WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday asked Congress to provide more than $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support through the end of the year, another massive infusion of cash as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;wears on and Ukraine pushes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-major-push-12334bbee83b608221dafced4727369e">a counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;against the Kremlin's deeply entrenched forces.

The package includes $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home after a deadly climate season of heat and storms, and funds to bolster the enforcement at the Southern border with Mexico, including money to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl. All told, it’s a $40 billion package.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-europe-congress-government-and-politics-bddc8fc02afcc2a072bbdd388dc1a658">the last such supplemental spending request</a>&nbsp;from the White House for Ukraine funding was easily approved in 2022 despite reservations from Republicans, there’s a different dynamic this time.

A political divide on the issue has steadily grown, with the Republican-led House facing enormous pressure to demonstrate support for the party's leader, Donald Trump, who has been very skeptical of the war. And American support for the effort has been slowly softening.

White House budget director Shalanda Young, in a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, urged swift action to follow through on the U.S. “commitment to the Ukrainian peoples’ defense of their homeland and to democracy around the world” as well as other needs.

The request was crafted with an eye to picking up support from Republicans, as well as Democrats, particularly with increased domestic funding around border issues — a top priority for the GOP. The Republicans have been been highly critical of the Biden administration’s approach to halting the flow of migrants crossing from Mexico.

Still, the price tag of $40 billion may be too much for Republicans who are fighting to slash, not raise, federal outlays. As a supplemental request, the package the White House is sending to Congress falls outside the budget caps both parties agreed to as part of the debt ceiling showdown earlier this year.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement there was strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.

“The latest request from the Biden administration shows America’s continued commitment to helping Americans here at home and our friends abroad,” he said. "We hope to join with our Republican colleagues this fall to avert an unnecessary government shutdown and fund this critical emergency supplemental request.”

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has championed of support for Ukraine, was more subdued.

“I look forward to carefully reviewing the Administration’s request to make sure it is necessary and appropriate," McConnell said in a statement, "to keep America safe, secure our borders, support our allies, and help communities rebuild after disasters.”

President Joe Biden and his senior national security team have repeatedly said the United States will help Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-zelenskyy-washington-4d5fc23be5518e689fbbcac334769d59">“as long as it takes”</a>&nbsp;to oust Russia from its borders. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there is a limit to the patience of a narrowly divided Congress — and American public — for the costs of a war with no clear end.

“For people who might be concerned the costs are getting too high, we’d ask them what the costs — not just in treasure but in blood, perhaps even American blood — could be if Putin subjugates Ukraine,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said this week.

Support among the American public for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-military-and-defense-0f550a262fb6178a7d91b8be6e2c601b">providing Ukraine weaponry</a>&nbsp;and direct economic assistance has softened with time. An AP-NORC poll conducted in January 2023 around the one-year mark of the conflict, found that 48% favored the U.S. providing weapons to Ukraine, down from the 60% of U.S. adults who were in favor sending Ukraine weapons in May 2022. While Democrats have generally been more supportive than Republicans of offering weaponry, their support dropped slightly from 71% to 63% in the same period. Republicans’ support dropped more, from 53% to 39%.

Dozens of Republicans in the House and some GOP senators have expressed reservations, and even voted against, spending more federal dollars for the war effort. Many of those Republicans are aligning with Trump’s objections to the U.S. involvement overseas.

That means any final vote on Ukraine aid will likely need to rely on a hefty coalition led by Democrats from Biden’s party to ensure approval.

The funding includes money to counter Russian and Chinese influence elsewhere by bolstering the World Bank and providing aid to resist Russian-aligned Wagner forces in Africa. Domestically, there’s an additional $60 million to address increased wildfires that have erupted nationwide. And the request includes $4 billion for the Southern border, including $2.2 billion for border management and $766 million to stop the flow of fentanyl and provide prevention and recovery support. There is also $100 million earmarked for the Department of Labor to ramp up investigations of suspected child labor violations.

To ease passage, Congress would likely try to attach the package to a must-pass measure for broader government funding in the U.S. that’s needed by Oct. 1 to prevent any shutdown in federal offices.

Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.

Ukraine is pushing through with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-explainer-ff774fce8608b464a406ae087b1a3607">its ongoing counteroffensive</a>, in an effort to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from territory they’ve occupied since a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive has come up against heavily mined terrain and reinforced defensive fortifications.

The U.S. has approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-texas-michael-mccaul-114e61bdd752d387a3df813638dab68a">four rounds of aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-ed54dbd327c4362ee052f851f497fcd4">approved the latest round of aid</a>&nbsp;in December, totaling roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies. While the package was designed to last through the end of the fiscal year in September, much depends upon events on the ground.

“We remain confident that we’ll be able to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.

There were questions in November about waning Republican support to approve the package, but it ultimately passed. Now, though, House Speaker McCarthy is facing pressure to impeach Biden over unproven claims of financial misconduct and it’s not clear whether a quick show of support for Ukraine could cause political damage in what’s expected to be a bruising 2024 reelection campaign.

