SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person was injured in a fire at a home on Wednesday in Topeka.

Just after 4:30 p.m., fire crews&nbsp;responded to a medical emergency that resulted from a small fire inside a duplex at 3354 SW Brendan Avenue in Topeka, according to city spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Upon arrival, the small fire had already been extinguished and first responder located a woman who was injured due to smoking and being on home oxygen. 

Crews provided medical care and American Medical Response transported her to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

After a preliminary investigation the fire cause remains accidental. The total estimated dollar loss from this incident is $200, all of which is associated with content loss. The home did not have working smoke detectors.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person was injured in a fire at a home on Wednesday in Topeka.Just after 4:30 p.m., fire crews&nbsp;responded to a medical emergency that resulted from a small fire inside a duplex at 3354 SW Brendan Avenue in Topeka, according to city spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Upon arrival, the small fire had already been extinguished and first responder located a woman who was injured due to smoking and being on home oxygen. Crews provided medical care and American Medical Response transported her to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.After a preliminary investigation the fire cause remains accidental. The total estimated dollar loss from this incident is $200, all of which is associated with content loss. The home did not have working smoke detectors.

Kan. woman smoking while on home oxygen critically injured

BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;AND&nbsp;SAMANTHA DIETEL&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers to reiterate the need for continued aid to support his country’s fight against the Russian invasion, even as the U.S. faces a partial government shutdown as soon as the end of the month.

“If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war,” Zelenskyy said to senators, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

There’s bipartisan support in the Senate to approve the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-asks-congress-40b-ukraine-aid-us-disaster-response-border-security">White House request of $24 billion in supplemental aid to Ukraine</a>, including from top Senate appropriators. However, some Republican senators are lukewarm and others are firmly opposed. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has not openly expressed support&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/2023/09/21/shutdown-inches-closer-as-u-s-house-gop-fails-to-pass-defense-bill-lawmakers-exit-d-c/">as he grapples with gaining enough votes</a>&nbsp;from his party to avoid a shutdown.

“It is very clear that if we were to have a government shutdown, or pass a CR without Ukrainian aid, the damage that would occur on Ukraine’s campaign would be devastating,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.

CR refers to a continuing resolution, the name for the short-term government funding bill that lawmakers must pass to give themselves more time to pass the full-year spending bills.

U.S. House Republicans are currently struggling to produce and pass a short-term plan to fund the government past the end of the month. If a stopgap spending bill is not passed by the Sept. 30 deadline, then&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/disaster-nears-millions-federal-workers-paychecks-would-be-hold-shutdown">a partial shutdown will commence.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>

Congress was not Zelenskyy’s only stop while in Washington. He met with President Joe Biden and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin.

Biden said his administration was “supporting a just and lasting peace, one that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a pool report.

Zelenskyy said he appreciated the “vital assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine to combat Russia terrorism” and described his meetings with members of both parties in Congress as “frank, constructive dialogue.”

Following a meeting with Zelenskyy, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said during a press conference that Congress should specify the specific weapons that Zelenskyy asked for in the $24 billion supplemental funding bill, such as F-16 jets and long-range artillery.

“This man has moral courage and moral clarity,” McCaul said of Zelenskyy. “The will of the Ukrainian people is far stronger than the will of the Russians.”

McCaul said that McCarthy is supportive of sending aid to Ukraine. McCaul said he believes McCarthy can get more Republicans on board.

After a Wednesday closed-door Senate briefing about Ukraine, more than two dozen Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the White House opposing any more funding.

Ohio GOP Sen. J.D. Vance posted the letter&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1704836926212022346/photo/1">to X</a>, formerly known as Twitter, that was signed by 28 Republicans.

“Yesterday at a classified briefing over Ukraine, it became clear that America is being asked to fund an indefinite conflict with unlimited resources. Enough is enough. To these and future requests, my colleagues and I say: NO,” according to the letter.

Those GOP senators who signed onto the letter include Vance, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Braun of Indiana, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Mike Lee of Utah and Roger Marshall of Kansas.

House GOP members who signed onto the letter include Reps. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona; Dan Bishop of North Carolina; Bill Posey, Anna Paulina Luna, Greg Steube and Byron Donalds of Florida; Chip Roy, Michael Cloud, Lance Gooden, Beth Van Duyne, and Roger Williams of Texas; Clay Higgins of Louisiana; Harriet Hageman of Wyoming; Bob Good of Virginia; Warren Davidson of Ohio; Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma; Andy Ogles of Tennessee; Russell Fry and Jeff Duncan of South Carolina; and Mary Miller of Illinois.

House Republicans and a handful of Senate Republicans who did not sign the letter have also been critical about overall government spending and providing additional support for Ukraine.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, said he is opposed to approving aid to Ukraine because he doesn’t see Ukraine defeating Russia anytime soon.

“It sounds to me like this is a stalemate,” he said. “What’s our plan? What are we going to do? Are we just going to spend hundreds of billions indefinitely? What is the plan here? I just don’t know.”

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, was not moved.

“What you’d expect,” he said. “It’s the same points being made, there’s nothing particularly new.”

However, U.S. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said that Zelenskyy “struck a very bipartisan note.”

“His main message was one of gratitude for the help that the United States (has) provided to Ukraine and … ask that we continue that support so that Russia doesn’t overrun Ukraine,” Smith said.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-asks-congress-40b-ukraine-aid-us-disaster-response-border-security">The White House is asking for Congress to approve $24 billion</a>&nbsp;for several types of aid to Ukraine.

The request asks Congress to provide $13.1 billion for the Defense Department, $8.5 billion for the&nbsp;State Department and USAID, $2.3 billion for the Treasury Department, $100 million for the Department of Health and Human Services and $68 million for the Energy Department.

Top Senate appropriators Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, and Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, both said they believe Ukraine should receive aid.

Collins said she asked Zelenskyy what would be the impact if Ukraine only received military aid rather than economic and humanitarian aid.

“He explained that all of their budget is going to aid their soldiers and sailors and that if they did not get the humanitarian and economic aid, they would lose their school teachers, their health care professionals would leave, and … additional people would literally die,” Collins said.

In a statement, Murray said that Ukraine’s defense against Russia is at a critical point.

“[I]t’s so important that Congress continues our strong and bipartisan support for Ukraine, so they have the resources and weapons they need to defend themselves against Putin’s invasion,” she said.

Congress has approved four aid packages for Ukraine since the war began in February of last year, totaling $110 billion.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-reaches-deal-massive-spending-package-billions-covid-aid-ukraine">first aid package</a>&nbsp;was approved in March 2022 and included $13.6 billion. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-clears-40b-ukraine-aid-bidens-signature-some-gop-balk">second assistance package</a>&nbsp;was approved in May 2022 and provided $40 billion, and the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/hours-ahead-shutdown-deadline-us-house-sends-biden-stopgap-spending-bill">&nbsp;third relief package</a>&nbsp;was approved in September 2022 for more than $12 billion. A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-approves-17-trillion-funding-package-and-sends-it-biden">fourth supplemental package</a>&nbsp;was approved in December 2022 for $45 billion.

McConnell: ‘Support for Ukraine is not charity’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, has pressed for additional military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine to help bolster democracy in Eastern Europe.

“At the risk of repeating myself, American support for Ukraine is not charity,” McConnell said in a statement. “It’s an investment in our own direct interests — not least because degrading Russia’s military power helps to deter our primary strategic adversary, China.”

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a senior GOP member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said that Zelenskyy laid out to senators what would happen if U.S. support were to vanish.

“Russia would make very substantial gains,” he said.

U.S. Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon said Zelenskyy’s meeting showed how this is a pivotal moment.

“He did a very, very good job of explaining what the stakes are for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the democracies of the world if you allow an authoritarian to get away with it,” Kaine said.&nbsp; “He also pointed out that actually giving into Putin is the thing that creates the forever war.”

