BARTON COUNTY —Six people were injured in an accident just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Barton County

A 2004 Toyota Prius driven by 32-year-old Matthew Burg of Claflin was southbound on Northeast 130 Avenue at Kansas 156, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign crossing K156.

 An easbound 2018 Ford F150 driven by 55-year-old Laura Trinkle of Manhattan&nbsp; struck the Prius. Upon impact, both vehicles traveled northeast before coming to rest in a field.

EMS transported Burg, as well as two juvenile occupants of the Prius, ages one and three, to the hospital in Great Bend. Burg and the one-year-old were later transferred to a Wichita-area hospital with serious injuries, according Bellendir.

Trinkle, as well as two passengers, ages 82 and 59, were transported to the hospital in Great Bend with non-life-threatening injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703781337843.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Six people were injured in an accident just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Barton CountyA 2004 Toyota Prius driven by 32-year-old Matthew Burg of Claflin was southbound on Northeast 130 Avenue at Kansas 156, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The driver failed to stop at the stop sign crossing K156. An easbound 2018 Ford F150 driven by 55-year-old Laura Trinkle of Manhattan&nbsp; struck the Prius. Upon impact, both vehicles traveled northeast before coming to rest in a field.EMS transported Burg, as well as two juvenile occupants of the Prius, ages one and three, to the hospital in Great Bend. Burg and the one-year-old were later transferred to a Wichita-area hospital with serious injuries, according Bellendir.Trinkle, as well as two passengers, ages 82 and 59, were transported to the hospital in Great Bend with non-life-threatening injuries.

4 adults, 2 children hospitalized after 2-vehicle Kan. crash

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

Just before 11 p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 8400 block of Flora in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews reported smoke and fire showing from the residence. A&nbsp;search of the structure was conducted and came back all clear. After several minutes of interior operations Incident Command ordered an evacuation of the home. Defensive operations on the exterior of the structure were established. 

One firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital for further evaluation and was released early Thursday. Authorities released no damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703776611485.png" alt="Photo KCMO Fire" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCMO Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just before 11 p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 8400 block of Flora in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Crews reported smoke and fire showing from the residence. A&nbsp;search of the structure was conducted and came back all clear. After several minutes of interior operations Incident Command ordered an evacuation of the home. Defensive operations on the exterior of the structure were established. One firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital for further evaluation and was released early Thursday. Authorities released no damage estimate.

Kansas City firefighter injured fighting house fire

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Republican Party on Wednesday appealed that state's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">supreme court decision</a>&nbsp;that found former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is ineligible for the presidency, the potential first step to a showdown at the nation's highest court over the meaning of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-79373b5043976588b599fc00ede049e8">a 155-year-old constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.”

The first impact of the appeal is to extend the stay of the 4-3 ruling from Colorado's highest court, which put its decision on pause until Jan. 4, the day before the state's primary ballots are due at the printer, or until an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is finished. Trump himself has said he still plans to appeal the ruling to the nation's highest court as well.

The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which was added after the Civil War to prevent former Confederates from returning to government. It says that anyone who swore an oath to “support” the constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it cannot hold government office.

The Colorado high court ruled that applies to Trump in the wake of his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, intended to stop the certification of President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. It was the first time in history that the provision was used to block a presidential contender's campaign.

“The Colorado Supreme Court has removed the leading Republican candidate from the primary and general ballots, fundamentally changing the course of American democracy,” the party's attorneys wrote. The filing was posted on the website of a group run by Jay Sekulow, a former attorney for Trump representing the Colorado Republican Party who announced he was filing the appeal Wednesday. Colorado Republican Party chairman Dave Williams also said the appeal was filed Wednesday.

The attorneys added: “Unless the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision is overturned, any voter will have the power to sue to disqualify any political candidate, in Colorado or in any other jurisdiction that follows its lead. This will not only distort the 2024 presidential election but will also mire courts henceforth in political controversies over nebulous accusations of insurrection.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to take the case, either after the Colorado GOP's appeal or Trump's own appeal. If Trump ends up off the ballot in Colorado, it would have minimal effect on his campaign because he doesn't need the state, which he lost by 13 percentage points in 2020, to win the Electoral College in the presidential election. But it could open the door to courts or election officials striking him from the ballot in other must-win states.

Sean Grimsley, an attorney for the plaintiffs seeking to disqualify Trump in Colorado, said on a legal podcast last week that he hopes the nation's highest court hurries once it accepts the case, as he expects it will. “We obviously are going to ask for an extremely accelerated timeline because of all the reasons I’ve stated, we have a primary coming up on Super Tuesday and we need to know the answer,” Grimsley said.

More than a dozen states, including Colorado, are scheduled to hold primaries March 5 — Super Tuesday.

To date, no other court has sided with those who have filed dozens of lawsuits to disqualify Trump under Section 3, nor has any election official been willing to remove him from the ballot unilaterally without a court order.

The Colorado case was considered the one with the greatest chance of success, however, because it was filed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">a Washington D.C.-based liberal group</a>&nbsp;with ample legal resources. All seven of the Colorado high court justices were appointed by Democrats.

However, the unprecedented constitutional questions in the case haven't split on neatly partisan lines. Several prominent conservative legal theorists are among the most vocal advocates of disqualifying Trump under Section 3. They argue the plain meaning of the constitutional language bars him from running again, just as clearly as if he didn't meet the document's minimum age of 35 for the presidency.

The half-dozen plaintiffs in the Colorado case are all Republican or unaffiliated voters.

Trump has been scathing about the cases, calling them “election interference.” He continued that on Wednesday as he cheered a ruling earlier that day by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-colorado-b5a5d9ffa75efa63ab4780b04329e2a2">Michigan Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;leaving him on the ballot, at least for the primary, in that state.

“The Colorado people have embarrassed our nation with what they did," Trump said on Sean Hannity's radio show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703040304815.png" alt="“The Colorado people have embarrassed our nation with what they did," Trump said on Sean Hannity's radio show-File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“The Colorado people have embarrassed our nation with what they did," Trump said on Sean Hannity's radio show-File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Republican Party on Wednesday appealed that state's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">supreme court decision</a>&nbsp;that found former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is ineligible for the presidency, the potential first step to a showdown at the nation's highest court over the meaning of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-79373b5043976588b599fc00ede049e8">a 155-year-old constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.”The first impact of the appeal is to extend the stay of the 4-3 ruling from Colorado's highest court, which put its decision on pause until Jan. 4, the day before the state's primary ballots are due at the printer, or until an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is finished. Trump himself has said he still plans to appeal the ruling to the nation's highest court as well.The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which was added after the Civil War to prevent former Confederates from returning to government. It says that anyone who swore an oath to “support” the constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it cannot hold government office.The Colorado high court ruled that applies to Trump in the wake of his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, intended to stop the certification of President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. It was the first time in history that the provision was used to block a presidential contender's campaign.“The Colorado Supreme Court has removed the leading Republican candidate from the primary and general ballots, fundamentally changing the course of American democracy,” the party's attorneys wrote. The filing was posted on the website of a group run by Jay Sekulow, a former attorney for Trump representing the Colorado Republican Party who announced he was filing the appeal Wednesday. Colorado Republican Party chairman Dave Williams also said the appeal was filed Wednesday.The attorneys added: “Unless the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision is overturned, any voter will have the power to sue to disqualify any political candidate, in Colorado or in any other jurisdiction that follows its lead. This will not only distort the 2024 presidential election but will also mire courts henceforth in political controversies over nebulous accusations of insurrection.”The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to take the case, either after the Colorado GOP's appeal or Trump's own appeal. If Trump ends up off the ballot in Colorado, it would have minimal effect on his campaign because he doesn't need the state, which he lost by 13 percentage points in 2020, to win the Electoral College in the presidential election. But it could open the door to courts or election officials striking him from the ballot in other must-win states.Sean Grimsley, an attorney for the plaintiffs seeking to disqualify Trump in Colorado, said on a legal podcast last week that he hopes the nation's highest court hurries once it accepts the case, as he expects it will. “We obviously are going to ask for an extremely accelerated timeline because of all the reasons I’ve stated, we have a primary coming up on Super Tuesday and we need to know the answer,” Grimsley said.More than a dozen states, including Colorado, are scheduled to hold primaries March 5 — Super Tuesday.To date, no other court has sided with those who have filed dozens of lawsuits to disqualify Trump under Section 3, nor has any election official been willing to remove him from the ballot unilaterally without a court order.The Colorado case was considered the one with the greatest chance of success, however, because it was filed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">a Washington D.C.-based liberal group</a>&nbsp;with ample legal resources. All seven of the Colorado high court justices were appointed by Democrats.However, the unprecedented constitutional questions in the case haven't split on neatly partisan lines. Several prominent conservative legal theorists are among the most vocal advocates of disqualifying Trump under Section 3. They argue the plain meaning of the constitutional language bars him from running again, just as clearly as if he didn't meet the document's minimum age of 35 for the presidency.The half-dozen plaintiffs in the Colorado case are all Republican or unaffiliated voters.Trump has been scathing about the cases, calling them “election interference.” He continued that on Wednesday as he cheered a ruling earlier that day by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-colorado-b5a5d9ffa75efa63ab4780b04329e2a2">Michigan Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;leaving him on the ballot, at least for the primary, in that state.“The Colorado people have embarrassed our nation with what they did," Trump said on Sean Hannity's radio show.

