JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 4a.m. July 9,&nbsp; a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2011 Cadillac CTS for multiple driving infractions near 158th and Q. Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the traffic stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics within the vehicle. 

The deputy arrested 39-year-old Sarah Diane White of Council Grove and her booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container, driving under the influence and no insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720659174156.png" alt="White-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>White-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 4a.m. July 9,&nbsp; a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2011 Cadillac CTS for multiple driving infractions near 158th and Q. Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the traffic stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics within the vehicle. The deputy arrested 39-year-old Sarah Diane White of Council Grove and her booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container, driving under the influence and no insurance.

Sheriff: Kan. woman accused of DUI, transporting cocaine

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting in Wichita that sent four teens to the hospital.

Just before 3:30a.m., police were dispatched to a shooting call at 2300 E. Murdock in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford. 

First responders located a 15-year-old boy who had been shot in the upper thigh and lower torso. Sedgwick County EMS transported him to Wesley Medical Center under Code Red status.

Shortly after that, three additional shooting victims arrived at Wesley Medical Center in a private vehicle including a 17-year-old boy shot in the left thigh, an 18-year-old boy shot in the left elbow and a 19-year-old man shot in the upper back

All three of these individuals were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Ford.

Preliminary investigations reveal that the victims were walking west on Murdock at Spruce with a group when two males brandished a firearm and opened fire. Prior to the shooting, a separate incident occurred at Central and Oliver, where a Black male, not involved in the shooting, was assaulted following an exchange of words between his group walking east and another group walking west. It was after this confrontation that the group walking west initiated the shooting.

Additionally, investigators have learned that this incident has a possible gang nexus, according to Ford. This development underscores the serious nature of the gun violence affecting the Wichita community.

The Wichita Police Department is actively working to determine the circumstances that led to this incident. We ask anyone with information to come forward and call Wichita Police Investigators at 316-268-4407. You can also remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 and collect a reward if your tip leads to an arrest. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720713878829.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting in Wichita that sent four teens to the hospital.Just before 3:30a.m., police were dispatched to a shooting call at 2300 E. Murdock in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders located a 15-year-old boy who had been shot in the upper thigh and lower torso. Sedgwick County EMS transported him to Wesley Medical Center under Code Red status.Shortly after that, three additional shooting victims arrived at Wesley Medical Center in a private vehicle including a 17-year-old boy shot in the left thigh, an 18-year-old boy shot in the left elbow and a 19-year-old man shot in the upper backAll three of these individuals were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720730443437.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary investigations reveal that the victims were walking west on Murdock at Spruce with a group when two males brandished a firearm and opened fire. Prior to the shooting, a separate incident occurred at Central and Oliver, where a Black male, not involved in the shooting, was assaulted following an exchange of words between his group walking east and another group walking west. It was after this confrontation that the group walking west initiated the shooting.Additionally, investigators have learned that this incident has a possible gang nexus, according to Ford. This development underscores the serious nature of the gun violence affecting the Wichita community.The Wichita Police Department is actively working to determine the circumstances that led to this incident. We ask anyone with information to come forward and call Wichita Police Investigators at 316-268-4407. You can also remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 and collect a reward if your tip leads to an arrest.

Police: Kansas gang gunfight sent four teens to the hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;ability to run for reelection faced crucial tests Thursday as he prepared for questions at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated press conference</a>&nbsp;and his team met privately with skeptical senators on Capitol Hill. More House Democrats called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>, and he made a notable flub ahead of the press conference.

Biden is seeking to show during his whirlwind day with world leaders at NATO, and the evening press conference that he is up for another four years. Voters are watching, and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.

But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.

Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.

“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.

<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his recent debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.

Biden campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.

“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.

The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”

Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.

The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.

While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.

But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.

The number of House Democrats asking that Biden step aside grew to a dozen on Thursday. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself.

The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.

The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this year

One Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."

At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”

Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.

The fresh emphasis on the “blue wall” states by the campaign, which has heavily invested in other battlegrounds such as Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia, acknowledges that the path to defeating Trump in November is narrowing, even as the team insists the Sun Belt states are “not out of reach.”

Though senior campaign aides write in the memo that Biden could clinch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">270 electoral votes</a>&nbsp;in a number of ways, it also says those three states are critical and that is why Biden has prioritized the areas in his recent travels. He went to Madison, Wisconsin; Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania over the weekend. He's going to Detroit on Friday.

Polls conducted after the debate have largely agreed that Democrats nationwide have doubts about Biden’s ability to lead the ticket in November.

__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;ability to run for reelection faced crucial tests Thursday as he prepared for questions at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated press conference</a>&nbsp;and his team met privately with skeptical senators on Capitol Hill. More House Democrats called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>, and he made a notable flub ahead of the press conference.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentleman, President Putin.&quot; He immediately corrects himself, &quot;He&#39;s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/VIqDxC8NCS">pic.twitter.com/VIqDxC8NCS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811522378280894803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let’s set the record straight: Zelenskyy is the President of Ukraine. Putin is the President of Russia. Donald Trump is not our current VP, but he will be our next President.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1811548018413314284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden is seeking to show during his whirlwind day with world leaders at NATO, and the evening press conference that he is up for another four years. Voters are watching, and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his recent debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.Biden campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.The number of House Democrats asking that Biden step aside grew to a dozen on Thursday. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself.The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this yearOne Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.The fresh emphasis on the “blue wall” states by the campaign, which has heavily invested in other battlegrounds such as Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia, acknowledges that the path to defeating Trump in November is narrowing, even as the team insists the Sun Belt states are “not out of reach.”Though senior campaign aides write in the memo that Biden could clinch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">270 electoral votes</a>&nbsp;in a number of ways, it also says those three states are critical and that is why Biden has prioritized the areas in his recent travels. He went to Madison, Wisconsin; Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania over the weekend. He's going to Detroit on Friday.Polls conducted after the debate have largely agreed that Democrats nationwide have doubts about Biden’s ability to lead the ticket in November.__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

🎥 Biden flubs 'Putin' for 'Zelenskyy' in praising Ukraine leader

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. —Three people died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Thursday in Platte County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford Edge driven by Kyle A. Mendez, 37, Topeka, was northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 29 just south of the Route E exit.

The SUV struck a southbound 2007 Honda Odyssey driven by Joel Similien, 55, Kansas City, Missouri, head-on. After impact the van traveled off the road and struck a concrete barrier.

Similien and passengers in the van Sheyla Similien, 54, and Michelet Metellus, 52, both of Kansas City, Missouri, were pronounced dead at the scene. 

Northland Regional EMS transported Mendez and three of the six passengers in the van Herilert Bellot, Jacnert Lubin, 37 and Franckel Francois, 54, of Kansas City, Missouri, to North Kansas City Hospital. Buchanan County EMS transported one passenger in the van Vladimyr Mercier, 33, Kansas City, Missouri, to Mosaic in St. Joseph.