U.S. Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said Zelenskyy made a “very urgent case for the United States to stay engaged and to continue with support.”

Pentagon spokesman Brigadier Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Thursday that the Defense Department will continue to seek bipartisan support for Ukraine aid in Congress.

“It’s important, again, to re-emphasize why Ukraine matters,” he said. “In addition to helping our Ukrainian partners to defend themselves from unprovoked aggression, the implications, not only on European security, but also on U.S. and international security are very stark … If Russia were to succeed in eliminating Ukraine as a nation, they won’t stop there.”

Making school bomb shelters more comfortable

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska was also in Washington, where she visited students, faculty and staff at Georgetown University.

She spoke about the ways education has been affected by the conflict, with young children spending their first day of school learning in bomb shelters.

“I’m looking at you and I can see our students,” Zelenska said. “I don’t think you are that different. And you have one particular trait in common, that’s caring and empathy and wanting to change things for the better.”

She said that her foundation in Ukraine has three priority areas: humanitarian assistance, support for education and support for health care. One of the foundation’s projects is aimed at making bomb shelters for schools in Ukraine more comfortable. So far, eight schools are part of the program.

“If there is no bomb shelter in a school, children cannot attend it, school will just not open, so a lot of children do distance learning,” Zelenska said.

Zelenska was presented with the Hillary Clinton Award for advancing women, peace and security. She was awarded this recognition virtually last year.

Zelenska stressed that if her country were to be defeated, it would not just impact Ukraine and its people, but threaten everyone.

“If you have power, if you have opportunities and resources, you can do anything you want,” Zelenska said. “You can be a tyrant, you can seize other countries, other territories, and then these situations mean that no one is safe in this world.”

“To turn a blind eye means to turn your back to your own future,” she said.

Jennifer Shutt and Jacob Fischler contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695327171658.png" alt="President Biden and the first lady welcomed Zelenskyy to the White House Thursday afternoon-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden and the first lady welcomed Zelenskyy to the White House Thursday afternoon-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;AND&nbsp;SAMANTHA DIETEL&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers to reiterate the need for continued aid to support his country’s fight against the Russian invasion, even as the U.S. faces a partial government shutdown as soon as the end of the month.“If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war,” Zelenskyy said to senators, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.There’s bipartisan support in the Senate to approve the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-asks-congress-40b-ukraine-aid-us-disaster-response-border-security">White House request of $24 billion in supplemental aid to Ukraine</a>, including from top Senate appropriators. However, some Republican senators are lukewarm and others are firmly opposed. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has not openly expressed support&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/2023/09/21/shutdown-inches-closer-as-u-s-house-gop-fails-to-pass-defense-bill-lawmakers-exit-d-c/">as he grapples with gaining enough votes</a>&nbsp;from his party to avoid a shutdown.“It is very clear that if we were to have a government shutdown, or pass a CR without Ukrainian aid, the damage that would occur on Ukraine’s campaign would be devastating,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.CR refers to a continuing resolution, the name for the short-term government funding bill that lawmakers must pass to give themselves more time to pass the full-year spending bills.U.S. House Republicans are currently struggling to produce and pass a short-term plan to fund the government past the end of the month. If a stopgap spending bill is not passed by the Sept. 30 deadline, then&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/disaster-nears-millions-federal-workers-paychecks-would-be-hold-shutdown">a partial shutdown will commence.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>Congress was not Zelenskyy’s only stop while in Washington. He met with President Joe Biden and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin.Biden said his administration was “supporting a just and lasting peace, one that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a pool report.Zelenskyy said he appreciated the “vital assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine to combat Russia terrorism” and described his meetings with members of both parties in Congress as “frank, constructive dialogue.”Following a meeting with Zelenskyy, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said during a press conference that Congress should specify the specific weapons that Zelenskyy asked for in the $24 billion supplemental funding bill, such as F-16 jets and long-range artillery.“This man has moral courage and moral clarity,” McCaul said of Zelenskyy. “The will of the Ukrainian people is far stronger than the will of the Russians.”McCaul said that McCarthy is supportive of sending aid to Ukraine. McCaul said he believes McCarthy can get more Republicans on board.<h2>Vance leads letter of opposition</h2>After a Wednesday closed-door Senate briefing about Ukraine, more than two dozen Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the White House opposing any more funding.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yesterday at a classified briefing over Ukraine, it became clear that America is being asked to fund an indefinite conflict with unlimited resources. Enough is enough. To these and future requests, my colleagues and I say: NO. <a href="https://t.co/mCMh604UGp">pic.twitter.com/mCMh604UGp</a>&mdash; J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1704836926212022346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Ohio GOP Sen. J.D. Vance posted the letter&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1704836926212022346/photo/1">to X</a>, formerly known as Twitter, that was signed by 28 Republicans.“Yesterday at a classified briefing over Ukraine, it became clear that America is being asked to fund an indefinite conflict with unlimited resources. Enough is enough. To these and future requests, my colleagues and I say: NO,” according to the letter.Those GOP senators who signed onto the letter include Vance, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Braun of Indiana, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Mike Lee of Utah and Roger Marshall of Kansas.House GOP members who signed onto the letter include Reps. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona; Dan Bishop of North Carolina; Bill Posey, Anna Paulina Luna, Greg Steube and Byron Donalds of Florida; Chip Roy, Michael Cloud, Lance Gooden, Beth Van Duyne, and Roger Williams of Texas; Clay Higgins of Louisiana; Harriet Hageman of Wyoming; Bob Good of Virginia; Warren Davidson of Ohio; Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma; Andy Ogles of Tennessee; Russell Fry and Jeff Duncan of South Carolina; and Mary Miller of Illinois.House Republicans and a handful of Senate Republicans who did not sign the letter have also been critical about overall government spending and providing additional support for Ukraine.U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, said he is opposed to approving aid to Ukraine because he doesn’t see Ukraine defeating Russia anytime soon.“It sounds to me like this is a stalemate,” he said. “What’s our plan? What are we going to do? Are we just going to spend hundreds of billions indefinitely? What is the plan here? I just don’t know.”U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, was not moved.“What you’d expect,” he said. “It’s the same points being made, there’s nothing particularly new.”However, U.S. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said that Zelenskyy “struck a very bipartisan note.”“His main message was one of gratitude for the help that the United States (has) provided to Ukraine and … ask that we continue that support so that Russia doesn’t overrun Ukraine,” Smith said.<h2>$24 billion request</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-asks-congress-40b-ukraine-aid-us-disaster-response-border-security">The White House is asking for Congress to approve $24 billion</a>&nbsp;for several types of aid to Ukraine.The request asks Congress to provide $13.1 billion for the Defense Department, $8.5 billion for the&nbsp;State Department and USAID, $2.3 billion for the Treasury Department, $100 million for the Department of Health and Human Services and $68 million for the Energy Department.Top Senate appropriators Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, and Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, both said they believe Ukraine should receive aid.Collins said she asked Zelenskyy what would be the impact if Ukraine only received military aid rather than economic and humanitarian aid.“He explained that all of their budget is going to aid their soldiers and sailors and that if they did not get the humanitarian and economic aid, they would lose their school teachers, their health care professionals would leave, and … additional people would literally die,” Collins said.In a statement, Murray said that Ukraine’s defense against Russia is at a critical point.“[I]t’s so important that Congress continues our strong and bipartisan support for Ukraine, so they have the resources and weapons they need to defend themselves against Putin’s invasion,” she said.Congress has approved four aid packages for Ukraine since the war began in February of last year, totaling $110 billion.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-reaches-deal-massive-spending-package-billions-covid-aid-ukraine">first aid package</a>&nbsp;was approved in March 2022 and included $13.6 billion. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-clears-40b-ukraine-aid-bidens-signature-some-gop-balk">second assistance package</a>&nbsp;was approved in May 2022 and provided $40 billion, and the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/hours-ahead-shutdown-deadline-us-house-sends-biden-stopgap-spending-bill">&nbsp;third relief package</a>&nbsp;was approved in September 2022 for more than $12 billion. A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-approves-17-trillion-funding-package-and-sends-it-biden">fourth supplemental package</a>&nbsp;was approved in December 2022 for $45 billion.<h2>McConnell: ‘Support for Ukraine is not charity’</h2>Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, has pressed for additional military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine to help bolster democracy in Eastern Europe.“At the risk of repeating myself, American support for Ukraine is not charity,” McConnell said in a statement. “It’s an investment in our own direct interests — not least because degrading Russia’s military power helps to deter our primary strategic adversary, China.”Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a senior GOP member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said that Zelenskyy laid out to senators what would happen if U.S. support were to vanish.“Russia would make very substantial gains,” he said.U.S. Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon said Zelenskyy’s meeting showed how this is a pivotal moment.“He did a very, very good job of explaining what the stakes are for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the democracies of the world if you allow an authoritarian to get away with it,” Kaine said.&nbsp; “He also pointed out that actually giving into Putin is the thing that creates the forever war.”U.S. Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said Zelenskyy made a “very urgent case for the United States to stay engaged and to continue with support.”Pentagon spokesman Brigadier Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Thursday that the Defense Department will continue to seek bipartisan support for Ukraine aid in Congress.“It’s important, again, to re-emphasize why Ukraine matters,” he said. “In addition to helping our Ukrainian partners to defend themselves from unprovoked aggression, the implications, not only on European security, but also on U.S. and international security are very stark … If Russia were to succeed in eliminating Ukraine as a nation, they won’t stop there.”<h2>Making school bomb shelters more comfortable</h2>Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska was also in Washington, where she visited students, faculty and staff at Georgetown University.She spoke about the ways education has been affected by the conflict, with young children spending their first day of school learning in bomb shelters.“I’m looking at you and I can see our students,” Zelenska said. “I don’t think you are that different. And you have one particular trait in common, that’s caring and empathy and wanting to change things for the better.”She said that her foundation in Ukraine has three priority areas: humanitarian assistance, support for education and support for health care. One of the foundation’s projects is aimed at making bomb shelters for schools in Ukraine more comfortable. So far, eight schools are part of the program.“If there is no bomb shelter in a school, children cannot attend it, school will just not open, so a lot of children do distance learning,” Zelenska said.Zelenska was presented with the Hillary Clinton Award for advancing women, peace and security. She was awarded this recognition virtually last year.Zelenska stressed that if her country were to be defeated, it would not just impact Ukraine and its people, but threaten everyone.“If you have power, if you have opportunities and resources, you can do anything you want,” Zelenska said. “You can be a tyrant, you can seize other countries, other territories, and then these situations mean that no one is safe in this world.”“To turn a blind eye means to turn your back to your own future,” she said.Jennifer Shutt and Jacob Fischler contributed to this report.

