LONDON (AP) — Instagram says it's deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages.

The social media platform said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/new-tools-to-help-protect-against-sextortion-and-intimate-image-abuse">blog post</a>&nbsp;Thursday that it's testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of “image abuse,” and to make it tougher for criminals to contact teens.

Sexual extortion, or sextortion, involves persuading a person to send explicit photos online and then threatening to make the images public unless the victim pays money or engages in sexual favors. Recent high-profile cases include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-extortion-guilty-pleas-michigan-nigerian-brothers-25c1593410c9fa538d39539ca34363c0">two Nigerian brothers</a>&nbsp;who pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teen boys and young men in Michigan, including one who took his own life, and a Virginia sheriff’s deputy who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-fires-california-virginia-riverside-c35722488c9c3dd20b7c04162d8b9425">sexually extorted and kidnapped</a>&nbsp;a 15-year-old girl.

Instagram and other social media companies have faced growing criticism for not doing enough to protect young people. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Instagram's owner Meta Platforms,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/social-media-meta-platforms-inc-children-x-corp-national-a98bac4cb6634acaaea4cf58ca28d3d2">apologized</a>&nbsp;to the parents of victims of such abuse during a Senate hearing earlier this year.

Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, California, also owns Facebook and WhatsApp but the nudity blur feature won’t be added to messages sent on those platforms.

Instagram said scammers often use direct messages to ask for “intimate images.” To counter this, it will soon start testing out a nudity-protection feature for direct messages that blurs any images with nudity “and encourages people to think twice before sending nude images.”

“The feature is designed not only to protect people from seeing unwanted nudity in their DMs, but also to protect them from scammers who may send nude images to trick people into sending their own images in return,” Instagram said.

The feature will be turned on by default globally for teens under 18. Adult users will get a notification encouraging them to activate it.

Images with nudity will be blurred with a warning, giving users the option to view it. They'll also get an option to block the sender and report the chat.

For people sending direct messages with nudity, they will get a message reminding them to be cautious when sending “sensitive photos." They'll also be informed that they can unsend the photos if they change their mind, but that there's a chance others may have already seen them.

As with many of Meta's tools and policies around child safety, critics saw the move as a positive step, but one that does not go far enough.

“I think the tools announced can protect senders, and that is welcome. But what about recipients?" said Arturo Béjar, former engineering director at the social media giant who is known for his expertise in curbing online harassment. He said 1 in 8 teens receives an unwanted advance on Instagram every seven days, citing internal research he compiled while at Meta that he presented in November&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-teens-meta-instagram-arturo-bejar-5f7fb7d55fb9f0da12cf3a57837fa0c5">testimony before Congress</a>. "What tools do they get? What can they do if they get an unwanted nude?”

Béjar said “things won’t meaningfully change” until there is a way for a teen to say they’ve received an unwanted advance, and there is transparency about it.

White House assistant press secretary Robyn Patterson also noted Thursday that President Joe Biden “has been outspoken about his belief that social media companies can do more to combat sexual exploitation online.”

Instagram said it's working on technology to help identify accounts that could be potentially be engaging in sexual extortion scams, “based on a range of signals that could indicate sextortion behavior.”

To stop criminals from connecting with young people, it's also taking measures including not showing the “message” button on a teen’s profile to potential sextortion accounts, even if they already follow each other, and testing new ways to hide teens from these accounts.

In January, the FBI warned of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion">“huge increase” in sextortion</a>&nbsp;cases targeting children — including financial sextortion, where someone threatens to release compromising images unless the victim pays. The targeted victims are primarily boys between the ages of 14 to 17, but the FBI said any child can become a victim. In the six-month period from October 2022 to March 2023, the FBI saw a more than 20% increase in reporting of financially motivated sextortion cases involving minor victims compared to the same period in the previous year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712933938998.png" alt="Instagram" />
 <figcaption>Instagram</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Instagram says it's deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages.The social media platform said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/new-tools-to-help-protect-against-sextortion-and-intimate-image-abuse">blog post</a>&nbsp;Thursday that it's testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of “image abuse,” and to make it tougher for criminals to contact teens.Sexual extortion, or sextortion, involves persuading a person to send explicit photos online and then threatening to make the images public unless the victim pays money or engages in sexual favors. Recent high-profile cases include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-extortion-guilty-pleas-michigan-nigerian-brothers-25c1593410c9fa538d39539ca34363c0">two Nigerian brothers</a>&nbsp;who pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teen boys and young men in Michigan, including one who took his own life, and a Virginia sheriff’s deputy who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-fires-california-virginia-riverside-c35722488c9c3dd20b7c04162d8b9425">sexually extorted and kidnapped</a>&nbsp;a 15-year-old girl.Instagram and other social media companies have faced growing criticism for not doing enough to protect young people. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Instagram's owner Meta Platforms,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/social-media-meta-platforms-inc-children-x-corp-national-a98bac4cb6634acaaea4cf58ca28d3d2">apologized</a>&nbsp;to the parents of victims of such abuse during a Senate hearing earlier this year.Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, California, also owns Facebook and WhatsApp but the nudity blur feature won’t be added to messages sent on those platforms.Instagram said scammers often use direct messages to ask for “intimate images.” To counter this, it will soon start testing out a nudity-protection feature for direct messages that blurs any images with nudity “and encourages people to think twice before sending nude images.”“The feature is designed not only to protect people from seeing unwanted nudity in their DMs, but also to protect them from scammers who may send nude images to trick people into sending their own images in return,” Instagram said.The feature will be turned on by default globally for teens under 18. Adult users will get a notification encouraging them to activate it.Images with nudity will be blurred with a warning, giving users the option to view it. They'll also get an option to block the sender and report the chat.For people sending direct messages with nudity, they will get a message reminding them to be cautious when sending “sensitive photos." They'll also be informed that they can unsend the photos if they change their mind, but that there's a chance others may have already seen them.As with many of Meta's tools and policies around child safety, critics saw the move as a positive step, but one that does not go far enough.“I think the tools announced can protect senders, and that is welcome. But what about recipients?" said Arturo Béjar, former engineering director at the social media giant who is known for his expertise in curbing online harassment. He said 1 in 8 teens receives an unwanted advance on Instagram every seven days, citing internal research he compiled while at Meta that he presented in November&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-teens-meta-instagram-arturo-bejar-5f7fb7d55fb9f0da12cf3a57837fa0c5">testimony before Congress</a>. "What tools do they get? What can they do if they get an unwanted nude?”Béjar said “things won’t meaningfully change” until there is a way for a teen to say they’ve received an unwanted advance, and there is transparency about it.White House assistant press secretary Robyn Patterson also noted Thursday that President Joe Biden “has been outspoken about his belief that social media companies can do more to combat sexual exploitation online.”Instagram said it's working on technology to help identify accounts that could be potentially be engaging in sexual extortion scams, “based on a range of signals that could indicate sextortion behavior.”To stop criminals from connecting with young people, it's also taking measures including not showing the “message” button on a teen’s profile to potential sextortion accounts, even if they already follow each other, and testing new ways to hide teens from these accounts.In January, the FBI warned of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion">“huge increase” in sextortion</a>&nbsp;cases targeting children — including financial sextortion, where someone threatens to release compromising images unless the victim pays. The targeted victims are primarily boys between the ages of 14 to 17, but the FBI said any child can become a victim. In the six-month period from October 2022 to March 2023, the FBI saw a more than 20% increase in reporting of financially motivated sextortion cases involving minor victims compared to the same period in the previous year.__

Instagram deploying new tool to protect teens and fight sexual extortion

MCPHERSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Rush County Sheriff’s Office reported that Marilyn Jo Spangenburg, 79, was located in McPherson County, Kansas. She is now safe.

&nbsp;The statewide silver alert is now canceled.

RUSH COUNTY –&nbsp;The Rush County Sheriff’s Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a woman who was last seen in Rush County, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.

The whereabouts of 79-year-old Marilyn Jo Spangenburg, of Hutchison, are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.

Spangenburg was last seen at a residence in Bison, Kansas in Rush County, on Saturday, April 13 around 4 p.m. She was driving a 2008 silver Toyota Camry bearing Kansas disabled plate 54971. A family member’s vehicle was running, and Spangenburg drove away without the key fob in the vehicle, so it will not start again once it stops. Her direction of travel is unknown, however, she may attempt to travel to Great Bend or Hutchison.

