end of the following business day.)

The testimony Tuesday from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/david-pecker">David Pecker</a>&nbsp;was designed to bolster the prosecution's premise of a decades-long friendship between Trump and the former publisher of the National Enquirer that culminated in an agreement to give the candidate's lawyer a heads-up on negative tips and stories so they could be quashed.

The effort was a way to illegally influence the election, prosecutors have alleged in striving to elevate the gravity of the history-making first trial of a former American president and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">first of four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;against Trump to reach a jury. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee in this year's race&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with hush money payments meant to stifle embarrassing stories from surfacing in the final days of the 2016 campaign.

With Trump sitting just feet away in the courtroom, Pecker, the first witness, detailed his behind-the-scenes role in Trump's rise from political novice to the Republican nomination and the White House. He explained how he and the National Enquirer parlayed rumor-mongering into splashy tabloid stories that smeared Trump's opponents and, just as crucially, leveraged his connections to suppress seamy stories about Trump, including a porn actor's claim of an extramarital sexual encounter years earlier.

Pecker traced the origins of their relationship to a 1980s meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and said the friendship bloomed alongside the success of the real estate developer's TV show “The Apprentice" and the program's subsequent celebrity version.

Their ties were solidified during a pivotal August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower involving Trump, his lawyer and personal fixer Michael Cohen, and another aide, Hope Hicks, in which Pecker was asked what he and the publications he led could do for the campaign.

Pecker said he volunteered to publish positive stories about Trump and negative stories about his opponents. But that wasn't all, he said, telling jurors how he told Trump: “I will be your eyes and ears.”

“I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything negative about yourself, or if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen," so that the rights could be purchased and the stories could be killed.

“So that they would not get published, you mean?” asked prosecutor Joshua Steinglass.

“So that they would not get published, yes” Pecker replied.

To illustrate their point, prosecutors displayed a screenshot of various flattering headlines the National Enquirer published about Trump, including “Donald Dominates!’ and “World Exclusive: The Donald Trump Nobody Knows.” The jury was also shown disparaging and outlandish stories about Trump's opponents, including surgeon Ben Carson and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

Pecker painted Cohen as a shadow editor of the National Enquirer’s pro-Trump coverage, directing the tabloid to go after whichever Republican candidate was gaining momentum.

“I would receive a call from Michael Cohen, and he would direct me and direct Dylan Howard on which candidate and which direction we should go,” Pecker said, referring to the tabloid's then-editor.

Pecker said he underscored to Howard that the agreement with the Trump operation was “highly, highly confidential.” He said he wanted the tabloid’s bureau chiefs to be on the lookout for any stories involving Trump and said he wanted them to verify the stories before alerting Cohen.

“I did not want anyone else to know about this agreement I had and what I wanted to do,” the ex-publisher added.

Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges related to his role in the hush money payments. He was once a confidant of Trump's, but their relationship deteriorated in spectacular fashion. Cohen is expected to be a star government witness, and he routinely posts profane broadsides against Trump on social media.

Trump's lawyers are expected to make attacks on Cohen's credibility a foundation of their defense, but in opening with Pecker, prosecutors hoped to focus attention on a witness with a less volatile backstory. Besides maintaining that Trump is innocent, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told jurors that Cohen cannot be trusted and has “an obsession with getting Trump.”

Pecker's testimony Tuesday followed a hearing earlier in the day in which prosecutors urged Judge Juan M. Merchan to hold Trump in contempt and fine him $1,000 for each of 10 social media posts that they say violated an earlier gag order barring attacks on witnesses, jurors and others involved in the case.

Merchan did not immediately rule, but he seemed skeptical of defense arguments that Trump was merely responding in his posts to others' attacks and had been trying to comply with the order.

Prosecutors allege that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 race through a practice known in the tabloid industry as “catch-and-kill” — catching a potentially damaging story by buying the rights to it and then killing it through agreements that prevent the paid person from telling the story to anyone else.

In this case, that included a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to silence her claims of an extramarital sexual encounter that Trump denies. Prosecutors also described other arrangements, including one that paid a former Playboy model $150,000 to suppress claims of a nearly yearlong affair with the married Trump, which Trump also denies.

