JERUSALEM (AP)— Three U.S. service members assigned to the floating pier system that is helping bring aid into Gaza received injuries while at sea working on the distribution process, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of Central Command, told reporters on a call Thursday.

One of the service members was on a ship. Cooper did not provide details on the other two, but said two of the troops had already returned to duty, while a third was receiving care at an Israeli hospital.

Ships deliver aid to the floating pier, which is large enough that forklifts can be driven on it to move pallets of cargo around. The pallets are transferred onto trucks, which in turn are loaded onto smaller Army boats. The boats then shuttle the trucks from the pier to a floating causeway, which is anchored to the shore.

No U.S. service members are on the causeway or on the ground in Gaza, Cooper said.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel is bracing for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-court-ceasefire-01d093d21a1eadaa31af5708cf1cbf38">top United Nations court to rule</a>&nbsp;Friday on whether it must halt its military operations and withdraw from Gaza.

After seven brutal months of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war with Israel</a>, Hamas has regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas in northern Gaza, resuming rocket attacks into nearby Israeli communities. Israel says its troops are operating in Rafah, central Gaza and in Jabaliya in the north.

Israel launched its war in Gaza after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more. The Israeli army said Friday that it recovered the bodies of three more hostages killed on Oct. 7.

Israel faces global criticism over the mounting death toll and devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 900,000 Palestinians have been displaced by fighting in the past few weeks alone, and now lack shelter, food, water and other essentials, the U.N. humanitarian agency said Wednesday.

At least 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">according to the Health Ministry</a>, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716517473525.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP)— Three U.S. service members assigned to the floating pier system that is helping bring aid into Gaza received injuries while at sea working on the distribution process, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of Central Command, told reporters on a call Thursday.One of the service members was on a ship. Cooper did not provide details on the other two, but said two of the troops had already returned to duty, while a third was receiving care at an Israeli hospital.Ships deliver aid to the floating pier, which is large enough that forklifts can be driven on it to move pallets of cargo around. The pallets are transferred onto trucks, which in turn are loaded onto smaller Army boats. The boats then shuttle the trucks from the pier to a floating causeway, which is anchored to the shore.No U.S. service members are on the causeway or on the ground in Gaza, Cooper said.Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel is bracing for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-court-ceasefire-01d093d21a1eadaa31af5708cf1cbf38">top United Nations court to rule</a>&nbsp;Friday on whether it must halt its military operations and withdraw from Gaza.After seven brutal months of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war with Israel</a>, Hamas has regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas in northern Gaza, resuming rocket attacks into nearby Israeli communities. Israel says its troops are operating in Rafah, central Gaza and in Jabaliya in the north.Israel launched its war in Gaza after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more. The Israeli army said Friday that it recovered the bodies of three more hostages killed on Oct. 7.Israel faces global criticism over the mounting death toll and devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 900,000 Palestinians have been displaced by fighting in the past few weeks alone, and now lack shelter, food, water and other essentials, the U.N. humanitarian agency said Wednesday.At least 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">according to the Health Ministry</a>, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

US service members treated for injuries related to pier off Gaza

FINNEY COUNTY—A school bus was involved in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Finney County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Alejandra&nbsp; Nunez, 29, Holcomb,&nbsp; failed to yield right of way to a 2015 GMC Denali driven by Lainey Mae Smith, 16, Garden City, at the intersection of Jones Avenue and VFW Road in Garden City.

The Chrysler struck the SUV on the drivers side. After impact the SUV continued southwest and struck a 2020 Bluebird school bus driven by Elizabeth&nbsp;Nunez, 43, Garden City, that was stopped at a stop sign.&nbsp;

There were 12 juveniles on the bus at the time of the crash. The KHP reported there were no injuries and all three drivers were properly restrained.&nbsp; The KHP office in southwest Kansas did not have information on the school or school district involved.&nbsp;

FINNEY COUNTY—A school bus was involved in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Finney County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Alejandra&nbsp; Nunez, 29, Holcomb,&nbsp; failed to yield right of way to a 2015 GMC Denali driven by Lainey Mae Smith, 16, Garden City, at the intersection of Jones Avenue and VFW Road in Garden City.The Chrysler struck the SUV on the drivers side. After impact the SUV continued southwest and struck a 2020 Bluebird school bus driven by Elizabeth&nbsp;Nunez, 43, Garden City, that was stopped at a stop sign.&nbsp;There were 12 juveniles on the bus at the time of the crash. The KHP reported there were no injuries and all three drivers were properly restrained.&nbsp; The KHP office in southwest Kansas did not have information on the school or school district involved.&nbsp;

Kansas school bus involved in 3-vehicle crash

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —Alameda County California Sheriff's Office&nbsp; investigators booked 31-year-old Howard Reed into the Santa Rita Jail following his extradition from the Leavenworth County Detention Center in Kansas, according to a media release.

Reed, a double homicide suspect, was wanted in connection with the shooting deaths of 32-year-0ld Jingwei "Melanie" Zhang and 38-year-old Dorothy Mak whom he shared a residence with in San Lorenzo. Investigators believe the homicide occurred on or around May 1.

&nbsp;Investigations put out an alert for Reed and the vehicle registered to him on May 4, after deputies located the victims' bodies during a welfare check at their shared home on Dermody Avenue. 

Reed was taken into custody days later by the Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp; who received a License Plate Reader hit on his vehicle. KHP booked Reed into the Leavenworth Detention Center, where he remained until&nbsp; detectives brought him back to Alameda County and booked him into the Santa Rita Jail.

The Alameda County Sheriff's office thanked the KHP, the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigations for assistance in this case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716387008239.png" alt="Reed-photo Leavenworth County" />
 <figcaption>Reed-photo Leavenworth County</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —Alameda County California Sheriff's Office&nbsp; investigators booked 31-year-old Howard Reed into the Santa Rita Jail following his extradition from the Leavenworth County Detention Center in Kansas, according to a media release.Reed, a double homicide suspect, was wanted in connection with the shooting deaths of 32-year-0ld Jingwei "Melanie" Zhang and 38-year-old Dorothy Mak whom he shared a residence with in San Lorenzo. Investigators believe the homicide occurred on or around May 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716386724941.png" alt="Reed booking photo Alameda County" />
 <figcaption>Reed booking photo Alameda County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Investigations put out an alert for Reed and the vehicle registered to him on May 4, after deputies located the victims' bodies during a welfare check at their shared home on Dermody Avenue. Reed was taken into custody days later by the Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp; who received a License Plate Reader hit on his vehicle. KHP booked Reed into the Leavenworth Detention Center, where he remained until&nbsp; detectives brought him back to Alameda County and booked him into the Santa Rita Jail.The Alameda County Sheriff's office thanked the KHP, the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigations for assistance in this case.

KHP helps capture California double homicide suspect 

NEW YORK (AP) —The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims</a>,a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.

The Pac-12 became the final conference to sign off on the proposal Thursday when its university leaders voted to approve, according to a person with direct knowledge of the results.

The Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors unanimously approved the deal earlier Thursday, another person with knowledge of that decision told The Associated Press. Both spoke spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement between the Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA was still being prepared.

The other organizations voted to approve earlier in the week ahead of a Thursday deadline given by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and challenges could arise, but if the agreement stands it will mark the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments.

The details in the plan signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishments for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-sports-0aee610b0152c02dcd5d3eddb4d29f76">lifted restrictions on endorsement deals</a>&nbsp;backed by so-called name, image and likeness money.

Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where a star quarterback or top prospect on a college basketball team are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.

There are a host of details still to be determined, but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.

Some of that money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-752156fdb0ea01445f52b1b109d14922">dozens of other NCAA member schools</a>&nbsp;will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.

Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences will end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which will be paid to athletes going forward.

The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the other 10 schools leave.

In the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap.

Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions.

Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.

The class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">House v. the NCAA,</a>&nbsp;was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money.

The suit also made the case that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.

Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: That schools don't directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship.

That principle had already been dented numerous times over the last decade.

Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-supreme-court-alston-college-athlete-benefits-5be12caeaf014da7d71baf0bb60646fe">against the NCAA in 2021</a>&nbsp;in a case related to education-related benefits. The narrow focus of the Alston case didn't collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA's model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year."

The settlement is expected to cover two other antitrust cases facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California.

A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-3e26c017980afe0ee1c6a28f77abcf5a">denied a request</a>&nbsp;to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don't want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.

“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs' attorney in Fontenot.

The solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.

In December, NCAA President Charlie Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6">proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics</a>&nbsp;where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion.

The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1095US1095&amp;oq=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCjEzMTU2ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deemed employees</a>&nbsp;of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-nil-charlie-baker-hearing-senate-83ed8f9e1fb267db1ce5e24d6b79617a">are fighting against.</a>

Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization's authority. As it is,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuits-d3abf6cdbe606668eb9a91ffd2218f72">the NCAA is still facing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.

Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-nil-f8b4d71460b9950694bfc66e2e6479e2">several bills have been introduced</a>&nbsp;none have gone anywhere.

Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587379293613.jpeg" alt="The settlement could cost KU and K-State millions" />
 <figcaption>The settlement could cost KU and K-State millions</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims</a>,a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement on settlement: <a href="https://t.co/H6o5HYIhKM">pic.twitter.com/H6o5HYIhKM</a>&mdash; Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) <a href="https://twitter.com/Big12Conference/status/1793808006527738160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Pac-12 became the final conference to sign off on the proposal Thursday when its university leaders voted to approve, according to a person with direct knowledge of the results.The Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors unanimously approved the deal earlier Thursday, another person with knowledge of that decision told The Associated Press. Both spoke spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement between the Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA was still being prepared.The other organizations voted to approve earlier in the week ahead of a Thursday deadline given by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and challenges could arise, but if the agreement stands it will mark the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments.The details in the plan signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishments for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-sports-0aee610b0152c02dcd5d3eddb4d29f76">lifted restrictions on endorsement deals</a>&nbsp;backed by so-called name, image and likeness money.Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where a star quarterback or top prospect on a college basketball team are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.There are a host of details still to be determined, but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.Some of that money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-752156fdb0ea01445f52b1b109d14922">dozens of other NCAA member schools</a>&nbsp;will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences will end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which will be paid to athletes going forward.The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the other 10 schools leave.PAYING ATHLETESIn the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap.Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions.Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.THE CASEThe class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">House v. the NCAA,</a>&nbsp;was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money.The suit also made the case that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: That schools don't directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship.That principle had already been dented numerous times over the last decade.Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-supreme-court-alston-college-athlete-benefits-5be12caeaf014da7d71baf0bb60646fe">against the NCAA in 2021</a>&nbsp;in a case related to education-related benefits. The narrow focus of the Alston case didn't collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA's model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year."THE OTHER CASESThe settlement is expected to cover two other antitrust cases facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California.A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-3e26c017980afe0ee1c6a28f77abcf5a">denied a request</a>&nbsp;to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don't want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs' attorney in Fontenot.COLLEGE ATHLETICS OVERHAULThe solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.In December, NCAA President Charlie Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6">proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics</a>&nbsp;where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion.The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1095US1095&amp;oq=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCjEzMTU2ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deemed employees</a>&nbsp;of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-nil-charlie-baker-hearing-senate-83ed8f9e1fb267db1ce5e24d6b79617a">are fighting against.</a>Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization's authority. As it is,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuits-d3abf6cdbe606668eb9a91ffd2218f72">the NCAA is still facing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-nil-f8b4d71460b9950694bfc66e2e6479e2">several bills have been introduced</a>&nbsp;none have gone anywhere.Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.___

NCAA, nation's biggest conferences ok $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement

NEOSHO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 3a.m. Thursday in Neosho County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Malibu driven by&nbsp;Timothy John Vanleeuwen, 36, Savonburg, was southbound on U.S. 59 just south of Kansas 39 Highway. 

The car crossed the centerline, traveled off the roadway to the left and came to rest at the bottom of the ditch ravine. 

Vanleeuwen was ejected in the crash, pronounce dead at the scene and was transported to the Forensic Center Kansas City. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

NEOSHO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 3a.m. Thursday in Neosho County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Malibu driven by&nbsp;Timothy John Vanleeuwen, 36, Savonburg, was southbound on U.S. 59 just south of Kansas 39 Highway. The car crossed the centerline, traveled off the roadway to the left and came to rest at the bottom of the ditch ravine. Vanleeuwen was ejected in the crash, pronounce dead at the scene and was transported to the Forensic Center Kansas City. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after ejected when car lands in ravine

CARTHAGE, Mo. (AP) — Sam Butcher, the artist who created the Precious Moments figurines depicting angelic teardrop-eyed children, has died. He was 85.

The company said in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPreciousMoments/posts/pfbid02CjXCJ7LRLisyo7DmHYwatfjtQXyMQUi3y2Sos6wh235po4BB9CPhzyDeaBcCLH41l">post</a>&nbsp;that he died early Monday surrounded by family. It said his life's mission was “to share God’s gift of love with the world.” No details about his cause of death were provided.

Some of the Christian-themed figurines feature Bible verses or children praying. Fans have collections numbering in the hundreds, while critics deride them as kitsch.

Butcher's childhood love of illustrating got a wider audience when he began telling Bible stories on a children’s ministry television show while he drew. That experience led to him cofounding a business in 1974 named Jonathan &amp; David after the biblical figures, according to his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/sam-butcher-1939-2024-precious-moments-founder-and-artist/">online obituary.</a>

Early offerings included greeting cards. And within a few years, those drawings were transformed into porcelain figurines.

Thousands of designs have been produced over the decades, and fans of his work flock each year to the Precious Moments Inspiration Park and Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri.

The cornerstone of the pastel-painted, non-denominational oasis is the chapel, which Butcher was inspired to build by a 1983 trip to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. It includes 84 Biblical murals that cover more than 5,000 square feet.

CARTHAGE, Mo. (AP) — Sam Butcher, the artist who created the Precious Moments figurines depicting angelic teardrop-eyed children, has died. He was 85.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOfficialPreciousMoments%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02CjXCJ7LRLisyo7DmHYwatfjtQXyMQUi3y2Sos6wh235po4BB9CPhzyDeaBcCLH41l&show_text=true&width=500&is_preview=true" width="500" height="764" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The company said in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPreciousMoments/posts/pfbid02CjXCJ7LRLisyo7DmHYwatfjtQXyMQUi3y2Sos6wh235po4BB9CPhzyDeaBcCLH41l">post</a>&nbsp;that he died early Monday surrounded by family. It said his life's mission was “to share God’s gift of love with the world.” No details about his cause of death were provided.Some of the Christian-themed figurines feature Bible verses or children praying. Fans have collections numbering in the hundreds, while critics deride them as kitsch.Butcher's childhood love of illustrating got a wider audience when he began telling Bible stories on a children’s ministry television show while he drew. That experience led to him cofounding a business in 1974 named Jonathan &amp; David after the biblical figures, according to his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/sam-butcher-1939-2024-precious-moments-founder-and-artist/">online obituary.</a>Early offerings included greeting cards. And within a few years, those drawings were transformed into porcelain figurines.Thousands of designs have been produced over the decades, and fans of his work flock each year to the Precious Moments Inspiration Park and Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri.The cornerstone of the pastel-painted, non-denominational oasis is the chapel, which Butcher was inspired to build by a 1983 trip to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. It includes 84 Biblical murals that cover more than 5,000 square feet.