Mercier and Metellus were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. The Patrol also did not have the age of Heirlert Bellot.

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. —Three people died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Thursday in Platte County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford Edge driven by Kyle A. Mendez, 37, Topeka, was northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 29 just south of the Route E exit.The SUV struck a southbound 2007 Honda Odyssey driven by Joel Similien, 55, Kansas City, Missouri, head-on. After impact the van traveled off the road and struck a concrete barrier.Similien and passengers in the van Sheyla Similien, 54, and Michelet Metellus, 52, both of Kansas City, Missouri, were pronounced dead at the scene. Northland Regional EMS transported Mendez and three of the six passengers in the van Herilert Bellot, Jacnert Lubin, 37 and Franckel Francois, 54, of Kansas City, Missouri, to North Kansas City Hospital. Buchanan County EMS transported one passenger in the van Vladimyr Mercier, 33, Kansas City, Missouri, to Mosaic in St. Joseph.Mercier and Metellus were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. The Patrol also did not have the age of Heirlert Bellot.

3 dead after wrong-way, head-on crash with Kansas driver

Astronaut Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, died on July 10, at 91.

Engle was the commander of two&nbsp;Space Shuttle&nbsp;missions including&nbsp;STS-2&nbsp;in 1981, the program's second orbital flight. Engle also flew two flights in the Shuttle program's 1977&nbsp;Approach and Landing Tests. 

Engle, a Chapman, Kansas native, was one of just twelve pilots who flew the&nbsp;North American X-15, an experimental&nbsp;spaceplane&nbsp;jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.

Joe Engle was born in Chapman, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. Commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program, he earned his pilot's wings in 1958 and was assigned to fly F-100s for the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and, later, the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California.

Although in command of another squadron, then-Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager had frequent opportunities to fly with Engle -- and against him in mock dogfights -- and he was extremely impressed by the young fighter pilot's attitude and ability. When Engle applied for admission to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, Yeager recommended his selection. 

By the time he graduated from the school in 1962, Yeager had become the commandant and, because he considered Engle "one of the sharpest pilots we had in the program," he immediately selected him for admission to the new Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) which was being established at Edwards to train military astronauts. 

Engle graduated from ARPS in 1963 and was selected as a project pilot for the X-15 program. He completed 16 flights in the rocket-powered hypersonic airplane, exceeding Mach 5 on ten of those flights and attaining a top speed of Mach 5.71 (3,886 mph). In June of 1965, he also climbed to an altitude of 280,600 feet and became one of only eight pilots from the X-15 program-who have qualified for astronaut's wings by flying an airplane into space.

Engle went on to exceed the Air Force's 50-mile threshold for astronaut rating on two subsequent X-15 flights. At 32, he was the youngest man to become an astronaut. 

When NASA selected him as one of 19 new astronaut candidates in 1966, he was truly in an unusual position; he was the only one who had already engaged in spaceflight operations. First assigned to the Apollo program, he served on the support crew for Apollo X and then as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo XIV. In 1977, he was commander of one of two crews who were launched from atop a modified Boeing 747 in order to conduct approach and landing tests with the Space Shuttle Enterprise. 

Then in November 1981, he commanded the second flight of the Shuttle Columbia and manually flew the re-entry-performing 29 flight test maneuvers-from Mach 25 through landing roll out. This was the first and, so far, only time that a winged aerospace vehicle has been manually flown from orbit through landing. 

He accumulated the last of his 224 hours in space when he commanded the Shuttle Discovery during Mission 51-I in August of 1985.

In his retirement from NASA, the Air Force and the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as an engineering consultant and simulation evaluation pilot for Space Shuttle modifications and other advanced piloted re-entry vehicles.

Engle flew more than 180 different aircraft types and logged nearly 14,000 flight hours. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. 

Among his many honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Space Flight Medal, as well as the Harmon International, Collier, Lawrence Sperry, Iven C. Kinchloe, Robert H. Goddard and Thomas D. White aviation and space trophies. 

In 1992, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720720028168.jpeg" alt="Joe Engle in front of an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft.&nbsp;Image Courtesy The Cosmosphere" />
 <figcaption>Joe Engle in front of an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft.&nbsp;Image Courtesy The Cosmosphere</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAstronaut Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, died on July 10, at 91.Engle was the commander of two&nbsp;Space Shuttle&nbsp;missions including&nbsp;STS-2&nbsp;in 1981, the program's second orbital flight. Engle also flew two flights in the Shuttle program's 1977&nbsp;Approach and Landing Tests. Engle, a Chapman, Kansas native, was one of just twelve pilots who flew the&nbsp;North American X-15, an experimental&nbsp;spaceplane&nbsp;jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720720547019.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Information courtesy of NASAJoe Engle was born in Chapman, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. Commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program, he earned his pilot's wings in 1958 and was assigned to fly F-100s for the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and, later, the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California.Although in command of another squadron, then-Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager had frequent opportunities to fly with Engle -- and against him in mock dogfights -- and he was extremely impressed by the young fighter pilot's attitude and ability. When Engle applied for admission to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, Yeager recommended his selection. By the time he graduated from the school in 1962, Yeager had become the commandant and, because he considered Engle "one of the sharpest pilots we had in the program," he immediately selected him for admission to the new Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) which was being established at Edwards to train military astronauts. Engle graduated from ARPS in 1963 and was selected as a project pilot for the X-15 program. He completed 16 flights in the rocket-powered hypersonic airplane, exceeding Mach 5 on ten of those flights and attaining a top speed of Mach 5.71 (3,886 mph). In June of 1965, he also climbed to an altitude of 280,600 feet and became one of only eight pilots from the X-15 program-who have qualified for astronaut's wings by flying an airplane into space.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkscosmosphere%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02V1EWPeaWxHsBVsHeT9K3CYreFGiUDMVCi8hmu6tYppnp3qQAiuvBFSaKXVKGrAFNl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Engle went on to exceed the Air Force's 50-mile threshold for astronaut rating on two subsequent X-15 flights. At 32, he was the youngest man to become an astronaut. When NASA selected him as one of 19 new astronaut candidates in 1966, he was truly in an unusual position; he was the only one who had already engaged in spaceflight operations. First assigned to the Apollo program, he served on the support crew for Apollo X and then as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo XIV. In 1977, he was commander of one of two crews who were launched from atop a modified Boeing 747 in order to conduct approach and landing tests with the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Then in November 1981, he commanded the second flight of the Shuttle Columbia and manually flew the re-entry-performing 29 flight test maneuvers-from Mach 25 through landing roll out. This was the first and, so far, only time that a winged aerospace vehicle has been manually flown from orbit through landing. He accumulated the last of his 224 hours in space when he commanded the Shuttle Discovery during Mission 51-I in August of 1985.In his retirement from NASA, the Air Force and the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as an engineering consultant and simulation evaluation pilot for Space Shuttle modifications and other advanced piloted re-entry vehicles.Engle flew more than 180 different aircraft types and logged nearly 14,000 flight hours. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. Among his many honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Space Flight Medal, as well as the Harmon International, Collier, Lawrence Sperry, Iven C. Kinchloe, Robert H. Goddard and Thomas D. White aviation and space trophies. In 1992, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Astronaut Joe Engle, pioneer of winged spacecraft — Kansas native, dies at 91

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. —A four-year-old Wathena, Kansas boy has succumbed to injuries sustained while submerged in a backyard swimming pool.&nbsp; Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett reports the boy was pronounced dead Thursday morning at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

His name is not being released, because he is a juvenile.

