CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — WikiLeaks founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/julian-assange">Julian Assange</a>&nbsp;returned to his homeland Australia aboard a charter jet on Wednesday, hours after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/assange-plea-deal-wikileaks-justice-department-d329ba4614dbfa77b5eb968d07fd9bd0">pleading guilty</a>&nbsp;to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concludes a drawn-out legal saga.

The criminal case of international intrigue, which had played out for years, came to a surprise end in a most unusual setting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/assange-wikileaks-profile-e6f55737c9cf6e5059eb43991e89e1f3">Assange, 52,</a>&nbsp;entering his plea in a U.S. district court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands. The American commonwealth in the Pacific is relatively close to Assange’s native Australia and accommodated his desire to avoid entering the continental United States.

Assange was accused of receiving and publishing hundreds of thousands of war logs and diplomatic cables that included details of U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. His activities drew an outpouring of support from press freedom advocates, who heralded his role in bringing to light military conduct that might otherwise have been concealed from view and warned of a chilling effect on journalists. Among the files published by WikiLeaks was a video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack by American forces in Baghdad that killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.

Assange raised his right fist as he emerged for the plane and his supporters at the Canberra airport cheered from a distance. Dressed in the same suit and tie he wore during his earlier court appearance, he embraced his wife Stella Assange and father John Shipton who were waiting on the tarmac.

He was accompanied on the flights by Australian Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Stephen Smith, both of whom played key roles in negotiating his freedom with London and Washington.

The flights were paid for by the “Assange team,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said, adding his government played a role in facilitating the transport.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament that Assange’s freedom, after he spent five years in a British prison&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julian-assange-wikileaks-extradition-timeline-77a759d7408ebeb24d026a7c2c00feb3">fighting extradition to the U.S.,</a>&nbsp;was the result of his government’s “careful, patient and determined work.”

“Over the two years since we took office, my government has engaged and advocated including at leader-level to resolve this. We have used all appropriate channels," Albanese said.

Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson, speaking outside the Saipan court, thanked Albanese “for his statesmanship, his principled leadership and his diplomacy, which made this outcome possible.”

It is unclear where Assange will go from Canberra and what his future plans are. His South African lawyer wife and mother of his two children, Stella Assange, has been in Australia for days awaiting her husband's release.

Another of Julian Assange's lawyers, Barry Pollack, expected his client would continue vocal campaigning.

“WikiLeaks’s work will continue and Mr. Assange, I have no doubt, will be a continuing force for freedom of speech and transparency in government,” Pollack told reporters outside the Saipan court.

Assange's father John Shipton said ahead of his son's arrival that he hoped the iconoclastic internet publisher was coming home to the “great beauty of ordinary life.”

“He will be able to spend quality time with his wife, Stella, and his two children, be able to walk up and down the beach and feel the sand through his toes in winter, that lovely chill,” Shipton told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The plea deal required Assange to admit guilt to a single felony count but also permitted him to return to Australia without any time in an American prison. The judge sentenced him to the five years he’d already spent behind bars in the U.K. fighting extradition to the U.S. on an Espionage Act indictment that could have carried a lengthy prison sentence in the event of a conviction. He was holed up for seven years before that in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

The conclusion enables both sides to claim a degree of satisfaction.

The Justice Department, facing a defendant who had already served substantial jail time, was able to resolve — without trial — a case that raised thorny legal issues and that might never have reached a jury at all given the plodding pace of the extradition process. Assange, for his part, signaled a begrudging contentment with the resolution, saying in court that though he believed the Espionage Act contradicted the First Amendment, he accepted the consequences of soliciting classified information from sources for publication.

The plea deal, disclosed Monday night in a sparsely detailed Justice Department letter, represents the latest — and presumably final — chapter in a court fight involving the eccentric Australian computer expert who has been celebrated by supporters as a transparency crusader but lambasted by national security hawks who insist that his conduct put lives at risks and strayed far beyond the bounds of traditional journalism duties.

Prosecutors alleged that Assange teamed with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to obtain the records, including by conspiring to crack a Defense Department computer password, and published them without regard to American national security. Names of human sources who provided information to U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan were among the details exposed, prosecutors have said.

The indictment was unsealed in 2019, but Assange’s legal woes long predated the criminal case and continued well past it.

Weeks after the release of the largest document cache in 2010, a Swedish prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Assange based on one woman’s allegation of rape and another’s allegation of molestation. Assange has long maintained his innocence, and the investigation was later dropped.

He presented himself in 2012 to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he claimed asylum on the grounds of political persecution, and spent the following seven years in self-exile there, welcoming a parade of celebrity visitors and making periodic appearances from the building’s balcony to address supporters.

In 2019, his hosts revoked his asylum, allowing British police to arrest him. He remained locked up for the last five years while the Justice Department sought to extradite him, in a process that encountered skepticism from British judges who worried about how Assange would be treated by the U.S.

Ultimately, though, the resolution sparing Assange prison time in the U.S. contradicts years of ominous warnings by Assange and his supporters that the American criminal justice system would expose him to unduly harsh treatment, including potentially the death penalty — something prosecutors never sought.

Last month, Assange won the right to appeal an extradition order after his lawyers argued that the U.S. government provided “blatantly inadequate” assurances that he would have the same free speech protections as an American citizen if extradited from Britain.

His wife, Stella Assange, told the BBC from Australia that it had been “touch and go” over 72 hours whether the deal would go ahead but she felt “elated” at the news.

Assange on Monday had left the London prison where he has spent the last five years after being granted bail during a secret hearing last week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719398283589.png" alt="WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures after landing at RAAF air base Fairbairn in Canberra, Australia, Wednesday, June 26 2024. Assange has returned to his homeland Australia aboard a charter jet hours after pleading guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concludes a drawn-out legal saga.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)" />
 <figcaption>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures after landing at RAAF air base Fairbairn in Canberra, Australia, Wednesday, June 26 2024. Assange has returned to his homeland Australia aboard a charter jet hours after pleading guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concludes a drawn-out legal saga.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)</figcaption>
 </figure>CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — WikiLeaks founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/julian-assange">Julian Assange</a>&nbsp;returned to his homeland Australia aboard a charter jet on Wednesday, hours after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/assange-plea-deal-wikileaks-justice-department-d329ba4614dbfa77b5eb968d07fd9bd0">pleading guilty</a>&nbsp;to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concludes a drawn-out legal saga.The criminal case of international intrigue, which had played out for years, came to a surprise end in a most unusual setting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/assange-wikileaks-profile-e6f55737c9cf6e5059eb43991e89e1f3">Assange, 52,</a>&nbsp;entering his plea in a U.S. district court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands. The American commonwealth in the Pacific is relatively close to Assange’s native Australia and accommodated his desire to avoid entering the continental United States.Assange was accused of receiving and publishing hundreds of thousands of war logs and diplomatic cables that included details of U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. His activities drew an outpouring of support from press freedom advocates, who heralded his role in bringing to light military conduct that might otherwise have been concealed from view and warned of a chilling effect on journalists. Among the files published by WikiLeaks was a video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack by American forces in Baghdad that killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.Assange raised his right fist as he emerged for the plane and his supporters at the Canberra airport cheered from a distance. Dressed in the same suit and tie he wore during his earlier court appearance, he embraced his wife Stella Assange and father John Shipton who were waiting on the tarmac.He was accompanied on the flights by Australian Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Stephen Smith, both of whom played key roles in negotiating his freedom with London and Washington.The flights were paid for by the “Assange team,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said, adding his government played a role in facilitating the transport.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament that Assange’s freedom, after he spent five years in a British prison&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julian-assange-wikileaks-extradition-timeline-77a759d7408ebeb24d026a7c2c00feb3">fighting extradition to the U.S.,</a>&nbsp;was the result of his government’s “careful, patient and determined work.”“Over the two years since we took office, my government has engaged and advocated including at leader-level to resolve this. We have used all appropriate channels," Albanese said.Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson, speaking outside the Saipan court, thanked Albanese “for his statesmanship, his principled leadership and his diplomacy, which made this outcome possible.”It is unclear where Assange will go from Canberra and what his future plans are. His South African lawyer wife and mother of his two children, Stella Assange, has been in Australia for days awaiting her husband's release.Another of Julian Assange's lawyers, Barry Pollack, expected his client would continue vocal campaigning.“WikiLeaks’s work will continue and Mr. Assange, I have no doubt, will be a continuing force for freedom of speech and transparency in government,” Pollack told reporters outside the Saipan court.Assange's father John Shipton said ahead of his son's arrival that he hoped the iconoclastic internet publisher was coming home to the “great beauty of ordinary life.”“He will be able to spend quality time with his wife, Stella, and his two children, be able to walk up and down the beach and feel the sand through his toes in winter, that lovely chill,” Shipton told Australian Broadcasting Corp.The plea deal required Assange to admit guilt to a single felony count but also permitted him to return to Australia without any time in an American prison. The judge sentenced him to the five years he’d already spent behind bars in the U.K. fighting extradition to the U.S. on an Espionage Act indictment that could have carried a lengthy prison sentence in the event of a conviction. He was holed up for seven years before that in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.The conclusion enables both sides to claim a degree of satisfaction.The Justice Department, facing a defendant who had already served substantial jail time, was able to resolve — without trial — a case that raised thorny legal issues and that might never have reached a jury at all given the plodding pace of the extradition process. Assange, for his part, signaled a begrudging contentment with the resolution, saying in court that though he believed the Espionage Act contradicted the First Amendment, he accepted the consequences of soliciting classified information from sources for publication.The plea deal, disclosed Monday night in a sparsely detailed Justice Department letter, represents the latest — and presumably final — chapter in a court fight involving the eccentric Australian computer expert who has been celebrated by supporters as a transparency crusader but lambasted by national security hawks who insist that his conduct put lives at risks and strayed far beyond the bounds of traditional journalism duties.Prosecutors alleged that Assange teamed with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to obtain the records, including by conspiring to crack a Defense Department computer password, and published them without regard to American national security. Names of human sources who provided information to U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan were among the details exposed, prosecutors have said.The indictment was unsealed in 2019, but Assange’s legal woes long predated the criminal case and continued well past it.Weeks after the release of the largest document cache in 2010, a Swedish prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Assange based on one woman’s allegation of rape and another’s allegation of molestation. Assange has long maintained his innocence, and the investigation was later dropped.He presented himself in 2012 to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he claimed asylum on the grounds of political persecution, and spent the following seven years in self-exile there, welcoming a parade of celebrity visitors and making periodic appearances from the building’s balcony to address supporters.In 2019, his hosts revoked his asylum, allowing British police to arrest him. He remained locked up for the last five years while the Justice Department sought to extradite him, in a process that encountered skepticism from British judges who worried about how Assange would be treated by the U.S.Ultimately, though, the resolution sparing Assange prison time in the U.S. contradicts years of ominous warnings by Assange and his supporters that the American criminal justice system would expose him to unduly harsh treatment, including potentially the death penalty — something prosecutors never sought.Last month, Assange won the right to appeal an extradition order after his lawyers argued that the U.S. government provided “blatantly inadequate” assurances that he would have the same free speech protections as an American citizen if extradited from Britain.His wife, Stella Assange, told the BBC from Australia that it had been “touch and go” over 72 hours whether the deal would go ahead but she felt “elated” at the news.Assange on Monday had left the London prison where he has spent the last five years after being granted bail during a secret hearing last week.

