Department of Revenue sought to lift order, extend services to transgender Kansans

By TIM CARPENTER AND SAM BAILEY <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 — A Shawnee County District Court judge rejected Wednesday a request by a Kansas Department of Revenue lawyer to lift a temporary restraining order prohibiting the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly from issuing driver’s licenses amended to reflect gender preferences of transgender individuals.

Judge Teresa Watson, who conducted a technology-plagued hearing by livestream, affirmed her decision to impose the restraining order to make certain the state agency abided by Senate Bill 180. The statute adopted over a veto by Kelly became law July 1, and Attorney General Kris Kobach contended the law superseded previous policy or law guiding the Department of Revenue’s handling of requests to modify gender markers on licenses to drive.

Watson sided with Kobach on preservation of the temporary injunction. Her order said issuance of driver’s licenses in conflict with state law represented an “immediate and irreparable injury” given the influx of 172 requests for gender reclassifications on driver’s licenses in June.

“Driver’s licenses are issued for a period of six years and are difficult to take back and out of circulation once issued,” Watson said. “Compliance with stated legal requirements for identifying license holders is a public safety concern.”

Department of Revenue attorney Ted Smith urged Watson to dissolve the restraining order with the understanding the driver’s license division would continue to collect information on applicants’ gender status and biological sex at birth. He said a hold had been placed on gender adjustments to driver’s licenses.

He argued the new law inspired by an out-of-state conservative organization and embraced by GOP lawmakers in Kansas was generic and didn’t apply to issuance of driver’s licenses because there was a more specific statute on the books.

“Can you tell me why Senate Bill 180, which went into effect on July 1st, is not the status quo?” the judge asked Smith.

“Senate Bill 180 … basically doesn’t overwrite any existing driver’s license statutes,” Smith replied. “We have a more specific statute that deals with gender in the context of driver’s licenses. Senate Bill 180 doesn’t deal with driver’s licenses. Nowhere in that one-page bill does it reference driver’s licenses.”

“Doesn’t Senate Bill 180 say it applies to any state law?” the judge said. “And, wouldn’t it include driver’s license statutes?”

“Basically, that’s an implicit assumption, right?” Smith said. “It’s not specific to driver’s licenses. So, we’re always going to defer to the more specific statutes.”

Smith dismissed the nonbinding legal opinion issued by Kobach that asserted the law forbid gender changes to driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

“I don’t conflate his advisory opinion or interpretation of law to be equivalent to a specific statutory legal requirement,” Smith said. “And, I think there is a good faith and reasonable argument for our interpretation. We’re not bound, again, by the attorney general’s legal theories. We’re bound by the statutes.”

Kobach said in court documents and in his oral remarks that it would be improper for the Shawnee County judge to allow the state to deflect a law requiring Kansas government agencies gathering vital statistics to document a person’s sex at birth as either male or female.

The Department of Revenue’s approach to driver’s licenses, which was endorsed by the governor’s office, amounted to violation of state law, Kobach said.

“Violation of the statute itself is an injury to the state,” the Republican attorney general said. “If a state’s statutes are being violated by a state agency or in any large-scale fashion then the state is injured.”

Kobach said controversy about implementation of the law aimed at transgender Kansans had arisen in Johnson County in terms of law enforcement’s ability to to its job. He said failure by the Department of Revenue to comply with the new law could impede identification of suspects or the issuance of search or arrest warrants.

He said allowing the Department of Revenue to decide which statutes it followed and which it sidestepped away from would defy intent of the Legislature, which was the authorizing authority for the state agency. It was common understanding, established by the Kansas Supreme Court, new law trumped old law on a subject, he said.

“The status quo is the position of the individuals affected by the law, not the agency’s process,” Kobach said. “SB180 contains the phrase, ‘notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary.’ Clearly, SB180 was drafted with the intent of sweeping aside any possible contrary language in any other Kansas statute.”

The livestreamed hearing had to be halted twice due to technology woes, including problems with the attorney general’s internet connection that resulted in garbling of about half of his spoken words. The initial portion of the livestream wasn’t broadcast to dozens of online viewers.

