WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has cleared the way for the release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-iran-us-prisoners-swap-deal-billions-e17dc67521798a2836ab4a3213e9277b">five American citizens detained in Iran</a>&nbsp;by issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions. In addition, as part of the deal, the administration has agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place. Congress was not informed of the waiver decision until Monday, according to the notification, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

The outlines of the deal had been previously announced and the waiver was expected. But the notification marked the first time the administration said it was releasing five Iranian prisoners as part of the deal. The prisoners have not been named.

The waiver drew criticism of President Joe Biden from Republicans and others who say the deal will boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to U.S. troops and Mideast allies.

On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall criticized the decision and timing of the announcement. "Joe Biden releases 5 prisoners and $6 Billion to Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism."  "On the day we pay tribute and remember the victims of 9/11, one of the most horrific attacks on American soil, the Biden Admin brokered a deal with terrorists who openly shout ‘Death to America.'

On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said “it’s ridiculous for US to be blackmailed into paying $6B for hostages which will help indirectly finance the number 1 foreign policy of Iran: terrorism.” Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas accused Biden of “paying ransom to the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism.”

The waiver means that European, Middle Eastern and Asian banks will not run afoul of U.S. sanctions in converting the money frozen in South Korea and transferring it to Qatar’s central bank, where it will be held for Iran to use for the purchase of humanitarian goods.

The transfer of the $6 billion was the critical element in the prisoner release deal, which saw four of the five American detainees transferred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoners-house-arrest-7be581f79f66636355600627dda3a5ae">from Iranian jails into house arrest</a>&nbsp;last month. The fifth detainee had already been under house arrest.

Due to numerous U.S. sanctions on foreign banks that engage in transactions aimed at benefitting Iran, several European countries had balked at participating in the transfer. Blinken’s waiver is aimed at easing their concerns about any risk of U.S. sanctions.

People familiar with negotiations said they expect the detainees will be released as early as next week.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoners-ba31e3b9c145c0b4fe55d1a66f88b885">The American prisoners</a>&nbsp;include Siamak Namazi, who was detained in 2015 and was later sentenced to 10 years in prison on internationally criticized spying charges; Emad Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced to 10 years; and Morad Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent who was arrested in 2018 and also received a 10-year sentence. The fourth and fifth prisoners were not identified.

“To facilitate their release, the United States has committed to release five Iranian nationals currently held in the United States and to permit the transfer of approximately $6 billion in restricted Iranian funds held in (South Korea) to restricted accounts in Qatar, where the funds will be available only for humanitarian trade,” Blinken wrote.

The sanctions waiver applies to banks and other financial institutions in South Korea, Germany, Ireland, Qatar and Switzerland.

“I determine that it is in the national security interest of the United States to waive the imposition of sanctions ... with respect to foreign financial institutions under the primary jurisdiction of Germany, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, and Switzerland that are notified directly in writing by the U.S. government, to the extent necessary for such institutions to engage in transactions occurring on or after August 9, 2023,” Blinken wrote.

Sanctions waivers apply to transactions involving previously penalized entities such as the National Iranian Oil Company and Central Bank of Iran “ to transfer funds from accounts in the Republic of Korea to accounts in Switzerland and Germany and from accounts in Switzerland and Germany to accounts in Qatar, and to use the transferred funds for further humanitarian transactions in accordance with written guidance from the U.S. Government,” he wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694481015909.png" alt="Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place.-photo U.S. Dept. of State" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place.-photo U.S. Dept. of State</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has cleared the way for the release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-iran-us-prisoners-swap-deal-billions-e17dc67521798a2836ab4a3213e9277b">five American citizens detained in Iran</a>&nbsp;by issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions. In addition, as part of the deal, the administration has agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States.Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place. Congress was not informed of the waiver decision until Monday, according to the notification, which was obtained by The Associated Press.The outlines of the deal had been previously announced and the waiver was expected. But the notification marked the first time the administration said it was releasing five Iranian prisoners as part of the deal. The prisoners have not been named.The waiver drew criticism of President Joe Biden from Republicans and others who say the deal will boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to U.S. troops and Mideast allies.On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall criticized the decision and timing of the announcement. "Joe Biden releases 5 prisoners and $6 Billion to Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism." "On the day we pay tribute and remember the victims of 9/11, one of the most horrific attacks on American soil, the Biden Admin brokered a deal with terrorists who openly shout ‘Death to America.'On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said “it’s ridiculous for US to be blackmailed into paying $6B for hostages which will help indirectly finance the number 1 foreign policy of Iran: terrorism.” Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas accused Biden of “paying ransom to the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism.”The waiver means that European, Middle Eastern and Asian banks will not run afoul of U.S. sanctions in converting the money frozen in South Korea and transferring it to Qatar’s central bank, where it will be held for Iran to use for the purchase of humanitarian goods.The transfer of the $6 billion was the critical element in the prisoner release deal, which saw four of the five American detainees transferred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoners-house-arrest-7be581f79f66636355600627dda3a5ae">from Iranian jails into house arrest</a>&nbsp;last month. The fifth detainee had already been under house arrest.Due to numerous U.S. sanctions on foreign banks that engage in transactions aimed at benefitting Iran, several European countries had balked at participating in the transfer. Blinken’s waiver is aimed at easing their concerns about any risk of U.S. sanctions.People familiar with negotiations said they expect the detainees will be released as early as next week.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoners-ba31e3b9c145c0b4fe55d1a66f88b885">The American prisoners</a>&nbsp;include Siamak Namazi, who was detained in 2015 and was later sentenced to 10 years in prison on internationally criticized spying charges; Emad Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced to 10 years; and Morad Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent who was arrested in 2018 and also received a 10-year sentence. The fourth and fifth prisoners were not identified.“To facilitate their release, the United States has committed to release five Iranian nationals currently held in the United States and to permit the transfer of approximately $6 billion in restricted Iranian funds held in (South Korea) to restricted accounts in Qatar, where the funds will be available only for humanitarian trade,” Blinken wrote.The sanctions waiver applies to banks and other financial institutions in South Korea, Germany, Ireland, Qatar and Switzerland.“I determine that it is in the national security interest of the United States to waive the imposition of sanctions ... with respect to foreign financial institutions under the primary jurisdiction of Germany, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, and Switzerland that are notified directly in writing by the U.S. government, to the extent necessary for such institutions to engage in transactions occurring on or after August 9, 2023,” Blinken wrote.Sanctions waivers apply to transactions involving previously penalized entities such as the National Iranian Oil Company and Central Bank of Iran “ to transfer funds from accounts in the Republic of Korea to accounts in Switzerland and Germany and from accounts in Switzerland and Germany to accounts in Qatar, and to use the transferred funds for further humanitarian transactions in accordance with written guidance from the U.S. Government,” he wrote.

Kan. Senator critical of Biden transfer of $6 Billion to Iran in prisoner swap

JEFFERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged violent attack on his father.

Just after 8:30a.m. September 9, deputies responded to 6956 Shawnee Lane, Lake Ridge Estates in Ozawkie, according to a media release. The victim reported that he had been hit by a blunt object several times.

First responders found 59-year-old Michael J. West with life-threatening injuries. EMS transported him to&nbsp;Stormont Vail Hospital&nbsp;in Topeka.

Just before noon, investigators found the suspect identified as 30-year-old Michael T. West, who lives with the victim and is his son, in Leavenworth. Deputies arrested and booked him into the Jefferson County Jail on requested charges of attempted murder in the first degree. He his being held without bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694482143536.png" alt="West-photo Jefferson County." />
 <figcaption>West-photo Jefferson County.</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged violent attack on his father.Just after 8:30a.m. September 9, deputies responded to 6956 Shawnee Lane, Lake Ridge Estates in Ozawkie, according to a media release. The victim reported that he had been hit by a blunt object several times.First responders found 59-year-old Michael J. West with life-threatening injuries. EMS transported him to&nbsp;Stormont Vail Hospital&nbsp;in Topeka.Just before noon, investigators found the suspect identified as 30-year-old Michael T. West, who lives with the victim and is his son, in Leavenworth. Deputies arrested and booked him into the Jefferson County Jail on requested charges of attempted murder in the first degree. He his being held without bond, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of violent attack on his father

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Abortion-rights advocates asked a judge on Monday to rewrite what they call misleading descriptions of several&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/31e5d91121b0be6ae41548eb11f2e751/0d2fdde552c2478b283937a6fab78cfc">constitutional amendments</a>&nbsp;on abortion that voters could see on Missouri’s 2024 ballot.

Missouri is among several states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ohio-ballot-constitutional-amendment-e921f46d04a1f3367cf0e42917485335">including Ohio</a>, where abortion opponents are fighting efforts to ensure or restore access to the procedure following the fall of Roe v. Wade last year.

In part, one of the Missouri petitions would amend the state's constitution to ban government infringement on the “fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which entails the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care."

Decisions on abortion, birth control and childbirth are some examples of reproductive care protected under the proposed amendments.

In Missouri, summaries of proposed constitutional amendments are provided on ballots to help voters understand what the measures would do.

Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/governor-missouri-ashcroft-election-republican-cceea45c2a7369a9ec37ea85ec6998c6">running for governor in 2024</a>, summarized the amendments as allowing “dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions, from conception to live birth, without requiring a medical license or potentially being subject to medical malpractice.”

“It is the secretary's duty to set aside his personal bias against the proposals and craft a neutral statement,” Missouri ACLU attorney Tony Rothert told the judge during Monday's hearing. ”Instead, the secretary acted as if he were playing the political-spin and manipulation-edition of mad libs."