Free: Biden Admin. cut deal with Wikileaks founder; pleads guilty to spy charge

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped what would have been the first publicly funded religious charter school in the U.S., turning back conservatives and the state’s GOP governor who have welcomed religious groups into public education.

The high court determined the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religious-charter-school-oklahoma-be6e51ffcdaeb393c4be34a6f27feba4">3-2 vote last year</a>&nbsp;to approve an application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma for the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School violates the Establishment Clause, which prohibits government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” The ruling also says both the Oklahoma and U.S. constitutions, as well as state law, were violated.

The case is being closely watched because supporters of the school believe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-decision-religious-schools-aid-85645580702ed5ff125cf9760024ae89">recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions</a>&nbsp;have indicated the court is more open to public funds going to religious entities.

Conservative-led states have targeted public schools: Louisiana required them to post the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-ten-commandments-displayed-classrooms-571a2447906f7bbd5a166d53db005a62">Ten Commandments in classrooms</a>, while others are under pressure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-lifewise-public-school-religion-d7cf2b67b2ae3b7919e0a21f89ce80c0">teach the Bible</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a">ban books</a>&nbsp;and lessons about race, sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Under Oklahoma law, a charter school is a public school,” Justice James Winchester, an appointee of former Republican Gov. Frank Keating, wrote in the court’s majority opinion. “As such, a charter school must be nonsectarian.

“However, St. Isidore will evangelize the Catholic school curriculum while sponsored by the state.”

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Diocese of Tulsa said in a statement they will “consider all legal options” in response to the court’s ruling.

The court’s decision was 7-1, with one member concurring in part and one member, Chief Justice John Kane IV, recusing himself. Justice Dana Kuehn dissented.

Five of Oklahoma’s nine Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republicans, four by Democrats.

In her dissent, Kuehn wrote that excluding St. Isidore from operating a charter school based solely on its religious affiliation would violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Oklahoma Constitution does not bar Oklahoma from contracting with religious schools as long as state-funded, nonreligious options are available, Kuehn wrote.

Oklahoma’s Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who urged the board not to approve the contract, had asked the state’s high court to intervene and rule on the case. He praised the court’s decision.

“The framers of the U.S. Constitution and those who drafted Oklahoma’s Constitution clearly understood how best to protect religious freedom: by preventing the state from sponsoring any religion at all,” Drummond said in a statement.

The K-12 online public charter school was set to start classes for its first 200 enrollees in the fall, with part of its mission to evangelize its students in the Catholic faith. The archdiocese is seeking guidance from attorneys on whether to open, said Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma.

A group of Oklahoma parents, faith leaders and a public education nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-public-religious-charter-school-oklahoma-94650cece8e589ab8814ef87d93c23e9">sued to stop the establishment</a>&nbsp;of the school.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who supported the board’s decision, said he was disappointed Drummond challenged it and remained hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court would consider the case.

“I’m concerned we’ve sent a troubling message that religious groups are second-class participants in our education system,” Stitt said in a statement. “Charter schools are incredibly popular in Oklahoma – and all we’re saying is: we can’t choose who gets state dollars based on a private entity’s religious status.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719341743761.png" alt="The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Diocese of Tulsa said in a statement they will “consider all legal options” in response to the court’s ruling." />
 <figcaption>The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Diocese of Tulsa said in a statement they will “consider all legal options” in response to the court’s ruling.</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped what would have been the first publicly funded religious charter school in the U.S., turning back conservatives and the state’s GOP governor who have welcomed religious groups into public education.The high court determined the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religious-charter-school-oklahoma-be6e51ffcdaeb393c4be34a6f27feba4">3-2 vote last year</a>&nbsp;to approve an application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma for the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School violates the Establishment Clause, which prohibits government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” The ruling also says both the Oklahoma and U.S. constitutions, as well as state law, were violated.The case is being closely watched because supporters of the school believe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-decision-religious-schools-aid-85645580702ed5ff125cf9760024ae89">recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions</a>&nbsp;have indicated the court is more open to public funds going to religious entities.Conservative-led states have targeted public schools: Louisiana required them to post the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-ten-commandments-displayed-classrooms-571a2447906f7bbd5a166d53db005a62">Ten Commandments in classrooms</a>, while others are under pressure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-lifewise-public-school-religion-d7cf2b67b2ae3b7919e0a21f89ce80c0">teach the Bible</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a">ban books</a>&nbsp;and lessons about race, sexual orientation and gender identity.“Under Oklahoma law, a charter school is a public school,” Justice James Winchester, an appointee of former Republican Gov. Frank Keating, wrote in the court’s majority opinion. “As such, a charter school must be nonsectarian.“However, St. Isidore will evangelize the Catholic school curriculum while sponsored by the state.”The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Diocese of Tulsa said in a statement they will “consider all legal options” in response to the court’s ruling.The court’s decision was 7-1, with one member concurring in part and one member, Chief Justice John Kane IV, recusing himself. Justice Dana Kuehn dissented.Five of Oklahoma’s nine Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republicans, four by Democrats.In her dissent, Kuehn wrote that excluding St. Isidore from operating a charter school based solely on its religious affiliation would violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Oklahoma Constitution does not bar Oklahoma from contracting with religious schools as long as state-funded, nonreligious options are available, Kuehn wrote.Oklahoma’s Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who urged the board not to approve the contract, had asked the state’s high court to intervene and rule on the case. He praised the court’s decision.“The framers of the U.S. Constitution and those who drafted Oklahoma’s Constitution clearly understood how best to protect religious freedom: by preventing the state from sponsoring any religion at all,” Drummond said in a statement.The K-12 online public charter school was set to start classes for its first 200 enrollees in the fall, with part of its mission to evangelize its students in the Catholic faith. The archdiocese is seeking guidance from attorneys on whether to open, said Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma.A group of Oklahoma parents, faith leaders and a public education nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-public-religious-charter-school-oklahoma-94650cece8e589ab8814ef87d93c23e9">sued to stop the establishment</a>&nbsp;of the school.Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who supported the board’s decision, said he was disappointed Drummond challenged it and remained hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court would consider the case.“I’m concerned we’ve sent a troubling message that religious groups are second-class participants in our education system,” Stitt said in a statement. “Charter schools are incredibly popular in Oklahoma – and all we’re saying is: we can’t choose who gets state dollars based on a private entity’s religious status.”