Kobach filed the lawsuit July 7 against two employees in the Department of Revenue. The judge responded with the restraining order Monday. In wake of that action, the Department of Revenue sought a hearing to argue for repeal of the order.

On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed a request to intervene in Kobach’s lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans. No decision has been released regarding the ACLU motion.

In a statement following the judge’s decision, the ACLU of Kansas said “we will continue to fight for transgender Kansans’ right to have identification that reflects who they are, and that fight is far from over.”

Watson, an appointee of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, instructed the attorney general’s office and the Department of Revenue lawyers to confer about scheduling the filing of documents and conducting a hearing on Kobach’s request for a temporary injunction in the case. If adopted by the judge, it would prevent the Department of Revenue from taking action central to the dispute before the conflict was resolved through a trial or settlement.

<h2>Department of Revenue sought to lift order, extend services to transgender Kansans</h2>By TIM CARPENTER AND SAM BAILEY <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 — A Shawnee County District Court judge rejected Wednesday a request by a Kansas Department of Revenue lawyer to lift a temporary restraining order prohibiting the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly from issuing driver’s licenses amended to reflect gender preferences of transgender individuals.Judge Teresa Watson, who conducted a technology-plagued hearing by livestream, affirmed her decision to impose the restraining order to make certain the state agency abided by Senate Bill 180. The statute adopted over a veto by Kelly became law July 1, and Attorney General Kris Kobach contended the law superseded previous policy or law guiding the Department of Revenue’s handling of requests to modify gender markers on licenses to drive.Watson sided with Kobach on preservation of the temporary injunction. Her order said issuance of driver’s licenses in conflict with state law represented an “immediate and irreparable injury” given the influx of 172 requests for gender reclassifications on driver’s licenses in June.“Driver’s licenses are issued for a period of six years and are difficult to take back and out of circulation once issued,” Watson said. “Compliance with stated legal requirements for identifying license holders is a public safety concern.”<h2>Motion to dissolve</h2>Department of Revenue attorney Ted Smith urged Watson to dissolve the restraining order with the understanding the driver’s license division would continue to collect information on applicants’ gender status and biological sex at birth. He said a hold had been placed on gender adjustments to driver’s licenses.He argued the new law inspired by an out-of-state conservative organization and embraced by GOP lawmakers in Kansas was generic and didn’t apply to issuance of driver’s licenses because there was a more specific statute on the books.“Can you tell me why Senate Bill 180, which went into effect on July 1st, is not the status quo?” the judge asked Smith.“Senate Bill 180 … basically doesn’t overwrite any existing driver’s license statutes,” Smith replied. “We have a more specific statute that deals with gender in the context of driver’s licenses. Senate Bill 180 doesn’t deal with driver’s licenses. Nowhere in that one-page bill does it reference driver’s licenses.”“Doesn’t Senate Bill 180 say it applies to any state law?” the judge said. “And, wouldn’t it include driver’s license statutes?”“Basically, that’s an implicit assumption, right?” Smith said. “It’s not specific to driver’s licenses. So, we’re always going to defer to the more specific statutes.”Smith dismissed the nonbinding legal opinion issued by Kobach that asserted the law forbid gender changes to driver’s licenses and birth certificates.“I don’t conflate his advisory opinion or interpretation of law to be equivalent to a specific statutory legal requirement,” Smith said. “And, I think there is a good faith and reasonable argument for our interpretation. We’re not bound, again, by the attorney general’s legal theories. We’re bound by the statutes.”<h2>Violation of state law</h2>Kobach said in court documents and in his oral remarks that it would be improper for the Shawnee County judge to allow the state to deflect a law requiring Kansas government agencies gathering vital statistics to document a person’s sex at birth as either male or female.The Department of Revenue’s approach to driver’s licenses, which was endorsed by the governor’s office, amounted to violation of state law, Kobach said.“Violation of the statute itself is an injury to the state,” the Republican attorney general said. “If a state’s statutes are being violated by a state agency or in any large-scale fashion then the state is injured.”Kobach said controversy about implementation of the law aimed at transgender Kansans had arisen in Johnson County in terms of law enforcement’s ability to to its job. He said failure by the Department of Revenue to comply with the new law could impede identification of suspects or the issuance of search or arrest warrants.He said allowing the Department of Revenue to decide which statutes it followed and which it sidestepped away from would defy intent of the Legislature, which was the authorizing authority for the state agency. It was common understanding, established by the Kansas Supreme Court, new law trumped old law on a subject, he said.“The status quo is the position of the individuals affected by the law, not the agency’s process,” Kobach said. “SB180 contains the phrase, ‘notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary.’ Clearly, SB180 was drafted with the intent of sweeping aside any possible contrary language in any other Kansas statute.”The livestreamed hearing had to be halted twice due to technology woes, including problems with the attorney general’s internet connection that resulted in garbling of about half of his spoken words. The initial portion of the livestream wasn’t broadcast to dozens of online viewers.Kobach filed the lawsuit July 7 against two employees in the Department of Revenue. The judge responded with the restraining order Monday. In wake of that action, the Department of Revenue sought a hearing to argue for repeal of the order.On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed a request to intervene in Kobach’s lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans. No decision has been released regarding the ACLU motion.In a statement following the judge’s decision, the ACLU of Kansas said “we will continue to fight for transgender Kansans’ right to have identification that reflects who they are, and that fight is far from over.”Watson, an appointee of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, instructed the attorney general’s office and the Department of Revenue lawyers to confer about scheduling the filing of documents and conducting a hearing on Kobach’s request for a temporary injunction in the case. If adopted by the judge, it would prevent the Department of Revenue from taking action central to the dispute before the conflict was resolved through a trial or settlement.

