WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is sending a $175 million package of military aid to Ukraine, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles, the Pentagon and State Department announced on Wednesday.

The capabilities in this package, valued at up to $175 million, include:&nbsp;

The latest aid comes as Congress remains stalled on legislation that would provide new funding for Ukraine as it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">battles to push back Russian forces</a>, as well as money for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war with Hamas</a>&nbsp;and other security needs. The Biden administration has said funding to aid Ukraine is running out, and the Pentagon packages of weapons and other equipment for the war have become much smaller in recent months.

In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that unless Congress approves the supplemental funding, “this will be one of the last security assistance packages we can provide to Ukraine.”

The White House is seeking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">nearly $106 billion</a>, but the bill has gotten bogged down in negotiations over border security and because of increasing reluctance from Republican lawmakers to approve significant spending on the Ukraine war. GOP lawmakers are insisting on policy changes to halt the flow of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-zelenskyy-border-security-8592ddcb1627fc6d0b43349bac3fe329">condition for the assistance</a>.

As part of the push to break the deadlock, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-military-assistance-economy-557cbced7f7c1242ea08c52dadefc33b">address U.S. senators</a>&nbsp;by video Tuesday, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he had to cancel his appearance.

The latest weapons package will be provided through presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles and sends them quickly to the war front.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday there is about $1.1 billion left in funding to replenish U.S. military stockpiles for weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine. And he said there is roughly $4.8 billion in drawdown authority still available.

Although the war has been static along most of its more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line as wintry weather has set in, both sides have continued to launch airstrikes. Ukraine is working to keep up the pressure over the winter, in order to prevent Russia from solidifying battle lines.

The new aid will also include AIM-9M and AIM-7 missiles for air defense; artillery rounds, vehicles to tow equipment, demolition munitions and other missiles and more than 4 million rounds of ammunition.

To date, the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687902906182.png" alt="Pallets of ammunition are loaded onto an 86th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules at Ramstein Air Base, Germany&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Capt. Emma Quirk" />
 <figcaption>Pallets of ammunition are loaded onto an 86th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules at Ramstein Air Base, Germany&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Capt. Emma Quirk</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is sending a $175 million package of military aid to Ukraine, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles, the Pentagon and State Department announced on Wednesday.The capabilities in this package, valued at up to $175 million, include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>AIM-9M and AIM-7 missiles for air defense;</li><li>Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);</li><li>155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;</li><li>High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);</li><li>Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;</li><li>Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;</li><li>More than 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition;</li><li>Vehicles to tow and haul equipment;</li><li>Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing;</li><li>Equipment to protect critical national infrastructure;</li><li>Spare parts, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.</li>
 </ul>The latest aid comes as Congress remains stalled on legislation that would provide new funding for Ukraine as it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">battles to push back Russian forces</a>, as well as money for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war with Hamas</a>&nbsp;and other security needs. The Biden administration has said funding to aid Ukraine is running out, and the Pentagon packages of weapons and other equipment for the war have become much smaller in recent months.In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that unless Congress approves the supplemental funding, “this will be one of the last security assistance packages we can provide to Ukraine.”The White House is seeking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">nearly $106 billion</a>, but the bill has gotten bogged down in negotiations over border security and because of increasing reluctance from Republican lawmakers to approve significant spending on the Ukraine war. GOP lawmakers are insisting on policy changes to halt the flow of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-zelenskyy-border-security-8592ddcb1627fc6d0b43349bac3fe329">condition for the assistance</a>.As part of the push to break the deadlock, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-military-assistance-economy-557cbced7f7c1242ea08c52dadefc33b">address U.S. senators</a>&nbsp;by video Tuesday, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he had to cancel his appearance.The latest weapons package will be provided through presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles and sends them quickly to the war front.Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday there is about $1.1 billion left in funding to replenish U.S. military stockpiles for weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine. And he said there is roughly $4.8 billion in drawdown authority still available.Although the war has been static along most of its more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line as wintry weather has set in, both sides have continued to launch airstrikes. Ukraine is working to keep up the pressure over the winter, in order to prevent Russia from solidifying battle lines.The new aid will also include AIM-9M and AIM-7 missiles for air defense; artillery rounds, vehicles to tow equipment, demolition munitions and other missiles and more than 4 million rounds of ammunition.To date, the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

$44 Billion: U..S. sends new $175M military aid to Ukraine

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have two suspect in custody.

Around 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, the Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Department contacted Sedgwick County Dispatch, reporting a shooting investigation involving two individuals who had entered a Blackwell hospital, with one of them sustaining a gunshot wound, according to Officer Andrew Ford.

Following discussions with the subjects, Blackwell Police shared information with Sedgwick County Dispatch. Consequently, the Wichita Police Department was alerted to respond to the Hydraulic and MacArthur area based on information suggesting that the shooting victim, 34-year-old Daniel McPherson, would be found there.

Upon arrival, officers discovered McPherson with a gunshot wound to his head. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide investigators were dispatched to conduct the investigation and later traveled to Blackwell, Oklahoma where the two male suspects are now in custody.&nbsp; Police have not released the names of the suspects.&nbsp;The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

Preliminary findings indicate that the shooting and subsequent death of Daniel McPherson occurred within Wichita's jurisdiction. For those with information about this incident, please contact detectives at 316-268-4407, utilize the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519- 2282, or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. Alternatively, you can submit a tip by scanning the QR code below (23C162853).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701904086668.png" alt="Police on the scene early Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene early Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have two suspect in custody.Around 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, the Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Department contacted Sedgwick County Dispatch, reporting a shooting investigation involving two individuals who had entered a Blackwell hospital, with one of them sustaining a gunshot wound, according to Officer Andrew Ford.Following discussions with the subjects, Blackwell Police shared information with Sedgwick County Dispatch. Consequently, the Wichita Police Department was alerted to respond to the Hydraulic and MacArthur area based on information suggesting that the shooting victim, 34-year-old Daniel McPherson, would be found there.Upon arrival, officers discovered McPherson with a gunshot wound to his head. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide investigators were dispatched to conduct the investigation and later traveled to Blackwell, Oklahoma where the two male suspects are now in custody.&nbsp; Police have not released the names of the suspects.&nbsp;The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office.Preliminary findings indicate that the shooting and subsequent death of Daniel McPherson occurred within Wichita's jurisdiction. For those with information about this incident, please contact detectives at 316-268-4407, utilize the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519- 2282, or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. Alternatively, you can submit a tip by scanning the QR code below (23C162853).

2 Kan. murder suspects jailed in Okla. after stop at hospital

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday in&nbsp;Chautauqua

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Ford Mustang driven by Eric M.&nbsp;Mertes, 41, Chautauqua, was eastbound on U.S. 166 at Road 14. The car traveled off the roadway to the north, struck a culvert, went airborne and rolled.