US Supreme Court asked to consider Trump's ballot ban in Colorado

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in the shooting death of a woman in Wichita last week made his first court appearance Wednesday.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=254881">&nbsp;Larry Ingram</a>, 42, Wichita was charged with 2nd degree murder and violation of a protection order, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Dec. 22, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 7700 block of E. 32nd Street North in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders located 23-year-old Deniq Ingram of Wichita with a gunshot wound to her upper torso area. She was transported to a local area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

The suspect, identified as<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=254881">&nbsp;Ingram, </a>according to sheriff's booking records, was on the scene and taken into custody. He is being held on a one-million dollar bond, according to district attorney's office.

Police have not released details of the circumstances leading up to this homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703256698806.png" alt="Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in the shooting death of a woman in Wichita last week made his first court appearance Wednesday.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=254881">&nbsp;Larry Ingram</a>, 42, Wichita was charged with 2nd degree murder and violation of a protection order, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 12:30 a.m. Dec. 22, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 7700 block of E. 32nd Street North in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders located 23-year-old Deniq Ingram of Wichita with a gunshot wound to her upper torso area. She was transported to a local area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.The suspect, identified as<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=254881">&nbsp;Ingram, </a>according to sheriff's booking records, was on the scene and taken into custody. He is being held on a one-million dollar bond, according to district attorney's office.Police have not released details of the circumstances leading up to this homicide.

Suspect held on $1 million dollar bond for murder of Kan. woman

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>&nbsp;was asked Wednesday by a New Hampshire voter about the reason for the Civil War, and she didn’t mention slavery in her response — leading the voter to say he was “astonished” by her omission.

Asked during a town hall in Berlin, New Hampshire, what she believed had caused the war — the first shots of which were fired in her home state of South Carolina — Haley talked about the role of government, replying that it involved “the freedoms of what people could and couldn't do.”

She then turned the question back to the man who had asked it, who replied that he was not the one running for president and wished instead to know her answer.

After Haley went into a lengthier explanation about the role of government, individual freedom and capitalism, the questioner seemed to admonish Haley, saying, “In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you answer that question without mentioning the word slavery.”

“What do you want me to say about slavery?" Haley retorted, before abruptly moving on to the next question.

Haley, who served six years as South Carolina's governor, has been competing for a distant second place to Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. She has frequently said during her campaign that she would compete in the first three states before returning “to the sweet state of South Carolina, and we’ll finish it” in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-donald-trump-south-carolina-56c0ceb5b1b93a46df87e9e88342f7f2">Feb. 24 primary</a>.

Haley's campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on her response. The campaign of Florida Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Ron DeSantis,</a>&nbsp;another of Haley's GOP foes, recirculated video of the exchange on social media, adding the comment, “Yikes.”

Issues surrounding the origins of the Civil War and its heritage are still much of the fabric of Haley’s home state, and she has been pressed on the war’s origins before. As she ran for governor in 2010, Haley, in an interview with a now-defunct activist group then known as The Palmetto Patriots, described the war as between two disparate sides fighting for “tradition” and “change” and said the Confederate flag was “not something that is racist.”

During that same campaign, she dismissed the need for the flag to come down from the Statehouse grounds, portraying her Democratic rival’s push for its removal as a desperate political stunt.

Five years later, Haley urged lawmakers to remove the flag from its perch near a Confederate soldier monument following a mass shooting in which a white gunman killed eight Black church members who were attending Bible study. At the time, Haley said the flag had been “hijacked” by the shooter from those who saw the flag as symbolizing “sacrifice and heritage.”

South Carolina’s Ordinance of Secession — the 1860 proclamation by the state government outlining its reasons for seceding from the Union — mentions slavery in its opening sentence and points to the “increasing hostility on the part of the non-slaveholding States to the institution of slavery” as a reason for the state removing itself from the Union.

On Wednesday night, Christale Spain — elected this year as the first Black woman to chair South Carolina’s Democratic Party — said Haley’s response was “vile, but unsurprising.”

“The same person who refused to take down the Confederate Flag until the tragedy in Charleston, and tried to justify a Confederate History Month," Spain said in a post on X, of Haley. “She’s just as MAGA as Trump,” Spain added, referring to Trump's ”Make America Great Again" slogan.

Jaime Harrison, current chairman of the Democratic National Committee and South Carolina's party chairman during part of Haley's tenure as governor, said her response was “not stunning if you were a Black resident in SC when she was Governor."