Kan. judge affirms restraining order: No driver’s licenses with gender changes

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a potential homicide after a man was found dead Wednesday.

The victim has been identified as David Blaine Sullivan, 62, of Lawrence, according to a media release.

Just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, police were called about a person near the intersection of 6th&nbsp;Street and Vermont Street, near the Kansas River, that the caller believed was dead. 

Officers responded and found Blaine on the ground near trees northwest of the intersection who was confirmed to be dead. Crime scene investigators processed the scene and discovered evidence that suggests foul play was involved in the death. 

A definitive determination on manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s office following an autopsy later this week. While police await that determination, they will continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the man’s death. It is currently unknown how long Blaine had been in the location he was found.

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a potential homicide after a man was found dead Wednesday.The victim has been identified as David Blaine Sullivan, 62, of Lawrence, according to a media release.Just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, police were called about a person near the intersection of 6th&nbsp;Street and Vermont Street, near the Kansas River, that the caller believed was dead. Officers responded and found Blaine on the ground near trees northwest of the intersection who was confirmed to be dead. Crime scene investigators processed the scene and discovered evidence that suggests foul play was involved in the death. A definitive determination on manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s office following an autopsy later this week. While police await that determination, they will continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the man’s death. It is currently unknown how long Blaine had been in the location he was found.

Possible homicide: 62-year-old man found dead near Kansas River

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly was elected to serve as Chair of Education Commission of the States (ECS) for the 2023-25 term, according to a media release from her office.

 This election, by a bipartisan group of commissioners from every state, happened during ECS’s annual National Forum on Education Policy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Serving in this role, Governor Kelly continues her commitment to be the “Education Governor” by elevating Kansas to this national leadership role.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I&nbsp;am&nbsp;looking forward to working with&nbsp;ECS&nbsp;to continue&nbsp;its&nbsp;legacy as a key partner for education leaders across the country,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“The organization has been absolutely invaluable to me and my team, and I want to be a champion for it by leading it through its next chapter.”&nbsp;

