DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling over 422,000 SUVs in the U.S. because the image from the rear camera may not be displayed.

The recall covers certain Ford Explorers and Lincoln Aviators from the 2020 through 2023 model years, as well as 2020 through 2022 Lincoln Corsairs. All have 360-degree cameras.

Some of the vehicles were recalled for the same problem earlier this year, but the remedy didn't work.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents that the lack of a rear camera image can cut visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford says it's working with parts suppliers to identify the cause and develop a repair. Vehicles that were fixed under a January recall will have to be repaired again.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling over 422,000 SUVs in the U.S. because the image from the rear camera may not be displayed.The recall covers certain Ford Explorers and Lincoln Aviators from the 2020 through 2023 model years, as well as 2020 through 2022 Lincoln Corsairs. All have 360-degree cameras.Some of the vehicles were recalled for the same problem earlier this year, but the remedy didn't work.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents that the lack of a rear camera image can cut visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.Ford says it's working with parts suppliers to identify the cause and develop a repair. Vehicles that were fixed under a January recall will have to be repaired again.

Ford recalls SUVs, some for a second time, to fix rear camera display

KU, K-State, WSU seeking 5% increases to confront inflation, raise salaries

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The state’s six public universities recommended Wednesday the Kansas Board of Regents authorize tuition increases ranging from 5% to 7% in the upcoming school year to counter inflationary pressure and limited success with requests for new funding from the Legislature.

Two-thirds of these institutions — Kansas State University, University of Kansas, Emporia State University and Pittsburg State University — requested a 5% boost in tuition assessed resident and nonresident undergraduate and graduate students. Wichita State University proposed a 5.9% hike for students, while Fort Hays State University opted for a 7% increase.

The last systemwide surge in tuition at these state-supported universities occurred in 2019. Those pre-COVID-19 adjustments ranged from 1.1% to 2.8%. KU didn’t amend tuition rates during the past four years, Board of Regents documents show, but each of the five other universities implemented one tuition increase in those intervening years ranging from 1.2% to 3.8%.

The Legislature, concerned about affordability of a public education, for several years appropriated millions of dollars to replace revenue the universities otherwise could have been acquired through tuition adjustments. The 2023 Legislature declined to allocate about $25 million sought by the Board of Regents to address inflation, which theoretically could have been used to moderate tuition increases.

Blake Flanders, president and chief executive officer of the Board of Regents, said the nine-member board would take final action on the 2023-2024 proposals in June.

“I know the universities have had significant pressure due to inflation in almost every commodity across the board, including high inflation in utilities,” he said. “The number one priority for the board has been affordability in terms of our tuition.”

Here are the per-semester, full-time undergraduate student tuition amounts assuming the Board of Regents approved requested increases: KU, $5,298, up $252; KSU, $4,981, up $237; WSU, $3,623, up $201; PSU, $3,064, up $146; ESU, $2,770, up $131; and FHSU, $2,218, up $145.

Board of Regents member Carl Ice, a graduate of K-State and appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, said the state universities might have raised tuition in the 2022-2023 academic year had the Legislature not issued a directive blocking blocking increases.

If the Board of Regents rejected the latest tuition recommendations, Ice said, each university would have to retool their budgets to account for the collective loss of approximately $25 million that would have been generated through alteration of the rates.

“It’s a big deal. We’re talking about millions and millions of additional dollars,” said Wint Winter, a Lawrence member of the Board of Regents appointed by Kelly and a graduate of KU.

Winter said the decline in the college-age population left U.S. universities with the choice of coping by slashing expenditures or engaging in aggressive programs to recruit students. It mattered how students, donors, legislators and the governor viewed the tuition issue, he said. There were signs each of those constituencies had a shared interest in pushing against enrollment trends and striving to make the six state universities better, he said.

“In my view,” Winter said, “students, the governor and Legislature, donors all are sending signals that the evidence is they support a more aggressive approach.”

Bella Price, student body president at Emporia State, said the 5% increase sought by the ESU administration was reasonable given that some students were supportive of a 6% hike.

“We didn’t want to put too much pressure on students,” Price said.

ESU officials said the 5% increase in tuition would generate nearly $1 million, but that had to be considered in light of a projected 5% enrollment decline that would eat into tuition revenue during the upcoming school year. In fact, Board of Regents documents indicated ESU anticipated collecting $3 million less in tuition next academic year than it did in the current academic year.

K-State president Richard Linton and KU chancellor Doug Girod said fundamental operating costs had increased along with consumer inflation. The public universities in Kansas required additional resources to deal with those costs and to meet needs of recruiting and retaining personnel, Linton said.

Linton said a 5% increase would leave K-State among the most affordable land-grant universities in the country. Girod said the 5% adjustment would place KU in the middle of the pack in terms of tuition at public universities in the Big 12 Conference.

Girod said inflation during the past five years climbed 20%, but KU endured that reality without tuition increases, in part, due to decisions that cut about $40 million from the budget.

“We’ve just kind of eaten it to try and maintain affordability,” Girod said. “We’re just kind of at a point where we need to meet inflationary expenses.”

Doug Ball, chief financial officer and vice president for administration at Pittsburg State, said the university would combine a 5% increase in tuition with approximately $2 million in budget cuts or reallocations.

He said a 9% increase would be required to cover shortfalls tied to inflation and compensation. If the university’s 2.5% tuition increase in 2021 were combined with the proposed 5% in 2023, he said, the average over the five-year period would be a modest 1.5%

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Blake-Flanders-contemplative-1024x768.jpg" alt="Kansas Board of Regents president Blake Flanders says proposed tuition increases of 5% to 7% at the six public universities in the system were a response to inflationary pressures and the need to improve compensation of faculty. The previous across-the-board tuition increase at Board of Regents universities was in 2019. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Board of Regents president Blake Flanders says proposed tuition increases of 5% to 7% at the six public universities in the system were a response to inflationary pressures and the need to improve compensation of faculty. The previous across-the-board tuition increase at Board of Regents universities was in 2019. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>KU, K-State, WSU seeking 5% increases to confront inflation, raise salaries</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The state’s six public universities recommended Wednesday the Kansas Board of Regents authorize tuition increases ranging from 5% to 7% in the upcoming school year to counter inflationary pressure and limited success with requests for new funding from the Legislature.Two-thirds of these institutions — Kansas State University, University of Kansas, Emporia State University and Pittsburg State University — requested a 5% boost in tuition assessed resident and nonresident undergraduate and graduate students. Wichita State University proposed a 5.9% hike for students, while Fort Hays State University opted for a 7% increase.The last systemwide surge in tuition at these state-supported universities occurred in 2019. Those pre-COVID-19 adjustments ranged from 1.1% to 2.8%. KU didn’t amend tuition rates during the past four years, Board of Regents documents show, but each of the five other universities implemented one tuition increase in those intervening years ranging from 1.2% to 3.8%.The Legislature, concerned about affordability of a public education, for several years appropriated millions of dollars to replace revenue the universities otherwise could have been acquired through tuition adjustments. The 2023 Legislature declined to allocate about $25 million sought by the Board of Regents to address inflation, which theoretically could have been used to moderate tuition increases.Blake Flanders, president and chief executive officer of the Board of Regents, said the nine-member board would take final action on the 2023-2024 proposals in June.“I know the universities have had significant pressure due to inflation in almost every commodity across the board, including high inflation in utilities,” he said. “The number one priority for the board has been affordability in terms of our tuition.”Here are the per-semester, full-time undergraduate student tuition amounts assuming the Board of Regents approved requested increases: KU, $5,298, up $252; KSU, $4,981, up $237; WSU, $3,623, up $201; PSU, $3,064, up $146; ESU, $2,770, up $131; and FHSU, $2,218, up $145.<h2>Ice, Winter thoughts</h2>Board of Regents member Carl Ice, a graduate of K-State and appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, said the state universities might have raised tuition in the 2022-2023 academic year had the Legislature not issued a directive blocking blocking increases.If the Board of Regents rejected the latest tuition recommendations, Ice said, each university would have to retool their budgets to account for the collective loss of approximately $25 million that would have been generated through alteration of the rates.“It’s a big deal. We’re talking about millions and millions of additional dollars,” said Wint Winter, a Lawrence member of the Board of Regents appointed by Kelly and a graduate of KU.Winter said the decline in the college-age population left U.S. universities with the choice of coping by slashing expenditures or engaging in aggressive programs to recruit students. It mattered how students, donors, legislators and the governor viewed the tuition issue, he said. There were signs each of those constituencies had a shared interest in pushing against enrollment trends and striving to make the six state universities better, he said.“In my view,” Winter said, “students, the governor and Legislature, donors all are sending signals that the evidence is they support a more aggressive approach.”Bella Price, student body president at Emporia State, said the 5% increase sought by the ESU administration was reasonable given that some students were supportive of a 6% hike.“We didn’t want to put too much pressure on students,” Price said.ESU officials said the 5% increase in tuition would generate nearly $1 million, but that had to be considered in light of a projected 5% enrollment decline that would eat into tuition revenue during the upcoming school year. In fact, Board of Regents documents indicated ESU anticipated collecting $3 million less in tuition next academic year than it did in the current academic year.<h2>Linton, Girod weigh in</h2>K-State president Richard Linton and KU chancellor Doug Girod said fundamental operating costs had increased along with consumer inflation. The public universities in Kansas required additional resources to deal with those costs and to meet needs of recruiting and retaining personnel, Linton said.Linton said a 5% increase would leave K-State among the most affordable land-grant universities in the country. Girod said the 5% adjustment would place KU in the middle of the pack in terms of tuition at public universities in the Big 12 Conference.Girod said inflation during the past five years climbed 20%, but KU endured that reality without tuition increases, in part, due to decisions that cut about $40 million from the budget.“We’ve just kind of eaten it to try and maintain affordability,” Girod said. “We’re just kind of at a point where we need to meet inflationary expenses.”Doug Ball, chief financial officer and vice president for administration at Pittsburg State, said the university would combine a 5% increase in tuition with approximately $2 million in budget cuts or reallocations.He said a 9% increase would be required to cover shortfalls tied to inflation and compensation. If the university’s 2.5% tuition increase in 2021 were combined with the proposed 5% in 2023, he said, the average over the five-year period would be a modest 1.5%