Mertes was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Dickens Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday in&nbsp;ChautauquaThe Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Ford Mustang driven by Eric M.&nbsp;Mertes, 41, Chautauqua, was eastbound on U.S. 166 at Road 14. The car traveled off the roadway to the north, struck a culvert, went airborne and rolled.Mertes was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Dickens Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after violent rollover crash

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The man suspected of fatally shooting three people and wounding another at a Las Vegas university Wednesday was a professor who unsuccessfully sought a job at the school, a law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.

The gunman was killed in a shootout with law enforcement, police said. The attack at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas sent shock waves through a city still scarred by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-mass-shooting-memorial-design-0204943b1ae05fceb4d5da34902fed22">deaths of 60 people</a>&nbsp;in a 2017 mass shooting.

The suspect previously worked at East Carolina University in North Carolina, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the information publicly.

Police didn't immediately identify the gunman, the victims or a possible motive.

Reports of shots fired at about 11:45 a.m. sent police swarming onto the campus while students and professors barricaded themselves inside classrooms and dorm rooms.

Police said the shooting started on the fourth floor of the building that houses UNLV’s Lee Business School. The gunman went to several floors before he was killed in a shootout with two university detectives outside the building, said UNLV Police Chief Adam Garcia.

Authorities gave the all-clear about 40 minutes after the first report of an active shooter.

Professor Kevaney Martin took cover under a desk in her classroom, where another faculty member and three students took shelter with her.

“It was terrifying. I can’t even begin to explain,” Martin said. “I was trying to hold it together for my students, and trying not to cry, but the emotions are something I never want to experience again.”

Martin said she was texting friends and loved ones, hoping to receive word a suspect had been detained. When another professor came to the room and told everyone to evacuate, they joined dozens of others rushing out of the building. Martin had her students pile into her car and drove them off campus.

“Once we got away from UNLV, we parked and sat in silence,” she said. “Nobody said a word. We were in utter shock.”

Students and the community were alerted to the emergency by a university post on X that warned: “This is not a test. RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.”

Matthew Felsenfeld said he and about 12 classmates barricaded their door in a building near the student union.

“It’s the moment you call your parents and tell them you love them,” said Felsenfeld, a 21-year-old journalism student.

Another student, Jordan Eckermann, 25, said he was in his business law class in a second-floor classroom when he heard a loud bang that he thought came from a neighboring music class.

But then a piercing alarm went off, sending students to their feet. Some ran from the room in panic while others heeded their professor’s instructions to stay calm, said Eckermann.

He walked out and locked eyes with a law enforcement officer in a bulletproof vest holding a long gun. Clothing, backpacks and water bottles lay scattered on the floor.

Eckerman said he mouthed to the officer, “Where do I go?”

Minutes later, when he was outside, Eckermann said he heard bursts of gunshots, totaling at least 20 rounds. The air smelled of gun powder. He said he kept walking away from campus, even though he didn't know where to go.

UNLV’s 332-acre (135-hectare) campus is less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) east of the Las Vegas Strip.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many of the 30,000 students were on campus at the time, but Sheriff Kevin McMahill said students had been gathered outside the building to eat and play games. If police hadn’t killed the attacker, “it could have been countless additional lives taken,” he said.

“No student should have to fear pursuing their dreams on a college campus,” the sheriff said.

The shooting occurred just miles from the location of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. In the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-country-music-us-news-ap-top-news-music-4eeaef2efced49698855d13830de3327">Oct. 1, 2017, massacre</a>, a gunman opened fire from a high-rise suite at the Mandalay Bay, killing 60 people attending a music festival below and wounding hundreds more.

In response to the campus shootings, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop of all flights coming into Harry Reid International Airport. The university is roughly 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) north of the airport.

Classes were canceled through Friday at the university, and UNLV’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unlv-shooting-d8b15dd0d408b0a248e918dea1434915">basketball game</a>&nbsp;at the University of Dayton, Ohio, was canceled Wednesday night because of the shootings.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A gunman killed three people and critically wounded a fourth Wednesday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas before being killed in a shootout with police, authorities said. The attack sent shock waves through a city still scarred by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-mass-shooting-memorial-design-0204943b1ae05fceb4d5da34902fed22">deaths of 60 people</a>&nbsp;in a 2017 mass shooting only a few miles away on the famous Strip.

Police said the shooting started on the fourth floor of the building that houses UNLV’s Lee Business School, and the gunman went to several floors before he was killed in a shootout outside the building.

UNLV Police Chief Adam Garcia said at an evening news conference that two university detectives immediately got into a shootout with the killer.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill said students had gathered outside the building to eat and play games. If police hadn't killed the attacker, “it could have been countless additional lives taken,” he said.

Authorities didn’t immediately release any additional details about the shootings, the victims, the suspect or a possible motive.

“It was terrifying, I can’t even begin to explain,” Martin said. “I was trying to hold it together for my students, and trying not to cry, but the emotions are something I never want to experience again.”

Student Matthew Felsenfeld said he and about 12 classmates barricaded their door in a building near the student union.

Jordan Eckermann, 25, said he was in his business law class in a second-floor classroom when he heard a loud bang that he thought came from a neighboring music class.

But then a piercing alarm went off, sending students to their feet. Some ran from the room in panic while others heeded the professor’s urging to stay calm, said Eckermann, who walked out and was directed to an exit by a law enforcement officer in a bulletproof vest holding a long gun.

UNLV’s 332-acre (135-hectare) campus is less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) east of the Las Vegas Strip. it wasn’t immediately clear how many of the 30,000 students were on campus.

The shooting occurred in a city still scarred by one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-country-music-us-news-ap-top-news-music-4eeaef2efced49698855d13830de3327">Oct. 1, 2017, massacre</a>&nbsp;by a gunman in which 60 people attending a music festival were killed and hundreds more were wounded. The gunman opened fire from a high-rise suite at the Mandalay Bay casino. The UNLV campus is just over 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from that location.

Classes were canceled through Friday at the university, and UNLV’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unlv-shooting-d8b15dd0d408b0a248e918dea1434915">basketball game</a>&nbsp;at the University of Dayton, Ohio, was canceled Wednesday night because of the Las Vegas shootings.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A person opened fire Wednesday on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, and at least three victims were taken to hospitals, according to police who reported the shooter was found dead.

“Right now, we know there are 3 victims, but unknown extent of the injuries,” Sheriff Kevin McMahill said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “That number could change.”

McMahill did not say whether any victims had been killed.

Alerts went out across the campus after callers reported an active shooter to police at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, said Adam Garcia, a university police official. He said officers found and “engaged” a suspect, who is now dead. It was not immediately clear how the suspect died.

Students and professors on the campus of 30,000 barricaded themselves inside classrooms and dorm rooms.