In another instance, Pecker recounted a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-f37ecfc4710b468db6a103a245146172">$30,000</a>&nbsp;payment from the National Enquirer to a Trump Tower doorman for the rights to a rumor that Trump had fathered a child with an employee at Trump World Tower. The tabloid concluded the story was not true, and the woman and Trump have denied the allegations.

As Pecker described receiving the tip in court, Trump shook his head.

Pecker said upon hearing the rumor, he immediately called Cohen, who said it was “absolutely not true” but that he would look into whether the people involved had indeed worked for Trump’s company.

“I made the decision to buy the story because of the potential embarrassment it had to the campaign and Mr. Trump,” Pecker said.

When he told Cohen, Pecker said he thanked him, "And he said that the boss would be very pleased.”

Asked by the prosecutor who he understood the boss to be, Pecker replied: “Donald Trump.”

Explaining why he decided to have the National Enquirer foot the bill, Pecker recalled telling Cohen: “This can be a very big story. I believe it's important that it be removed from the marketplace.”

If he published the story, Pecker said it would be “probably the biggest sale of the National Enquirer since the death of Elvis Presley.”

Jurors viewed an internal Enquirer email and invoice describing the payments to the doorman to kill his story. One document describes the funds coming from the publication’s “corporate” account. An invoice references an “immediate” $30,000 bank transfer payment for “‘Trump’ non-published story.”

Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;arise from reimbursements that prosecutors say Trump's company made to Cohen for hush money payments and that were falsely recorded as legal expenses.