Kansas Regents contemplate 5% to 7% tuition hikes at public state universities

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on multiple charges after a reported robbery.

Just before 10p.m. Sunday, a man walked into&nbsp;the Walgreens at 333 W. 13th Street N in Wichita and told the clerk to put the money in a bag and no one would get hurt, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

The suspect left with over $800 in cash. Officers arrived on the scene and watched surveillance video of the robbery. An officer from Patrol North was able to identify the suspect as 20-year-old Michael Heath from his experience and being in tune with the citizens on his beat. 

The investigation resulted in police issuing a felony pick up for the arrest of Heath for aggravated robbery. 

On Monday, a Patrol North Officer was actively patrolling the area of 700 N. Broadway and observed Heath walking down the street. The officer was aware of the felony pick up and arrested him. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=252291">He is being held on</a> requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and drug possession, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684286154431.png" alt="Heath-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Heath-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on multiple charges after a reported robbery.Just before 10p.m. Sunday, a man walked into&nbsp;the Walgreens at 333 W. 13th Street N in Wichita and told the clerk to put the money in a bag and no one would get hurt, according to Officer Chad Ditch.The suspect left with over $800 in cash. Officers arrived on the scene and watched surveillance video of the robbery. An officer from Patrol North was able to identify the suspect as 20-year-old Michael Heath from his experience and being in tune with the citizens on his beat. The investigation resulted in police issuing a felony pick up for the arrest of Heath for aggravated robbery. On Monday, a Patrol North Officer was actively patrolling the area of 700 N. Broadway and observed Heath walking down the street. The officer was aware of the felony pick up and arrested him. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=252291">He is being held on</a> requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and drug possession, according to online jail records.

Armed robbery: Kan. man took $800 cash from Walgreens

WASHINGTON —On Wednesday, the U.S Senate passed a bipartisan measure authored by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall to nullify the Biden Administration’s public charge rule that lowers the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) citizenship standards for legal immigrants.

This rule reduces the types of taxpayer-funded federal benefits – such as food stamps, housing vouchers, and Medicaid – that DHS can consider when determining whether to grant admission or lawful permanent residence to green card applicants. The final vote was 50-47.

Passage of Senator Marshall’s resolution&nbsp;comes just after he led a group of Senators to Brownsville, Texas for an eyewitness account of the crisis at the southern border. The visit came just hours before the lifting of Title 42 last Thursday evening.&nbsp;In the build up to Title 42 ending, border patrol agents in the Brownsville sector reported over 11,000 illegal crossings in the local area. On the frontlines in Brownsville, American military patrol the area, and barbed wire lines are cut on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande River. Camps of migrants line the opposite side of the Rio Grande, waiting for their chance to escape into our country. Striking down Joe Biden’s public charge rule sends a clear message to this Administration and migrants - legal or illegal - that potential new citizens need to be exceptional. They cannot come to America’s front door expecting a handout

“Joe Biden has a communication problem. His open borders agenda tells the world that the United States stands ready to take everybody in with open arms. But this is totally detached from reality,”&nbsp;Senator Marshall said.&nbsp;“As I saw in Brownsville last week, the United States of America does not have the capacity or resources to care for the thousands of migrants clamoring to be here. This is nothing new- our country has dealt with huge crowds of migrants at the southern border since the earliest days of the Biden Administration. But these crowds are coming because the Biden Administration keeps making promises to both legal and illegal immigrants about what they are entitled to in America. The public charge rules we just struck down in the Senate represent one of those promises. Our actions today deliver a resounding statement of truth to Joe Biden and anybody who wants to try and call our country home: we only reward the best and brightest and there is no room for freeloaders.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684377563439.png" alt="Marshall at the Texas-Mexico border last week-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Marshall at the Texas-Mexico border last week-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —On Wednesday, the U.S Senate passed a bipartisan measure authored by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall to nullify the Biden Administration’s public charge rule that lowers the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) citizenship standards for legal immigrants.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JAw7o3fSGn8?start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>This rule reduces the types of taxpayer-funded federal benefits – such as food stamps, housing vouchers, and Medicaid – that DHS can consider when determining whether to grant admission or lawful permanent residence to green card applicants. The final vote was 50-47.Passage of Senator Marshall’s resolution&nbsp;comes just after he led a group of Senators to Brownsville, Texas for an eyewitness account of the crisis at the southern border. The visit came just hours before the lifting of Title 42 last Thursday evening.&nbsp;In the build up to Title 42 ending, border patrol agents in the Brownsville sector reported over 11,000 illegal crossings in the local area. On the frontlines in Brownsville, American military patrol the area, and barbed wire lines are cut on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande River. Camps of migrants line the opposite side of the Rio Grande, waiting for their chance to escape into our country. Striking down Joe Biden’s public charge rule sends a clear message to this Administration and migrants - legal or illegal - that potential new citizens need to be exceptional. They cannot come to America’s front door expecting a handout“Joe Biden has a communication problem. His open borders agenda tells the world that the United States stands ready to take everybody in with open arms. But this is totally detached from reality,”&nbsp;Senator Marshall said.&nbsp;“As I saw in Brownsville last week, the United States of America does not have the capacity or resources to care for the thousands of migrants clamoring to be here. This is nothing new- our country has dealt with huge crowds of migrants at the southern border since the earliest days of the Biden Administration. But these crowds are coming because the Biden Administration keeps making promises to both legal and illegal immigrants about what they are entitled to in America. The public charge rules we just struck down in the Senate represent one of those promises. Our actions today deliver a resounding statement of truth to Joe Biden and anybody who wants to try and call our country home: we only reward the best and brightest and there is no room for freeloaders.”

🎥 Senate OKs Marshall's bill on high standards for American citizenship

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana became the first state in the U.S. to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company.

The measure, scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned.</a>&nbsp;Cybersecurity experts say it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-china-data-chinese-government-71143a3a87c9a0b692d927f72b6fec70">could be difficult to enforce the ban</a>.

“Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.

TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter argued that the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights and is unlawful. She declined to say whether the company will file a lawsuit.

“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” Oberwetter said in a statement.

The American Civil Liberties of Montana and NetChoice, a trade group that counts Google and TikTok as its members, also called the law unconstitutional. Keegan Medrano, policy director for the ACLU of Montana, said the Legislature “trampled on the free speech of hundreds of thousands of Montanans who use the app to express themselves, gather information and run their small business, in the name of anti-Chinese sentiment.”

Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-hearing-bytedance-china-biden-ceo-a92f048762d6657f291affb7a0ce6386">TikTok says none of this has ever happened</a>.

A former executive at ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-government-data-bytedance-23233034319c2e1f84c384e5e8dc489c">alleges the tech giant has served as a “propaganda tool”</a>&nbsp;for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.

When Montana banned the app on government-owned devices in late December, Gianforte said TikTok posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">More than half of U.S. states and the federal government</a>&nbsp;have a similar ban.