Spangenburg is a white female who is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 217 pounds. She has grey hair and blue eyes. She has schizophrenia and dementia.

If you see Marilyn Spangenburg or her vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the Rush County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 222-2578.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713055041900.png" alt="Marilyn Jo Spangenburg- courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Marilyn Jo Spangenburg- courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Rush County Sheriff’s Office reported that Marilyn Jo Spangenburg, 79, was located in McPherson County, Kansas. She is now safe.&nbsp;The statewide silver alert is now canceled.----------RUSH COUNTY –&nbsp;The Rush County Sheriff’s Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a woman who was last seen in Rush County, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.The whereabouts of 79-year-old Marilyn Jo Spangenburg, of Hutchison, are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.Spangenburg was last seen at a residence in Bison, Kansas in Rush County, on Saturday, April 13 around 4 p.m. She was driving a 2008 silver Toyota Camry bearing Kansas disabled plate 54971. A family member’s vehicle was running, and Spangenburg drove away without the key fob in the vehicle, so it will not start again once it stops. Her direction of travel is unknown, however, she may attempt to travel to Great Bend or Hutchison.Spangenburg is a white female who is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 217 pounds. She has grey hair and blue eyes. She has schizophrenia and dementia.If you see Marilyn Spangenburg or her vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the Rush County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 222-2578.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, Kansas woman found safe

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating burglaries at four post office locations in Kansas and have offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved.

The crimes all happened while the post office locations were closed.

The first burglary occurred between the hours of 4:30 p.m. on April 4, 2024 and 8:30 a.m. on April 5,&nbsp;at the post office located at 102 N Center St, Parker, Kansas, according to a statement from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The second burglary occurred at the post office located at 112 4th Avenue, Bucyrus, Kansas between the hours of 11:15 a.m., on April 6, 2024 and 7:45 a.m. on April 8.

The third burglary occurred at the post office located at 416 S Kansas Avenue, Lane, Kansas, between 12:30 p.m. on April 6, 2024 and 7:50 a.m. on April 8.

The fourth burglary occurred at the post office located at 106 E. Main St., Rantoul, Kansas, between 3:00 p.m. April 6, 2024 and 7:50 a.m. on April 8.

If you have any information about the crimes, please contact theU.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 (say “Law Enforcement”)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712952831519.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating burglaries at four post office locations in Kansas and have offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved.The crimes all happened while the post office locations were closed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712953250867.png" alt="Post office located at 112 4th Avenue, Bucyrus, Kansas -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Post office located at 112 4th Avenue, Bucyrus, Kansas -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>The first burglary occurred between the hours of 4:30 p.m. on April 4, 2024 and 8:30 a.m. on April 5,&nbsp;at the post office located at 102 N Center St, Parker, Kansas, according to a statement from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.The second burglary occurred at the post office located at 112 4th Avenue, Bucyrus, Kansas between the hours of 11:15 a.m., on April 6, 2024 and 7:45 a.m. on April 8.The third burglary occurred at the post office located at 416 S Kansas Avenue, Lane, Kansas, between 12:30 p.m. on April 6, 2024 and 7:50 a.m. on April 8.The fourth burglary occurred at the post office located at 106 E. Main St., Rantoul, Kansas, between 3:00 p.m. April 6, 2024 and 7:50 a.m. on April 8.If you have any information about the crimes, please contact theU.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 (say “Law Enforcement”)

Reward offered for information in Kan. post office burglaries

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Friday to reauthorize and reform a key U.S. government surveillance tool following a dramatic showdown on the floor over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data. Two Kansas lawmakers, second district Congressman Jake LaTurner and fourth district Congressman Ron Estes  voted against requiring a warrant to spy on Americans.

The bill was approved on a bipartisan basis, 273-147, though it will have to clear the Senate to become law. The surveillance program is set to expire April 19 unless Congress acts.

Passage of the bill represented a much-needed victory for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who has been wrangling with conservative critics of the legislation for months. A group of 19 Republicans revolted to block the bill from coming to the floor earlier in the week, forcing Johnson to make late changes to secure their support.

The legislation approved Friday would extend the surveillance program two years, rather than the five first proposed. Johnson hoped that the shorter timeline would sway&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-donald-trump-surveillance-congress-mike-johnson-623df444267e725ca8e313295052f09e">GOP critics</a>&nbsp;by pushing any future debate on the issue to the presidency of Donald Trump if he were to win back the White House in November.

Still, the legislation teetered precariously Friday morning as lawmakers voted on an amendment — vociferously opposed by Johnson, the White House and sponsors of the legislation — that would prohibit the warrantless surveillance of Americans.

One of his top critics, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said that Johnson’s vote against the warrant requirement was another strike against him.

“Basically, what’s the difference in Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and Speaker Johnson and there’s not one," the Georgia lawmaker said.

The amendment failed by the narrowest of margins, in a 212-212 tie.&nbsp; Eighty-six&nbsp; Republicans including LaTurner and Estes voted against requiring a warrant to 'spy on Americans.'

 Supporters breathed a sigh of relief as the vote was gaveled to a close.

The vote on the amendment cut across party lines, uniting progressives and conservatives who agree on little else, but are skeptical of the government's surveillance powers.

Opponents of the legislation weren't giving up. In a surprise move after the vote was closed on the overall bill, a Republican made a procedural motion preventing the legislation from being sent to the Senate. An additional vote will be needed next week.

The legislation approved Friday would permit the U.S. government to collect, without a warrant, the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization is currently tied to a series of reforms aimed at satisfying critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans.

But far-right opponents have complained that those changes did not go far enough. The vocal detractors are some of Johnson’s harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker the last several months for reaching across the aisle to carry out the basic functions of the government.

To appease some of those critics, Johnson also plans to bring forward next week a separate proposal that would close a loophole that allows U.S. officials to collect data on Americans from big tech companies without a warrant.

Though the program is technically set to expire next Friday, the Biden administration has said it expects its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, thanks to an opinion earlier this month from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which receives surveillance applications. But officials say that court approval shouldn’t be a substitute for congressional authorization, especially since communications companies could cease cooperation with the government.

First authorized in 2008, the spy tool has been renewed several times since then as U.S. officials see it as crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. It has also produced intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations.

But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have repeatedly encountered fierce, and bipartisan, pushback, with Democrats like Sen. Ron Wyden who have long championed civil liberties aligning with Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump, who in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated incorrectly that Section 702 had been used to spy on his presidential campaign.

“Kill FISA,” Trump wrote in all capital letters. “It was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign.” A former adviser to his 2016 presidential campaign was targeted for surveillance over potential ties to Russia under a different section of the law.

A specific area of concern for lawmakers is the FBI’s use of the vast intelligence repository to search for information about Americans and others in the U.S. Though the surveillance program only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners.

In the past year, U.S. officials have revealed a series of abuses and mistakes by FBI analysts in improperly querying the intelligence repository for information about Americans or others in the U.S., including about a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-foreign-surveillance-fbi-3f7d4cc0ef413cdf20bc0b70548cde84">member of Congress</a>&nbsp;and participants in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fbi-surveillance-75c466a64e838ab12eaef96f6335f3cd">racial justice protests of 2020</a>&nbsp;and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Those violations have led to demands for the FBI to have a warrant before conducting database queries on Americans, which FBI director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/christopher-wray">Chris Wray</a>&nbsp;has warned would effectively gut the program's effectiveness and would also be legally unnecessary given that the information in the database has already been lawfully collected.