Zelenskyy ‘If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war

NORTON COUNTY —Some area of northwest Kansas were under a&nbsp; tornado warning Thursday evening. The sheriff's office in Norton said there are no reports of damage and no confirmed tornado in the county.

Norton county did have winds over 50 miles per hour, large hail and over two inches of rain from the storm. The National Weather Service also issued a flash flood warning for&nbsp;Norton, Almena and  Dellvale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695386274193.png" alt="NWS image" />
 <figcaption>NWS image</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTON COUNTY —Some area of northwest Kansas were under a&nbsp; tornado warning Thursday evening. The sheriff's office in Norton said there are no reports of damage and no confirmed tornado in the county.Norton county did have winds over 50 miles per hour, large hail and over two inches of rain from the storm. The National Weather Service also issued a flash flood warning for&nbsp;Norton, Almena and Dellvale.

Strong winds, hail but no confirmed tornado in NW Kansas

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a road rage shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 7p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in Olathe where they found a 42-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his arm, according to a media release.

The injury occurred during a road rage incident on southbound Interstate 35 Highway, south of 119th&nbsp;Street.

EMS transported the victim to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. Police located the suspect who was taken into custody on a requested charge of attempted murder.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a road rage shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 7p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in Olathe where they found a 42-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his arm, according to a media release.The injury occurred during a road rage incident on southbound Interstate 35 Highway, south of 119th&nbsp;Street.EMS transported the victim to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. Police located the suspect who was taken into custody on a requested charge of attempted murder.

Police make arrest in Kansas road-rage shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — With House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy's</a>&nbsp;latest funding plan in ruins and lawmakers leaving town for the weekend, there's no endgame in sight as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-government-shutdown-house-republicans-congress-543f93b6ad6a3f23ee3f5275e19293f9">hard-right Republicans</a>&nbsp;push dangerously closer to a disruptive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-government-shutdown-spending-house-right-wing-5c8af4f0a5ea3a9d93f54e6566d50aeb">federal shutdown</a>.

The White House will tell federal agencies on Friday to prepare for a shutdown, according to an official with the Office of Management and Budget who insisted on anonymity to discuss the upcoming instructions. That's standard seven days out from a federal disruption.

The Republican McCarthy has repeatedly tried to appease his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-mccarthy-profanity-shutdown-biden-impeachment-3ec12e37d00004b1e84b3d3db3237863">hard-right flank</a>&nbsp;by agreeing to the steep spending cuts they are demanding to keep government open. But cheered on by Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner for president in 2024, the conservatives have all but seized control in dramatic fashion.

In a crushing defeat Thursday, a handful of Republican hardliners blocked a typically popular defense bill from advancing — the second time this week it was set back, an unheard-of loss for a House speaker.

Even a stopgap bill to keep government funding past the Sept. 30 deadline, called a continuing resolution or CR, is a non-starter for some on the right flank who have essentially seized control of the House.

“This is a whole new concept of individuals who just want to burn the whole place down,” McCarthy said after Thursday's vote, acknowledging he was frustrated. “It doesn’t work.”

The open revolt was further evidence that McCarthy’s strategy of repeatedly giving in to the conservatives is seemingly only emboldening them, allowing them to run roughshod over their own House majority. Their conservative bills have almost no chances in the Senate.

Trump urged the conservatives to hold the line against the higher funding levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-deal-biden-mccarthy-default-01657c829be119850cd65ab9ffb0626a#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20With%20days,measure%20in%20the%20coming%20week.">McCarthy had agreed to with President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;earlier this year and to end the federal criminal indictments against him.

“This is also the last chance to defund these political prosecutions against me and other Patriots,” Trump wrote on social media.

“They failed on the debt limit, but they must not fail now. Use the power of the purse and defend the Country!” the former president wrote.

The White House and Democrats, along with some Republicans, warn that a shutdown would be devastating for people who rely on their government for everyday services and would undermine America’s standing in the world.

“We need the extreme MAGA Republicans to get their act together,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

“End the civil war,” Jeffries urged the Republicans. “Get your act together.”

But one of Trump's top allies, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who is leading the hard-right flank, said the House Republicans now have almost no choices left but to spend the time it takes to pass each of the 12 spending bills needed to fund the government —- typically a laborious process — even if it means going into a shutdown.

Or they can join with Democrats to pass a CR, which is sure to put McCarthy's job at risk.

What Gaetz said he, and several others, would not do is vote for a continuing resolution that fails to slash spending.

“I’m giving a eulogy for the CR right now,” Gaetz told reporters after a late afternoon meeting at the Capitol.

“I represent Florida’s first congressional district, where during the shutdown tens of thousands of people will go without a paycheck, and so I know the impact of a shutdown,” Gaetz said. “So it may get worse before it gets better, and I have little to offer but blood, sweat, toil and tears, but that may be what it takes.”

A government closure is increasingly likely as time runs out for Congress to act.

McCarthy's bid to move ahead with a traditionally popular defense funding bill as a first step toward keeping the government running was shattered, on a vote of 212-216. Five Republicans refused to vote with the increasingly endangered speaker. A sixth Republican voted no on procedural grounds so the bill could be reconsidered.