Trump contends that American involvement has only drawn Russia closer to other adversarial states like China, and has condemned the tens of billions of dollars that the United States has provided in aid for Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676898415388.png" alt="Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a&nbsp; February visit in Ukraine -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a&nbsp; February visit in Ukraine -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday asked Congress to provide more than $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support through the end of the year, another massive infusion of cash as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;wears on and Ukraine pushes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-major-push-12334bbee83b608221dafced4727369e">a counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;against the Kremlin's deeply entrenched forces.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s Groundhog Day - again. The Biden Family LLC is asking for another $24B from your family’s paycheck to Ukraine. Remember when Congress didn’t have the fortitude to spend $20B to build the wall &amp; secure the Mexico border? We could’ve paid for it 8x w/ the money sent to Ukraine&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1689983630158811136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The package includes $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home after a deadly climate season of heat and storms, and funds to bolster the enforcement at the Southern border with Mexico, including money to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl. All told, it’s a $40 billion package.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-europe-congress-government-and-politics-bddc8fc02afcc2a072bbdd388dc1a658">the last such supplemental spending request</a>&nbsp;from the White House for Ukraine funding was easily approved in 2022 despite reservations from Republicans, there’s a different dynamic this time.A political divide on the issue has steadily grown, with the Republican-led House facing enormous pressure to demonstrate support for the party's leader, Donald Trump, who has been very skeptical of the war. And American support for the effort has been slowly softening.White House budget director Shalanda Young, in a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, urged swift action to follow through on the U.S. “commitment to the Ukrainian peoples’ defense of their homeland and to democracy around the world” as well as other needs.The request was crafted with an eye to picking up support from Republicans, as well as Democrats, particularly with increased domestic funding around border issues — a top priority for the GOP. The Republicans have been been highly critical of the Biden administration’s approach to halting the flow of migrants crossing from Mexico.Still, the price tag of $40 billion may be too much for Republicans who are fighting to slash, not raise, federal outlays. As a supplemental request, the package the White House is sending to Congress falls outside the budget caps both parties agreed to as part of the debt ceiling showdown earlier this year.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement there was strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.“The latest request from the Biden administration shows America’s continued commitment to helping Americans here at home and our friends abroad,” he said. "We hope to join with our Republican colleagues this fall to avert an unnecessary government shutdown and fund this critical emergency supplemental request.”Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has championed of support for Ukraine, was more subdued.“I look forward to carefully reviewing the Administration’s request to make sure it is necessary and appropriate," McConnell said in a statement, "to keep America safe, secure our borders, support our allies, and help communities rebuild after disasters.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671657547305.png" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Washington in December-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Washington in December-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>President Joe Biden and his senior national security team have repeatedly said the United States will help Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-zelenskyy-washington-4d5fc23be5518e689fbbcac334769d59">“as long as it takes”</a>&nbsp;to oust Russia from its borders. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there is a limit to the patience of a narrowly divided Congress — and American public — for the costs of a war with no clear end.“For people who might be concerned the costs are getting too high, we’d ask them what the costs — not just in treasure but in blood, perhaps even American blood — could be if Putin subjugates Ukraine,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said this week.Support among the American public for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-military-and-defense-0f550a262fb6178a7d91b8be6e2c601b">providing Ukraine weaponry</a>&nbsp;and direct economic assistance has softened with time. An AP-NORC poll conducted in January 2023 around the one-year mark of the conflict, found that 48% favored the U.S. providing weapons to Ukraine, down from the 60% of U.S. adults who were in favor sending Ukraine weapons in May 2022. While Democrats have generally been more supportive than Republicans of offering weaponry, their support dropped slightly from 71% to 63% in the same period. Republicans’ support dropped more, from 53% to 39%.Dozens of Republicans in the House and some GOP senators have expressed reservations, and even voted against, spending more federal dollars for the war effort. Many of those Republicans are aligning with Trump’s objections to the U.S. involvement overseas.That means any final vote on Ukraine aid will likely need to rely on a hefty coalition led by Democrats from Biden’s party to ensure approval.The funding includes money to counter Russian and Chinese influence elsewhere by bolstering the World Bank and providing aid to resist Russian-aligned Wagner forces in Africa. Domestically, there’s an additional $60 million to address increased wildfires that have erupted nationwide. And the request includes $4 billion for the Southern border, including $2.2 billion for border management and $766 million to stop the flow of fentanyl and provide prevention and recovery support. There is also $100 million earmarked for the Department of Labor to ramp up investigations of suspected child labor violations.To ease passage, Congress would likely try to attach the package to a must-pass measure for broader government funding in the U.S. that’s needed by Oct. 1 to prevent any shutdown in federal offices.Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.Ukraine is pushing through with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-explainer-ff774fce8608b464a406ae087b1a3607">its ongoing counteroffensive</a>, in an effort to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from territory they’ve occupied since a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive has come up against heavily mined terrain and reinforced defensive fortifications.The U.S. has approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-texas-michael-mccaul-114e61bdd752d387a3df813638dab68a">four rounds of aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-ed54dbd327c4362ee052f851f497fcd4">approved the latest round of aid</a>&nbsp;in December, totaling roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies. While the package was designed to last through the end of the fiscal year in September, much depends upon events on the ground.“We remain confident that we’ll be able to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.There were questions in November about waning Republican support to approve the package, but it ultimately passed. Now, though, House Speaker McCarthy is facing pressure to impeach Biden over unproven claims of financial misconduct and it’s not clear whether a quick show of support for Ukraine could cause political damage in what’s expected to be a bruising 2024 reelection campaign.Trump contends that American involvement has only drawn Russia closer to other adversarial states like China, and has condemned the tens of billions of dollars that the United States has provided in aid for Ukraine.

Biden wants billions in additional funding for Ukraine

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Two people died in an accident just after 4a.m. Thursday in Miami County.

According to Paola Police, a vehicle was northbound in the southbound lanes of&nbsp; U.S. 69 at 327th Street. The vehicle and a southbound vehicle collided.

First responders found both drivers deceased. Authorities have not released the names of the drivers. There were no other occupants involved. The accident remains under investigation, according to the police department.

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Two people died in an accident just after 4a.m. Thursday in Miami County.According to Paola Police, a vehicle was northbound in the southbound lanes of&nbsp; U.S. 69 at 327th Street. The vehicle and a southbound vehicle collided.First responders found both drivers deceased. Authorities have not released the names of the drivers. There were no other occupants involved. The accident remains under investigation, according to the police department.

Police: 2 dead after wrong-way crash on Kan. highway

The Fairway Police Department would like to invite the public to join&nbsp; in honoring Officer Jonah Oswald. Officer Oswald gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve the citizens of fairway, Kansas.&nbsp;

The arrangements for officer Oswald include:

Parade of blue and Candlelight Vigil – Friday August 11, 2023, beginning at 7:30 PM.&nbsp;

A parade of first responder vehicles will depart the Shamrock Trading Corporation at 9300 Metcalf in Overland Park and drive a parade route through the cities of Overland Park, Mission, Fairway, and Prairie Village. The parade will end at Harmon Park, 7700 Mission Road, in Prairie Village, where a candlelight vigil will then take place.

The public is invited to display blue colors at their homes and businesses and view the parade of police vehicles from the safety of the sidewalk near the parade route.

When all parade vehicles have arrived at Harmon Park, a candlelight vigil will take place near the skate park. This is estimated to be between 9:00-9:30 PM.

Sunday August 13, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM&nbsp;at Westside Family Church.&nbsp;The church is located at 8500 Woodsonia Dr. Lenexa, KS. 66227

Monday August 14, 2023, at 11:00 AM,&nbsp;also at the Westside Family Church, 8500 Woodsonia Dr. Lenexa, KS. 66227.&nbsp;

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is directing flags be flown at half-staff at all state grounds, buildi`ngs and facilities from sunrise to sundown on Monday to honor Officer Oswald.

There will be no graveside service, however there will be a short ceremony outside of the church when the service is concluded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691612574385.png" alt="Jonah Oswald-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jonah Oswald-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Fairway Police Department would like to invite the public to join&nbsp; in honoring Officer Jonah Oswald. Officer Oswald gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve the citizens of fairway, Kansas.&nbsp;The arrangements for officer Oswald include:Parade of BlueParade of blue and Candlelight Vigil – Friday August 11, 2023, beginning at 7:30 PM.&nbsp;A parade of first responder vehicles will depart the Shamrock Trading Corporation at 9300 Metcalf in Overland Park and drive a parade route through the cities of Overland Park, Mission, Fairway, and Prairie Village. The parade will end at Harmon Park, 7700 Mission Road, in Prairie Village, where a candlelight vigil will then take place.The public is invited to display blue colors at their homes and businesses and view the parade of police vehicles from the safety of the sidewalk near the parade route.When all parade vehicles have arrived at Harmon Park, a candlelight vigil will take place near the skate park. This is estimated to be between 9:00-9:30 PM.Visitation&nbsp;&nbsp;Sunday August 13, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM&nbsp;at Westside Family Church.&nbsp;The church is located at 8500 Woodsonia Dr. Lenexa, KS. 66227Funeral&nbsp;&nbsp;Monday August 14, 2023, at 11:00 AM,&nbsp;also at the Westside Family Church, 8500 Woodsonia Dr. Lenexa, KS. 66227.&nbsp;Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is directing flags be flown at half-staff at all state grounds, buildi`ngs and facilities from sunrise to sundown on Monday to honor Officer Oswald.Ceremonial honors&nbsp;There will be no graveside service, however there will be a short ceremony outside of the church when the service is concluded.