Student John Harris heard what he later realized was a gunshot as he was getting out of his car in the parking garage of an on-campus apartment complex. In the elevator, Harris he got an emergency text alert text from the university.

“I wasn’t sure what to believe,” said Harris, 21, who ended up sheltering at a friend's dorm. “But as I came down to the street, and I saw there were a bunch of cops in the parking lot at the student union, I knew what I heard was a gunshot and this wasn’t a drill.”

“It was terrifying, I can’t even begin to explain,” Matin said. “I was trying to hold it together for my students, and trying not to cry, but the emotions are something I never want to experience again.”

Martin said she was texting friends and loved ones, hoping to receive word a suspect had been detained. When another professor came to the room and told everyone to evacuate, they joined dozens of others rushing out of the building. Martin had her students piled into her car and drove them off campus.

“Once we got away from UNLV, we parked and sat in silence,” she said. "Nobody said a word. We were in utter shock.”

The university said on X, formerly Twitter, that the shooter was at the Beam Hall, Frank and Estella Building, home of UNLV’s Lee Business School, and that police were responding to an additional report of shots fired at the nearby student union.

Las Vegas police posted on X that a suspect “has been located and is deceased” about 40 minutes after the initial alert was posted.

Students and the community were alerted to the emergency by a university post on X.

“This is not a test,” the university wrote. “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.”

He said he didn’t hear gunfire or see anyone injured but said he saw out the windows as police staged to enter the neighboring building. a short while later, police came and ushered them out.

Pierre Lescure, a UNLV senior, was riding his bicycle from home to campus for a meeting when he said about 10 police cars drove pass him.

“They drove too fast and there was no ambulance, just cops. It was clearly a shooting,” Lescure said. “It could not be something else.”

UNLV's 332-acre campus is less than 2 miles east of the Las Vegas Strip.

In response to the campus shootings, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop of all flights coming into Harry Reid International Airport. The university is roughly 2 miles (3 kilometers) north of the airport.

Tony Molinaro, an FAA spokesperson, referred a request to comment to Las Vegas law enforcement.

The shooting occurred in a city still scarred by one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-country-music-us-news-ap-top-news-music-4eeaef2efced49698855d13830de3327">Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting</a>&nbsp;at the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas, in which 60 were killed and hundreds more wounded. The UNLV campus is just over 3 miles (5 kilometers) from that location.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Multiple victims were taken to hospitals Wednesday after a gunman opened fire on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The sheriff said there was no further threat after police located a suspect, who ended up dead.

It wasn't immediately clear how many people were shot or their conditions. Sheriff Kevin McMahill did not say whether any victims had been killed.

“There are a number of victims that have been transported to area hospitals,” McMahill told reporters. “So I don't want to give you false information and tell you how many victims that we have. But we will be providing that update very, very shortly.”

Police were called about an active shooter on campus at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, said Adam Garcia, a university police official. He said officers found and “engaged” a suspect, who is now dead. It was not immediately clear how the suspect died.

An Associated Press reporter saw a team of SWAT officers with FBI insignia move as a group onto campus just before 1 p.m., soon after police reported the dead suspect.

University officials on social media urged anyone on campus to continue sheltering in place, saying: “This remains an active investigation.”

UNLV has more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at its 332-acre campus is less than 2 miles east of the Las Vegas Strip.

The shooting occurred in a city still scarred by one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-country-music-us-news-ap-top-news-music-4eeaef2efced49698855d13830de3327">Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting</a>&nbsp;at the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas, in which 60 were killed and hundreds more wounded. The UNLV campus is just over three miles from that location.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police said a suspect was found dead Wednesday as officers responded to an active shooter and reports of multiple victims at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The university said on X, formerly Twitter, the shooter was at the Beam Hall, Frank and Estella Building, home of UNLV’s Lee Business School, and that police were responding to an additional report of shots fired at the nearby student union.

Shooting suspect was professor who recently applied for a job at UNLV

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges for the fatal shooting last month of a man who officers found in a vacant lot after being shot multiple times, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Tamon Daniel, 31, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, on Nov. 28, 2023, officers for the Kansas City Police Department were dispatched to a reported shooting on the eastern side of Kansas City. 

Officers found Daniel at an intersection. He had waved officers down, put his hands up, then he laid down and put his arms behind his back. Officers placed him in handcuffs. Residents directed officers to the victim, who was located in a vacant lot, deceased after being shot multiple times. A witness stated a man armed with a rifle fired at him and the deceased victim through the windshield of the car they were sitting in. 

Police found no firearms in or around the victim's vehicle or the deceased victim. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701438338450.png" alt="Daniel-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Daniel-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges for the fatal shooting last month of a man who officers found in a vacant lot after being shot multiple times, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Tamon Daniel, 31, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, on Nov. 28, 2023, officers for the Kansas City Police Department were dispatched to a reported shooting on the eastern side of Kansas City. Officers found Daniel at an intersection. He had waved officers down, put his hands up, then he laid down and put his arms behind his back. Officers placed him in handcuffs. Residents directed officers to the victim, who was located in a vacant lot, deceased after being shot multiple times. A witness stated a man armed with a rifle fired at him and the deceased victim through the windshield of the car they were sitting in. Police found no firearms in or around the victim's vehicle or the deceased victim. &nbsp;

KC man waves officers down, surrenders after deadly shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday said it was “stunning” that Congress has not yet approved tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance for Ukraine, as his administration warned of dire consequences for Kyiv — and a “gift” to Russia’s Vladimir Putin — if lawmakers don’t act.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said Republicans who are insisting on border policy changes as a condition for voting for the aid “are playing chicken with our national security,” even as he expressed openness to some policy changes.

“Republicans in Congress are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for,” Biden said, saying American credibility was on the line both with other would-be aggressors and with its allies. “Any disruption in our ability to supply Ukraine clearly strengthen’s Putin’s position.”

“If we don’t support Ukraine, what is the rest of the world going to do?” he added.

Biden’s address comes hours after he huddled with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/Volodymyr-Zelenskyy" target="_blank">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and leaders of the Group of Seven advanced democracies, which have staunchly supported Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing invasion.

Biden has asked Congress for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb" target="_blank">nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;to fund the wars in Ukraine, Israel and other security needs, but has faced stiff resistance on Capitol Hill. Some Republicans have grown tired of providing support to Ukraine after the U.S. has already sent $111 billion, and other GOP lawmakers are insisting on stiff changes to U.S. border policy as a condition of voting for the measure.

Biden said he supports more funding for border security. “I am willing to make significant compromises on the border,” he said. “We need to fix the broken border system. It is broken.” He added that he’s ”ready to change policy as well,” but accused Republicans of wanting a political issue more than bipartisan compromise.