“Same person who said the confederate flag was about tradition &amp; heritage and as a minority woman she was the right person to defend keeping it on state house grounds,” Harrison posted Wednesday night on X. “Some may have forgotten but I haven’t. Time to take off the rose colored Nikki Haley glasses folks.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703768720495.png" alt="Photo Nikki Haley campaign" />
 <figcaption>Photo Nikki Haley campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>&nbsp;was asked Wednesday by a New Hampshire voter about the reason for the Civil War, and she didn’t mention slavery in her response — leading the voter to say he was “astonished” by her omission.Asked during a town hall in Berlin, New Hampshire, what she believed had caused the war — the first shots of which were fired in her home state of South Carolina — Haley talked about the role of government, replying that it involved “the freedoms of what people could and couldn't do.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Asked what caused the Civil War, Nikki Haley refuses to mention slavery: “What do you want me to say about slavery? Next question.” <a href="https://t.co/cEMW3Cn9ku">pic.twitter.com/cEMW3Cn9ku</a>&mdash; Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/BidenHQ/status/1740199494380118313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She then turned the question back to the man who had asked it, who replied that he was not the one running for president and wished instead to know her answer.After Haley went into a lengthier explanation about the role of government, individual freedom and capitalism, the questioner seemed to admonish Haley, saying, “In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you answer that question without mentioning the word slavery.”“What do you want me to say about slavery?" Haley retorted, before abruptly moving on to the next question.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703774281490.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Haley, who served six years as South Carolina's governor, has been competing for a distant second place to Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. She has frequently said during her campaign that she would compete in the first three states before returning “to the sweet state of South Carolina, and we’ll finish it” in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-donald-trump-south-carolina-56c0ceb5b1b93a46df87e9e88342f7f2">Feb. 24 primary</a>.Haley's campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on her response. The campaign of Florida Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Ron DeSantis,</a>&nbsp;another of Haley's GOP foes, recirculated video of the exchange on social media, adding the comment, “Yikes.”Issues surrounding the origins of the Civil War and its heritage are still much of the fabric of Haley’s home state, and she has been pressed on the war’s origins before. As she ran for governor in 2010, Haley, in an interview with a now-defunct activist group then known as The Palmetto Patriots, described the war as between two disparate sides fighting for “tradition” and “change” and said the Confederate flag was “not something that is racist.”During that same campaign, she dismissed the need for the flag to come down from the Statehouse grounds, portraying her Democratic rival’s push for its removal as a desperate political stunt.Five years later, Haley urged lawmakers to remove the flag from its perch near a Confederate soldier monument following a mass shooting in which a white gunman killed eight Black church members who were attending Bible study. At the time, Haley said the flag had been “hijacked” by the shooter from those who saw the flag as symbolizing “sacrifice and heritage.”South Carolina’s Ordinance of Secession — the 1860 proclamation by the state government outlining its reasons for seceding from the Union — mentions slavery in its opening sentence and points to the “increasing hostility on the part of the non-slaveholding States to the institution of slavery” as a reason for the state removing itself from the Union.On Wednesday night, Christale Spain — elected this year as the first Black woman to chair South Carolina’s Democratic Party — said Haley’s response was “vile, but unsurprising.”“The same person who refused to take down the Confederate Flag until the tragedy in Charleston, and tried to justify a Confederate History Month," Spain said in a post on X, of Haley. “She’s just as MAGA as Trump,” Spain added, referring to Trump's ”Make America Great Again" slogan.Jaime Harrison, current chairman of the Democratic National Committee and South Carolina's party chairman during part of Haley's tenure as governor, said her response was “not stunning if you were a Black resident in SC when she was Governor."“Same person who said the confederate flag was about tradition &amp; heritage and as a minority woman she was the right person to defend keeping it on state house grounds,” Harrison posted Wednesday night on X. “Some may have forgotten but I haven’t. Time to take off the rose colored Nikki Haley glasses folks.”___

🎥Presidential candidate flubbed simple question about the Civil War

COWLEY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Wednesday in Cowley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Nissan Frontier driven by&nbsp;Bonewell, Bruce&nbsp;Bonewell, 64, Udall, was westbound on 102nd Road at 100th Road.

The driver attempted to cross an uncontrolled railroad tracks. A southbound&nbsp; South Kansas &amp; Oklahoma train struck the pickup.

EMS transported Bonewell to Wesley Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703775736624.png" alt="Photo Cowley County Fire District IV" />
 <figcaption>Photo Cowley County Fire District IV</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Wednesday in Cowley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Nissan Frontier driven by&nbsp;Bonewell, Bruce&nbsp;Bonewell, 64, Udall, was westbound on 102nd Road at 100th Road.The driver attempted to cross an uncontrolled railroad tracks. A southbound&nbsp; South Kansas &amp; Oklahoma train struck the pickup.EMS transported Bonewell to Wesley Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man critically injured in train, pickup crash

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A judge has ordered a woman who set fire to Wyoming's only full-service abortion clinic to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution, the full amount sought by prosecutors.

Lorna Green is serving five years in prison for burning Wellspring Health Access weeks before the clinic was set to open in Casper in 2022. The fire gutted the building while it was being renovated for the new clinic and delayed its opening by almost a year.

After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-arson-opens-f149c165fdaa0956fecdbff75488f7cb">opening</a>&nbsp;this past April, Wellspring is now the only abortion clinic in Wyoming. A clinic in Jackson that provided pill abortions closed Dec. 15 due to rising costs.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson ordered Green, 22, to pay about $298,000 in restitution including $240,000 to Nationwide General Insurance Company, the clinic's insurer.

Green must also pay $33,500 to the building's owner, Christine Lichtenfels, and $24,500 to Julie Burkhart, founder and president of Wellspring Health Access. Burkhart expressed satisfaction with the restitution.

“Not only did we have the emotional struggle and that trauma from the arson but also it was quite challenging for us financially. So I’m glad this is the final piece and it has been put to rest,” Burkhart said Wednesday.

The restitution was identical to the amounts sought by prosecutors and unopposed by Green's attorney, Ryan Semerad, who in an emailed statement said Wednesday that Green “looks forward to a productive and peaceful life after her term of incarceration."

Green has expressed remorse for the crime, which she said was driven by anxiety and nightmares about the planned clinic. The Casper College mechanical engineering student had shown no sign of anti-abortion views on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-clinic-wyoming-fire-arrest-6796b5c4ed39f858c1694a01ea06f985">social media</a>&nbsp;but told investigators she opposed abortion.

She admitted driving from Laramie to Casper, breaking into the clinic through a door and lighting gasoline she poured in trays and splashed on the floor. After months of little progress, investigators increased the reward to $15,000 and got tips leading to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-arrest-4524825ae149b37a677fbfe72ce76400">Green's arrest</a>&nbsp;in March.

Green pleaded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-bf23a8e3bd37c429a274b4e16cf2607f">guilty</a>&nbsp;in June to arson and in September&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-woman-sentenced-88a92fca874acca5b781c99ac0ba9b6d">received</a>&nbsp;the minimum prison sentence. She had faced up to 20 years in prison.

The arson and eventual opening of the clinic happened as new laws in Wyoming seek to ban abortion in nearly all cases. The laws, including the nation's first explicit ban on abortion pills, have been put on hold by a judge amid a lawsuit filed by four women and two nonprofits including Wellspring Health Access.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703715096976.png" alt="Green photo following her initial arrest - Natrona County Sheriff's " />
 <figcaption>Green photo following her initial arrest - Natrona County Sheriff's </figcaption>
 </figure>CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A judge has ordered a woman who set fire to Wyoming's only full-service abortion clinic to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution, the full amount sought by prosecutors.Lorna Green is serving five years in prison for burning Wellspring Health Access weeks before the clinic was set to open in Casper in 2022. The fire gutted the building while it was being renovated for the new clinic and delayed its opening by almost a year.After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-arson-opens-f149c165fdaa0956fecdbff75488f7cb">opening</a>&nbsp;this past April, Wellspring is now the only abortion clinic in Wyoming. A clinic in Jackson that provided pill abortions closed Dec. 15 due to rising costs.On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson ordered Green, 22, to pay about $298,000 in restitution including $240,000 to Nationwide General Insurance Company, the clinic's insurer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703715255058.png" alt="Green as seen on security camera -image Casper Police" />
 <figcaption>Green as seen on security camera -image Casper Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Green must also pay $33,500 to the building's owner, Christine Lichtenfels, and $24,500 to Julie Burkhart, founder and president of Wellspring Health Access. Burkhart expressed satisfaction with the restitution.“Not only did we have the emotional struggle and that trauma from the arson but also it was quite challenging for us financially. So I’m glad this is the final piece and it has been put to rest,” Burkhart said Wednesday.The restitution was identical to the amounts sought by prosecutors and unopposed by Green's attorney, Ryan Semerad, who in an emailed statement said Wednesday that Green “looks forward to a productive and peaceful life after her term of incarceration."Green has expressed remorse for the crime, which she said was driven by anxiety and nightmares about the planned clinic. The Casper College mechanical engineering student had shown no sign of anti-abortion views on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-clinic-wyoming-fire-arrest-6796b5c4ed39f858c1694a01ea06f985">social media</a>&nbsp;but told investigators she opposed abortion.She admitted driving from Laramie to Casper, breaking into the clinic through a door and lighting gasoline she poured in trays and splashed on the floor. After months of little progress, investigators increased the reward to $15,000 and got tips leading to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-arrest-4524825ae149b37a677fbfe72ce76400">Green's arrest</a>&nbsp;in March.Green pleaded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-bf23a8e3bd37c429a274b4e16cf2607f">guilty</a>&nbsp;in June to arson and in September&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-abortion-clinic-fire-woman-sentenced-88a92fca874acca5b781c99ac0ba9b6d">received</a>&nbsp;the minimum prison sentence. She had faced up to 20 years in prison.The arson and eventual opening of the clinic happened as new laws in Wyoming seek to ban abortion in nearly all cases. The laws, including the nation's first explicit ban on abortion pills, have been put on hold by a judge amid a lawsuit filed by four women and two nonprofits including Wellspring Health Access.