Precious Moments creator Sam Butcher dies at 85

TEXAS COUNTY (AP) —The bodies of two Kansas women who disappeared in Oklahoma were found in a buried freezer, according to recently unsealed court documents.

The bodies of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, both of Hugoton, Kansas, were found April 14 buried on land in rural Texas County and rented by Tad Cullum, who is among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ad12febeab316e7d5ff7746aa05efa7f">five people charged</a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bodies-found-missing-kansas-women-search-oklahoma-91796a0b0b4d02db3d593da9c1bf0f5a">kidnapping and killing the two women</a>, according to the documents unsealed March 15.

Also found on the land, which Cullum rented for cattle grazing, were articles of clothing, duct tape and a knife, each “with possible blood on them,” in addition to black tape, electrical cord and a combination stun gun/flashlight, according to the documents.

Cullum, 43, his girlfriend Tifany Adams, 54, both of Keyes, Oklahoma; husband and wife Cole Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, of Texhoma, Oklahoma; and Paul Grice, 31, are each charged with two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping and a single count of conspiracy to commit murder.

All are being held without bail and a gag order in the case prohibits attorneys from commenting on the case.

Investigators have said Butler and Adams were in a bitter child dispute over custody of Butler’s children, who are Adams’ grandchildren.

Butler's attorney told investigators that Butler was likely to be granted unsupervised visitation during a hearing scheduled just more than two weeks after the two disappeared, the documents state.

Butler and Kelley, who was to supervise a visitation with Butler and her children, disappeared March 30 while driving to pick up Butler’s two children from Adams for a birthday party.

The women’s car was found near the rural highway intersection about 260 miles (418 kilometers) from where Butler was to pick up her son and daughter. Butler’s glasses were found near the car and blood was found on the roadway, according to an arrest affidavit.

The buried freezer with the bodies inside was found about 8.5 miles (14 kilometers) from where the car was found and in the area where prepaid cell phones purchased by Adams were traced, according to the court documents.

A witness also told an investigator the Grice had asked him shortly after the bodies were found how long it would take the state lab to process DNA evidence, how long DNA would tast in dirt, how long DNA would last on clothing in dirt in a 15 feet deep hole and if he knew how to get a “guy and his family” into Mexico, according to documents.

The witness told the investigator that Grice said he was concerned about his DNA being in the hole where the bodies were found “because he had been to the Twombly residence.”

Another witness told Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents that all five suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation” known as “God's Misfits” according to an affidavit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713359723848.jpeg" alt="This combination photo shows Veronica Butler, left, and Jilian Kelley, right. On Saturday, April 13, 2024, (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>This combination photo shows Veronica Butler, left, and Jilian Kelley, right. On Saturday, April 13, 2024, (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TEXAS COUNTY (AP) —The bodies of two Kansas women who disappeared in Oklahoma were found in a buried freezer, according to recently unsealed court documents.The bodies of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, both of Hugoton, Kansas, were found April 14 buried on land in rural Texas County and rented by Tad Cullum, who is among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ad12febeab316e7d5ff7746aa05efa7f">five people charged</a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bodies-found-missing-kansas-women-search-oklahoma-91796a0b0b4d02db3d593da9c1bf0f5a">kidnapping and killing the two women</a>, according to the documents unsealed March 15.Also found on the land, which Cullum rented for cattle grazing, were articles of clothing, duct tape and a knife, each “with possible blood on them,” in addition to black tape, electrical cord and a combination stun gun/flashlight, according to the documents.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713056452999.png" alt="Counterclockwise from top-43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly -photos Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation" />
 <figcaption>Counterclockwise from top-43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly -photos Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation</figcaption>
 </figure>Cullum, 43, his girlfriend Tifany Adams, 54, both of Keyes, Oklahoma; husband and wife Cole Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, of Texhoma, Oklahoma; and Paul Grice, 31, are each charged with two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping and a single count of conspiracy to commit murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713991420283.png" alt="Grice -photo OSBI" />
 <figcaption>Grice -photo OSBI</figcaption>
 </figure>All are being held without bail and a gag order in the case prohibits attorneys from commenting on the case.Investigators have said Butler and Adams were in a bitter child dispute over custody of Butler’s children, who are Adams’ grandchildren.Butler's attorney told investigators that Butler was likely to be granted unsupervised visitation during a hearing scheduled just more than two weeks after the two disappeared, the documents state.Butler and Kelley, who was to supervise a visitation with Butler and her children, disappeared March 30 while driving to pick up Butler’s two children from Adams for a birthday party.The women’s car was found near the rural highway intersection about 260 miles (418 kilometers) from where Butler was to pick up her son and daughter. Butler’s glasses were found near the car and blood was found on the roadway, according to an arrest affidavit.The buried freezer with the bodies inside was found about 8.5 miles (14 kilometers) from where the car was found and in the area where prepaid cell phones purchased by Adams were traced, according to the court documents.A witness also told an investigator the Grice had asked him shortly after the bodies were found how long it would take the state lab to process DNA evidence, how long DNA would tast in dirt, how long DNA would last on clothing in dirt in a 15 feet deep hole and if he knew how to get a “guy and his family” into Mexico, according to documents.The witness told the investigator that Grice said he was concerned about his DNA being in the hole where the bodies were found “because he had been to the Twombly residence.”Another witness told Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents that all five suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation” known as “God's Misfits” according to an affidavit.

Court documents reveal new details on Kan. moms murdered in Oklahoma

BOONE COUNTY —Authorities in Boone County Arkansas say a Kansas woman identified as 69-year-old Judy Henderson-Bailey of Topeka&nbsp; drowned last weekend at the Carver, Buffalo National River.

&nbsp;Just after 5p.m. May 19, the Buffalo National River dispatch learned of a possible drowning in the upper district of the river near Carver, according to a media release from the National Park Service.

Judy Henderson-Bailey, 69, Topeka, Kansas, was floating in a private kayak that overturned after striking a tree in the river channel.&nbsp; After turning over in the water, the she was pulled under a submerged tree. 

Members of her floating party tried to extract her but were unsuccessful. She was not wearing a personal floatation device at the time. 

Buffalo National River thanked the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and the Hasty Volunteer Fire Department who also responded to the incident.