The charges are punishable by up to four years in prison, though it’s unclear whether Merchan would seek to put him behind bars. A conviction would not preclude Trump from becoming president again, but because it is a state case, he would not be able to pardon himself if found guilty. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713974662413.png" alt="One piece of evidence from Trump's civil trial on Tuesday -provided by New York State Court System" />
 <figcaption>One piece of evidence from Trump's civil trial on Tuesday -provided by New York State Court System</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A veteran tabloid publisher testified Tuesday that he pledged to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;'s “eyes and ears" during his 2016 presidential campaign, recounting how he promised the then-candidate that he would help suppress harmful stories and even arranged to purchase the silence of a doorman.<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/">Click here to read the </a>transcript from Day 2 of the historic trial (-The court system is posting the daily transcripts of the trial proceedings. The transcript for each day is available before the end of the following business day.)The testimony Tuesday from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/david-pecker">David Pecker</a>&nbsp;was designed to bolster the prosecution's premise of a decades-long friendship between Trump and the former publisher of the National Enquirer that culminated in an agreement to give the candidate's lawyer a heads-up on negative tips and stories so they could be quashed.The effort was a way to illegally influence the election, prosecutors have alleged in striving to elevate the gravity of the history-making first trial of a former American president and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">first of four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;against Trump to reach a jury. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee in this year's race&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with hush money payments meant to stifle embarrassing stories from surfacing in the final days of the 2016 campaign.With Trump sitting just feet away in the courtroom, Pecker, the first witness, detailed his behind-the-scenes role in Trump's rise from political novice to the Republican nomination and the White House. He explained how he and the National Enquirer parlayed rumor-mongering into splashy tabloid stories that smeared Trump's opponents and, just as crucially, leveraged his connections to suppress seamy stories about Trump, including a porn actor's claim of an extramarital sexual encounter years earlier.Pecker traced the origins of their relationship to a 1980s meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and said the friendship bloomed alongside the success of the real estate developer's TV show “The Apprentice" and the program's subsequent celebrity version.Their ties were solidified during a pivotal August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower involving Trump, his lawyer and personal fixer Michael Cohen, and another aide, Hope Hicks, in which Pecker was asked what he and the publications he led could do for the campaign.Pecker said he volunteered to publish positive stories about Trump and negative stories about his opponents. But that wasn't all, he said, telling jurors how he told Trump: “I will be your eyes and ears.”“I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything negative about yourself, or if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen," so that the rights could be purchased and the stories could be killed.“So that they would not get published, you mean?” asked prosecutor Joshua Steinglass.“So that they would not get published, yes” Pecker replied.To illustrate their point, prosecutors displayed a screenshot of various flattering headlines the National Enquirer published about Trump, including “Donald Dominates!’ and “World Exclusive: The Donald Trump Nobody Knows.” The jury was also shown disparaging and outlandish stories about Trump's opponents, including surgeon Ben Carson and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.Pecker painted Cohen as a shadow editor of the National Enquirer’s pro-Trump coverage, directing the tabloid to go after whichever Republican candidate was gaining momentum.“I would receive a call from Michael Cohen, and he would direct me and direct Dylan Howard on which candidate and which direction we should go,” Pecker said, referring to the tabloid's then-editor.Pecker said he underscored to Howard that the agreement with the Trump operation was “highly, highly confidential.” He said he wanted the tabloid’s bureau chiefs to be on the lookout for any stories involving Trump and said he wanted them to verify the stories before alerting Cohen.“I did not want anyone else to know about this agreement I had and what I wanted to do,” the ex-publisher added.Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges related to his role in the hush money payments. He was once a confidant of Trump's, but their relationship deteriorated in spectacular fashion. Cohen is expected to be a star government witness, and he routinely posts profane broadsides against Trump on social media.Trump's lawyers are expected to make attacks on Cohen's credibility a foundation of their defense, but in opening with Pecker, prosecutors hoped to focus attention on a witness with a less volatile backstory. Besides maintaining that Trump is innocent, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told jurors that Cohen cannot be trusted and has “an obsession with getting Trump.”Pecker's testimony Tuesday followed a hearing earlier in the day in which prosecutors urged Judge Juan M. Merchan to hold Trump in contempt and fine him $1,000 for each of 10 social media posts that they say violated an earlier gag order barring attacks on witnesses, jurors and others involved in the case.Merchan did not immediately rule, but he seemed skeptical of defense arguments that Trump was merely responding in his posts to others' attacks and had been trying to comply with the order.Prosecutors allege that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 race through a practice known in the tabloid industry as “catch-and-kill” — catching a potentially damaging story by buying the rights to it and then killing it through agreements that prevent the paid person from telling the story to anyone else.In this case, that included a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to silence her claims of an extramarital sexual encounter that Trump denies. Prosecutors also described other arrangements, including one that paid a former Playboy model $150,000 to suppress claims of a nearly yearlong affair with the married Trump, which Trump also denies.In another instance, Pecker recounted a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-f37ecfc4710b468db6a103a245146172">$30,000</a>&nbsp;payment from the National Enquirer to a Trump Tower doorman for the rights to a rumor that Trump had fathered a child with an employee at Trump World Tower. The tabloid concluded the story was not true, and the woman and Trump have denied the allegations.As Pecker described receiving the tip in court, Trump shook his head.Pecker said upon hearing the rumor, he immediately called Cohen, who said it was “absolutely not true” but that he would look into whether the people involved had indeed worked for Trump’s company.“I made the decision to buy the story because of the potential embarrassment it had to the campaign and Mr. Trump,” Pecker said.When he told Cohen, Pecker said he thanked him, "And he said that the boss would be very pleased.”Asked by the prosecutor who he understood the boss to be, Pecker replied: “Donald Trump.”Explaining why he decided to have the National Enquirer foot the bill, Pecker recalled telling Cohen: “This can be a very big story. I believe it's important that it be removed from the marketplace.”If he published the story, Pecker said it would be “probably the biggest sale of the National Enquirer since the death of Elvis Presley.”Jurors viewed an internal Enquirer email and invoice describing the payments to the doorman to kill his story. One document describes the funds coming from the publication’s “corporate” account. An invoice references an “immediate” $30,000 bank transfer payment for “‘Trump’ non-published story.”Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;arise from reimbursements that prosecutors say Trump's company made to Cohen for hush money payments and that were falsely recorded as legal expenses.The charges are punishable by up to four years in prison, though it’s unclear whether Merchan would seek to put him behind bars. A conviction would not preclude Trump from becoming president again, but because it is a state case, he would not be able to pardon himself if found guilty. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.Testimony resumes on Thursday.