Woman who burned abortion clinic fined nearly $300K

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Christmas Eve homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 20-year-old Nicholas West, according to Police Sergeant Jacob Becchina.

Just before 10a.m. police were dispatched to 8th and Olive on a reported sound of shots.

First responders made contact with an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Officers were then directed to a second shooting victim inside a vehicle parked on the street. Officers checked for signs of life which were met with negative results, according to Carlisle.&nbsp; EMS arrived on scene and subsequently pronounced the victim later identified as West deceased.

The circumstances leading up to these homicide are unknown.&nbsp; 

There is no one in custody at this time and police have no reason to believe there is an immediate risk to the public.

Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to process each scene to recover any evidence and speak to any potential witnesses.

This is homicide # 178 in Kansas City in 2023, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703447390066.png" alt="Photos courtesy Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Christmas Eve homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 20-year-old Nicholas West, according to Police Sergeant Jacob Becchina.Just before 10a.m. police were dispatched to 8th and Olive on a reported sound of shots.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703447540249.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders made contact with an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Officers were then directed to a second shooting victim inside a vehicle parked on the street. Officers checked for signs of life which were met with negative results, according to Carlisle.&nbsp; EMS arrived on scene and subsequently pronounced the victim later identified as West deceased.The circumstances leading up to these homicide are unknown.&nbsp; There is no one in custody at this time and police have no reason to believe there is an immediate risk to the public.Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to process each scene to recover any evidence and speak to any potential witnesses.This is homicide # 178 in Kansas City in 2023, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

Homicide: Police ID KC man found dead in car Christmas Eve

By&nbsp;Joseph Clark&nbsp;, Department of Defense&nbsp;

The Defense Department on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3627179/biden-administration-announces-new-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">announced a security assistance package for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;valued at up to $250 million.&nbsp;

The package includes air defense capabilities, artillery and antitank weapons and other equipment to help Ukraine in its continued fight to counter Russia's unprovoked invasion. &nbsp;

The latest round of assistance marks the 54th drawdown of military equipment for Ukraine from DOD inventories since August 2021.&nbsp;

It comes amid negotiations on Capitol Hill over President Joe Biden's supplemental request to Congress to continue critical funding for military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. &nbsp;

Defense officials have warned that, without action from Congress, further U.S. assistance for Ukraine could be in jeopardy at a critical time as Russia's war approaches the two-year mark.&nbsp;

"We would, again, continue to urge the passage of the supplemental that we've submitted," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a briefing last week.&nbsp;

"As you look at the situation that Ukraine finds itself in, we will obviously continue to support them," Ryder said. "But it is imperative that we have the funds needed to ensure that they get the most urgent battlefield capabilities that they require."&nbsp;

In a recent letter to lawmakers, DOD comptroller Michael J. McCord said the department would be obligating the remaining $1 billion in funds authorized by Congress to replace U.S. inventories of weapons provided to Ukraine by the end of this month.&nbsp;

The security assistance package announced today is likely the last until Congress authorizes additional funds.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington to meet with Biden, defense officials and lawmakers. During those talks, Zelenskyy extended his gratitude for the United States' support and underscored his country's urgent need for that support to continue.&nbsp;

After meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House, Biden pledged that the U.S. "will not walk away from Ukraine," as he implored lawmakers to authorize additional funding.&nbsp;

"The brave people in Ukraine have defied [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's will at every turn, backed by the strong and unwavering support of the United States and our allies and partners in more than 50 nations in Europe and the Indo-Pacific," Biden said. "Ukraine will emerge from this war proud, free and firmly rooted in the West unless we walk away."&nbsp;

He said he would continue to provide U.S. military assistance for as long as congressionally approved funds are available. &nbsp;

"Without supplemental funding, we are rapidly coming to an end of our ability to help Ukraine respond to the urgent operational demands that it has," he said.&nbsp;

"Putin is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine," he continued. "We must prove him wrong." &nbsp;&nbsp;

In introductory remarks ahead of Zelenskyy's address at National Defense University in Washington, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also underscored the United States' "unshakable" commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.&nbsp;

"Ukraine matters profoundly to America's security and to the trajectory of global security in the 21st century," Austin said. "That's why the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine's brave defenders." He added that the U.S.-led coalition of allies and partners have also contributed more than $37 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. &nbsp;

Austin said those contributions include capabilities that "are making a crucial difference on the battlefield" and have helped Ukraine retake more than half of the territory seized by Russia since February 2022.&nbsp;

He said the U.S. and its allies and partners remain "determined to help Ukraine consolidate and extend its battlefield gains and to build a future force that can ward off Russian aggression in the years ahead."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702427915109.png" alt="President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 13-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 13-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;Joseph Clark&nbsp;, Department of Defense&nbsp;The Defense Department on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3627179/biden-administration-announces-new-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">announced a security assistance package for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;valued at up to $250 million.&nbsp;The package includes air defense capabilities, artillery and antitank weapons and other equipment to help Ukraine in its continued fight to counter Russia's unprovoked invasion. &nbsp;The latest round of assistance marks the 54th drawdown of military equipment for Ukraine from DOD inventories since August 2021.&nbsp;It comes amid negotiations on Capitol Hill over President Joe Biden's supplemental request to Congress to continue critical funding for military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703760951484.png" alt="An airman attached to the 436th Aerial Port Squadron loads cargo during a Ukraine security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Jan. 13, 2023.Air Force Staff Sgt. Marco A. Gomez" />
 <figcaption>An airman attached to the 436th Aerial Port Squadron loads cargo during a Ukraine security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Jan. 13, 2023.Air Force Staff Sgt. Marco A. Gomez</figcaption>
 </figure>Defense officials have warned that, without action from Congress, further U.S. assistance for Ukraine could be in jeopardy at a critical time as Russia's war approaches the two-year mark.&nbsp;"We would, again, continue to urge the passage of the supplemental that we've submitted," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a briefing last week.&nbsp;"As you look at the situation that Ukraine finds itself in, we will obviously continue to support them," Ryder said. "But it is imperative that we have the funds needed to ensure that they get the most urgent battlefield capabilities that they require."&nbsp;In a recent letter to lawmakers, DOD comptroller Michael J. McCord said the department would be obligating the remaining $1 billion in funds authorized by Congress to replace U.S. inventories of weapons provided to Ukraine by the end of this month.&nbsp;The security assistance package announced today is likely the last until Congress authorizes additional funds.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington to meet with Biden, defense officials and lawmakers. During those talks, Zelenskyy extended his gratitude for the United States' support and underscored his country's urgent need for that support to continue.&nbsp;After meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House, Biden pledged that the U.S. "will not walk away from Ukraine," as he implored lawmakers to authorize additional funding.&nbsp;"The brave people in Ukraine have defied [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's will at every turn, backed by the strong and unwavering support of the United States and our allies and partners in more than 50 nations in Europe and the Indo-Pacific," Biden said. "Ukraine will emerge from this war proud, free and firmly rooted in the West unless we walk away."&nbsp;He said he would continue to provide U.S. military assistance for as long as congressionally approved funds are available. &nbsp;"Without supplemental funding, we are rapidly coming to an end of our ability to help Ukraine respond to the urgent operational demands that it has," he said.&nbsp;"Putin is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine," he continued. "We must prove him wrong." &nbsp;&nbsp;In introductory remarks ahead of Zelenskyy's address at National Defense University in Washington, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also underscored the United States' "unshakable" commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.&nbsp;"Ukraine matters profoundly to America's security and to the trajectory of global security in the 21st century," Austin said. "That's why the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine's brave defenders." He added that the U.S.-led coalition of allies and partners have also contributed more than $37 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. &nbsp;Austin said those contributions include capabilities that "are making a crucial difference on the battlefield" and have helped Ukraine retake more than half of the territory seized by Russia since February 2022.&nbsp;He said the U.S. and its allies and partners remain "determined to help Ukraine consolidate and extend its battlefield gains and to build a future force that can ward off Russian aggression in the years ahead."