The father and grandfather of the child pulled the boy from the pool at a residence on Southwest 36th Road the evening of an Independence Day party on the 4th. &nbsp;The two performed CPR until emergency workers arrived and rushed the boy to Mosaic Life Care. He then was transferred to Children’s Mercy.

By BRENT MARTIN, St. Joseph PostBUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. —A four-year-old Wathena, Kansas boy has succumbed to injuries sustained while submerged in a backyard swimming pool.&nbsp; Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett reports the boy was pronounced dead Thursday morning at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.His name is not being released, because he is a juvenile.The father and grandfather of the child pulled the boy from the pool at a residence on Southwest 36th Road the evening of an Independence Day party on the 4th. &nbsp;The two performed CPR until emergency workers arrived and rushed the boy to Mosaic Life Care. He then was transferred to Children’s Mercy.

4-year-old Kansas boy dies week after falling into pool

MARSHALL COUNTY —&nbsp;KBI agents and deputies from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office have located remains during the search for a missing Blue Rapids man. 

Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, deputies found human remains in rural Marshall County, according to a media release from the KBI.

The KBI Crime Scene Response Team responded to the area, which was northwest of Waterville, Kansas, near Sunflower Road and 2nd Road. 

 The remains are believed to be those of 36-year-old Camoran M. Shoptese. 

Agents found evidence indicating that Shoptese was murdered. Investigators do not believed a threat to the community exists related to this case.&nbsp;On Saturday, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance in the disappearance of Shoptese who was last seen around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday at 709 Chestnut Street in Blue Rapids.

A person of interest connected to the homicide is in police custody on unrelated charges.Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1ISTH5POP4KQvf8B0_2-G6vTn16MFkPKEmc--z24xDvk1v8el_aT5npPw_aem_qpcr2Cmq8CwneNSrnR0Siw">Click here to report</a> anonymous tips.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720385898695.png" alt="Shoptese-photo Marshall Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Shoptese-photo Marshall Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MARSHALL COUNTY —&nbsp;KBI agents and deputies from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office have located remains during the search for a missing Blue Rapids man. Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, deputies found human remains in rural Marshall County, according to a media release from the KBI.The KBI Crime Scene Response Team responded to the area, which was northwest of Waterville, Kansas, near Sunflower Road and 2nd Road. The remains are believed to be those of 36-year-old Camoran M. Shoptese. Agents found evidence indicating that Shoptese was murdered. Investigators do not believed a threat to the community exists related to this case.&nbsp;On Saturday, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance in the disappearance of Shoptese who was last seen around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday at 709 Chestnut Street in Blue Rapids.A person of interest connected to the homicide is in police custody on unrelated charges.Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1ISTH5POP4KQvf8B0_2-G6vTn16MFkPKEmc--z24xDvk1v8el_aT5npPw_aem_qpcr2Cmq8CwneNSrnR0Siw">Click here to report</a> anonymous tips.

KBI: Remains found in search for missing Kansas man

NEW YORK (AP) —Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75.

Duvall died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, announced. The cause was complications of diabetes, said her friend, the publicist Gary Springer.

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night," Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”

Duvall was attending junior college in Texas when Altman's crew members, preparing to film “Brewster McCloud,” encountered her as at a party in Houston in 1970. They introduced her to the director, who cast her “Brewster McCloud” and made her his protege.

Duvall would go on to appear in Altman films including “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville, “Popeye,” “Three Women” and “McCabe &amp; Ms. Miller.”

“He offers me damn good roles,” Duvall told The New York Times in 1977. “None of them have been alike. He has a great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him. I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’”

Duvall, gaunt and gawky, was no conventional Hollywood starlet. But she had a beguiling frank manner and exuded a singular naturalism. The film critic Pauline Kael called her the “female Buster Keaton.”

At her peak, Duvall was a regular star in some of the defining movies of the 1970s and 1980s. In “The Shining,” she played Wendy Torrance, who watches in horror as her husband, Jack (Jack Nicholson), goes crazy while their family is isolated in the Overlook Hotel. It was Duvall’s screaming face that made up half of the film’s most iconic image, along with Jack’s axe coming through the door.

Kubrick, a famous perfectionist, was notoriously hard on Duvall in making “The Shining.” His methods of pushing her through countless takes in the most anguished scenes took a toll on the actor. Some saw Kubrick’s treatment as bordering on torture; one scene was reportedly performed in 127 takes.

Duvall, in an interview in 1981 with People magazine said she was crying “12 hours a day for weeks on end" during the film's production.

“I will never give that much again,” said Duvall. “If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me.”

Duvall disappeared from movies almost as quickly as she arrived in them. By the 1990s, she began retiring from acting and retreated from public life.

“How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime, they turn on you?” Duvall told the Times earlier this year. “You would never believe it unless it happens to you. That’s why you get hurt, because you can’t really believe it’s true.”

Duvall, the oldest of four, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 7, 1949. Her father, Robert worked in law and her mother, Bobbie, in real estate.

Duvall moved back to Texas in the mid-1990s. Around 2002, after making the comedy “Manna from Heaven,” she retreated from Hollywood completely. Her whereabouts became a favorite topic of internet sleuths. A favorite but incorrect theory was that it was residual trauma from the grueling shoot for “The Shining.” Another was that the damage to her home after the Northridge Earthquake was the last straw.

To those living in Texas Hill Country, where Duvall lived for some 30 years, she was neither in “hiding” nor a recluse; But her circumstances were a mystery to both the media and many of her old Hollywood friends. That changed in 2016, when producers for the Dr. Phil show tracked her down and aired a controversial hourlong interview with her in which she spoke about her mental health issues. “I’m very sick. I need help," Duvall said on the program, which was widely criticized for being exploitative.

“I found out the kind of person he is the hard way,” Duvall told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.

THR journalist Seth Abramovitch wrote at the time that he went on a pilgrimage to find her because, “it didn’t feel right for McGraw’s insensitive sideshow to be the final word on her legacy.”