Read transcript: Day 2 of historic Trump civil trial

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Wednesday vetoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-tax-cuts-budget-036b39b7ccc52eeb8e4f460901aee56c">a broad package of tax cuts</a>&nbsp;for the second time in three months, describing it as “too expensive” despite the bipartisan support it enjoyed in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Gov. Laura Kelly and her staff had signalled that she had misgivings about a package of income, sales and property tax cuts worth $1.5 billion over the next three years. Her chief of staff said before it cleared the Legislature this month that it was larger than Kelly thought the state could afford in the long term. The governor also told fellow Democrats that she believes Kansas' current three personal income tax rates ensure that the wealthy pay their fair share. The plan would have moved to two rates.

The governor immediately proposed new tax cuts worth roughly $1.3 billion over the next three years, but the Kansas House's top Republican immediately said the governor “isn't serious” about tax relief. The Legislature was set to reconvene Thursday following a spring break and wrap up its work for the year in just six days.

“While I appreciate the bipartisan effort that went into this tax cut package and support many of the provisions included, I cannot sign into law a bill that jeopardizes our state’s future fiscal stability," Kelly wrote in her veto message. “This bill is too expensive."

Top Republican legislators have wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate, which at least five other GOP-led states have done since July 2021, according to the conservative Tax Foundation. But their dispute with Kelly over that idea has meant that Kansas hasn't enacted big tax cuts, even as surplus funds have filled its coffers.

In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-veto-kelly-1c321169e87d69480efe91db0ef55f28">Kelly vetoed a plan</a>&nbsp;to cut taxes by $1.6 billion over three years that Democrats largely opposed. It would have moved Kansas to a single-rate personal income tax, and Kelly argued it would have benefited the “super wealthy,” which Republicans disputed.

“Kansans need and deserve tax relief, and Governor Kelly isn’t serious when she says she wants to provide it," House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in a statement.

Democrats were split over the bill Kelly vetoed. In the Senate, they largely opposed it for the same reasons Kelly did, while in the House, no members voted against it.

Overriding a veto requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers. The House's top Democrat, state Rep. Vic Miller, of Topeka, said he likes Kelly's new plan but doubts Republicans will embrace it, making the bill Kelly vetoed possibly the best that Democrats can expect.

“I’m not sure I want to risk what she’s willing to risk," he said of the governor.

Kelly isn't the only governor at odds with lawmakers over taxes. In neighboring Nebraska, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he'll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-special-session-property-tax-ef418445d4d953643f46f57d37ba2642">call a special legislative session</a>&nbsp;over rising property taxes. The conservative Legislature there adjourned last week without passing Pillen’s plan to fund property tax relief by raising the state’s sales tax and applying it to more goods and services, including candy, soda and digital advertising.

The bill Kelly vetoed also would eliminate income taxes on Social Security benefits, which kick in when a retiree earns $75,000 a year. It would reduce the state’s property taxes for public schools and eliminate an already-set-to-expire 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.

In moving Kansas from three personal income tax rates to two, it would drop the highest top rate from 5.7% to 5.55%.

Kelly's new plan includes the same sales tax and Social Security provisions, as well as a version of the property tax cut. Her plan would keep all three personal income tax rates and lower them. Her highest rate would be 5.65%.

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-tax-cuts-kansas-revenue-projections-bdc922cedc48d8cd7b1a827f267d60b7">a new fiscal forecast</a>&nbsp;provided a stable picture for state government through the end of June 2025. A separate projection from legislative researchers said that even with extra spending approved by lawmakers this year and the tax cuts Kelly vetoed, the state would end June 2025 with more than $3.7 billion in surplus. Kelly argues that problems would arrive in future years, though Republicans strongly disagree.

Kelly won the first of her two terms in 2018 by running against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/gubernatorial-elections-f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">the fiscal policies of a Republican predecessor,</a>&nbsp;Gov. Sam Brownback. Big budget shortfalls followed large income tax cuts in 2012 and 2013 and continued until most of the cuts were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">repealed in 2017</a>&nbsp;over Brownback's veto.