First publicly funded religious charter school in US ruled unconstitutional

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City.

A Honda Pilot was eastbound on 43rd Street, at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As the Honda crossed over Virginia Street, the vehicle went airborne. As the Honda landed down the hill, the Honda struck a black Mitsubishi head-on.

After striking the Mitsubishi, the Honda struck two wooden utility poles. The second pole was split, bent, but still standing. The Honda then flipped onto its roof. The driver of the Mitsubishi was transported to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. 

The driver and passenger in the Honda were transported to an area hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Evergy responded to the scene for the utility poles. This is Fatality #49 in Kansas City compared to 39 at this time last year, according to&nbsp; DiMartino.&nbsp; Name of the woman who died has not been released.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City.A Honda Pilot was eastbound on 43rd Street, at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As the Honda crossed over Virginia Street, the vehicle went airborne. As the Honda landed down the hill, the Honda struck a black Mitsubishi head-on. After striking the Mitsubishi, the Honda struck two wooden utility poles. The second pole was split, bent, but still standing. The Honda then flipped onto its roof. The driver of the Mitsubishi was transported to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver and passenger in the Honda were transported to an area hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries. Evergy responded to the scene for the utility poles. This is Fatality #49 in Kansas City compared to 39 at this time last year, according to&nbsp; DiMartino.&nbsp; Name of the woman who died has not been released.

Woman dead after violent head-on crash in Kansas City

DENVER (AP) — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert won Tuesday's Republican primary in a U.S. House race that she jumped into last year, surviving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boebert-gop-voters-campaign-apology-reelection-frisch-af8cf7cb563e6b97bc75f3e8b849281c">a scandal</a>&nbsp;over a video of her at a Denver theater and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-district-colorado-republican-election-58cf21682012023f1362a01932909d36">accusations of carpetbagging</a>&nbsp;after fleeing what could have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-congressional-district-race-7eeaac591178e202786fa4891620fb2b">a tough reelection bid</a>&nbsp;in her current district.

Boebert’s resounding win over four other candidates in the new district across the state from where she lived before showcased her political cachet among Republicans and positions her for a likely easy win in the November general election. It was also a victory for the far-right flank of the House GOP, a group that takes no prisoners, makes no concessions and stays on the attack.

Taking the stage at her election night victory party, Boebert wore a pair of reflective gold sneakers sold by former President Donald Trump and a white “Make America Great Again” hat with his signature across the bill.

“America will rise again, and I am so excited that you all are here to be a part of it with me,” Boebert said to applause.

Boebert responded to questions about her switch to the 4th District by saying, “While the crops may be slightly different here in CD4, the values are not.”

She promised to fight for policies including shutting down the southern border and also signaled that she intends to continue her combative style.

“A lot of folks criticize my approach on things,” Boebert said, “but I learned very early on in Washington, D.C., that nothing happens without force.”

In two other closely watched Republican contests, Attorney Jeff Hurd won the primary for the 3rd District seat currently held by Boebert, and political consultant and talk radio host Jeff Crank defeated Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, who was endorsed by Trump, in the 5th District.

Boebert built national hard-line conservative stardom that likely made it easier for her to weather the scandals of the last year, which included the video of her vaping and causing a disturbance at a musical production of “Beetlejuice.”

While the theater incident and district jump rattled some Republicans, Gilbert Kendzior shrugged them off, saying, “Who’s perfect?”

Kendzior said he voted for Boebert because she shakes things up. “It’s gotten too staid. Same promises, nothing happens,” he said. “We need to get rid of the old farts.”

On Tuesday she beat a group of more traditional, homegrown primary candidates who had far less name recognition and generally less combative political styles: former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg; current state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf; and parental rights advocate Deborah Flora.

Sonnenberg congratulated Boebert and pledged to support her, saying, “I look forward to helping her win this seat in November and then being a resource to her on rural issues in this district.”

The 4th District, which sweeps across a wide expanse of ranches, ghost towns and conservative parts of the Denver metro area that make up much of the plains of eastern Colorado, overwhelmingly went for Trump in the 2020 election.

The seat opened up after former Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ken-buck-resigns-congress-colorado-ba8123ca43626ee07150a423aa0fcb07">Ken Buck resigned</a>, citing the divisiveness of today's politics and his party's devotion to Trump. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-election-2024-primary-colorado-congress-4f63a797ca66af5e0217fb0901b7d016">special election</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to fill the remaining months of Buck’s term, Republican Greg Lopez, a former mayor of the city of Parker, beat a Democrat and third-party candidates.

In the 5th District, which is home to the city of Colorado Springs, Crank bested Williams after the latter faced condemnation from fellow Republicans over his leadership including the use of party resources to boost his own campaign.

Crank said Tuesday night that he looks forward to being his district's conservative voice in Congress and urged Republicans to unite behind Trump, posting on the social platform X: “We have a country to save from Joe Biden’s Open Border Crisis and the failure of the Democrats’ economic policy.”

Williams, a former state representative, has tried to realign the state GOP with the far-right flank of the national party. In recent GOP communications, he called people celebrating Gay Pride Month “godless groomers” and urged people to burn pride flags.

Crank is a more traditional Republican, less inclined toward fiery invective and the party’s hard-right wing.

A complaint against Williams with the Federal Elections Commission alleges that he used the state party email list to announce his campaign for Congress and spent party money on mailers that included an attack on Crank.

The race is to fill the seat of Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-lamborn-retiring-reelection-republican-representative-f08bb843dd1bbfba695b69afa5b5f360">did not seek reelection</a>. As in the 4th District, the winner of the Republican-friendly 5th District will be favored in the general election.

Another GOP House race watched at the national level was the 8th District, newly minted after redistricting in 2021 and hotly contested with voters roughly split between the two major parties.

Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans, a former police officer, defeated former state Rep. Janak Joshi, a retired physician, in the race to challenge Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo. Caraveo won the 8th District, which stretches north of Denver, by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2022.

Evans will likely benefit from a windfall of support from the National Republican Campaign Committee, which is intent on defending the party's thin House majority.

And farther to the west, among the Rocky Mountains and high desert mesas, Hurd won the GOP primary for the 3rd District, home to Boebert's current seat.

Hurd, a softer-spoken and less hard-line conservative, will face Democrat Adam Frisch, who lost to Boebert by only 546 votes in 2022. That narrow margin was largely attributed to Boebert’s divisiveness among voters, and Hurd is considered to have the advantage in the general election in the Republican-leaning district.

Still, Frisch’s near victory in 2022, which caught national attention and showed donors he had a path to flip the seat, has helped him raise over $13 million. It’s one of the biggest House campaign chests in the nation and far overshadows Hurd’s $1 million.

Despite that, Frisch labeled Hurd as a “corporate lawyer funded by corporate PAC money.”

“My presumptive opponent won’t have the backbone to stand up to Washington interests,” Frisch said in a statement.

“On to the general election in November, where a brighter future for Colorado families will be on the ballot,” he said on X.

In the primary, Hurd defeated former Republican state Rep. Ron Hanks; Stephen Varela, a former Democrat who switched parties; businessman Lew Webb; and financial adviser Russ Andrews.

In two other closely watched GOP contests, Attorney Jeff Hurd won the primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat currently held by Boebert, and political consultant and talk radio host Jeff Crank defeated Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams in the 5th District.

Boebert built national hard-line conservative stardom through a take-no-prisoners political style in the House. That clout likely made it easier for her to weather the scandals of the last year, which included the video of her vaping and causing a disturbance at a musical production of “Beetlejuice.”

She beat a group of more traditional, homegrown primary candidates who had far less name recognition and generally less combative political styles: former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg; current state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf; and parental rights advocate Deborah Flora.

Boebert is expected to also win the November general election in the district, which sweeps across a wide expanse of ranches, ghost towns and conservative parts of the Denver metro area that make up much of the plains of eastern Colorado. Its voters overwhelmingly backed former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

She said she switched districts to ensure another Republican could win her seat, which she nearly lost in 2022, and she blamed outside groups for targeting her. But she had already become a fundraising magnet for that other district's Democratic candidate, who has pulled in millions that may help him flip a seat that has leaned Republican in recent years.

Boebert entered her election night gathering in the evening toting a pair of reflective gold sneakers sold by Trump and a white “Make America Great Again” hat with his signature across the bill.

While the theater incident and district jump rattled some Republicans, Gilbert Kendzior, 68, shrugged them off, saying, “Who's perfect?”

Kendzior said he voted for Boebert because she shakes things up. “It's gotten too staid. Same promises, nothing happens,” he said. “We need to get rid of the old farts.”

