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

ESU administrators remain as defendants; state Board of Regents dismissed

TOPEKA — A U.S. District Court judge rejected a motion to dismiss the entirety of a federal lawsuit filed by former Emporia State University faculty challenging their dismissal under an expedited process that allegedly undermined their constitutional rights.

Judge Julie Robinson said in a memorandum Thursday the suit against ESU administrators could continue, but she dismissed current and former members of the Kansas Board of Regents named as defendants. The judge dropped three conspiracy claims made by plaintiffs, but left intact the plaintiffs’ claims of constitutional violation of due process, liberty interests, equal protection, freedom of association and a conspiracy to deprive employees of tenure rights.

The judge affirmed one of the plaintiffs’ central claims that tenure was viewed as a property right held by faculty in the state and the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals had previously affirmed property interests of tenured professors in Kansas.

The determination bolstered the argument by plaintiffs — 11 former ESU tenured professors — that they were terminated in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

“The court agrees with plaintiffs that it is clearly established under 10th Circuit law that tenured university faculty have a property interest deserving of the procedural and substantive protections of the 14th Amendment,” Robinson said in the order.

Topeka attorney Phillip Grayson, who represents the 11 plaintiffs, said in a Friday interview the decision by Robinson was welcomed by his clients.

“I consider that a very favorable ruling,” Grayson said. “It’s about academic freedom. The primary purpose of tenure is the preservation of academic freedom.”

A spokeswoman for Emporia State wasn’t available to comment on the judge’s rulings in the lawsuit. It is possible ESU could appeal portions of Robinson’s decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

ESU and Board of Regents attorneys had asked the federal district court to dismiss the lawsuit based, in part, on a claim of qualified immunity. They argued there was no proof ESU professors were fired for unionizing efforts, political beliefs or advocacy work. Instead, the defendants said the terminations were reasonable because they were triggered by budget issues and enrollment declines accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robinson said the separate legal action involving ESU and seven fired professors in state district court was insufficient to address constitutional issues raised by plaintiffs in the federal case.

“Defendants fail to demonstrate that the state courts are an adequate vehicle for the complete resolution of the issues presented by this case. The state court appeals are not parallel to this action,” Robinson said.

In 2021, the state Board of Regents formulated a policy allowing state universities to take extraordinary means to suspend, dismiss or terminate employees amid a financial emergency.

KBOR general counsel Julene Miller said the policy was in response to “extreme financial pressures that the state universities are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased program and university enrollments, and the state’s declining fiscal support.”

Only ESU made use of the Framework for Workforce Management policy allowing for expedited firing of campus employees. In 2022, ESU administrators informed 33 employees, including 23 tenured professors, they would lose their jobs in 2023.

Faculty appeals were filed through the Kansas Office of Administrative Hearings, and some prevailed, but the 11 tenured professors who were dismissed pursued the lawsuit in federal court.

The American Association of University Professors denounced the employment decisions by ESU President Ken Hush as damaging to academic freedom and to due process rights of tenured faculty.

In wake of the faculty and staff dismissals, ESU administrators awarded more than $137,000 in bonuses to 68 faculty members remaining at the university.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733600732643.png" alt=" A U.S. District Court judge said in a ruling that Emporia State University Ken Hush, second from right, would remain a defendant in a lawsuit filed by 11 former tenured professors at ESU challenging their dismissal under a unique program authorized by the Kansas Board fo Regents to help universities deal with enrollment and budget problems tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A U.S. District Court judge said in a ruling that Emporia State University Ken Hush, second from right, would remain a defendant in a lawsuit filed by 11 former tenured professors at ESU challenging their dismissal under a unique program authorized by the Kansas Board fo Regents to help universities deal with enrollment and budget problems tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>ESU administrators remain as defendants; state Board of Regents dismissed</h2>TOPEKA — A U.S. District Court judge rejected a motion to dismiss the entirety of a federal lawsuit filed by former Emporia State University faculty challenging their dismissal under an expedited process that allegedly undermined their constitutional rights.Judge Julie Robinson said in a memorandum Thursday the suit against ESU administrators could continue, but she dismissed current and former members of the Kansas Board of Regents named as defendants. The judge dropped three conspiracy claims made by plaintiffs, but left intact the plaintiffs’ claims of constitutional violation of due process, liberty interests, equal protection, freedom of association and a conspiracy to deprive employees of tenure rights.The judge affirmed one of the plaintiffs’ central claims that tenure was viewed as a property right held by faculty in the state and the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals had previously affirmed property interests of tenured professors in Kansas.The determination bolstered the argument by plaintiffs — 11 former ESU tenured professors — that they were terminated in violation of the U.S. Constitution.“The court agrees with plaintiffs that it is clearly established under 10th Circuit law that tenured university faculty have a property interest deserving of the procedural and substantive protections of the 14th Amendment,” Robinson said in the order.Topeka attorney Phillip Grayson, who represents the 11 plaintiffs, said in a Friday interview the decision by Robinson was welcomed by his clients.“I consider that a very favorable ruling,” Grayson said. “It’s about academic freedom. The primary purpose of tenure is the preservation of academic freedom.”A spokeswoman for Emporia State wasn’t available to comment on the judge’s rulings in the lawsuit. It is possible ESU could appeal portions of Robinson’s decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.ESU and Board of Regents attorneys had asked the federal district court to dismiss the lawsuit based, in part, on a claim of qualified immunity. They argued there was no proof ESU professors were fired for unionizing efforts, political beliefs or advocacy work. Instead, the defendants said the terminations were reasonable because they were triggered by budget issues and enrollment declines accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.Robinson said the separate legal action involving ESU and seven fired professors in state district court was insufficient to address constitutional issues raised by plaintiffs in the federal case.“Defendants fail to demonstrate that the state courts are an adequate vehicle for the complete resolution of the issues presented by this case. The state court appeals are not parallel to this action,” Robinson said.In 2021, the state Board of Regents formulated a policy allowing state universities to take extraordinary means to suspend, dismiss or terminate employees amid a financial emergency.KBOR general counsel Julene Miller said the policy was in response to “extreme financial pressures that the state universities are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased program and university enrollments, and the state’s declining fiscal support.”Only ESU made use of the Framework for Workforce Management policy allowing for expedited firing of campus employees. In 2022, ESU administrators informed 33 employees, including 23 tenured professors, they would lose their jobs in 2023.Faculty appeals were filed through the Kansas Office of Administrative Hearings, and some prevailed, but the 11 tenured professors who were dismissed pursued the lawsuit in federal court.The American Association of University Professors denounced the employment decisions by ESU President Ken Hush as damaging to academic freedom and to due process rights of tenured faculty.In wake of the faculty and staff dismissals, ESU administrators awarded more than $137,000 in bonuses to 68 faculty members remaining at the university.