Assistant Attorney General Jason Krol Lewis defended Ashcroft's summaries. He said the plaintiffs' argument for a rewrite of the summaries “hides the ball about what these initiative petitions would do.”

Under current Missouri law, almost all abortions are banned. But Lewis said the measures could also mean the fall of laws requiring abortion providers to have relationships with local hospitals, which he said is aimed at improving patient health.

“The secretary's summaries actually do summarize and convey to voters the massive loopholes in the initiative petition that would bring access to effectively unregulated and unrestricted abortion in Missouri," Lewis said.

Rothert said restrictions on abortions would still be allowed under the amendments, which include exceptions for government regulations for health and safety. He added that current rules on abortion could be upheld in court even if the amendment passes.

The legal, legislative and ballot battles on abortion have been playing out at the state level since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade and ended a nationwide right to abortion.

A measure to ensure abortion access is on the November ballot in Ohio after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ohio-ballot-constitutional-amendment-e921f46d04a1f3367cf0e42917485335">withstanding legal challenges</a>&nbsp;from opponents. That state’s voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-rights-constitutional-amendment-special-election-227cde039f8d51723612878525164f1a">rejected a measure</a>&nbsp;that would have required at least 60% of the vote to amend the state constitution, an approach supported by abortion opponents that would have made it harder to adopt the November ballot question.

Ballot measures on abortion could also be put before voters in 2024 in states including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-arizona-ballot-voters-2024-a7ea711840cbe2103a9c75c4c4dd4ef3">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-protections-maryland-constitution-8457276fd72fbe1367f7f8a99559731b">Maryland</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-womens-rights-new-york-5ae2968ab80098246978af10765ed9ae">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-south-dakota-sd-state-wire-constitutions-49618de8441cf8813ff64266cccc192d">South Dakota</a>. But in conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-tulsa-oklahoma-united-states-government-e9cb92772546e3fd33ef7599e6a07dd1">Oklahoma</a>, an initiative petition to legalize abortion was withdrawn soon after it started last year. Conservatives’ challenges to the ballot questions have been so intense partly because of the way the votes have been going. After the ruling last year, the issue appeared on the ballot in six states. In all of them, including generally conservative Kansas and Kentucky,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-health-kentucky-fabb3a40797c5491e9b2a3a696435161">the abortion rights side prevailed</a>.

Efforts to restore abortion rights in Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">hit a snag</a>&nbsp;in April when Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey refused to sign off on fellow Republican Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s cost estimates for the petitions, claiming that Fitzpatrick did not account for loss in tax revenue because of a lower birth rate and fewer taxpayers as a result of greater access to abortions.

The Missouri Supreme Court later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-attorney-general-voters-initiative-petition-56ef2731480c786c87d1a8e9be191e2b">ordered Bailey</a>&nbsp;to approve Fitzpatrick’s price tags, which then allowed Ashcroft’s office to craft summaries of the proposals.

The Missouri judge can approve Ashcroft’s summaries or rewrite the descriptions for voters. In either case, a resolution would allow the petitioners to begin collecting voters signatures that are needed to get the measures on the ballot.

Also on Monday, a lawyer for abortion opponents revived arguments that the state auditor’s cost estimates for the measures were misleadingly low because they did not account for a potential loss in property and sales tax revenue as a result of lower birth rates.

The abortion opponents also said restoring abortion rights could prompt the federal government to pull all of Missouri’s federal Medicaid funding, although both opponents and proponents agreed that the federal government has never before revoked all of a state’s Medicaid funding because of abortion access.

The auditor's office has said there is no evidence Missouri is at risk of losing all Medicaid funding if the amendment passes.

The judge is expected to rule on both lawsuits next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693425446976.png" alt="Decisions on abortion, birth control and childbirth are some examples of reproductive care protected under the proposed amendments-photo Planned Parenthood" />
 <figcaption>Decisions on abortion, birth control and childbirth are some examples of reproductive care protected under the proposed amendments-photo Planned Parenthood</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Abortion-rights advocates asked a judge on Monday to rewrite what they call misleading descriptions of several&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/31e5d91121b0be6ae41548eb11f2e751/0d2fdde552c2478b283937a6fab78cfc">constitutional amendments</a>&nbsp;on abortion that voters could see on Missouri’s 2024 ballot.Missouri is among several states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ohio-ballot-constitutional-amendment-e921f46d04a1f3367cf0e42917485335">including Ohio</a>, where abortion opponents are fighting efforts to ensure or restore access to the procedure following the fall of Roe v. Wade last year.In part, one of the Missouri petitions would amend the state's constitution to ban government infringement on the “fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which entails the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care."Decisions on abortion, birth control and childbirth are some examples of reproductive care protected under the proposed amendments.In Missouri, summaries of proposed constitutional amendments are provided on ballots to help voters understand what the measures would do.Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/governor-missouri-ashcroft-election-republican-cceea45c2a7369a9ec37ea85ec6998c6">running for governor in 2024</a>, summarized the amendments as allowing “dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions, from conception to live birth, without requiring a medical license or potentially being subject to medical malpractice.”“It is the secretary's duty to set aside his personal bias against the proposals and craft a neutral statement,” Missouri ACLU attorney Tony Rothert told the judge during Monday's hearing. ”Instead, the secretary acted as if he were playing the political-spin and manipulation-edition of mad libs."Assistant Attorney General Jason Krol Lewis defended Ashcroft's summaries. He said the plaintiffs' argument for a rewrite of the summaries “hides the ball about what these initiative petitions would do.”Under current Missouri law, almost all abortions are banned. But Lewis said the measures could also mean the fall of laws requiring abortion providers to have relationships with local hospitals, which he said is aimed at improving patient health.“The secretary's summaries actually do summarize and convey to voters the massive loopholes in the initiative petition that would bring access to effectively unregulated and unrestricted abortion in Missouri," Lewis said.Rothert said restrictions on abortions would still be allowed under the amendments, which include exceptions for government regulations for health and safety. He added that current rules on abortion could be upheld in court even if the amendment passes.The legal, legislative and ballot battles on abortion have been playing out at the state level since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade and ended a nationwide right to abortion.A measure to ensure abortion access is on the November ballot in Ohio after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ohio-ballot-constitutional-amendment-e921f46d04a1f3367cf0e42917485335">withstanding legal challenges</a>&nbsp;from opponents. That state’s voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-rights-constitutional-amendment-special-election-227cde039f8d51723612878525164f1a">rejected a measure</a>&nbsp;that would have required at least 60% of the vote to amend the state constitution, an approach supported by abortion opponents that would have made it harder to adopt the November ballot question.Ballot measures on abortion could also be put before voters in 2024 in states including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-arizona-ballot-voters-2024-a7ea711840cbe2103a9c75c4c4dd4ef3">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-protections-maryland-constitution-8457276fd72fbe1367f7f8a99559731b">Maryland</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-womens-rights-new-york-5ae2968ab80098246978af10765ed9ae">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-south-dakota-sd-state-wire-constitutions-49618de8441cf8813ff64266cccc192d">South Dakota</a>. But in conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-tulsa-oklahoma-united-states-government-e9cb92772546e3fd33ef7599e6a07dd1">Oklahoma</a>, an initiative petition to legalize abortion was withdrawn soon after it started last year. Conservatives’ challenges to the ballot questions have been so intense partly because of the way the votes have been going. After the ruling last year, the issue appeared on the ballot in six states. In all of them, including generally conservative Kansas and Kentucky,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-voting-rights-health-kentucky-fabb3a40797c5491e9b2a3a696435161">the abortion rights side prevailed</a>.Efforts to restore abortion rights in Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">hit a snag</a>&nbsp;in April when Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey refused to sign off on fellow Republican Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s cost estimates for the petitions, claiming that Fitzpatrick did not account for loss in tax revenue because of a lower birth rate and fewer taxpayers as a result of greater access to abortions.The Missouri Supreme Court later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-attorney-general-voters-initiative-petition-56ef2731480c786c87d1a8e9be191e2b">ordered Bailey</a>&nbsp;to approve Fitzpatrick’s price tags, which then allowed Ashcroft’s office to craft summaries of the proposals.The Missouri judge can approve Ashcroft’s summaries or rewrite the descriptions for voters. In either case, a resolution would allow the petitioners to begin collecting voters signatures that are needed to get the measures on the ballot.Also on Monday, a lawyer for abortion opponents revived arguments that the state auditor’s cost estimates for the measures were misleadingly low because they did not account for a potential loss in property and sales tax revenue as a result of lower birth rates.The abortion opponents also said restoring abortion rights could prompt the federal government to pull all of Missouri’s federal Medicaid funding, although both opponents and proponents agreed that the federal government has never before revoked all of a state’s Medicaid funding because of abortion access.The auditor's office has said there is no evidence Missouri is at risk of losing all Medicaid funding if the amendment passes.The judge is expected to rule on both lawsuits next week.

Challengers seek rewrite of Missouri abortion-rights ballot measures

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —One person died in an accident just before 3a.m. Sunday in Miami County.

A 2004 Ford Explorer driven by 18-year-old&nbsp;Breann Nicole Bowley of Pleasanton, Kansas, was eastbound on 311 Street just west of Spring Valley Road, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office reported Monday evening.

The SUV left the road on the right, returned to the road and rolled multiple times before coming to rest in the ditch. Deputies provided CPR to the driver until Miami County EMS arrived. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's office.