Late Christmas gift: Biden OKs $250M more assistance for Ukraine

ATCHISON COUNTY —A Kansas man who continues to skip scheduled court appearances spent Christmas in jail.

On Sunday, police arrested 28-year-old Wiliam T. White of Atchison, on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

On Saturday, he was issued a&nbsp;notice to appear in court for leaving the scene of an accident that occurred in the 600 block Spring.

Since May of 2022, White has been jailed three times for failure to appear in court, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703687433839.png" alt="White-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>White-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —A Kansas man who continues to skip scheduled court appearances spent Christmas in jail.On Sunday, police arrested 28-year-old Wiliam T. White of Atchison, on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.On Saturday, he was issued a&nbsp;notice to appear in court for leaving the scene of an accident that occurred in the 600 block Spring.Since May of 2022, White has been jailed three times for failure to appear in court, according to online jail records.

Kan. man spent Christmas in jail after continually skipping court

FINNEY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man connected to the murder of 35-year-old Alexander “AJ” Perez, of Ulysses, according to a media release from the agency.

Family members reported AJ Perez missing to the Ulysses Police Department on Dec. 14, 2020.

On Jan. 12, 2021, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance after foul play was suspected in his disappearance. Authorities believe Perez was killed on or around Dec. 6, 2020, in Finney County.

On Wednesday, Dec. 27, at around 1:45 p.m., Oscar Corrales 44, of Garden City, was arrested on a warrant for second-degree murder connected to the death of AJ Perez.

He was also arrested for racketeering, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft. The additional charges were based on an investigation by the Garden City Police Department and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office.

Corrales was arrested at the Finney County Jail where he was being held on unrelated charges. All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Finney County Attorney’s Office is expected to prosecute the case. The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further can be released at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703721974305.png" alt="Corrales photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Corrales photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man connected to the murder of 35-year-old Alexander “AJ” Perez, of Ulysses, according to a media release from the agency.Family members reported AJ Perez missing to the Ulysses Police Department on Dec. 14, 2020.On Jan. 12, 2021, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance after foul play was suspected in his disappearance. Authorities believe Perez was killed on or around Dec. 6, 2020, in Finney County.On Wednesday, Dec. 27, at around 1:45 p.m., Oscar Corrales 44, of Garden City, was arrested on a warrant for second-degree murder connected to the death of AJ Perez.He was also arrested for racketeering, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft. The additional charges were based on an investigation by the Garden City Police Department and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office.Corrales was arrested at the Finney County Jail where he was being held on unrelated charges. All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.The Finney County Attorney’s Office is expected to prosecute the case. The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further can be released at this time.

Murder: Suspect arrested in disappearance of SW Kan. man

OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 5:30p.m.&nbsp;December 21, an Osage County K9 unit conducted a traffic stop at 305th and Paulen Road, near Melvern, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

The driver of the vehicle, Joseph J. Steinke, 44, of Melvern was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on suspicion of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of paraphernalia, Driving while license suspended, Interference with law enforcement and an&nbsp; Expired registration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703266577294.png" alt="Steinke-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Steinke-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 5:30p.m.&nbsp;December 21, an Osage County K9 unit conducted a traffic stop at 305th and Paulen Road, near Melvern, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.The driver of the vehicle, Joseph J. Steinke, 44, of Melvern was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on suspicion of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of paraphernalia, Driving while license suspended, Interference with law enforcement and an&nbsp; Expired registration.

Sheriff: Kan. man driving with no license was transporting meth

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times is striking back against the threat that artificial intelligence poses to the news industry, filing a federal lawsuit Wednesday against OpenAI and Microsoft seeking to end the practice of using its stories to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">train chatbots</a>.

The Times says that the companies are threatening its livelihood by effectively stealing billions of dollars worth of work by its journalists, in some cases spitting out Times' material verbatim to people who seek answers from generative artificial intelligence like OpenAI's ChatGPT. The newspaper's lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan.

OpenAI and Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment.

The media is one of many industries that could be upended by the rapid development of AI. Media organizations have already been pummeled by a migration of readers to online platforms and while many publications — most notably the Times — have successfully carved out a digital space, AI could become a significant threat.

“These bots compete with the content they are trained on,” said Ian B. Crosby, partner and lead counsel at Susman Godfrey, which is representing The Times.

Artificial intelligence companies scrape information available online, including articles published by news organizations, to train generative AI chatbots. The large language models are also trained on a huge trove of other human-written materials, such as instructional manuals and digital books. That helps them to build a strong command of language and grammar and to answer questions correctly.

But the technology is still under development and gets many things wrong. In its lawsuit, for example, the Times said OpenAI’s GPT-4 falsely attributed product recommendations to Wirecutter, the paper’s product reviews site, endangering its reputation.

OpenAI and other AI companies, including rival Anthropic, have attracted billions in investments very rapidly since public and business interest in the technology exploded, particularly this year.

Microsoft has a partnership with OpenAI that allows it to capitalize on the company’s AI technology. The Redmond, Washington, tech giant is also OpenAI’s biggest backer and has invested at least $13 billion into the company since the two began their partnership in 2019, according to the lawsuit. As part of the agreement, Microsoft’s supercomputers help power OpenAI’s AI research and the tech giant integrates the startup’s technology into its products.

The paper's complaint comes as the number of lawsuits filed against OpenAI for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-silverman-suing-chatgpt-openai-ai-8927025139a8151e26053249d1aeec20">copyright infringement is growing</a>. The company has been sued by several writers — including comedian Sarah Silverman — who say their books were ingested to train OpenAI's AI models without their permission. In June, more than 4,000 writers signed a letter to the CEOs of OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and other AI developers accusing them of exploitative practices in building chatbots that “mimic and regurgitate” their language, style and ideas.

As AI technology develops, growing fears over its use have also fueled labor strikes and lawsuits in other industries,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">including Hollywood</a>. Different stakeholders are realizing the technology could disrupt their entire business model, but the question will be how to respond to it, said Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.

Kreps said she agrees The New York Times is facing a threat from these chatbots, but she also argued solving the issue completely is going to be an uphill battle.

“There’s so many other language models out there that are doing the same thing,” she said.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday claims that generative AI tools developed by OpenAI and Microsoft are closely summarizing content from the Times, mimicking its style and even reciting it verbatim. The complaint cited examples of OpenAI’s GPT-4 spitting out large portions of news articles from the Times, including a Pulitzer-Prize winning investigation into New York City’s taxi industry that was published in 2019 and took 18 months to complete. It also cited outputs from Bing Chat — now called Copilot — that it said included verbatim excerpts from Times articles.