“While it is imperative that we ensure this critical authority of 702 does not lapse, we also must not undercut the effectiveness of this essential tool with a warrant requirement or some similar restriction, paralyzing our ability to tackle fast-moving threats,” Wray said in a speech Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712945565277.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson-file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson-file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Friday to reauthorize and reform a key U.S. government surveillance tool following a dramatic showdown on the floor over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data. Two Kansas lawmakers, second district Congressman Jake LaTurner and fourth district Congressman Ron Estes voted against requiring a warrant to spy on Americans.The bill was approved on a bipartisan basis, 273-147, though it will have to clear the Senate to become law. The surveillance program is set to expire April 19 unless Congress acts.Passage of the bill represented a much-needed victory for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who has been wrangling with conservative critics of the legislation for months. A group of 19 Republicans revolted to block the bill from coming to the floor earlier in the week, forcing Johnson to make late changes to secure their support.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712940108886.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The legislation approved Friday would extend the surveillance program two years, rather than the five first proposed. Johnson hoped that the shorter timeline would sway&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-donald-trump-surveillance-congress-mike-johnson-623df444267e725ca8e313295052f09e">GOP critics</a>&nbsp;by pushing any future debate on the issue to the presidency of Donald Trump if he were to win back the White House in November.Still, the legislation teetered precariously Friday morning as lawmakers voted on an amendment — vociferously opposed by Johnson, the White House and sponsors of the legislation — that would prohibit the warrantless surveillance of Americans.One of his top critics, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said that Johnson’s vote against the warrant requirement was another strike against him.“Basically, what’s the difference in Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and Speaker Johnson and there’s not one," the Georgia lawmaker said.The amendment failed by the narrowest of margins, in a 212-212 tie.&nbsp; Eighty-six&nbsp; Republicans including LaTurner and Estes voted against requiring a warrant to 'spy on Americans.' Supporters breathed a sigh of relief as the vote was gaveled to a close.The vote on the amendment cut across party lines, uniting progressives and conservatives who agree on little else, but are skeptical of the government's surveillance powers.Opponents of the legislation weren't giving up. In a surprise move after the vote was closed on the overall bill, a Republican made a procedural motion preventing the legislation from being sent to the Senate. An additional vote will be needed next week.The legislation approved Friday would permit the U.S. government to collect, without a warrant, the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization is currently tied to a series of reforms aimed at satisfying critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans.But far-right opponents have complained that those changes did not go far enough. The vocal detractors are some of Johnson’s harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker the last several months for reaching across the aisle to carry out the basic functions of the government.To appease some of those critics, Johnson also plans to bring forward next week a separate proposal that would close a loophole that allows U.S. officials to collect data on Americans from big tech companies without a warrant.Though the program is technically set to expire next Friday, the Biden administration has said it expects its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, thanks to an opinion earlier this month from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which receives surveillance applications. But officials say that court approval shouldn’t be a substitute for congressional authorization, especially since communications companies could cease cooperation with the government.First authorized in 2008, the spy tool has been renewed several times since then as U.S. officials see it as crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. It has also produced intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations.But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have repeatedly encountered fierce, and bipartisan, pushback, with Democrats like Sen. Ron Wyden who have long championed civil liberties aligning with Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump, who in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated incorrectly that Section 702 had been used to spy on his presidential campaign.“Kill FISA,” Trump wrote in all capital letters. “It was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign.” A former adviser to his 2016 presidential campaign was targeted for surveillance over potential ties to Russia under a different section of the law.A specific area of concern for lawmakers is the FBI’s use of the vast intelligence repository to search for information about Americans and others in the U.S. Though the surveillance program only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners.In the past year, U.S. officials have revealed a series of abuses and mistakes by FBI analysts in improperly querying the intelligence repository for information about Americans or others in the U.S., including about a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-foreign-surveillance-fbi-3f7d4cc0ef413cdf20bc0b70548cde84">member of Congress</a>&nbsp;and participants in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fbi-surveillance-75c466a64e838ab12eaef96f6335f3cd">racial justice protests of 2020</a>&nbsp;and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.Those violations have led to demands for the FBI to have a warrant before conducting database queries on Americans, which FBI director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/christopher-wray">Chris Wray</a>&nbsp;has warned would effectively gut the program's effectiveness and would also be legally unnecessary given that the information in the database has already been lawfully collected.“While it is imperative that we ensure this critical authority of 702 does not lapse, we also must not undercut the effectiveness of this essential tool with a warrant requirement or some similar restriction, paralyzing our ability to tackle fast-moving threats,” Wray said in a speech Tuesday.

2 Kan. lawmakers vote against requiring a warrant to spy on Americans

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712857355515.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712857323642.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

American Pickers TV show to film in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the deadly shooting at&nbsp;Reser's Fine Foods, 3167 SE 10th Street in Topeka on Thursday are searching for a suspect.

Police are attempting to locate Eddie Holmes, 65, of Topeka, in reference the shooting death of 39-year-old  Reginald D. Previtte, 39, of Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Just after 4:30 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a reported shooting at the plant, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

First responders found Previtte suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was later pronounced deceased by medical personnel.

If you have any information related to where Eddie Holmes may be, please contact TPD at telltpd@topeka.org or submit anonymous tips through Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234- 0007 or online at www.tp3tips.com/128. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713022632926.png" alt="Holmes-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Holmes-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the deadly shooting at&nbsp;Reser's Fine Foods, 3167 SE 10th Street in Topeka on Thursday are searching for a suspect.Police are attempting to locate Eddie Holmes, 65, of Topeka, in reference the shooting death of 39-year-old Reginald D. Previtte, 39, of Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712883470826.png" alt="photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 4:30 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a reported shooting at the plant, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.First responders found Previtte suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was later pronounced deceased by medical personnel.If you have any information related to where Eddie Holmes may be, please contact TPD at telltpd@topeka.org or submit anonymous tips through Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234- 0007 or online at www.tp3tips.com/128.

Police looking for suspect in fatal shooting at Kan. food plant

LYON COUNTY —A Kansas Highway Patrol K9 helped officers track down a wanted suspect in Lyon County.

Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were attempting to arrest 56-year-old Jose Salomon-Ambriz as they attempted to serve an arrest warrant for him while he was parked in his car in the 400 block of Mechanic, according to Police Captain Ray Mattis.

Salomon-Ambriz refused to comply with the officer's orders to exit his car and fled from this scene in his car almost striking two officers with his car. 

A short pursuit followed, but the officers lost sight of Salomon-Ambriz. His car was later located in the alleyway in the 400 block of Rural. Officers with the Emporia Police Department and the Lyon County Sheriff's Office set up a perimeter. The Kansas Highway Patrol came to assist with a K-9 to track Salomon-Ambriz. 

The K-9 followed tracks indicating Salomon-Ambriz entered a residence in the 400 block of Rural. Salomon-Ambriz was called out of the residence and surrendered without further incident. No one was injured in this incident. Salomon-Ambriz was confined

at the Lyon County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, Flee and Elude, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, and the warrant.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712765304510.png" alt="SALOMON-AMBRIZ-photo Lyon Co." />
 <figcaption>SALOMON-AMBRIZ-photo Lyon Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —A Kansas Highway Patrol K9 helped officers track down a wanted suspect in Lyon County.Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were attempting to arrest 56-year-old Jose Salomon-Ambriz as they attempted to serve an arrest warrant for him while he was parked in his car in the 400 block of Mechanic, according to Police Captain Ray Mattis.Salomon-Ambriz refused to comply with the officer's orders to exit his car and fled from this scene in his car almost striking two officers with his car. A short pursuit followed, but the officers lost sight of Salomon-Ambriz. His car was later located in the alleyway in the 400 block of Rural. Officers with the Emporia Police Department and the Lyon County Sheriff's Office set up a perimeter. The Kansas Highway Patrol came to assist with a K-9 to track Salomon-Ambriz. The K-9 followed tracks indicating Salomon-Ambriz entered a residence in the 400 block of Rural. Salomon-Ambriz was called out of the residence and surrendered without further incident. No one was injured in this incident. Salomon-Ambriz was confinedat the Lyon County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, Flee and Elude, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, and the warrant.&nbsp;

KHP K9 helps track wanted suspect hiding in a house

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a bank robbery in Wichita have identified the suspect and he was arrested in Meade County, Wichita Police Spokesman Andrew Ford reported Thursday morning. According to online jail records the suspect is 67-year-old&nbsp;Craig Lee Henderson.

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, the suspect later identified as Henderson entered the Wells Fargo Bank, 455 South West Street in Wichita, according to Ford. 