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —One person died in an accident just before 3a.m. Sunday in Miami County.A 2004 Ford Explorer driven by 18-year-old&nbsp;Breann Nicole Bowley of Pleasanton, Kansas, was eastbound on 311 Street just west of Spring Valley Road, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office reported Monday evening.The SUV left the road on the right, returned to the road and rolled multiple times before coming to rest in the ditch. Deputies provided CPR to the driver until Miami County EMS arrived. She was pronounced dead at the scene.The accident remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's office.

Kansas teen dies in SUV rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter.

The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-flu-rsv-vaccines-tripledemic-2a55728638c1c0879ce58deeeb0196bf">newest shots</a>&nbsp;from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they’ve never had a coronavirus vaccination. It’s part of a shift to treat fall updates of the COVID-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu shot.

There’s still another step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must sign off. A CDC advisory panel is set to issue recommendations Tuesday on who most needs the updated shots. Vaccinations could begin later this week, and both the COVID-19 and flu shot can be given at the same visit.

A third vaccine maker, Novavax, said its updated shot is still being reviewed by the FDA.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising since late summer although –- thanks to lasting immunity from prior vaccinations and infections –- not nearly as much as this time last year.

But protection wanes over time and the coronavirus continually churns out new variants that can dodge prior immunity. It’s been a year since the last time the vaccines were tweaked, and only about 20% of adults ever received that earlier update.

“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement. “We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”

Just like earlier vaccinations, the fall round is cleared for adults and children as young as age 6 months. FDA said starting at age 5, most people can get a single dose even if they’ve never had a prior COVID-19 shot. Younger children might need additional doses depending on their history of COVID-19 infections and vaccinations.

The FDA pointedly isn’t calling this latest round a “booster” but instead a vaccine updated to better match the currently circulating virus. The new recipe targets an omicron variant named XBB.1.5 — replacing outdated combination vaccines that mixed protection against the original coronavirus strain and an older version of omicron.

And while even the XBB.1.5 variant is no longer dominant, FDA determined that it’s close enough to coronavirus strains causing most COVID-19 illnesses today to offer good cross-protection. Like earlier versions, they're expected to be most protective against COVID-19's worst consequences rather than mild infection.

But while the FDA's decision allows for wide use of the updated shots, the CDC will decide how strongly different groups are urged to get them.

Federal officials have said the shots still will be free to most Americans through private insurance or Medicare. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html">for the uninsured or underinsured,</a>&nbsp;the CDC is working with health departments, clinics and certain pharmacies to temporarily provide free shots.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694460878166.png" alt="This photo provided by Pfizer in September 2023 shows single-dose vials of the company's updated COVID vaccine for adults. U.S. regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, shots aimed at revving up protection this fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration's decision Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 is part of a shift to treat fall COVID-19 vaccine updates much like getting a yearly flu shot. (Pfizer via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This photo provided by Pfizer in September 2023 shows single-dose vials of the company's updated COVID vaccine for adults. U.S. regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, shots aimed at revving up protection this fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration's decision Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 is part of a shift to treat fall COVID-19 vaccine updates much like getting a yearly flu shot. (Pfizer via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter.The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-flu-rsv-vaccines-tripledemic-2a55728638c1c0879ce58deeeb0196bf">newest shots</a>&nbsp;from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they’ve never had a coronavirus vaccination. It’s part of a shift to treat fall updates of the COVID-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu shot.There’s still another step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must sign off. A CDC advisory panel is set to issue recommendations Tuesday on who most needs the updated shots. Vaccinations could begin later this week, and both the COVID-19 and flu shot can be given at the same visit.A third vaccine maker, Novavax, said its updated shot is still being reviewed by the FDA.COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising since late summer although –- thanks to lasting immunity from prior vaccinations and infections –- not nearly as much as this time last year.But protection wanes over time and the coronavirus continually churns out new variants that can dodge prior immunity. It’s been a year since the last time the vaccines were tweaked, and only about 20% of adults ever received that earlier update.“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement. “We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”Just like earlier vaccinations, the fall round is cleared for adults and children as young as age 6 months. FDA said starting at age 5, most people can get a single dose even if they’ve never had a prior COVID-19 shot. Younger children might need additional doses depending on their history of COVID-19 infections and vaccinations.The FDA pointedly isn’t calling this latest round a “booster” but instead a vaccine updated to better match the currently circulating virus. The new recipe targets an omicron variant named XBB.1.5 — replacing outdated combination vaccines that mixed protection against the original coronavirus strain and an older version of omicron.And while even the XBB.1.5 variant is no longer dominant, FDA determined that it’s close enough to coronavirus strains causing most COVID-19 illnesses today to offer good cross-protection. Like earlier versions, they're expected to be most protective against COVID-19's worst consequences rather than mild infection.But while the FDA's decision allows for wide use of the updated shots, the CDC will decide how strongly different groups are urged to get them.Federal officials have said the shots still will be free to most Americans through private insurance or Medicare. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html">for the uninsured or underinsured,</a>&nbsp;the CDC is working with health departments, clinics and certain pharmacies to temporarily provide free shots.

2 new COVID vaccines approved for your protection this fall

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann said at the Kansas State Fair over the weekend, even though the federal fiscal year ends at the end of the month, the Farm Bill is not done.

"I'm frustrated with how slowly it's going," Mann said. "That said, I think we are making progress. I think the committee's done a good job listening to producers. We're working our tail off to make sure that this is a Farm Bill that works for our Kansas ag producers, which is the most important thing."

U.S. Senator Dr. Roger Marshall used an analogy from his days in obstetric practice.

"This is my second farm bill," Marshall said. "I know a little bit more about obstetrics than I do a farm bill, as a matter of fact, I saw two kids I delivered over in the sheep showing program, as well. If the farm bill was a pregnant mom, I'd say, we're a week overdue and it's time to induce her."

Marshall would rather see the farm bill finished than just an extension, but an extension is what appears most likely at this point in the process.

"As agriculture goes, so goes Kansas," Marshall said. "What a farm bill does is give us a great amount of certainty. It allows our producers to make a five year plan, rather than a one year plan. When you're an ag lender, it helps you understand, are we going to be able to make this payment year three, year four, year five, as well. I think that's the struggle before us. I think the biggest impediment to getting a farm bill done is our $33 trillion national debt. This country is spending $700 billion on interest."

The other problem is that in an inflationary economy, more people in poverty need to use the food programs that are actually now the majority of the funds disbursed within a farm bill and the underlying food costs more.

"In 2018, we budgeted, we'd be spending $65 billion for food stamps, for the nutrition programs, $65 billion. The last two years, we're spending $180 billion a year, almost triple. We could dive down to why that's happening, but nevertheless, we've went from $65 billion to $180 billion and as we look at a budget for this farm bill, they are saying it's going to go down to $120 billion. It's hard for me, as a former business owner, to square all that."

It's likely that full language for the farm bill won't even be finalized to be hashed over until at least November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694426842459.png" alt="Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann and Congressman Roger Marshall participated in an Ag Forum at the Kansas State Fair on September 9, 2023-photo courtesy Renew Kansas Biofuels Association" />
 <figcaption>Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann and Congressman Roger Marshall participated in an Ag Forum at the Kansas State Fair on September 9, 2023-photo courtesy Renew Kansas Biofuels Association</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann said at the Kansas State Fair over the weekend, even though the federal fiscal year ends at the end of the month, the Farm Bill is not done."I'm frustrated with how slowly it's going," Mann said. "That said, I think we are making progress. I think the committee's done a good job listening to producers. We're working our tail off to make sure that this is a Farm Bill that works for our Kansas ag producers, which is the most important thing."U.S. Senator Dr. Roger Marshall used an analogy from his days in obstetric practice."This is my second farm bill," Marshall said. "I know a little bit more about obstetrics than I do a farm bill, as a matter of fact, I saw two kids I delivered over in the sheep showing program, as well. If the farm bill was a pregnant mom, I'd say, we're a week overdue and it's time to induce her."Marshall would rather see the farm bill finished than just an extension, but an extension is what appears most likely at this point in the process."As agriculture goes, so goes Kansas," Marshall said. "What a farm bill does is give us a great amount of certainty. It allows our producers to make a five year plan, rather than a one year plan. When you're an ag lender, it helps you understand, are we going to be able to make this payment year three, year four, year five, as well. I think that's the struggle before us. I think the biggest impediment to getting a farm bill done is our $33 trillion national debt. This country is spending $700 billion on interest."The other problem is that in an inflationary economy, more people in poverty need to use the food programs that are actually now the majority of the funds disbursed within a farm bill and the underlying food costs more."In 2018, we budgeted, we'd be spending $65 billion for food stamps, for the nutrition programs, $65 billion. The last two years, we're spending $180 billion a year, almost triple. We could dive down to why that's happening, but nevertheless, we've went from $65 billion to $180 billion and as we look at a budget for this farm bill, they are saying it's going to go down to $120 billion. It's hard for me, as a former business owner, to square all that."It's likely that full language for the farm bill won't even be finalized to be hashed over until at least November.

Kan. First District Congressman talks farm bill at the State Fair

NEW YORK (AP) —The U.S. government is taking aim at what has been an indomitable empire: Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has become the internet’s main gateway.

The legal attack will swing into full force Tuesday in a Washington D.C. federal courtroom that will serve as the battleground for the biggest U.S. antitrust trial since regulators went after Microsoft and its dominance of personal computer software a quarter century ago.