The seat opened up after former Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ken-buck-resigns-congress-colorado-ba8123ca43626ee07150a423aa0fcb07">Ken Buck resigned from Congress</a>. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-election-2024-primary-colorado-congress-4f63a797ca66af5e0217fb0901b7d016">special election</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to fill the remaining months of Buck’s term, Republican Greg Lopez, a former mayor of the city of Parker, beat a Democrat and third-party candidates.

Buck cited the divisiveness of today's politics and his party's devotion to Trump in explaining his decision to resign. That division remains a factor in the race and was also on display in another Republican House primary in Colorado Springs, about an hour's drive south of Denver.

In the 5th District, Crank bested Williams after the latter faced condemnation from fellow Republicans over his leadership including the use of party resources to boost his own campaign.

Williams was already in hot water before the emails. A complaint against him with the Federal Elections Commission alleges that he used the state party email list to announce his campaign for Congress and spent party money on mailers that included an attack on Crank.

Another GOP House race watched closely on the national level was the 8th District, newly minted after redistricting in 2021 and hotly contested with voters roughly split between the two major parties.

Farther to the west, among the Rocky Mountains and high desert mesas, Hurd won the GOP primary for the 3rd District, home to Boebert's current seat.

Hurd, a softer-spoken and less hard-line conservative, will face Adam Frisch, the Democratic candidate who lost to Boebert by only 546 votes in 2022. That narrow margin was largely attributed to Boebert’s divisiveness among voters, and Hurd is considered to have the advantage in the general election in the Republican-leaning district.

Still, Frisch’s near victory in 2022, which caught national attention and showed donors he had a path to flip the seat, has helped him raise over $13 million dollars. It’s one of the biggest House campaign chests in the nation and far overshadows Hurd’s $1 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719366012824.png" alt="Photo courtesy Boebert for Congress" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Boebert for Congress</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert won Tuesday's Republican primary in a U.S. House race that she jumped into last year, surviving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boebert-gop-voters-campaign-apology-reelection-frisch-af8cf7cb563e6b97bc75f3e8b849281c">a scandal</a>&nbsp;over a video of her at a Denver theater and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-district-colorado-republican-election-58cf21682012023f1362a01932909d36">accusations of carpetbagging</a>&nbsp;after fleeing what could have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-congressional-district-race-7eeaac591178e202786fa4891620fb2b">a tough reelection bid</a>&nbsp;in her current district.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you all for your love and support. This victory belongs to the faithful voters of Colorado’s 4th district! 🇺🇸 Now let’s win this thing November 5th and also reelect (for a third time) President Donald J. Trump! We’ve got a country to save!&mdash; Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) <a href="https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1805792806796960101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Boebert’s resounding win over four other candidates in the new district across the state from where she lived before showcased her political cachet among Republicans and positions her for a likely easy win in the November general election. It was also a victory for the far-right flank of the House GOP, a group that takes no prisoners, makes no concessions and stays on the attack.Taking the stage at her election night victory party, Boebert wore a pair of reflective gold sneakers sold by former President Donald Trump and a white “Make America Great Again” hat with his signature across the bill.“America will rise again, and I am so excited that you all are here to be a part of it with me,” Boebert said to applause.Boebert responded to questions about her switch to the 4th District by saying, “While the crops may be slightly different here in CD4, the values are not.”She promised to fight for policies including shutting down the southern border and also signaled that she intends to continue her combative style.“A lot of folks criticize my approach on things,” Boebert said, “but I learned very early on in Washington, D.C., that nothing happens without force.”In two other closely watched Republican contests, Attorney Jeff Hurd won the primary for the 3rd District seat currently held by Boebert, and political consultant and talk radio host Jeff Crank defeated Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, who was endorsed by Trump, in the 5th District.Boebert built national hard-line conservative stardom that likely made it easier for her to weather the scandals of the last year, which included the video of her vaping and causing a disturbance at a musical production of “Beetlejuice.”While the theater incident and district jump rattled some Republicans, Gilbert Kendzior shrugged them off, saying, “Who’s perfect?”Kendzior said he voted for Boebert because she shakes things up. “It’s gotten too staid. Same promises, nothing happens,” he said. “We need to get rid of the old farts.”On Tuesday she beat a group of more traditional, homegrown primary candidates who had far less name recognition and generally less combative political styles: former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg; current state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf; and parental rights advocate Deborah Flora.Sonnenberg congratulated Boebert and pledged to support her, saying, “I look forward to helping her win this seat in November and then being a resource to her on rural issues in this district.”The 4th District, which sweeps across a wide expanse of ranches, ghost towns and conservative parts of the Denver metro area that make up much of the plains of eastern Colorado, overwhelmingly went for Trump in the 2020 election.The seat opened up after former Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ken-buck-resigns-congress-colorado-ba8123ca43626ee07150a423aa0fcb07">Ken Buck resigned</a>, citing the divisiveness of today's politics and his party's devotion to Trump. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-election-2024-primary-colorado-congress-4f63a797ca66af5e0217fb0901b7d016">special election</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to fill the remaining months of Buck’s term, Republican Greg Lopez, a former mayor of the city of Parker, beat a Democrat and third-party candidates.In the 5th District, which is home to the city of Colorado Springs, Crank bested Williams after the latter faced condemnation from fellow Republicans over his leadership including the use of party resources to boost his own campaign.Crank said Tuesday night that he looks forward to being his district's conservative voice in Congress and urged Republicans to unite behind Trump, posting on the social platform X: “We have a country to save from Joe Biden’s Open Border Crisis and the failure of the Democrats’ economic policy.”Williams, a former state representative, has tried to realign the state GOP with the far-right flank of the national party. In recent GOP communications, he called people celebrating Gay Pride Month “godless groomers” and urged people to burn pride flags.Crank is a more traditional Republican, less inclined toward fiery invective and the party’s hard-right wing.A complaint against Williams with the Federal Elections Commission alleges that he used the state party email list to announce his campaign for Congress and spent party money on mailers that included an attack on Crank.The race is to fill the seat of Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-lamborn-retiring-reelection-republican-representative-f08bb843dd1bbfba695b69afa5b5f360">did not seek reelection</a>. As in the 4th District, the winner of the Republican-friendly 5th District will be favored in the general election.Another GOP House race watched at the national level was the 8th District, newly minted after redistricting in 2021 and hotly contested with voters roughly split between the two major parties.Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans, a former police officer, defeated former state Rep. Janak Joshi, a retired physician, in the race to challenge Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo. Caraveo won the 8th District, which stretches north of Denver, by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2022.Evans will likely benefit from a windfall of support from the National Republican Campaign Committee, which is intent on defending the party's thin House majority.And farther to the west, among the Rocky Mountains and high desert mesas, Hurd won the GOP primary for the 3rd District, home to Boebert's current seat.Hurd, a softer-spoken and less hard-line conservative, will face Democrat Adam Frisch, who lost to Boebert by only 546 votes in 2022. That narrow margin was largely attributed to Boebert’s divisiveness among voters, and Hurd is considered to have the advantage in the general election in the Republican-leaning district.Still, Frisch’s near victory in 2022, which caught national attention and showed donors he had a path to flip the seat, has helped him raise over $13 million. It’s one of the biggest House campaign chests in the nation and far overshadows Hurd’s $1 million.Despite that, Frisch labeled Hurd as a “corporate lawyer funded by corporate PAC money.”“My presumptive opponent won’t have the backbone to stand up to Washington interests,” Frisch said in a statement.Hurd thanked voters for their support.“On to the general election in November, where a brighter future for Colorado families will be on the ballot,” he said on X.In the primary, Hurd defeated former Republican state Rep. Ron Hanks; Stephen Varela, a former Democrat who switched parties; businessman Lew Webb; and financial adviser Russ Andrews.---------------DENVER (AP) — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert won Tuesday's Republican primary in a U.S. House race that she jumped into last year, surviving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boebert-gop-voters-campaign-apology-reelection-frisch-af8cf7cb563e6b97bc75f3e8b849281c">a scandal</a>&nbsp;over a video of her at a Denver theater and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-district-colorado-republican-election-58cf21682012023f1362a01932909d36">accusations of carpetbagging</a>&nbsp;after fleeing what could have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-congressional-district-race-7eeaac591178e202786fa4891620fb2b">a tough reelection bid</a>&nbsp;in her current district.In two other closely watched GOP contests, Attorney Jeff Hurd won the primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat currently held by Boebert, and political consultant and talk radio host Jeff Crank defeated Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams in the 5th District.Boebert built national hard-line conservative stardom through a take-no-prisoners political style in the House. That clout likely made it easier for her to weather the scandals of the last year, which included the video of her vaping and causing a disturbance at a musical production of “Beetlejuice.”She beat a group of more traditional, homegrown primary candidates who had far less name recognition and generally less combative political styles: former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg; current state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf; and parental rights advocate Deborah Flora.Boebert is expected to also win the November general election in the district, which sweeps across a wide expanse of ranches, ghost towns and conservative parts of the Denver metro area that make up much of the plains of eastern Colorado. Its voters overwhelmingly backed former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.She said she switched districts to ensure another Republican could win her seat, which she nearly lost in 2022, and she blamed outside groups for targeting her. But she had already become a fundraising magnet for that other district's Democratic candidate, who has pulled in millions that may help him flip a seat that has leaned Republican in recent years.Boebert entered her election night gathering in the evening toting a pair of reflective gold sneakers sold by Trump and a white “Make America Great Again” hat with his signature across the bill.While the theater incident and district jump rattled some Republicans, Gilbert Kendzior, 68, shrugged them off, saying, “Who's perfect?”Kendzior said he voted for Boebert because she shakes things up. “It's gotten too staid. Same promises, nothing happens,” he said. “We need to get rid of the old farts.”The seat opened up after former Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ken-buck-resigns-congress-colorado-ba8123ca43626ee07150a423aa0fcb07">Ken Buck resigned from Congress</a>. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lauren-boebert-election-2024-primary-colorado-congress-4f63a797ca66af5e0217fb0901b7d016">special election</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to fill the remaining months of Buck’s term, Republican Greg Lopez, a former mayor of the city of Parker, beat a Democrat and third-party candidates.Buck cited the divisiveness of today's politics and his party's devotion to Trump in explaining his decision to resign. That division remains a factor in the race and was also on display in another Republican House primary in Colorado Springs, about an hour's drive south of Denver.In the 5th District, Crank bested Williams after the latter faced condemnation from fellow Republicans over his leadership including the use of party resources to boost his own campaign.Williams, a former state representative, has tried to realign the state GOP with the far-right flank of the national party. In recent GOP communications, he called people celebrating Gay Pride Month “godless groomers” and urged people to burn pride flags.Crank is a more traditional Republican, less inclined toward fiery invective and the party’s hard-right wing.Williams was already in hot water before the emails. A complaint against him with the Federal Elections Commission alleges that he used the state party email list to announce his campaign for Congress and spent party money on mailers that included an attack on Crank.The race is to fill the seat of Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doug-lamborn-retiring-reelection-republican-representative-f08bb843dd1bbfba695b69afa5b5f360">did not seek reelection</a>. As in the 4th District, the winner of the Republican-friendly 5th District will be favored in the general election.Another GOP House race watched closely on the national level was the 8th District, newly minted after redistricting in 2021 and hotly contested with voters roughly split between the two major parties.Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans, a former police officer, defeated former state Rep. Janak Joshi, a retired physician, in the race to challenge Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo. Caraveo won the 8th District, which stretches north of Denver, by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2022.Evans will likely benefit from a windfall of support from the National Republican Campaign Committee, which is intent on defending the party's thin House majority.Farther to the west, among the Rocky Mountains and high desert mesas, Hurd won the GOP primary for the 3rd District, home to Boebert's current seat.Hurd, a softer-spoken and less hard-line conservative, will face Adam Frisch, the Democratic candidate who lost to Boebert by only 546 votes in 2022. That narrow margin was largely attributed to Boebert’s divisiveness among voters, and Hurd is considered to have the advantage in the general election in the Republican-leaning district.Still, Frisch’s near victory in 2022, which caught national attention and showed donors he had a path to flip the seat, has helped him raise over $13 million dollars. It’s one of the biggest House campaign chests in the nation and far overshadows Hurd’s $1 million.In the primary, Hurd defeated former Republican state Rep. Ron Hanks; Stephen Varela, a former Democrat who switched parties; businessman Lew Webb; and financial adviser Russ Andrews.