The suspect was described as a white male between 50 and 60-years-old with long gray hair and a black and white beard. He announced the robbery to a teller and demanded money.&nbsp;

The teller gave Henderson an undisclosed amount of cash and he fled the business in an unknown direction. Henderson indicated he had a weapon, but one was not displayed. Henderson also was wearing black sunglasses and a blue jean jacket.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Wichita Police crime lab collected evidence and the FBI is in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; Henderson remains jailed in Meade County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712928769836.png" alt="Henderson-photo Meade County" />
 <figcaption>Henderson-photo Meade County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a bank robbery in Wichita have identified the suspect and he was arrested in Meade County, Wichita Police Spokesman Andrew Ford reported Thursday morning. According to online jail records the suspect is 67-year-old&nbsp;Craig Lee Henderson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712837540615.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, the suspect later identified as Henderson entered the Wells Fargo Bank, 455 South West Street in Wichita, according to Ford. The suspect was described as a white male between 50 and 60-years-old with long gray hair and a black and white beard. He announced the robbery to a teller and demanded money.&nbsp;The teller gave Henderson an undisclosed amount of cash and he fled the business in an unknown direction. Henderson indicated he had a weapon, but one was not displayed. Henderson also was wearing black sunglasses and a blue jean jacket.&nbsp; &nbsp;The Wichita Police crime lab collected evidence and the FBI is in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; Henderson remains jailed in Meade County.

Captured Kansas bank robbery suspect identified

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' governor on Friday vetoed a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors, a measure to require more reporting from abortion providers and what she called a “vague” bill making it a crime to coerce someone into having an abortion.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's actions set up a series of confrontations with the Republican-supermajority Legislature over those issues. The measures appeared to have the two-thirds majorities needed in both chambers to override vetoes, but GOP leaders' success depends on how many lawmakers are absent on a given day, especially in the House.

The two-term governor, who is term-limited, is a strong supporter of abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Republicans control the Legislature, and they've joined other GOP lawmakers across the U.S. in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/states-define-sex-transgender-dc8c48669aef760c68d2fb7abde10e8c">rolling back transgender rights</a>.

But Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with Republican legislatures because the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">declared in 2019</a>&nbsp;that the state constitution protects abortion rights, and a statewide vote in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed</a>&nbsp;that position.

“Voters do not want politicians getting between doctors and their patient by interfering in private medical decisions,” Kelly wrote in her veto message on the abortion reporting bill.

Kelly did allow one GOP proposal on a social issue highlighted by Republicans across the U.S. to become law without her signature. Starting July 1, pornography websites&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/internet-pornography-age-verification-states-2ad9939bb95ccc15126419b38067be94">must verify</a>&nbsp;that Kansas visitors are adults. Kansas will follow Texas and a handful of other states despite some concerns about privacy and how broadly the law could be applied.

In rejecting an attempt to have Kansas join at least 24 other states in banning or restricting gender-affirming care for minors, Kelly argued that a ban “tramples parental rights” and targets “a small group.”

“If the Legislature paid this much attention to the other 99.8% of students, we’d have the best schools on earth,” she wrote.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb233_enrolled.pdf">Kansas bill</a>&nbsp;against gender-affirming care would bar surgery, hormone treatments and puberty blockers, limiting care for minors to therapy.

“Hopefully this will be the end of that, at least this year, and they don’t decide to waste anyone’s time anymore,” Jenna Bellemere, a transgender University of Kansas student, said after learning of the veto.

The bill also would require that the state revoke the licenses of any doctors violating the ban and bar recipients of state funds for treating children or state employees who work with children from advocating gender-affirming care for them. It would ban the use of state dollars and property on such care, which restricts the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

Supporters of the bill argue the ban will protect children from experimental, possibly dangerous and potentially permanent treatments. They have cited the recent decision of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-puberty-blockers-england-uk-5ed81979363470028053423c0a2fa263">the National Health Service in England</a>&nbsp;to no longer routinely cover such treatments. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said of Kelly, “The radical left controls her veto pen.”

“Laura Kelly will most surely find herself on the wrong side of history with her reckless veto of this common-sense protection for Kansas minors,” said Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.

But U.S. states' bans go against the recommendations of major American health care groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Also, many medical professionals say providing such care makes transgender children less prone to depression or suicidal thoughts.

Last year, Republican legislators overrode Kelly vetoes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-genderaffirming-care-kansas-0dcbbe6515e8f72d17e5aed2a04aa1ec">ban transgender girls and women</a>&nbsp;on female K-12 and college sports teams and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-arkansas-health-8f2edaa40b962e5642e108b83bc14246">end the state's legal recognition</a>&nbsp;of transgender people's gender identities. Because of the latter law, Kansas no longer allows transgender people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-birth-certificates-kansas-8424f36613c05d03b7d4eb8f82229ee6">to change the listing for sex</a>&nbsp;on their driver's licenses or birth certificates.

Republican lawmakers also have continued to press for new laws on abortion, despite the August 2022 vote, arguing that voters still support “reasonable” regulations and support for pregnant women and new mothers.

“Once again, Governor ‘Coercion Kelly’ has shown how radical she is when it comes to abortion, lacking basic compassion for women who are pushed or even trafficked into abortions," Danielle Underwood, spokesperson for Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group, said in a statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-coercion-5fad478f4164c22f7f81b72268aa6f68">The anti-coercion bill</a>&nbsp;would punish someone convicted of making a physical or financial threat against a woman or girl to push her to have an abortion with up to a year in prison or a fine of up to $10,000. In her veto message, Kelly noted that it's already a crime to threaten someone else.

Critics said it's written broadly enough that it could apply to a spouse who threatens divorce or a live-in boyfriend who threatens to leave unless their partner gets an abortion.

The reporting bill would require providers to ask their patients why they want to terminate their pregnancies and report the information to the state health department. Kelly and other critics contend it's invasive and unnecessary, but supporters argue that the state needs better data about why women and girls have abortions to help set policy.

“These stigmatizing bills were not crafted to improve the health and well-being of Kansans," said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates three clinics providing abortions in Kansas. “They were merely meant to shame reproductive care.”

&nbsp;TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she vetoed a bill that would require Kansas abortion providers to ask their patients why they want to terminate their pregnancies and then report the answers to the state.&nbsp; 

In a statement from her office Kelly wrote, “Kansans spoke loud and clear in August 2022. Voters do not want politicians getting between doctors and their patient by interfering in private medical decisions.

“House Bill 2749 is invasive and unnecessary. There is no valid medical reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature if they have been a victim of abuse, rape, or incest prior to obtaining an abortion. There is also no valid reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature why she is seeking an abortion.

“I refuse to sign legislation that goes against the will of the majority of Kansans who spoke loudly on August 2, 2022: Kansans don’t want politicians involved in their private medical decisions."

“There are some in the legislature who have forgotten that. I have not. Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Bill 2749.”

The bill required providers to ask patients 11 questions about their reasons for terminating a pregnancy, including that they can’t afford another child, raising a child would hinder their education or careers, or a spouse or partner wanted her to have an abortion. A woman would not be required to answer, however.

At least eight states require similar reporting, but none of them has had a statewide vote on abortion rights as Kansas did in August 2022. In the first state ballot question on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Dobbs decision</a>, voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively protected abortion rights</a>&nbsp;under the state constitution.