But Republicans argue that warnings from Kelly hearkening back to Brownback's policies have lost credibility as surplus revenues have piled up.

“It’s far past time for the governor to put her worn-out Brownback rhetoric on the back burner and finally make our Kansas families the top priority,” House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith, a western Kansas Republican, wrote in a column Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article287899745.html">in the Kansas City Star.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713015977836.png" alt="File photo Gov. Laura Kelly -Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>File photo Gov. Laura Kelly -Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Wednesday vetoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-tax-cuts-budget-036b39b7ccc52eeb8e4f460901aee56c">a broad package of tax cuts</a>&nbsp;for the second time in three months, describing it as “too expensive” despite the bipartisan support it enjoyed in the Republican-controlled Legislature.Gov. Laura Kelly and her staff had signalled that she had misgivings about a package of income, sales and property tax cuts worth $1.5 billion over the next three years. Her chief of staff said before it cleared the Legislature this month that it was larger than Kelly thought the state could afford in the long term. The governor also told fellow Democrats that she believes Kansas' current three personal income tax rates ensure that the wealthy pay their fair share. The plan would have moved to two rates.The governor immediately proposed new tax cuts worth roughly $1.3 billion over the next three years, but the Kansas House's top Republican immediately said the governor “isn't serious” about tax relief. The Legislature was set to reconvene Thursday following a spring break and wrap up its work for the year in just six days.“While I appreciate the bipartisan effort that went into this tax cut package and support many of the provisions included, I cannot sign into law a bill that jeopardizes our state’s future fiscal stability," Kelly wrote in her veto message. “This bill is too expensive."Top Republican legislators have wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate, which at least five other GOP-led states have done since July 2021, according to the conservative Tax Foundation. But their dispute with Kelly over that idea has meant that Kansas hasn't enacted big tax cuts, even as surplus funds have filled its coffers.In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-veto-kelly-1c321169e87d69480efe91db0ef55f28">Kelly vetoed a plan</a>&nbsp;to cut taxes by $1.6 billion over three years that Democrats largely opposed. It would have moved Kansas to a single-rate personal income tax, and Kelly argued it would have benefited the “super wealthy,” which Republicans disputed.“Kansans need and deserve tax relief, and Governor Kelly isn’t serious when she says she wants to provide it," House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in a statement.Democrats were split over the bill Kelly vetoed. In the Senate, they largely opposed it for the same reasons Kelly did, while in the House, no members voted against it.Overriding a veto requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers. The House's top Democrat, state Rep. Vic Miller, of Topeka, said he likes Kelly's new plan but doubts Republicans will embrace it, making the bill Kelly vetoed possibly the best that Democrats can expect.“I’m not sure I want to risk what she’s willing to risk," he said of the governor.Kelly isn't the only governor at odds with lawmakers over taxes. In neighboring Nebraska, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he'll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-special-session-property-tax-ef418445d4d953643f46f57d37ba2642">call a special legislative session</a>&nbsp;over rising property taxes. The conservative Legislature there adjourned last week without passing Pillen’s plan to fund property tax relief by raising the state’s sales tax and applying it to more goods and services, including candy, soda and digital advertising.The bill Kelly vetoed also would eliminate income taxes on Social Security benefits, which kick in when a retiree earns $75,000 a year. It would reduce the state’s property taxes for public schools and eliminate an already-set-to-expire 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.In moving Kansas from three personal income tax rates to two, it would drop the highest top rate from 5.7% to 5.55%.Kelly's new plan includes the same sales tax and Social Security provisions, as well as a version of the property tax cut. Her plan would keep all three personal income tax rates and lower them. Her highest rate would be 5.65%.Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-tax-cuts-kansas-revenue-projections-bdc922cedc48d8cd7b1a827f267d60b7">a new fiscal forecast</a>&nbsp;provided a stable picture for state government through the end of June 2025. A separate projection from legislative researchers said that even with extra spending approved by lawmakers this year and the tax cuts Kelly vetoed, the state would end June 2025 with more than $3.7 billion in surplus. Kelly argues that problems would arrive in future years, though Republicans strongly disagree.Kelly won the first of her two terms in 2018 by running against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/gubernatorial-elections-f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">the fiscal policies of a Republican predecessor,</a>&nbsp;Gov. Sam Brownback. Big budget shortfalls followed large income tax cuts in 2012 and 2013 and continued until most of the cuts were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">repealed in 2017</a>&nbsp;over Brownback's veto.But Republicans argue that warnings from Kelly hearkening back to Brownback's policies have lost credibility as surplus revenues have piled up.“It’s far past time for the governor to put her worn-out Brownback rhetoric on the back burner and finally make our Kansas families the top priority,” House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith, a western Kansas Republican, wrote in a column Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article287899745.html">in the Kansas City Star.</a>