“Republicans think they get everything they want without any bipartisan compromise,” Biden said. “Now they’re willing to literally kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield and damage our national security in the process.”

But Biden has not publicly said what policy changes he would embrace.

The White House has sent increasingly sharp warnings to lawmakers of what would happen if they don’t approve the measure before the end of the year, saying Ukraine’s military would be stalled, or worse.

“We’re the reason Putin hasn’t totally overrun Ukraine,” Biden said.

On Capitol Hill, Senate Democrats were trying to advance the aid package later Wednesday, but the legislation had no way forward as Republicans vowed to withhold support unless it includes changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-zelenskyy-border-security-8592ddcb1627fc6d0b43349bac3fe329" target="_blank">U.S. border policy</a>. Negotiations over the legislation all but collapsed this week.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been an ardent supporter of aid to Ukraine, has told fellow Republicans to vote against the security package advancing.

“Legislation that doesn’t include policy changes to secure our borders will not pass the Senate,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. “The situation unfolding at our southern border on President Biden’s watch is a crisis of historic proportions.”

Republicans pointed to the record numbers of migrants crossing the southern border and argued it posed a security threat because border authorities cannot adequately screen them. But their demand that Congress pass significant changes to U.S. border policy interjects into the debate an issue that lawmakers have grappled over for decades with little success.

By holding the test vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is daring his Republican counterparts to vote against the cause of Ukraine funding that most have previously supported. He said in a speech the Senate is facing a question that “goes to the actual preservation of Western and democratic values in the world.”

Democrats were also making their case through a series of events on Capitol Hill with Ukrainian officials, including the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament.

The pressure appeared to have little affect on the GOP’s stance. But senators expressed some hope that Biden’s remarks would revive the talks over border security policy.

“This kind of thorny, difficult problem is exactly what Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell have worked on before. And we could use their help and their leadership on this,” said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., one of the senators involved in negotiations over border policy.

As they look past the test vote, GOP senators have prepared a proposal for the bipartisan group in the talks. So far, senators have found some agreement on raising the initial standard for migrants to enter the asylum system but were stuck over placing limitations on humanitarian parole, a program that allows the executive branch to temporarily admit migrants.

“We’re clearly engaging in the negotiations, trying to be able to solve this,” said Sen. James Lankford, a Republican of Oklahoma who is involved in the talks.

But even if senators somehow find a way forward on the aid package, it still faces significant obstacles in the House. Hardline conservatives who control the chamber have vowed to block it unless it tacks to a broad set of hard-line border and immigration policies.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, already deeply skeptical of funding for Ukraine, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-border-security-zelenskyy-bf932727abd5e8ff3cf5c9c848a3cf78" target="_blank">signaled he won’t support the aid package</a>&nbsp;if it does not adhere to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-bill-255921c69678468580d0d106282623f0" target="_blank">H.R. 2</a>, a bill that would remake the U.S. immigration system with conservative priorities. It passed the House on a party-line vote in May, but has been rejected by Senate Democrats.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is expected to announce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-weapons-funding-24735694f4f93e5a571f30004957e1a9" target="_blank">a $175 million package</a>&nbsp;of military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles, according to U.S. officials.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday said it was “stunning” that Congress has not yet approved tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance for Ukraine, as his administration warned of dire consequences for Kyiv — and a “gift” to Russia’s Vladimir Putin — if lawmakers don’t act.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1420064122200539%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=3" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Speaking at the White House, Biden said Republicans who are insisting on border policy changes as a condition for voting for the aid “are playing chicken with our national security,” even as he expressed openness to some policy changes.“Republicans in Congress are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for,” Biden said, saying American credibility was on the line both with other would-be aggressors and with its allies. “Any disruption in our ability to supply Ukraine clearly strengthen’s Putin’s position.”“If we don’t support Ukraine, what is the rest of the world going to do?” he added.Biden’s address comes hours after he huddled with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/Volodymyr-Zelenskyy" target="_blank">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and leaders of the Group of Seven advanced democracies, which have staunchly supported Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing invasion.Biden has asked Congress for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb" target="_blank">nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;to fund the wars in Ukraine, Israel and other security needs, but has faced stiff resistance on Capitol Hill. Some Republicans have grown tired of providing support to Ukraine after the U.S. has already sent $111 billion, and other GOP lawmakers are insisting on stiff changes to U.S. border policy as a condition of voting for the measure.Biden said he supports more funding for border security. “I am willing to make significant compromises on the border,” he said. “We need to fix the broken border system. It is broken.” He added that he’s ”ready to change policy as well,” but accused Republicans of wanting a political issue more than bipartisan compromise.“Republicans think they get everything they want without any bipartisan compromise,” Biden said. “Now they’re willing to literally kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield and damage our national security in the process.”But Biden has not publicly said what policy changes he would embrace.The White House has sent increasingly sharp warnings to lawmakers of what would happen if they don’t approve the measure before the end of the year, saying Ukraine’s military would be stalled, or worse.“We’re the reason Putin hasn’t totally overrun Ukraine,” Biden said.On Capitol Hill, Senate Democrats were trying to advance the aid package later Wednesday, but the legislation had no way forward as Republicans vowed to withhold support unless it includes changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-zelenskyy-border-security-8592ddcb1627fc6d0b43349bac3fe329" target="_blank">U.S. border policy</a>. Negotiations over the legislation all but collapsed this week.Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been an ardent supporter of aid to Ukraine, has told fellow Republicans to vote against the security package advancing.“Legislation that doesn’t include policy changes to secure our borders will not pass the Senate,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. “The situation unfolding at our southern border on President Biden’s watch is a crisis of historic proportions.”Republicans pointed to the record numbers of migrants crossing the southern border and argued it posed a security threat because border authorities cannot adequately screen them. But their demand that Congress pass significant changes to U.S. border policy interjects into the debate an issue that lawmakers have grappled over for decades with little success.By holding the test vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is daring his Republican counterparts to vote against the cause of Ukraine funding that most have previously supported. He said in a speech the Senate is facing a question that “goes to the actual preservation of Western and democratic values in the world.”Democrats were also making their case through a series of events on Capitol Hill with Ukrainian officials, including the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament.The pressure appeared to have little affect on the GOP’s stance. But senators expressed some hope that Biden’s remarks would revive the talks over border security policy.“This kind of thorny, difficult problem is exactly what Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell have worked on before. And we could use their help and their leadership on this,” said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., one of the senators involved in negotiations over border policy.As they look past the test vote, GOP senators have prepared a proposal for the bipartisan group in the talks. So far, senators have found some agreement on raising the initial standard for migrants to enter the asylum system but were stuck over placing limitations on humanitarian parole, a program that allows the executive branch to temporarily admit migrants.“We’re clearly engaging in the negotiations, trying to be able to solve this,” said Sen. James Lankford, a Republican of Oklahoma who is involved in the talks.But even if senators somehow find a way forward on the aid package, it still faces significant obstacles in the House. Hardline conservatives who control the chamber have vowed to block it unless it tacks to a broad set of hard-line border and immigration policies.House Speaker Mike Johnson, already deeply skeptical of funding for Ukraine, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-border-security-zelenskyy-bf932727abd5e8ff3cf5c9c848a3cf78" target="_blank">signaled he won’t support the aid package</a>&nbsp;if it does not adhere to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-bill-255921c69678468580d0d106282623f0" target="_blank">H.R. 2</a>, a bill that would remake the U.S. immigration system with conservative priorities. It passed the House on a party-line vote in May, but has been rejected by Senate Democrats.Meanwhile, the U.S. is expected to announce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-weapons-funding-24735694f4f93e5a571f30004957e1a9" target="_blank">a $175 million package</a>&nbsp;of military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles, according to U.S. officials.Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday there is about $1.1 billion left in funding to replenish U.S. military stockpiles for weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine. And he said there is roughly $4.8 billion in drawdown authority still available.