Currents, down trees, and underwater obstructions exist in rivers and creeks, which can make paddling more challenging. Buffalo National River offers a loaner life jacket program. You may borrow a life jacket from the Steel Creek Ranger Station, Tyler Bend Visitor Center, or Buffalo Point Ranger Station. Please call the Tyler Bend Visitor Center at 870-439-2502 to learn more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716481759897.png" alt="Photo National Park Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo National Park Service</figcaption>
 </figure>BOONE COUNTY —Authorities in Boone County Arkansas say a Kansas woman identified as 69-year-old Judy Henderson-Bailey of Topeka&nbsp; drowned last weekend at the Carver, Buffalo National River.&nbsp;Just after 5p.m. May 19, the Buffalo National River dispatch learned of a possible drowning in the upper district of the river near Carver, according to a media release from the National Park Service.Judy Henderson-Bailey, 69, Topeka, Kansas, was floating in a private kayak that overturned after striking a tree in the river channel.&nbsp; After turning over in the water, the she was pulled under a submerged tree. Members of her floating party tried to extract her but were unsuccessful. She was not wearing a personal floatation device at the time. Buffalo National River thanked the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and the Hasty Volunteer Fire Department who also responded to the incident.Currents, down trees, and underwater obstructions exist in rivers and creeks, which can make paddling more challenging. Buffalo National River offers a loaner life jacket program. You may borrow a life jacket from the Steel Creek Ranger Station, Tyler Bend Visitor Center, or Buffalo Point Ranger Station. Please call the Tyler Bend Visitor Center at 870-439-2502 to learn more.

Kansas woman drowns after kayak overturns in river

&nbsp;KANSAS CITy (AP) — A judge will soon decide the fate of a Missouri man who has spent more than three decades in prison for a killing he says he didn't commit.

Christopher Dunn was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1990 shooting death of 15-year-old Ricco Rogers. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore believes Dunn was wrongfully convicted, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-conviction-hearing-missouri-christopher-dunn-ffc9fb15b4cd207ee726d110cd8e74b8">requested a hearing</a>&nbsp;before Judge Jason Sengheiser. It concluded Wednesday.

“In this case, your honor, there simply remains no evidence at all,” Gore said, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/fate-of-man-who-claims-innocence-in-st-louis-murder-now-in-hands-of-judge/article_531064c2-188a-11ef-9bc7-9725c72808b8.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;reported.

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office opposed the effort to vacate Dunn's conviction. Lawyers for the state said that initial testimony from two boys at the scene who said Dunn was the shooter was correct, even though they later recanted as adults.

“That verdict was accurate, and that verdict should stand,” said Assistant Attorney General Tristin Estep.

Both sides will now submit written arguments to Sengheiser. It isn't clear when he will decide.

A Missouri law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">adopted in 2021</a>&nbsp;allows prosecutors to request hearings when they see evidence of a wrongful conviction. Gore filed a motion in February seeking to vacate the guilty verdict, citing “clear and convincing evidence of Christopher Dunn’s actual innocence.”

While Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office is not required to oppose such efforts, he also opposed another major effort in St. Louis when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-conviction-vacated-3eb7e5fbe6210dbc38b11995902b9947">Lamar Johnson</a>&nbsp;was freed last year after serving 28 years for a murder a judge ruled he was wrongfully convicted of.

Dunn was convicted based largely on the testimony of 14-year-old DeMorris Stepp and 12-year-old Michael Davis Jr., who said they witnessed the shooting but later recanted.

Rogers was shot to death on May 18, 1990, when a gunman opened fire while he was with a group of other teenage boys outside of a home. Davis and Stepp immediately claimed Dunn was the shooter.

In a recorded interview played Tuesday in court, Davis said he lied because he thought Dunn was affiliated with a rival gang.

Stepp's story has changed a few times over the years, Gore said at Wednesday's hearing. He has most recently said he did not see Dunn as the shooter. Gore said another judge previously found Stepp to be a “completely unreliable witness” and urged Sengheiser to discount him altogether.

Dunn has said he was at his mother's home at the time of the shooting. Childhood friend Nicole Bailey testified that she spoke with Dunn by phone that night. She said Dunn was speaking on a phone at his mother's house.

Estep, the assistant attorney general, said Dunn's alibi could not be trusted. She said his story has shifted multiple times over the years. Dunn did not testify at the hearing.

The 2021 law has resulted in the the release of two men who each spent decades in prison. In addition to Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-missouri-bba67efd61eaa165165e29a7298a1dc3">Kevin Strickland</a>&nbsp;was freed in 2021 after more than 40 years for three killings in Kansas City after a judge ruled he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">had been wrongfully convicted in 1979</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716285440731.png" alt="Dunn photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Dunn photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITy (AP) — A judge will soon decide the fate of a Missouri man who has spent more than three decades in prison for a killing he says he didn't commit.Christopher Dunn was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1990 shooting death of 15-year-old Ricco Rogers. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore believes Dunn was wrongfully convicted, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-conviction-hearing-missouri-christopher-dunn-ffc9fb15b4cd207ee726d110cd8e74b8">requested a hearing</a>&nbsp;before Judge Jason Sengheiser. It concluded Wednesday.“In this case, your honor, there simply remains no evidence at all,” Gore said, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/fate-of-man-who-claims-innocence-in-st-louis-murder-now-in-hands-of-judge/article_531064c2-188a-11ef-9bc7-9725c72808b8.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;reported.The Missouri Attorney General’s Office opposed the effort to vacate Dunn's conviction. Lawyers for the state said that initial testimony from two boys at the scene who said Dunn was the shooter was correct, even though they later recanted as adults.“That verdict was accurate, and that verdict should stand,” said Assistant Attorney General Tristin Estep.Both sides will now submit written arguments to Sengheiser. It isn't clear when he will decide.A Missouri law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">adopted in 2021</a>&nbsp;allows prosecutors to request hearings when they see evidence of a wrongful conviction. Gore filed a motion in February seeking to vacate the guilty verdict, citing “clear and convincing evidence of Christopher Dunn’s actual innocence.”While Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office is not required to oppose such efforts, he also opposed another major effort in St. Louis when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-conviction-vacated-3eb7e5fbe6210dbc38b11995902b9947">Lamar Johnson</a>&nbsp;was freed last year after serving 28 years for a murder a judge ruled he was wrongfully convicted of.Dunn was convicted based largely on the testimony of 14-year-old DeMorris Stepp and 12-year-old Michael Davis Jr., who said they witnessed the shooting but later recanted.Rogers was shot to death on May 18, 1990, when a gunman opened fire while he was with a group of other teenage boys outside of a home. Davis and Stepp immediately claimed Dunn was the shooter.In a recorded interview played Tuesday in court, Davis said he lied because he thought Dunn was affiliated with a rival gang.Stepp's story has changed a few times over the years, Gore said at Wednesday's hearing. He has most recently said he did not see Dunn as the shooter. Gore said another judge previously found Stepp to be a “completely unreliable witness” and urged Sengheiser to discount him altogether.Dunn has said he was at his mother's home at the time of the shooting. Childhood friend Nicole Bailey testified that she spoke with Dunn by phone that night. She said Dunn was speaking on a phone at his mother's house.Estep, the assistant attorney general, said Dunn's alibi could not be trusted. She said his story has shifted multiple times over the years. Dunn did not testify at the hearing.The 2021 law has resulted in the the release of two men who each spent decades in prison. In addition to Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-missouri-bba67efd61eaa165165e29a7298a1dc3">Kevin Strickland</a>&nbsp;was freed in 2021 after more than 40 years for three killings in Kansas City after a judge ruled he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">had been wrongfully convicted in 1979</a>.

Fate of Mo. man jailed more than 30 years now in the hands of a judge

KANSAS CITY —Three firefighters were injured fighting a Kansas City. house fire.