Duvall attempted to restart her career, dipping her toe in with the indie horror “The Forest Hills” that filmed in 2022 and premiered quietly in early 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720713573617.png" alt="FILE - Shelley Duvall is shown on Oct. 27, 1983, in Los Angeles. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Shelley Duvall is shown on Oct. 27, 1983, in Los Angeles. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75.Duvall died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, announced. The cause was complications of diabetes, said her friend, the publicist Gary Springer.“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night," Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”Duvall was attending junior college in Texas when Altman's crew members, preparing to film “Brewster McCloud,” encountered her as at a party in Houston in 1970. They introduced her to the director, who cast her “Brewster McCloud” and made her his protege.Duvall would go on to appear in Altman films including “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville, “Popeye,” “Three Women” and “McCabe &amp; Ms. Miller.”“He offers me damn good roles,” Duvall told The New York Times in 1977. “None of them have been alike. He has a great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him. I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’”Duvall, gaunt and gawky, was no conventional Hollywood starlet. But she had a beguiling frank manner and exuded a singular naturalism. The film critic Pauline Kael called her the “female Buster Keaton.”At her peak, Duvall was a regular star in some of the defining movies of the 1970s and 1980s. In “The Shining,” she played Wendy Torrance, who watches in horror as her husband, Jack (Jack Nicholson), goes crazy while their family is isolated in the Overlook Hotel. It was Duvall’s screaming face that made up half of the film’s most iconic image, along with Jack’s axe coming through the door.Kubrick, a famous perfectionist, was notoriously hard on Duvall in making “The Shining.” His methods of pushing her through countless takes in the most anguished scenes took a toll on the actor. Some saw Kubrick’s treatment as bordering on torture; one scene was reportedly performed in 127 takes.Duvall, in an interview in 1981 with People magazine said she was crying “12 hours a day for weeks on end" during the film's production.“I will never give that much again,” said Duvall. “If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me.”Duvall disappeared from movies almost as quickly as she arrived in them. By the 1990s, she began retiring from acting and retreated from public life.“How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime, they turn on you?” Duvall told the Times earlier this year. “You would never believe it unless it happens to you. That’s why you get hurt, because you can’t really believe it’s true.”Duvall, the oldest of four, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 7, 1949. Her father, Robert worked in law and her mother, Bobbie, in real estate.Duvall moved back to Texas in the mid-1990s. Around 2002, after making the comedy “Manna from Heaven,” she retreated from Hollywood completely. Her whereabouts became a favorite topic of internet sleuths. A favorite but incorrect theory was that it was residual trauma from the grueling shoot for “The Shining.” Another was that the damage to her home after the Northridge Earthquake was the last straw.To those living in Texas Hill Country, where Duvall lived for some 30 years, she was neither in “hiding” nor a recluse; But her circumstances were a mystery to both the media and many of her old Hollywood friends. That changed in 2016, when producers for the Dr. Phil show tracked her down and aired a controversial hourlong interview with her in which she spoke about her mental health issues. “I’m very sick. I need help," Duvall said on the program, which was widely criticized for being exploitative.“I found out the kind of person he is the hard way,” Duvall told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.THR journalist Seth Abramovitch wrote at the time that he went on a pilgrimage to find her because, “it didn’t feel right for McGraw’s insensitive sideshow to be the final word on her legacy.”Duvall attempted to restart her career, dipping her toe in with the indie horror “The Forest Hills” that filmed in 2022 and premiered quietly in early 2023.

Shelley Duvall, star of 'The Shining,' 'Nashville,' dies at 75

NEW YORK (AP) —Movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney added his voice to calls for Joe Biden to leave the presidential race on Wednesday, just weeks after headlining a fundraiser that brought in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hollywood-fundraiser-clooney-roberts-ukraine-summit-40081471c93faa68de5c4aa30455303b">a record single-night haul</a>&nbsp;for the president's reelection campaign.

On his Truth Social account, former President Donald Trump criticized the actor's statement.

Clooney said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/opinion/joe-biden-democratic-nominee.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare&amp;sgrp=c-cb">New York Times opinion piece</a>&nbsp;that he loves Biden, but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any control in Congress with him as the nominee.

“This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and congress member and governor that I’ve spoken with in private,” wrote Clooney. He's hosted several high-dollar Hollywood fundraisers, including for Biden last month.

Clooney argued the party should pick a new nominee at its convention next month, saying the process would be “messy” but “wake up” voters in the party’s favor, mentioning Vice President Kamala Harris and Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Gavin Newsom of California among those from who the country should now hear.

Focusing much of his piece around Biden's age, Clooney noted differences he saw in the 81-year-old president during their recent Los Angeles event compared to years past.

“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010," Clooney wrote. “He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

Last month, Clooney,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/julia-roberts">Julia Roberts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barbra-streisand">Barbra Streisand</a>&nbsp;were among those who took the stage for a fundraiser that took in a record $30 million-plus for Biden, in hopes of energizing would-be supporters for a White House contest they said may rank among the most consequential in U.S. history.

Clooney isn't alone in his characterization of his recent exchange with Biden.

A person who interacted closely with Biden described the president as vibrant and engaging at a fundraiser in March but, at the Los Angeles event months later, said they noticed a notable diminishment in Biden’s presence.

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private interactions with the president, recalled being struck by how tired and “out of it” the president seemed during backstage conversations at the Los Angeles event, adding that they gave Biden the benefit of the doubt for not being as voluble and showing lower energy off-stage because he arrived in Los Angeles after traveling from Italy where he had attended an international summit.

Asked for comment on Clooney’s essay, Biden’s campaign pointed to the president’s letter to congressional Democrats earlier in the week vowing to stay in the race.

His team also disputed the actor's representation of Biden’s demeanor during the Los Angeles fundraiser, with campaign officials who attended the event pointing out that the president stayed for more than three hours at the event, despite just having returned from Europe.

Luminaries from the entertainment world&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hollywood-fundraiser-obama-clooney-roberts-democrats-594132165b20d73e61d76eb2259295fb">have increasingly lined up to help Biden’s campaign</a>. Leading up to the fundraiser, Clooney's name appeared on numerous fundraising missives from the campaign, which he called “the fight of our lives.”

Representatives for Clooney did not immediately return a message seeking comment on insight into his decision, when precisely he had made it or how recently he had spoken with Biden.