Kansas governor vetoes tax cuts for 2nd time in three months

HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man for alleged aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Jerad Carmichael, 38, of Sedgwick, was taken into custody by deputies on Tuesday, according to a media release.

Carmichael being held&nbsp; in the Harvey County Detention Center on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, aggravated criminal sodomy, and rape.&nbsp;His bond was set at $750,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713974874151.png" alt="Carmichael-photo Harvey County" />
 <figcaption>Carmichael-photo Harvey County</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man for alleged aggravated indecent liberties with a child.Jerad Carmichael, 38, of Sedgwick, was taken into custody by deputies on Tuesday, according to a media release.Carmichael being held&nbsp; in the Harvey County Detention Center on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, aggravated criminal sodomy, and rape.&nbsp;His bond was set at $750,000.

Kansas man accused of violent child sex crimes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/planned-parenthood-medicaid-abortion-db9adee20b60b625ea7b2709e5149704">ban Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood, a move they have tried for years in a state where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;are banned.

The bill, approved 106-48 Wednesday in the House, aims to make it illegal for Missouri’s Medicaid program to reimburse Planned Parenthood for health care services to low-income patients, such as pap smears and cancer screenings.

Abortions are not covered by Medicaid, and almost all abortions are illegal in Missouri. But abortion opponents say Planned Parenthood should not receive any public funding because clinics in other states provide abortions.

“My rhetorical question is: Is Planned Parenthood sending monies from our state budget to other states to allow for women to have an abortion?” Republican Rep. Brian Seitz asked during Wednesday debate on the House floor. "Abortion is murder.”

House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.”

Planned Parenthood cautioned that other reproductive health care providers that serve Medicaid patients in Missouri do not have the capacity to take on all of Planned Parenthood's patients.

“Experts are clear: there are not enough other providers in the health care safety-net system to absorb Planned Parenthood’s patients,” the region’s Planned Parenthood said in a statement Wednesday. “At Planned Parenthood, we’ll continue to do everything we can to continue serving our patients — no matter what.”

Few states — Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, according to Planned Parenthood — have successfully blocked Medicaid funding for the organization.

A February state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56d2d6">Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;found that Missouri lawmakers’ latest attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.

While past efforts to kick Planned Parenthood off Missouri’s Medicaid program have been struck down by courts, this year, GOP lawmakers are taking another approach and passing the ban as a policy bill in hopes of avoiding another legal showdown.

Some House Democrats predicted the latest defunding bill likely will be fruitless, too. They pointed to a pending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-abortion-campaign-fundraising-election-740fd1267ab84d5e2a4cf6ebe5a56b71">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that could go before Missouri voters this fall and would restore abortion rights in the state.

The abortion-rights campaign needs to collect at least 172,000 voter signatures by May 5 to get on the ballot.