Just after 10p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to report of a house fire in the 700 block of Elmwood, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported heavy fire from a two-story vacant structure. The fire was heavily involved and extending to the homes both to the north and south and additional companies were ordered to the scene.

&nbsp;The fire was brought under control at 10:44 pm.&nbsp; Three firefighters sustained injuries during this operation, two were transported to local hospitals with non- life threatening but serious injuries including burns to lower extremities and one with severe dehydration, according to Hopkins.&nbsp;&nbsp;Searches of the home came back all clear. There were no other injuries reported.

One firefighter was treated at the hospital and released and will follow up for additional care. The other firefighter was kept in the hospital overnight for fluids and treatment but should be released Thursday, according to Hopkins.

The Red Cross responded to assist two adults. The cause of this fire is under investigation by KCFD.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716475600078.png" alt="Photos Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Three firefighters were injured fighting a Kansas City. house fire.Just after 10p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to report of a house fire in the 700 block of Elmwood, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported heavy fire from a two-story vacant structure. The fire was heavily involved and extending to the homes both to the north and south and additional companies were ordered to the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716475664056.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The fire was brought under control at 10:44 pm.&nbsp; Three firefighters sustained injuries during this operation, two were transported to local hospitals with non- life threatening but serious injuries including burns to lower extremities and one with severe dehydration, according to Hopkins.&nbsp;&nbsp;Searches of the home came back all clear. There were no other injuries reported.One firefighter was treated at the hospital and released and will follow up for additional care. The other firefighter was kept in the hospital overnight for fluids and treatment but should be released Thursday, according to Hopkins.The Red Cross responded to assist two adults. The cause of this fire is under investigation by KCFD.

3 firefighters injured battling Kansas City house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-justice">The Justice Department</a>&nbsp;filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America — squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, was being brought with 30 state and district attorneys general and seeks to break up the monopoly they say is squeezing out smaller promoters and hurting artists.

"We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;said in a statement. “The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”

The Justice Department accuses Live Nation of a slew of practices that allow it to maintain a stronghold over the live music scene, including using long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing rival ticketers, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and threatening venues that they could lose money and fans if they don't choose Ticketmaster. The Justice Department says Live Nation also threatened to retaliate against one firm if it didn't stop a subsidiary from competing for artist promotion contracts.

Live Nation said in prepared remarks Thursday that the Justice Department's lawsuit “won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees, and access to in-demand shows.”

Live Nation added that “calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment" — stating that most service fees go to venues. The company said it would defend itself “against these baseless allegations" and push for other reforms.

Live Nation has for years denied that it is violating antitrust laws and also said Thursday that competition had “steadily eroded Ticketmaster’s market share and profit margin.”

But competitor ticket sellers have long complained that Live Nation makes it difficult for them to disrupt the market with practices such as withholding acts if those venues don’t agree to use Ticketmaster’s service.

The lawsuit is the latest example of the Biden administration’s aggressive antitrust enforcement approach targeting companies accused of engaging in illegal monopolies that box out competitors and drive up prices. In March, the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-antitrust-monopoly-app-store-justice-department-822d7e8f5cf53a2636795fcc33ee1fc3">filed a lawsuit against Apple</a>&nbsp;alleging that the tech giant has monopoly power in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/smartphones">the smartphone market</a>. The Democratic administration has also taken on Google, Amazon and other tech giants.

“Today’s action is a step forward in making this era of live music more accessible for the fans, the artists, and the industry that supports them,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.

Ticketmaster, which merged with Live Nation in 2010, is the world’s largest ticket seller. During its annual report last month, the company said that Ticketmaster distributed more than 620 million tickets through its systems in 2023.

Around 70% of tickets for major concert venues in the U.S. are sold through Ticketmaster, according to data in a federal lawsuit filed by consumers in 2022. The company owns or controls more than 265 of North America's concert venues and dozens of top amphitheaters, according to the Justice Department.

The ticket seller sparked outrage in November 2022 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">its site crashed during a presale event for a Taylor Swift stadium tour</a>. The company said its site was overwhelmed by both fans and attacks from bots, which were posing as consumers to scoop up tickets and sell them on secondary sites. The debacle prompted congressional hearings and bills in state legislatures aimed at better protecting consumers.

The Justice Department allowed Live Nation and Ticketmaster to merge as long as Live Nation agreed not to retaliate against concert venues for using other ticket companies for 10 years. In 2019, the department investigated and found that Live Nation had “repeatedly” violated that agreement and extended the prohibition on retaliating against concert venues to 2025.

AP Reporters Michelle Chapman and Maria Sherman contri

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668687399028.jpeg" alt="-Ticketmaster tickets and gift cards are shown at a box office in San Jose, Calif., May 11, 2009. The Justice Department has filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, accusing the companies of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America and squelching competition. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)" />
 <figcaption>-Ticketmaster tickets and gift cards are shown at a box office in San Jose, Calif., May 11, 2009. The Justice Department has filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, accusing the companies of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America and squelching competition. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-justice">The Justice Department</a>&nbsp;filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America — squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Attorney General Merrick Garland: &quot;We allege that Live Nation has illegally monopolized markets across the live concert industry in the United States for far too long. It is time to break it up.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/F2zoOnBZMq">pic.twitter.com/F2zoOnBZMq</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1793663670523686986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, was being brought with 30 state and district attorneys general and seeks to break up the monopoly they say is squeezing out smaller promoters and hurting artists."We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;said in a statement. “The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”The Justice Department accuses Live Nation of a slew of practices that allow it to maintain a stronghold over the live music scene, including using long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing rival ticketers, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and threatening venues that they could lose money and fans if they don't choose Ticketmaster. The Justice Department says Live Nation also threatened to retaliate against one firm if it didn't stop a subsidiary from competing for artist promotion contracts.Live Nation said in prepared remarks Thursday that the Justice Department's lawsuit “won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees, and access to in-demand shows.”Live Nation added that “calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment" — stating that most service fees go to venues. The company said it would defend itself “against these baseless allegations" and push for other reforms.Live Nation has for years denied that it is violating antitrust laws and also said Thursday that competition had “steadily eroded Ticketmaster’s market share and profit margin.”But competitor ticket sellers have long complained that Live Nation makes it difficult for them to disrupt the market with practices such as withholding acts if those venues don’t agree to use Ticketmaster’s service.The lawsuit is the latest example of the Biden administration’s aggressive antitrust enforcement approach targeting companies accused of engaging in illegal monopolies that box out competitors and drive up prices. In March, the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-antitrust-monopoly-app-store-justice-department-822d7e8f5cf53a2636795fcc33ee1fc3">filed a lawsuit against Apple</a>&nbsp;alleging that the tech giant has monopoly power in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/smartphones">the smartphone market</a>. The Democratic administration has also taken on Google, Amazon and other tech giants.“Today’s action is a step forward in making this era of live music more accessible for the fans, the artists, and the industry that supports them,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.Ticketmaster, which merged with Live Nation in 2010, is the world’s largest ticket seller. During its annual report last month, the company said that Ticketmaster distributed more than 620 million tickets through its systems in 2023.Around 70% of tickets for major concert venues in the U.S. are sold through Ticketmaster, according to data in a federal lawsuit filed by consumers in 2022. The company owns or controls more than 265 of North America's concert venues and dozens of top amphitheaters, according to the Justice Department.The ticket seller sparked outrage in November 2022 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-concert-tickets-parents-34399cca6403c97f0983a5c69c7edec0">its site crashed during a presale event for a Taylor Swift stadium tour</a>. The company said its site was overwhelmed by both fans and attacks from bots, which were posing as consumers to scoop up tickets and sell them on secondary sites. The debacle prompted congressional hearings and bills in state legislatures aimed at better protecting consumers.The Justice Department allowed Live Nation and Ticketmaster to merge as long as Live Nation agreed not to retaliate against concert venues for using other ticket companies for 10 years. In 2019, the department investigated and found that Live Nation had “repeatedly” violated that agreement and extended the prohibition on retaliating against concert venues to 2025.__________AP Reporters Michelle Chapman and Maria Sherman contri

🎥Justice Dept.: Illegal monopoly by Ticketmaster drives up prices for fans

GREENFIELD, Iowa (AP) — A deadly tornado that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-midwest-iowa-tornadoes-26c73e14ab481ef77a1b0606a2b10adc">wreaked havoc in the small city of Greenfield, Iowa</a>, left four people dead and nearly three dozen injured, officials said, while a fifth person was killed elsewhere.