Judge allows lawsuit by fired Emporia State tenured faculty to proceed

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are asking for the community’s help identifying a robbery suspect.

The suspect claimed to be a COX employee to gain access to a residence at the&nbsp;1400 block of N. Brunswick in Wichita, where an 89-year-old resident allowed him inside, according to Wichita Police Officer Juan Rebolledo.

 While inside, he stole her purse and has since been making unauthorized purchases, including at Lowe’s near Maple &amp; Ridge.

This individual is also a suspect in a similar case being investigated by Goddard Police, where he used the same tactic to gain access to another home and steal a purse.

The suspect may be driving a silver SUV&nbsp;with tag 519SDF, which is expired, not registered, and belongs to a blue Buick.

If you recognize this man or have any information about him, please contact Wichita Police Department at 316-928-4407

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733585741645.png" alt="Security camera images Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are asking for the community’s help identifying a robbery suspect.The suspect claimed to be a COX employee to gain access to a residence at the&nbsp;1400 block of N. Brunswick in Wichita, where an 89-year-old resident allowed him inside, according to Wichita Police Officer Juan Rebolledo. While inside, he stole her purse and has since been making unauthorized purchases, including at Lowe’s near Maple &amp; Ridge.This individual is also a suspect in a similar case being investigated by Goddard Police, where he used the same tactic to gain access to another home and steal a purse.The suspect may be driving a silver SUV&nbsp;with tag 519SDF, which is expired, not registered, and belongs to a blue Buick.If you recognize this man or have any information about him, please contact Wichita Police Department at 316-928-4407

Kan. suspect posing as cable co. employee stole woman's purse

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of motel fire in Kansas City.

Just before 11:30a.m. Friday, crews responded to a reported fire in a motel located at 6300 Blue Parkway, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported smoke and fire showing from a single unit on arrival.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear. The fire was quickly brought under control limiting the damage to a few units. No injuries were reported at this incident. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733521109045.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of motel fire in Kansas City.Just before 11:30a.m. Friday, crews responded to a reported fire in a motel located at 6300 Blue Parkway, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported smoke and fire showing from a single unit on arrival.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear. The fire was quickly brought under control limiting the damage to a few units. No injuries were reported at this incident. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

Cause of Kansas City motel fire under investigation

NEW YORK (AP) —The gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">stalked and killed</a>&nbsp;UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>&nbsp;fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday.

Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN.

FBI announces reward for information leading to gunman's arrest and conviction

The FBI announced Friday night that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the shooter who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">killed</a>&nbsp;the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer.

The FBI’s New York Field Office is working with the New York City Police Department to identify the gunman.

Police believe gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO has left New York City

The gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">killed</a>&nbsp;the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday.

“We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

Gunman’s steps after killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO give police new clues

The gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">killed</a>&nbsp;the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity.

A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-shooting-death-daa1e8c8c05606197a5bd2e0242f1683">ambushed</a>&nbsp;UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>.

The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-thompson-shooting-security-corporate-a9400196d019daa3fe70698e807c606d">a targeted attack</a>.

▶ Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-48590215ba756741bbaadeeb6255d135">the search for the gunman</a>

For many companies, investor meetings are seen as a risk

In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>&nbsp;was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized.

“It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area.

Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering.

Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders.

▶ Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-thompson-shooting-security-corporate-a9400196d019daa3fe70698e807c606d">how companies protect their leaders</a>

Police have obtained other surveillance images of the person wanted for questioning

Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Another health insurer taking precautions after the shooting

Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations.

The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday.

“The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.”

Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution.

Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. says its Investor Day will now be virtual

The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>&nbsp;in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event.

“All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.”

Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage.

UnitedHealth Group says it’s focused on supporting Brian Thompson’s family

The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators.

“While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said.

NY Mayor Eric Adams provided no new information on investigation’s progress during interviews

But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter.

“We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX.

Hours after the shooting, UnitedHealthcare removed photographs of its executives from its website

Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely.

Investigators believe the suspect may have traveled to NY last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta

Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said.

Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled.

Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass

The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats.

Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say.

Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks.

▶ Read more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-thompson-shooting-security-corporate-a9400196d019daa3fe70698e807c606d">steps companies take to protect their leadership</a>