Biden has refused to end his reelection bid after his weak debate performance against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on June 27.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710295653190.png" alt="File photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>File photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —Movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney added his voice to calls for Joe Biden to leave the presidential race on Wednesday, just weeks after headlining a fundraiser that brought in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hollywood-fundraiser-clooney-roberts-ukraine-summit-40081471c93faa68de5c4aa30455303b">a record single-night haul</a>&nbsp;for the president's reelection campaign.On his Truth Social account, former President Donald Trump criticized the actor's statement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720706379389.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Clooney said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/opinion/joe-biden-democratic-nominee.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare&amp;sgrp=c-cb">New York Times opinion piece</a>&nbsp;that he loves Biden, but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any control in Congress with him as the nominee.“This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and congress member and governor that I’ve spoken with in private,” wrote Clooney. He's hosted several high-dollar Hollywood fundraisers, including for Biden last month.Clooney argued the party should pick a new nominee at its convention next month, saying the process would be “messy” but “wake up” voters in the party’s favor, mentioning Vice President Kamala Harris and Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Gavin Newsom of California among those from who the country should now hear.Focusing much of his piece around Biden's age, Clooney noted differences he saw in the 81-year-old president during their recent Los Angeles event compared to years past.“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010," Clooney wrote. “He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”Last month, Clooney,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/julia-roberts">Julia Roberts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barbra-streisand">Barbra Streisand</a>&nbsp;were among those who took the stage for a fundraiser that took in a record $30 million-plus for Biden, in hopes of energizing would-be supporters for a White House contest they said may rank among the most consequential in U.S. history.Clooney isn't alone in his characterization of his recent exchange with Biden.A person who interacted closely with Biden described the president as vibrant and engaging at a fundraiser in March but, at the Los Angeles event months later, said they noticed a notable diminishment in Biden’s presence.The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private interactions with the president, recalled being struck by how tired and “out of it” the president seemed during backstage conversations at the Los Angeles event, adding that they gave Biden the benefit of the doubt for not being as voluble and showing lower energy off-stage because he arrived in Los Angeles after traveling from Italy where he had attended an international summit.Asked for comment on Clooney’s essay, Biden’s campaign pointed to the president’s letter to congressional Democrats earlier in the week vowing to stay in the race.His team also disputed the actor's representation of Biden’s demeanor during the Los Angeles fundraiser, with campaign officials who attended the event pointing out that the president stayed for more than three hours at the event, despite just having returned from Europe.Luminaries from the entertainment world&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hollywood-fundraiser-obama-clooney-roberts-democrats-594132165b20d73e61d76eb2259295fb">have increasingly lined up to help Biden’s campaign</a>. Leading up to the fundraiser, Clooney's name appeared on numerous fundraising missives from the campaign, which he called “the fight of our lives.”Representatives for Clooney did not immediately return a message seeking comment on insight into his decision, when precisely he had made it or how recently he had spoken with Biden.Biden has refused to end his reelection bid after his weak debate performance against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on June 27.

Trump responds to actor George Clooney asking Biden to leave race

WICHITA – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging an Arizona man with kidnapping then holding a victim for ransom, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Martin Brandon Gillen, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, is charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of transporting child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of sexual exploitation of a child (production), and one count of transportation for criminal sexual activity.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720647510208.png" alt="Gillen-is being held in Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Gillen-is being held in Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging an Arizona man with kidnapping then holding a victim for ransom, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Martin Brandon Gillen, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, is charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of transporting child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of sexual exploitation of a child (production), and one count of transportation for criminal sexual activity.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

Arizona man indicted in Kansas for kidnapping, child porn

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

The number of individuals being held in jails across Kansas has been on a downward trend recently, but Ellis County
Sheriff Scott Braun said it could just “be the calm before the storm.”

Braun spoke with the Ellis County Commission on Tuesday and
gave a brief preview of a jail assessment from Justice Planners. The commission approved the contract for the assessment last
year.

Representatives from Justice Planners were unable to attend
Tuesday’s meeting because of travel difficulties caused by Hurricane Beryl.
They now plan to present their more than 30-page assessment on Aug. 13.

According to the assessment, the Ellis County Jail has a
capacity of 72 and has had a daily average population in the upper 60s for the last two
and a half years.

Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers told the commission that Justice
Planners recommends a new facility for the county, which needs 95 beds by next year.

"The amount of space that's available, compared to the
amount of money that would be needed to add bed space, would not even get us to
the minimum bed space required," Myers said. "So, their recommendation is not
to invest any money into the current facility because it will not pay itself
off."

&nbsp;Justice Planners recommended housing
inmates out-of-county and setting money aside to build a new facility, Braun said.

He also cautioned the commissioners not to get used to
seeing the jail population remain at the current level in the mid-50s.

The current numbers are "unheard of, I don't know what's
going on," Braun said. 

"There must be a trend across the state because Sedgwick
County also is seeing low numbers. Ford County is seeing low numbers," Braun
said. "But I think this is the calm before the storm, and we're going to see our
numbers jump again."

As a result of the fall elections, Ellis County will have a
new county attorney as current attorney Robert Anderson has decided not to seek
reelection. There will also be a new judge on the bench in the 23rd Judicial
District. Chief Judge Glenn Braun is also not seeking reelection.

Sheriff Braun said with two new people in those roles there’s
also no way to tell how that will affect the jail population. 

"I've spoken with one of the judges, and he has stated he's
going to try to do what he can to keep people out of jail or to find a way to
do so, but that's a tough, tough thing to do," Braun said. He said he did not
talk to the incoming judge.

But Braun has talked with Assistant County Attorney Aaron
Cunningham, the only candidate who has filed for county attorney. Barring a successful write-in campaign against him, he will take over as the
county’s top prosecutor in January. 

"I think he's going to; how shall I say it? He's going to
be a little bit harder," Braun said. "So, we may have increased numbers, where
he feels that they need to stay in jail, not right or wrong. It's just his
opinion."

Braun said the previous study, done in 2013, recommended a 97-bed facility at a minimum, and a facility nearing 125 beds was recommended.

"I think commissioners know what we need to do, and we just
have to figure out how we can do it, how we can get by in the meantime, and how
we're going to work that strategically," Braun said. "It's probably not going
to be done in my time. Maybe it will, I don't know. At
some given point in time, it will have to be addressed."

Braun said there is no “quick fix” for the situation, and he anticipates developing a plan will take several meetings.

How to address inmate mental health issues will need to be part of the discussion, he said.

Braun estimated about 15% of the jail population suffers from serious mental health issues, and more than half deal with some mental health issues, but they can control them.

“We have some really sick individuals up there, and
unfortunately, there's not a place to send them,” Braun said. “We can send them
to Larned for X amount of days, but they ended up back within our facility.”

He suggested the county have a conversation with High Plains
Mental Health about how to address those issues, including the possibility of
connecting a mental health facility to the jail that can house the inmates and
still provide them the treatment they need.

The jail assessment from Justice Planners projected 25 years
into the future.

Braun said there is a lot of uncertainty and things that can
change.

Among those is the potential growth of the city of Hays due
to the expanded access to water due to the R-9 Ranch project.