Visitation, funeral service set for fallen Kansas officer

PLATTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer involved shooting which occurred just before 2a.m. Thursday on MO Highway 45 Spur near Stilling’s Road in rural Platte County. 

 The shooting occurred at the end of a vehicle pursuit involving members of the Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department, and a domestic violence suspect identified as 25-year-old Jonathan Heath-Taylor of Leavenworth, Kansas, according to&nbsp;Captain Jeffrey Shanks.

EMS transported Heath-Taylor from the scene to an area hospital where he remained in critical condition Thursday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691671445584.png" alt="The Platte County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation and has the support of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The Platte County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation and has the support of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer involved shooting which occurred just before 2a.m. Thursday on MO Highway 45 Spur near Stilling’s Road in rural Platte County. The shooting occurred at the end of a vehicle pursuit involving members of the Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department, and a domestic violence suspect identified as 25-year-old Jonathan Heath-Taylor of Leavenworth, Kansas, according to&nbsp;Captain Jeffrey Shanks.EMS transported Heath-Taylor from the scene to an area hospital where he remained in critical condition Thursday night. No officers were injured at the scene.

Sheriff IDs Kansas man wounded in officer-shooting in Missouri

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Maui residents who made desperate escapes from oncoming flames, some on foot, asked why Hawaii’s famous emergency warning system didn’t alert them as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-updates-maui-fire-hawaii-wildfire-162a9fcdefe648d6bcd6557af70d894f">fires raced</a>&nbsp;toward their homes.

Hawaii emergency management records show no indication that warning sirens were triggered before a devastating wildfire killed at least 55 people and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">wiped out a historic town</a>, officials confirmed Thursday.

Hawaii boasts what the state describes as the largest integrated outdoor all-hazard public safety warning system in the world, with about 400 sirens positioned across the island chain to alert people to various natural disasters and other threats. But many of Lahaina’s survivors said in interviews at evacuation centers that they didn’t hear any sirens and only realized they were in danger when they saw flames or heard explosions nearby.

Thomas Leonard, a 70-year-old retired mailman from Lahaina,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-fire-maui-lahaina-homes-burned-1b15d9bc4cc0e92cd309928cff865577">didn’t know about the fire</a>&nbsp;until he smelled smoke. Power and cell phone service had both gone out earlier that day, leaving the town with no real-time information about the danger.

He tried to leave in his Jeep, but had to abandon the vehicle and run to the shore when cars nearby began exploding. He hid behind a seawall for hours, the wind blowing hot ash and cinders over him.

Firefighters eventually arrived and escorted Leonard and other survivors through the flames to safety.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Adam Weintraub told The Associated Press on Thursday that the department's records don't show that Maui's warning sirens were triggered on Tuesday. Instead, the county used emergency alerts sent to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, Weintraub said.

It’s not clear if those alerts were sent before widespread power and cellular outages cut off most communication to Lahaina.

Communications have been spotty across Maui, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of the island.

Fueled by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">dry summer</a>&nbsp;and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched brush covering the island and then flattening homes and anything else that lay in its path.

Maui Fire Department Chief Brad Ventura said the fire moved so quickly from brush to neighborhood that it was impossible for to get messages to the emergency management agencies responsible for emergency alerts.

The wildfire is already the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami, which killed 61 people on the Big Island. During a Thursday press conference, Gov. Josh Green said the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue.

“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Green said after walking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maui-wildfires-journalist-account-8d6628953db012bfe14b35fc8cb2403e">ruins of the town</a>&nbsp;Thursday morning with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. “Without a doubt, it feels like a bomb was dropped on Lahaina.”

The fire is also the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise.

Lahaina’s wildfire risk was well known. Maui County’s hazard mitigation plan, last updated in 2020, identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfire ignitions and a large number of buildings at risk of wildfire damage.

The report also noted that West Maui had the island’s highest population of people living in multi-unit housing, the second-highest rate of households without a vehicle, and the highest rate of non-English speakers.

“This may limit the population’s ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events,” the plan noted.

Maui’s firefighting efforts may also have been hampered by a small staff, said Bobby Lee, the president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association. There are a maximum of 65 firefighters working at any given time in Maui County, and they are responsible for fighting fires on three islands — Maui, Molokai and Lanai — he said.

Those crews have about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but they are all designed for on-road use. The department does not have any off-road vehicles, he said.

That means fire crews can't attack brush fires thoroughly before they reach roads or populated areas, Lee said. The high winds caused by Hurricane Dora made that extremely difficult, he said.

“You’re basically dealing with trying to fight a blowtorch,” Lee said. “You’ve got to be careful — you don’t want to get caught downwind from that, because you’re going to get run over in a wind-driven fire of that magnitude.”

Mandatory evacuation orders were in place for Lahaina residents, Bissen noted, while tourists in hotels were told to shelter in place so that emergency vehicles could get into the area.

The mayor said that downed power poles added to the chaos as people attempted to flee Lahaina by cutting off two important roads out of town. Speaking at a Thursday afternoon press conference, he said that 29 poles fell with live wires still attached, and leaving only the narrow highway toward Kahakuloa.

Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.

“I opened the door, and the fire was almost on top of us," he said from an evacuation center at a gymnasium. “We ran and ran. We ran almost the whole night and into the next day, because the fire didn’t stop."

Vasquez and his brother Eduardo escaped via roads that were clogged with vehicles full of people. The smoke was so toxic that he vomited. He said he's not sure his roommates and neighbors made it to safety.

Lahaina residents saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility erupt in flames as they were escaping.

Chelsey Vierra's great-grandmother, Louise Abihai, was living at Hale Mahaolu, and the family doesn't know if she got out. “She doesn’t have a phone. She’s 97 years old,” Vierra said Thursday. “She can walk. She is strong.”

Relatives are monitoring shelter lists and calling the hospital. “We got to find our loved one, but there’s no communication here,” said Vierra, who fled the flames. “We don’t know who to ask about where she went.”

Tourists were advised to stay away, and tens of thousands of people have crowded airports to leave the island. Officials turned the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu into an assistance center, stocking it with water, food, and volunteers who help visitors arrange travel home.

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster on Maui. Traveling in Utah on Thursday, he pledged that the federal response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Biden promised to streamline requests for assistance and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was “surging emergency personnel” on the island.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — A search of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of obliterated neighborhoods and landmarks charred beyond recognition, as the death toll rose to at least 53 and survivors told harrowing tales of narrow escapes with only the clothes on their backs.

A flyover of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">historic Lahaina</a>&nbsp;showed entire neighborhoods that had been a vibrant vision of color and island life reduced to gray ash. Block after block was nothing but rubble and blackened foundations, including along famous Front Street, where tourists shopped and dined just days ago. Boats in the harbor were scorched, and smoke hovered over the town, which dates to the 1700s and is the biggest community on the island’s west side.

“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told The Associated Press. More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires that were still burning, he said.

Already the state's deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami killed 61 people on the Big Island, the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue, Green added.