On Wednesday, Gianforte also announced he was prohibiting the use of all social media applications tied to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state businesses in Montana effective on June 1. Among the apps he listed are WeChat, whose parent company is headquartered in China; and Telegram Messenger, which was founded in Russia.

The legislation, drafted by the attorney general’s office, easily passed through Montana’s GOP-controlled Legislature.

Gianforte&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-bytedance-b735350b367c3f3a0076eaf1267dab18">had wanted to expand the TikTok bill</a>&nbsp;to include apps tied to foreign adversaries, but lawmakers did not send him the bill until after the session ended this month, preventing him from offering any amendments.

Montana's new law prohibits downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.

Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.

Though many lawmakers in Montana have been enthusiastic about a ban, experts who followed the bill closely said the state will likely have to defend the legislation in court.

Officials are also bound to receive criticism from advocacy groups and TikTok users who don’t want their favorite app to be taken away. The app’s fun, goofy videos and ease of use has made it immensely popular, and U.S. tech giants like Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, see it as a competitive threat.

TikTok has been recruiting so-called influencers and small businesses who use the platform to push back on a ban. But others who haven’t been part of an official campaign coordinated by the company are also worried about what lawmakers are doing.

Adam Botkin, a former football player and recent graduate at the University of Montana, said it was a scary time for him as a content creator in Montana. The 22-year-old has nearly 170,000 followers on TikTok, where he mostly posts short videos of himself performing football kicks.

He says he sometimes makes “tens of thousands” of dollars per month from brands looking to market their products on his social media accounts, including Instagram, where he has roughly 44,000 followers.

Botkin says most of his income comes from Instagram, which is believed to be more lucrative for content creators. But he has to grow his following on that platform — and others — to have the same level of popularity that he does on TikTok. He says he’s trying to do that and won’t try to circumvent the TikTok ban by using a VPN.

“You got to adapt and evolve with how things move,” Botkin said. “So, if I have to adapt and move, I’ll adapt.”

Chatter about a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-entertainment-pennsylvania-courts-3573972d3aa6bee78304e3195ffe4ade">halted in federal courts</a>. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.

TikTok doesn’t want either option and has been clamoring to prove it's free of any Chinese government interference. It’s also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-biden-bytedance-data-misinformation-02b59e4a6611ce97c775da19de31d7ad">touting a data safety plan</a>&nbsp;it calls “Project Texas” to assuage bipartisan concerns in Washington.

At the same time, some lawmakers have emerged as allies, arguing efforts to restrict data harvesting practices need to include all social media companies, not just one. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked a bill in March that would ban TikTok nationally, saying such a move would violate the Constitution and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-hearing-bytedance-china-biden-ceo-a92f048762d6657f291affb7a0ce6386">anger the millions of voters</a>&nbsp;who use the app.

Montana’s TikTok ban also comes amid a growing movement to limit social media use among kids and teens and, in some cases, impose bans. Several bills circulating in Congress aim to get at the issue, including one that would prohibit all children under the age of 13 from using social media and require permission from a guardian for users under 18 to create an account.

Some states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-utah-kids-84bd1f6481071726327bce25cf3e7522">Utah</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-facebook-children-social-media-restrictions-c8f14534e2452d8b0f102d6eb17cbe44">Arkansas</a>, have already enacted laws that would hinge social media use on parental consent. Similar bills are in the works in other states. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-california-gavin-newsom-d044d21d28176f5c5010fccf78f0697c">California</a>&nbsp;enacted a law requiring companies to beef up data protection practices for children and offer them the highest privacy settings.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana became the first state in the U.S. to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company.The measure, scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned.</a>&nbsp;Cybersecurity experts say it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-china-data-chinese-government-71143a3a87c9a0b692d927f72b6fec70">could be difficult to enforce the ban</a>.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovGianforte%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0t7LJY3cGuSLPNQxqJ8mmyHQ7DkudvR8K2kxkCUTURnrT4uLoX7zNnptzfa2BAiiKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="170" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter argued that the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights and is unlawful. She declined to say whether the company will file a lawsuit.“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” Oberwetter said in a statement.The American Civil Liberties of Montana and NetChoice, a trade group that counts Google and TikTok as its members, also called the law unconstitutional. Keegan Medrano, policy director for the ACLU of Montana, said the Legislature “trampled on the free speech of hundreds of thousands of Montanans who use the app to express themselves, gather information and run their small business, in the name of anti-Chinese sentiment.”Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-hearing-bytedance-china-biden-ceo-a92f048762d6657f291affb7a0ce6386">TikTok says none of this has ever happened</a>.A former executive at ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-government-data-bytedance-23233034319c2e1f84c384e5e8dc489c">alleges the tech giant has served as a “propaganda tool”</a>&nbsp;for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.When Montana banned the app on government-owned devices in late December, Gianforte said TikTok posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">More than half of U.S. states and the federal government</a>&nbsp;have a similar ban.On Wednesday, Gianforte also announced he was prohibiting the use of all social media applications tied to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state businesses in Montana effective on June 1. Among the apps he listed are WeChat, whose parent company is headquartered in China; and Telegram Messenger, which was founded in Russia.The legislation, drafted by the attorney general’s office, easily passed through Montana’s GOP-controlled Legislature.Gianforte&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-bytedance-b735350b367c3f3a0076eaf1267dab18">had wanted to expand the TikTok bill</a>&nbsp;to include apps tied to foreign adversaries, but lawmakers did not send him the bill until after the session ended this month, preventing him from offering any amendments.Montana's new law prohibits downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.Though many lawmakers in Montana have been enthusiastic about a ban, experts who followed the bill closely said the state will likely have to defend the legislation in court.Officials are also bound to receive criticism from advocacy groups and TikTok users who don’t want their favorite app to be taken away. The app’s fun, goofy videos and ease of use has made it immensely popular, and U.S. tech giants like Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, see it as a competitive threat.TikTok has been recruiting so-called influencers and small businesses who use the platform to push back on a ban. But others who haven’t been part of an official campaign coordinated by the company are also worried about what lawmakers are doing.Adam Botkin, a former football player and recent graduate at the University of Montana, said it was a scary time for him as a content creator in Montana. The 22-year-old has nearly 170,000 followers on TikTok, where he mostly posts short videos of himself performing football kicks.He says he sometimes makes “tens of thousands” of dollars per month from brands looking to market their products on his social media accounts, including Instagram, where he has roughly 44,000 followers.Botkin says most of his income comes from Instagram, which is believed to be more lucrative for content creators. But he has to grow his following on that platform — and others — to have the same level of popularity that he does on TikTok. He says he’s trying to do that and won’t try to circumvent the TikTok ban by using a VPN.“You got to adapt and evolve with how things move,” Botkin said. “So, if I have to adapt and move, I’ll adapt.”Chatter about a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-entertainment-pennsylvania-courts-3573972d3aa6bee78304e3195ffe4ade">halted in federal courts</a>. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.TikTok doesn’t want either option and has been clamoring to prove it's free of any Chinese government interference. It’s also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-biden-bytedance-data-misinformation-02b59e4a6611ce97c775da19de31d7ad">touting a data safety plan</a>&nbsp;it calls “Project Texas” to assuage bipartisan concerns in Washington.At the same time, some lawmakers have emerged as allies, arguing efforts to restrict data harvesting practices need to include all social media companies, not just one. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked a bill in March that would ban TikTok nationally, saying such a move would violate the Constitution and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-hearing-bytedance-china-biden-ceo-a92f048762d6657f291affb7a0ce6386">anger the millions of voters</a>&nbsp;who use the app.Montana’s TikTok ban also comes amid a growing movement to limit social media use among kids and teens and, in some cases, impose bans. Several bills circulating in Congress aim to get at the issue, including one that would prohibit all children under the age of 13 from using social media and require permission from a guardian for users under 18 to create an account.Some states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-utah-kids-84bd1f6481071726327bce25cf3e7522">Utah</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-facebook-children-social-media-restrictions-c8f14534e2452d8b0f102d6eb17cbe44">Arkansas</a>, have already enacted laws that would hinge social media use on parental consent. Similar bills are in the works in other states. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-california-gavin-newsom-d044d21d28176f5c5010fccf78f0697c">California</a>&nbsp;enacted a law requiring companies to beef up data protection practices for children and offer them the highest privacy settings.

TikTok responds to total ban in first U.S. state

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have recovered an industrial-size smoker that was stolen from Hog Wild Pit BBQ in the 200 block of South West Street in Wichita around midnight on March 29, according to a media release from Wichita Police.

Detective Dustin Fussell with the Property Crimes Division recovered the smoker valued at $25,000 dollars.

According to police, Fussell had very few leads on the case but by following his instincts and his undeniable persistence, he was able to locate the smoker and identify the suspects involved in the theft.