The 10-week trial before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to include potentially revelatory testimony from top executives at Google and its corporate parent Alphabet, as well as other powerful technology companies. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page in 2019, will be among the most prominent witnesses likely to testify. Court documents also indicate one of Apple's highest-ranking executives, Eddy Cue, might be called to the stand.

The case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-microsoft-doj-6a800b51cc9b6b1c4d1b23bad4510040">Google mirrors the one brought against Microsoft</a>&nbsp;in many ways, including the existential threat it poses to a renowned tech giant whose products are relied on by billions of people.

The trial is scheduled to continue into late November before its first phase wraps, after which another round of court filings and arguments are expected. Mehta isn’t expected to issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google has been breaking the law, it will trigger another trial to determine what measures should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California, company.

Although Google products such as the Chrome web browser, Gmail, YouTube and online maps all are hugely popular, none have become as indispensable — or as valuable — as the internet search engine invented by Page and a fellow Stanford University graduate student, Sergey Brin, during the late 1990s.

The trial is beginning just a couple weeks after the 25th anniversary of the first investment in the company — a $100,000 check written by Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim that enabled Page and Brin to set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage.

Today, Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., is worth $1.7 trillion and employs 182,000 people, with most of the money coming from $224 billion in annual ad sales flowing through a network of digital services anchored by a search engine that fields billions of queries a day.

Google could be hobbled if the antitrust trial culminates in concessions that undercut its power. One possibility is that the company could be forced to stop paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine on smartphones and computers.

Or the legal battle could cause Google to lose focus. That's what happened to Microsoft after its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department: Distracted, the software giant struggled to adapt to the impact of internet search and smartphones. Google capitalized on that distraction to leap from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-lawsuit-doj-f8f82967dc0d53a42c240b31d1559ccf">its startup roots into an imposing powerhouse.</a>

Nearly three years&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-justice-department-antitrust-0510e8f9047956254455ec5d4db06044">after filing its antitrust lawsuit</a>&nbsp;during the Trump administration, lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department will try to prove Google has been abusing the power of its search engine to stifle competition in ways that discouraged innovation. Critics say the quality of search results has deteriorated, too, as Google used its engine to sell ads and promote its own products, like Google restaurant reviews instead of those offered by Yelp.

Dozens of state attorneys general, led by Colorado, have waded into the battle and will have a chance to prove Google turned into an illegal monopoly that's harming consumers.

The crux of the Justice Department's argument will boil down to its contention that Google's search engine has become like digital air almost everyone breathes, and that it needs to be cleaned up because the company's tactics have polluted the atmosphere.

Google's vast legal team is expected to counter that the company has never stopped improving its search engine, executing its original mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible to anyone with an internet connection. From Google's perspective, the perpetual improvements explain why most people almost reflexively gravitate to its search engine, a habit that long ago made “Googling” synonymous with looking things up.

Despite commanding about 90% of the internet search market, Google argues it faces a wide range of competition ranging from other search engines such as Microsoft's Bing and DuckDuckGo to websites such as Amazon and Yelp, where people research questions about what product to buy or where to eat.

The Justice Department contends Google's claim that it dominates the market by supplying the best search engine is a canard. They allege Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and web browser such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox.

Regulators also allege Google has illegally rigged the market in its favor by requiring its search engine to be bundled with its Android software for smartphones if the device manufacturers want full access to the Android app store.

By locking in Google's search engine as the default choice in so many places, the Justice Department contends the company has made it more difficult for people to find the best results as quickly as possible.

Regulators allege the company's deals ensure Google's automatic access to billions of queries that provide data for its search engine, while boxing out Bing and DuckDuckGo from getting information that could help them improve their results.

The tactics have created a toxic situation allowing Google to cram more ads at the top of its search results, increasing its profits and Alphabet's stock price, according to the Justice Department. That practice requires consumers to dig ever deeper to answer their questions, something that regulators believe could be avoided if rival services were able to collect as much information as Google does through its lock-in agreements.

Google insists that consumers could easily switch their default settings to another search engine.

The company also argues that it does face competition from evolving technology: Microsoft, for example, is baking artificial intelligence from its business partner Open AI into its Bing search engine. That move in early February prodded Google to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d">start equipping its search engine with AI-fueled results</a>&nbsp;too — a sign that the company says shows competition continues to thrive.

NEW YORK (AP) —The U.S. government is taking aim at what has been an indomitable empire: Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has become the internet’s main gateway.The legal attack will swing into full force Tuesday in a Washington D.C. federal courtroom that will serve as the battleground for the biggest U.S. antitrust trial since regulators went after Microsoft and its dominance of personal computer software a quarter century ago.The 10-week trial before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to include potentially revelatory testimony from top executives at Google and its corporate parent Alphabet, as well as other powerful technology companies. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page in 2019, will be among the most prominent witnesses likely to testify. Court documents also indicate one of Apple's highest-ranking executives, Eddy Cue, might be called to the stand.The case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-microsoft-doj-6a800b51cc9b6b1c4d1b23bad4510040">Google mirrors the one brought against Microsoft</a>&nbsp;in many ways, including the existential threat it poses to a renowned tech giant whose products are relied on by billions of people.The trial is scheduled to continue into late November before its first phase wraps, after which another round of court filings and arguments are expected. Mehta isn’t expected to issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google has been breaking the law, it will trigger another trial to determine what measures should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California, company.Although Google products such as the Chrome web browser, Gmail, YouTube and online maps all are hugely popular, none have become as indispensable — or as valuable — as the internet search engine invented by Page and a fellow Stanford University graduate student, Sergey Brin, during the late 1990s.The trial is beginning just a couple weeks after the 25th anniversary of the first investment in the company — a $100,000 check written by Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim that enabled Page and Brin to set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage.Today, Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., is worth $1.7 trillion and employs 182,000 people, with most of the money coming from $224 billion in annual ad sales flowing through a network of digital services anchored by a search engine that fields billions of queries a day.Google could be hobbled if the antitrust trial culminates in concessions that undercut its power. One possibility is that the company could be forced to stop paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine on smartphones and computers.Or the legal battle could cause Google to lose focus. That's what happened to Microsoft after its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department: Distracted, the software giant struggled to adapt to the impact of internet search and smartphones. Google capitalized on that distraction to leap from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-lawsuit-doj-f8f82967dc0d53a42c240b31d1559ccf">its startup roots into an imposing powerhouse.</a>Nearly three years&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-justice-department-antitrust-0510e8f9047956254455ec5d4db06044">after filing its antitrust lawsuit</a>&nbsp;during the Trump administration, lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department will try to prove Google has been abusing the power of its search engine to stifle competition in ways that discouraged innovation. Critics say the quality of search results has deteriorated, too, as Google used its engine to sell ads and promote its own products, like Google restaurant reviews instead of those offered by Yelp.Dozens of state attorneys general, led by Colorado, have waded into the battle and will have a chance to prove Google turned into an illegal monopoly that's harming consumers.The crux of the Justice Department's argument will boil down to its contention that Google's search engine has become like digital air almost everyone breathes, and that it needs to be cleaned up because the company's tactics have polluted the atmosphere.Google's vast legal team is expected to counter that the company has never stopped improving its search engine, executing its original mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible to anyone with an internet connection. From Google's perspective, the perpetual improvements explain why most people almost reflexively gravitate to its search engine, a habit that long ago made “Googling” synonymous with looking things up.Despite commanding about 90% of the internet search market, Google argues it faces a wide range of competition ranging from other search engines such as Microsoft's Bing and DuckDuckGo to websites such as Amazon and Yelp, where people research questions about what product to buy or where to eat.The Justice Department contends Google's claim that it dominates the market by supplying the best search engine is a canard. They allege Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and web browser such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox.Regulators also allege Google has illegally rigged the market in its favor by requiring its search engine to be bundled with its Android software for smartphones if the device manufacturers want full access to the Android app store.By locking in Google's search engine as the default choice in so many places, the Justice Department contends the company has made it more difficult for people to find the best results as quickly as possible.Regulators allege the company's deals ensure Google's automatic access to billions of queries that provide data for its search engine, while boxing out Bing and DuckDuckGo from getting information that could help them improve their results.The tactics have created a toxic situation allowing Google to cram more ads at the top of its search results, increasing its profits and Alphabet's stock price, according to the Justice Department. That practice requires consumers to dig ever deeper to answer their questions, something that regulators believe could be avoided if rival services were able to collect as much information as Google does through its lock-in agreements.Google insists that consumers could easily switch their default settings to another search engine.The company also argues that it does face competition from evolving technology: Microsoft, for example, is baking artificial intelligence from its business partner Open AI into its Bing search engine. That move in early February prodded Google to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d">start equipping its search engine with AI-fueled results</a>&nbsp;too — a sign that the company says shows competition continues to thrive.

Google versus the U.S. in the biggest antitrust trial in decades

KANSAS CITY —A Missouri woman has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting outside an Kansas City-area motel in August, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Courtney Joe Wilcox, 40, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records filed Friday, police officers responded to 9800 E U.S. 40 Highway in Independence on a report of shots fired in the area. 

They found a victim on his back in the parking lot of a motel. An autopsy later showed he had been shot once in the back. Wilcox was taken into custody in St. Roberts, Missouri, as a person of interest. She told police she gave the victim $1000 to buy narcotics but later came to believe he had "ripped her."