Moving forward with the defense bill was supposed to be a way for McCarthy to build goodwill among the GOP House majority as he tries to pass a temporary measure just to keep government running for another month. It, too, had catered to other hard-right priorities, such as slashing spending by 8% from many services and bolstering security at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Many on the right flank opposed the deal McCarthy struck with Biden this year over the spending levels and are trying to dismantle it now. They want to see progress on the individual appropriations bills that would fund the various federal departments at the lower levels these lawmakers are demanding.

The morning test vote shattered a McCarthy strategy that had emerged just the night before. Republicans had appeared on track, in a tight roll call, to advancing the measure Thursday. Then the Democrats who had not yet voted began rushing into the chamber.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrats yelled out to hold open the vote. She was a “no." A few others came in behind her and tipped the tally toward defeat.

The Democrats oppose the military bill on many fronts, including Republican provisions that would gut diversity programs at the Pentagon.

As passage appeared doomed, attention turned to the five Republican holdouts to switch their votes.

GOP leaders spent more than an hour on the floor trying to recruit one of them, Rep. Dan Bishop. R-N.C., to vote “yes.”

“Every time there’s the slightest relief of the pressure, the movement goes away from completing the work,” Bishop said.

When asked what it would take to gain his vote, Bishop said, “I think a schedule of appropriations bills over Kevin McCarthy signature would be meaningful to you to me.”

Others were dug in, including some who had supported advancing the defense bill just two days ago when it first failed.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a chief opponent of more aid for Ukraine in the war against Russia, said she voted against the defense bill this time because her party's leadership refused to separate out the war money. Her stand came as Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was at the Capitol during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-washington-visit-congress-ukraine-war-1d20574fb3ea4fb5efcc7db5458a33a3">high-profile visit to Washington.</a>

McCarthy had pledged to keep lawmakers in session this weekend for as long as it took to finish their work. But they were sent home, told they could be called back on ample notice.

Many Republicans were starting to speak up more forcefully against their hard-right colleagues.

New York Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents a swing district, said he would not “be party to a shutdown.”

“There needs to be a realization that you’re not going to get everything you want,” he said. “Just throwing a temper tantrum and stomping your feet — frankly, not only is it wrong — it’s just pathetic.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695341819135.png" alt="A view of the House floor prior to taking a four day weekend Thursday afternoon-image&nbsp; CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A view of the House floor prior to taking a four day weekend Thursday afternoon-image&nbsp; CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy's</a>&nbsp;latest funding plan in ruins and lawmakers leaving town for the weekend, there's no endgame in sight as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-government-shutdown-house-republicans-congress-543f93b6ad6a3f23ee3f5275e19293f9">hard-right Republicans</a>&nbsp;push dangerously closer to a disruptive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-government-shutdown-spending-house-right-wing-5c8af4f0a5ea3a9d93f54e6566d50aeb">federal shutdown</a>.The White House will tell federal agencies on Friday to prepare for a shutdown, according to an official with the Office of Management and Budget who insisted on anonymity to discuss the upcoming instructions. That's standard seven days out from a federal disruption.The Republican McCarthy has repeatedly tried to appease his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-mccarthy-profanity-shutdown-biden-impeachment-3ec12e37d00004b1e84b3d3db3237863">hard-right flank</a>&nbsp;by agreeing to the steep spending cuts they are demanding to keep government open. But cheered on by Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner for president in 2024, the conservatives have all but seized control in dramatic fashion.In a crushing defeat Thursday, a handful of Republican hardliners blocked a typically popular defense bill from advancing — the second time this week it was set back, an unheard-of loss for a House speaker.Even a stopgap bill to keep government funding past the Sept. 30 deadline, called a continuing resolution or CR, is a non-starter for some on the right flank who have essentially seized control of the House.“This is a whole new concept of individuals who just want to burn the whole place down,” McCarthy said after Thursday's vote, acknowledging he was frustrated. “It doesn’t work.”The open revolt was further evidence that McCarthy’s strategy of repeatedly giving in to the conservatives is seemingly only emboldening them, allowing them to run roughshod over their own House majority. Their conservative bills have almost no chances in the Senate.Trump urged the conservatives to hold the line against the higher funding levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-deal-biden-mccarthy-default-01657c829be119850cd65ab9ffb0626a#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20With%20days,measure%20in%20the%20coming%20week.">McCarthy had agreed to with President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;earlier this year and to end the federal criminal indictments against him.“This is also the last chance to defund these political prosecutions against me and other Patriots,” Trump wrote on social media.“They failed on the debt limit, but they must not fail now. Use the power of the purse and defend the Country!” the former president wrote.The White House and Democrats, along with some Republicans, warn that a shutdown would be devastating for people who rely on their government for everyday services and would undermine America’s standing in the world.“We need the extreme MAGA Republicans to get their act together,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.“End the civil war,” Jeffries urged the Republicans. “Get your act together.”But one of Trump's top allies, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who is leading the hard-right flank, said the House Republicans now have almost no choices left but to spend the time it takes to pass each of the 12 spending bills needed to fund the government —- typically a laborious process — even if it means going into a shutdown.Or they can join with Democrats to pass a CR, which is sure to put McCarthy's job at risk.What Gaetz said he, and several others, would not do is vote for a continuing resolution that fails to slash spending.“I’m giving a eulogy for the CR right now,” Gaetz told reporters after a late afternoon meeting at the Capitol.“I represent Florida’s first congressional district, where during the shutdown tens of thousands of people will go without a paycheck, and so I know the impact of a shutdown,” Gaetz said. “So it may get worse before it gets better, and I have little to offer but blood, sweat, toil and tears, but that may be what it takes.”A government closure is increasingly likely as time runs out for Congress to act.McCarthy's bid to move ahead with a traditionally popular defense funding bill as a first step toward keeping the government running was shattered, on a vote of 212-216. Five Republicans refused to vote with the increasingly endangered speaker. A sixth Republican voted no on procedural grounds so the bill could be reconsidered.Moving forward with the defense bill was supposed to be a way for McCarthy to build goodwill among the GOP House majority as he tries to pass a temporary measure just to keep government running for another month. It, too, had catered to other hard-right priorities, such as slashing spending by 8% from many services and bolstering security at the U.S.-Mexico border.Many on the right flank opposed the deal McCarthy struck with Biden this year over the spending levels and are trying to dismantle it now. They want to see progress on the individual appropriations bills that would fund the various federal departments at the lower levels these lawmakers are demanding.The morning test vote shattered a McCarthy strategy that had emerged just the night before. Republicans had appeared on track, in a tight roll call, to advancing the measure Thursday. Then the Democrats who had not yet voted began rushing into the chamber.New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrats yelled out to hold open the vote. She was a “no." A few others came in behind her and tipped the tally toward defeat.The Democrats oppose the military bill on many fronts, including Republican provisions that would gut diversity programs at the Pentagon.As passage appeared doomed, attention turned to the five Republican holdouts to switch their votes.GOP leaders spent more than an hour on the floor trying to recruit one of them, Rep. Dan Bishop. R-N.C., to vote “yes.”“Every time there’s the slightest relief of the pressure, the movement goes away from completing the work,” Bishop said.When asked what it would take to gain his vote, Bishop said, “I think a schedule of appropriations bills over Kevin McCarthy signature would be meaningful to you to me.”Others were dug in, including some who had supported advancing the defense bill just two days ago when it first failed.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a chief opponent of more aid for Ukraine in the war against Russia, said she voted against the defense bill this time because her party's leadership refused to separate out the war money. Her stand came as Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was at the Capitol during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-washington-visit-congress-ukraine-war-1d20574fb3ea4fb5efcc7db5458a33a3">high-profile visit to Washington.</a>McCarthy had pledged to keep lawmakers in session this weekend for as long as it took to finish their work. But they were sent home, told they could be called back on ample notice.Many Republicans were starting to speak up more forcefully against their hard-right colleagues.New York Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents a swing district, said he would not “be party to a shutdown.”“There needs to be a realization that you’re not going to get everything you want,” he said. “Just throwing a temper tantrum and stomping your feet — frankly, not only is it wrong — it’s just pathetic.”___

House takes the weekend off despite a shutdown deadline

RENO COUNTY — Hutchinson firefighters helped rescue a person stuck in the mud in Cow Creek on Thursday.