Police test DNA and fingerprints on discarded bottle as they hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733576299830.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">stalked and killed</a>&nbsp;UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>&nbsp;fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday.Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN.Here's the latest:<h2>FBI announces reward for information leading to gunman's arrest and conviction</h2>The FBI announced Friday night that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the shooter who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">killed</a>&nbsp;the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer.The FBI’s New York Field Office is working with the New York City Police Department to identify the gunman.<h2>Police believe gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO has left New York City</h2>The gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">killed</a>&nbsp;the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday.Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN.“We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.<h2>Gunman’s steps after killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO give police new clues</h2>The gunman who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-7f6581ba6b0b520938d82c361e77a83c">killed</a>&nbsp;the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity.A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-shooting-death-daa1e8c8c05606197a5bd2e0242f1683">ambushed</a>&nbsp;UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>.The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-thompson-shooting-security-corporate-a9400196d019daa3fe70698e807c606d">a targeted attack</a>.▶ Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-manhattan-shooting-death-48590215ba756741bbaadeeb6255d135">the search for the gunman</a><h2>For many companies, investor meetings are seen as a risk</h2>In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>&nbsp;was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized.“It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area.Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering.Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders.▶ Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-thompson-shooting-security-corporate-a9400196d019daa3fe70698e807c606d">how companies protect their leaders</a><h2>Police have obtained other surveillance images of the person wanted for questioning</h2>Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said.The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.— Mike Balsamo<h2>Another health insurer taking precautions after the shooting</h2>Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations.The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday.“The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.”Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution.<h2>Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. says its Investor Day will now be virtual</h2>The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>&nbsp;in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event.“All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.”Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage.<h2>UnitedHealth Group says it’s focused on supporting Brian Thompson’s family</h2>The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators.“While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said.<h2>NY Mayor Eric Adams provided no new information on investigation’s progress during interviews</h2>But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter.“We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX.<h2>Hours after the shooting, UnitedHealthcare removed photographs of its executives from its website</h2>Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely.<h2>Investigators believe the suspect may have traveled to NY last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta</h2>Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said.Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled.<h2>Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass</h2>The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats.Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say.Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks.▶ Read more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-thompson-shooting-security-corporate-a9400196d019daa3fe70698e807c606d">steps companies take to protect their leadership</a><h2>Police test DNA and fingerprints on discarded bottle as they hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer</h2>

FBI: $50K reward in hunt for the gunman who killed Insurance CEO

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Two people died after an incident that began Thursday night at a residence south of Eudora and involved a standoff with law enforcement for several hours. 

According to preliminary information, the 52-year-old male suspect shot and killed a&nbsp; 44-year-old woman at the residence in the 900 block of E 2300 Road, according to sheriff's department spokesman George Diepenbrock.

The incident involved two people in a domestic relationship, and law enforcement later found the man dead inside the residence.

Just before 9p.m. Thursday, Sheriff's office dispatchers were called about a woman in distress. Dispatchers reported the woman caller was difficult to hear. 

A Eudora Police Department officer responded initially and heard a gunshot when he reached the front door. Law enforcement officers were able to establish phone contact with the man inside who was overtly hostile and threatening to shoot law enforcement officers, as he barricaded himself into the home.

The Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Lawrence Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol utilized drones and other technology to gain access into the residence. 

The tools did allow officers to determine the woman was deceased. After several hours of phone communication, law enforcement lost contact with the suspect, and they continued to use technological tools to try to re-establish contact with him or identify his status inside the house to take him into custody on an arrest warrant. 

Sheriff Armbrister said as part of the investigation there were concerns about a possible threat of explosives inside the residence, which was part of the reason why officers acted methodically over several hours

.Just before 4:30 p.m. Friday the Kansas Highway Patrol made entry into the residence and found the suspect deceased.

Detectives and investigators processed the scene Friday evening. Names of the suspect and victim have not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733843022887.png" alt="View of the standoff location in Douglas County-photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>View of the standoff location in Douglas County-photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY — Two people died after an incident that began Thursday night at a residence south of Eudora and involved a standoff with law enforcement for several hours. According to preliminary information, the 52-year-old male suspect shot and killed a&nbsp; 44-year-old woman at the residence in the 900 block of E 2300 Road, according to sheriff's department spokesman George Diepenbrock.The incident involved two people in a domestic relationship, and law enforcement later found the man dead inside the residence.Just before 9p.m. Thursday, Sheriff's office dispatchers were called about a woman in distress. Dispatchers reported the woman caller was difficult to hear. A Eudora Police Department officer responded initially and heard a gunshot when he reached the front door. Law enforcement officers were able to establish phone contact with the man inside who was overtly hostile and threatening to shoot law enforcement officers, as he barricaded himself into the home.The Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Lawrence Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol utilized drones and other technology to gain access into the residence. The tools did allow officers to determine the woman was deceased. After several hours of phone communication, law enforcement lost contact with the suspect, and they continued to use technological tools to try to re-establish contact with him or identify his status inside the house to take him into custody on an arrest warrant. Sheriff Armbrister said as part of the investigation there were concerns about a possible threat of explosives inside the residence, which was part of the reason why officers acted methodically over several hours.Just before 4:30 p.m. Friday the Kansas Highway Patrol made entry into the residence and found the suspect deceased.Detectives and investigators processed the scene Friday evening. Names of the suspect and victim have not been released.

Sheriff: 2 dead after 20-hour standoff at rural Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">DOGE</a>&nbsp;time at the U.S. Capitol.

Billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;and fellow entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>&nbsp;arrived this week on Capitol Hill meeting with legislators behind closed doors about President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;plans to “dismantle” the federal government.

Trump tapped the two business titans to head his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-ramaswamy-trump-budget-cuts-doge-impoundment-8e2fffc27df6acc1b275b1614e66fd01">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, tasked with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-government-regulations-democrats-6badc3b424b9eff3ba51e0ec35a8d824">firing federal workers</a>, cutting government programs and slashing federal regulations — all part of what he calls his "Save America" agenda for a second term in the White House.

“We're going to see a lot of change around here in Washington,” said House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Mike Johnson</a>, as Musk, with a small child on his shoulders, breezed by and into the private meeting.

Washington has seen this before, with ambitious efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government that historically have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-spending-cuts-mccarthy-biden-senate-4f094e28b6d05a8d4852cdee4653d0f5">run into resistance</a>&nbsp;when the public is confronted with cuts to trusted programs that millions of Americans depend on for jobs, health care, military security and everyday needs.

But this time Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-budget-immigration-loyalty-986154f35c82452e0e2e642a3e1752a8">staffing his administration</a>&nbsp;with battle-tested architects of sweeping proposals, some outlined in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">Project 2025</a>, to severely reduce and reshape the government. Musk and Ramaswamy said they plan to work alongside the White House's Office of Management and Budget, headed by Trump's nominee Russ Vought, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-heritage-foundation-e2b1be71422f4afcfd4a397828f7cab6">mastermind of past cuts</a>.