 She alerted another person and he began to look for the victim. She later saw the victim shot in front of the motel. Wilcox remains in custody. A co-defendant already faces charges and is in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694272874528.png" alt="Wilcox-Photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Wilcox-Photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Missouri woman has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting outside an Kansas City-area motel in August, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Courtney Joe Wilcox, 40, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records filed Friday, police officers responded to 9800 E U.S. 40 Highway in Independence on a report of shots fired in the area. They found a victim on his back in the parking lot of a motel. An autopsy later showed he had been shot once in the back. Wilcox was taken into custody in St. Roberts, Missouri, as a person of interest. She told police she gave the victim $1000 to buy narcotics but later came to believe he had "ripped her." She alerted another person and he began to look for the victim. She later saw the victim shot in front of the motel. Wilcox remains in custody. A co-defendant already faces charges and is in custody.

Woman charged in fatal shooting outside KC-area motel

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas woman was arraigned Monday on federal charges in connection with a years-long scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, Muddy River Credit Union. Rita Hartman, 68, of Atchison was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 23, 2023, according to the United State's&nbsp; Attorney.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Hartman was the manager of Muddy River Credit Union (formerly Bradken Federal Credit Union) from the early 1990s through January 2021. 

Muddy River served the employees of the Bradken foundry located in Atchison, Kansas. In 2013, the Governor of the State of Kansas appointed Hartman to the Kansas Credit Union Council, which advises the Kansas Department of Credit Unions on issues and needs of credit unions.

As manager, Hartman had responsibility for and control over all aspects of Muddy River’s finances and books and records. From at least 2010 through December 2020, Hartman is accused of using her position to steal money from Muddy River. 

Hartman allegedly did so by crediting fraudulent deposits and loan payments to her or her relatives’ accounts or by stealing cash deposits, then concealing her conduct by altering Muddy River’s books and records, and falsifying information submitted to Muddy River’s regulators.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694461784724.png" alt="Muddy River served the employees of the Bradken foundry located in Atchison, Kansas.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Muddy River served the employees of the Bradken foundry located in Atchison, Kansas.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas woman was arraigned Monday on federal charges in connection with a years-long scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, Muddy River Credit Union. Rita Hartman, 68, of Atchison was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 23, 2023, according to the United State's&nbsp; Attorney.According to court documents and other information presented in court, Hartman was the manager of Muddy River Credit Union (formerly Bradken Federal Credit Union) from the early 1990s through January 2021. Muddy River served the employees of the Bradken foundry located in Atchison, Kansas. In 2013, the Governor of the State of Kansas appointed Hartman to the Kansas Credit Union Council, which advises the Kansas Department of Credit Unions on issues and needs of credit unions.As manager, Hartman had responsibility for and control over all aspects of Muddy River’s finances and books and records. From at least 2010 through December 2020, Hartman is accused of using her position to steal money from Muddy River. Hartman allegedly did so by crediting fraudulent deposits and loan payments to her or her relatives’ accounts or by stealing cash deposits, then concealing her conduct by altering Muddy River’s books and records, and falsifying information submitted to Muddy River’s regulators.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Kan. credit union advisor accused of embezzling from credit union

PAWNEE, Okla. (AP) — There isn't enough evidence to charge the BTK serial killer in the 1976 disappearance of a 16-year-old girl, an Oklahoma prosecutor said Monday despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/btk-serial-killer-investigation-161ee1a8d405a0a2d6ae87db85d643af">statements from law enforcement officials</a>&nbsp;calling Dennis Rader a prime suspect.

District Attorney Mike Fisher said at a news conference that he's not at a point where he could file charges against Rader in the disappearance of Cynthia Dawn Kinney, a cheerleader from the northern Oklahoma city of Pawhuska&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/btk-serial-killer-investigation-bf9b2d69bdd3e696d7567608c1964593">who was last seen at a laundromat.</a>

But Fisher asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to open a formal investigation into Kinney's disappearance because of the public interest in the revived cold case, and he will file charges if he learns of evidence that would warrant it, he said.

Osage County sheriff's officials, including Undersheriff Gary Upton, have recently called Rader a “prime suspect” in Kinney's disappearance and the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47002f904b246b385b7342d42cf8b1e4">22-year-old Shawna Beth Garber</a>, whose body was discovered in December 1990 in McDonald County, Missouri.

Rader, now 78, killed from 1974 to 1991,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5128807ebf924161b11fa833d1bdcf74">giving himself the nickname BTK</a>&nbsp;— for “bind, torture and kill.” He played a cat and mouse game with investigators and reporters for decades before he was caught in 2005. He ultimately confessed to 10 killings in the Wichita, Kansas, area, about 90 miles (144.84 kilometers) north of Pawhuska. He is imprisoned for 10 consecutive life terms.

Rob Ridenour, Rader’s attorney, said he had no comment Monday.

A bank was installing new alarms across the street from the laundromat where Kinney was last seen, Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden has said. Rader was a regional installer for security system company ADT at the time, but Virden wasn’t able to confirm that Rader installed the bank's systems.

Virden told KAKE-TV he decided to investigate when he learned that Rader had included the phrase “bad laundry day” in his writings.

Fisher said he sat in on interviews that Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma investigators conducted with Rader about 90 days ago, but the sheriff has not shared any physical evidence with the DA’s office.

He called the information he has received so far “rumors because they’ve not been substantiated yet.” And he said he hadn't seen anything "that at this point arises to the level of even reasonable suspicion.”

But Fisher said he had seen things that gave him “pause and concern" about the sheriff's department, including the way they handled a dig for evidence at Rader's former property in Park City, Kansas, last month. And he called his relationship with the sheriff “broken.”

“I’m not trying to create a conflict with the sheriff of Osage County,” he said. “But, there are certain ways to investigate a case, and I’m concerned that those proper investigative techniques have not been used. That’s why I asked the OSBI to assist.”

Virden defended his handling of the investigation in an&nbsp;<a href="https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-courts/sheriff-details-investigation-into-btk-killer-as-suspect-in-oklahoma-girls-disappearance/article_8f6331d6-4ce6-11ee-8c2c-9b79c2f40897.html">interview published Sunday in the Tulsa World.</a>&nbsp;He also said Rader denied when he spoke to him in prison in January that he had killed anyone but his 10 victims in Kansas, but volunteered that one of his favorite unfulfilled fantasies had been to kidnap a girl from a laundromat.

The prosecutor said he was also concerned for Kinney’s parents, with whom he met for about two hours on Friday. He said they are both in their 80s, and the renewed speculation has taken a physical toll on them.

“Cynthia went missing 47 years ago. They’ve got no answers,” Fisher said. “We have reason to believe that it may have been a homicide. We can’t say that with any absolute certainty, but we’ve seen nothing to suggest otherwise as there’s been no contact with Cynthia Dawn since 1976, since her disappearance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692794360261.png" alt="Rader is being held in the Eldrado Correctional Facility-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Rader is being held in the Eldrado Correctional Facility-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE, Okla. (AP) — There isn't enough evidence to charge the BTK serial killer in the 1976 disappearance of a 16-year-old girl, an Oklahoma prosecutor said Monday despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/btk-serial-killer-investigation-161ee1a8d405a0a2d6ae87db85d643af">statements from law enforcement officials</a>&nbsp;calling Dennis Rader a prime suspect.District Attorney Mike Fisher said at a news conference that he's not at a point where he could file charges against Rader in the disappearance of Cynthia Dawn Kinney, a cheerleader from the northern Oklahoma city of Pawhuska&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/btk-serial-killer-investigation-bf9b2d69bdd3e696d7567608c1964593">who was last seen at a laundromat.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694464353867.png" alt="Photo Osage Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Osage Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>But Fisher asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to open a formal investigation into Kinney's disappearance because of the public interest in the revived cold case, and he will file charges if he learns of evidence that would warrant it, he said.Osage County sheriff's officials, including Undersheriff Gary Upton, have recently called Rader a “prime suspect” in Kinney's disappearance and the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47002f904b246b385b7342d42cf8b1e4">22-year-old Shawna Beth Garber</a>, whose body was discovered in December 1990 in McDonald County, Missouri.Rader, now 78, killed from 1974 to 1991,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5128807ebf924161b11fa833d1bdcf74">giving himself the nickname BTK</a>&nbsp;— for “bind, torture and kill.” He played a cat and mouse game with investigators and reporters for decades before he was caught in 2005. He ultimately confessed to 10 killings in the Wichita, Kansas, area, about 90 miles (144.84 kilometers) north of Pawhuska. He is imprisoned for 10 consecutive life terms.Rob Ridenour, Rader’s attorney, said he had no comment Monday.A bank was installing new alarms across the street from the laundromat where Kinney was last seen, Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden has said. Rader was a regional installer for security system company ADT at the time, but Virden wasn’t able to confirm that Rader installed the bank's systems.Virden told KAKE-TV he decided to investigate when he learned that Rader had included the phrase “bad laundry day” in his writings.Fisher said he sat in on interviews that Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma investigators conducted with Rader about 90 days ago, but the sheriff has not shared any physical evidence with the DA’s office.He called the information he has received so far “rumors because they’ve not been substantiated yet.” And he said he hadn't seen anything "that at this point arises to the level of even reasonable suspicion.”But Fisher said he had seen things that gave him “pause and concern" about the sheriff's department, including the way they handled a dig for evidence at Rader's former property in Park City, Kansas, last month. And he called his relationship with the sheriff “broken.”“I’m not trying to create a conflict with the sheriff of Osage County,” he said. “But, there are certain ways to investigate a case, and I’m concerned that those proper investigative techniques have not been used. That’s why I asked the OSBI to assist.”Virden defended his handling of the investigation in an&nbsp;<a href="https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-courts/sheriff-details-investigation-into-btk-killer-as-suspect-in-oklahoma-girls-disappearance/article_8f6331d6-4ce6-11ee-8c2c-9b79c2f40897.html">interview published Sunday in the Tulsa World.</a>&nbsp;He also said Rader denied when he spoke to him in prison in January that he had killed anyone but his 10 victims in Kansas, but volunteered that one of his favorite unfulfilled fantasies had been to kidnap a girl from a laundromat.The prosecutor said he was also concerned for Kinney’s parents, with whom he met for about two hours on Friday. He said they are both in their 80s, and the renewed speculation has taken a physical toll on them.“Cynthia went missing 47 years ago. They’ve got no answers,” Fisher said. “We have reason to believe that it may have been a homicide. We can’t say that with any absolute certainty, but we’ve seen nothing to suggest otherwise as there’s been no contact with Cynthia Dawn since 1976, since her disappearance.”