Just after 6p.m. fire crews responded to an entrapment with a person stuck in mud up to his chest, according to Fire Chief Steven Beer.

First responders found a man in his mid-twenties stuck in the mud. The friends who called 911 said before they called, the victim was only in as deep as his knees, but by the time crews got there, he had sunk over a foot.&nbsp;

Firefighters used a rope to put around him to keep him from sinking any further and then got a ladder and put it next to him to allow him to use the strength he had left to help hoist him out of the mud.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

RENO COUNTY — Hutchinson firefighters helped rescue a person stuck in the mud in Cow Creek on Thursday.Just after 6p.m. fire crews responded to an entrapment with a person stuck in mud up to his chest, according to Fire Chief Steven Beer.First responders found a man in his mid-twenties stuck in the mud. The friends who called 911 said before they called, the victim was only in as deep as his knees, but by the time crews got there, he had sunk over a foot.&nbsp;Firefighters used a rope to put around him to keep him from sinking any further and then got a ladder and put it next to him to allow him to use the strength he had left to help hoist him out of the mud.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

Firefighters rescue man stuck in mud in Kansas creek

SCOTT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 466 officials are investigating a reported threat at the high school in Scott City, according to a statement from principal Matt Bayer released by the Scott City Police Department.

Police were notified and immediately began investigating. They determined the threat was not credible and did not believe there was any immediate danger to students and staff at the high school.

Law enforcement and school officials will continue to work together to maintain a safe environment for all students. There will continue to be a police presence at the school Friday to provide peace of mind for students and staff, according to Bayer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695338174658.png" alt="Scott City High School-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Scott City High School-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SCOTT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 466 officials are investigating a reported threat at the high school in Scott City, according to a statement from principal Matt Bayer released by the Scott City Police Department.Police were notified and immediately began investigating. They determined the threat was not credible and did not believe there was any immediate danger to students and staff at the high school.Law enforcement and school officials will continue to work together to maintain a safe environment for all students. There will continue to be a police presence at the school Friday to provide peace of mind for students and staff, according to Bayer.

School threat: Police presence continues at Kansas high school 

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged with two counts of murder after detectives in a newly formed cold case unit connected him to the deaths of two women nearly three decades ago.

DNA evidence led to the arrest of 52-year-old Gary Dion Davis, Kansas City Police Chief Karl Oakman and Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said Wednesday. Davis is jailed on a $500,000 bond for two counts of second-degree murder, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article279564234.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported.

Davis was a long-haul truck driver in the 1990s. He is accused of killing 26-year-old Christina King, who was found beaten to death behind an abandoned building on Christmas Day in 1996. He also is charged with fatally stabbing Pearl Barnes, whose body was found in a vacant house a month earlier.

Davis does not yet have a listed attorney. Two phone numbers listed for him were no longer in service, and a third had a full mailbox and wasn't accepting messages on Thursday.

The circumstances behind the deaths are still being investigated, but police said they do not believe that Davis knew either of the women. Detectives are trying to determine if Davis could be responsible for other crimes.

The Kansas City Kansas Police Department's cold case unit began operation in January 2022 and consists of three full-time detectives. Oakman said the department has “a lot of unsolved cases” and already had identified suspects in 11 homicide cases.

"So, it may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. In fact, it may not be this year. But there’s gonna be a time,” Oakman said. “You may be in a drive-thru line. You may be at the grocery store. We’re gonna eventually get you.”

Authorities also announced that two other unrelated cases were recently solved.

A 66-year-old inmate was charged in May after he confessed to killing 16-year-old Dion Estell, who was found shot to death in a creek bed in July 1997. The inmate, who was convicted of a 1998 killing and is now in hospice care, confessed to cold case detectives because he wanted closure for Estell's family.

The oldest case cleared involved the death of an hours-old baby girl found in a dumpster behind an apartment complex in November 1976. DNA evidence led detectives to the mother of the child in 2022.

The woman accused her grandmother of taking the baby away shortly after she gave birth. The grandmother, who has since died, was identified as the primary suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695293051137.png" alt="Davis-photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Davis-photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged with two counts of murder after detectives in a newly formed cold case unit connected him to the deaths of two women nearly three decades ago.DNA evidence led to the arrest of 52-year-old Gary Dion Davis, Kansas City Police Chief Karl Oakman and Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said Wednesday. Davis is jailed on a $500,000 bond for two counts of second-degree murder, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article279564234.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported.Davis was a long-haul truck driver in the 1990s. He is accused of killing 26-year-old Christina King, who was found beaten to death behind an abandoned building on Christmas Day in 1996. He also is charged with fatally stabbing Pearl Barnes, whose body was found in a vacant house a month earlier.Davis does not yet have a listed attorney. Two phone numbers listed for him were no longer in service, and a third had a full mailbox and wasn't accepting messages on Thursday.The circumstances behind the deaths are still being investigated, but police said they do not believe that Davis knew either of the women. Detectives are trying to determine if Davis could be responsible for other crimes.The Kansas City Kansas Police Department's cold case unit began operation in January 2022 and consists of three full-time detectives. Oakman said the department has “a lot of unsolved cases” and already had identified suspects in 11 homicide cases."So, it may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. In fact, it may not be this year. But there’s gonna be a time,” Oakman said. “You may be in a drive-thru line. You may be at the grocery store. We’re gonna eventually get you.”Authorities also announced that two other unrelated cases were recently solved.A 66-year-old inmate was charged in May after he confessed to killing 16-year-old Dion Estell, who was found shot to death in a creek bed in July 1997. The inmate, who was convicted of a 1998 killing and is now in hospice care, confessed to cold case detectives because he wanted closure for Estell's family.The oldest case cleared involved the death of an hours-old baby girl found in a dumpster behind an apartment complex in November 1976. DNA evidence led detectives to the mother of the child in 2022.The woman accused her grandmother of taking the baby away shortly after she gave birth. The grandmother, who has since died, was identified as the primary suspect.

Kan. cold case detectives connect 2 killings to the same suspect

CHEYENNE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Thursday in Cheyenne County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Peterbilt semi driven by Edgar L. Carpenter, 59, Bird City, was northbound at 1850 Road 25 in Bird City.

The semi struck a homemade motorcycle driven by a juvenile that traveled into the road from a driveway. The child had serious injuries.&nbsp; According to the KHP juvenile record is protected. The patrol released no additional details.

CHEYENNE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Thursday in Cheyenne County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Peterbilt semi driven by Edgar L. Carpenter, 59, Bird City, was northbound at 1850 Road 25 in Bird City.The semi struck a homemade motorcycle driven by a juvenile that traveled into the road from a driveway. The child had serious injuries.&nbsp; According to the KHP juvenile record is protected. The patrol released no additional details.

Semi strikes juvenile on motorcycle in NW Kansas 

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 1:30a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75, near Carbondale, for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

The driver of the vehicle, Michael S. Brumbaugh, 52, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and Interference with law enforcement

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695137870483.png" alt="Brumbaugh-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Brumbaugh-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 1:30a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75, near Carbondale, for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.The driver of the vehicle, Michael S. Brumbaugh, 52, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and Interference with law enforcement

Sheriff: Kansas man caught transporting cocaine

LYON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating after the bodies of two Kansas&nbsp; women 44-year-old Linda L. Estrada and 39-year-old&nbsp; Amy R. Ford were located in rural eastern Colorado, according to Emporia Police Captain Lisa Hayes.

The Emporia Police Department began their investigation in the early morning hours of Monday September 11, after a family member reported Linda Estrada as missing. 