Supporters of the bill in the Kansas Legislature appear to have exactly the two-thirds majorities in both chambers they would need to override Kelly's veto.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684065199461.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' governor on Friday vetoed a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors, a measure to require more reporting from abortion providers and what she called a “vague” bill making it a crime to coerce someone into having an abortion.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's actions set up a series of confrontations with the Republican-supermajority Legislature over those issues. The measures appeared to have the two-thirds majorities needed in both chambers to override vetoes, but GOP leaders' success depends on how many lawmakers are absent on a given day, especially in the House.The two-term governor, who is term-limited, is a strong supporter of abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Republicans control the Legislature, and they've joined other GOP lawmakers across the U.S. in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/states-define-sex-transgender-dc8c48669aef760c68d2fb7abde10e8c">rolling back transgender rights</a>.But Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with Republican legislatures because the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">declared in 2019</a>&nbsp;that the state constitution protects abortion rights, and a statewide vote in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed</a>&nbsp;that position.“Voters do not want politicians getting between doctors and their patient by interfering in private medical decisions,” Kelly wrote in her veto message on the abortion reporting bill.Kelly did allow one GOP proposal on a social issue highlighted by Republicans across the U.S. to become law without her signature. Starting July 1, pornography websites&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/internet-pornography-age-verification-states-2ad9939bb95ccc15126419b38067be94">must verify</a>&nbsp;that Kansas visitors are adults. Kansas will follow Texas and a handful of other states despite some concerns about privacy and how broadly the law could be applied.In rejecting an attempt to have Kansas join at least 24 other states in banning or restricting gender-affirming care for minors, Kelly argued that a ban “tramples parental rights” and targets “a small group.”“If the Legislature paid this much attention to the other 99.8% of students, we’d have the best schools on earth,” she wrote.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb233_enrolled.pdf">Kansas bill</a>&nbsp;against gender-affirming care would bar surgery, hormone treatments and puberty blockers, limiting care for minors to therapy.“Hopefully this will be the end of that, at least this year, and they don’t decide to waste anyone’s time anymore,” Jenna Bellemere, a transgender University of Kansas student, said after learning of the veto.The bill also would require that the state revoke the licenses of any doctors violating the ban and bar recipients of state funds for treating children or state employees who work with children from advocating gender-affirming care for them. It would ban the use of state dollars and property on such care, which restricts the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.Supporters of the bill argue the ban will protect children from experimental, possibly dangerous and potentially permanent treatments. They have cited the recent decision of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-puberty-blockers-england-uk-5ed81979363470028053423c0a2fa263">the National Health Service in England</a>&nbsp;to no longer routinely cover such treatments. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said of Kelly, “The radical left controls her veto pen.”“Laura Kelly will most surely find herself on the wrong side of history with her reckless veto of this common-sense protection for Kansas minors,” said Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.But U.S. states' bans go against the recommendations of major American health care groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Also, many medical professionals say providing such care makes transgender children less prone to depression or suicidal thoughts.Last year, Republican legislators overrode Kelly vetoes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-genderaffirming-care-kansas-0dcbbe6515e8f72d17e5aed2a04aa1ec">ban transgender girls and women</a>&nbsp;on female K-12 and college sports teams and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-arkansas-health-8f2edaa40b962e5642e108b83bc14246">end the state's legal recognition</a>&nbsp;of transgender people's gender identities. Because of the latter law, Kansas no longer allows transgender people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-birth-certificates-kansas-8424f36613c05d03b7d4eb8f82229ee6">to change the listing for sex</a>&nbsp;on their driver's licenses or birth certificates.Republican lawmakers also have continued to press for new laws on abortion, despite the August 2022 vote, arguing that voters still support “reasonable” regulations and support for pregnant women and new mothers.“Once again, Governor ‘Coercion Kelly’ has shown how radical she is when it comes to abortion, lacking basic compassion for women who are pushed or even trafficked into abortions," Danielle Underwood, spokesperson for Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group, said in a statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-coercion-5fad478f4164c22f7f81b72268aa6f68">The anti-coercion bill</a>&nbsp;would punish someone convicted of making a physical or financial threat against a woman or girl to push her to have an abortion with up to a year in prison or a fine of up to $10,000. In her veto message, Kelly noted that it's already a crime to threaten someone else.Critics said it's written broadly enough that it could apply to a spouse who threatens divorce or a live-in boyfriend who threatens to leave unless their partner gets an abortion.The reporting bill would require providers to ask their patients why they want to terminate their pregnancies and report the information to the state health department. Kelly and other critics contend it's invasive and unnecessary, but supporters argue that the state needs better data about why women and girls have abortions to help set policy.“These stigmatizing bills were not crafted to improve the health and well-being of Kansans," said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates three clinics providing abortions in Kansas. “They were merely meant to shame reproductive care.”-----------&nbsp;TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she vetoed a bill that would require Kansas abortion providers to ask their patients why they want to terminate their pregnancies and then report the answers to the state.&nbsp; In a statement from her office Kelly wrote, “Kansans spoke loud and clear in August 2022. Voters do not want politicians getting between doctors and their patient by interfering in private medical decisions.“House Bill 2749 is invasive and unnecessary. There is no valid medical reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature if they have been a victim of abuse, rape, or incest prior to obtaining an abortion. There is also no valid reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature why she is seeking an abortion.“I refuse to sign legislation that goes against the will of the majority of Kansans who spoke loudly on August 2, 2022: Kansans don’t want politicians involved in their private medical decisions."“There are some in the legislature who have forgotten that. I have not. Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Bill 2749.”The bill required providers to ask patients 11 questions about their reasons for terminating a pregnancy, including that they can’t afford another child, raising a child would hinder their education or careers, or a spouse or partner wanted her to have an abortion. A woman would not be required to answer, however.At least eight states require similar reporting, but none of them has had a statewide vote on abortion rights as Kansas did in August 2022. In the first state ballot question on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Dobbs decision</a>, voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively protected abortion rights</a>&nbsp;under the state constitution.Supporters of the bill in the Kansas Legislature appear to have exactly the two-thirds majorities in both chambers they would need to override Kelly's veto.-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kan. gov. vetoes ban on gender-affirming care for minors and 2 anti-abortion bills

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is canceling student loans for another 277,000 borrowers as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-forgiveness-save-plan-debt-borrowers-313afd73cadc3cfc8ab3a6ee684fc3e4">new repayment plan</a>&nbsp;that offers a faster route to forgiveness.

The Education Department announced the latest round of cancellations Friday in an update on the progress of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-debt-college-cancellation-forgiveness-34152bb5000128a413efd2287887a37a">SAVE Plan</a>. More people are becoming eligible for student loan cancellation as they hit 10 years of payments, a new finish line for some loans that’s a decade sooner than what borrowers faced in the past.

Casting a shadow over the cancellations, however, are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-debt-cancellation-college-forgiveness-f94b9706bd395b32e44d4d1b3f6ff051">two new lawsuits</a>&nbsp;challenging the plan's legality. Two groups of Republican-led states, fronted by Kansas and Missouri, recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-debt-lawsuit-republicans-biden-b60d13539b2f2aef2869d56e63f33a3b">filed federal suits</a>&nbsp;arguing that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in creating the repayment option.

“From day one of my Administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “I will never stop working to cancel student debt — no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us.”

With the latest action, the Education Department has now approved cancellation for about 360,000 borrowers through the new repayment plan, totaling $4.8 billion.

The SAVE Plan is an updated version of a federal repayment plan that has been offered for decades, but with more generous terms.

Congress created the first income-driven repayment option in the 1990s for people struggling to afford payments on standard plans. It capped monthly payments to a percentage of their incomes and canceled any unpaid debt after 25 years. Similar plans were added later, offering cancellation in as little as 20 years.

Arguing that today's borrowers need even more help, the Biden administration merged most of those plans into a single repayment option with more lenient terms.

The SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) Plan allows more borrowers to pay nothing until their income rise above certain limits. It also lowers payments more than past plans, eliminates interest growth and cancels unpaid debt in as little as 10 years.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">announced the plan in 2022</a>&nbsp;alongside his broader proposal for a one-time cancellation of up to $20,000 for more than 40 million people. While the one-time cancellation was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa">struck down</a>&nbsp;by the Supreme Court, the SAVE Plan moved forward and initially escaped legal scrutiny.

The repayment plan opened for enrollment last fall, with certain provisions scheduled to be phased in later this year. The faster path to cancellation was among those slated to start this summer, but the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-cancellation-debt-forgiveness-biden-2630ec3d7cb06510c9d7248a86afb8ce">fast-tracked that benefit</a>&nbsp;early this year, announcing forgiveness for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-student-loan-forgiveness-2024-california-cc23ba93a733b583f3ee8963cdd02566">153,000 borrowers</a>&nbsp;who had hit 10 years of payments.

Almost 8 million Americans have enrolled in the plan, including 4.5 million who pay nothing because they have lower incomes.

In a call with reporters, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the plan provides relief and prevents borrowers from falling behind on their loans.

“Now they have some money back in their pockets, instead of a bill that too often competed with basic needs like groceries and health care,” he said.

Under the plan, borrowers who originally borrowed $12,000 or less are eligible for forgiveness after 10 years. Those who took out more than $12,000 can get cancellation but on a longer timeline. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond $12,000, it adds an additional year of payments on top of 10 years.

The Biden administration says it's designed to help those who need it most. Counterintuitively, those with smaller student loan balances tend to struggle more. It’s driven by millions of Americans who take out student loans but don’t finish degrees, leaving them with the downside of debt without the upside of a higher income.

In two separate lawsuits, Republican attorneys general in 18 states are pushing to have the plan tossed and to halt any further cancellation. They say the SAVE Plan goes beyond Biden’s authority and makes it harder for states to recruit employees. They say the plan undermines a separate cancellation program that encourages careers in public service.