The Times did not list specific damages that it is seeking, but said the legal action “seeks to hold them responsible for the billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages that they owe for the unlawful copying and use of The Times’s uniquely valuable works.” It is also asking the court to order the tech companies to destroy AI models or data sets that use its work.

Web traffic is an important component of the paper's advertising revenue and helps drive subscriptions to its online site. The outputs from AI chatbots divert that traffic away from the paper and other copyright holders, the Times says, making it less likely that users will visit the original source for the information.

Less traffic to the Times' Wirecutter articles, for example, means less people clicking on affiliate links, which in turn means less revenue for the paper's product review site.

The New York Times said it’s never given permission to anyone to use its content for generative AI purposes. The lawsuit also follows what appears to be breakdowns in talks between the newspaper and the two companies that began in April, and could be a way to kickstart talks on ending a business dispute.

The News/Media Alliance, a trade group representing more than 2,200 news organizations, applauded Wednesday's action by the Times.

“Quality journalism and GenAI can complement each other if approached collaboratively,” said Danielle Coffey, alliance president and CEO. “But using journalism without permission or payment is unlawful, and certainly not fair use.”

In July, OpenAI and The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-chatgpt-associated-press-ap-f86f84c5bcc2f3b98074b38521f5f75a">announced a deal</a>&nbsp;for the artificial intelligence company to license AP’s archive of news stories. This month, OpenAI also signed a similar partnership with Axel Springer, a media company in Berlin that owns Politico and Business Insider. Under the deal, users of OpenAI’s ChatGPT will receive summaries of “selected global news content” from Axel Springer’s media brands. The companies said the answers to queries will include attribution and links to the original articles.

The Times has compared its action to a copyright lawsuit more than two decades ago against Napster, when record companies sued the file-sharing service for unlawful use of their material. The record companies won and Napster was soon gone, but it has had a major impact on the industry. Industry-endorsed streaming now dominates the music business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689956124232.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times is striking back against the threat that artificial intelligence poses to the news industry, filing a federal lawsuit Wednesday against OpenAI and Microsoft seeking to end the practice of using its stories to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">train chatbots</a>.The Times says that the companies are threatening its livelihood by effectively stealing billions of dollars worth of work by its journalists, in some cases spitting out Times' material verbatim to people who seek answers from generative artificial intelligence like OpenAI's ChatGPT. The newspaper's lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan.OpenAI and Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment.The media is one of many industries that could be upended by the rapid development of AI. Media organizations have already been pummeled by a migration of readers to online platforms and while many publications — most notably the Times — have successfully carved out a digital space, AI could become a significant threat.“These bots compete with the content they are trained on,” said Ian B. Crosby, partner and lead counsel at Susman Godfrey, which is representing The Times.Artificial intelligence companies scrape information available online, including articles published by news organizations, to train generative AI chatbots. The large language models are also trained on a huge trove of other human-written materials, such as instructional manuals and digital books. That helps them to build a strong command of language and grammar and to answer questions correctly.But the technology is still under development and gets many things wrong. In its lawsuit, for example, the Times said OpenAI’s GPT-4 falsely attributed product recommendations to Wirecutter, the paper’s product reviews site, endangering its reputation.OpenAI and other AI companies, including rival Anthropic, have attracted billions in investments very rapidly since public and business interest in the technology exploded, particularly this year.Microsoft has a partnership with OpenAI that allows it to capitalize on the company’s AI technology. The Redmond, Washington, tech giant is also OpenAI’s biggest backer and has invested at least $13 billion into the company since the two began their partnership in 2019, according to the lawsuit. As part of the agreement, Microsoft’s supercomputers help power OpenAI’s AI research and the tech giant integrates the startup’s technology into its products.The paper's complaint comes as the number of lawsuits filed against OpenAI for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-silverman-suing-chatgpt-openai-ai-8927025139a8151e26053249d1aeec20">copyright infringement is growing</a>. The company has been sued by several writers — including comedian Sarah Silverman — who say their books were ingested to train OpenAI's AI models without their permission. In June, more than 4,000 writers signed a letter to the CEOs of OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and other AI developers accusing them of exploitative practices in building chatbots that “mimic and regurgitate” their language, style and ideas.As AI technology develops, growing fears over its use have also fueled labor strikes and lawsuits in other industries,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">including Hollywood</a>. Different stakeholders are realizing the technology could disrupt their entire business model, but the question will be how to respond to it, said Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.Kreps said she agrees The New York Times is facing a threat from these chatbots, but she also argued solving the issue completely is going to be an uphill battle.“There’s so many other language models out there that are doing the same thing,” she said.The lawsuit filed Wednesday claims that generative AI tools developed by OpenAI and Microsoft are closely summarizing content from the Times, mimicking its style and even reciting it verbatim. The complaint cited examples of OpenAI’s GPT-4 spitting out large portions of news articles from the Times, including a Pulitzer-Prize winning investigation into New York City’s taxi industry that was published in 2019 and took 18 months to complete. It also cited outputs from Bing Chat — now called Copilot — that it said included verbatim excerpts from Times articles.The Times did not list specific damages that it is seeking, but said the legal action “seeks to hold them responsible for the billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages that they owe for the unlawful copying and use of The Times’s uniquely valuable works.” It is also asking the court to order the tech companies to destroy AI models or data sets that use its work.Web traffic is an important component of the paper's advertising revenue and helps drive subscriptions to its online site. The outputs from AI chatbots divert that traffic away from the paper and other copyright holders, the Times says, making it less likely that users will visit the original source for the information.Less traffic to the Times' Wirecutter articles, for example, means less people clicking on affiliate links, which in turn means less revenue for the paper's product review site.The New York Times said it’s never given permission to anyone to use its content for generative AI purposes. The lawsuit also follows what appears to be breakdowns in talks between the newspaper and the two companies that began in April, and could be a way to kickstart talks on ending a business dispute.The News/Media Alliance, a trade group representing more than 2,200 news organizations, applauded Wednesday's action by the Times.“Quality journalism and GenAI can complement each other if approached collaboratively,” said Danielle Coffey, alliance president and CEO. “But using journalism without permission or payment is unlawful, and certainly not fair use.”In July, OpenAI and The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-chatgpt-associated-press-ap-f86f84c5bcc2f3b98074b38521f5f75a">announced a deal</a>&nbsp;for the artificial intelligence company to license AP’s archive of news stories. This month, OpenAI also signed a similar partnership with Axel Springer, a media company in Berlin that owns Politico and Business Insider. Under the deal, users of OpenAI’s ChatGPT will receive summaries of “selected global news content” from Axel Springer’s media brands. The companies said the answers to queries will include attribution and links to the original articles.The Times has compared its action to a copyright lawsuit more than two decades ago against Napster, when record companies sued the file-sharing service for unlawful use of their material. The record companies won and Napster was soon gone, but it has had a major impact on the industry. Industry-endorsed streaming now dominates the music business.

New York Times sues OpenAI and Microsoft for using its stories to train chatbots

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicides that occurred in Kansas City early Christmas Eve and have identified the victim as 55-year-old Elvis Danner, according to KCPD Sergeant Jacob Becchina.

Just after midnight Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting at 1st Street and Holmes in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

Officers conducted an area canvassing in the wooded area of an unhoused camp and located Danner suffering from unknown bodily trauma.&nbsp;

 EMS arrived on scene and subsequently pronounced him deceased.&nbsp; It was later discovered by the medical examiner on scene, the victim suffered from apparent gunshot wounds.

Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703430112733.png" alt="Location of the investigation -photo courtesy Sheriff Daryl Forte" />
 <figcaption>Location of the investigation -photo courtesy Sheriff Daryl Forte</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicides that occurred in Kansas City early Christmas Eve and have identified the victim as 55-year-old Elvis Danner, according to KCPD Sergeant Jacob Becchina.Just after midnight Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting at 1st Street and Holmes in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.Officers conducted an area canvassing in the wooded area of an unhoused camp and located Danner suffering from unknown bodily trauma.&nbsp; EMS arrived on scene and subsequently pronounced him deceased.&nbsp; It was later discovered by the medical examiner on scene, the victim suffered from apparent gunshot wounds.Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

Police ID homicide victim found in wooded area of Kansas City

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s Supreme Court is keeping former President Donald Trump on the state’s primary election ballot.

The court said Wednesday it will not hear an appeal of a lower court’s ruling from groups seeking to keep Trump from appearing on the ballot.

The state’s high court said in an order that the application by parties to appeal a Dec. 14 Michigan appeals court judgment was considered, but denied “because we are not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court.”

The ruling followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Dec. 19 decision by a divided Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;which found Trump ineligible to be president because of his role in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>. That ruling was the first time in history that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">Section 3 of the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.

The Michigan and Colorado cases are among dozens hoping to keep Trump’s name off state ballots. They all point to the so-called insurrection clause that prevents anyone from holding office who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the Constitution.

Trump pressed two election officials in Michigan’s Wayne County not to certify 2020 vote totals, according to a recording of a post-election phone call disclosed in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/21/donald-trump-recorded-pressuring-wayne-canvassers-not-to-certify-2020-vote-michigan/72004514007/">Dec. 22 report</a>&nbsp;by The Detroit News. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former president</a>&nbsp;’s 2024 campaign has neither confirmed nor denied the recording’s legitimacy.

Attorneys for Free Speech for People, a liberal nonprofit group also involved in efforts to keep Trump's name off the primary ballot in Minnesota, had asked Michigan's Supreme Court to render its decision by Christmas Day.

The group argued that time was “of the essence” due to “the pressing need to finalize and print the ballots for the presidential primary election.”

Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-a183d62e622935422e1d8141adade0ae">Michigan's high court refused to immediately hear an appeal</a>, saying the case should remain before the appeals court.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s Supreme Court is keeping former President Donald Trump on the state’s primary election ballot.The court said Wednesday it will not hear an appeal of a lower court’s ruling from groups seeking to keep Trump from appearing on the ballot.The state’s high court said in an order that the application by parties to appeal a Dec. 14 Michigan appeals court judgment was considered, but denied “because we are not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court.”The ruling followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Dec. 19 decision by a divided Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;which found Trump ineligible to be president because of his role in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>. That ruling was the first time in history that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">Section 3 of the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.The Michigan and Colorado cases are among dozens hoping to keep Trump’s name off state ballots. They all point to the so-called insurrection clause that prevents anyone from holding office who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the Constitution.Trump pressed two election officials in Michigan’s Wayne County not to certify 2020 vote totals, according to a recording of a post-election phone call disclosed in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/21/donald-trump-recorded-pressuring-wayne-canvassers-not-to-certify-2020-vote-michigan/72004514007/">Dec. 22 report</a>&nbsp;by The Detroit News. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former president</a>&nbsp;’s 2024 campaign has neither confirmed nor denied the recording’s legitimacy.Attorneys for Free Speech for People, a liberal nonprofit group also involved in efforts to keep Trump's name off the primary ballot in Minnesota, had asked Michigan's Supreme Court to render its decision by Christmas Day.The group argued that time was “of the essence” due to “the pressing need to finalize and print the ballots for the presidential primary election.”Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-a183d62e622935422e1d8141adade0ae">Michigan's high court refused to immediately hear an appeal</a>, saying the case should remain before the appeals court.

Michigan Court rejects case to remove Trump from ballot

TOPEKA—The Kansas judicial branch phased restoration of the Kansas eCourt case management system in district courts continues, although at a slower pace than had been planned, according to a statement released Wednesday from the court website.

The case management system is used by district courts to process cases. It is among several information systems temporarily incapacitated by an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/OJA/Court-Systems-Security-Incident/News">October 12 cyberattack</a>.District courts in nine judicial districts encompassing 28 counties had their access to the case management system restored as of December 19.

Two more judicial districts were added December 22, eight were added yesterday, and one will be added Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

The restoration plan originally called for courts in 104 counties to be back on the case management system by the end of last week, but system performance slowed the effort.Courts that regained access December 22 and after

The two judicial districts that regained access December 22 are:

Judicial districts that regained access Tuesday are:

The 18th Judicial District, which is Sedgwick County, will regain access this afternoon.

As more courts regained access to the case management system, court personnel reported performance issues affecting how financial activities are recorded.

Through troubleshooting the issues with support from system experts, the Office of Judicial Administration determined case processing and backfilling case events are unaffected and can continue.System experts will continue to troubleshoot, isolate, and resolve system performance issues that affect recording financial activities.

Until performance issues are resolved, courts operating on the case management system will continue to use a paper receipting process adopted after the October 12 cyberattack.When the system issues are resolved, courts will take payments electronically.

Portal access through courthouse terminals only

When the case management system is restored in a district court, that court can offer visitors the option to search district court case information through a courthouse terminal.

Because courts have not had access to the case management system for several weeks, case events and case documents dated after October 12 are not likely to show up in search, at least initially. 

It could take courts several weeks to bring all case events and documents up to date.

A similar search capability through the web-based Kansas District Court Public Access Portal will not be available until sometime after all district courts have their access to the case management system restored.

The public can continue to search cases through a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/OJA/Court-Systems-Security-Incident/Public-Access-Service-Center">public access service center</a>&nbsp;in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka or visit a district court that has regained access to the case management system.

Clerk of district court hours of operation

The Office of Judicial Administration recommended district courts consider several strategies to bring the case management system up to date. One recommendation is to temporarily modify clerk office hours to give staff uninterrupted time to focus on entering case events and adding documents.

A person who has business with a court clerk office is advised to check the district court’s website or call the court clerk office to verify their current hours of operation. Modified clerk office hours do not affect scheduled court appearances.

Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/District-Courts">District Courts</a>&nbsp;for court contact information.

The Kansas Courts eFiling system used by attorneys to electronically file documents in district courts is expected to be available after the case management system is restored in district courts, or after the first of the year.

The efiling and case management systems used by the Kansas Supreme Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals will be brought back online after district court systems. The Office of Judicial Administration will share a timeline as work advances.

Updates on the cyberattack and efforts to restore court information systems are on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kscourts.org/security-incident">Court Systems Security Incident webpage</a>.

Other courts operating on Kansas eCourt case management system﻿

<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/Newsroom/News-Releases/News/2023-News-Releases/December-2023/Judicial-branch-begins-restoring-case-management-s">Judicial branch begins restoring case management system in district courts</a>