🎥Biden pushes for Ukraine aid, offers border security compromises

By ALLISON KITE,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/evergy-regulators-near-deal-on-kansas-electric-rates/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Utilities in Kansas and Missouri would have to pull&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/20/time-bomb-lead-pipes-set-to-be-removed-but-first-water-utilities-have-to-find-them/">hundreds of thousands of lead pipes</a>&nbsp;out of the ground within 10 years under a proposed rule the Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday.

The EPA announced a proposed update to the lead and copper rule strengthening President Joe Biden’s earlier goal of eradicating lead pipes. The proposed rule also would lower the limit on lead in water by one-third.

“Lead in drinking water is a generational public health issue, and EPA’s proposal will accelerate progress towards President Biden’s goal of replacing every lead pipe across America once and for all,” EPA administrator Michael Regan said in a news release.

For much of the 20th Century, utilities were permitted to install lead service lines, the pipes that carry water from water mains under the street into homes. The EPA banned them in 1986, but utilities have never been required to remove existing pipes.

In fact, some utility companies don’t know where the remaining lead service lines are.

Estimates as to how many remain vary widely. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/06/epa-estimates-more-than-200000-lead-pipes-remain-in-missouri/">EPA estimates Missouri</a>&nbsp;has 202,112 remaining lead service lines while the environmental nonprofit the Natural Resources Defense Council estimates more than 330,000.

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">Kansas, the EPA estimates</a>&nbsp;54,107 lead pipes remain while the NRDC believes there are more than 160,000.

Lead is a neurotoxin that in high doses can be fatal. It was in pipes, gasoline and household paint for most of the last century, exposing generations of children to its effects.

Even at low levels, exposure to lead can hinder children’s brain development and cause behavioral problems and learning difficulties. Lead-poisoned children can have trouble with language processing, memory, attention and impulsivity. Later in life, it raises the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

While the rate of lead poisoning has plummeted compared to the mid-20th century when leaded gasoline fumes exposed children in droves, thousands of children in Kansas and Missouri are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">found with elevated blood lead levels every year</a>.

For older children, water makes up about 20% of lead exposure, but for bottle-fed infants, it’s the primary source of poisoning.

The NRDC estimated replacing lead service lines would lead to hundreds of billions of dollars in avoided health expenses, primarily from reduced cardiovascular disease.

“This is an urgent public health crisis, as tens of millions of people essentially drink water from a lead straw, unaware of the big risk to their health,” said Erik Olson, the NRDC’s senior strategic director for health.

The EPA will hold&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/proposed-lead-and-copper-rule-improvements?utm_source=utm_source%3Dpressrelease&amp;utm_medium=utm_medium%3Demail&amp;utm_campaign=utm_campaign%3Deparegion7">public information and listening sessions</a>&nbsp;and accept comments into the new year. It plans to finalize the rule by October.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701782911687.png" alt=" An individual holds a lead pipe, a steel pipe and a lead pipe treated with protective orthophosphate. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule requiring water utilities to remove lead pipes decades after new ones were banned. (EPA)" />
 <figcaption> An individual holds a lead pipe, a steel pipe and a lead pipe treated with protective orthophosphate. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule requiring water utilities to remove lead pipes decades after new ones were banned. (EPA)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/evergy-regulators-near-deal-on-kansas-electric-rates/">Kansas Reflector</a>Utilities in Kansas and Missouri would have to pull&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/20/time-bomb-lead-pipes-set-to-be-removed-but-first-water-utilities-have-to-find-them/">hundreds of thousands of lead pipes</a>&nbsp;out of the ground within 10 years under a proposed rule the Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday.The EPA announced a proposed update to the lead and copper rule strengthening President Joe Biden’s earlier goal of eradicating lead pipes. The proposed rule also would lower the limit on lead in water by one-third.“Lead in drinking water is a generational public health issue, and EPA’s proposal will accelerate progress towards President Biden’s goal of replacing every lead pipe across America once and for all,” EPA administrator Michael Regan said in a news release.For much of the 20th Century, utilities were permitted to install lead service lines, the pipes that carry water from water mains under the street into homes. The EPA banned them in 1986, but utilities have never been required to remove existing pipes.In fact, some utility companies don’t know where the remaining lead service lines are.Estimates as to how many remain vary widely. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/06/epa-estimates-more-than-200000-lead-pipes-remain-in-missouri/">EPA estimates Missouri</a>&nbsp;has 202,112 remaining lead service lines while the environmental nonprofit the Natural Resources Defense Council estimates more than 330,000.In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">Kansas, the EPA estimates</a>&nbsp;54,107 lead pipes remain while the NRDC believes there are more than 160,000.Lead is a neurotoxin that in high doses can be fatal. It was in pipes, gasoline and household paint for most of the last century, exposing generations of children to its effects.Even at low levels, exposure to lead can hinder children’s brain development and cause behavioral problems and learning difficulties. Lead-poisoned children can have trouble with language processing, memory, attention and impulsivity. Later in life, it raises the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.While the rate of lead poisoning has plummeted compared to the mid-20th century when leaded gasoline fumes exposed children in droves, thousands of children in Kansas and Missouri are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">found with elevated blood lead levels every year</a>.For older children, water makes up about 20% of lead exposure, but for bottle-fed infants, it’s the primary source of poisoning.The NRDC estimated replacing lead service lines would lead to hundreds of billions of dollars in avoided health expenses, primarily from reduced cardiovascular disease.“This is an urgent public health crisis, as tens of millions of people essentially drink water from a lead straw, unaware of the big risk to their health,” said Erik Olson, the NRDC’s senior strategic director for health.The EPA will hold&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/proposed-lead-and-copper-rule-improvements?utm_source=utm_source%3Dpressrelease&amp;utm_medium=utm_medium%3Demail&amp;utm_campaign=utm_campaign%3Deparegion7">public information and listening sessions</a>&nbsp;and accept comments into the new year. It plans to finalize the rule by October.