“DOGE has a historic opportunity for structural reductions in the federal government,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020?mod=hp_opin_pos_0">op-ed in The Wall Street Journal</a>. “We are prepared for the onslaught.”

The duo, invited for what Johnson called a “brainstorming” session as they begin this “journey” together, face a first test in private with House and Senate lawmakers — some eager to hear what they have in mind.

“I am fired up to go out and do something,” said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., who joined with Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, in launching what they are calling the DOGE caucus in the House, with more than 50 Republicans and two Democratic members.

Bean said the DOGE caucus will unveil an email tip line where people can report wasteful spending. He also envisions a scoreboard of sorts that people can view on a website showing “how many positions we’ve cut, agencies we’ve cut, what the actual number is.”

In the Senate, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have launched a similar caucus.

“I think that’ll be a great start to the whole process,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who will chair a House Oversight subcommittee in the new year as part of “building the bridge between Congress and DOGE.”

While neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much public service experience, they bring track records in private business — Musk's operations have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-doge-tesla-spacex-80fa8b213b46460b1a0e369dc07a6404">vast government contracts</a>&nbsp;— and enthusiasm for Trump's agenda, having campaigned alongside him in the final stretch of the election.

The world's richest man, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">poured millions</a>&nbsp;into a get-out-the-vote effort to help the former president return to the White House. He is known politically for having transformed the popular social media site formerly known as Twitter into X, a platform embraced by Trump's MAGA enthusiasts.

Despite its name, the Department of Government Efficiency is neither a department nor part of the government, which frees Musk and Ramaswamy from having to go through the typical ethics and background checks required for federal employment. They said they will not be paid for their work.

One good-government group has said that DOGE, as a presidential advisory panel, should be expected to adhere to traditional practices of transparency, equal representation and public input — as happened with similar advisory entities from the Reagan to the Obama administrations.

The Federal Advisory Committee Act “is designed expressly for situations like this," wrote Lisa Gilbert and Robert Weissman, the co-chairs of Public Citizen in a letter to the Trump transition team.

"If the government is going to turn to unelected and politically unaccountable persons to make recommendations as grand as $2 trillion in budget cuts, it must ensure those recommendations come from a balanced and transparent process not rigged to benefit insiders.”

The nation's $6 trillion federal budget routinely runs a deficit, which this year ran $1.8 trillion, a historic high, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It has not been balanced since the Clinton administration more than two decades ago.

Republicans generally blame what they see as exorbitant spending for the deficit, while Democrats point to tax cuts enacted under Republican presidents Trump and George W. Bush as the major driver.

Receipts last year as a percentage of gross domestic product came in just below the average for the past 50 years, while outlays were equal to 23.4% of GDP, compared to the 50-year average of 21.1%

Some of the biggest increases in spending last year occurred with politically popular programs that lawmakers will be reticent to touch. For example, spending on Social Security benefits went up 8%, Medicare outlays increased 9%, spending on defense went up 7% and spending on veterans health care rose 14%, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he would like to see Musk testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the “bloated defense budget.”

“I’d like to see Elon recommend some cuts. Let’s have him testify,” Khanna said.

He said he’s open to hearing proposals on non-defense spending, but was skeptical.