Police learned Estrada and Amy Ford had been together in Colorado the previous weekend. Amy was reported missing shortly after the investigation began.

Emporia Police Investigations Division utilized cellular phone technology, along with security videos and solid police work to track the&nbsp; the two woman throughout Colorado. The investigation led detectives to portions of eastern Colorado and western Kansas. 

Authorities in Colorado spent 5 days searching with the aid of K9s, airplanes, drones and ground searches. On September 18, Emporia detectives traveled to eastern Colorado where they coordinated with local authorities. Just before 4p.m. CDT, Wednesday, the bodies were found in rural eastern Colorado.

A person of interest to the case is in custody on charges not related to this specific investigation, according to Hayes. The individual’s name will not be released by the Emporia Police Department at this time, due to the continuing investigation(s) in Colorado. Police confirmed the individual has been cooperative.

The investigation is being turned over to an eastern Colorado Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695324168687.png" alt="&nbsp;Amy Ford and Linda Estrada-photo Emporia Police" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Amy Ford and Linda Estrada-photo Emporia Police</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating after the bodies of two Kansas&nbsp; women 44-year-old Linda L. Estrada and 39-year-old&nbsp; Amy R. Ford were located in rural eastern Colorado, according to Emporia Police Captain Lisa Hayes.The Emporia Police Department began their investigation in the early morning hours of Monday September 11, after a family member reported Linda Estrada as missing. Police learned Estrada and Amy Ford had been together in Colorado the previous weekend. Amy was reported missing shortly after the investigation began.Emporia Police Investigations Division utilized cellular phone technology, along with security videos and solid police work to track the&nbsp; the two woman throughout Colorado. The investigation led detectives to portions of eastern Colorado and western Kansas. Authorities in Colorado spent 5 days searching with the aid of K9s, airplanes, drones and ground searches. On September 18, Emporia detectives traveled to eastern Colorado where they coordinated with local authorities. Just before 4p.m. CDT, Wednesday, the bodies were found in rural eastern Colorado.A person of interest to the case is in custody on charges not related to this specific investigation, according to Hayes. The individual’s name will not be released by the Emporia Police Department at this time, due to the continuing investigation(s) in Colorado. Police confirmed the individual has been cooperative.The investigation is being turned over to an eastern Colorado Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Police: Bodies of 2 missing Kansas women found in Colorado

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Texas man in connection with a theft from an ATM.

Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police arrested 23-year-old Augustus Sherman Jr, 23, of Houston, Texas on a Riley County District Court warrant for burglary of a motor vehicle, two counts of theft, and two counts of criminal damage to property, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The charges stem from a 2022 incident in which Sherman was alleged to be involved in the theft of a vehicle and money from an ATM in Manhattan.

The total bond was set at $12,000 and he remains confined in the Riley County Jail.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Texas man in connection with a theft from an ATM.Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police arrested 23-year-old Augustus Sherman Jr, 23, of Houston, Texas on a Riley County District Court warrant for burglary of a motor vehicle, two counts of theft, and two counts of criminal damage to property, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The charges stem from a 2022 incident in which Sherman was alleged to be involved in the theft of a vehicle and money from an ATM in Manhattan.The total bond was set at $12,000 and he remains confined in the Riley County Jail.

Texas man accused of theft from ATM in Kansas

CLOUD COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and law enforcement authorities in north central Kansas are conducting a death investigation after a shooting occurred at a party September 16, in rural Cloud County, according to a media release.

Just before 11:30p.m., a Clay Center resident called the Cloud County Sheriff's office to request help locating a 14-year-old family member. The girl reportedly ran away and was thought to be attending a party near the small community of Aurora, Kansas.

A Cloud County deputy responded to the outdoor field party near 210th Road and Lark Road.&nbsp; High school and college students were in attendance.

&nbsp;The deputy located the girl and tried to convince her to return to her family.&nbsp; As he was escorting her to his patrol vehicle, she pulled out a firearm and shot herself. The deputy did not draw his firearm.

The deputy and an off-duty firefighter attempted life-saving measures. Shortly after midnight, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Multiple individuals attending the party witnessed the incident. Law enforcement is interviewing them as part of the investigation.

CLOUD COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and law enforcement authorities in north central Kansas are conducting a death investigation after a shooting occurred at a party September 16, in rural Cloud County, according to a media release.Just before 11:30p.m., a Clay Center resident called the Cloud County Sheriff's office to request help locating a 14-year-old family member. The girl reportedly ran away and was thought to be attending a party near the small community of Aurora, Kansas.A Cloud County deputy responded to the outdoor field party near 210th Road and Lark Road.&nbsp; High school and college students were in attendance.&nbsp;The deputy located the girl and tried to convince her to return to her family.&nbsp; As he was escorting her to his patrol vehicle, she pulled out a firearm and shot herself. The deputy did not draw his firearm.The deputy and an off-duty firefighter attempted life-saving measures. Shortly after midnight, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Multiple individuals attending the party witnessed the incident. Law enforcement is interviewing them as part of the investigation.

KBI investigating death of 14-year-old girl at outdoor party

LAS VEGAS (AP) — MGM Resorts brought to an end a 10-day computer shutdown prompted by efforts to shield from a cyberattack data including hotel reservations and credit card processing, the casino giant said Wednesday, as analysts and academics measured the effects of the event.

“We are pleased that all of our hotels and casinos are operating normally,” the Las Vegas-based company posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mgm-resorts-casino-vegas-cybersecurity-outage-06de044bdf1880af2a8bce1a38c986ee">reported last week</a>&nbsp;that the attack was detected Sept. 10.

Rival casino owner Caesars Entertainment also disclosed last week&nbsp;<a href="https://investor.caesars.com/static-files/0bc13ee5-34a9-402e-8e7a-824b9dba4e57">to federal regulators</a>&nbsp;that it was hit by a cyberattack Sept. 7. It said that its casino and online operations were not disrupted but it could not guarantee that personal information about tens of millions of customers, including driver’s licenses and Social Security numbers of loyalty rewards members, had not been compromised.

Caesars, based in Reno, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vegas-casinos-mgm-resorts-caesars-cyberattack-shutdown-3f7f80d0d200e9f26a2efa88bc5a6862">widely reported to have paid</a>&nbsp;$15 million of a $30 million ransom sought by a group called Scattered Spider for a promise to secure the data.

Details about the extent of the MGM breach were not immediately disclosed, including the kind of information that may have been compromised and how much it cost the company.

Gregory Moody, professor and director of the cybersecurity program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, pointed to quoted estimates that the computer shutdown cost the company up to $8 million per day, which could put the cumulative effect at $80 million. But Moody also noted that MGM Resorts reports annual revenues above $14 billion, which would mean it averages at least $270 million in revenues per week.

The company reported Wednesday that systems handling resort services, dining, entertainment, pools and spas were operational and its website and app were taking dining and spa reservations while the company worked to restore hotel booking and loyalty reward functions.

"MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas and throughout the country are back to normal operations," spokesman Brian Ahern told The Associated Press. MGM also has properties in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.

FBI spokeswoman Sandra Breault in Las Vegas declined to comment and referred to a previous statement by the agency saying an investigation was ongoing.

Experts said the attacks exposed critical cybersecurity weaknesses at MGM and Caesars and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vegas-casinos-mgm-caesars-cyberattack-59644d2cb0f2a765770d30f268b81a11">shattered an image of casino invulnerability</a>.

“At this point, all casinos should be moving to the highest defensive posture possible and taking active measures to verify the integrity of their systems and environment, and reviewing — if not activating — their incident response processes,” said Christopher Budd, a director of threat research at cybersecurity firm Sophos X-Ops. “There’s been attacks against multiple casinos, and it’s possible we’ll see more.”

Caesars Entertainment is the largest casino owner in the world, with more than 65 million rewards members and properties in 18 states and Canada under the Caesars, Harrah’s, Horseshoe and Eldorado brands. It also has mobile and online operations and sports betting.