Many businesses, including one of the town’s oldest shops, were destroyed. As owner Tiffany Kidder Winn assessed the damage Wednesday at the Whaler's Locker gift store, she came upon a line of burned-out vehicles, some with charred bodies inside.

“It looked like they were trying to get out, but were stuck in traffic and couldn’t get off Front Street,” she said. She later spotted a body leaning against a seawall.

Winn said the destruction was so widespread, “I couldn’t even tell where I was, because all the landmarks were gone.”

Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched growth covering the island and then feasting on homes and anything else that lay in its path.

The official death toll of 53 as of Thursday makes this the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise. The Hawaii toll could rise, though, as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been inaccessible due to the three ongoing fires, including the one in Lahaina that was 80% contained on Thursday, according to a Maui County news release. Dozens of people have been injured, some critically.

“We are still in life preservation mode. Search and rescue is still a primary concern,” said Adam Weintraub, a spokesperson for Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Search and rescue teams still won't be able to reach certain areas until the fire lines are secure and access is safe, Weintraub added.

The flames left some people with mere minutes to act and led some to flee into the ocean. A Lahaina man, Bosco Bae,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/681387130/videos/pcb.10159000941762131/995043825254569">posted video on Facebook</a>&nbsp;from Tuesday night that showed fire burning nearly every building on a street as sirens blared and windblown sparks raced by. Bae, who said he was one of the last people to leave the town, was evacuated to the island's main airport and was waiting to be allowed to return home.

Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard the fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.

Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described their harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.

“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa, 34, said at an evacuation shelter, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.

As the family fled, they called 911 when they saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility across the road erupt in flames.

Communications have been spotty on the island, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of Maui.

Tourists were advised to stay away, and about 11,000 flew out of Maui on Wednesday with at least 1,500 more expected to leave Thursday, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director. Officials prepared the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to receive thousands.

In coastal Kihei, southeast of Lahaina, wide swaths of ground glowed red with embers Wednesday night as flames continued to chew through trees and buildings. Gusty winds blew sparks over a black and orange patchwork of charred earth and still-crackling hot spots.

The fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-winds-fires-evacuations-7137adb0fe7612a465f6ae2be7f96afb">fanned by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment">series of disasters</a>&nbsp;caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">climate change</a>&nbsp;is increasing the likelihood of such events.

Wildfires aren't unusual in Hawaii, but the weather of the past few weeks created the fuel for a devastating blaze and, once ignited, the high winds created the disaster, said Thomas Smith an associate professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Hawaii's Big Island is also currently seeing blazes, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there were no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there.