Rep. Lauren Boebert wins GOP primary after switching Colorado districts

KANSAS CITY – Seven area residents, including the leader and several members of the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in an ongoing criminal enterprise that involved acts of violence, drug trafficking, and illegally possessing firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.

Tonka Way Con Ponder, 53, and his wife, Carolynn L. Ponder, 47, both of Preston, Mo., and Tretch Lucius Lawrence, also known as “Travis Dewain Shankle,” 48, Keith Dewayne Nolen Jr., also known as “Seg,” 34, Paul Leon Gardner, 52, Daniel Scot Kurtzenborn, 41, and Robert Russell Warren, also known as “Russ,” 54, all of whom have unknown addresses, were charged in a 25-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury on June 18.

That indictment was unsealed and made public&nbsp; following the arrests of six of the defendants (with the exception of Warren). Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen and Kurtzeborn remain detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, June 25. Gardner and Carolynn Ponder were released on bond.

The federal indictment alleges that Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen, Gardner and Kurtzeborn are members of the Lake of the Ozarks chapter of the Galloping Goose outlaw motorcycle gang, an organized criminal enterprise. Members of the Galloping Goose, says the indictment, engaged in acts of violence, including assault, attempted robbery, and extortion.

According to the indictment, Tonka Ponder was the leader of the local chapter of the Galloping Goose, which has a clubhouse in Camdenton, Missouri.

The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Shankle, Nolen, Kurtzeborn and Gardner with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. They allegedly assaulted another person with a deadly weapon on Dec. 12, 2020.

The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen, and Kurtzeborn with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. They allegedly conspired to assault members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club and the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association, resulting in serious physical injuries, on July 15, 2021.

Tonka Ponder is charged with two counts of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Tonka Ponder allegedly shot two persons, resulting in serious physical injury, on July 15, 2021.

Kurtzeborn is charged with one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Kurtzeborn allegedly attempted to assault a victim by shooting at him on July 15, 2021.

Tonka Ponder and Lawrence are charged with one count of attempted extortion. The indictment alleges that, from July 1, 2020, to July 15, 2021, they attempted to obtain the property of the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association by threatened use of force, violence, and fear.

The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Carolynn Ponder, and Warren with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Camden and Miller Counties from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, 2022. Tonka Ponder is also charged with five counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and four counts of traveling across state lines to facilitate the illegal distribution of methamphetamine.

Tonka Ponder is charged with two counts of using his cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Carolynn Ponder is charged with one count of using her cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Kurtzeborn and Nolen are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kurtzeborn allegedly possessed a Taurus .357-caliber revolver on July 15, 2021. Nolen allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm handgun on Aug. 24, 2023.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719351678953.png" alt="Ponder from an earlier arrest in Miller Co." />
 <figcaption>Ponder from an earlier arrest in Miller Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – Seven area residents, including the leader and several members of the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in an ongoing criminal enterprise that involved acts of violence, drug trafficking, and illegally possessing firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.Tonka Way Con Ponder, 53, and his wife, Carolynn L. Ponder, 47, both of Preston, Mo., and Tretch Lucius Lawrence, also known as “Travis Dewain Shankle,” 48, Keith Dewayne Nolen Jr., also known as “Seg,” 34, Paul Leon Gardner, 52, Daniel Scot Kurtzenborn, 41, and Robert Russell Warren, also known as “Russ,” 54, all of whom have unknown addresses, were charged in a 25-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury on June 18.That indictment was unsealed and made public&nbsp; following the arrests of six of the defendants (with the exception of Warren). Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen and Kurtzeborn remain detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, June 25. Gardner and Carolynn Ponder were released on bond.The federal indictment alleges that Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen, Gardner and Kurtzeborn are members of the Lake of the Ozarks chapter of the Galloping Goose outlaw motorcycle gang, an organized criminal enterprise. Members of the Galloping Goose, says the indictment, engaged in acts of violence, including assault, attempted robbery, and extortion.According to the indictment, Tonka Ponder was the leader of the local chapter of the Galloping Goose, which has a clubhouse in Camdenton, Missouri.The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Shankle, Nolen, Kurtzeborn and Gardner with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. They allegedly assaulted another person with a deadly weapon on Dec. 12, 2020.The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen, and Kurtzeborn with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. They allegedly conspired to assault members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club and the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association, resulting in serious physical injuries, on July 15, 2021.Tonka Ponder is charged with two counts of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Tonka Ponder allegedly shot two persons, resulting in serious physical injury, on July 15, 2021.Kurtzeborn is charged with one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Kurtzeborn allegedly attempted to assault a victim by shooting at him on July 15, 2021.Tonka Ponder and Lawrence are charged with one count of attempted extortion. The indictment alleges that, from July 1, 2020, to July 15, 2021, they attempted to obtain the property of the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association by threatened use of force, violence, and fear.The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Carolynn Ponder, and Warren with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Camden and Miller Counties from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, 2022. Tonka Ponder is also charged with five counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and four counts of traveling across state lines to facilitate the illegal distribution of methamphetamine.Tonka Ponder is charged with two counts of using his cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Carolynn Ponder is charged with one count of using her cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy.Kurtzeborn and Nolen are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kurtzeborn allegedly possessed a Taurus .357-caliber revolver on July 15, 2021. Nolen allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm handgun on Aug. 24, 2023.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

Leader, members of motorcycle gang accused of violent criminal activity

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just before 4:30p.m. June 22,&nbsp;Brown County and the Kansas Department for Children and Familes went to a residence in Morrill on a welfare check, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Upon conclusion of the interaction, Alicia Jennings, 33&nbsp; and Patrick Perkins 38 both of Morrill were arrested on requested charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; 

The children in the home were placed in Police Protective Custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719261171231.png" alt="Perkins- Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Perkins- Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just before 4:30p.m. June 22,&nbsp;Brown County and the Kansas Department for Children and Familes went to a residence in Morrill on a welfare check, according to Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719261130683.png" alt="Jennings-Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Jennings-Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon conclusion of the interaction, Alicia Jennings, 33&nbsp; and Patrick Perkins 38 both of Morrill were arrested on requested charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; The children in the home were placed in Police Protective Custody.