Kansas and Missouri have 256,000 lead pipes. EPA wants them removed within 10 years.

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Tuesday introduced the&nbsp;Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act&nbsp;that would allow previously closed rural hospitals to potentially re-open and apply for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation if they can demonstrate they met all eligibility requirements between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 27, 2020, according to a media release from the Senator's office.

The REH designation was created as part of the&nbsp;Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021&nbsp;to enable certain hospitals to convert to the new Medicare provider designation, which helps rural hospitals to continue operating with limited services rather than closing. Currently, hospitals are only eligible for the designation if they met the requirements when the legislation was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020.

&nbsp;“Access to outpatient and emergency services often determines if a rural community can survive,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“More than 100 rural hospitals have closed since 2015, and this legislation will allow these hospitals an opportunity to re-open and serve their communities.”

The&nbsp;Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act&nbsp;would extend the eligibility date back to Jan. 1, 2015, for hospitals that were either critical access hospitals or rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701812369181.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Tuesday introduced the&nbsp;Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act&nbsp;that would allow previously closed rural hospitals to potentially re-open and apply for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation if they can demonstrate they met all eligibility requirements between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 27, 2020, according to a media release from the Senator's office.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I urge Congress to pass <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JerryMoran</a>&#39;s proposal to help rural hospitals stay open and able to care for Kansans. Meanwhile, I&#39;ll continue to fight to expand Medicaid, because we must do absolutely everything we can to make healthcare more accessible and affordable across Kansas. <a href="https://t.co/drFt2wwVAG">https://t.co/drFt2wwVAG</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1732178361533821350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The REH designation was created as part of the&nbsp;Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021&nbsp;to enable certain hospitals to convert to the new Medicare provider designation, which helps rural hospitals to continue operating with limited services rather than closing. Currently, hospitals are only eligible for the designation if they met the requirements when the legislation was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020.&nbsp;“Access to outpatient and emergency services often determines if a rural community can survive,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“More than 100 rural hospitals have closed since 2015, and this legislation will allow these hospitals an opportunity to re-open and serve their communities.”The&nbsp;Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act&nbsp;would extend the eligibility date back to Jan. 1, 2015, for hospitals that were either critical access hospitals or rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds.

Gov. supports Moran's bill to help recently-closed rural hospitals reopen

WABAUNSEE COUNTY  —Law enforcement authorities are investigating additional reports of cattle theft in Kansas.

On November 17, 2023, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office took a report of five black Angus cattle allegedly stolen from the 17000 block of Onaga Road, Onaga, Kansas, according to a media release.

The cattle are branded on their left hip and also had white ear tags. All five of the stolen cows had calves, and the calves were still present but not the cows. They could have been taken anytime between May 15, 2023, and November 2, 2023. There were approximately 80 head in the pasture at the time of the crime.

In October, a dozen calves and a cow were stolen from from rancher Dan Oeding approximately 5 miles southeast of Wamego, according to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff. Livestock missing include Black Angus or Wagyu calves, one red calf and one Black Angus cow.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Wabaunsee County Sheriff at 785-765-3323. There is a reward offered&nbsp; for information that leads to the arrest of those who stole the cattle.

In August, Reno County Sheriff's Office said Circle H Cattle Company reported fifteen 400 to 500 pound calves stolen from the area of US 50 and Sterling Road, according to a social media report. The cattle went missing sometime between July 29, and August 6.

In mid-July, the Kansas Livestock Associated reported 17-head of 200-350 pound calves were stolen ten miles northeast of Atwood, according to a media release from the Rawlins County sheriff's office. The calves&nbsp; carried fresh brands of V arrow high on the right hip.

In April, the Sheridan County Sheriff's Department asked for the public's assistance in a case involving eighty 80 head of cattle missing from South of Hoxie, Kansas.

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating additional reports of cattle theft in Kansas.On November 17, 2023, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office took a report of five black Angus cattle allegedly stolen from the 17000 block of Onaga Road, Onaga, Kansas, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701883144873.png" alt="Cattle brand on the left hip-photo Pottawatomie Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Cattle brand on the left hip-photo Pottawatomie Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The cattle are branded on their left hip and also had white ear tags. All five of the stolen cows had calves, and the calves were still present but not the cows. They could have been taken anytime between May 15, 2023, and November 2, 2023. There were approximately 80 head in the pasture at the time of the crime.In October, a dozen calves and a cow were stolen from from rancher Dan Oeding approximately 5 miles southeast of Wamego, according to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff. Livestock missing include Black Angus or Wagyu calves, one red calf and one Black Angus cow.Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Wabaunsee County Sheriff at 785-765-3323. There is a reward offered&nbsp; for information that leads to the arrest of those who stole the cattle.In August, Reno County Sheriff's Office said Circle H Cattle Company reported fifteen 400 to 500 pound calves stolen from the area of US 50 and Sterling Road, according to a social media report. The cattle went missing sometime between July 29, and August 6.In mid-July, the Kansas Livestock Associated reported 17-head of 200-350 pound calves were stolen ten miles northeast of Atwood, according to a media release from the Rawlins County sheriff's office. The calves&nbsp; carried fresh brands of V arrow high on the right hip.In April, the Sheridan County Sheriff's Department asked for the public's assistance in a case involving eighty 80 head of cattle missing from South of Hoxie, Kansas.

More cattle thefts under investigation in Kansas

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two months after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster</a>&nbsp;as House speaker, Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced Wednesday that he is resigning from his congressional seat in California.

His announcement capped a stunning end for the one-time deli owner from Bakersfield, who ascended through state and national politics to become second in line to the presidency before a contingent of hard-right conservatives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-kevin-mccarthy-ousted-house-republicans-f93cbd2c7f6f8f32dbb9cddf7905efa3">engineered his removal</a>&nbsp;in October.

McCarthy is the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job.

“No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing," McCarthy wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, announcing his decision.

“It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways,” he wrote.

His toppling from the chamber’s top post was fueled by grievances from his party’s hard-right flank, including over his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open</a>&nbsp;rather than risk a shutdown.

McCarthy, 58, arrived in the House in January 2007 after a stint in the California Assembly, where he served as minority leader. In Congress, he maneuvered through his party’s hierarchy — serving as majority whip and Republican leader along the way — before being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">elected speaker</a>&nbsp;in January 2023.

The dayslong floor fight that preceded his elevation to the House’s top job foreshadowed a stormy tenure, at a time when former President Donald Trump remained the de facto leader of the party and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-donald-trump-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-77c6e337644955bc3e64e1f7e3a094e5">deep divisions</a>&nbsp;within the GOP raised serious questions about the party’s ability to govern.