"I'm talking millions of dollars. I know the public, if they're listening right now, they're probably saying the sheriff wants a new jail, but that is not true. We need a jail. I don't want it. We need it, and it's not going to be for me. It's for the public, so we can keep them safe," Braun said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720646460774.png" alt="Ellis County Jail. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Jail. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe number of individuals being held in jails across Kansas has been on a downward trend recently, but Ellis County
Sheriff Scott Braun said it could just “be the calm before the storm.”Braun spoke with the Ellis County Commission on Tuesday and
gave a brief preview of a jail assessment from Justice Planners. The commission approved the contract for the assessment last
year.Representatives from Justice Planners were unable to attend
Tuesday’s meeting because of travel difficulties caused by Hurricane Beryl.
They now plan to present their more than 30-page assessment on Aug. 13.According to the assessment, the Ellis County Jail has a
capacity of 72 and has had a daily average population in the upper 60s for the last two
and a half years.Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers told the commission that Justice
Planners recommends a new facility for the county, which needs 95 beds by next year."The amount of space that's available, compared to the
amount of money that would be needed to add bed space, would not even get us to
the minimum bed space required," Myers said. "So, their recommendation is not
to invest any money into the current facility because it will not pay itself
off."&nbsp;Justice Planners recommended housing
inmates out-of-county and setting money aside to build a new facility, Braun said.He also cautioned the commissioners not to get used to
seeing the jail population remain at the current level in the mid-50s.The current numbers are "unheard of, I don't know what's
going on," Braun said. "There must be a trend across the state because Sedgwick
County also is seeing low numbers. Ford County is seeing low numbers," Braun
said. "But I think this is the calm before the storm, and we're going to see our
numbers jump again."As a result of the fall elections, Ellis County will have a
new county attorney as current attorney Robert Anderson has decided not to seek
reelection. There will also be a new judge on the bench in the 23rd Judicial
District. Chief Judge Glenn Braun is also not seeking reelection.Sheriff Braun said with two new people in those roles there’s
also no way to tell how that will affect the jail population. "I've spoken with one of the judges, and he has stated he's
going to try to do what he can to keep people out of jail or to find a way to
do so, but that's a tough, tough thing to do," Braun said. He said he did not
talk to the incoming judge.But Braun has talked with Assistant County Attorney Aaron
Cunningham, the only candidate who has filed for county attorney. Barring a successful write-in campaign against him, he will take over as the
county’s top prosecutor in January. "I think he's going to; how shall I say it? He's going to
be a little bit harder," Braun said. "So, we may have increased numbers, where
he feels that they need to stay in jail, not right or wrong. It's just his
opinion."Braun said the previous study, done in 2013, recommended a 97-bed facility at a minimum, and a facility nearing 125 beds was recommended."I think commissioners know what we need to do, and we just
have to figure out how we can do it, how we can get by in the meantime, and how
we're going to work that strategically," Braun said. "It's probably not going
to be done in my time. Maybe it will, I don't know. At
some given point in time, it will have to be addressed."Braun said there is no “quick fix” for the situation, and he anticipates developing a plan will take several meetings.How to address inmate mental health issues will need to be part of the discussion, he said.Braun estimated about 15% of the jail population suffers from serious mental health issues, and more than half deal with some mental health issues, but they can control them.“We have some really sick individuals up there, and
unfortunately, there's not a place to send them,” Braun said. “We can send them
to Larned for X amount of days, but they ended up back within our facility.”He suggested the county have a conversation with High Plains
Mental Health about how to address those issues, including the possibility of
connecting a mental health facility to the jail that can house the inmates and
still provide them the treatment they need.The jail assessment from Justice Planners projected 25 years
into the future.Braun said there is a lot of uncertainty and things that can
change.Among those is the potential growth of the city of Hays due
to the expanded access to water due to the R-9 Ranch project."I'm talking millions of dollars. I know the public, if they're listening right now, they're probably saying the sheriff wants a new jail, but that is not true. We need a jail. I don't want it. We need it, and it's not going to be for me. It's for the public, so we can keep them safe," Braun said.

Ellis County Sheriff: New jail a need, not a want

Committees granted 56 days to debate policy issues ahead of 2025 session

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican Sen. Michael Fagg made a compelling case for scheduling joint House and Senate hearings on options for developing medical marijuana legislation in advance of convening the 2025 Kansas Legislature.

The Legislative Coordinating Council, comprised of Republican and Democratic leadership in both chambers, granted Tuesday the Senate Utilities Committee chairman’s request for two days of interim meetings to hash out opportunities for Kansas to join the 14 states that legalized medical consumption of marijuana. Two dozen other states, including Missouri and Colorado, allow recreational consumption of pot.

“Although the Legislature has worked to address medical marijuana, further study is needed,” Fagg said.

He said a conversation about medical marijuana was warranted after announcement in May by the U.S. Department of Justice that it proposed to move cannabis with THC content over 0.3% from designation as a Schedule I drug, viewed as having no medical benefit, to the less-restrictive Schedule III. The result could ease some restrictions on cannabis-related research, promote cannabinoid drug development and alter the legal framework for cannabis growers and distributors.

The change would be the most significant shift in federal drug policy in decades, but it didn’t mean commerce permitted under state law for medical or recreational marijuana would be matched under federal law.

“The special committee would also study the impact of this reclassification,” Fagg said.

In part, the committee would also consider how other states handled medical marijuana access for military veterans and patients suffering end-of-life medical challenges. Another element of the hearings could be the structure of CBD enforcement in Kansas.

The Legislative Coordinating Council received requests from state legislators for 72 interim committee meeting days, but the council trimmed the list to 56 days of meetings.

One day was approved for work of a special committee tasked with examining potential changes to case management services for Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These services help individuals enrolled in Medicaid find success in their home communities.

Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, said the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly may alter case management offerings in response to demands of the federal government.

“Numerous concerns have been raised by our constituents regarding the direction the administration appears to be headed on such changes,” Blasi said. “We believe that the Legislature should exercise oversight in order to ensure that this vital service is not disrupted.”

Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, requested six days, but received four days, for work of the Bethel Committee on Home and Community-Based Services for Medicaid recipients. A portion would be devoted to reviewing decisions by the Kelly administration to select three contractors to manage the $4 billion KanCare program serving more than 400,000 elderly, disabled, pregnant and low-income Kansans, she said.

A special House-Senate committee was allowed to meet two days to examine housing availability and affordability and the relationship of those realities to economic development. The panel would produce recommendations for broadening ownership of homes priced under $200,000 in urban and rural areas. Other issues, including availability of rental housing and the status of fixed-income seniors, would be on the agenda.

The joint committee on Kansas security was granted two days of hearings to dive into issues relevant to state employees, buildings and infrastructure.

“Such topics may include security protocols planned for the 2026 World Cup games,” said Sen. Mike Petersen, a Wichita Republican and chair of the Joint Kansas Security Committee.

One day would involve legislative tours of the Joint Forces Headquarters at Forbes Field, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s laboratory, the rebuilt Docking State Office Building and the Kansas State University campus in Salina.

Meanwhile, the Jennings Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee was granted three days to grapple with programs, activities and plans of the Kansas Department of Corrections. The committee proposed to set aside time to study nursery programs for incarcerated mothers and to learn about an program adopted in Nebraska.