MGM Resorts is the largest private employer in Nevada, operating tens of thousands of hotel rooms in Las Vegas at its flagship MGM Grand and properties including Bellagio, Aria, New York-New York and Mandalay Bay. It also operates resorts in China and Macau. It employees 75,000 people in the U.S. and abroad.

Caesars stock traded Wednesday at $50.17 per share, up 36 cents for the day. MGM shares were at $38.77, down 43 cents. Both companies are expected to disclose effects of the attacks in quarterly reports next month to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The attack on MGM also has been attributed to Scattered Spider, a group of English-speakers also sometimes known as Øktapus operating under a Russia-based operation called ALPHV or BlackCat.

“But there are a lot of conflicting reports,” said David Richardson, an executive at cybersecurity firm Lookout. “You have Scattered Spider claiming that they’ve done both in various forums, and ALPHV, saying that Scattered Spider wasn’t involved with the other. But there’s a lot of technical evidence that shows that there’s a relationship between the two."

Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at the nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.staysafeonline.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ckritter%40ap.org%7Cca0a20ea9b804d508b7d08dbba1f1bcb%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638308415018540478%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=mb7J%2FcYXYobsfimbQlMHY8zqn4%2B%2FU6M1B2XdGgBX3B8%3D&amp;reserved=0">National Cybersecurity Alliance</a>, called MGM’s decision to shut down vulnerable systems to prevent intrusion a positive step but said it highlighted “significant" security gaps and an urgent need for substantial investment in employee training and cybersecurity. The risk, she said, is ”downtime and financial losses."

“Caesars Entertainment’s decision to pay the ransom highlighted a lack of confidence and investment in their cyber defenses,” Plaggemier said.

Moody, at UNLV, said via email that the attacks showed that even for well-prepared or technically advanced companies, “it is not a matter of if you get attacked, but when you get attacked.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695299433606.png" alt="Rival casino owner Caesars Entertainment also disclosed last week&nbsp;<a href="https://investor.caesars.com/static-files/0bc13ee5-34a9-402e-8e7a-824b9dba4e57">to federal regulators</a>&nbsp;that it was hit by a cyberattack Sept. 7" />
 <figcaption>Rival casino owner Caesars Entertainment also disclosed last week&nbsp;<a href="https://investor.caesars.com/static-files/0bc13ee5-34a9-402e-8e7a-824b9dba4e57">to federal regulators</a>&nbsp;that it was hit by a cyberattack Sept. 7</figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) — MGM Resorts brought to an end a 10-day computer shutdown prompted by efforts to shield from a cyberattack data including hotel reservations and credit card processing, the casino giant said Wednesday, as analysts and academics measured the effects of the event.“We are pleased that all of our hotels and casinos are operating normally,” the Las Vegas-based company posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mgm-resorts-casino-vegas-cybersecurity-outage-06de044bdf1880af2a8bce1a38c986ee">reported last week</a>&nbsp;that the attack was detected Sept. 10.Rival casino owner Caesars Entertainment also disclosed last week&nbsp;<a href="https://investor.caesars.com/static-files/0bc13ee5-34a9-402e-8e7a-824b9dba4e57">to federal regulators</a>&nbsp;that it was hit by a cyberattack Sept. 7. It said that its casino and online operations were not disrupted but it could not guarantee that personal information about tens of millions of customers, including driver’s licenses and Social Security numbers of loyalty rewards members, had not been compromised.Caesars, based in Reno, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vegas-casinos-mgm-resorts-caesars-cyberattack-shutdown-3f7f80d0d200e9f26a2efa88bc5a6862">widely reported to have paid</a>&nbsp;$15 million of a $30 million ransom sought by a group called Scattered Spider for a promise to secure the data.Details about the extent of the MGM breach were not immediately disclosed, including the kind of information that may have been compromised and how much it cost the company.Gregory Moody, professor and director of the cybersecurity program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, pointed to quoted estimates that the computer shutdown cost the company up to $8 million per day, which could put the cumulative effect at $80 million. But Moody also noted that MGM Resorts reports annual revenues above $14 billion, which would mean it averages at least $270 million in revenues per week.The company reported Wednesday that systems handling resort services, dining, entertainment, pools and spas were operational and its website and app were taking dining and spa reservations while the company worked to restore hotel booking and loyalty reward functions."MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas and throughout the country are back to normal operations," spokesman Brian Ahern told The Associated Press. MGM also has properties in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.FBI spokeswoman Sandra Breault in Las Vegas declined to comment and referred to a previous statement by the agency saying an investigation was ongoing.Experts said the attacks exposed critical cybersecurity weaknesses at MGM and Caesars and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vegas-casinos-mgm-caesars-cyberattack-59644d2cb0f2a765770d30f268b81a11">shattered an image of casino invulnerability</a>.“At this point, all casinos should be moving to the highest defensive posture possible and taking active measures to verify the integrity of their systems and environment, and reviewing — if not activating — their incident response processes,” said Christopher Budd, a director of threat research at cybersecurity firm Sophos X-Ops. “There’s been attacks against multiple casinos, and it’s possible we’ll see more.”Caesars Entertainment is the largest casino owner in the world, with more than 65 million rewards members and properties in 18 states and Canada under the Caesars, Harrah’s, Horseshoe and Eldorado brands. It also has mobile and online operations and sports betting.MGM Resorts is the largest private employer in Nevada, operating tens of thousands of hotel rooms in Las Vegas at its flagship MGM Grand and properties including Bellagio, Aria, New York-New York and Mandalay Bay. It also operates resorts in China and Macau. It employees 75,000 people in the U.S. and abroad.Caesars stock traded Wednesday at $50.17 per share, up 36 cents for the day. MGM shares were at $38.77, down 43 cents. Both companies are expected to disclose effects of the attacks in quarterly reports next month to the Securities and Exchange Commission.The attack on MGM also has been attributed to Scattered Spider, a group of English-speakers also sometimes known as Øktapus operating under a Russia-based operation called ALPHV or BlackCat.“But there are a lot of conflicting reports,” said David Richardson, an executive at cybersecurity firm Lookout. “You have Scattered Spider claiming that they’ve done both in various forums, and ALPHV, saying that Scattered Spider wasn’t involved with the other. But there’s a lot of technical evidence that shows that there’s a relationship between the two."Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at the nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.staysafeonline.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ckritter%40ap.org%7Cca0a20ea9b804d508b7d08dbba1f1bcb%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638308415018540478%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=mb7J%2FcYXYobsfimbQlMHY8zqn4%2B%2FU6M1B2XdGgBX3B8%3D&amp;reserved=0">National Cybersecurity Alliance</a>, called MGM’s decision to shut down vulnerable systems to prevent intrusion a positive step but said it highlighted “significant" security gaps and an urgent need for substantial investment in employee training and cybersecurity. The risk, she said, is ”downtime and financial losses."“Caesars Entertainment’s decision to pay the ransom highlighted a lack of confidence and investment in their cyber defenses,” Plaggemier said.Moody, at UNLV, said via email that the attacks showed that even for well-prepared or technically advanced companies, “it is not a matter of if you get attacked, but when you get attacked.”

Las Vegas hotel casino lost millions after 10 day cyberattack

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a whirlwind return visit to Washington on Thursday to shore up U.S. support for Ukraine, delivering an upbeat message on the war's progress while facing new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-funding-zelenskyy-mccarthy-9bced4d9a8c16ae5bf148f640b6f2c31">questions about the flow of American dollars</a>&nbsp;that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces.

The Ukrainian leader received a far quieter reception than the hero's welcome he got last year, but also won generally favorable comments on the aid he says he needs to stave off defeat.

Kansas junior Senator Roger Marshall did not attend the meeting and on social media explained why.