Police released no additional details as the investigation continues and the case is sent to the district attorney’s office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684407069191.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have recovered an industrial-size smoker that was stolen from Hog Wild Pit BBQ in the 200 block of South West Street in Wichita around midnight on March 29, according to a media release from Wichita Police.Detective Dustin Fussell with the Property Crimes Division recovered the smoker valued at $25,000 dollars.According to police, Fussell had very few leads on the case but by following his instincts and his undeniable persistence, he was able to locate the smoker and identify the suspects involved in the theft.Police released no additional details as the investigation continues and the case is sent to the district attorney’s office.

Police recover $25,000 smoker stolen from Kan. BBQ restaurant

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri prosecutor is asking a judge to carefully consider the public's right to information while determining whether to seal court records in the case of Andrew Lester, a white homeowner who is accused of shooting a Black teenager who mistakenly came to his home.

Lester's attorney, Steven Salmon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yarl-shooting-court-motion-seal-case-4198795a6a1e67d38f5cd49200ab8a15">filed a motion</a>&nbsp;May 1 asking a judge to seal court records. He argued that local and national publicity surrounding the April 13 shooting of Ralph Yarl in Kansas City had created a bias against his client and would make it difficult to find an impartial jury.

In a motion filed Tuesday, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson did not specifically oppose the request but said legal precedent has established a “strong presumption” in favor of keeping court records open.

Lester, 84, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-shooting-updates-c13170d6759f2963b01a68fc8a6332f7">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He is accused of shooting Yarl twice after he mistakenly came to Lester's home looking for his younger brothers.

Yarl, who is now 17, was shot in the head and an arm and is recovering at home after being hospitalized for three days.

“If records are to be closed, the public has a right to know why,” Thompson said. “In cases such as this, the Court must strike a balance between the public’s legitimate interest in access, and the equally legitimate interest in preserving the legal integrity of the case and ensuring a fair trial. If justice is to be served, it must be done in a manner consistent with both due process and public interest.”

Lester admitted that he shot Yarl without warning through his home's front door then shot him again while the teenager was on the ground. He said was “scared to death” the person at the front door was there to rob him.

It is unclear when the judge might rule on closing the records. Lester, who is out on bond, is scheduled for a hearing on June 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Ralph Yarl photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Ralph Yarl photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri prosecutor is asking a judge to carefully consider the public's right to information while determining whether to seal court records in the case of Andrew Lester, a white homeowner who is accused of shooting a Black teenager who mistakenly came to his home.Lester's attorney, Steven Salmon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yarl-shooting-court-motion-seal-case-4198795a6a1e67d38f5cd49200ab8a15">filed a motion</a>&nbsp;May 1 asking a judge to seal court records. He argued that local and national publicity surrounding the April 13 shooting of Ralph Yarl in Kansas City had created a bias against his client and would make it difficult to find an impartial jury.In a motion filed Tuesday, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson did not specifically oppose the request but said legal precedent has established a “strong presumption” in favor of keeping court records open.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681844207619.png" alt="Lester photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Lester photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Lester, 84, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-shooting-updates-c13170d6759f2963b01a68fc8a6332f7">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He is accused of shooting Yarl twice after he mistakenly came to Lester's home looking for his younger brothers.Yarl, who is now 17, was shot in the head and an arm and is recovering at home after being hospitalized for three days.“If records are to be closed, the public has a right to know why,” Thompson said. “In cases such as this, the Court must strike a balance between the public’s legitimate interest in access, and the equally legitimate interest in preserving the legal integrity of the case and ensuring a fair trial. If justice is to be served, it must be done in a manner consistent with both due process and public interest.”Lester admitted that he shot Yarl without warning through his home's front door then shot him again while the teenager was on the ground. He said was “scared to death” the person at the front door was there to rob him.It is unclear when the judge might rule on closing the records. Lester, who is out on bond, is scheduled for a hearing on June 1.

Prosecutor in Ralph Yarl case: Legal precedent favors keeping court records open

WASHINGTON (AP) — An optimistic President Joe Biden declared Wednesday he is confident the U.S. will avoid an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic debt default, saying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mccarthy-debt-limit-default-ce36241e652f7eb022009152001c254e">talks with congressional Republicans</a>&nbsp;have been productive. He left for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-asia-pacific-us-news-world-news-3573ce03d4d20b8832572ad22019ce7e">G-7 summit in Japan</a>&nbsp;but planned to return by the weekend in hopes of approving a solid agreement.&nbsp;

(click below to watch the comments from the&nbsp; President)

Biden's upbeat remarks came as a select group of negotiators began meeting to try and hammer out the final contours of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mccarthy-debt-limit-cap-meeting-budget-df8b27ab75e5901309f24c08f74a81ca">budget spending deal</a>&nbsp;to unlock a path for raising the debt limit as soon June 1. That is when the Treasury Department says the U.S. could begin defaulting on its obligations and trigger financial chaos.

“I’m confident that we’ll get the agreement on the budget and America will not default,” Biden said from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Later Wednesday evening, negotiations resumed behind closed doors at the Capitol.

Democrat Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have traded blame for a debt-ceiling impasse for weeks. But Biden said of the latest White House session with congressional leaders that “everyone came to the meeting, I think, in good faith.”

McCarthy was upbeat, too, though contending Biden had given ground. The president said the budget talks were still separate from the debt limit issue, but the speaker said Biden had "finally backed off” his refusal to negotiate.

“Keep working — we'll work again tonight,” McCarthy told reporters later. "We’re going to work until we can get it done."

Biden said that every leader at Tuesday's Oval Office meeting — Vice President Kamala Harris, McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — agreed the U.S. must not default on its obligations.

“It would be catastrophic for the American economy and the American people if we didn’t pay our bills,” Biden said. “I’m confident everyone in the room agreed … that we’re going to come together because there’s no alternative. We have to do the right thing for the country. We have to move on.”

He said he would be in “constant contact” with White House officials while at the summit in Hiroshima. He is canceling stops in Australia and Papua New Guinea that were to follow so he can return to Washington on Sunday.

Biden and McCarthy tasked a handful of representatives to work swiftly to try and close out a final deal. They include Steve Ricchetti, counselor to the president; legislative affairs director Louisa Terrell and Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young for the administration, and Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., a close McCarthy ally, for the Republicans.

McCarthy, who has said he would personally be involved, said he planned to stop by the talks later Wednesday. He said he would be in Washington for the weekend while negotiations are underway.

Agreement by the negotiators would still leave any deal needing approval by Democratic Senate and Republican House.

Democrats are upset about the possibility of new work requirements for some recipients of government aid. And Republicans want much tougher budget restraints than the Democrats support.

The positive comments by Biden and McCarthy suggest they believe they can gain the backing of their parties' lawmakers.

McCarthy was flanked Wednesday on the Capitol steps by some of the most conservative Republicans from the House and Senate in a feisty show of support.

The national debt currently stands at $31.4 trillion. An increase in the debt limit would not authorize new federal spending; it would only allow for borrowing to pay for what Congress has already approved.

The contours of an agreement have begun to take shape, but the details of spending cuts and policy changes will make or break whether the divided Congress can strike a bipartisan deal with the White House.

In exchange for lifting the debt limit to keep paying the bills, newly majority House Republicans are trying to extract steep budget caps of no more than 1% growth a year over the next decade, alongside bolstered work requirements.

Negotiators are preparing to claw back some $30 billion of unspent COVID-19 aid, now that the government has lifted the pandemic emergency. And they are working on a potential agreement for permit changes that would speed the development of energy projects that both Republicans and Democrats want, though the details remain daunting.

But Democrats are not at all willing to accept the 10-year cap on spending that Republicans approved in their own House bill, and the Democrats are instead pushing for a shorter window of budget cuts.

Biden is facing fierce blowback from progressive Democrats after he opened the door to tougher work requirements. But he insisted Wednesday any new work requirements would be of “no consequence” and that he's not willing to impact health programs, presumably referring to Medicaid.

Asked about that, the Republicans behind McCarthy — who support more work requirements on Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance programs — broke out in laughter at the Capitol.

The Republicans scoffed aloud as helicopters with the presumably departing Biden flew overhead.

McCarthy, who depended on Donald Trump's backing to become the new speaker, still has work to do to keep his narrow House majority in line for any final deal, particularly among the hardline Freedom Caucus conservatives who almost blocked his election earlier this year for the gavel.

Former President Trump has encouraged Republicans to “do a default” if they don't get everything they want from Biden.

“Bipartisanship is needed,” Schumer said Wednesday. "It’s the only way to go."