It took a record 15 votes over four days for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win the post he had long coveted, finally prevailing on a 216-212 vote with Democrats backing leader Hakeem Jeffries and six Republican holdouts voting present. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.

McCarthy emerged from the fight weakened, especially considering Republicans held only a fragile margin in the chamber after a predicted “red wave” failed to materialize in the 2022 elections.

Once installed as speaker, his well-known savvy for fundraising and political glad-handing appeared ill-suited for corralling his party’s disputatious hard-right faction. And deals he cut to become speaker — including a rules change that allowed any single lawmaker to file a motion to remove him — left him vulnerable.

When he became speaker, “he faced new challenges that required a different skill set,” said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney, a one-time domestic policy analyst for House Republicans. And “the deals he made to become speaker made it almost impossible for him to succeed as speaker.”

McCarthy, the son of a firefighter and a homemaker, has long depicted himself as an unflagging battler. He is fond of quoting his father, who told him, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673356695369.png" alt="Rep. Kevin McCarthy on the night in January he was finally elected Speaker of the House" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Kevin McCarthy on the night in January he was finally elected Speaker of the House</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two months after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster</a>&nbsp;as House speaker, Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced Wednesday that he is resigning from his congressional seat in California.His announcement capped a stunning end for the one-time deli owner from Bakersfield, who ascended through state and national politics to become second in line to the presidency before a contingent of hard-right conservatives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-kevin-mccarthy-ousted-house-republicans-f93cbd2c7f6f8f32dbb9cddf7905efa3">engineered his removal</a>&nbsp;in October.McCarthy is the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job.“No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing," McCarthy wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, announcing his decision.“It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways,” he wrote.His toppling from the chamber’s top post was fueled by grievances from his party’s hard-right flank, including over his decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open</a>&nbsp;rather than risk a shutdown.McCarthy, 58, arrived in the House in January 2007 after a stint in the California Assembly, where he served as minority leader. In Congress, he maneuvered through his party’s hierarchy — serving as majority whip and Republican leader along the way — before being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">elected speaker</a>&nbsp;in January 2023.The dayslong floor fight that preceded his elevation to the House’s top job foreshadowed a stormy tenure, at a time when former President Donald Trump remained the de facto leader of the party and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-donald-trump-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-77c6e337644955bc3e64e1f7e3a094e5">deep divisions</a>&nbsp;within the GOP raised serious questions about the party’s ability to govern.It took a record 15 votes over four days for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win the post he had long coveted, finally prevailing on a 216-212 vote with Democrats backing leader Hakeem Jeffries and six Republican holdouts voting present. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.McCarthy emerged from the fight weakened, especially considering Republicans held only a fragile margin in the chamber after a predicted “red wave” failed to materialize in the 2022 elections.Once installed as speaker, his well-known savvy for fundraising and political glad-handing appeared ill-suited for corralling his party’s disputatious hard-right faction. And deals he cut to become speaker — including a rules change that allowed any single lawmaker to file a motion to remove him — left him vulnerable.When he became speaker, “he faced new challenges that required a different skill set,” said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney, a one-time domestic policy analyst for House Republicans. And “the deals he made to become speaker made it almost impossible for him to succeed as speaker.”McCarthy, the son of a firefighter and a homemaker, has long depicted himself as an unflagging battler. He is fond of quoting his father, who told him, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

Rep. Kevin McCarthy resigns 2 months after ouster as House Speaker

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/Christopher-Wray" target="_blank">Christopher Wray</a>&nbsp;called Tuesday for the reauthorization of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-congress-surveillance-terrorism-1c89e362e82aefc36e029f29d0ec5c7f" target="_blank">U.S. government surveillance tool</a>&nbsp;set to expire at the end of the year, warning Senate lawmakers that there would be “devastating” consequences for public safety if the program is allowed to lapse.

At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of targeted foreigners outside the United States. Law enforcement and intelligence officials see the program as vital to combating terror attacks, cyber intrusions, espionage and other foreign threats.

The program, created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is due to expire at the end of this month unless Congress votes to reauthorize it. But Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have balked at renewing the program in its current form, recommending a slew of reforms in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-terrorism-congress-white-house-003e477ed7cc220b021084bd2210d472" target="_blank">competing legislative proposals</a>&nbsp;that are aimed at better safeguarding civil liberties and that are jockeying for support in the coming weeks.

The thorny path to reauthorization was laid bare during Tuesday’s hearing, when lawmakers from both parties questioned Wray, at times aggressively, over periodic misuse of the program by FBI employees seeking out information about Americans. Though the program enables surveillance only of foreigners located outside the U.S, it also can capture the communications of American citizens and others in the U.S. when those people are in contact with those targeted foreigners.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, said that during his 13 years on the committee, he’d pressed multiple FBI directors about civil liberties violations associated with the surveillance program and had repeatedly been given false reassurances about the reforms being put in place.

“Every darn one of them has told me the same thing: ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ve got this taken care of it, we’ve got new procedures, it’s going to be different now’,” Lee said. “It’s never different. You haven’t changed.”

He added: “We have no reason to trust you because you haven’t behaved in a manner that is trustworthy.”

The fact that Wray devoted a significant portion of his prepared remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee to the issue underscores its importance to the FBI, particularly at a time when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;has drawn heightened concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-hamas-attack-isis-bb1ceb7ce51cfc05ed751d2ce7983fcd" target="_blank">possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil</a>&nbsp;and contributed to threats being at a “whole other level” since the Oct. 7 attacks.

“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” Wray said.

Calling the authority indispensable, he told the committee, “702 allows us to stay a step ahead of foreign actors located outside the United States who pose a threat to national security. And the expiration of our 702 authorities would be devastating to the FBI’s ability to protect Americans from those threats.”

Wray, who took over as director in 2017, said that what made the current climate unique is that “so many of the threats are all elevated at the same time.”

But the 702 program has come under scrutiny in the last year following revelations that FBI analysts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-foreign-surveillance-section-702-a804ea3ee688d8670aa19610e6fa8494" target="_blank">improperly searched</a>&nbsp;the database of intelligence, including for information about people tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and the racial justice protests of 2020.

Those concerns have united longtime vocal champions of civil liberties, including Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, as well as Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump who are still angry over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/russia-probe-report-spurs-calls-for-fbi-surveillance-changes-9d79f3d1beb1e552d57e0a17d9cd8e28" target="_blank">surveillance missteps</a>&nbsp;made during the Russia investigation of 2016.

Wray and the White House have balked at the idea that the FBI should be required to get a warrant before searching the intelligence database for information about Americans and others inside the The FBI director said such a requirement would be both legally unnecessary and would hold up the bureau in trying to disrupt fast-moving national security threats.