Zelenskyy, in long-sleeve olive drab, came to the Capitol with a firm message in private talks with Republican and Democratic leaders. The Ukrainians have a solid war plan, and “they are winning,” lawmakers quoted him as assuring them, at a time that the world is watching Western support for Kyiv.

Zelenskyy also spoke with military leaders at the Pentagon and was meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin greeted Zelenskyy at the Pentagon without the usual ceremonial band or fanfare that is typical of a high-level visit.

The Ukrainian president faced varying levels of skepticism from House lawmakers. Republican leaders pressed him for his plans for winning Ukraine's counteroffensive against invading Russian forces, as the war moves closer to the two-year mark without major breakthroughs in Russia's heavily mined lines.

Zelensky “conceded that it’s tough, very tough to overcome entrenched defenses,” Independent Sen. Angus King said. “They believe they will make slow but steady progress, but it’s not going to be quick.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who faces opposition on support for Ukraine among far-right Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump, notably chose not to join House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in greeting the Ukrainian president when he arrived at the Capitol. McCarthy also confirmed that he declined Zelenskyy’s request for a joint session of Congress, as happened during the Ukrainian president’s dramatic visit to Washington last winter, saying there wasn’t time for that on short notice.

But McCarthy called it a productive session.

“It was direct, it was honest, they answered some of the questions,” McCarthy said. “I heard a lot of positive things.”

Republican Rep. Mike Turner, the chairman of the House Select Intelligence Committee, said Zelenskyy “gave us details on the offensive that were very positive and his long-term goals and objectives. People in the room appreciated and supported it.”

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said lawmakers had been looking for assurance that there was a clear strategy for victory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695308479356.png" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, walks with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., right, at Capitol Hill on Thursday morning -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, walks with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., right, at Capitol Hill on Thursday morning -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a whirlwind return visit to Washington on Thursday to shore up U.S. support for Ukraine, delivering an upbeat message on the war's progress while facing new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-funding-zelenskyy-mccarthy-9bced4d9a8c16ae5bf148f640b6f2c31">questions about the flow of American dollars</a>&nbsp;that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces.The Ukrainian leader received a far quieter reception than the hero's welcome he got last year, but also won generally favorable comments on the aid he says he needs to stave off defeat.Kansas junior Senator Roger Marshall did not attend the meeting and on social media explained why.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Read my statement on President Zelenskyy’s Senate Visit ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/7zcWxoDdy5">pic.twitter.com/7zcWxoDdy5</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1704868498625774029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Zelenskyy, in long-sleeve olive drab, came to the Capitol with a firm message in private talks with Republican and Democratic leaders. The Ukrainians have a solid war plan, and “they are winning,” lawmakers quoted him as assuring them, at a time that the world is watching Western support for Kyiv.Zelenskyy also spoke with military leaders at the Pentagon and was meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin greeted Zelenskyy at the Pentagon without the usual ceremonial band or fanfare that is typical of a high-level visit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695303870802.png" alt="House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries walks with Zelensky in the Capitol early Thursday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries walks with Zelensky in the Capitol early Thursday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The Ukrainian president faced varying levels of skepticism from House lawmakers. Republican leaders pressed him for his plans for winning Ukraine's counteroffensive against invading Russian forces, as the war moves closer to the two-year mark without major breakthroughs in Russia's heavily mined lines.Zelensky “conceded that it’s tough, very tough to overcome entrenched defenses,” Independent Sen. Angus King said. “They believe they will make slow but steady progress, but it’s not going to be quick.”House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who faces opposition on support for Ukraine among far-right Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump, notably chose not to join House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in greeting the Ukrainian president when he arrived at the Capitol. McCarthy also confirmed that he declined Zelenskyy’s request for a joint session of Congress, as happened during the Ukrainian president’s dramatic visit to Washington last winter, saying there wasn’t time for that on short notice.But McCarthy called it a productive session.“It was direct, it was honest, they answered some of the questions,” McCarthy said. “I heard a lot of positive things.”Republican Rep. Mike Turner, the chairman of the House Select Intelligence Committee, said Zelenskyy “gave us details on the offensive that were very positive and his long-term goals and objectives. People in the room appreciated and supported it.”Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said lawmakers had been looking for assurance that there was a clear strategy for victory.“War of attrition is not going to win this,” McCaul said. “That’s what Putin wants," he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "He wants to break the will of the American people and the Europeans.”It is Zelenskyy's second visit to Washington since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia invaded Ukraine</a>&nbsp;in February 2022 and comes as Biden's request to Congress for an additional $24 billion for Ukraine’s military and humanitarian needs is hanging in the balance. Back home, Russian launched its heaviest strikes in a month in the hours before Zelenskyy’s arrival at Congress, killing three, igniting fires and damaging energy infrastructure as Russian missiles and artillery pounded cities across Ukraine.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called the Ukrainian president “our best messenger” in persuading U.S. lawmakers to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-invasion-biden-congress-funding-d392f9b1adbb9c44249dce1cccdc2d1e">vital U.S. money</a>&nbsp;and weapons coming.“It’s really important for members of Congress to be able to hear directly from the president about what he's facing in this counteroffensive," Kirby told reporters Wednesday, "and how he’s achieving his goals, and what he needs to continue to achieve those goals."Biden has called on world leaders to stand strong with Ukraine, even as he faces domestic political divisions at home. A hard-right flank of Republicans, led by Trump, Biden’s chief rival in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 race</a>&nbsp;for the White House, is increasingly opposed to sending more money overseas.Zelenskyy faces challenges in Europe as well as cracks emerge in what had been a largely united Western alliance behind Ukraine.Late Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-ukraine-weapons-russia-war-trade-dispute-5e2e7a194b5238b86c160f0f4848b4f3">Poland’s prime minister said his country is no longer sending arms</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine, a comment that appeared aimed at pressuring Kyiv and put Poland’s status as a major source of military equipment in doubt as a trade dispute between the neighboring states escalates.Zelenskyy’s visit comes with U.S. and world government leaders watching as Ukrainian forces struggle to take back territory that Russia gained over the past year. Their progress in the next month or so before the rains come and the ground turns to mud could be critical to rousing additional global support over the winter. Russian President Putin, who believes he can outlast allied backing for Kyiv, will be ready to capitalize if he sees Ukraine is running low on air defense or other weapons.Administration officials were set to announce another $325 million Thursday in what’s known as presidential drawdown assistance for Ukraine. The package will include dual-purpose improved conventional munitions, or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-cluster-munition-war-7332fa86b3c52d1ea8d63f92a7d5c2cb">cluster munitions</a>, and ammunition for HIMARS rocket artillery systems, two U.S. officials said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the weapons package prior to its announcement.Since the start of the war, most members of Congress supported approving four rounds of aid to Ukraine, totaling about $113 billion, viewing defense of the country and its democracy as an imperative, especially when it comes to containing Putin. Some of that money went toward replenishing U.S. military equipment sent to the frontlines.Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, who traveled to Kyiv this week, said cutting off U.S. aid during the Ukrainians’ counteroffensive would be “catastrophic” to their efforts.“That would clearly be the opening that Putin is looking for,” Kelly said Wednesday. “They cannot be successful without our support.”The political environment has shifted markedly since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Zelenskyy addressed Congress</a>&nbsp;last December on his first trip out of Ukraine since the war began. He was met with rapturous applause for his country’s bravery and surprisingly strong showing in the war.His meeting with senators on Thursday took place behind closed doors in the Old Senate Chamber, a historic and intimate place of importance at the U.S. Capitol, signifying the respect the Senate is showing the foreign leader.Zelenskyy received a warm welcome from both parties on his stop in the Senate. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer flanked him as he walked in. A few lawmakers of both parties wore clothes with blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.Rep. Steny Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland who attended the House meeting with Zelenskyy and lawmakers, said that McCarthy made no promises but that Republicans and Democrats were united in supporting Ukraine.“I think the message was not necessarily a promise but a determination to make sure that we could help Ukraine win this war for freedom and for all of us,” he said.___