With communications hampered, it was difficult for many to check in with friends and family members. Some people were posting messages on social media. A Family Assistance Center opened at the Kahului Community Center for people looking for the missing.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, of the Hawaii State Department of Defense, said Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, distribute water and possibly add law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons (568,000 liters) of water on the fires.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape the flames and smoke.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said Wednesday that officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691662929011.png" alt="Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui" />
 <figcaption>Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui</figcaption>
 </figure>LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Maui residents who made desperate escapes from oncoming flames, some on foot, asked why Hawaii’s famous emergency warning system didn’t alert them as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-updates-maui-fire-hawaii-wildfire-162a9fcdefe648d6bcd6557af70d894f">fires raced</a>&nbsp;toward their homes.Hawaii emergency management records show no indication that warning sirens were triggered before a devastating wildfire killed at least 55 people and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">wiped out a historic town</a>, officials confirmed Thursday.Hawaii boasts what the state describes as the largest integrated outdoor all-hazard public safety warning system in the world, with about 400 sirens positioned across the island chain to alert people to various natural disasters and other threats. But many of Lahaina’s survivors said in interviews at evacuation centers that they didn’t hear any sirens and only realized they were in danger when they saw flames or heard explosions nearby.Thomas Leonard, a 70-year-old retired mailman from Lahaina,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-fire-maui-lahaina-homes-burned-1b15d9bc4cc0e92cd309928cff865577">didn’t know about the fire</a>&nbsp;until he smelled smoke. Power and cell phone service had both gone out earlier that day, leaving the town with no real-time information about the danger.He tried to leave in his Jeep, but had to abandon the vehicle and run to the shore when cars nearby began exploding. He hid behind a seawall for hours, the wind blowing hot ash and cinders over him.Firefighters eventually arrived and escorted Leonard and other survivors through the flames to safety.Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Adam Weintraub told The Associated Press on Thursday that the department's records don't show that Maui's warning sirens were triggered on Tuesday. Instead, the county used emergency alerts sent to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, Weintraub said.It’s not clear if those alerts were sent before widespread power and cellular outages cut off most communication to Lahaina.Communications have been spotty across Maui, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of the island.Fueled by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">dry summer</a>&nbsp;and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched brush covering the island and then flattening homes and anything else that lay in its path.Maui Fire Department Chief Brad Ventura said the fire moved so quickly from brush to neighborhood that it was impossible for to get messages to the emergency management agencies responsible for emergency alerts.The wildfire is already the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami, which killed 61 people on the Big Island. During a Thursday press conference, Gov. Josh Green said the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue.“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Green said after walking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maui-wildfires-journalist-account-8d6628953db012bfe14b35fc8cb2403e">ruins of the town</a>&nbsp;Thursday morning with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. “Without a doubt, it feels like a bomb was dropped on Lahaina.”The fire is also the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise.Lahaina’s wildfire risk was well known. Maui County’s hazard mitigation plan, last updated in 2020, identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfire ignitions and a large number of buildings at risk of wildfire damage.The report also noted that West Maui had the island’s highest population of people living in multi-unit housing, the second-highest rate of households without a vehicle, and the highest rate of non-English speakers.“This may limit the population’s ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events,” the plan noted.Maui’s firefighting efforts may also have been hampered by a small staff, said Bobby Lee, the president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association. There are a maximum of 65 firefighters working at any given time in Maui County, and they are responsible for fighting fires on three islands — Maui, Molokai and Lanai — he said.Those crews have about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but they are all designed for on-road use. The department does not have any off-road vehicles, he said.That means fire crews can't attack brush fires thoroughly before they reach roads or populated areas, Lee said. The high winds caused by Hurricane Dora made that extremely difficult, he said.“You’re basically dealing with trying to fight a blowtorch,” Lee said. “You’ve got to be careful — you don’t want to get caught downwind from that, because you’re going to get run over in a wind-driven fire of that magnitude.”Mandatory evacuation orders were in place for Lahaina residents, Bissen noted, while tourists in hotels were told to shelter in place so that emergency vehicles could get into the area.The mayor said that downed power poles added to the chaos as people attempted to flee Lahaina by cutting off two important roads out of town. Speaking at a Thursday afternoon press conference, he said that 29 poles fell with live wires still attached, and leaving only the narrow highway toward Kahakuloa.Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.“I opened the door, and the fire was almost on top of us," he said from an evacuation center at a gymnasium. “We ran and ran. We ran almost the whole night and into the next day, because the fire didn’t stop."Vasquez and his brother Eduardo escaped via roads that were clogged with vehicles full of people. The smoke was so toxic that he vomited. He said he's not sure his roommates and neighbors made it to safety.Lahaina residents saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility erupt in flames as they were escaping.Chelsey Vierra's great-grandmother, Louise Abihai, was living at Hale Mahaolu, and the family doesn't know if she got out. “She doesn’t have a phone. She’s 97 years old,” Vierra said Thursday. “She can walk. She is strong.”Relatives are monitoring shelter lists and calling the hospital. “We got to find our loved one, but there’s no communication here,” said Vierra, who fled the flames. “We don’t know who to ask about where she went.”Tourists were advised to stay away, and tens of thousands of people have crowded airports to leave the island. Officials turned the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu into an assistance center, stocking it with water, food, and volunteers who help visitors arrange travel home.President Joe Biden declared a major disaster on Maui. Traveling in Utah on Thursday, he pledged that the federal response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Biden promised to streamline requests for assistance and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was “surging emergency personnel” on the island.___LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — A search of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of obliterated neighborhoods and landmarks charred beyond recognition, as the death toll rose to at least 53 and survivors told harrowing tales of narrow escapes with only the clothes on their backs.A flyover of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">historic Lahaina</a>&nbsp;showed entire neighborhoods that had been a vibrant vision of color and island life reduced to gray ash. Block after block was nothing but rubble and blackened foundations, including along famous Front Street, where tourists shopped and dined just days ago. Boats in the harbor were scorched, and smoke hovered over the town, which dates to the 1700s and is the biggest community on the island’s west side.“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told The Associated Press. More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires that were still burning, he said.Already the state's deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami killed 61 people on the Big Island, the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue, Green added.“We are heartsick,” Green said.Many businesses, including one of the town’s oldest shops, were destroyed. As owner Tiffany Kidder Winn assessed the damage Wednesday at the Whaler's Locker gift store, she came upon a line of burned-out vehicles, some with charred bodies inside.“It looked like they were trying to get out, but were stuck in traffic and couldn’t get off Front Street,” she said. She later spotted a body leaning against a seawall.Winn said the destruction was so widespread, “I couldn’t even tell where I was, because all the landmarks were gone.”Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched growth covering the island and then feasting on homes and anything else that lay in its path.The official death toll of 53 as of Thursday makes this the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise. The Hawaii toll could rise, though, as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been inaccessible due to the three ongoing fires, including the one in Lahaina that was 80% contained on Thursday, according to a Maui County news release. Dozens of people have been injured, some critically.“We are still in life preservation mode. Search and rescue is still a primary concern,” said Adam Weintraub, a spokesperson for Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.Search and rescue teams still won't be able to reach certain areas until the fire lines are secure and access is safe, Weintraub added.The flames left some people with mere minutes to act and led some to flee into the ocean. A Lahaina man, Bosco Bae,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/681387130/videos/pcb.10159000941762131/995043825254569">posted video on Facebook</a>&nbsp;from Tuesday night that showed fire burning nearly every building on a street as sirens blared and windblown sparks raced by. Bae, who said he was one of the last people to leave the town, was evacuated to the island's main airport and was waiting to be allowed to return home.Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard the fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.“I opened the door, and the fire was almost on top of us," he said from an evacuation center at a gymnasium. “We ran and ran. We ran almost the whole night and into the next day, because the fire didn’t stop."Vasquez and his brother Eduardo escaped via roads that were clogged with vehicles full of people. The smoke was so toxic that he vomited. He said he's not sure his roommates and neighbors made it to safety.Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described their harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa, 34, said at an evacuation shelter, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.As the family fled, they called 911 when they saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility across the road erupt in flames.Chelsey Vierra's great-grandmother, Louise Abihai, was living at Hale Mahaolu, and the family doesn't know if she got out. “She doesn’t have a phone. She’s 97 years old,” Vierra said Thursday. “She can walk. She is strong.”Relatives are monitoring shelter lists and calling the hospital. “We got to find our loved one, but there’s no communication here,” said Vierra, who fled the flames. “We don’t know who to ask about where she went.”Communications have been spotty on the island, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of Maui.Tourists were advised to stay away, and about 11,000 flew out of Maui on Wednesday with at least 1,500 more expected to leave Thursday, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director. Officials prepared the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to receive thousands.In coastal Kihei, southeast of Lahaina, wide swaths of ground glowed red with embers Wednesday night as flames continued to chew through trees and buildings. Gusty winds blew sparks over a black and orange patchwork of charred earth and still-crackling hot spots.The fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-winds-fires-evacuations-7137adb0fe7612a465f6ae2be7f96afb">fanned by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment">series of disasters</a>&nbsp;caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">climate change</a>&nbsp;is increasing the likelihood of such events.Wildfires aren't unusual in Hawaii, but the weather of the past few weeks created the fuel for a devastating blaze and, once ignited, the high winds created the disaster, said Thomas Smith an associate professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science.Hawaii's Big Island is also currently seeing blazes, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there were no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there.With communications hampered, it was difficult for many to check in with friends and family members. Some people were posting messages on social media. A Family Assistance Center opened at the Kahului Community Center for people looking for the missing.Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, of the Hawaii State Department of Defense, said Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, distribute water and possibly add law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons (568,000 liters) of water on the fires.The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape the flames and smoke.Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said Wednesday that officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires.President Joe Biden declared a major disaster on Maui. Traveling in Utah on Thursday, he pledged that the federal response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Biden promised to streamline requests for assistance and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was “surging emergency personnel” on the island.___

Death toll continues to grow from the wildfires on Maui

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On Wednesday, police completed an investigation and arrested 40-year-old Robert Pina for alleged crimes reported to have&nbsp;occurred this month involving a 7-year-old girl victim known to him.

Pina is being held in the Finney County Jail on a $300,000 bond on requested charges of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691678278447.png" alt="Pina-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Pina-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On Wednesday, police completed an investigation and arrested 40-year-old Robert Pina for alleged crimes reported to have&nbsp;occurred this month involving a 7-year-old girl victim known to him.Pina is being held in the Finney County Jail on a $300,000 bond on requested charges of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy.

SW Kansas man accused of sex crime involving 7-year-old

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on drug allegations.

Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at on U.S. 75 in Osage County for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

A passenger in the vehicle, Frederick L. Sanders, 51, of Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691506093723.png" alt="Sanders has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Sanders has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on drug allegations.Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at on U.S. 75 in Osage County for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.A passenger in the vehicle, Frederick L. Sanders, 51, of Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas felon accused of selling meth

By BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

TOPEKA - Late Thursday afternoon, Country Stampede posted to social media and emailed festival-goers of the need to search for a new venue for 2024 and future years.

This announcement comes less than two weeks after the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandMotorsportsPark/posts/pfbid0aQNQojN4PRqkorzAjuUgfeM4CqEDwrFQxRFKZH6XsT2fJp9gy5TphgDsLqQkJoehl"> July 28th announcement from Heartland Motorsports Park</a> announcing the closure of the venue due to Shawnee County property taxes being raised for the venue.

Country Stampede's announcement says they will be contacting neighboring communities to gauge interest in hosting the festival and will include Manhattan in the list of communities.

By BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostTOPEKA - Late Thursday afternoon, Country Stampede posted to social media and emailed festival-goers of the need to search for a new venue for 2024 and future years.This announcement comes less than two weeks after the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandMotorsportsPark/posts/pfbid0aQNQojN4PRqkorzAjuUgfeM4CqEDwrFQxRFKZH6XsT2fJp9gy5TphgDsLqQkJoehl"> July 28th announcement from Heartland Motorsports Park</a> announcing the closure of the venue due to Shawnee County property taxes being raised for the venue.Country Stampede's announcement says they will be contacting neighboring communities to gauge interest in hosting the festival and will include Manhattan in the list of communities.More details can be found in the post:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcountrystampedefestival%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0g22vtrLtwqrDyX1W5jhKUJk3Y4vp9MamNBF3dzT9kgkV5JvvQmFzPTLTeBVdYY5Sl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="654" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Country Stampede considers move from Topeka

MCPHERSON COUNTY—Crews were on the scene of a fire Thursday afternoon at McPherson Metals, 1060 Woodside Street, on the west edge of McPherson.

The fire started when a welding torch cutting a metal tank set residual oil sludge on fire, according to Fire Chief T. J. Wyssmann.

Crews let the fire burn itself out and it created heavy smoke in the area. There were no injuries, or air quality issues as a result of the fire, according to&nbsp;Wyssmann.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691703114813.png" alt="Photo courtesy McPherson Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy McPherson Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY—Crews were on the scene of a fire Thursday afternoon at McPherson Metals, 1060 Woodside Street, on the west edge of McPherson.The fire started when a welding torch cutting a metal tank set residual oil sludge on fire, according to Fire Chief T. J. Wyssmann.Crews let the fire burn itself out and it created heavy smoke in the area. There were no injuries, or air quality issues as a result of the fire, according to&nbsp;Wyssmann.

Crews extinguish fire at Kansas metal plant

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Republicans say change would help keep constituents informed

TOPEKA&nbsp;— Legislators are asking to more than double state funding for their newsletters, in an attempt to keep voters aware of their Statehouse actions without tapping into campaign funds.

During a Wednesday meeting, the Republican-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council advocated raising allotments for postage and printing costs, following increases in post office prices.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;U.S. Postal Service raised first-class stamp prices to 66 cents in July, the latest in a series of increases to make the service more profitable.

Committee lawmakers said the state budget should reflect the change. State representatives were allotted $1,439 for postage, with&nbsp; $4,317 in postage set aside for senators in the 2024 fiscal year. The 2024 printing allotment is $1,000 for representatives and $3,000 for senators.&nbsp;

House Speaker Dan Hawkins proposed combining the allotments and setting a newsletter allotment of $6,000 for representatives in the fiscal year 2025, with $18,000 set for senators.

Hawkins said many members of the Legislature had to use campaign funds to keep their constituents up to date on legislative actions. Hawkins said he had to pick and choose which families he sent updates to.&nbsp;

“Just me for an example, I usually send only to registered Republicans and some unaffiliated voters that I believe are active and certainly voting,” Hawkins said. “And so I probably do not hit half of the households in my district. Even with cutting it down to that point, I’m still having to write a check for 5, 6,700 bucks to pay for what I do.”

“I know a lot of us also do email, but we typically like to send out a newsletter after a session or sometime in the interim, letting our whole district know exactly what we did during session and some of the key points,” Hawkins added. “The current structure just does not allow that to happen.”

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said increasing the allotment would help lawmakers stay in touch with the communities they serve.&nbsp;

“We believe every elected representative should have at least one communication ability with every registered household,” Masterson said.&nbsp;

Final action on the proposal is likely to come next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691695901987.png" alt="Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins said he had to use campaign funds to keep his constituents up to date on legislative events. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins said he had to use campaign funds to keep his constituents up to date on legislative events. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Republicans say change would help keep constituents informed</h2>TOPEKA&nbsp;— Legislators are asking to more than double state funding for their newsletters, in an attempt to keep voters aware of their Statehouse actions without tapping into campaign funds.During a Wednesday meeting, the Republican-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council advocated raising allotments for postage and printing costs, following increases in post office prices.&nbsp;The&nbsp;U.S. Postal Service raised first-class stamp prices to 66 cents in July, the latest in a series of increases to make the service more profitable.Committee lawmakers said the state budget should reflect the change. State representatives were allotted $1,439 for postage, with&nbsp; $4,317 in postage set aside for senators in the 2024 fiscal year. The 2024 printing allotment is $1,000 for representatives and $3,000 for senators.&nbsp;House Speaker Dan Hawkins proposed combining the allotments and setting a newsletter allotment of $6,000 for representatives in the fiscal year 2025, with $18,000 set for senators.Hawkins said many members of the Legislature had to use campaign funds to keep their constituents up to date on legislative actions. Hawkins said he had to pick and choose which families he sent updates to.&nbsp;“Just me for an example, I usually send only to registered Republicans and some unaffiliated voters that I believe are active and certainly voting,” Hawkins said. “And so I probably do not hit half of the households in my district. Even with cutting it down to that point, I’m still having to write a check for 5, 6,700 bucks to pay for what I do.”“I know a lot of us also do email, but we typically like to send out a newsletter after a session or sometime in the interim, letting our whole district know exactly what we did during session and some of the key points,” Hawkins added. “The current structure just does not allow that to happen.”Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said increasing the allotment would help lawmakers stay in touch with the communities they serve.&nbsp;“We believe every elected representative should have at least one communication ability with every registered household,” Masterson said.&nbsp;Final action on the proposal is likely to come next week.&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers ask for increase in newsletter funding

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp;

VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status.

"It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."

You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.

Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651018039114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp; VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status."It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

PACT Act backdated deadline extended to Monday

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge's broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies' communications with social media companies about controversial online posts.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.

Critics of the ruling say it could hamper attempts to squelch misinformation on topics such as public health and elections. Supporters of the order say it keeps the government from illegally censoring points of view.

The 5th Circuit granted a temporary pause on enforcement of the order on July 14, giving both sides time to file briefs and prepare for Thursday's hearing. A panel of three judges was scheduled to hear arguments: Edith Brown Clement and Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump.

Filed last year, the lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by discussing possible regulatory action the government could take while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.

Doughty, nominated to the federal bench by Trump, issued an Independence Day order and accompanying reasons that covered more than 160 pages. He said the plaintiffs were likely to win the lawsuit. His injunction blocked the Health and Human Services Department, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

Administration lawyers said the order was overly broad and vague, raising questions about what officials can say in conversations with social media companies or in public statements. They said Doughty’s order posed a threat of “grave” public harm by chilling executive branch efforts to combat online misinformation. And they said there has been no evidence of threats by the administration.

“The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content," the administration said. “Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to ‘a series of public media statements.'"

In response, the attorneys general say in briefs that the order ended an “egregious campaign” by the administration that “fundamentally distorted online discourse in America on great social and political questions.”