TOPEKA—The Kansas judicial branch phased restoration of the Kansas eCourt case management system in district courts continues, although at a slower pace than had been planned, according to a statement released Wednesday from the court website.The case management system is used by district courts to process cases. It is among several information systems temporarily incapacitated by an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/OJA/Court-Systems-Security-Incident/News">October 12 cyberattack</a>.District courts in nine judicial districts encompassing 28 counties had their access to the case management system restored as of December 19. Two more judicial districts were added December 22, eight were added yesterday, and one will be added Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;The restoration plan originally called for courts in 104 counties to be back on the case management system by the end of last week, but system performance slowed the effort.Courts that regained access December 22 and afterThe two judicial districts that regained access December 22 are:<ul>
 <li>28th Judicial District: Ottawa and Saline counties</li><li>30th Judicial District: Barber, Harper, Kingman, Pratt, and Sumner counties</li>
 </ul>Judicial districts that regained access Tuesday are:<ul>
 <li>2nd Judicial District: Jackson, Jefferson, Pottawatomie, and Wabaunsee counties</li><li>6th Judicial District: Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties</li><li>11th Judicial District: Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties</li><li>14th Judicial District: Chautauqua and Montgomery counties</li><li>16th Judicial District: Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, and Meade counties</li><li>20th Judicial District: Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Russell, and Stafford counties</li><li>22nd Judicial District: Brown, Doniphan, Marshall, and Nemaha counties</li><li>24th Judicial District: Edwards, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness, Pawnee, and Rush counties</li>
 </ul>The 18th Judicial District, which is Sedgwick County, will regain access this afternoon.Resolving performance issues&nbsp;As more courts regained access to the case management system, court personnel reported performance issues affecting how financial activities are recorded.Through troubleshooting the issues with support from system experts, the Office of Judicial Administration determined case processing and backfilling case events are unaffected and can continue.System experts will continue to troubleshoot, isolate, and resolve system performance issues that affect recording financial activities.Electronic payments to courtsUntil performance issues are resolved, courts operating on the case management system will continue to use a paper receipting process adopted after the October 12 cyberattack.When the system issues are resolved, courts will take payments electronically.Portal access through courthouse terminals onlyWhen the case management system is restored in a district court, that court can offer visitors the option to search district court case information through a courthouse terminal.Because courts have not had access to the case management system for several weeks, case events and case documents dated after October 12 are not likely to show up in search, at least initially. It could take courts several weeks to bring all case events and documents up to date.A similar search capability through the web-based Kansas District Court Public Access Portal will not be available until sometime after all district courts have their access to the case management system restored.The public can continue to search cases through a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/OJA/Court-Systems-Security-Incident/Public-Access-Service-Center">public access service center</a>&nbsp;in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka or visit a district court that has regained access to the case management system.Clerk of district court hours of operationThe Office of Judicial Administration recommended district courts consider several strategies to bring the case management system up to date. One recommendation is to temporarily modify clerk office hours to give staff uninterrupted time to focus on entering case events and adding documents.A person who has business with a court clerk office is advised to check the district court’s website or call the court clerk office to verify their current hours of operation. Modified clerk office hours do not affect scheduled court appearances.Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kscourts.org/About-the-Courts/District-Courts">District Courts</a>&nbsp;for court contact information.Kansas Courts eFilingThe Kansas Courts eFiling system used by attorneys to electronically file documents in district courts is expected to be available after the case management system is restored in district courts, or after the first of the year.Appellate information systemsThe efiling and case management systems used by the Kansas Supreme Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals will be brought back online after district court systems. The Office of Judicial Administration will share a timeline as work advances.UpdatesUpdates on the cyberattack and efforts to restore court information systems are on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kscourts.org/security-incident">Court Systems Security Incident webpage</a>.Other courts operating on Kansas eCourt case management system﻿<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/Newsroom/News-Releases/News/2023-News-Releases/December-2023/Judicial-branch-begins-restoring-case-management-s">Judicial branch begins restoring case management system in district courts</a>

Kansas Judicial Branch restores access to case management system 

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Tom Smothers, half of the Smothers Brothers and the co-host of one of the most socially conscious and groundbreaking television shows in the history of the medium, has died at 86.

The National Comedy Center, on behalf of his family, said in a statement Wednesday that Smothers died Tuesday at home in Santa Rosa, California, following a cancer battle.

“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner. I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years,” his brother and the duo's other half, Dick Smothers, said in the statement. “Our relationship was like a good marriage — the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”

When "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" debuted on CBS in the fall of 1967 it was an immediate hit, to the surprise of many who had assumed the network’s expectations were so low it positioned their show opposite the top-rated "Bonanza."

But the Smothers Brothers would prove a turning point in television history, with its sharp eye for pop culture trends and young rock stars such as the Who and Buffalo Springfield, and its daring sketches — ridiculing the Establishment, railing against the Vietnam War and portraying members of the era's hippie counterculture as gentle, fun-loving spirits — found an immediate audience with young baby boomers. The show reached No. 16 in the ratings in its first season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703697735062.png" alt="Tom Smothers (left) died Tuesday in California" />
 <figcaption>Tom Smothers (left) died Tuesday in California</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —Tom Smothers, half of the Smothers Brothers and the co-host of one of the most socially conscious and groundbreaking television shows in the history of the medium, has died at 86.The National Comedy Center, on behalf of his family, said in a statement Wednesday that Smothers died Tuesday at home in Santa Rosa, California, following a cancer battle.“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner. I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years,” his brother and the duo's other half, Dick Smothers, said in the statement. “Our relationship was like a good marriage — the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”When "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" debuted on CBS in the fall of 1967 it was an immediate hit, to the surprise of many who had assumed the network’s expectations were so low it positioned their show opposite the top-rated "Bonanza."But the Smothers Brothers would prove a turning point in television history, with its sharp eye for pop culture trends and young rock stars such as the Who and Buffalo Springfield, and its daring sketches — ridiculing the Establishment, railing against the Vietnam War and portraying members of the era's hippie counterculture as gentle, fun-loving spirits — found an immediate audience with young baby boomers. The show reached No. 16 in the ratings in its first season.It also drew the ire of network censors, and after years of battling with the brothers over the show's creative content, the network abruptly canceled the program in 1970, accusing the siblings of failing to submit an episode in time for the censors to review.Nearly 40 years later, when Smothers was awarded an honorary Emmy for his work on the show, he jokingly thanked the writers he said had gotten him fired. He also showed that the years had not dulled his outspokenness.“It’s hard for me to stay silent when I keep hearing that peace is only attainable through war,” Smothers said at the 2008 Emmy Awards as his brother sat in the audience, beaming. He dedicated his award to those “who feel compelled to speak out and are not afraid to speak to power and won’t shut up and refuse to be silenced.”During the three years the show was on television, the brothers constantly battled with CBS’s censors and occasionally outraged viewers as well, particularly when Smothers joked that Easter “is when Jesus comes out of his tomb and if he sees his shadow, he goes back in and we get six more weeks of winter.” At Christmas, when other show hosts were sending best wishes to soldiers fighting overseas, Smothers offered his to draft dodgers who had moved to Canada.In still another episode, the brothers returned blacklisted folk singer Pete Seeger to television for the first time in years. He performed his song “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy,” widely viewed as ridiculing President Lyndon Johnson for the Vietnam War. When CBS refused to air the segment, the brothers brought Seeger back for another episode and he sang it again. This time, it made the air.After the show was canceled, the brothers sued CBS for $31 million and were awarded $775,000. Their battles with the network were chronicled in the 2002 documentary “Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”Before the show’s debut, the pair had seemed unlikely to make television history. They had spent the previous several years on the nightclub and college circuits and doing TV guest appearances, honing an offbeat comedy routine that mixed folk music with a healthy dose of sibling rivalry.They would come on stage, Tom with a guitar in hand and Dick toting an upright bass. They would quickly break into a traditional folk song — perhaps “John Henry” or “Pretoria.” After playing several bars, Tom, positioned as the dumb one, would mess it up, and then quickly claim he had meant to do that. As Dick, the serious, short-tempered one, berated him for failing to acknowledge his error, he would scream in exasperation, “Mom always liked you best!”They continued that shtick on their show but also surrounded themselves with a talented cast of newcomers, both writers and performers.Among the crack writing crew that Smothers headed were future actor-producer Rob Reiner, musician Mason Williams and comedian Steve Martin, who presented Smothers with the lifetime Emmy in 2008. Regular musical guests included John Hartford, Glen Campbell and Jennifer Warnes.Bob Einstein, now better known as stuntman Super Dave Osborne, had a recurring role as Officer Judy, a dour Los Angeles police officer who once cited guest Liberace for playing the piano too fast. Leigh French, as the hippie earth mother in the segment “Share a Little Tea With Goldie,” always appeared to have been drinking something brewed through more than just tea leaves.