As backup on Wednesday, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries launched a process that would force a vote on raising the debt limit.

It's a cumbersome legislative discharge procedure, but Jeffries urged House Democrats to sign on to the measure in hopes of gathering the 218 majority backers including Republicans needed to put it in motion.

“Emerging from the White House meeting, I am hopeful that a real pathway exists to find an acceptable, bipartisan resolution that prevents a default,” Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues.

“However, given the impending June 1 deadline and urgency of the moment, it is important that all legislative options be pursued in the event that no agreement is reached.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684325905935.png" alt="Biden met with Congressional leaders again Tuesday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden met with Congressional leaders again Tuesday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An optimistic President Joe Biden declared Wednesday he is confident the U.S. will avoid an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic debt default, saying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mccarthy-debt-limit-default-ce36241e652f7eb022009152001c254e">talks with congressional Republicans</a>&nbsp;have been productive. He left for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-asia-pacific-us-news-world-news-3573ce03d4d20b8832572ad22019ce7e">G-7 summit in Japan</a>&nbsp;but planned to return by the weekend in hopes of approving a solid agreement.&nbsp;(click below to watch the comments from the&nbsp; President)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F133764606366765%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=44" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden's upbeat remarks came as a select group of negotiators began meeting to try and hammer out the final contours of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mccarthy-debt-limit-cap-meeting-budget-df8b27ab75e5901309f24c08f74a81ca">budget spending deal</a>&nbsp;to unlock a path for raising the debt limit as soon June 1. That is when the Treasury Department says the U.S. could begin defaulting on its obligations and trigger financial chaos.“I’m confident that we’ll get the agreement on the budget and America will not default,” Biden said from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Later Wednesday evening, negotiations resumed behind closed doors at the Capitol.Democrat Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have traded blame for a debt-ceiling impasse for weeks. But Biden said of the latest White House session with congressional leaders that “everyone came to the meeting, I think, in good faith.”McCarthy was upbeat, too, though contending Biden had given ground. The president said the budget talks were still separate from the debt limit issue, but the speaker said Biden had "finally backed off” his refusal to negotiate.“Keep working — we'll work again tonight,” McCarthy told reporters later. "We’re going to work until we can get it done."Biden said that every leader at Tuesday's Oval Office meeting — Vice President Kamala Harris, McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — agreed the U.S. must not default on its obligations.“It would be catastrophic for the American economy and the American people if we didn’t pay our bills,” Biden said. “I’m confident everyone in the room agreed … that we’re going to come together because there’s no alternative. We have to do the right thing for the country. We have to move on.”He said he would be in “constant contact” with White House officials while at the summit in Hiroshima. He is canceling stops in Australia and Papua New Guinea that were to follow so he can return to Washington on Sunday.Biden and McCarthy tasked a handful of representatives to work swiftly to try and close out a final deal. They include Steve Ricchetti, counselor to the president; legislative affairs director Louisa Terrell and Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young for the administration, and Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., a close McCarthy ally, for the Republicans.McCarthy, who has said he would personally be involved, said he planned to stop by the talks later Wednesday. He said he would be in Washington for the weekend while negotiations are underway.Agreement by the negotiators would still leave any deal needing approval by Democratic Senate and Republican House.Democrats are upset about the possibility of new work requirements for some recipients of government aid. And Republicans want much tougher budget restraints than the Democrats support.The positive comments by Biden and McCarthy suggest they believe they can gain the backing of their parties' lawmakers.McCarthy was flanked Wednesday on the Capitol steps by some of the most conservative Republicans from the House and Senate in a feisty show of support.The national debt currently stands at $31.4 trillion. An increase in the debt limit would not authorize new federal spending; it would only allow for borrowing to pay for what Congress has already approved.The contours of an agreement have begun to take shape, but the details of spending cuts and policy changes will make or break whether the divided Congress can strike a bipartisan deal with the White House.In exchange for lifting the debt limit to keep paying the bills, newly majority House Republicans are trying to extract steep budget caps of no more than 1% growth a year over the next decade, alongside bolstered work requirements.Negotiators are preparing to claw back some $30 billion of unspent COVID-19 aid, now that the government has lifted the pandemic emergency. And they are working on a potential agreement for permit changes that would speed the development of energy projects that both Republicans and Democrats want, though the details remain daunting.But Democrats are not at all willing to accept the 10-year cap on spending that Republicans approved in their own House bill, and the Democrats are instead pushing for a shorter window of budget cuts.Biden is facing fierce blowback from progressive Democrats after he opened the door to tougher work requirements. But he insisted Wednesday any new work requirements would be of “no consequence” and that he's not willing to impact health programs, presumably referring to Medicaid.Asked about that, the Republicans behind McCarthy — who support more work requirements on Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance programs — broke out in laughter at the Capitol.The Republicans scoffed aloud as helicopters with the presumably departing Biden flew overhead.McCarthy, who depended on Donald Trump's backing to become the new speaker, still has work to do to keep his narrow House majority in line for any final deal, particularly among the hardline Freedom Caucus conservatives who almost blocked his election earlier this year for the gavel.Former President Trump has encouraged Republicans to “do a default” if they don't get everything they want from Biden.“Bipartisanship is needed,” Schumer said Wednesday. "It’s the only way to go."As backup on Wednesday, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries launched a process that would force a vote on raising the debt limit.It's a cumbersome legislative discharge procedure, but Jeffries urged House Democrats to sign on to the measure in hopes of gathering the 218 majority backers including Republicans needed to put it in motion.“Emerging from the White House meeting, I am hopeful that a real pathway exists to find an acceptable, bipartisan resolution that prevents a default,” Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues.“However, given the impending June 1 deadline and urgency of the moment, it is important that all legislative options be pursued in the event that no agreement is reached.”

🎥Biden confident 'America will not default its $31.4 trillion debt'

EDWARDS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3 p.m. Wednesday in Edwards County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Terrance D. Brake, 51, Kinsley, was northbound on U.S. 183 at County Road O.

The pickup crossed the center line and struck the trailer and load of a 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Jared L.&nbsp;Schemper, 43, Holdrege, Nebraska.

Brake was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to McKillip Funeral Home in Kinsley.&nbsp;Schemper was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

EDWARDS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3 p.m. Wednesday in Edwards County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Terrance D. Brake, 51, Kinsley, was northbound on U.S. 183 at County Road O.The pickup crossed the center line and struck the trailer and load of a 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Jared L.&nbsp;Schemper, 43, Holdrege, Nebraska.Brake was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to McKillip Funeral Home in Kinsley.&nbsp;Schemper was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup, semi crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The United States Attorney's office announced Wednesday an indictment of 27-year-old Cody McCormick, 27, of Wichita,&nbsp; on three counts of making a threat against the President of the United States.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=217537">According to online jail </a>records, McCormick was booked in the Sedgwick County Jail on April 27 on a hold for federal authorities. On May 1, the jail reported he was being held for U.S. Marshals.

Despite a request, authorities from the United State's Attorney's office&nbsp; released no additional details.&nbsp;McCormick has previous convictions for criminal threat and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was in and out of prison and county jails from 2016-2020 and listed briefly as an absconder in 2019.

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684355644373.png" alt="McCormick has previous convictions for criminal threat and aggravated battery. He is being held in Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>McCormick has previous convictions for criminal threat and aggravated battery. He is being held in Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — The United States Attorney's office announced Wednesday an indictment of 27-year-old Cody McCormick, 27, of Wichita,&nbsp; on three counts of making a threat against the President of the United States.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=217537">According to online jail </a>records, McCormick was booked in the Sedgwick County Jail on April 27 on a hold for federal authorities. On May 1, the jail reported he was being held for U.S. Marshals.Despite a request, authorities from the United State's Attorney's office&nbsp; released no additional details.&nbsp;McCormick has previous convictions for criminal threat and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was in and out of prison and county jails from 2016-2020 and listed briefly as an absconder in 2019.The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.&nbsp;

Kan. felon accused of making threats against the President 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after dozens of animals were found in deplorable conditions.

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture served a search warrant on a residence in rural Coffeyville, Kansas for alleged animal cruelty, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

 The Sheriff’s Office and the KDA developed probable cause that many animals on the property and inside the residence were malnourished and being housed in very disturbing conditions. 

 During the search warrant, detectives located and seized over 70 animals from the property including dogs, cats, birds, snakes, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and a lizard as well as deceased animals. 

None of the animals had access to food or clean water and they were living in their own fecal matter. 

 Detectives had a local veterinarian respond to the scene to evaluate the animals.  The animals were removed from the scene and are being housed at appropriate shelters until further notice. 