The House-Senate committee on child welfare was provided four days for meetings to broaden the Legislature’s understanding of “child maltreatment” and to look at demographic trends influencing the welfare system. That would be combined with reviews of four state agencies engaged in child welfare issues, and the views of law enforcement and the judicial system on the topic.

The appropriations committees of the Senate and House were given permission to devote two days to hearings on a salary study of employees at universities under direction of the Kansas Board of Regents and Washburn University in Topeka.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720703041140.png" alt="Sen. Michael Fagg, an El Dorado Republican and chairman of the Senate Utilities Committee, was granted two days for joint House and Senate meetings to discuss implications of passing a medical marijuana law in Kansas. The meetings would occur later this year to prepare for the January opening of the 2025 Legislature. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Michael Fagg, an El Dorado Republican and chairman of the Senate Utilities Committee, was granted two days for joint House and Senate meetings to discuss implications of passing a medical marijuana law in Kansas. The meetings would occur later this year to prepare for the January opening of the 2025 Legislature. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Committees granted 56 days to debate policy issues ahead of 2025 session</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican Sen. Michael Fagg made a compelling case for scheduling joint House and Senate hearings on options for developing medical marijuana legislation in advance of convening the 2025 Kansas Legislature.The Legislative Coordinating Council, comprised of Republican and Democratic leadership in both chambers, granted Tuesday the Senate Utilities Committee chairman’s request for two days of interim meetings to hash out opportunities for Kansas to join the 14 states that legalized medical consumption of marijuana. Two dozen other states, including Missouri and Colorado, allow recreational consumption of pot.“Although the Legislature has worked to address medical marijuana, further study is needed,” Fagg said.He said a conversation about medical marijuana was warranted after announcement in May by the U.S. Department of Justice that it proposed to move cannabis with THC content over 0.3% from designation as a Schedule I drug, viewed as having no medical benefit, to the less-restrictive Schedule III. The result could ease some restrictions on cannabis-related research, promote cannabinoid drug development and alter the legal framework for cannabis growers and distributors.The change would be the most significant shift in federal drug policy in decades, but it didn’t mean commerce permitted under state law for medical or recreational marijuana would be matched under federal law.“The special committee would also study the impact of this reclassification,” Fagg said.In part, the committee would also consider how other states handled medical marijuana access for military veterans and patients suffering end-of-life medical challenges. Another element of the hearings could be the structure of CBD enforcement in Kansas.<h2>KanCare and housing</h2>The Legislative Coordinating Council received requests from state legislators for 72 interim committee meeting days, but the council trimmed the list to 56 days of meetings.One day was approved for work of a special committee tasked with examining potential changes to case management services for Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These services help individuals enrolled in Medicaid find success in their home communities.Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, said the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly may alter case management offerings in response to demands of the federal government.“Numerous concerns have been raised by our constituents regarding the direction the administration appears to be headed on such changes,” Blasi said. “We believe that the Legislature should exercise oversight in order to ensure that this vital service is not disrupted.”Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, requested six days, but received four days, for work of the Bethel Committee on Home and Community-Based Services for Medicaid recipients. A portion would be devoted to reviewing decisions by the Kelly administration to select three contractors to manage the $4 billion KanCare program serving more than 400,000 elderly, disabled, pregnant and low-income Kansans, she said.A special House-Senate committee was allowed to meet two days to examine housing availability and affordability and the relationship of those realities to economic development. The panel would produce recommendations for broadening ownership of homes priced under $200,000 in urban and rural areas. Other issues, including availability of rental housing and the status of fixed-income seniors, would be on the agenda.<h2>World Cup, salaries</h2>The joint committee on Kansas security was granted two days of hearings to dive into issues relevant to state employees, buildings and infrastructure.“Such topics may include security protocols planned for the 2026 World Cup games,” said Sen. Mike Petersen, a Wichita Republican and chair of the Joint Kansas Security Committee.One day would involve legislative tours of the Joint Forces Headquarters at Forbes Field, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s laboratory, the rebuilt Docking State Office Building and the Kansas State University campus in Salina.Meanwhile, the Jennings Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee was granted three days to grapple with programs, activities and plans of the Kansas Department of Corrections. The committee proposed to set aside time to study nursery programs for incarcerated mothers and to learn about an program adopted in Nebraska.The House-Senate committee on child welfare was provided four days for meetings to broaden the Legislature’s understanding of “child maltreatment” and to look at demographic trends influencing the welfare system. That would be combined with reviews of four state agencies engaged in child welfare issues, and the views of law enforcement and the judicial system on the topic.The appropriations committees of the Senate and House were given permission to devote two days to hearings on a salary study of employees at universities under direction of the Kansas Board of Regents and Washburn University in Topeka.

Kansas legislative leadership devoting two days of interim hearings to medical marijuana

TOPEKA– In 2024, the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Investigation Division completed 202 firework stand inspections during the Independence Holiday, according to a media release from the agency.

 Investigators found 124 deficiencies, with most being fixed on site.

Examples of deficiencies include exits, fire extinguishers and trash. There were 9 separate seizures of illegal fireworks,&nbsp;bottle rockets, at fireworks stands.

The Fire Marshal investigated one case of an injury.

In 2023, the OSFM Investigation Division completed 60 firework stand inspections, with 12 violations found that were corrected on site, and 5 seizures of illegal fireworks

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720664557220.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA– In 2024, the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Investigation Division completed 202 firework stand inspections during the Independence Holiday, according to a media release from the agency. Investigators found 124 deficiencies, with most being fixed on site.Examples of deficiencies include exits, fire extinguishers and trash. There were 9 separate seizures of illegal fireworks,&nbsp;bottle rockets, at fireworks stands.The Fire Marshal investigated one case of an injury.In 2023, the OSFM Investigation Division completed 60 firework stand inspections, with 12 violations found that were corrected on site, and 5 seizures of illegal fireworks

Kan. State Fire Marshal: Bottle rockets seized from several firework stands 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives investigating a Monday homicide&nbsp; have identified the victim as 44-year-old Lester White of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just before 6:30p.m. Monday, police responded to a reported disturbance&nbsp; in the 900 block of Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found White in the street who had died from blunt trauma.&nbsp; Police took two suspects into custody.&nbsp; Police have not released details on the arrest of possible charges.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives investigating a Monday homicide&nbsp; have identified the victim as 44-year-old Lester White of Kansas City, Kansas.Just before 6:30p.m. Monday, police responded to a reported disturbance&nbsp; in the 900 block of Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders found White in the street who had died from blunt trauma.&nbsp; Police took two suspects into custody.&nbsp; Police have not released details on the arrest of possible charges.