It’s unclear what the suits could mean for loans that have already been canceled. A court document filed by Kansas' attorney general says it's “unrealistic to think that any loan forgiveness that occurs during this litigation will ever be clawed back.”

The lawsuits don't directly address the question, and the attorneys general didn't immediately respond to an Associated Press request.

The Education Department says Congress gave the agency power to define the terms of income-driven payment plans in 1993, and that authority has been used in the past.

Along with the repayment plan, Biden is trying again at a one-time student loan cancellation. In a visit to Wisconsin on Monday, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-student-loan-education-forgiveness-069d64e7e6fc4edd967adf6bc5f7e699">highlighted a proposal</a>&nbsp;to reduce or cancel loans for more than 30 million borrowers in five categories.

It aims to help borrowers with larges sums of unpaid interest, those with older loans, those who attended low-value programs, and those who face other hardships preventing them from repaying student loans. It would also cancel loans for people who are eligible for other forgiveness programs but haven't applied.

The Biden administration says it will accelerate parts of the proposal, with plans to start waiving unpaid interest for millions of borrowers starting this fall. Conservative opponents have threatened to challenge that plan, too.

On Friday the administration also said it's canceling loans for 65,000 borrowers who are enrolled in older income-driven repayment plans and hit the finish line for forgiveness. It also announced cancellation for another 5,000 borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Through a variety of programs, the Biden administration says it has now provided loan relief to 4.3 million people, totaling $153 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712948481051.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is canceling student loans for another 277,000 borrowers as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-forgiveness-save-plan-debt-borrowers-313afd73cadc3cfc8ab3a6ee684fc3e4">new repayment plan</a>&nbsp;that offers a faster route to forgiveness.The Education Department announced the latest round of cancellations Friday in an update on the progress of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-debt-college-cancellation-forgiveness-34152bb5000128a413efd2287887a37a">SAVE Plan</a>. More people are becoming eligible for student loan cancellation as they hit 10 years of payments, a new finish line for some loans that’s a decade sooner than what borrowers faced in the past.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden and I are proud to announce an additional $7.4 billion in student loan forgiveness for 277,000 more Americans. We have now forgiven $153 billion for 4.3 million borrowers — and we won’t stop there. To learn more visit <a href="https://t.co/5lP8EkFs1D">https://t.co/5lP8EkFs1D</a>. <a href="https://t.co/smFxD8Ztoy">pic.twitter.com/smFxD8Ztoy</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1778801631364014424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Casting a shadow over the cancellations, however, are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-debt-cancellation-college-forgiveness-f94b9706bd395b32e44d4d1b3f6ff051">two new lawsuits</a>&nbsp;challenging the plan's legality. Two groups of Republican-led states, fronted by Kansas and Missouri, recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-debt-lawsuit-republicans-biden-b60d13539b2f2aef2869d56e63f33a3b">filed federal suits</a>&nbsp;arguing that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in creating the repayment option.“From day one of my Administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “I will never stop working to cancel student debt — no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us.”With the latest action, the Education Department has now approved cancellation for about 360,000 borrowers through the new repayment plan, totaling $4.8 billion.The SAVE Plan is an updated version of a federal repayment plan that has been offered for decades, but with more generous terms.Congress created the first income-driven repayment option in the 1990s for people struggling to afford payments on standard plans. It capped monthly payments to a percentage of their incomes and canceled any unpaid debt after 25 years. Similar plans were added later, offering cancellation in as little as 20 years.Arguing that today's borrowers need even more help, the Biden administration merged most of those plans into a single repayment option with more lenient terms.The SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) Plan allows more borrowers to pay nothing until their income rise above certain limits. It also lowers payments more than past plans, eliminates interest growth and cancels unpaid debt in as little as 10 years.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">announced the plan in 2022</a>&nbsp;alongside his broader proposal for a one-time cancellation of up to $20,000 for more than 40 million people. While the one-time cancellation was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa">struck down</a>&nbsp;by the Supreme Court, the SAVE Plan moved forward and initially escaped legal scrutiny.The repayment plan opened for enrollment last fall, with certain provisions scheduled to be phased in later this year. The faster path to cancellation was among those slated to start this summer, but the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-cancellation-debt-forgiveness-biden-2630ec3d7cb06510c9d7248a86afb8ce">fast-tracked that benefit</a>&nbsp;early this year, announcing forgiveness for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-student-loan-forgiveness-2024-california-cc23ba93a733b583f3ee8963cdd02566">153,000 borrowers</a>&nbsp;who had hit 10 years of payments.Almost 8 million Americans have enrolled in the plan, including 4.5 million who pay nothing because they have lower incomes.In a call with reporters, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the plan provides relief and prevents borrowers from falling behind on their loans.“Now they have some money back in their pockets, instead of a bill that too often competed with basic needs like groceries and health care,” he said.Under the plan, borrowers who originally borrowed $12,000 or less are eligible for forgiveness after 10 years. Those who took out more than $12,000 can get cancellation but on a longer timeline. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond $12,000, it adds an additional year of payments on top of 10 years.The Biden administration says it's designed to help those who need it most. Counterintuitively, those with smaller student loan balances tend to struggle more. It’s driven by millions of Americans who take out student loans but don’t finish degrees, leaving them with the downside of debt without the upside of a higher income.In two separate lawsuits, Republican attorneys general in 18 states are pushing to have the plan tossed and to halt any further cancellation. They say the SAVE Plan goes beyond Biden’s authority and makes it harder for states to recruit employees. They say the plan undermines a separate cancellation program that encourages careers in public service.It’s unclear what the suits could mean for loans that have already been canceled. A court document filed by Kansas' attorney general says it's “unrealistic to think that any loan forgiveness that occurs during this litigation will ever be clawed back.”The lawsuits don't directly address the question, and the attorneys general didn't immediately respond to an Associated Press request.The Education Department says Congress gave the agency power to define the terms of income-driven payment plans in 1993, and that authority has been used in the past.Along with the repayment plan, Biden is trying again at a one-time student loan cancellation. In a visit to Wisconsin on Monday, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-student-loan-education-forgiveness-069d64e7e6fc4edd967adf6bc5f7e699">highlighted a proposal</a>&nbsp;to reduce or cancel loans for more than 30 million borrowers in five categories.It aims to help borrowers with larges sums of unpaid interest, those with older loans, those who attended low-value programs, and those who face other hardships preventing them from repaying student loans. It would also cancel loans for people who are eligible for other forgiveness programs but haven't applied.The Biden administration says it will accelerate parts of the proposal, with plans to start waiving unpaid interest for millions of borrowers starting this fall. Conservative opponents have threatened to challenge that plan, too.On Friday the administration also said it's canceling loans for 65,000 borrowers who are enrolled in older income-driven repayment plans and hit the finish line for forgiveness. It also announced cancellation for another 5,000 borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.Through a variety of programs, the Biden administration says it has now provided loan relief to 4.3 million people, totaling $153 billion.

Biden announces new student loan forgiveness plan

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-macneil">Robert MacNeil,</a>&nbsp;who created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show for with his late partner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f8aeb6fc3fc76ef11bca1d6368afb4f9">Jim Lehrer,</a>&nbsp;for two decades, died on Friday. He was 93.

MacNeil died of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, according to his daughter, Alison MacNeil.

MacNeil first gained prominence for his coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings for the public broadcasting service and began his half-hour “Robert MacNeil Report” on PBS in 1975 with his friend Lehrer as Washington correspondent.

The broadcast became the “MacNeil-Lehrer Report” and then, in 1983, was expanded to an hour and renamed the “MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour.” The nation's first one-hour evening news broadcast, and recipient of several Emmy and Peabody awards, it remains on the air today with Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz as anchors.

It was MacNeil’s and Lehrer’s disenchantment with the style and content of rival news programs on ABC, CBS and NBC that led to the program’s creation.

“We don’t need to SELL the news,” MacNeil told the Chicago Tribune in 1983. “The networks hype the news to make it seem vital, important. What’s missing (in 22 minutes) is context, sometimes balance, and a consideration of questions that are raised by certain events.”

MacNeil left anchoring duties at “NewsHour” after two decades in 1995 to write full time. Lehrer took over the newscast alone, and he remained there until 2009. Lehrer died in 2020.