Detectives arrested 29-year-old Heather Hall and 33-year-old Rafael Luna-Dezonne both of rural Coffeyville, Kansas.&nbsp; They are being held on requested charges of cruelty to animals: failure to provide food/water/shelter and cruelty to animals: Knowingly kill or injure animals.

This case will be sent to the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office for review and proper charging, according to Wade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684331162664.png" alt="Luna-Dezonne-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Luna-Dezonne-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after dozens of animals were found in deplorable conditions.On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture served a search warrant on a residence in rural Coffeyville, Kansas for alleged animal cruelty, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684331123660.png" alt="Hall-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Hall-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> The Sheriff’s Office and the KDA developed probable cause that many animals on the property and inside the residence were malnourished and being housed in very disturbing conditions. During the search warrant, detectives located and seized over 70 animals from the property including dogs, cats, birds, snakes, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and a lizard as well as deceased animals. None of the animals had access to food or clean water and they were living in their own fecal matter. Detectives had a local veterinarian respond to the scene to evaluate the animals. The animals were removed from the scene and are being housed at appropriate shelters until further notice. Detectives arrested 29-year-old Heather Hall and 33-year-old Rafael Luna-Dezonne both of rural Coffeyville, Kansas.&nbsp; They are being held on requested charges of cruelty to animals: failure to provide food/water/shelter and cruelty to animals: Knowingly kill or injure animals.This case will be sent to the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office for review and proper charging, according to Wade.

70 animals found in deplorable conditions seized from Kan. home

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City-area man has been charged in a domestic assault of three persons inside a Grandview residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Collins I. Milimu, 38, faces three counts of Domestic Assault 1st Degree, three counts of Armed Criminal Action and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

According to court records, on May 14, police were dispatched to the 13000 block of Manchester in Grandview. A reporting party told police that an injured victim arrived at the residence. Officers went to the defendant's residence and observed the Milimu leaving. After officers forced entry into the residence, they found three victims, two of whom had life-threatening injuries. The victims had been hit with a hammer. Two victims are juveniles. Milimu admitted to hitting three victims. He&nbsp; also stated that he needed, “my sense of revenge.”&nbsp;

Prosecutors recommended the defendant be held on no bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684243390075.png" alt="Milimu-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Milimu-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City-area man has been charged in a domestic assault of three persons inside a Grandview residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Collins I. Milimu, 38, faces three counts of Domestic Assault 1st Degree, three counts of Armed Criminal Action and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.According to court records, on May 14, police were dispatched to the 13000 block of Manchester in Grandview. A reporting party told police that an injured victim arrived at the residence. Officers went to the defendant's residence and observed the Milimu leaving. After officers forced entry into the residence, they found three victims, two of whom had life-threatening injuries. The victims had been hit with a hammer. Two victims are juveniles. Milimu admitted to hitting three victims. He&nbsp; also stated that he needed, “my sense of revenge.”&nbsp;Prosecutors recommended the defendant be held on no bond.

KC-area man jailed for Mother's Day hammer attack

WASHINGTON (AP) —A man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/judy-garland">Judy Garland</a>&nbsp;in “The Wizard of Oz,” federal prosecutors in North Dakota say. The shoes were stolen in 2005 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-minnesota-ap-top-news-judy-garland-movies-5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">recovered</a>&nbsp;by a 2018 FBI sting operation, but no arrests were made at the time.

Terry Martin was indicted Tuesday with one count of theft of a major artwork, prosecutors announced Wednesday. The indictment did not provide any further information about Martin and online records do not list an attorney for him.

Garland wore several pairs of the ruby slippers during production of the 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs remain. When they were stolen, the slippers were insured for $1 million but the current market value is about $3.5 million, federal prosecutors said in a news release.

The slippers were on loan to the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, when someone climbed through a window and broke the display case, prosecutors said when they were recovered.

Over the years, several enticing rewards were offered in hopes that the slippers would turn up. Law enforcement offered $250,000 early in the case, and an anonymous donor from Arizona put up $1 million in 2015.

The road to the missing slippers began when a man told the shoes’ insurer in 2017 that he could help get them back. After a nearly year-long investigation, the FBI nabbed the shoes in Minneapolis in July 2018. At the time, the bureau said no one has been arrested or charged in the case.

On Wednesday, a summons was issued for Martin. An initial court appearance was set for June 1, and it will be via video. Terry Van Horn, spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department in North Dakota, said he could not provide any information beyond what was included in the indictment.

The shoes are famously associated with one of the iconic lines in “The Wizard of Oz,” as Garland's character Dorothy clicks her heels and repeats the phrase, “There’s no place like home.”

The shoes are made from about a dozen different materials, including wood pulp, silk thread, gelatin, plastic and glass. Most of the ruby color comes from sequins but the bows of the shoes contain red glass beads.

When they were stolen, the slippers were on loan from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw. The three remaining pairs Garland wore in the movie were held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian, and a private collector.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684352824766.png" alt="A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn.&nbsp; (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)" />
 <figcaption>A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn.&nbsp; (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) —A man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/judy-garland">Judy Garland</a>&nbsp;in “The Wizard of Oz,” federal prosecutors in North Dakota say. The shoes were stolen in 2005 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-minnesota-ap-top-news-judy-garland-movies-5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">recovered</a>&nbsp;by a 2018 FBI sting operation, but no arrests were made at the time.Terry Martin was indicted Tuesday with one count of theft of a major artwork, prosecutors announced Wednesday. The indictment did not provide any further information about Martin and online records do not list an attorney for him.Garland wore several pairs of the ruby slippers during production of the 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs remain. When they were stolen, the slippers were insured for $1 million but the current market value is about $3.5 million, federal prosecutors said in a news release.The slippers were on loan to the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, when someone climbed through a window and broke the display case, prosecutors said when they were recovered.Over the years, several enticing rewards were offered in hopes that the slippers would turn up. Law enforcement offered $250,000 early in the case, and an anonymous donor from Arizona put up $1 million in 2015.The road to the missing slippers began when a man told the shoes’ insurer in 2017 that he could help get them back. After a nearly year-long investigation, the FBI nabbed the shoes in Minneapolis in July 2018. At the time, the bureau said no one has been arrested or charged in the case.On Wednesday, a summons was issued for Martin. An initial court appearance was set for June 1, and it will be via video. Terry Van Horn, spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department in North Dakota, said he could not provide any information beyond what was included in the indictment.The shoes are famously associated with one of the iconic lines in “The Wizard of Oz,” as Garland's character Dorothy clicks her heels and repeats the phrase, “There’s no place like home.”The shoes are made from about a dozen different materials, including wood pulp, silk thread, gelatin, plastic and glass. Most of the ruby color comes from sequins but the bows of the shoes contain red glass beads.When they were stolen, the slippers were on loan from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw. The three remaining pairs Garland wore in the movie were held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian, and a private collector.

Man indicted in theft of 'Wizard of Oz' ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana became the first state in the U.S. to completely ban TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app.

The measure is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned.</a>

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has said it will fight for Montana residents to be able to use the app.

Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on American citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-hearing-bytedance-china-biden-ceo-a92f048762d6657f291affb7a0ce6386">TikTok says none of this has ever happened</a>.

Gianforte&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-bytedance-b735350b367c3f3a0076eaf1267dab18">had wanted to expand the TikTok bill</a>&nbsp;to include apps tied to foreign adversaries, but the legislature did not send the bill to him until after the session ended, preventing him from offering any amendments.

Opponents argue this is government overreach and say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing and other activities. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.

TikTok,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-biden-bytedance-data-misinformation-02b59e4a6611ce97c775da19de31d7ad">which has said it has a plan to protect U.S. users</a>, has vowed to fight back against the ban, along with small business owners who said they use the app for advertising to help grow their businesses and reach more customers. The ACLU of Montana opposed the bill, arguing it was an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.