Children placed into protective custody after Kan. drug bust

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-science-health-covid-mental-20f5e2cb5fb50ff747fe316fdc4db5c4">fast-growing number of injuries and deaths</a>&nbsp;involving firearms in the country.

The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation's top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-mass-shootings-summer-b004331ee7d3da95bce6646547f8d43f">left dozens of people dead or wounded</a>.

“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe," Murthy told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that's going to put our life at risk.”

To drive down gun deaths, Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-politics-shootings-congress-fd91c092aef91a992ee959399ba6f222">automatic rifles</a>, introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.

None of those suggestions can be implemented nationwide without legislation passed by Congress, which typically&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-texas-government-and-politics-gun-violence-shootings-d3485526acd9a04bcdd5b9186557f4cc">recoils</a>&nbsp;at gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have enacted or may consider some of the surgeon general's proposals.

Surgeon General Murthy said there is “broad agreement” that gun violence is a problem, citing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/other/poll-finding/americans-experiences-with-gun-related-violence-injuries-and-deaths/">poll</a>&nbsp;last year that found most Americans worry at least sometimes that a loved one might be injured by a firearm. More than 48,000 Americans died from gun injuries in 2022.

Doctors quickly praised Murthy's advisory. The American Academy of Family Physicians, for example, has considered gun violence a public health epidemic for over a decade.

“Family physicians have long understood, and have seen first hand, the devastating impact firearm violence has on our patients and the communities we serve,” the group's president, Steven Furr, said in a statement.

Murthy's advisory, however, promises to be controversial with the gun lobby and will certainly incense Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed his confirmation — twice — to the job over his statements on gun violence.

The National Rifle Association promptly rebuked Murthy's advisory.

“This is an extension of the Biden Administration's war on law-abiding gun owners,” Randy Kozuch, the organization's president, said in a statement on X.

It was the NRA, and Republicans who enjoy the powerful gun lobby's support, that almost derailed Murthy's confirmation as surgeon general a decade ago. Murthy became quieter on the issue of gun violence after his past statements almost cost him the job. He ended up promising the Senate that he did “not intend to use my office as surgeon general as a bully pulpit on gun control.”

Then-President Donald Trump dismissed Murthy in 2017, but President Joe Biden nominated him again to the position in 2021.

Murthy has published warnings about troubling health trends in American life, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-loneliness-334450f7bb5a77e88d8085b178340e19">loneliness</a>&nbsp;and social media use. In an opinion piece in The New York Times this month, he said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health-df321c791493863001754401676f165c">social media has contributed to a mental health crisis</a>&nbsp;among the country's young people and asked Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those on cigarette boxes.

But he also has faced mounting pressure from some doctors and Democratic advocacy groups to speak out more. A group of four former surgeon generals asked the Biden administration to produce a report on the problem in 2022.

“It is now time for us to take this issue out of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, the way we did with smoking more than a half century ago,” Murthy told the AP.

It was a 1964&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smoking-vaping-surgeon-general-db81e873c256e38433734e86d6a50f7e">report</a>&nbsp;from the surgeon general that raised awareness about the dangers of smoking is largely credited with reducing tobacco use and precipitating regulations on the industry.

Murthy now hopes his advisory on guns will shift the conversation, too, on this issue. He has been encouraged by some developments in Congress, including the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 that enhanced background checks for firearms.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gun-safety-law-7733f5cab2614f39288b0dc157573651">White House report</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press says that more thorough background checks have stopped roughly 800 sales of firearms to people under age 21. Additionally, more than 500 people, including some linked to transnational cartels and organized crime rings, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes under the landmark gun safety legislation.

Children and younger Americans, in particular, are suffering from gun violence, Murthy notes in his advisory called “Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America.” Suicide by gun rates have increased by nearly 70% for those between the ages of 10 to 14. Children in the U.S. are far more likely to die from gun wounds than children in other countries, the research he gathered shows.

For pediatricians, talking with families about locking up their guns away from their children has become a routine part of well visits, said Benjamin Hoffman, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. When children can't get access to a gun, it prevents a large chunk of gun deaths and injuries — accidental shootings and suicides.

“Having access to a firearm for a child who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis is an absolute recipe for the most tragic things you can imagine,” Hoffman said.

Even when children are not direct victims of a gun shooting, they may suffer from mental health blowback of gun violence, the report says. About half of teens in the U.S. worry about a school shooting. And in areas that have been exposed to a fatal shooting at a school, youth antidepressant use jumps by more than 20%.

In addition to new regulations, Murthy calls for an increase in gun violence research and for the health system to promote and educate patients about gun safety and proper storage during checkups.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-science-health-covid-mental-20f5e2cb5fb50ff747fe316fdc4db5c4">fast-growing number of injuries and deaths</a>&nbsp;involving firearms in the country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: Today, for the first time in the history of our office, I am issuing a Surgeon General’s Advisory on Firearm Violence. Firearm violence is a public health crisis in America that poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of our country. <a href="https://t.co/bNS7xDa96X">https://t.co/bNS7xDa96X</a> 1/10 <a href="https://t.co/1w43IMMpxA">pic.twitter.com/1w43IMMpxA</a>&mdash; Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) <a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1805555386247954664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation's top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-mass-shootings-summer-b004331ee7d3da95bce6646547f8d43f">left dozens of people dead or wounded</a>.“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe," Murthy told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that's going to put our life at risk.”To drive down gun deaths, Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-politics-shootings-congress-fd91c092aef91a992ee959399ba6f222">automatic rifles</a>, introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.None of those suggestions can be implemented nationwide without legislation passed by Congress, which typically&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-texas-government-and-politics-gun-violence-shootings-d3485526acd9a04bcdd5b9186557f4cc">recoils</a>&nbsp;at gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have enacted or may consider some of the surgeon general's proposals.Surgeon General Murthy said there is “broad agreement” that gun violence is a problem, citing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/other/poll-finding/americans-experiences-with-gun-related-violence-injuries-and-deaths/">poll</a>&nbsp;last year that found most Americans worry at least sometimes that a loved one might be injured by a firearm. More than 48,000 Americans died from gun injuries in 2022.Doctors quickly praised Murthy's advisory. The American Academy of Family Physicians, for example, has considered gun violence a public health epidemic for over a decade.“Family physicians have long understood, and have seen first hand, the devastating impact firearm violence has on our patients and the communities we serve,” the group's president, Steven Furr, said in a statement.Murthy's advisory, however, promises to be controversial with the gun lobby and will certainly incense Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed his confirmation — twice — to the job over his statements on gun violence.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NRA Statement on the Surgeon General&#39;s Advisory <a href="https://t.co/UotMVmE7D1">https://t.co/UotMVmE7D1</a> <a href="https://t.co/DoU8mVHEqU">pic.twitter.com/DoU8mVHEqU</a>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1805596320628928968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The National Rifle Association promptly rebuked Murthy's advisory.“This is an extension of the Biden Administration's war on law-abiding gun owners,” Randy Kozuch, the organization's president, said in a statement on X.It was the NRA, and Republicans who enjoy the powerful gun lobby's support, that almost derailed Murthy's confirmation as surgeon general a decade ago. Murthy became quieter on the issue of gun violence after his past statements almost cost him the job. He ended up promising the Senate that he did “not intend to use my office as surgeon general as a bully pulpit on gun control.”Then-President Donald Trump dismissed Murthy in 2017, but President Joe Biden nominated him again to the position in 2021.Murthy has published warnings about troubling health trends in American life, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-loneliness-334450f7bb5a77e88d8085b178340e19">loneliness</a>&nbsp;and social media use. In an opinion piece in The New York Times this month, he said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health-df321c791493863001754401676f165c">social media has contributed to a mental health crisis</a>&nbsp;among the country's young people and asked Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those on cigarette boxes.But he also has faced mounting pressure from some doctors and Democratic advocacy groups to speak out more. A group of four former surgeon generals asked the Biden administration to produce a report on the problem in 2022.“It is now time for us to take this issue out of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, the way we did with smoking more than a half century ago,” Murthy told the AP.It was a 1964&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smoking-vaping-surgeon-general-db81e873c256e38433734e86d6a50f7e">report</a>&nbsp;from the surgeon general that raised awareness about the dangers of smoking is largely credited with reducing tobacco use and precipitating regulations on the industry.Murthy now hopes his advisory on guns will shift the conversation, too, on this issue. He has been encouraged by some developments in Congress, including the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 that enhanced background checks for firearms.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gun-safety-law-7733f5cab2614f39288b0dc157573651">White House report</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press says that more thorough background checks have stopped roughly 800 sales of firearms to people under age 21. Additionally, more than 500 people, including some linked to transnational cartels and organized crime rings, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes under the landmark gun safety legislation.Children and younger Americans, in particular, are suffering from gun violence, Murthy notes in his advisory called “Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America.” Suicide by gun rates have increased by nearly 70% for those between the ages of 10 to 14. Children in the U.S. are far more likely to die from gun wounds than children in other countries, the research he gathered shows.For pediatricians, talking with families about locking up their guns away from their children has become a routine part of well visits, said Benjamin Hoffman, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. When children can't get access to a gun, it prevents a large chunk of gun deaths and injuries — accidental shootings and suicides.“Having access to a firearm for a child who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis is an absolute recipe for the most tragic things you can imagine,” Hoffman said.Even when children are not direct victims of a gun shooting, they may suffer from mental health blowback of gun violence, the report says. About half of teens in the U.S. worry about a school shooting. And in areas that have been exposed to a fatal shooting at a school, youth antidepressant use jumps by more than 20%.In addition to new regulations, Murthy calls for an increase in gun violence research and for the health system to promote and educate patients about gun safety and proper storage during checkups.