When MacNeil visited the show in October 2005 to commemorate its 30th anniversary, he reminisced about how their newscast started in the days before cable television.

“It was a way to do something that seemed to be needed journalistically and yet was different from what the commercial network news (programs) were doing,” he said.

MacNeil wrote several books, including two memoirs “The Right Place at the Right Time” and the best seller “Wordstruck,” and the novels “Burden of Desire” and “The Voyage.”

“Writing is much more personal. It is not collaborative in the way that television must be,” MacNeil told The Associated Press in 1995. “But when you’re sitting down writing a novel, it’s just you: Here’s what I think, here’s what I want to do. And it’s me.”

MacNeil also created the Emmy-winning 1986 series “The Story of English,” with the MacNeil-Lehrer production company, and was co-author of the companion book of the same name.

Another book on language that he co-wrote, “Do You Speak American?,” was adapted into a PBS documentary in 2005.

In 2007, he served as host of “America at a Crossroads,” a six-night PBS package exploring challenges confronting the United States in a post-9/11 world.

Six years before the 9/11 attacks, discussing sensationalism and frivolity in the news business, he had said: “If something really serious did happen to the nation — a stock market crash like 1929, ... the equivalent of a Pearl Harbor — wouldn’t the news get very serious again? Wouldn’t people run from `Hard Copy’ and titillation?”

“Of course you would. You’d have to know what was going on.”

Born in Montreal in 1931, MacNeil was raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa in 1955 before moving to London where he began his journalism career with Reuters. He switched to TV news in 1960, taking a job with NBC in London as a foreign correspondent.

In 1963, MacNeil was transferred to NBC’s Washington bureau, where he reported on Civil Rights and the White House. He covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas and spent most of 1964 following the presidential campaign between Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon Johnson, and Republican Barry Goldwater.

In 1965, MacNeil became the New York anchor of the first half-hour weekend network news broadcast, “The Scherer-MacNeil Report” on NBC. While in New York, he also anchored local newscasts and several NBC news documentaries, including “The Big Ear” and “The Right to Bear Arms.”

MacNeil returned to London in 1967 as a reporter for the British Broadcasting Corp.’s “Panorama” series. While with the BBC, be covered such U.S. stories as the clash between anti-war demonstrators and the Chicago police at the 1968 Democratic Convention, and the funerals of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Sen. Robert Kennedy and President Dwight Eisenhower.

In 1971, MacNeil left the BBC to become a senior correspondent for PBS, where he teamed up with Lehrer to co-anchor public television’s Emmy-winning coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712944014693.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-macneil">Robert MacNeil,</a>&nbsp;who created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show for with his late partner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f8aeb6fc3fc76ef11bca1d6368afb4f9">Jim Lehrer,</a>&nbsp;for two decades, died on Friday. He was 93.MacNeil died of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, according to his daughter, Alison MacNeil.MacNeil first gained prominence for his coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings for the public broadcasting service and began his half-hour “Robert MacNeil Report” on PBS in 1975 with his friend Lehrer as Washington correspondent.The broadcast became the “MacNeil-Lehrer Report” and then, in 1983, was expanded to an hour and renamed the “MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour.” The nation's first one-hour evening news broadcast, and recipient of several Emmy and Peabody awards, it remains on the air today with Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz as anchors.It was MacNeil’s and Lehrer’s disenchantment with the style and content of rival news programs on ABC, CBS and NBC that led to the program’s creation.“We don’t need to SELL the news,” MacNeil told the Chicago Tribune in 1983. “The networks hype the news to make it seem vital, important. What’s missing (in 22 minutes) is context, sometimes balance, and a consideration of questions that are raised by certain events.”MacNeil left anchoring duties at “NewsHour” after two decades in 1995 to write full time. Lehrer took over the newscast alone, and he remained there until 2009. Lehrer died in 2020.When MacNeil visited the show in October 2005 to commemorate its 30th anniversary, he reminisced about how their newscast started in the days before cable television.“It was a way to do something that seemed to be needed journalistically and yet was different from what the commercial network news (programs) were doing,” he said.MacNeil wrote several books, including two memoirs “The Right Place at the Right Time” and the best seller “Wordstruck,” and the novels “Burden of Desire” and “The Voyage.”“Writing is much more personal. It is not collaborative in the way that television must be,” MacNeil told The Associated Press in 1995. “But when you’re sitting down writing a novel, it’s just you: Here’s what I think, here’s what I want to do. And it’s me.”MacNeil also created the Emmy-winning 1986 series “The Story of English,” with the MacNeil-Lehrer production company, and was co-author of the companion book of the same name.Another book on language that he co-wrote, “Do You Speak American?,” was adapted into a PBS documentary in 2005.In 2007, he served as host of “America at a Crossroads,” a six-night PBS package exploring challenges confronting the United States in a post-9/11 world.Six years before the 9/11 attacks, discussing sensationalism and frivolity in the news business, he had said: “If something really serious did happen to the nation — a stock market crash like 1929, ... the equivalent of a Pearl Harbor — wouldn’t the news get very serious again? Wouldn’t people run from `Hard Copy’ and titillation?”“Of course you would. You’d have to know what was going on.”That was the case — for a while.Born in Montreal in 1931, MacNeil was raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa in 1955 before moving to London where he began his journalism career with Reuters. He switched to TV news in 1960, taking a job with NBC in London as a foreign correspondent.In 1963, MacNeil was transferred to NBC’s Washington bureau, where he reported on Civil Rights and the White House. He covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas and spent most of 1964 following the presidential campaign between Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon Johnson, and Republican Barry Goldwater.In 1965, MacNeil became the New York anchor of the first half-hour weekend network news broadcast, “The Scherer-MacNeil Report” on NBC. While in New York, he also anchored local newscasts and several NBC news documentaries, including “The Big Ear” and “The Right to Bear Arms.”MacNeil returned to London in 1967 as a reporter for the British Broadcasting Corp.’s “Panorama” series. While with the BBC, be covered such U.S. stories as the clash between anti-war demonstrators and the Chicago police at the 1968 Democratic Convention, and the funerals of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Sen. Robert Kennedy and President Dwight Eisenhower.In 1971, MacNeil left the BBC to become a senior correspondent for PBS, where he teamed up with Lehrer to co-anchor public television’s Emmy-winning coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973.___

Robert MacNeil, creator and first anchor of PBS 'NewsHour' dies at 93

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in a deadly knife attack made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Todd Angevine, 35, Wichita, is charged with 2nd degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. 

Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, the Wichita Police Department responded to a report of a knife incident near the Arkansas River, north of the Lincoln Street Bridge, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders at the scene along the walking path, discovered 43-year-old Lonnie Hunter who had died from multiple stab wounds.

Investigators from the Wichita Police Homicide Unit took over the investigation. After speaking with witnesses, they quickly learned that Lonnie Hunter was walking with a group of individuals when a confrontation ensued with a suspect described as a homeless man. The altercation led to Lonnie Hunter being stabbed multiple times, causing his tragic death. The suspect fled the area before the arrival of law enforcement.

Through diligent pursuit of leads, the Wichita Police tracked down and apprehended<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=255933">&nbsp;Angevine</a>.

He is being held on a&nbsp; bond of a half-million dollars, according to the district attorney's office. He is due back in court April 26.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712578838661.png" alt="Angevine-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Angevine-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in a deadly knife attack made his first court appearance Wednesday.Todd Angevine, 35, Wichita, is charged with 2nd degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, the Wichita Police Department responded to a report of a knife incident near the Arkansas River, north of the Lincoln Street Bridge, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders at the scene along the walking path, discovered 43-year-old Lonnie Hunter who had died from multiple stab wounds.Investigators from the Wichita Police Homicide Unit took over the investigation. After speaking with witnesses, they quickly learned that Lonnie Hunter was walking with a group of individuals when a confrontation ensued with a suspect described as a homeless man. The altercation led to Lonnie Hunter being stabbed multiple times, causing his tragic death. The suspect fled the area before the arrival of law enforcement.Through diligent pursuit of leads, the Wichita Police tracked down and apprehended<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=255933">&nbsp;Angevine</a>.He is being held on a&nbsp; bond of a half-million dollars, according to the district attorney's office. He is due back in court April 26.

Suspect charged in deadly Kansas knife attack

KANSAS CITY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just before noon Thursday, crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 2600 block of Indiana, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. First responders reported heavy fire from multiple floors of a two-story vacant structure. 