A spokesperson for Gov. Mike Parson on Wednesday did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment on whether the Republican intends to sign the latest Planned Parenthood defunding bill. But his support is expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702301437196.png" alt="House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.” (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.” (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/planned-parenthood-medicaid-abortion-db9adee20b60b625ea7b2709e5149704">ban Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood, a move they have tried for years in a state where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;are banned.The bill, approved 106-48 Wednesday in the House, aims to make it illegal for Missouri’s Medicaid program to reimburse Planned Parenthood for health care services to low-income patients, such as pap smears and cancer screenings.Abortions are not covered by Medicaid, and almost all abortions are illegal in Missouri. But abortion opponents say Planned Parenthood should not receive any public funding because clinics in other states provide abortions.“My rhetorical question is: Is Planned Parenthood sending monies from our state budget to other states to allow for women to have an abortion?” Republican Rep. Brian Seitz asked during Wednesday debate on the House floor. "Abortion is murder.”House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.”Planned Parenthood cautioned that other reproductive health care providers that serve Medicaid patients in Missouri do not have the capacity to take on all of Planned Parenthood's patients.“Experts are clear: there are not enough other providers in the health care safety-net system to absorb Planned Parenthood’s patients,” the region’s Planned Parenthood said in a statement Wednesday. “At Planned Parenthood, we’ll continue to do everything we can to continue serving our patients — no matter what.”Few states — Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, according to Planned Parenthood — have successfully blocked Medicaid funding for the organization.A February state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56d2d6">Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;found that Missouri lawmakers’ latest attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.While past efforts to kick Planned Parenthood off Missouri’s Medicaid program have been struck down by courts, this year, GOP lawmakers are taking another approach and passing the ban as a policy bill in hopes of avoiding another legal showdown.Some House Democrats predicted the latest defunding bill likely will be fruitless, too. They pointed to a pending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-abortion-campaign-fundraising-election-740fd1267ab84d5e2a4cf6ebe5a56b71">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that could go before Missouri voters this fall and would restore abortion rights in the state.The abortion-rights campaign needs to collect at least 172,000 voter signatures by May 5 to get on the ballot.A spokesperson for Gov. Mike Parson on Wednesday did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment on whether the Republican intends to sign the latest Planned Parenthood defunding bill. But his support is expected.

Mo. GOP lawmakers vote to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 262 officials continue their investigation of alleged animal cruelty that prompted the suspension of the Valley Center High School baseball season.

According to the Valley Center Department of Public Safety, a chicken was killed on the baseball field at the high school before a game on April 20. A school employee contacted a school resource officer on Monday about the incident.

According to a memo sent to parents of USD 262 students on Monday, "The Valley Center High School varsity baseball season has been suspended due to an active law enforcement investigation."

"High school administrators were alerted to an incident of possible animal cruelty involving the entire Hornet varsity baseball team and the entire coaching staff on USD 262 property."

"Immediately upon learning of the incident, high school and district leadership notified the appropriate authorities and suspended the season. A decision regarding the remainder of the baseball season will be made pending the outcome of the investigation.”

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities and USD 262 officials are investigating alleged animal cruelty and have chosen to suspend the high school baseball season.

According to a memo sent to parents of USD 262 students on Monday,&nbsp;"The Valley Center High School varsity baseball season has been suspended due to an active law enforcement investigation."

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 262 officials continue their investigation of alleged animal cruelty that prompted the suspension of the Valley Center High School baseball season.According to the Valley Center Department of Public Safety, a chicken was killed on the baseball field at the high school before a game on April 20. A school employee contacted a school resource officer on Monday about the incident.According to a memo sent to parents of USD 262 students on Monday, "The Valley Center High School varsity baseball season has been suspended due to an active law enforcement investigation.""High school administrators were alerted to an incident of possible animal cruelty involving the entire Hornet varsity baseball team and the entire coaching staff on USD 262 property." "Immediately upon learning of the incident, high school and district leadership notified the appropriate authorities and suspended the season. A decision regarding the remainder of the baseball season will be made pending the outcome of the investigation.”----------SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities and USD 262 officials are investigating alleged animal cruelty and have chosen to suspend the high school baseball season.According to a memo sent to parents of USD 262 students on Monday,&nbsp;"The Valley Center High School varsity baseball season has been suspended due to an active law enforcement investigation.""High school administrators were alerted to an incident of possible animal cruelty involving the entire Hornet varsity baseball team and the entire coaching staff on USD 262 property." "Immediately upon learning of the incident, high school and district leadership notified the appropriate authorities and suspended the season. A decision regarding the remainder of the baseball season will be made pending the outcome of the investigation.”Law enforcement authorities and the school district released no additional details.