Prosecutor: Evidence insufficient to charge Kan. serial killer in cold case

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;closed a visit to Vietnam on Monday by spotlighting new business deals and partnerships between the two countries and paying respects at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-vietnam-az-state-wire-politics-f3f264059e05471dbf5a0a332fcceaf1">memorial honoring his late friend and colleague Sen. John McCain,</a>&nbsp;who endured a lengthy imprisonment in Hanoi during the Vietnam War.

Biden met with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who also accompanied Biden to a quick drop by at a meeting of business leaders. Biden also sat down with President Võ Văn Thưởng, who hosted the U.S. president for a formal state luncheon. The two sides are looking to strengthen their partnership amid shared concerns about China's assertiveness in the Pacific.

Both leaders spoke about strengthening Vietnam's semiconductor industry. Biden made clear his administration's commitment to an open Pacific.

“My message today is quite simple. Let’s keep it up," Biden told the CEOs. “We need to develop and drive our collaboration, We need to forge new partnerships.”

The prime minister also stressed the need to improve cooperation and said “the sky is the limit” for the expanding U.S.-Vietnam relationship.

“We truly wish to receive strong political commitment from the U.S. government including you, Mr. President, who has had great affection for Vietnam," the prime minister said.

Highlights of the major deals announced by the White House during Biden's first-ever visit to Vietnam include U.S.-based Boeing's $7.5 billion deal with Vietnam Airlines to buy about 50 aircraft and Arizona-based Amkor Technology's plans for a $1.6 billion factory in Bac Ninh Province.

The White House also said the administration would help “build Vietnamese capacity to fight regional and international transnational crime,” including targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. China has been locked in long-running territorial conflicts with Vietnam, along with the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as Beijing claims waters in the other nations' exclusive economic zone.

Biden arrived in Vietnam on Sunday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">met with Nguyễn Phú Trong,</a>&nbsp;general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trong formally announced Vietnam had elevated the U.S. to its highest diplomatic status,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/10/fact-sheet-president-joseph-r-biden-and-general-secretary-nguyen-phu-trong-announce-the-u-s-vietnam-comprehensive-strategic-partnership/">comprehensive strategic partner</a>. Biden said the shift demonstrated how far bilateral relations had evolved from the “bitter past” of the Vietnam War.

At the same time, Biden insisted that his roughly 24-hour visit was not about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">trying to start a “cold war” with China</a>&nbsp;but was part of a broader effort to improve global stability by building relationships throughout Asia, including with Vietnam, at a time of tensions with Beijing.

Before departing, Biden visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-0bd309f182de44d9bc320f334be94875">John Sidney McCain III</a>&nbsp;Memorial near the site where, as a 31-year-old Navy lieutenant commander, McCain's Skyhawk dive bomber was shot down by the North Vietnamese. Both sides exchanged documents Monday on unaccounted U.S. service members and Vietnamese soldiers. Biden left one of his commemorative coins at the memorial, the White House said.

McCain parachuted out of the plane and landed in a lake in Hanoi, North Vietnam. He broke both arms and a leg in the fall, was dragged from the water by an angry crowd, and was beaten and bayoneted.

The harrowing 1967 incident began a more than five-year ordeal that became the defining moment for the future Republican senator from Arizona and two-time presidential candidate.

After six weeks in the hospital, McCain, who had lost about one-third of his weight, was transferred to a prison cell. After a brief time with cellmates, McCain, the son and grandson of four-star admirals, began two years in solitary confinement in a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) room.

At one point, McCain’s captors asked if he wanted to go home, but it was a trick question. The U.S. military’s code of conduct required prisoners to be released in the order they were detained. The North Vietnamese wanted to make a show of releasing McCain early as his father assumed command over the Pacific. McCain refused.

For four days after he refused release, McCain was beaten every two to three hours by 10 guards. Filled with thoughts of suicide, McCain broke and agreed to sign an anti-U.S. propaganda statement confessing to “black crimes.” He later wrote: “I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine.”

It was the last time McCain would break. He refused to sign any other statements or meet with visiting American anti-war activists. Eventually, McCain was removed from solitary confinement and mingled with other U.S. prisoners of war. He was released on March 14, 1973.

McCain returned home, retired from the Navy in 1981, moved to Arizona and launched a political career. He was elected to the House in 1982 and, in 1986, to the Senate, where he and Biden were colleagues. Despite his experience in Vietnam, McCain was a strong advocate of restoring diplomatic relations with the country that had so badly mistreated him.

He was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, but lost to Democrat Barack Obama. He died of brain cancer in 2018. Biden delivered an emotional eulogy at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-ap-top-news-az-state-wire-north-america-ee653f2bdbce47b28bf26fe1c0617e65">McCain's funeral</a>&nbsp;in Arizona.

At the luncheon, Biden said he missed McCain. He praised McCain and John Kerry — another Vietnam War veteran and former Democratic senator, secretary of state in the Obama administration and Biden's climate envoy — for playing critical roles in the two nations’ “50 year arc of progress.”

“Where there was darkness you all found light,” Biden said.

On the way back to Washington, Biden was stopping at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to address service members, first responders and their families on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sept-11-terror-attack-anniversary-ceremonies-47488758b18fd78f541674041e36d263">22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks</a>&nbsp;on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;closed a visit to Vietnam on Monday by spotlighting new business deals and partnerships between the two countries and paying respects at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-vietnam-az-state-wire-politics-f3f264059e05471dbf5a0a332fcceaf1">memorial honoring his late friend and colleague Sen. John McCain,</a>&nbsp;who endured a lengthy imprisonment in Hanoi during the Vietnam War.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden and Secretary General Nguyễn Phú Trọng announced a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the U.S. and Vietnam – Vietnam&#39;s highest tier of international partnership. This weekend, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> deepened the critical relationship between our two countries. <a href="https://t.co/r6hFoCYiPF">pic.twitter.com/r6hFoCYiPF</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1701024984833900666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden met with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who also accompanied Biden to a quick drop by at a meeting of business leaders. Biden also sat down with President Võ Văn Thưởng, who hosted the U.S. president for a formal state luncheon. The two sides are looking to strengthen their partnership amid shared concerns about China's assertiveness in the Pacific.Both leaders spoke about strengthening Vietnam's semiconductor industry. Biden made clear his administration's commitment to an open Pacific.“My message today is quite simple. Let’s keep it up," Biden told the CEOs. “We need to develop and drive our collaboration, We need to forge new partnerships.”The prime minister also stressed the need to improve cooperation and said “the sky is the limit” for the expanding U.S.-Vietnam relationship.“We truly wish to receive strong political commitment from the U.S. government including you, Mr. President, who has had great affection for Vietnam," the prime minister said.Highlights of the major deals announced by the White House during Biden's first-ever visit to Vietnam include U.S.-based Boeing's $7.5 billion deal with Vietnam Airlines to buy about 50 aircraft and Arizona-based Amkor Technology's plans for a $1.6 billion factory in Bac Ninh Province.The White House also said the administration would help “build Vietnamese capacity to fight regional and international transnational crime,” including targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. China has been locked in long-running territorial conflicts with Vietnam, along with the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as Beijing claims waters in the other nations' exclusive economic zone.Biden arrived in Vietnam on Sunday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">met with Nguyễn Phú Trong,</a>&nbsp;general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trong formally announced Vietnam had elevated the U.S. to its highest diplomatic status,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/10/fact-sheet-president-joseph-r-biden-and-general-secretary-nguyen-phu-trong-announce-the-u-s-vietnam-comprehensive-strategic-partnership/">comprehensive strategic partner</a>. Biden said the shift demonstrated how far bilateral relations had evolved from the “bitter past” of the Vietnam War.At the same time, Biden insisted that his roughly 24-hour visit was not about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">trying to start a “cold war” with China</a>&nbsp;but was part of a broader effort to improve global stability by building relationships throughout Asia, including with Vietnam, at a time of tensions with Beijing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">TODAY: President Biden visited a memorial for the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in Vietnam. <a href="https://t.co/hdkofxdX9P">pic.twitter.com/hdkofxdX9P</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1701235392262054331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Before departing, Biden visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-0bd309f182de44d9bc320f334be94875">John Sidney McCain III</a>&nbsp;Memorial near the site where, as a 31-year-old Navy lieutenant commander, McCain's Skyhawk dive bomber was shot down by the North Vietnamese. Both sides exchanged documents Monday on unaccounted U.S. service members and Vietnamese soldiers. Biden left one of his commemorative coins at the memorial, the White House said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It was here where a Navy lieutenant commander by the name of John McCain was shot down in his Skyhawk. I went to pay my respects. And to remember my friend. Even though John is not with us, he left us pretty clear instructions: “Believe always in the promise and greatness of… <a href="https://t.co/DRylYqZTae">pic.twitter.com/DRylYqZTae</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1701325761473335597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>McCain parachuted out of the plane and landed in a lake in Hanoi, North Vietnam. He broke both arms and a leg in the fall, was dragged from the water by an angry crowd, and was beaten and bayoneted.The harrowing 1967 incident began a more than five-year ordeal that became the defining moment for the future Republican senator from Arizona and two-time presidential candidate.After six weeks in the hospital, McCain, who had lost about one-third of his weight, was transferred to a prison cell. After a brief time with cellmates, McCain, the son and grandson of four-star admirals, began two years in solitary confinement in a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) room.At one point, McCain’s captors asked if he wanted to go home, but it was a trick question. The U.S. military’s code of conduct required prisoners to be released in the order they were detained. The North Vietnamese wanted to make a show of releasing McCain early as his father assumed command over the Pacific. McCain refused.For four days after he refused release, McCain was beaten every two to three hours by 10 guards. Filled with thoughts of suicide, McCain broke and agreed to sign an anti-U.S. propaganda statement confessing to “black crimes.” He later wrote: “I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine.”It was the last time McCain would break. He refused to sign any other statements or meet with visiting American anti-war activists. Eventually, McCain was removed from solitary confinement and mingled with other U.S. prisoners of war. He was released on March 14, 1973.McCain returned home, retired from the Navy in 1981, moved to Arizona and launched a political career. He was elected to the House in 1982 and, in 1986, to the Senate, where he and Biden were colleagues. Despite his experience in Vietnam, McCain was a strong advocate of restoring diplomatic relations with the country that had so badly mistreated him.He was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, but lost to Democrat Barack Obama. He died of brain cancer in 2018. Biden delivered an emotional eulogy at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-ap-top-news-az-state-wire-north-america-ee653f2bdbce47b28bf26fe1c0617e65">McCain's funeral</a>&nbsp;in Arizona.At the luncheon, Biden said he missed McCain. He praised McCain and John Kerry — another Vietnam War veteran and former Democratic senator, secretary of state in the Obama administration and Biden's climate envoy — for playing critical roles in the two nations’ “50 year arc of progress.”“Where there was darkness you all found light,” Biden said.On the way back to Washington, Biden was stopping at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to address service members, first responders and their families on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sept-11-terror-attack-anniversary-ceremonies-47488758b18fd78f541674041e36d263">22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks</a>&nbsp;on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