The twister that tore through the city&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-flooding-winds-nebraska-omaha-iowa-07e423f20b8e81f40cc648090b8a2409">on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;was rated at least an EF-3 by the National Weather Service and was so destructive that it took authorities more than a day to account for the area's residents.

It’s believed that the number of people injured is likely higher, the Iowa Department of Public Safety said.

The fifth person was killed about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Greenfield when her car was blown off the road in a tornado, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Monica Zamarron, 46, died in the crash Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

Officials haven't yet released the names of the other victims.

The severe weather turned south Wednesday. In Texas, officials issued an emergency declaration in Temple, a city of more than 90,000 people north of Austin, after powerful storms ripped through the area. Thousands of residents lost power, schools canceled Thursday's classes and nearby Fort Cavazos reported significant debris blocking traffic at the Army installation.

In Iowa, the Greenfield tornado obliterated homes, splintered trees and crumpled cars in the town of 2,000 about 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of Des Moines. The twister also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-iowa-wind-farm-turbines-feb9913c3d53915ffa420e277af4bb6d">crumpled massive power-producing wind turbines</a>&nbsp;outside the city.

Greenfield resident Kimberly Ergish and her husband dug through the debris field Wednesday that used to be their home, looking for family photos and other salvageable items. There wasn’t much left, she acknowledged. The reality of having her house destroyed in seconds hadn’t really set in.

“If it weren’t for all the bumps and bruises and the achy bones, I would think that it didn’t happen,” Ergish said.

This is a historically busy tornado season in the U.S., in an era when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment">climate change</a>&nbsp;is heightening the severity of storms around the world. April had the country's&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSPC/status/1786147051090428273">second-highest number of tornadoes</a>&nbsp;on record.

Through Tuesday, 859 tornadoes had been confirmed this year, 27% more than the U.S. sees on average, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Iowa has so far recorded the most, with 81 confirmed twisters.

On Tuesday alone, the National Weather Service said it received 23 tornado reports, with 21 in Iowa.

Tuesday's storms also pummeled parts of Illinois and Wisconsin, knocking out power to tens of thousands of customers.

The Greenfield tornado was at least an EF-3, according to initial surveys, and more damage assessments could lead to a more powerful ranking, the National Weather Service said.

The tornado appeared to have been on the ground for more than 40 miles (64 kilometers), AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. A satellite photo taken by a BlackSky Technology shows where the twister gouged a nearly straight path of destruction through the town, just south of Greenfield’s center square.

“Debris was lifted thousands of feet in the air and ended up falling to the ground several counties away from Greenfield. That’s evidence of just how intense and deadly this tornado was," Porter said.

People as far as 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from Greenfield posted photos on Facebook of ripped family photos, yearbook pages and other items that were lifted into the sky by the tornado.

About 90 miles (145 kilometers) away, in Ames, Iowa, Nicole Banner found a yellowed page declaring “This Book is the Property of the Greenfield Community School District” stuck to her garage door like a Post-It note after the storm passed.

“We just couldn’t believe it had traveled that far,” she said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said FEMA’s administrator would be in Iowa Thursday and that the White House was in touch with state and local officials. She said they were “praying for those who tragically lost their lives” and wished those injured a “speedy recovery.”

Greenfield's 25-bed hospital was among the buildings damaged, so at least a dozen injured people had to be taken elsewhere. Hospital officials said in a Facebook post Wednesday that they'll remain closed and full repairs could take months. Meanwhile, an urgent care clinic was set up at the elementary school, with primary care services to start there Thursday, the post said.

Residential streets that on Monday were lined with old-growth trees and neatly-appointed ranch-style homes were a chaotic jumble of splintered and smashed remnants by Wednesday. Many basements where people took shelter were exposed, and front yards were littered with furniture and toys and Christmas decorations.

Roseann Freeland waited until the last minute to rush with her husband to a concrete room in their basement. Seconds after the twister passed, her husband opened the door "and you could just see daylight,” Freeland said. “I just lost it. I just totally lost it.”

Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Steve Karnowski and Trisha Ahmed in Minneapolis; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; and Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716371806181.png" alt="Tornado damage in Greenfield, Iowa -photo courtesy KCCI" />
 <figcaption>Tornado damage in Greenfield, Iowa -photo courtesy KCCI</figcaption>
 </figure>GREENFIELD, Iowa (AP) — A deadly tornado that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-midwest-iowa-tornadoes-26c73e14ab481ef77a1b0606a2b10adc">wreaked havoc in the small city of Greenfield, Iowa</a>, left four people dead and nearly three dozen injured, officials said, while a fifth person was killed elsewhere.The twister that tore through the city&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-flooding-winds-nebraska-omaha-iowa-07e423f20b8e81f40cc648090b8a2409">on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;was rated at least an EF-3 by the National Weather Service and was so destructive that it took authorities more than a day to account for the area's residents.It’s believed that the number of people injured is likely higher, the Iowa Department of Public Safety said.The fifth person was killed about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Greenfield when her car was blown off the road in a tornado, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Monica Zamarron, 46, died in the crash Tuesday afternoon, officials said.Officials haven't yet released the names of the other victims.The severe weather turned south Wednesday. In Texas, officials issued an emergency declaration in Temple, a city of more than 90,000 people north of Austin, after powerful storms ripped through the area. Thousands of residents lost power, schools canceled Thursday's classes and nearby Fort Cavazos reported significant debris blocking traffic at the Army installation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716372219187.png" alt="Tornado damage in Greenfield, Iowa -photo courtesy KCCI" />
 <figcaption>Tornado damage in Greenfield, Iowa -photo courtesy KCCI</figcaption>
 </figure>In Iowa, the Greenfield tornado obliterated homes, splintered trees and crumpled cars in the town of 2,000 about 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of Des Moines. The twister also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-iowa-wind-farm-turbines-feb9913c3d53915ffa420e277af4bb6d">crumpled massive power-producing wind turbines</a>&nbsp;outside the city.Greenfield resident Kimberly Ergish and her husband dug through the debris field Wednesday that used to be their home, looking for family photos and other salvageable items. There wasn’t much left, she acknowledged. The reality of having her house destroyed in seconds hadn’t really set in.“If it weren’t for all the bumps and bruises and the achy bones, I would think that it didn’t happen,” Ergish said.This is a historically busy tornado season in the U.S., in an era when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment">climate change</a>&nbsp;is heightening the severity of storms around the world. April had the country's&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSPC/status/1786147051090428273">second-highest number of tornadoes</a>&nbsp;on record.Through Tuesday, 859 tornadoes had been confirmed this year, 27% more than the U.S. sees on average, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Iowa has so far recorded the most, with 81 confirmed twisters.On Tuesday alone, the National Weather Service said it received 23 tornado reports, with 21 in Iowa.Tuesday's storms also pummeled parts of Illinois and Wisconsin, knocking out power to tens of thousands of customers.The Greenfield tornado was at least an EF-3, according to initial surveys, and more damage assessments could lead to a more powerful ranking, the National Weather Service said.The tornado appeared to have been on the ground for more than 40 miles (64 kilometers), AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. A satellite photo taken by a BlackSky Technology shows where the twister gouged a nearly straight path of destruction through the town, just south of Greenfield’s center square.“Debris was lifted thousands of feet in the air and ended up falling to the ground several counties away from Greenfield. That’s evidence of just how intense and deadly this tornado was," Porter said.People as far as 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from Greenfield posted photos on Facebook of ripped family photos, yearbook pages and other items that were lifted into the sky by the tornado.About 90 miles (145 kilometers) away, in Ames, Iowa, Nicole Banner found a yellowed page declaring “This Book is the Property of the Greenfield Community School District” stuck to her garage door like a Post-It note after the storm passed.“We just couldn’t believe it had traveled that far,” she said.White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said FEMA’s administrator would be in Iowa Thursday and that the White House was in touch with state and local officials. She said they were “praying for those who tragically lost their lives” and wished those injured a “speedy recovery.”Greenfield's 25-bed hospital was among the buildings damaged, so at least a dozen injured people had to be taken elsewhere. Hospital officials said in a Facebook post Wednesday that they'll remain closed and full repairs could take months. Meanwhile, an urgent care clinic was set up at the elementary school, with primary care services to start there Thursday, the post said.Residential streets that on Monday were lined with old-growth trees and neatly-appointed ranch-style homes were a chaotic jumble of splintered and smashed remnants by Wednesday. Many basements where people took shelter were exposed, and front yards were littered with furniture and toys and Christmas decorations.Roseann Freeland waited until the last minute to rush with her husband to a concrete room in their basement. Seconds after the twister passed, her husband opened the door "and you could just see daylight,” Freeland said. “I just lost it. I just totally lost it.”___Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Steve Karnowski and Trisha Ahmed in Minneapolis; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; and Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, contributed.

Tornadoes killed 5, injured dozens in Iowa. Here’s what they found after the storm

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting at a Kansas City home that killed&nbsp; 11-year-old Kourtney Freeman have identified a subject of interest, according to KDPC Captain Jake Becchina. The subject is a juvenile and is in custody. Police have released no additional details on the investigation.

Just before 10p.m. April 10, police were dispatched to the 3300 block of Flora in Kansas City on a sound of shots call, according Becchina.

While officers were on the way the call was upgraded to a shooting with a victim inside a residence at the address.

Officers were led inside a home where they located a Freeman unresponsive. Officers rendered aid and called for EMS who responded, took over treatment and transported her to the hospital where she was declared deceased a short time later, according to Becchina.

Detectives spoke with people who were at the scene when officers arrived and canvassed for witnesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A funeral <a href="https://www.serenitymemorialkc.com/obituary/Kourtney-Freeman#tributewall">service was held April 21,&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;for Kourtney, according to Serenity Funeral Home.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call 816-474-TIPS or homicide detectives at 816-234-5043.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713225081501.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting at a Kansas City home that killed&nbsp; 11-year-old Kourtney Freeman have identified a subject of interest, according to KDPC Captain Jake Becchina. The subject is a juvenile and is in custody. Police have released no additional details on the investigation.Just before 10p.m. April 10, police were dispatched to the 3300 block of Flora in Kansas City on a sound of shots call, according Becchina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713228804602.png" alt="Kourtney Freeman courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kourtney Freeman courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>While officers were on the way the call was upgraded to a shooting with a victim inside a residence at the address.Officers were led inside a home where they located a Freeman unresponsive. Officers rendered aid and called for EMS who responded, took over treatment and transported her to the hospital where she was declared deceased a short time later, according to Becchina.Detectives spoke with people who were at the scene when officers arrived and canvassed for witnesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;A funeral <a href="https://www.serenitymemorialkc.com/obituary/Kourtney-Freeman#tributewall">service was held April 21,&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;for Kourtney, according to Serenity Funeral Home.Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call 816-474-TIPS or homicide detectives at 816-234-5043.

Juvenile in custody for drive-by killing of 11-year-old at KC home

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Missouri prosecutors said Wednesday that they intend to seek the death penalty against a Kansas City-area man who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/officers-shot-wounded-independence-missouri-87f9ad636e064b3399c17536f727bc8f">charged with murder</a>&nbsp;in the killings of a court employee who tried to serve an eviction notice on him and a police officer who responded.

Larry Acree, 70, of Independence, is accused of shooting court employee Drexel Mack on Feb. 29, plus two police officers who came to the scene, including Cody Allen, who was killed. Officers returned fire and arrested Acree, who suffered minor injuries.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker's office filed a notice with the court saying the state will prove there are aggravating circumstances sufficient to warrant the death penalty. Acree is charged with 18 total counts including two of first-degree murder.

According to court papers, Acree owed delinquent taxes dating back to at least 2019. His 9-acre (3.6-hectare) property and three-bedroom home was sold last August for $260,000, and the new owner paid the taxes. A “Notice to Vacate” sign was posted at the property in February, and authorities have said Acree had no right to be there.

At a brief hearing Wednesday, Acree’s attorney, Edward Berrigan of the Missouri State Public Defender’s office, asked for a continuance so that the public defenders who handle death penalty cases could be reassigned, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article288648525.html">Kansas City Star reported</a>.

Acree's next court date is set for July 10 in Independence, a suburb of Kansas City with about 122,000 residents.

Eleven people are currently on death row in Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709695226784.png" alt="Acree-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Acree-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — Missouri prosecutors said Wednesday that they intend to seek the death penalty against a Kansas City-area man who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/officers-shot-wounded-independence-missouri-87f9ad636e064b3399c17536f727bc8f">charged with murder</a>&nbsp;in the killings of a court employee who tried to serve an eviction notice on him and a police officer who responded.Larry Acree, 70, of Independence, is accused of shooting court employee Drexel Mack on Feb. 29, plus two police officers who came to the scene, including Cody Allen, who was killed. Officers returned fire and arrested Acree, who suffered minor injuries.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker's office filed a notice with the court saying the state will prove there are aggravating circumstances sufficient to warrant the death penalty. Acree is charged with 18 total counts including two of first-degree murder.According to court papers, Acree owed delinquent taxes dating back to at least 2019. His 9-acre (3.6-hectare) property and three-bedroom home was sold last August for $260,000, and the new owner paid the taxes. A “Notice to Vacate” sign was posted at the property in February, and authorities have said Acree had no right to be there.At a brief hearing Wednesday, Acree’s attorney, Edward Berrigan of the Missouri State Public Defender’s office, asked for a continuance so that the public defenders who handle death penalty cases could be reassigned, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article288648525.html">Kansas City Star reported</a>.Acree's next court date is set for July 10 in Independence, a suburb of Kansas City with about 122,000 residents.Eleven people are currently on death row in Missouri.