“If they find waste, maybe, but in terms of big numbers, I mean, no one is going to allow for cutting education funding for special needs kids and for low-income schools, or for cutting Social Security and Medicare,” Khanna said. “If they want to do that, they’re going to hand us a landslide in 2026.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733430476480.png" alt="Elon Musk with his son, lil X on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on government efficiency -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk with his son, lil X on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on government efficiency -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">DOGE</a>&nbsp;time at the U.S. Capitol.Billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;and fellow entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>&nbsp;arrived this week on Capitol Hill meeting with legislators behind closed doors about President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;plans to “dismantle” the federal government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> speaks to media before Elon Musk &amp; Vivek Ramaswamy meet with lawmakers on government efficiency: &quot;We need to make government more efficient.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/e7VYsoPvF3">pic.twitter.com/e7VYsoPvF3</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1864749912493064514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump tapped the two business titans to head his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-ramaswamy-trump-budget-cuts-doge-impoundment-8e2fffc27df6acc1b275b1614e66fd01">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, tasked with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-government-regulations-democrats-6badc3b424b9eff3ba51e0ec35a8d824">firing federal workers</a>, cutting government programs and slashing federal regulations — all part of what he calls his "Save America" agenda for a second term in the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just left a meeting with <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HouseGOP</a> &amp; President Trump’s co-directors of the Department of Government Efficiency, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VivekGRamaswamy</a>. We are ready to roll up our sleeves, reduce our government spending, slash government bureaucracy, and get our country back on track. <a href="https://t.co/UVHHlKE8W4">pic.twitter.com/UVHHlKE8W4</a>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1864786754097549801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We're going to see a lot of change around here in Washington,” said House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Mike Johnson</a>, as Musk, with a small child on his shoulders, breezed by and into the private meeting.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Had a great meeting with Elon Musk. I’m looking very forward to working with him, <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> and the House Oversight Committee to get the back’s of the American taxpayers to cut wasteful government spending and eliminate unnecessary regulations. <a href="https://t.co/QfEdlvf8A8">pic.twitter.com/QfEdlvf8A8</a>&mdash; James Comer (@JamesComer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesComer/status/1864773385319751727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Washington has seen this before, with ambitious efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government that historically have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-spending-cuts-mccarthy-biden-senate-4f094e28b6d05a8d4852cdee4653d0f5">run into resistance</a>&nbsp;when the public is confronted with cuts to trusted programs that millions of Americans depend on for jobs, health care, military security and everyday needs.But this time Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-budget-immigration-loyalty-986154f35c82452e0e2e642a3e1752a8">staffing his administration</a>&nbsp;with battle-tested architects of sweeping proposals, some outlined in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">Project 2025</a>, to severely reduce and reshape the government. Musk and Ramaswamy said they plan to work alongside the White House's Office of Management and Budget, headed by Trump's nominee Russ Vought, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-heritage-foundation-e2b1be71422f4afcfd4a397828f7cab6">mastermind of past cuts</a>.“DOGE has a historic opportunity for structural reductions in the federal government,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020?mod=hp_opin_pos_0">op-ed in The Wall Street Journal</a>. “We are prepared for the onslaught.”The duo, invited for what Johnson called a “brainstorming” session as they begin this “journey” together, face a first test in private with House and Senate lawmakers — some eager to hear what they have in mind.“I am fired up to go out and do something,” said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., who joined with Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, in launching what they are calling the DOGE caucus in the House, with more than 50 Republicans and two Democratic members.Bean said the DOGE caucus will unveil an email tip line where people can report wasteful spending. He also envisions a scoreboard of sorts that people can view on a website showing “how many positions we’ve cut, agencies we’ve cut, what the actual number is.”In the Senate, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have launched a similar caucus.“I think that’ll be a great start to the whole process,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who will chair a House Oversight subcommittee in the new year as part of “building the bridge between Congress and DOGE.”While neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much public service experience, they bring track records in private business — Musk's operations have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-doge-tesla-spacex-80fa8b213b46460b1a0e369dc07a6404">vast government contracts</a>&nbsp;— and enthusiasm for Trump's agenda, having campaigned alongside him in the final stretch of the election.The world's richest man, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">poured millions</a>&nbsp;into a get-out-the-vote effort to help the former president return to the White House. He is known politically for having transformed the popular social media site formerly known as Twitter into X, a platform embraced by Trump's MAGA enthusiasts.Despite its name, the Department of Government Efficiency is neither a department nor part of the government, which frees Musk and Ramaswamy from having to go through the typical ethics and background checks required for federal employment. They said they will not be paid for their work.One good-government group has said that DOGE, as a presidential advisory panel, should be expected to adhere to traditional practices of transparency, equal representation and public input — as happened with similar advisory entities from the Reagan to the Obama administrations.The Federal Advisory Committee Act “is designed expressly for situations like this," wrote Lisa Gilbert and Robert Weissman, the co-chairs of Public Citizen in a letter to the Trump transition team."If the government is going to turn to unelected and politically unaccountable persons to make recommendations as grand as $2 trillion in budget cuts, it must ensure those recommendations come from a balanced and transparent process not rigged to benefit insiders.”The nation's $6 trillion federal budget routinely runs a deficit, which this year ran $1.8 trillion, a historic high, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It has not been balanced since the Clinton administration more than two decades ago.Republicans generally blame what they see as exorbitant spending for the deficit, while Democrats point to tax cuts enacted under Republican presidents Trump and George W. Bush as the major driver.Receipts last year as a percentage of gross domestic product came in just below the average for the past 50 years, while outlays were equal to 23.4% of GDP, compared to the 50-year average of 21.1%Some of the biggest increases in spending last year occurred with politically popular programs that lawmakers will be reticent to touch. For example, spending on Social Security benefits went up 8%, Medicare outlays increased 9%, spending on defense went up 7% and spending on veterans health care rose 14%, according to the Congressional Budget Office.Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he would like to see Musk testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the “bloated defense budget.”“I’d like to see Elon recommend some cuts. Let’s have him testify,” Khanna said.He said he’s open to hearing proposals on non-defense spending, but was skeptical.“If they find waste, maybe, but in terms of big numbers, I mean, no one is going to allow for cutting education funding for special needs kids and for low-income schools, or for cutting Social Security and Medicare,” Khanna said. “If they want to do that, they’re going to hand us a landslide in 2026.”

🎥Kan. lawmaker attends Elon Musk DOGE event on Capitol Hill

COWLEY COUNTY —Police arrested a driver after an early morning crash in Cowley County.

Just before 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Friday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a crash in the 1400 block of North Summit Street in Arkansas City, according to a media release.

Officers located a pickup truck that had left the roadway and struck a utility pole. The vehicle towed a small boat and sustained significant damage, as did the utility pole.

The driver, identified as Jeffrey Scott Brown, 65, of Moberly, Missouri., was walking near the scene when officers arrived.

The Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department responded to assist with securing the area due to safety concerns from the damaged utility pole and vehicle.

Following an investigation, police arrested Brown on requested charges of Driving Under the Influence and Transporting an Open Container. He was transported to the Cowley County Jail, where he is being held on a $750 bond.

Evergy was notified of the damage, and crews have temporarily secured the pole.&nbsp; It will be replaced on Monday, according to the police department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733513704610.png" alt="Brown photo Cowley Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Cowley Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Police arrested a driver after an early morning crash in Cowley County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733505325772.png" alt="Photos Arkansas City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Arkansas City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Friday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a crash in the 1400 block of North Summit Street in Arkansas City, according to a media release.Officers located a pickup truck that had left the roadway and struck a utility pole. The vehicle towed a small boat and sustained significant damage, as did the utility pole.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733505293855.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, identified as Jeffrey Scott Brown, 65, of Moberly, Missouri., was walking near the scene when officers arrived.The Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department responded to assist with securing the area due to safety concerns from the damaged utility pole and vehicle.Following an investigation, police arrested Brown on requested charges of Driving Under the Influence and Transporting an Open Container. He was transported to the Cowley County Jail, where he is being held on a $750 bond.Evergy was notified of the damage, and crews have temporarily secured the pole.&nbsp; It will be replaced on Monday, according to the police department.

Driver towing a boat accused of DUI after crash in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-pardon-president-trump-e2d0ce366c6980cd31c6717edbc9938a">is weighing whether to issue sweeping</a>&nbsp;pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-enemies-from-within-5c4a34776469a55e71d3ba4d4e68cf62">targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power.

The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all.

Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes – and usually those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for those who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. They fear that Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets even if they don’t result in prosecutions.

While the president’s pardon power is absolute, Biden’s use in this fashion would mark a significant expansion of how they are deployed, and some Biden aides fear it could lay the groundwork for an even more drastic usage by Trump. They also worry that issuing pardons would feed into claims by Trump and his allies that the individuals committed acts that necessitated immunity.

Recipients could include infectious-disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was instrumental in combating the coronavirus pandemic and who has become a pariah to conservatives angry about mask mandates and vaccines. Others include witnesses in Trump’s criminal or civil trials and Biden administration officials who have drawn the ire of the incoming president and his allies.

Some fearful former officials have reached out to the Biden White House preemptively seeking some sort of protection from the future Trump administration, one of the people said.

It follows Biden’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25">pardon his son Hunter</a>&nbsp;— not just for his convictions on federal gun and tax violations, but for any potential federal offense committed over an 11-year period, as the president feared that Trump allies would seek to prosecute his son for other offenses. That could serve as a model for other pardons Biden might issue to those who could find themselves in legal jeopardy under Trump.

Biden is not the first to consider such pardons — Trump aides considered them for him and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in a violent riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But he could be the first to issue them since Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office nearly four years ago.

Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. He believed a potential trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States," as written in the pardon proclamation.

Politico was first to report that Biden was studying the use of preemptive pardons.

On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him.

Trump has talked about&nbsp;<a href="https://enemies/">“enemies from within"</a>&nbsp;and circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">zeroed in on former Rep. Liz Cheney,</a>&nbsp;a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris and helped investigate Jan. 6, and he promoted a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals for supposed treason.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-fisa-russia-2d215ded96ad8a08689b6f7f0b2d49ec">Kash Patel, whom Trump has announced</a>&nbsp;as his nominee to be director of the FBI, has listed dozens of former government officials he wanted to “come after.”

Richard Painter, a Trump critic who served as the top White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said he was reluctantly in support of having Biden issue sweeping pardons to people who could be targeted by Trump's administration. He said he hoped that would “clean the slate” for the incoming president and encourage him to focus on governing, not on punishing his political allies.

“It’s not an ideal situation at all,” Painter said. “We have a whole lot of bad options confronting us at this point.”

While the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">Supreme Court this year ruled that the president enjoys broad immunity</a>&nbsp;from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, his aides and allies enjoy no such shield. Some fear that Trump could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage his allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law.

“There could be blatant illegal conduct over the next four years, and he can go out and pardon his people before he leaves office,” Painter said. "But if he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that anyway regardless of what Biden does."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660730933829.png" alt="Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney" />
 <figcaption>Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-pardon-president-trump-e2d0ce366c6980cd31c6717edbc9938a">is weighing whether to issue sweeping</a>&nbsp;pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-enemies-from-within-5c4a34776469a55e71d3ba4d4e68cf62">targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power.The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all.Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes – and usually those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for those who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. They fear that Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets even if they don’t result in prosecutions.While the president’s pardon power is absolute, Biden’s use in this fashion would mark a significant expansion of how they are deployed, and some Biden aides fear it could lay the groundwork for an even more drastic usage by Trump. They also worry that issuing pardons would feed into claims by Trump and his allies that the individuals committed acts that necessitated immunity.Recipients could include infectious-disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was instrumental in combating the coronavirus pandemic and who has become a pariah to conservatives angry about mask mandates and vaccines. Others include witnesses in Trump’s criminal or civil trials and Biden administration officials who have drawn the ire of the incoming president and his allies.Some fearful former officials have reached out to the Biden White House preemptively seeking some sort of protection from the future Trump administration, one of the people said.It follows Biden’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25">pardon his son Hunter</a>&nbsp;— not just for his convictions on federal gun and tax violations, but for any potential federal offense committed over an 11-year period, as the president feared that Trump allies would seek to prosecute his son for other offenses. That could serve as a model for other pardons Biden might issue to those who could find themselves in legal jeopardy under Trump.Biden is not the first to consider such pardons — Trump aides considered them for him and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in a violent riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But he could be the first to issue them since Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office nearly four years ago.Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. He believed a potential trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States," as written in the pardon proclamation.Politico was first to report that Biden was studying the use of preemptive pardons.On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him.Trump has talked about&nbsp;<a href="https://enemies/">“enemies from within"</a>&nbsp;and circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">zeroed in on former Rep. Liz Cheney,</a>&nbsp;a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris and helped investigate Jan. 6, and he promoted a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals for supposed treason.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-fisa-russia-2d215ded96ad8a08689b6f7f0b2d49ec">Kash Patel, whom Trump has announced</a>&nbsp;as his nominee to be director of the FBI, has listed dozens of former government officials he wanted to “come after.”Richard Painter, a Trump critic who served as the top White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said he was reluctantly in support of having Biden issue sweeping pardons to people who could be targeted by Trump's administration. He said he hoped that would “clean the slate” for the incoming president and encourage him to focus on governing, not on punishing his political allies.“It’s not an ideal situation at all,” Painter said. “We have a whole lot of bad options confronting us at this point.”While the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">Supreme Court this year ruled that the president enjoys broad immunity</a>&nbsp;from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, his aides and allies enjoy no such shield. Some fear that Trump could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage his allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law.“There could be blatant illegal conduct over the next four years, and he can go out and pardon his people before he leaves office,” Painter said. "But if he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that anyway regardless of what Biden does."

Biden weighs pre-emptive pardons for potential targets of Trump’s retribution

HARPER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Friday in Harper County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F150 driven by&nbsp; Joseph&nbsp;Bailey, 49, Kingman, was westbound at 309 west 14th Street.

The pickup traveled left sideswiping a light pole and barrier.The pickup continued westbound for another block and collided with eastbound 2020 Kenworth semi driven by Nathaniel Burgess, 59, Republic, Missouri.