🎥 US and Vietnam ink historic partnership during Biden visit

NEW YORK (AP) —One of the nation's largest grocery chains is the latest company to agree to settle lawsuits over the&nbsp;U.S. opioid crisis.

In a deal announced Friday, the Kroger Co. would pay up to $1.4 billion over 11 years. The amount includes up to $1.2 billion for state and local governments where it operates, $36 million to Native American tribes and about $177 million to cover lawyers' fees and costs.

Kroger currently has stores in 35 states — virtually everywhere save the Northeast, the northern plains and Hawaii. Thirty-three states would be eligible for money in the deal. The company previously announced settlements with New Mexico and West Virginia.

Over the past eight years, prescription drug manufacturers, wholesalers, consultants and pharmacies have proposed or finalized opioid settlements totaling more than $50 billion, including at least 12 others worth more than $1 billion. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments later this year on whether one of the larger settlements, involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-opioid-crisis-purdue-bankruptcy-bd417e036d9f6db4b2916fdfbdb56252" target="_blank">OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma,</a>&nbsp;is legal.

Most of the settlement money is to be used to address an overdose epidemic linked to more than 80,000 deaths a year in the U.S. in recent years, with most of the latest deaths connected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fentanyl-penalties-state-legislatures-98a97e53a984e8f5a265ed229199ecb1" target="_blank">illicit synthetic drugs such as fentanyl</a>&nbsp;rather than prescription painkillers.

Still, Jayne Conroy, a lead lawyer for the governments suing the companies, told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that it makes sense for players in the prescription drug industry to have a major role in funding solutions to the crisis.

“It really isn’t a different problem,” she said. “The problem is the massive amount of addiction. That addiction stems from the massive amount of prescription drugs.”

The companies have also agreed to change their business practices regarding powerful prescription painkillers, consenting to restrictions on marketing and using data to catch overprescribing. Conroy said those noneconomic terms for Kroger have not been finalized, but they'll look like what other companies have agreed to.

Kroger said it intends to finalize its deal in time to make initial payments in December.

The company would not admit wrongdoing or liability as part of the deal, which is called in a statement a milestone in efforts to resolve opioid lawsuits. “Kroger has long served as a leader in combatting opioid abuse and remains committed to patient safety,” the company said.

While most of the biggest players have settled, the opioid litigation is continuing. Cases are being prepared for trial involving the supermarket chains Publix and Albertsons, the latter of which is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48" target="_blank">attempting to merge</a>&nbsp;with Kroger. Pharmacy benefit managers such as Express Scripts and OptumRx also face opioid claims from governments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694444368400.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —One of the nation's largest grocery chains is the latest company to agree to settle lawsuits over the&nbsp;U.S. opioid crisis.In a deal announced Friday, the Kroger Co. would pay up to $1.4 billion over 11 years. The amount includes up to $1.2 billion for state and local governments where it operates, $36 million to Native American tribes and about $177 million to cover lawyers' fees and costs.Kroger currently has stores in 35 states — virtually everywhere save the Northeast, the northern plains and Hawaii. Thirty-three states would be eligible for money in the deal. The company previously announced settlements with New Mexico and West Virginia.Over the past eight years, prescription drug manufacturers, wholesalers, consultants and pharmacies have proposed or finalized opioid settlements totaling more than $50 billion, including at least 12 others worth more than $1 billion. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments later this year on whether one of the larger settlements, involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-opioid-crisis-purdue-bankruptcy-bd417e036d9f6db4b2916fdfbdb56252" target="_blank">OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma,</a>&nbsp;is legal.Most of the settlement money is to be used to address an overdose epidemic linked to more than 80,000 deaths a year in the U.S. in recent years, with most of the latest deaths connected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fentanyl-penalties-state-legislatures-98a97e53a984e8f5a265ed229199ecb1" target="_blank">illicit synthetic drugs such as fentanyl</a>&nbsp;rather than prescription painkillers.Still, Jayne Conroy, a lead lawyer for the governments suing the companies, told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that it makes sense for players in the prescription drug industry to have a major role in funding solutions to the crisis.“It really isn’t a different problem,” she said. “The problem is the massive amount of addiction. That addiction stems from the massive amount of prescription drugs.”The companies have also agreed to change their business practices regarding powerful prescription painkillers, consenting to restrictions on marketing and using data to catch overprescribing. Conroy said those noneconomic terms for Kroger have not been finalized, but they'll look like what other companies have agreed to.Kroger said it intends to finalize its deal in time to make initial payments in December.The company would not admit wrongdoing or liability as part of the deal, which is called in a statement a milestone in efforts to resolve opioid lawsuits. “Kroger has long served as a leader in combatting opioid abuse and remains committed to patient safety,” the company said.While most of the biggest players have settled, the opioid litigation is continuing. Cases are being prepared for trial involving the supermarket chains Publix and Albertsons, the latter of which is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48" target="_blank">attempting to merge</a>&nbsp;with Kroger. Pharmacy benefit managers such as Express Scripts and OptumRx also face opioid claims from governments.

Kroger to pay up to $1.4 billion to settle opioid lawsuits

By RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Independent commission has begun to examine pay increases, fair compensation

TOPEKA —&nbsp; Increasing long-stagnant legislative pay could revolutionize state politics by encouraging Kansans from more diverse backgrounds to seek public office, but top Republican legislators also cautioned against dramatically escalating compensation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said low pay has been a longstanding barrier for many Kansans. But Masterson also warned against raising pay to the point where Kansans have a marked financial incentive to serve in the Legislature.&nbsp;

“The truth is, for years now, it’s been a hurdle for large segments of our population to even attempt and represent their neighbors in this way,” Masterson said during a Thursday legislative meeting on compensation. “We’d like to see us make that hurdle go away. However, I also don’t believe it should be a career. There needs to be some level of service. Public service, at some level does have sacrifice to it, and I think that should exist but there needs to be balance.”