Prosecutors to seek death penalty in KC killing of court employee, police officer

NEW YORK (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that she will be voting for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in the general election, a notable show of support given their intense and often personal rivalry during the Republican primary calendar.

But Haley also made it clear that she feels Trump has work to do to win over voters who supported her during the course of the primary campaign and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-presidential-primary-election-indiana-8b73a23568e054ce33163e2ca23b8fb3">continue to cast votes for her in ongoing primary contests</a>.

“I will be voting for Trump,” Haley, Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, said during an event at the Hudson Institute in Washington.

“Having said that, I stand by what I said in my suspension speech,” Haley added. "Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me and not assume that they’re just going to be with him. And I genuinely hope he does that.”

The comments in her first public speech since leaving the race are another signal of the GOP’s virtually complete consolidation of support behind Trump, even from those who have labeled him a threat in the past.

Haley shuttered her own bid for the GOP nomination two months ago but did not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-republicans-trump-biden-donors-endorsement-ec63bee49d27a75145baba557acbd9cb">immediately endorse</a>&nbsp;Trump, having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-trump-2024-republican-south-carolina-e5cf13a535b2746c757c63e34f611dfa">accused him</a>&nbsp;of causing chaos and disregarding the importance of U.S. alliances abroad as well as questioning whether Trump, 77, was too old to be president again.

Trump, in turn, repeatedly mocked her with the nickname “Birdbrain," though he curtailed those attacks after securing enough delegates in March to become the presumptive Republican nominee.

Trump's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Haley's announcement.

President Joe Biden's campaign, meanwhile, has been working to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-donald-trump-pennsylvania-joe-biden-c8ab4e675cfd2fa64d6b749b881c6fbd">win over her supporters</a>, whom they view as true swing voters. Biden’s team is quietly organizing a Republicans for Biden group, which will eventually include dedicated staff and focus on the hundreds of thousands of Haley voters in each battleground state, according to people familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them publicly.

But Haley made several criticisms of Biden's foreign policy and handling of the U.S.-Mexico border in her speech Wednesday at the Hudson Institute, a conservative Washington think tank she recently joined as she reemerges in the political realm.

Earlier this month, Haley huddled in South Carolina with some of her donors, an event characterized as a “thank you” to her top supporters and not a discussion about Haley’s future political plans or intended to push her backers toward any other candidate.

If she runs for president again, Haley will likely need to win over former Trump supporters in a Republican primary. But her support for him now risks offending moderates and anti-Trump conservatives.

NEW YORK (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that she will be voting for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in the general election, a notable show of support given their intense and often personal rivalry during the Republican primary calendar.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Biden has been a catastrophe. So I will be voting for Trump.&quot; -- <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NikkiHaley</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/HudsonInstitute?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HudsonInstitute</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y3HPFHMmGR">pic.twitter.com/Y3HPFHMmGR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1793405487263764977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But Haley also made it clear that she feels Trump has work to do to win over voters who supported her during the course of the primary campaign and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-presidential-primary-election-indiana-8b73a23568e054ce33163e2ca23b8fb3">continue to cast votes for her in ongoing primary contests</a>.“I will be voting for Trump,” Haley, Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, said during an event at the Hudson Institute in Washington.“Having said that, I stand by what I said in my suspension speech,” Haley added. "Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me and not assume that they’re just going to be with him. And I genuinely hope he does that.”The comments in her first public speech since leaving the race are another signal of the GOP’s virtually complete consolidation of support behind Trump, even from those who have labeled him a threat in the past.Haley shuttered her own bid for the GOP nomination two months ago but did not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-republicans-trump-biden-donors-endorsement-ec63bee49d27a75145baba557acbd9cb">immediately endorse</a>&nbsp;Trump, having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-trump-2024-republican-south-carolina-e5cf13a535b2746c757c63e34f611dfa">accused him</a>&nbsp;of causing chaos and disregarding the importance of U.S. alliances abroad as well as questioning whether Trump, 77, was too old to be president again.Trump, in turn, repeatedly mocked her with the nickname “Birdbrain," though he curtailed those attacks after securing enough delegates in March to become the presumptive Republican nominee.Trump's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Haley's announcement.President Joe Biden's campaign, meanwhile, has been working to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-donald-trump-pennsylvania-joe-biden-c8ab4e675cfd2fa64d6b749b881c6fbd">win over her supporters</a>, whom they view as true swing voters. Biden’s team is quietly organizing a Republicans for Biden group, which will eventually include dedicated staff and focus on the hundreds of thousands of Haley voters in each battleground state, according to people familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them publicly.But Haley made several criticisms of Biden's foreign policy and handling of the U.S.-Mexico border in her speech Wednesday at the Hudson Institute, a conservative Washington think tank she recently joined as she reemerges in the political realm.Earlier this month, Haley huddled in South Carolina with some of her donors, an event characterized as a “thank you” to her top supporters and not a discussion about Haley’s future political plans or intended to push her backers toward any other candidate.If she runs for president again, Haley will likely need to win over former Trump supporters in a Republican primary. But her support for him now risks offending moderates and anti-Trump conservatives.

🎥Nikki Haley explains why she will now vote for Donald Trump

JOHNSON COUNTY —Two members of the Kansas City Chiefs arrested Friday in Johnson County are due to appear in court Thursday, according to online booking information.

The Johnson County sheriff's office reported&nbsp; 23-year-old Chukwuebuka <a href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/chukwuebuka-jason-godrick/">Godrick </a>and 23-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/wanya-morris/">Wanya Morris </a>were booked into jail for misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Both were released on Friday afternoon after posting $2,500 bond.&nbsp;

Morris, an offensive lineman from the University of Oklahoma, was a third-round draft pick (92nd overall) by the Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft, according to his bio on the team web site.

Godrick, an offensive lineman, is also entering his second season with the Chiefs. He originally entered the NFL as a designated International Pathway Player with the Chiefs in 2023, according to his bio on the team web site.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both are due back in court May 23, according to online records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716029417033.png" alt="Godrick-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Godrick-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Two members of the Kansas City Chiefs arrested Friday in Johnson County are due to appear in court Thursday, according to online booking information.The Johnson County sheriff's office reported&nbsp; 23-year-old Chukwuebuka <a href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/chukwuebuka-jason-godrick/">Godrick </a>and 23-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/wanya-morris/">Wanya Morris </a>were booked into jail for misdemeanor marijuana possession.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716029434679.png" alt="Morris-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Morris-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716029595231.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716029631137.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Both were released on Friday afternoon after posting $2,500 bond.&nbsp;Morris, an offensive lineman from the University of Oklahoma, was a third-round draft pick (92nd overall) by the Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft, according to his bio on the team web site.Godrick, an offensive lineman, is also entering his second season with the Chiefs. He originally entered the NFL as a designated International Pathway Player with the Chiefs in 2023, according to his bio on the team web site.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both are due back in court May 23, according to online records.

2 KC Chiefs players due in court after arrest in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Wichita Police Officers are investigating another deadly shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716430928843.png" alt="Police on the scene photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Wichita Police Officers are investigating another deadly shooting.Just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting at 2723 SE Boulevard Plaza, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.&nbsp;First responders located a man suffering from several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on scene. Officers also located another victim suffering from several gunshot wounds as well. EMS transported him to an area hospital. He should survive his injuries, according to Ford.&nbsp; Investigators continue working to determine the circumstances that led to this shooting. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.