U.S. Surgeon General declares gun violence a health emergency; NRA responds

SHAWNEE COUNTY — A woman accused in the death of child in Shawnee County has also died.

&nbsp;Shyla M. Goracke, 29, Topeka, died Monday, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m. June 20, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road. First responders found a child later identified as 9-year-old&nbsp; Zerick I. Ozuna, located inside the residence, suffering from multiple wounds to the chest and neck. The boy was pronounced deceased at the scene.

&nbsp;Deputies took Goracke, the mother of the boy into custody, and she was transported to a hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;The sheriff's office released no additional details on the cause of her death or the result of an autopsy on the 9-year-old.&nbsp; &nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it is released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718926405051.png" alt="Deputies at the scene of the investigation June 20. Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Deputies at the scene of the investigation June 20. Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — A woman accused in the death of child in Shawnee County has also died.&nbsp;Shyla M. Goracke, 29, Topeka, died Monday, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.Shortly after 11:30 a.m. June 20, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road. First responders found a child later identified as 9-year-old&nbsp; Zerick I. Ozuna, located inside the residence, suffering from multiple wounds to the chest and neck. The boy was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Deputies took Goracke, the mother of the boy into custody, and she was transported to a hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;The sheriff's office released no additional details on the cause of her death or the result of an autopsy on the 9-year-old.&nbsp; &nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it is released.----------------

Kan. mother accused of killing 9-year-old dies in the hospital

Snapchill LLC (Snapchill) of Wisconsin is voluntarily recalling all canned coffee products manufactured by the company, within expiration date, because their current process could lead to the growth and production of the deadly toxin, botulinum toxin, in low acid canned foods, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179493/download?attachment">Click here to see a complete</a> list of products included

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. Symptoms can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains botulinum toxin. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

The products were distributed nationwide through various coffee roasters and retail locations, as well as through direct online purchase from Snapchill. The problem was identified when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Snapchill that the low acid canned foods process for manufacturing the recalled products was not filed with FDA, as is required by regulation. No illnesses have been reported to-date, and Snapchill is not aware of any instances in which the company’s products contained botulin toxin. Snapchill is working on filing the appropriate notification with FDA.

The products are sold under a range of roaster and brand names, in variety of metal can sizes ranging from 7 oz to 12 oz. The products are identifiable by the language “Produced and distributed by Snapchill LLC” underneath the nutrition facts panel. Some of the products can also be identified by the text “Snapchill Coffee” on the label. The specific products subject to this voluntary recall are listed at the end of this notice.

This voluntary recall is being made with the knowledge of FDA.

Consumers should either destroy the products or return the product to Snapchill or the place of purchase for a refund. Snapchill will offer full refunds for any of these products, with appropriate proof of purchase including a picture of the product(s) before being destroyed. Full information about the return and refund will be available at Compliance@Snapchill.com.

Consumers with questions may contact the company any time by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Compliance@snapchill.com">Compliance@snapchill.com</a>, or by phone, Monday through Friday between 8:00am and 4:00pm Central Time, at (920) 632-6018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719331741764.png" alt="Among the hundreds of coffee products included in the recall" />
 <figcaption>Among the hundreds of coffee products included in the recall</figcaption>
 </figure>Snapchill LLC (Snapchill) of Wisconsin is voluntarily recalling all canned coffee products manufactured by the company, within expiration date, because their current process could lead to the growth and production of the deadly toxin, botulinum toxin, in low acid canned foods, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/179493/download?attachment">Click here to see a complete</a> list of products includedBotulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. Symptoms can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains botulinum toxin. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.The products were distributed nationwide through various coffee roasters and retail locations, as well as through direct online purchase from Snapchill. The problem was identified when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Snapchill that the low acid canned foods process for manufacturing the recalled products was not filed with FDA, as is required by regulation. No illnesses have been reported to-date, and Snapchill is not aware of any instances in which the company’s products contained botulin toxin. Snapchill is working on filing the appropriate notification with FDA.The products are sold under a range of roaster and brand names, in variety of metal can sizes ranging from 7 oz to 12 oz. The products are identifiable by the language “Produced and distributed by Snapchill LLC” underneath the nutrition facts panel. Some of the products can also be identified by the text “Snapchill Coffee” on the label. The specific products subject to this voluntary recall are listed at the end of this notice.This voluntary recall is being made with the knowledge of FDA.Consumers should either destroy the products or return the product to Snapchill or the place of purchase for a refund. Snapchill will offer full refunds for any of these products, with appropriate proof of purchase including a picture of the product(s) before being destroyed. Full information about the return and refund will be available at Compliance@Snapchill.com.Consumers with questions may contact the company any time by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Compliance@snapchill.com">Compliance@snapchill.com</a>, or by phone, Monday through Friday between 8:00am and 4:00pm Central Time, at (920) 632-6018.

Risk of fatal food poisoning: Hundreds of coffee products recalled 

DOUGLAS COUNTY —After asking the public for help with information, sheriff's deputies received tips and were able to identify the driver and locate the vehicle from this incident.

Authorities released no additional details.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit-and-run accident and looking for a vehicle involved in an accident that occurred just after 6p.m. Sunday near Bloomington Beach, according to a social media report from the Douglas County Sheriff.

The driver of a vehicle – believed to be a Mitsubishi Eclipse – struck the a pickup truck causing significant damage and then left the scene. No one in the pickup truck needed to be transported from the scene.

The white vehicle sustained significant damage to the rear driver’s side and rear bumper.

Anyone with information can contact the Sheriff’s Office at 785-841-0007.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719277884846.png" alt="Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —After asking the public for help with information, sheriff's deputies received tips and were able to identify the driver and locate the vehicle from this incident.Authorities released no additional details.--------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit-and-run accident and looking for a vehicle involved in an accident that occurred just after 6p.m. Sunday near Bloomington Beach, according to a social media report from the Douglas County Sheriff.The driver of a vehicle – believed to be a Mitsubishi Eclipse – struck the a pickup truck causing significant damage and then left the scene. No one in the pickup truck needed to be transported from the scene.The white vehicle sustained significant damage to the rear driver’s side and rear bumper.Anyone with information can contact the Sheriff’s Office at 785-841-0007.

Tip helps Kan. deputies locate hit-and-run crash suspect 

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/planned-parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;will spend $40 million ahead of November's elections to bolster President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and leading congressional Democrats, betting that voters angry at Republican-led efforts to further restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion</a>&nbsp;can be the difference in key races around the country.

The political and advocacy arms of the nation's leading reproductive health-care provider and abortion rights advocacy organization shared the announcement with The Associated Press before its wider release Monday.

The group will initially target eight states: Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where Biden is seeking to defend 2020 victories, as well as North Carolina, which the Democratic president's campaign hopes to flip after Republican Donald Trump won it four years ago, and Montana, New Hampshire and New York, which have races that could help determine control of the Senate and House.

The push will try to reach voters with volunteer and paid canvassing programs, phone banking and digital, TV, and mail advertising.

“Abortion will be the message of this election, and it will be how we energize voters," said Jenny Lawson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes. “It will be what enables us to win.”