The app's fun, goofy videos and ease of use has made it immensely popular, and U.S. tech giants like Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, see it as a competitive threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679065552021.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana became the first state in the U.S. to completely ban TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovGianforte%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0t7LJY3cGuSLPNQxqJ8mmyHQ7DkudvR8K2kxkCUTURnrT4uLoX7zNnptzfa2BAiiKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="170" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The measure is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned.</a>“Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has said it will fight for Montana residents to be able to use the app.Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on American citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-congress-hearing-bytedance-china-biden-ceo-a92f048762d6657f291affb7a0ce6386">TikTok says none of this has ever happened</a>.When Montana banned the app on government-owned devices in late December, Gianforte said TikTok posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">More than half of U.S. states and the federal government</a>&nbsp;have a similar ban.On Wednesday, Gianforte also announced he was prohibiting the use of all social media applications tied to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state businesses in Montana effective on June 1. Among the apps he listed are WeChat, whose parent company is headquartered in China; and Telegram Messenger, which was founded in Russia.The legislation, drafted by the attorney general’s office, easily passed through Montana’s GOP-controlled Legislature.Gianforte&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-bytedance-b735350b367c3f3a0076eaf1267dab18">had wanted to expand the TikTok bill</a>&nbsp;to include apps tied to foreign adversaries, but the legislature did not send the bill to him until after the session ended, preventing him from offering any amendments.Montana's new law prohibits downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.Opponents argue this is government overreach and say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing and other activities. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.TikTok,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-biden-bytedance-data-misinformation-02b59e4a6611ce97c775da19de31d7ad">which has said it has a plan to protect U.S. users</a>, has vowed to fight back against the ban, along with small business owners who said they use the app for advertising to help grow their businesses and reach more customers. The ACLU of Montana opposed the bill, arguing it was an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.The app's fun, goofy videos and ease of use has made it immensely popular, and U.S. tech giants like Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, see it as a competitive threat.

First state in the U.S. completely bans TikTok 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Mark Gietzen, a longtime conservative Republican and pro-life activist in Kansas who forced a recount of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">the state's decisive vote</a>&nbsp;affirming abortion rights last year has died in a plane crash. He was 69.

The Kansas Republican Party said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansasrepublicanparty/posts/pfbid02SH5YNRW1AkCJivuWDpUS2a6YjZi6jCo9ghM5w6ZKRFhpGQUgPfBwZsGsTEcnqpmsl">a Facebook post</a>&nbsp;that Gietzen, of Wichita, died Tuesday evening in Nebraska.

He was flying a single-engine Cessna 172 Skyhawk when it crashed in a field near O'Neill, Nebraska, about 190 miles (306 kilometers) northwest of Omaha, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:96:8198846005313::::P96_ENTRY_DATE,P96_FATAL_FLG:17-MAY-23,YES">crash log.</a>&nbsp;Gietzen was the only person on board and the log said the plane crashed “in unknown circumstances.”

Jim Howell, a county commissioner in Sedgwick County, Kansas, which includes Wichita,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/news-local-obituaries/article275501041.html">told The Wichita Eagle</a>&nbsp;that Gietzen had flown to Nebraska to visit his mother.

Gietzen grew up in the Bismarck, North Dakota, area and served in the U.S. Marines before coming to Kansas in the late 1970s to work for aircraft manufacturer Boeing Corp. He became chair of Sedgwick County GOP after “Summer of Mercy” anti-abortion protests in Wichita in 1991 and recruited anti-abortion activists into the party.

A fellow anti-abortion activist, Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, described Gietzen as “irreplaceable.”

Newman told The Eagle: "He was the hardest-working guy I know in the pro-life movement.”

In August 2022, voters statewide rejected Republicans' proposed amendment to the state constitution to declare that it doesn't protect abortion rights, which would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to ban abortion.

When a handful of anti-abortion activists demanded a hand recount of ballots in nine counties that accounted for more than half the vote, Gietzen used credit cards to cover most of the $120,000 cost so that it could proceed.

The recount&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-recount-e874f56806a9d63b473b24580ad7ea0c">confirmed the results</a>&nbsp;of the election, and Gietzen then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-statewide-recount-lawsuit-97d1ee1bbc9105e5656d6bad0adf76e6">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking a statewide hand recount, but a judge dismissed it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661435926662.png" alt="Mark Gietzen-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Mark Gietzen-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Mark Gietzen, a longtime conservative Republican and pro-life activist in Kansas who forced a recount of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">the state's decisive vote</a>&nbsp;affirming abortion rights last year has died in a plane crash. He was 69.The Kansas Republican Party said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansasrepublicanparty/posts/pfbid02SH5YNRW1AkCJivuWDpUS2a6YjZi6jCo9ghM5w6ZKRFhpGQUgPfBwZsGsTEcnqpmsl">a Facebook post</a>&nbsp;that Gietzen, of Wichita, died Tuesday evening in Nebraska.He was flying a single-engine Cessna 172 Skyhawk when it crashed in a field near O'Neill, Nebraska, about 190 miles (306 kilometers) northwest of Omaha, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:96:8198846005313::::P96_ENTRY_DATE,P96_FATAL_FLG:17-MAY-23,YES">crash log.</a>&nbsp;Gietzen was the only person on board and the log said the plane crashed “in unknown circumstances.”Jim Howell, a county commissioner in Sedgwick County, Kansas, which includes Wichita,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/news-local-obituaries/article275501041.html">told The Wichita Eagle</a>&nbsp;that Gietzen had flown to Nebraska to visit his mother.Gietzen grew up in the Bismarck, North Dakota, area and served in the U.S. Marines before coming to Kansas in the late 1970s to work for aircraft manufacturer Boeing Corp. He became chair of Sedgwick County GOP after “Summer of Mercy” anti-abortion protests in Wichita in 1991 and recruited anti-abortion activists into the party.A fellow anti-abortion activist, Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, described Gietzen as “irreplaceable.”Newman told The Eagle: "He was the hardest-working guy I know in the pro-life movement.”In August 2022, voters statewide rejected Republicans' proposed amendment to the state constitution to declare that it doesn't protect abortion rights, which would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to ban abortion.When a handful of anti-abortion activists demanded a hand recount of ballots in nine counties that accounted for more than half the vote, Gietzen used credit cards to cover most of the $120,000 cost so that it could proceed.The recount&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-recount-e874f56806a9d63b473b24580ad7ea0c">confirmed the results</a>&nbsp;of the election, and Gietzen then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-statewide-recount-lawsuit-97d1ee1bbc9105e5656d6bad0adf76e6">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking a statewide hand recount, but a judge dismissed it.

Kansas pro-life activist dies in Nebraska plane crash

TOPEKA — Health policy adviser Heather Braum welcomed Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation undercutting influence of public health officials during disease outbreaks and weakening public support for routine vaccination programs beneficial to children in school and child care facilities.

Braum, who works for the nonprofit Kansas Action for Children, said House Bill 2285 passed by slim margins in the House and Senate. It’s unlikely the bill rejected by the Democratic governor could be given new life with a veto override because the Legislature officially adjourned until January 2024. Lawmakers could convene for a special session.

The public health bill drew strength at the Capitol from angst within the anti-vaccination movement about the response of state and county government to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included directives for some businesses to close and for some people to stay home as much as possible.

“The&nbsp;thing&nbsp;is&nbsp;these&nbsp;infectious&nbsp;diseases&nbsp;that&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;impacted&nbsp;by&nbsp;some of&nbsp;the&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;legislation&nbsp;are&nbsp;harmful&nbsp;or&nbsp;even&nbsp;deadly&nbsp;to&nbsp;young&nbsp;children,” Braum told the Kansas Reflector podcast. “I&nbsp;get&nbsp;emotional&nbsp;when&nbsp;I&nbsp;talk&nbsp;about&nbsp;it&nbsp;because&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;not&nbsp;easy&nbsp;to&nbsp;sit&nbsp;here&nbsp;and&nbsp;say,&nbsp;‘Decisions&nbsp;made&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;Legislature&nbsp;will&nbsp;kill&nbsp;children.’ ”

The Republican-led Legislature voted to limit the state and county officials to issuing recommendations rather than mandates in terms of limiting mass gatherings or quarantining of individuals. If Kelly’s veto were to stand, the Legislature could revisit the issue next year.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita who supported the bill, said the objective was to restrict the influence of unelected government workers to advisory roles during public health emergencies. He said questions of individual liberty raised in times of crisis ought to be entrusted to people directly elected by Kansas voters, such as members of the House and Senate.

Kansas Action for Children tracked or testified on numerous bills at the statehouse, but paid particular attention to reform tied to child care regulation, food insecurity and vaccination policy.

Daniel Klaassen, education policy advisor with Kansas Action for Children, said the Legislature responded to a shortage of high-quality child care by adopted a bill lowering education standards for staff licensure and raising the caregiver-to-infant ratio.

He said the Legislature’s vote to lower safety standards in House Bill 2344, which was vetoed by Kelly, ignored the necessity to attract more workers to the field by raising compensation while prioritizing safety of children.

“We know that we need to reregulate the industry, not deregulate the industry, because the primary purpose of regulations is to keep children safe,” Klaassen said. “When you are messing with regulations to increase workforce to boost the economy, as we heard several times, that really makes you wonder.”

The Kansas House attempted in the closing week of the session to override the governor’s veto, but fell short of the two-thirds majority required.