Homicide: Police ID Kansas man who died of blunt trauma

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is warning Kansans not to consume Diamond Shruumz products, according to a media release.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZkYS5nb3Yvc2FmZXR5L3JlY2FsbHMtbWFya2V0LXdpdGhkcmF3YWxzLXNhZmV0eS1hbGVydHMvcHJvcGhldC1wcmVtaXVtLWJsZW5kcy1yZWNhbGxzLWRpYW1vbmQtc2hydXVtei1wcm9kdWN0cy1iZWNhdXNlLXBvc3NpYmxlLWhlYWx0aC1yaXNrP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA3MTAuOTc0MzE2NjEifQ.SSOV5TPfncx2ao-N28ozUSenoupPuUj3GBVbOCn8fG4/s/1305913448/br/245522145790-l">U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is recalling</a>&nbsp;Diamond Shruumz-brand products and the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNkYy5nb3YvZW52aXJvbm1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtc3R1ZGllcy9vdXRicmVhay1pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aW9uLWRpYW1vbmQtc2hydXVtei1wcm9kdWN0cy9pbmRleC5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSNjZGNfZ2VuZXJpY19zZWN0aW9uXzEtb3V0YnJlYWstaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbi1zdW1tYXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDcxMC45NzQzMTY2MSJ9.eh5D4w88u6_e_5353eh79UTAhBB0zZ6t2Gd1IrTgb7c/s/1305913448/br/245522145790-l">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating</a>&nbsp;58 reports of severe illness, including 30 hospitalizations and one potentially associated death, across multiple states from the Prophet Premium Blends, LLC of Santa Ana, CA facility. KDHE is investigating two possible cases associated with this outbreak.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/prophet-premium-blends-recalls-diamond-shruumz-products-because-possible-health-risk?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to</a> learn more.

As a result of the ongoing investigation, the FDA is alerting consumers to not eat, sell or serve any flavor of Diamond Shruumz-brand chocolate bars, cones or gummies.

"People who became ill from Diamond Shruumz-brand edibles reported a variety of severe symptoms,”&nbsp;KDHE State Epidemiologist and Environmental Health Officer, Dr. Farah Ahmed said. “These symptoms include seizures, loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness, abnormal heart rates, high or low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting.”

Seek immediate medical attention or call the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) for advice if you have consumed a product and are having symptoms. If you consumed the products after January 1, 2024 and experienced symptoms, please fill out the KDHE confidential&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYml0Lmx5L0tESEVkaWFtb25kP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA3MTAuOTc0MzE2NjEifQ.JlCsr5Y3n_g4XgfDX9zec962aPt9hKAMCnn1t1RGz5E/s/1305913448/br/245522145790-l">illness report form</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720661110703.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is warning Kansans not to consume Diamond Shruumz products, according to a media release.The&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZkYS5nb3Yvc2FmZXR5L3JlY2FsbHMtbWFya2V0LXdpdGhkcmF3YWxzLXNhZmV0eS1hbGVydHMvcHJvcGhldC1wcmVtaXVtLWJsZW5kcy1yZWNhbGxzLWRpYW1vbmQtc2hydXVtei1wcm9kdWN0cy1iZWNhdXNlLXBvc3NpYmxlLWhlYWx0aC1yaXNrP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA3MTAuOTc0MzE2NjEifQ.SSOV5TPfncx2ao-N28ozUSenoupPuUj3GBVbOCn8fG4/s/1305913448/br/245522145790-l">U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is recalling</a>&nbsp;Diamond Shruumz-brand products and the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNkYy5nb3YvZW52aXJvbm1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtc3R1ZGllcy9vdXRicmVhay1pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aW9uLWRpYW1vbmQtc2hydXVtei1wcm9kdWN0cy9pbmRleC5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSNjZGNfZ2VuZXJpY19zZWN0aW9uXzEtb3V0YnJlYWstaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbi1zdW1tYXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDcxMC45NzQzMTY2MSJ9.eh5D4w88u6_e_5353eh79UTAhBB0zZ6t2Gd1IrTgb7c/s/1305913448/br/245522145790-l">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating</a>&nbsp;58 reports of severe illness, including 30 hospitalizations and one potentially associated death, across multiple states from the Prophet Premium Blends, LLC of Santa Ana, CA facility. KDHE is investigating two possible cases associated with this outbreak.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/prophet-premium-blends-recalls-diamond-shruumz-products-because-possible-health-risk?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to</a> learn more.As a result of the ongoing investigation, the FDA is alerting consumers to not eat, sell or serve any flavor of Diamond Shruumz-brand chocolate bars, cones or gummies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720661289018.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>"People who became ill from Diamond Shruumz-brand edibles reported a variety of severe symptoms,”&nbsp;KDHE State Epidemiologist and Environmental Health Officer, Dr. Farah Ahmed said. “These symptoms include seizures, loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness, abnormal heart rates, high or low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting.”Seek immediate medical attention or call the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) for advice if you have consumed a product and are having symptoms. If you consumed the products after January 1, 2024 and experienced symptoms, please fill out the KDHE confidential&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYml0Lmx5L0tESEVkaWFtb25kP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA3MTAuOTc0MzE2NjEifQ.JlCsr5Y3n_g4XgfDX9zec962aPt9hKAMCnn1t1RGz5E/s/1305913448/br/245522145790-l">illness report form</a>.

KDHE, FDA warning: Kan. cases linked to Diamond Shruumz products

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has agreed to send Israel hundreds of 500-pound bombs from a shipment that the Biden administration withheld because of concerns about Israeli operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, according to two U.S. officials.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced in May that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>&nbsp;over concern for the well-being of hundreds of thousands civilians sheltering there.

The White House announced at the time that they were holding up a shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound&nbsp; bombs because of the president’s concerns.

The officials, who were not authorized to comment on the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Biden administration had been more concerned about the use of the larger bombs and recently agreed to fulfill Israel’s request for the 500-pound bombs in the held up shipment. The U.S. is continuing to hold up the 2,000-pound bombs, the officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697623831480.png" alt="File-President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>File-President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has agreed to send Israel hundreds of 500-pound bombs from a shipment that the Biden administration withheld because of concerns about Israeli operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, according to two U.S. officials.U.S. President Joe Biden announced in May that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>&nbsp;over concern for the well-being of hundreds of thousands civilians sheltering there.The White House announced at the time that they were holding up a shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound&nbsp; bombs because of the president’s concerns.The officials, who were not authorized to comment on the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Biden administration had been more concerned about the use of the larger bombs and recently agreed to fulfill Israel’s request for the 500-pound bombs in the held up shipment. The U.S. is continuing to hold up the 2,000-pound bombs, the officials said.One of the officials said that the shipment of the 500-pound bombs is still being processed and the bombs have not yet arrived in Israel.Israel says it has nearly defeated Hamas forces in Rafah after two months of fighting there. Before Israeli troops invaded, the city had sheltered most of Gaza’s more than 2 million people.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-hamas-israel-war-rafah-aid-war-a30f9f2fbad8439be94e1b9f12ae9609">Today it is a dust-covered ghost town</a>.