The White House has said publicly it disagrees with the ruling but has said little about how and whether it has affected communication with social media companies so far.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge's broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies' communications with social media companies about controversial online posts.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.Critics of the ruling say it could hamper attempts to squelch misinformation on topics such as public health and elections. Supporters of the order say it keeps the government from illegally censoring points of view.The 5th Circuit granted a temporary pause on enforcement of the order on July 14, giving both sides time to file briefs and prepare for Thursday's hearing. A panel of three judges was scheduled to hear arguments: Edith Brown Clement and Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump.Filed last year, the lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by discussing possible regulatory action the government could take while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.Doughty, nominated to the federal bench by Trump, issued an Independence Day order and accompanying reasons that covered more than 160 pages. He said the plaintiffs were likely to win the lawsuit. His injunction blocked the Health and Human Services Department, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”Administration lawyers said the order was overly broad and vague, raising questions about what officials can say in conversations with social media companies or in public statements. They said Doughty’s order posed a threat of “grave” public harm by chilling executive branch efforts to combat online misinformation. And they said there has been no evidence of threats by the administration.“The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content," the administration said. “Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to ‘a series of public media statements.'"In response, the attorneys general say in briefs that the order ended an “egregious campaign” by the administration that “fundamentally distorted online discourse in America on great social and political questions.”The White House has said publicly it disagrees with the ruling but has said little about how and whether it has affected communication with social media companies so far.

Biden admin. continues court fight on interference in social media content

JOHNSON COUNTY— A Kansas police officer&nbsp; 29-year-old Jonah Oswald died Monday after he was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a car theft suspect.&nbsp;Officer Oswald was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department.

"On behalf of Police Chief J.P.&nbsp; Thurlo and the Fairway Police Department, the City of Fairway would like to express its true appreciation of the outpouring of support and condolences regarding Officer Jonah Oswald’s death," the city wrote in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp; Officer Oswald leaves behind a wife and two young children.

Many people and organizations have asked how they can help support Officer Oswald’s family.&nbsp;A fund has been established at the Public Safety Credit Union.&nbsp;His family will receive 100% of the money donated in his honor.

<a href="https://linktr.ee/fairwaypolice">Click here</a>&nbsp;to contribute.&nbsp;Donations may be made via Paypal, Venmo or in person. Price Chopper grocery stores is also collecting donations in all 52 Kansas City area stores from Aug. 9 to Aug. 22.

Just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a stolen vehicle call at the QuikTrip at 95th Street and Interstate 35, according to a media release from Lenexa Police.

Officers located that car and the suspect in the stolen vehicle struck one of Lenexa police department's patrol vehicles and drove away.

Police pursued the suspect northbound on Interstate 35 until the suspects left the vehicle and ran to a QuikTrip in the 4700 Block of Lamar Avenue in Mission.

Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect later identified as 40-year-old&nbsp;Shannon Wayne Marshall of Ashland City, Tennessee was shot and killed and&nbsp; Fairway Kansas police officer Jonah Oswald was shot and hospitalized. He died Monday.

The other suspect was arrested and later identified as 32-year-old Andrea Cothran of Portland Tennessee. She was charged in Johnson County court Tuesday with aggravated battery, fleeing law enforcement, felony theft and reckless driving.  She remains jailed on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691612574385.png" alt="Officer Jonah Oswald -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Officer Jonah Oswald -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY— A Kansas police officer&nbsp; 29-year-old Jonah Oswald died Monday after he was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a car theft suspect.&nbsp;Officer Oswald was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department."On behalf of Police Chief J.P.&nbsp; Thurlo and the Fairway Police Department, the City of Fairway would like to express its true appreciation of the outpouring of support and condolences regarding Officer Jonah Oswald’s death," the city wrote in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp; Officer Oswald leaves behind a wife and two young children.Many people and organizations have asked how they can help support Officer Oswald’s family.&nbsp;A fund has been established at the Public Safety Credit Union.&nbsp;His family will receive 100% of the money donated in his honor.<a href="https://linktr.ee/fairwaypolice">Click here</a>&nbsp;to contribute.&nbsp;Donations may be made via Paypal, Venmo or in person. Price Chopper grocery stores is also collecting donations in all 52 Kansas City area stores from Aug. 9 to Aug. 22.Just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a stolen vehicle call at the QuikTrip at 95th Street and Interstate 35, according to a media release from Lenexa Police.Officers located that car and the suspect in the stolen vehicle struck one of Lenexa police department's patrol vehicles and drove away.Police pursued the suspect northbound on Interstate 35 until the suspects left the vehicle and ran to a QuikTrip in the 4700 Block of Lamar Avenue in Mission.Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect later identified as 40-year-old&nbsp;Shannon Wayne Marshall of Ashland City, Tennessee was shot and killed and&nbsp; Fairway Kansas police officer Jonah Oswald was shot and hospitalized. He died Monday.The other suspect was arrested and later identified as 32-year-old Andrea Cothran of Portland Tennessee. She was charged in Johnson County court Tuesday with aggravated battery, fleeing law enforcement, felony theft and reckless driving. She remains jailed on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

Fund established to help wife, children of fallen Kan. officer

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a juvenile dead.

Just before 11:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2500 block of E. 9th Street, according to a media release.

First responders found an unresponsive boy lying in a business parking lot where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives and crime scene Investigators are processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691667324257.png" alt="2500 Block of East 9th -Photo Interim Sheriff Darryl Forte" />
 <figcaption>2500 Block of East 9th -Photo Interim Sheriff Darryl Forte</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a juvenile dead.Just before 11:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2500 block of E. 9th Street, according to a media release.First responders found an unresponsive boy lying in a business parking lot where he was pronounced deceased. Detectives and crime scene Investigators are processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp;

Police: Boy dead from gunshot wound in KC business parking lot

YUMA COUNTY —A supercell EF3 tornado generated winds at 150 mph near the Kansas, Nebraska border in Northeast Colorado just after 6p.m. CDT Tuesday,&nbsp; according to a preliminary storm survey from the National Weather Service in Goodland. 

The tornado with a maximum width of 161 yards moved east-southeast from Hyde, Colorado to Yuma, Colorado and remained just south of the city. 

It damaged two homes, trees, numerous power poles and irrigation pivots.&nbsp; Grain bins and a slanted metal building containing agriculture equipment were also damaged.

The tornado lasted approximately 25 minutes and traveled just over six miles. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691680235608.png" alt="Storm damage photo courtesy KDVR TV" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage photo courtesy KDVR TV</figcaption>
 </figure>YUMA COUNTY —A supercell EF3 tornado generated winds at 150 mph near the Kansas, Nebraska border in Northeast Colorado just after 6p.m. CDT Tuesday,&nbsp; according to a preliminary storm survey from the National Weather Service in Goodland. The tornado with a maximum width of 161 yards moved east-southeast from Hyde, Colorado to Yuma, Colorado and remained just south of the city. It damaged two homes, trees, numerous power poles and irrigation pivots.&nbsp; Grain bins and a slanted metal building containing agriculture equipment were also damaged.The tornado lasted approximately 25 minutes and traveled just over six miles. There were no injuries reported.

NWS: Tornado in northeast Colorado had winds of 150mph

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

LAWRENCE — The Lawrence City Commission adopted an ordinance banning on March 1, 2024, use by most businesses of single-use plastic bags and to encourage consumers to rely on cloth or other reusable bags rather than one-and-done sacks polluting the environment or tossed by the millions into landfills.

The 3-2 decision Tuesday by the commission would apply the regulation to owners and operators of businesses providing customers with disposable plastic bags to carry merchandise, food and beverages and other goods. Ordinance No. 9996 included exemptions for plastic bags designed to prevent food contamination or to shield from the weather items such as clothing or newspapers.