If a warrant requirement is the path chosen, Wray said, “What if there were a terrorist attack that we had a shot to prevent, but couldn’t take it, because the FBI was deprived of the ability under 702 to look at key information already sitting in our holdings?”

One bipartisan proposal from Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the two leaders of the Senate intelligence committee, would impose a more limited requirement, mandating a court order for when the FBI wants to conduct queries on Americans to find evidence of a crime but not for when the FBI is searching the intelligence database for foreign intelligence information.

Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat who said he had not yet made up his mind on how he’d vote, asked Wray whether that more narrow proposal might be more acceptable. The FBI director said that that proposal might provide a viable path forward, but noted that searches of the database for the sole purpose of finding evidence of a crime were very rare.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, summed up the issue by telling Wray that though “there was no question” that Section 702 was a “critical tool for collecting foreign intelligence” he would encourage significant reforms to protect the privacy of “innocent Americans.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701820707420.png" alt="“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/Christopher-Wray" target="_blank">Christopher Wray</a>&nbsp;called Tuesday for the reauthorization of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-congress-surveillance-terrorism-1c89e362e82aefc36e029f29d0ec5c7f" target="_blank">U.S. government surveillance tool</a>&nbsp;set to expire at the end of the year, warning Senate lawmakers that there would be “devastating” consequences for public safety if the program is allowed to lapse.At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of targeted foreigners outside the United States. Law enforcement and intelligence officials see the program as vital to combating terror attacks, cyber intrusions, espionage and other foreign threats.The program, created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is due to expire at the end of this month unless Congress votes to reauthorize it. But Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have balked at renewing the program in its current form, recommending a slew of reforms in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-terrorism-congress-white-house-003e477ed7cc220b021084bd2210d472" target="_blank">competing legislative proposals</a>&nbsp;that are aimed at better safeguarding civil liberties and that are jockeying for support in the coming weeks.The thorny path to reauthorization was laid bare during Tuesday’s hearing, when lawmakers from both parties questioned Wray, at times aggressively, over periodic misuse of the program by FBI employees seeking out information about Americans. Though the program enables surveillance only of foreigners located outside the U.S, it also can capture the communications of American citizens and others in the U.S. when those people are in contact with those targeted foreigners.Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, said that during his 13 years on the committee, he’d pressed multiple FBI directors about civil liberties violations associated with the surveillance program and had repeatedly been given false reassurances about the reforms being put in place.“Every darn one of them has told me the same thing: ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ve got this taken care of it, we’ve got new procedures, it’s going to be different now’,” Lee said. “It’s never different. You haven’t changed.”He added: “We have no reason to trust you because you haven’t behaved in a manner that is trustworthy.”The fact that Wray devoted a significant portion of his prepared remarks to the Senate Judiciary Committee to the issue underscores its importance to the FBI, particularly at a time when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;has drawn heightened concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-hamas-attack-isis-bb1ceb7ce51cfc05ed751d2ce7983fcd" target="_blank">possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil</a>&nbsp;and contributed to threats being at a “whole other level” since the Oct. 7 attacks.“I think blinding us through either allowing 702 to lapse or amending it in a way that guts its effectiveness would be reckless at best and dangerous and irresponsible at worst,” Wray said.Calling the authority indispensable, he told the committee, “702 allows us to stay a step ahead of foreign actors located outside the United States who pose a threat to national security. And the expiration of our 702 authorities would be devastating to the FBI’s ability to protect Americans from those threats.”Wray, who took over as director in 2017, said that what made the current climate unique is that “so many of the threats are all elevated at the same time.”But the 702 program has come under scrutiny in the last year following revelations that FBI analysts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-foreign-surveillance-section-702-a804ea3ee688d8670aa19610e6fa8494" target="_blank">improperly searched</a>&nbsp;the database of intelligence, including for information about people tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and the racial justice protests of 2020.Those concerns have united longtime vocal champions of civil liberties, including Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, as well as Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump who are still angry over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/russia-probe-report-spurs-calls-for-fbi-surveillance-changes-9d79f3d1beb1e552d57e0a17d9cd8e28" target="_blank">surveillance missteps</a>&nbsp;made during the Russia investigation of 2016.Wray and the White House have balked at the idea that the FBI should be required to get a warrant before searching the intelligence database for information about Americans and others inside the The FBI director said such a requirement would be both legally unnecessary and would hold up the bureau in trying to disrupt fast-moving national security threats.If a warrant requirement is the path chosen, Wray said, “What if there were a terrorist attack that we had a shot to prevent, but couldn’t take it, because the FBI was deprived of the ability under 702 to look at key information already sitting in our holdings?”One bipartisan proposal from Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the two leaders of the Senate intelligence committee, would impose a more limited requirement, mandating a court order for when the FBI wants to conduct queries on Americans to find evidence of a crime but not for when the FBI is searching the intelligence database for foreign intelligence information.Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat who said he had not yet made up his mind on how he’d vote, asked Wray whether that more narrow proposal might be more acceptable. The FBI director said that that proposal might provide a viable path forward, but noted that searches of the database for the sole purpose of finding evidence of a crime were very rare.Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, summed up the issue by telling Wray that though “there was no question” that Section 702 was a “critical tool for collecting foreign intelligence” he would encourage significant reforms to protect the privacy of “innocent Americans.”

Ominous warning: FBI chief wants renewal of controversial spy program 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal October shooting moved a suspect who had been the subject of search over the past month to a jail in Topeka.

On Nov. 29, police in Kansas City, Kansas located 29-year-old&nbsp; Tremale M. Serrano after police asked the&nbsp;public for help to find him for the death of 23-year-old&nbsp; Jackson E. Danner of Topeka. He is being held on a $1million dollar bond on charges of second degree murder. He is also accused of a violation of a protection order of abuse and harass by telephone, according to online jail records.

On October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

First responders located. Danner who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death. He remains jailed on a $1 million bond for the alleged murder and faces accusations of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, theft and criminal damage to property, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701366750026.png" alt="Tremale Serrano Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Tremale Serrano Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal October shooting moved a suspect who had been the subject of search over the past month to a jail in Topeka.On Nov. 29, police in Kansas City, Kansas located 29-year-old&nbsp; Tremale M. Serrano after police asked the&nbsp;public for help to find him for the death of 23-year-old&nbsp; Jackson E. Danner of Topeka. He is being held on a $1million dollar bond on charges of second degree murder. He is also accused of a violation of a protection order of abuse and harass by telephone, according to online jail records.On October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700082583370.png" alt="Aaron Serrano" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Serrano</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located. Danner who was pronounced deceased at the scene.On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death. He remains jailed on a $1 million bond for the alleged murder and faces accusations of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, theft and criminal damage to property, according to online jail records.