After impact, the pickup bounced off the semi trailer and struck the&nbsp; front of 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Mark Bowen, 66, Harper.&nbsp;

Bailey was transported to Patterson Hospital in Anthony where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The other drivers were not injured. The KHP had incomplete seatbelt usage information.

HARPER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Friday in Harper County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F150 driven by&nbsp; Joseph&nbsp;Bailey, 49, Kingman, was westbound at 309 west 14th Street.The pickup traveled left sideswiping a light pole and barrier.The pickup continued westbound for another block and collided with eastbound 2020 Kenworth semi driven by Nathaniel Burgess, 59, Republic, Missouri.After impact, the pickup bounced off the semi trailer and struck the&nbsp; front of 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Mark Bowen, 66, Harper.&nbsp;Bailey was transported to Patterson Hospital in Anthony where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The other drivers were not injured. The KHP had incomplete seatbelt usage information.

Kansas man dies after 3-vehicle crash

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just before 4a.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire near 110th and N. Lewis, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported heavy fire on arrival and initiated interior operations using two handlines. Searches of the structure came back all clear. The occupants were able to evacuate prior to KCFD arrival. No injuries were reported at this incident. 

Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults and 2 pets. Authorities have not released a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733505932292.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just before 4a.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire near 110th and N. Lewis, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported heavy fire on arrival and initiated interior operations using two handlines. Searches of the structure came back all clear. The occupants were able to evacuate prior to KCFD arrival. No injuries were reported at this incident. Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults and 2 pets. Authorities have not released a damage estimate.

2 adults, 2 pets escape house fire in Kansas City

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%20and%20SUMMER%20BALLENTINE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood wanted to resume offering abortions in several Missouri clinics on Friday, immediately after a newly passed constitutional amendment rolling back the state’s near-total ban took effect, but they remain on hold as a complicated court battle drags on.

The issue is that the amendment does not specifically override any state laws. And even before the end of Roe v. Wade enabled Missouri's Republican-led legislature to approve a near-total ban, the state's numerous restrictions left the state with just one abortion clinic, in St. Louis.

Missouri’s Republican attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">says</a>&nbsp;many of those old laws — like a 72-hour waiting period — should still be enforced despite the amendment; Planned Parenthood says they shouldn't.

Prosecutors are caught in the middle. They want a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the old laws while attorneys argue about what to do.

But so far, Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang hasn't acted on that request.

“As of today, Missourians have an unrealized constitutional right,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains in a written statement. "They are entitled to access abortion under the state’s constitution, and every day they cannot get that care here at home, their rights are being violated.”

Here is what to know about the complicated legal battle and the state of abortion access:

Missouri was one of several states that moved to expand access

Missouri is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">five states</a>&nbsp;where voters approved ballot measures in November adding the right to an abortion to their state constitutions. Ultimately approved by almost 52% of voters, it guarantees people’s right to make decisions about their reproductive health, such as whether to get an abortion, take birth control or get in vitro fertilization.

While the amendment is widely understood to prevent the state from restricting abortions up to the point of viability, abortion-rights advocates must persuade judges to prevent old regulations from being enforced.

Reproductive rights activists are also suing to dismantle Arizona's 15-week abortion ban that conflicts with the fundamental right to abortion voters approved.

Maryland's new abortion rights amendment won't make an immediate difference, since the state already allows access to abortion. It's a similar situation in Montana, where abortion is already legal until viability. Colorado's measure enshrined already-existing access and also undoes an earlier amendment that prohibited state and local government funding for abortion, opening the possibility of state Medicaid and government employee insurance plans covering care.

From voting booths to a courtroom in Kansas City

The day after voters approved Missouri's amendment, the two Planned Parenthood branches asked a judge to find the state’s near-total ban and most of its other abortion regulations unenforceable.

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey has already conceded that most abortions are now legal. He issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">an opinion</a>&nbsp;last month, stating that he will not enforce Missouri’s ban on abortions before viability.

But his office is still fighting to keep a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; bans on abortions based on race, sex or a possible Down syndrome diagnosis; and a requirement that medical facilities that provide abortions be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers, among other regulations.

The amendment leaves attorneys struggling with old laws

This patchwork of old laws is a big problem for abortion providers. They say those restrictions had effectively blocked abortions across most of the state even before Missouri enacted a law banning all abortions except in cases of medical emergency, minutes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe was toppled.</a>

“We have already been living in a post-Roe world,” Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said at the time.

But Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine has defended these laws, arguing that most women regret their abortions and that the requirements are designed to give them the time to think through their decisions.

"What we are trying to do is create a situation where women can in fact make the choice they want to do and we know that most of the time that is childbirth,” Divine said after a court hearing Wednesday.

Wales, of Planned Parenthood, said Missourians showed at the ballot box that they value reproductive rights. And she expressed frustration with what she described as "an Attorney General’s office that has made clear it will fight tooth and nail to prevent Missourians from accessing their new constitutional right to reproductive freedom.”