Searches of the structure came back all clear. There were no injuries reported at this incident. Authorities have not released a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712864657864.png" alt="Photo KC Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City. Just before noon Thursday, crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 2600 block of Indiana, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. First responders reported heavy fire from multiple floors of a two-story vacant structure. Searches of the structure came back all clear. There were no injuries reported at this incident. Authorities have not released a damage estimate.

Fire caused extensive damage at 2-story home in Kansas City

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting in Topeka have identified the victim as 39-year-old&nbsp; Reginald D. Previtte, 39, of Topeka. 

Just after 4:30 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a reported shooting Reser's Fine Foods, 3167 SE 10th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

Investigators believe this was an isolated incident that occurred in the parking lot and no other injuries have been reported.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not reported an arrest or any suspect details.

Reser's is a family owned and operated prepared food business, according to the company web site. This is the third homicide investigation of 2024

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712883470826.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting in Topeka have identified the victim as 39-year-old&nbsp; Reginald D. Previtte, 39, of Topeka. Just after 4:30 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a reported shooting Reser's Fine Foods, 3167 SE 10th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.First responders found Previtte suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was later pronounced deceased by medical personnel.Investigators believe this was an isolated incident that occurred in the parking lot and no other injuries have been reported.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not reported an arrest or any suspect details.Reser's is a family owned and operated prepared food business, according to the company web site. This is the third homicide investigation of 2024

Police ID victim in fatal shooting at Kansas food plant

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Arguments before a federal appeals court that is considering whether to reinstate Arkansas' first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for minors focused Thursday on whether it and similar restrictions adopted by two dozen states discriminate on the basis of sex.

Ten judges with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis heard arguments over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/arkansas-gender-general-news-2a0d032f4e4f3195c180d879239e6521">judge's ruling</a>&nbsp;last year that struck down the ban as unconstitutional. The 2021 law would prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18.

An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law on behalf of four transgender youths and their parents, said the restriction infringes on the longstanding rights of parents to make decisions about their children's medical care.

“Arkansas believed that that government knew better than the loving parents in this case what was best for their minor children,” Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice for the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Project, told the court. “That burdens that longstanding right of parents to direct the medical care of their children.”

At least 24 states have adopted laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting or banning</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those face lawsuits. The restrictions on health care are part of a larger backlash against transgender rights, touching on everything from bathroom access to participation in sports.

The 43-minute hearing on the Arkansas law drew a packed audience that included the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elliot-page">actor Elliot Page,</a>&nbsp;who has filed a brief asking the court to uphold last year's ruling.

Dylan Jacobs, the deputy solicitor general for Arkansas, argued that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex because it bans the treatments for a specific purpose.

“Minors may be prescribed testosterone for any purpose other than gender transition under this statute,” Jacobs said, adding that states have “wide-ranging authority” to regulate health, safety and medical ethics.

The case went before the full court rather than a three-judge panel after it granted a request by Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin. The move could speed up the case's march toward the U.S. Supreme Court, which has been asked to block similar laws in Kentucky and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-transgender-gender-affirming-care-ban-f58714b70298e2eb65ce833c2d4ae3b9">Tennessee</a>. All but one of the judges hearing arguments Thursday were appointed by Republican presidents.

Jacobs was repeatedly questioned by Judge Jane Kelly, who was appointed to the court by former President Barack Obama, about the state's arguments that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex.

Judge David Stras, who was appointed to the court by former President Donald Trump, asked attorneys on both sides whether gender identity is "fully fixed" before the end of puberty and whether that would be justification for a ban like Arkansas'.

Jacobs said the Legislature setting 18 as the cutoff age implies that was part of its reasoning. Strangio noted that none of the treatments banned by Arkansas are prescribed before the onset of puberty.

It’s unclear when the 8th Circuit will make a ruling. Chief Judge Steven Colloton said it will issue a decision “in due course.”

“This ongoing battle, in Arkansas and across the United States, is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in ensuring that everyone has the freedom to access the care they need and deserve,” the families challenging the law said in a statement after the hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710450578789.png" alt="File photo (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Arguments before a federal appeals court that is considering whether to reinstate Arkansas' first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for minors focused Thursday on whether it and similar restrictions adopted by two dozen states discriminate on the basis of sex.Ten judges with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis heard arguments over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/arkansas-gender-general-news-2a0d032f4e4f3195c180d879239e6521">judge's ruling</a>&nbsp;last year that struck down the ban as unconstitutional. The 2021 law would prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18.An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law on behalf of four transgender youths and their parents, said the restriction infringes on the longstanding rights of parents to make decisions about their children's medical care.“Arkansas believed that that government knew better than the loving parents in this case what was best for their minor children,” Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice for the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Project, told the court. “That burdens that longstanding right of parents to direct the medical care of their children.”At least 24 states have adopted laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting or banning</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those face lawsuits. The restrictions on health care are part of a larger backlash against transgender rights, touching on everything from bathroom access to participation in sports.The 43-minute hearing on the Arkansas law drew a packed audience that included the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elliot-page">actor Elliot Page,</a>&nbsp;who has filed a brief asking the court to uphold last year's ruling.Dylan Jacobs, the deputy solicitor general for Arkansas, argued that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex because it bans the treatments for a specific purpose.“Minors may be prescribed testosterone for any purpose other than gender transition under this statute,” Jacobs said, adding that states have “wide-ranging authority” to regulate health, safety and medical ethics.The case went before the full court rather than a three-judge panel after it granted a request by Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin. The move could speed up the case's march toward the U.S. Supreme Court, which has been asked to block similar laws in Kentucky and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-transgender-gender-affirming-care-ban-f58714b70298e2eb65ce833c2d4ae3b9">Tennessee</a>. All but one of the judges hearing arguments Thursday were appointed by Republican presidents.Jacobs was repeatedly questioned by Judge Jane Kelly, who was appointed to the court by former President Barack Obama, about the state's arguments that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex.Judge David Stras, who was appointed to the court by former President Donald Trump, asked attorneys on both sides whether gender identity is "fully fixed" before the end of puberty and whether that would be justification for a ban like Arkansas'.Jacobs said the Legislature setting 18 as the cutoff age implies that was part of its reasoning. Strangio noted that none of the treatments banned by Arkansas are prescribed before the onset of puberty.It’s unclear when the 8th Circuit will make a ruling. Chief Judge Steven Colloton said it will issue a decision “in due course.”“This ongoing battle, in Arkansas and across the United States, is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in ensuring that everyone has the freedom to access the care they need and deserve,” the families challenging the law said in a statement after the hearing.U.S. District Judge Jay Moody last year ruled that Arkansas' health care restrictions violated the due process and equal protection rights of transgender youths and families. He also ruled that it violated the First Amendment by prohibiting doctors from referring patients elsewhere for such care. Moody had temporarily&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-government-and-politics-arkansas-eb81755d293622d71ff832d8cbbea97d">blocked</a>&nbsp;the law before it could take effect in 2021.The ACLU is also representing two medical providers of the care. Multiple medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have opposed Arkansas' ban and urged the 8th Circuit to uphold the decision against it. An attorney for Justice Department, which opposes Arkansas' ban, also appeared before the court.The state has pointed to appeals court rulings allowing Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee's bans to be enforced. Arkansas’ attorneys have called the care “experimental,” a description that Moody’s ruling said was refuted by decades of clinical experience and scientific research. The state has argued that Moody's order creates a “novel new” right that parents can direct their children to receive medical care that the state does not find safe.Judges’ orders are temporarily blocking enforcement of similar bans in Idaho and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-youth-gender-affirming-care-ban-blocked-b042bea74b3f8e6be27e81572a771a8f">Montana</a>.Arkansas' ban was enacted after the majority-GOP Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-lawmakers-enact-transgender-youth-treatment-ban-dce1d5ca9450b255caabc18f547f7b9b">overrode</a>&nbsp;a veto by Asa Hutchinson, the Republican governor at the time. Current Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Hutchinson's successor and also a Republican, has said she would have approved the ban and last year signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huckabee-sanders-transgender-malpractice-lgbtq-arkansas-41b7cd39b167b3bf2f3796d8be37ecf6">legislation</a>&nbsp;making it easier to sue providers of such care for malpractice.___