The spending plan is not an election cycle record for the group. It spent $45 million ahead of Biden defeating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in 2020 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-congress-71871318f3c725a7df0bbe183e6c84be">$50 million</a>&nbsp;before the 2022 midterms.

Planned Parenthood's advocacy arms focused on pouring money into contests where access to abortion was on the ballot after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, the landmark 1973 case that created a constitutional right to have an abortion, a decision handed down two years ago Monday.

“We continue to see the devastation that comes when anti-abortion politicians have power,” Lawson said of the years since. “It’s just gotten worse.”

Abortion continues to be one of the nation’s most important political issues, but dynamics around it have changed since the Supreme Court ruling. After the ruling,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-amendment-ban-protection-states-2024-052ff9846f8416efb725240af22b92ec">most Republican-controlled states imposed new abortion restrictions</a>, including some bans at every stage of pregnancy.

Meanwhile, voters in seven states — California, Michigan and Vermont, as well as usually reliably Republican Kansas, Kentucky, Montana and Ohio — sided with abortion-rights supporters on ballot measures.

In November, voters in several other states, including battleground Arizona and Nevada, will have abortion referendums on the ballot, as will Florida, a onetime presidential bellwether that has gotten increasingly Republican in recent cycles but where Biden’s campaign is hoping turnout for the abortion ballot initiative can make things closer.

SBA Pro-Life America, one of the country’s most prominent groups opposed to abortion rights, announced in February that it plans to spend $92 million targeting voters in eight battleground states: Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Montana and Georgia.

In addition to national efforts, local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio are planning advocacy campaigns ahead of November.

Planned Parenthood advocacy efforts also will focus on some down-ballot rates, like aiding Democrats seeking a supermajority in the Nevada statehouse, or opposing two state supreme court justices up for reelection in Arizona after they voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-restrictions-1864-9c68866d69dca38c728dd27b80592e8f#:~:text=Arizona%20can%20enforce%20an%201864%20law%20criminalizing%20nearly%20all%20abortions%2C%20court%20says&amp;text=An%20Arizona%20Supreme%20Court%20decision,in%20a%20critical%202024%20battleground.">allow officials to enforce an 1864 law</a>&nbsp;criminalizing nearly all abortions, which the state legislature has since voted to repeal.

“We can’t just vote for ballot initiatives," said Lindsey Harmon, executive director for Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood Affiliates PAC. “We also have to support the infrastructure that makes abortion access possible.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/planned-parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;will spend $40 million ahead of November's elections to bolster President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and leading congressional Democrats, betting that voters angry at Republican-led efforts to further restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion</a>&nbsp;can be the difference in key races around the country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">2 years ago, Trump’s Supreme Court overturned our federal right to abortion. Today Planned Parenthood Votes announced that PP political &amp; advocacy orgs will spend $40 M during the 2024 election to defend abortion access and get out the vote. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeDecide?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeDecide</a> <a href="https://t.co/jaDxaudt9o">pic.twitter.com/jaDxaudt9o</a>&mdash; Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) <a href="https://twitter.com/PPact/status/1805247280812900683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The political and advocacy arms of the nation's leading reproductive health-care provider and abortion rights advocacy organization shared the announcement with The Associated Press before its wider release Monday.The group will initially target eight states: Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where Biden is seeking to defend 2020 victories, as well as North Carolina, which the Democratic president's campaign hopes to flip after Republican Donald Trump won it four years ago, and Montana, New Hampshire and New York, which have races that could help determine control of the Senate and House.The push will try to reach voters with volunteer and paid canvassing programs, phone banking and digital, TV, and mail advertising.“Abortion will be the message of this election, and it will be how we energize voters," said Jenny Lawson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes. “It will be what enables us to win.”The spending plan is not an election cycle record for the group. It spent $45 million ahead of Biden defeating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in 2020 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-congress-71871318f3c725a7df0bbe183e6c84be">$50 million</a>&nbsp;before the 2022 midterms.Planned Parenthood's advocacy arms focused on pouring money into contests where access to abortion was on the ballot after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, the landmark 1973 case that created a constitutional right to have an abortion, a decision handed down two years ago Monday.“We continue to see the devastation that comes when anti-abortion politicians have power,” Lawson said of the years since. “It’s just gotten worse.”Abortion continues to be one of the nation’s most important political issues, but dynamics around it have changed since the Supreme Court ruling. After the ruling,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-amendment-ban-protection-states-2024-052ff9846f8416efb725240af22b92ec">most Republican-controlled states imposed new abortion restrictions</a>, including some bans at every stage of pregnancy.Meanwhile, voters in seven states — California, Michigan and Vermont, as well as usually reliably Republican Kansas, Kentucky, Montana and Ohio — sided with abortion-rights supporters on ballot measures.In November, voters in several other states, including battleground Arizona and Nevada, will have abortion referendums on the ballot, as will Florida, a onetime presidential bellwether that has gotten increasingly Republican in recent cycles but where Biden’s campaign is hoping turnout for the abortion ballot initiative can make things closer.SBA Pro-Life America, one of the country’s most prominent groups opposed to abortion rights, announced in February that it plans to spend $92 million targeting voters in eight battleground states: Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Montana and Georgia.In addition to national efforts, local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio are planning advocacy campaigns ahead of November.Planned Parenthood advocacy efforts also will focus on some down-ballot rates, like aiding Democrats seeking a supermajority in the Nevada statehouse, or opposing two state supreme court justices up for reelection in Arizona after they voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-restrictions-1864-9c68866d69dca38c728dd27b80592e8f#:~:text=Arizona%20can%20enforce%20an%201864%20law%20criminalizing%20nearly%20all%20abortions%2C%20court%20says&amp;text=An%20Arizona%20Supreme%20Court%20decision,in%20a%20critical%202024%20battleground.">allow officials to enforce an 1864 law</a>&nbsp;criminalizing nearly all abortions, which the state legislature has since voted to repeal.“We can’t just vote for ballot initiatives," said Lindsey Harmon, executive director for Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood Affiliates PAC. “We also have to support the infrastructure that makes abortion access possible.”

Planned Parenthood will spend millions on abortion rights ahead of election

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation at a convenience store.

Just before 5a.m. Tuesday, employees from the KWIK Stop gas station at 1727 West Crawford Street in Salina reported to police that a man walked into the store naked and began battering employees with a stick in each hand, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman 

The man assaulted three employees, the first at the back door of the convenience store and the second and third inside store.

When officers arrived at the store, employees had already subdued the subject, who SPD officers identified as 42-year-old Joshua Renfro of Salina.

The first employee Renfro allegedly assaulted was a 60-year-old employee Renfro pushed past to enter the store from the backdoor.

"There was a 55-year-old employee who heard a commotion in the business, and as he was at the back at the coolers, he observed the naked male who had two sticks in his hands," Feldman said. 

"This employee told Renfro he needed to leave the business. Renfro then allegedly struck the victim several times in the head with one of the sticks and that employee suffered several cuts to his forehead and left eye.

Another employee, a 51-year-old woman, moved to assist her two coworkers when Renfro pushed her to the ground and caused an injury to her left elbow and an injury on her thigh, according to Feldman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718801355216.png" alt="Renfro -photo from an arrest earlier this month for alleged DUI. He was jailed for alleged battery in Salina in July of 2023, according to online jail records." />
 <figcaption>Renfro -photo from an arrest earlier this month for alleged DUI. He was jailed for alleged battery in Salina in July of 2023, according to online jail records.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation at a convenience store.Just before 5a.m. Tuesday, employees from the KWIK Stop gas station at 1727 West Crawford Street in Salina reported to police that a man walked into the store naked and began battering employees with a stick in each hand, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman The man assaulted three employees, the first at the back door of the convenience store and the second and third inside store.When officers arrived at the store, employees had already subdued the subject, who SPD officers identified as 42-year-old Joshua Renfro of Salina.The first employee Renfro allegedly assaulted was a 60-year-old employee Renfro pushed past to enter the store from the backdoor."There was a 55-year-old employee who heard a commotion in the business, and as he was at the back at the coolers, he observed the naked male who had two sticks in his hands," Feldman said. "This employee told Renfro he needed to leave the business. Renfro then allegedly struck the victim several times in the head with one of the sticks and that employee suffered several cuts to his forehead and left eye.Another employee, a 51-year-old woman, moved to assist her two coworkers when Renfro pushed her to the ground and caused an injury to her left elbow and an injury on her thigh, according to Feldman.Emergency responders transported the 51-year-old woman to Salina Regional Health Center to treat the potentially broken elbow."Officers ended up wrapping the subject and transporting him to the hospital because they believe there's an influence of drugs," Feldman said. "I don't know if he's out [of the hospital], but he is facing charges&nbsp; of aggravated battery and a count of simple battery.Renfro did not attempt to steal any items at Kwik Shop — he only attacked employees in the convenience store.After Renfro is released from the hospital,&nbsp; police will consider further charges for the incident.