The city’s definition of reusable bag, whether made of cloth, fiber, plastic or other materials, required it had to be designed for repeated application. If based on plastics, an acceptable reusable bag for commercial purposes must contain at least 40% recycled content and measure at least 4 mills in thickness.

Violators could face fines ranging from $100 to $500 per offense, but the current city budget didn’t include funding to hire an enforcement officer. Commissioners pushed back implementation originally set for Jan. 1, 2024, to allow a six-month introductory phase. Members of the commission declined to include a three-year sunset.

Nancy Muma, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Kansas and a member of the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board, urged the commission to pass the prohibition on single-use plastic bags. She said plastics in the process of degrading into tiny particles routinely found their way into humans and contributed to higher risk of contracting cancer and lowering of fertility.

“Plastics are really durable, which is great. Except they don’t decompose,” she said. “They break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those tiny microplastics and nanoplastics are really abundant in the air, our water and our food. We can measure it in our blood, in our bodies and the placentas of newborn babies. That’s pretty scary, because we know this stuff is toxic.”

Zachary Taylor, director of the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, said manufacturers of single-use bags were opposed to bans of the type embraced by the Lawrence City Commission.

“As families and small businesses struggle to keep up with staggering inflation and a shaky economy, now is the wrong time to saddle them with higher costs at the checkout counter,” Taylor said. “The city commission should reconsider their ban on American-made, reusable and recyclable plastic bags that would impose unworkable costs on retailers and shoppers while promoting products that are more expensive and carry worse environmental impacts.”

Mayor Lisa Larsen broke the commission’s 2-2 tie that stalled action on the ordinance in June during a meeting Larsen didn’t attend. Commissioners Bart Littlejohn and Courtney Shipley formed the majority with Larsen. Commissioners Brad Finkeldei and Amber Sellers opposed it.

“Could we possibly add a sunset to this ordinance?” Sellers said. “I would be apropos with maybe a three-year sunset.”

Larsen said she supported the ordinance, tweaked to delay implementation until March, but not a sunset that could kill the regulation after a few years unless the commission acted to renew it.

Shipley, who voted for the restriction on single-use plastic bags, compared the plastic-bag debate to consternation among individuals and businesses owners in Lawrence a decade ago when the commission passed a ban on indoor smoking in public spaces.

“A lot of people, including some commissioners, thought if we ban cigarettes in restaurants and bars the sky will fall. Small businesses would die,” Shipley said. “I’ve spoken to some of those commissioners and, indeed, they recognize the sky did not fall. We all enjoy restaurants and bars a lot better because we do not smoke inside them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691676064161.png" alt="The Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 to implement a ban on distribution by most businesses of single-use plastic bags to their customers. Commissioners decided Tuesday to implement the ordinance March 1, 2024, and rejected a proposal to place a three-year sunset on the policy. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Lawrence City Commission’s livestream)" />
 <figcaption>The Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 to implement a ban on distribution by most businesses of single-use plastic bags to their customers. Commissioners decided Tuesday to implement the ordinance March 1, 2024, and rejected a proposal to place a three-year sunset on the policy. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Lawrence City Commission’s livestream)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — The Lawrence City Commission adopted an ordinance banning on March 1, 2024, use by most businesses of single-use plastic bags and to encourage consumers to rely on cloth or other reusable bags rather than one-and-done sacks polluting the environment or tossed by the millions into landfills.The 3-2 decision Tuesday by the commission would apply the regulation to owners and operators of businesses providing customers with disposable plastic bags to carry merchandise, food and beverages and other goods. Ordinance No. 9996 included exemptions for plastic bags designed to prevent food contamination or to shield from the weather items such as clothing or newspapers.The city’s definition of reusable bag, whether made of cloth, fiber, plastic or other materials, required it had to be designed for repeated application. If based on plastics, an acceptable reusable bag for commercial purposes must contain at least 40% recycled content and measure at least 4 mills in thickness.Violators could face fines ranging from $100 to $500 per offense, but the current city budget didn’t include funding to hire an enforcement officer. Commissioners pushed back implementation originally set for Jan. 1, 2024, to allow a six-month introductory phase. Members of the commission declined to include a three-year sunset.Nancy Muma, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Kansas and a member of the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board, urged the commission to pass the prohibition on single-use plastic bags. She said plastics in the process of degrading into tiny particles routinely found their way into humans and contributed to higher risk of contracting cancer and lowering of fertility.“Plastics are really durable, which is great. Except they don’t decompose,” she said. “They break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those tiny microplastics and nanoplastics are really abundant in the air, our water and our food. We can measure it in our blood, in our bodies and the placentas of newborn babies. That’s pretty scary, because we know this stuff is toxic.”Zachary Taylor, director of the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, said manufacturers of single-use bags were opposed to bans of the type embraced by the Lawrence City Commission.“As families and small businesses struggle to keep up with staggering inflation and a shaky economy, now is the wrong time to saddle them with higher costs at the checkout counter,” Taylor said. “The city commission should reconsider their ban on American-made, reusable and recyclable plastic bags that would impose unworkable costs on retailers and shoppers while promoting products that are more expensive and carry worse environmental impacts.”Mayor Lisa Larsen broke the commission’s 2-2 tie that stalled action on the ordinance in June during a meeting Larsen didn’t attend. Commissioners Bart Littlejohn and Courtney Shipley formed the majority with Larsen. Commissioners Brad Finkeldei and Amber Sellers opposed it.“Could we possibly add a sunset to this ordinance?” Sellers said. “I would be apropos with maybe a three-year sunset.”Larsen said she supported the ordinance, tweaked to delay implementation until March, but not a sunset that could kill the regulation after a few years unless the commission acted to renew it.Shipley, who voted for the restriction on single-use plastic bags, compared the plastic-bag debate to consternation among individuals and businesses owners in Lawrence a decade ago when the commission passed a ban on indoor smoking in public spaces.“A lot of people, including some commissioners, thought if we ban cigarettes in restaurants and bars the sky will fall. Small businesses would die,” Shipley said. “I’ve spoken to some of those commissioners and, indeed, they recognize the sky did not fall. We all enjoy restaurants and bars a lot better because we do not smoke inside them.”In 2010, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, signed into law a statewide ban on smoking in public buildings and indoor places of employment.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed in 2022 a bill that would have prevented cities and counties from banning, limiting or taxing plastic bags, straws and food containers. The governor said she opposed the restraint because it undermined authority of local government.A proposal to place in state statute a prohibition on adoption by cities or counties of limits on single-use plastics was endorsed by the Kansas Chamber in the 2023 legislative session, but a bill blocking local governments from regulating single-use plastic failed in the Kansas Senate.Text of the Lawrence ordinance says residents of the city used and discarded an estimated 29 million to 36 million single-use disposable plastic bags annually. The ordinance said the operational, environmental and social cost to the city of single-use disposable plastic bags was estimated to be 11 cents to 20 cents per bag.It says manufacturing of the bags had “significant global environmental consequences” and discarded plastic bags infected the landscape and waterways in such volume they were ingested by animals with potentially lethal results.“We’re heartened this is coming to some fruition,” said Thad Holcombe, who is part of faith-based Lawrence Ecology Teams United in Sustainability. “The addiction of convenience is something I struggle with. Certainly, that is the issue with plastic bags.”