Ballentine reported from Columbia, Missouri.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%20and%20SUMMER%20BALLENTINE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood wanted to resume offering abortions in several Missouri clinics on Friday, immediately after a newly passed constitutional amendment rolling back the state’s near-total ban took effect, but they remain on hold as a complicated court battle drags on.The issue is that the amendment does not specifically override any state laws. And even before the end of Roe v. Wade enabled Missouri's Republican-led legislature to approve a near-total ban, the state's numerous restrictions left the state with just one abortion clinic, in St. Louis.Missouri’s Republican attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">says</a>&nbsp;many of those old laws — like a 72-hour waiting period — should still be enforced despite the amendment; Planned Parenthood says they shouldn't.Prosecutors are caught in the middle. They want a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the old laws while attorneys argue about what to do.But so far, Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang hasn't acted on that request.“As of today, Missourians have an unrealized constitutional right,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains in a written statement. "They are entitled to access abortion under the state’s constitution, and every day they cannot get that care here at home, their rights are being violated.”Here is what to know about the complicated legal battle and the state of abortion access:<h2>Missouri was one of several states that moved to expand access</h2>Missouri is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">five states</a>&nbsp;where voters approved ballot measures in November adding the right to an abortion to their state constitutions. Ultimately approved by almost 52% of voters, it guarantees people’s right to make decisions about their reproductive health, such as whether to get an abortion, take birth control or get in vitro fertilization.While the amendment is widely understood to prevent the state from restricting abortions up to the point of viability, abortion-rights advocates must persuade judges to prevent old regulations from being enforced.Reproductive rights activists are also suing to dismantle Arizona's 15-week abortion ban that conflicts with the fundamental right to abortion voters approved.Maryland's new abortion rights amendment won't make an immediate difference, since the state already allows access to abortion. It's a similar situation in Montana, where abortion is already legal until viability. Colorado's measure enshrined already-existing access and also undoes an earlier amendment that prohibited state and local government funding for abortion, opening the possibility of state Medicaid and government employee insurance plans covering care.<h2>From voting booths to a courtroom in Kansas City</h2>The day after voters approved Missouri's amendment, the two Planned Parenthood branches asked a judge to find the state’s near-total ban and most of its other abortion regulations unenforceable.Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey has already conceded that most abortions are now legal. He issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">an opinion</a>&nbsp;last month, stating that he will not enforce Missouri’s ban on abortions before viability.But his office is still fighting to keep a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; bans on abortions based on race, sex or a possible Down syndrome diagnosis; and a requirement that medical facilities that provide abortions be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers, among other regulations.<h2>The amendment leaves attorneys struggling with old laws</h2>This patchwork of old laws is a big problem for abortion providers. They say those restrictions had effectively blocked abortions across most of the state even before Missouri enacted a law banning all abortions except in cases of medical emergency, minutes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe was toppled.</a>“We have already been living in a post-Roe world,” Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said at the time.But Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine has defended these laws, arguing that most women regret their abortions and that the requirements are designed to give them the time to think through their decisions."What we are trying to do is create a situation where women can in fact make the choice they want to do and we know that most of the time that is childbirth,” Divine said after a court hearing Wednesday.Wales, of Planned Parenthood, said Missourians showed at the ballot box that they value reproductive rights. And she expressed frustration with what she described as "an Attorney General’s office that has made clear it will fight tooth and nail to prevent Missourians from accessing their new constitutional right to reproductive freedom.”___Ballentine reported from Columbia, Missouri.

Access to abortion in Missouri still on hold; waiting for court ruling

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. government on Friday ordered testing of the nation's milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw or unpasteurized milk</a>&nbsp;from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16, the Agriculture Department said. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

Officials said the move is aimed at “containing and ultimately eliminating the virus," known as Type A H5N1, which was detected for the first time in March in U.S. dairy cows. Since then, more than 700 herds have been confirmed to be infected in 15 states.

“This will give farms and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

The risk to people from bird flu remains low, health officials said. Pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the virus in milk, leaving it safe to drink.

Veterinarians, farmers, scientists and academics have been calling for nationwide milk testing for months, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who led the efforts.

“It's another step in the right direction,” Poulsen said. “They're coming around that we need a better handle on it.”

Dairy farmers and processors across the U.S. have been reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus, fearing economic or other repercussions. Jamie Jonker, chief science officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, said the industry supports USDA efforts to eliminate the virus.

Under the federal order, dairy farmers and those who handle raw milk intended for pasteurization must provide samples of the milk on request for testing for bird flu. It requires reporting of positive tests to the USDA and it requires herd owners to provide basic information to allow tracing of the disease in cattle.

The move follows an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-avian-influenza-h5n1-hpai-60ce37b87616995fee5ec7faead37dde">April 24 federal order</a>&nbsp;that mandated testing of certain dairy cattle before they could move between states and required reporting of any positive tests. Despite that order, the virus has continued to spread, Poulsen noted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722448527185.png" alt="File Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association" />
 <figcaption>File Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. government on Friday ordered testing of the nation's milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw or unpasteurized milk</a>&nbsp;from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16, the Agriculture Department said. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.Officials said the move is aimed at “containing and ultimately eliminating the virus," known as Type A H5N1, which was detected for the first time in March in U.S. dairy cows. Since then, more than 700 herds have been confirmed to be infected in 15 states.“This will give farms and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.The risk to people from bird flu remains low, health officials said. Pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the virus in milk, leaving it safe to drink.Veterinarians, farmers, scientists and academics have been calling for nationwide milk testing for months, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who led the efforts.“It's another step in the right direction,” Poulsen said. “They're coming around that we need a better handle on it.”Dairy farmers and processors across the U.S. have been reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus, fearing economic or other repercussions. Jamie Jonker, chief science officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, said the industry supports USDA efforts to eliminate the virus.Under the federal order, dairy farmers and those who handle raw milk intended for pasteurization must provide samples of the milk on request for testing for bird flu. It requires reporting of positive tests to the USDA and it requires herd owners to provide basic information to allow tracing of the disease in cattle.The move follows an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-avian-influenza-h5n1-hpai-60ce37b87616995fee5ec7faead37dde">April 24 federal order</a>&nbsp;that mandated testing of certain dairy cattle before they could move between states and required reporting of any positive tests. Despite that order, the virus has continued to spread, Poulsen noted.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw milk</a>&nbsp;from infected cows contains high loads of live virus, testing has shown.At least 58 people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu, mostly farm workers who became mildly ill after close contact with infected cows, including their milk, or infected poultry.Bird flu has also been spreading among wild birds and a number of other animals.Federal officials continue to warn against drinking raw milk, which can contain a host of germs that make people sick. In California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-raw-farm-recall-5893b7b823efcaf4389b77fc01fb0c56">officials quarantined</a>&nbsp;a farm and halted distribution of milk after bird flu virus was detected in raw milk sold in stores. Raw Farm of Fresno issued a voluntary recall of raw milk and cream produced after Nov. 9.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.