Low compensation and long hours have blocked many Kansans from entering the field, leaving retired Kansans or those with independent income or extremely flexible jobs facing less competition for seats. In past sessions, critics of the system have said the pay barrier allows affluent Kansans to have a much greater voice in state policy than those from other economic backgrounds.&nbsp;

State legislators are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_ot_legislative_compensation_commission_1/documents/testimony/20230907_04.pdf">currently paid</a>&nbsp;a base salary of $88.66 for every day during the session, a salary that hasn’t changed since 2009. Starting in October, lawmakers will receive a per diem allowance of $166 per day to offset food and lodging costs during the session. In an average 92-day session, the pay works out to about $23,429 per year, with additional compensation for leadership positions.&nbsp;

The state ranked in the bottom third for legislative compensation in a 2019 legislative study of 14 other states. The study found Oklahoma, Missouri and Colorado paid their lawmakers about $48,000 per year. The lowest state compensation was between $12,000 and $13,000 per year, in Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, shared Masterson’s sentiments.&nbsp;

He estimated lawmakers spend about 10-15 hours per week outside of the 92-day session on constituent needs or community engagement, with another 15 hours of work for anyone who heads a committee.&nbsp;

“We don’t have a normal job as legislators,” Hawkins said. “I wouldn’t call our job normal at all in any stretch of the imagination. We are working all the time. … Truly, it is a huge level of service but we love the people we serve, and that’s what we’re really trying to do is just serve and do the best job we can.”&nbsp;

While Hawkins said compensation rates needed to be adjusted, he also warned against raising pay too high.&nbsp;

“There has to be a level of service,” Hawkins said. “We’re a citizen legislature so we don’t want people just to consider that their main job. We need to go back home and go to work. And so there’s always going to be a balance.”&nbsp;

The re-evaluation of legislative pay is a result of a law passed in the 2023 session.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA0MjEuNzU1NjMzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIzXzI0L21lYXN1cmVzL3NiMjI5LyJ9.xuWFkl3Y9o9So9Dm4_7fcrA6t1Cc-muDt4iKxWjBt4o/s/2897855304/br/161153741090-l">Senate Bill 229</a>,&nbsp;a legislative pay adjustment proposal, established a nine-person independent commission tasked with studying compensation rates for state officials.&nbsp;

The first round of compensation rates and salary will be decided by Dec. 1, 2023, and implemented in the 2025 legislative session, with rates set to be readjusted every four years.&nbsp;

Jason Watkins from the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, a former state representative who introduced the initial bill content on behalf of the chamber, said better pay would equalize the field.&nbsp;

“One of the reasons that we introduced this legislation is we believe in representative democracy,” Watkins said. “The Legislature should look like a cross section of the state of Kansas and folks from all walks of life should be able to serve.”&nbsp;

During his time as a representative, Watkins said he knew several people who could only serve one or two terms before leaving due to financial constraints. Watkins said lawmakers would joke that the term limits for Kansas lawmakers were decided by when they went&nbsp; bankrupt.&nbsp;

“A lot of folks that have served in the Legislature really experienced financial hardship,” Watkins said. “And listen, nobody should get rich serving at any level of government. But people shouldn’t have to go broke either. And that’s the stark truth.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694350643938.png" alt="Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, says low legislative pay has long impeded prospective candidates who can't afford to serve in the Legislature. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, says low legislative pay has long impeded prospective candidates who can't afford to serve in the Legislature. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Independent commission has begun to examine pay increases, fair compensation</h2>TOPEKA —&nbsp; Increasing long-stagnant legislative pay could revolutionize state politics by encouraging Kansans from more diverse backgrounds to seek public office, but top Republican legislators also cautioned against dramatically escalating compensation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said low pay has been a longstanding barrier for many Kansans. But Masterson also warned against raising pay to the point where Kansans have a marked financial incentive to serve in the Legislature.&nbsp;“The truth is, for years now, it’s been a hurdle for large segments of our population to even attempt and represent their neighbors in this way,” Masterson said during a Thursday legislative meeting on compensation. “We’d like to see us make that hurdle go away. However, I also don’t believe it should be a career. There needs to be some level of service. Public service, at some level does have sacrifice to it, and I think that should exist but there needs to be balance.”Low compensation and long hours have blocked many Kansans from entering the field, leaving retired Kansans or those with independent income or extremely flexible jobs facing less competition for seats. In past sessions, critics of the system have said the pay barrier allows affluent Kansans to have a much greater voice in state policy than those from other economic backgrounds.&nbsp;State legislators are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_ot_legislative_compensation_commission_1/documents/testimony/20230907_04.pdf">currently paid</a>&nbsp;a base salary of $88.66 for every day during the session, a salary that hasn’t changed since 2009. Starting in October, lawmakers will receive a per diem allowance of $166 per day to offset food and lodging costs during the session. In an average 92-day session, the pay works out to about $23,429 per year, with additional compensation for leadership positions.&nbsp;The state ranked in the bottom third for legislative compensation in a 2019 legislative study of 14 other states. The study found Oklahoma, Missouri and Colorado paid their lawmakers about $48,000 per year. The lowest state compensation was between $12,000 and $13,000 per year, in Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, shared Masterson’s sentiments.&nbsp;He estimated lawmakers spend about 10-15 hours per week outside of the 92-day session on constituent needs or community engagement, with another 15 hours of work for anyone who heads a committee.&nbsp;“We don’t have a normal job as legislators,” Hawkins said. “I wouldn’t call our job normal at all in any stretch of the imagination. We are working all the time. … Truly, it is a huge level of service but we love the people we serve, and that’s what we’re really trying to do is just serve and do the best job we can.”&nbsp;While Hawkins said compensation rates needed to be adjusted, he also warned against raising pay too high.&nbsp;“There has to be a level of service,” Hawkins said. “We’re a citizen legislature so we don’t want people just to consider that their main job. We need to go back home and go to work. And so there’s always going to be a balance.”&nbsp;The re-evaluation of legislative pay is a result of a law passed in the 2023 session.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA0MjEuNzU1NjMzNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIzXzI0L21lYXN1cmVzL3NiMjI5LyJ9.xuWFkl3Y9o9So9Dm4_7fcrA6t1Cc-muDt4iKxWjBt4o/s/2897855304/br/161153741090-l">Senate Bill 229</a>,&nbsp;a legislative pay adjustment proposal, established a nine-person independent commission tasked with studying compensation rates for state officials.&nbsp;The first round of compensation rates and salary will be decided by Dec. 1, 2023, and implemented in the 2025 legislative session, with rates set to be readjusted every four years.&nbsp;Jason Watkins from the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, a former state representative who introduced the initial bill content on behalf of the chamber, said better pay would equalize the field.&nbsp;“One of the reasons that we introduced this legislation is we believe in representative democracy,” Watkins said. “The Legislature should look like a cross section of the state of Kansas and folks from all walks of life should be able to serve.”&nbsp;During his time as a representative, Watkins said he knew several people who could only serve one or two terms before leaving due to financial constraints. Watkins said lawmakers would joke that the term limits for Kansas lawmakers were decided by when they went&nbsp; bankrupt.&nbsp;“A lot of folks that have served in the Legislature really experienced financial hardship,” Watkins said. “And listen, nobody should get rich serving at any level of government. But people shouldn’t have to go broke either. And that’s the stark truth.”

GOP leaders warn against substantial pay increases for Kansas lawmakers

KANSAS CITY —After a&nbsp; jury convicted a Kansas City man in the 2017 fatal shooting of Tamara Randolf, a judge sentences 42-year-old John Frazier to Life Without Parole plus 20 years, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In April, the jury convicted Frazier of Murder 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp; The jury made its recommendation on sentence: Life Without Parole, the mandatory sentence for a Murder 1st Degree conviction, and 20 years in prison for the Armed Criminal Action conviction.

A Jackson County judge sentenced Frazier as the jury recommended. The sentences are to be served concurrently.

According to court records, police responded on Aug. 2, 2017, to a residence in the 3700 block of Woodland on a reported shooting.&nbsp; Frazier was the caller; he told police he shot the victim after she pulled a gun on him. 

Witnesses told police that the victim was at the residence to retrieve her two children. Police found the victim on the ground. She was declared deceased on the scene. 

Video surveillance showed the victim arriving and knocking at the door. Frazier arrived at the residence, gets out of his truck and appears to be holding a gun. A family member of the victim was on the phone with her and heard a struggle. A ShotSpotter nearby picked up the sounds of seven gun shots.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694035953134.png" alt="Frazier-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Frazier-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —After a&nbsp; jury convicted a Kansas City man in the 2017 fatal shooting of Tamara Randolf, a judge sentences 42-year-old John Frazier to Life Without Parole plus 20 years, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In April, the jury convicted Frazier of Murder 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp; The jury made its recommendation on sentence: Life Without Parole, the mandatory sentence for a Murder 1st Degree conviction, and 20 years in prison for the Armed Criminal Action conviction.A Jackson County judge sentenced Frazier as the jury recommended. The sentences are to be served concurrently.According to court records, police responded on Aug. 2, 2017, to a residence in the 3700 block of Woodland on a reported shooting.&nbsp; Frazier was the caller; he told police he shot the victim after she pulled a gun on him. Witnesses told police that the victim was at the residence to retrieve her two children. Police found the victim on the ground. She was declared deceased on the scene. Video surveillance showed the victim arriving and knocking at the door. Frazier arrived at the residence, gets out of his truck and appears to be holding a gun. A family member of the victim was on the phone with her and heard a struggle. A ShotSpotter nearby picked up the sounds of seven gun shots.

Witness: KC man shot woman who came to pick up her children

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a vehicle vs. pedestrian collision that fatally injured a 57-year-old man from Wichita.

Just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday officers were dispatched to a collision at the intersection of Lincoln and Sylvan Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694446874596.png" alt="Neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors to the collision-photo courtesy KWCH&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors to the collision-photo courtesy KWCH&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a vehicle vs. pedestrian collision that fatally injured a 57-year-old man from Wichita.Just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday officers were dispatched to a collision at the intersection of Lincoln and Sylvan Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located the victim unconscious and not breathing. EMS pronounced him deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed the man was walking eastbound on the south side of Lincoln in the roadway when he was struck by an eastbound vehicle driven by a 32-year-old man from Andover.Neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors to the collision.&nbsp;If anyone has any information on this case, please call WPD Detectives at 316-350-3686, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.