Under the bill, training required of child care workers would have been reduced from 16 hours to 12 hours. It would have changed the infant-to-caregiver ratio to four-to-one, rather than three-to-one. At the same time, the definition of infant would have been amended to 12 months or less, a reduction from 18 months or less.

Klaassen said the Legislature didn’t consider subsidies for employee salaries or benefits that would have a substantive influence on willingness of people to work in the field. The median wage of a child care provider in Kansas is $10.90 an hour, which would be below a fast-food wage.

He said other states or local governments had worked with business to subsidize&nbsp;care&nbsp;options so “providers&nbsp;can&nbsp;really&nbsp;make&nbsp;a&nbsp;meaningful&nbsp;living&nbsp;doing&nbsp;this&nbsp;critical&nbsp;work&nbsp;for&nbsp;our&nbsp;state.”

The House and Senate mustered sufficient votes to override Kelly’s veto of a bill establishing barriers to low-income people 50 to 59 years of age seeking to qualify for federal food assistance. The Legislature last year imposed comparable employment and job training restrictions on Kansans 18 to 49 years of age who applied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Enactment of House Bill 2094 could make it more difficult for 7,000 older Kansans to access food assistance, said Erin Melton, food policy advisor at Kansas Action for Children.

Melton said the law withdrew from adults without dependents a benefit providing about $2 per meal. The bill wasn’t flexible enough to take into account people who held down one or more jobs but didn’t consistently meet the 30-hour weekly minimum, she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/P5101575-1024x576.jpg" alt="Kansas Action for Children health policy adviser Heather Braum says an anti-vaccination bill vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly would have triggered an irresponsible change in state law placing the life of children in jeopardy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Action for Children health policy adviser Heather Braum says an anti-vaccination bill vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly would have triggered an irresponsible change in state law placing the life of children in jeopardy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Health policy adviser Heather Braum welcomed Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation undercutting influence of public health officials during disease outbreaks and weakening public support for routine vaccination programs beneficial to children in school and child care facilities.Braum, who works for the nonprofit Kansas Action for Children, said House Bill 2285 passed by slim margins in the House and Senate. It’s unlikely the bill rejected by the Democratic governor could be given new life with a veto override because the Legislature officially adjourned until January 2024. Lawmakers could convene for a special session.The public health bill drew strength at the Capitol from angst within the anti-vaccination movement about the response of state and county government to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included directives for some businesses to close and for some people to stay home as much as possible.“The&nbsp;thing&nbsp;is&nbsp;these&nbsp;infectious&nbsp;diseases&nbsp;that&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;impacted&nbsp;by&nbsp;some of&nbsp;the&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;legislation&nbsp;are&nbsp;harmful&nbsp;or&nbsp;even&nbsp;deadly&nbsp;to&nbsp;young&nbsp;children,” Braum told the Kansas Reflector podcast. “I&nbsp;get&nbsp;emotional&nbsp;when&nbsp;I&nbsp;talk&nbsp;about&nbsp;it&nbsp;because&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;not&nbsp;easy&nbsp;to&nbsp;sit&nbsp;here&nbsp;and&nbsp;say,&nbsp;‘Decisions&nbsp;made&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;Legislature&nbsp;will&nbsp;kill&nbsp;children.’ ”The Republican-led Legislature voted to limit the state and county officials to issuing recommendations rather than mandates in terms of limiting mass gatherings or quarantining of individuals. If Kelly’s veto were to stand, the Legislature could revisit the issue next year.House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita who supported the bill, said the objective was to restrict the influence of unelected government workers to advisory roles during public health emergencies. He said questions of individual liberty raised in times of crisis ought to be entrusted to people directly elected by Kansas voters, such as members of the House and Senate.Kansas Action for Children tracked or testified on numerous bills at the statehouse, but paid particular attention to reform tied to child care regulation, food insecurity and vaccination policy.<h2>Child care standards</h2>Daniel Klaassen, education policy advisor with Kansas Action for Children, said the Legislature responded to a shortage of high-quality child care by adopted a bill lowering education standards for staff licensure and raising the caregiver-to-infant ratio.He said the Legislature’s vote to lower safety standards in House Bill 2344, which was vetoed by Kelly, ignored the necessity to attract more workers to the field by raising compensation while prioritizing safety of children.“We know that we need to reregulate the industry, not deregulate the industry, because the primary purpose of regulations is to keep children safe,” Klaassen said. “When you are messing with regulations to increase workforce to boost the economy, as we heard several times, that really makes you wonder.”The Kansas House attempted in the closing week of the session to override the governor’s veto, but fell short of the two-thirds majority required.Under the bill, training required of child care workers would have been reduced from 16 hours to 12 hours. It would have changed the infant-to-caregiver ratio to four-to-one, rather than three-to-one. At the same time, the definition of infant would have been amended to 12 months or less, a reduction from 18 months or less.Klaassen said the Legislature didn’t consider subsidies for employee salaries or benefits that would have a substantive influence on willingness of people to work in the field. The median wage of a child care provider in Kansas is $10.90 an hour, which would be below a fast-food wage.He said other states or local governments had worked with business to subsidize&nbsp;care&nbsp;options so “providers&nbsp;can&nbsp;really&nbsp;make&nbsp;a&nbsp;meaningful&nbsp;living&nbsp;doing&nbsp;this&nbsp;critical&nbsp;work&nbsp;for&nbsp;our&nbsp;state.”<h2>Politics of food</h2>The House and Senate mustered sufficient votes to override Kelly’s veto of a bill establishing barriers to low-income people 50 to 59 years of age seeking to qualify for federal food assistance. The Legislature last year imposed comparable employment and job training restrictions on Kansans 18 to 49 years of age who applied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.Enactment of House Bill 2094 could make it more difficult for 7,000 older Kansans to access food assistance, said Erin Melton, food policy advisor at Kansas Action for Children.Melton said the law withdrew from adults without dependents a benefit providing about $2 per meal. The bill wasn’t flexible enough to take into account people who held down one or more jobs but didn’t consistently meet the 30-hour weekly minimum, she said.“If&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;not&nbsp;working&nbsp;at&nbsp;least&nbsp;30&nbsp;hours&nbsp;a&nbsp;week,&nbsp;they&nbsp;have&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;assigned&nbsp;to&nbsp;an&nbsp;employment&nbsp;and&nbsp;training&nbsp;program,&nbsp;even&nbsp;if&nbsp;they&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;need&nbsp;it,” Melton said. “The&nbsp;employment&nbsp;and&nbsp;training&nbsp;program&nbsp;was&nbsp;already&nbsp;available&nbsp;to&nbsp;these&nbsp;people&nbsp;voluntarily.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;the&nbsp;people&nbsp;who&nbsp;need&nbsp;help,&nbsp;you&nbsp;know,&nbsp;writing&nbsp;a&nbsp;resume&nbsp;or&nbsp;finding&nbsp;a&nbsp;job&nbsp;or&nbsp;getting&nbsp;some&nbsp;training&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;higher&nbsp;paying&nbsp;jobs,&nbsp;they&nbsp;already&nbsp;could&nbsp;do&nbsp;that.”“This&nbsp;bill&nbsp;is&nbsp;not&nbsp;helping&nbsp;people&nbsp;find&nbsp;jobs,” she said. “What&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;doing&nbsp;is&nbsp;kicking&nbsp;people&nbsp;off&nbsp;who&nbsp;should&nbsp;still&nbsp;be&nbsp;eligible.”Melton said Kansas was among the nation’s most restrictive states in terms of SNAP eligibility. In 2019, the year for which the most recent statistics were available, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ranked Kansas 48th in terms of access to food assistance.SNAP funding allocated to Kansas but not appropriated has been either diverted to other state initiatives or gone unspent.“It’s&nbsp;not&nbsp;like&nbsp;we&nbsp;are ‘saving&nbsp;the&nbsp;money’&nbsp;when&nbsp;people&nbsp;aren’t&nbsp;receiving&nbsp;SNAP,” she said. “And&nbsp;we&nbsp;know&nbsp;that&nbsp;the&nbsp;employment&nbsp;and&nbsp;training&nbsp;program&nbsp;specifically&nbsp;is&nbsp;really&nbsp;expensive&nbsp;to&nbsp;implement.&nbsp;Those&nbsp;administrative&nbsp;costs&nbsp;we&nbsp;split&nbsp;with&nbsp;the&nbsp;federal&nbsp;government&nbsp;50-50.&nbsp;We&nbsp;are&nbsp;expanding&nbsp;the&nbsp;state’s&nbsp;spending&nbsp;on&nbsp;this&nbsp;program&nbsp;only&nbsp;to&nbsp;help&nbsp;fewer&nbsp;people.”