Education Commission of the States is the premier education policy organization working to support state leaders nationwide. ECS provides policy and technical assistance to elected officials and policy leaders from all education sectors. ECS comprises over 300 appointed commissioners from every state and territory representing governor’s offices, state legislatures, state boards of education, chief state school officers, higher education authorities, and local education officials. ECS brings together these leaders to encourage collaboration across states and advance educational best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are so pleased to have Gov. Kelly’s leadership and involvement with ECS,”&nbsp;said Matt Padilla, interim president of Education Commission of the States.&nbsp;“Gov. Kelly embodies the bipartisanship that is so instrumental to our mission. We look forward to working alongside her to advance innovation and best practices in state education policy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

As Chair, Governor Kelly will develop and lead a Chair’s Initiative to highlight innovative practices underway in the Kansas education system that can serve as a model for how other states can build upon Kansas’ leadership. Governor Kelly’s Chair’s Initiative will focus on expanding educational opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. On July 1, 2023, Pell Grant eligibility was restored for incarcerated populations across the country, opening an avenue for around 760,000 incarcerated individuals to participate in college coursework nationwide.

In Kansas, correctional populations have had access to Pell-eligible coursework since 2020 through the Second Chance Pell Experimental Site Initiative, which piloted the provision of college coursework in correctional settings. Now that Pell eligibility has been restored for justice-impacted individuals across the country, Kansas is a model for creating partnerships that expand programming into correctional facilities and prepare incarcerated individuals to reenter society with significant work and educational experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America and how states can come together to solve pressing challenges. Governor Hutchinson, the outgoing Chair of ECS, also presided over the official gavel exchange—marking the transition to Governor Kelly’s term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689195695324.png" alt="While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America- courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America- courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly was elected to serve as Chair of Education Commission of the States (ECS) for the 2023-25 term, according to a media release from her office. This election, by a bipartisan group of commissioners from every state, happened during ECS’s annual National Forum on Education Policy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Serving in this role, Governor Kelly continues her commitment to be the “Education Governor” by elevating Kansas to this national leadership role.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689195835480.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“I&nbsp;am&nbsp;looking forward to working with&nbsp;ECS&nbsp;to continue&nbsp;its&nbsp;legacy as a key partner for education leaders across the country,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“The organization has been absolutely invaluable to me and my team, and I want to be a champion for it by leading it through its next chapter.”&nbsp;Education Commission of the States is the premier education policy organization working to support state leaders nationwide. ECS provides policy and technical assistance to elected officials and policy leaders from all education sectors. ECS comprises over 300 appointed commissioners from every state and territory representing governor’s offices, state legislatures, state boards of education, chief state school officers, higher education authorities, and local education officials. ECS brings together these leaders to encourage collaboration across states and advance educational best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We are so pleased to have Gov. Kelly’s leadership and involvement with ECS,”&nbsp;said Matt Padilla, interim president of Education Commission of the States.&nbsp;“Gov. Kelly embodies the bipartisanship that is so instrumental to our mission. We look forward to working alongside her to advance innovation and best practices in state education policy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;As Chair, Governor Kelly will develop and lead a Chair’s Initiative to highlight innovative practices underway in the Kansas education system that can serve as a model for how other states can build upon Kansas’ leadership. Governor Kelly’s Chair’s Initiative will focus on expanding educational opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. On July 1, 2023, Pell Grant eligibility was restored for incarcerated populations across the country, opening an avenue for around 760,000 incarcerated individuals to participate in college coursework nationwide.In Kansas, correctional populations have had access to Pell-eligible coursework since 2020 through the Second Chance Pell Experimental Site Initiative, which piloted the provision of college coursework in correctional settings. Now that Pell eligibility has been restored for justice-impacted individuals across the country, Kansas is a model for creating partnerships that expand programming into correctional facilities and prepare incarcerated individuals to reenter society with significant work and educational experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America and how states can come together to solve pressing challenges. Governor Hutchinson, the outgoing Chair of ECS, also presided over the official gavel exchange—marking the transition to Governor Kelly’s term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gov. Kelly elected to Chair Education Commission of the States

KIOWA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Kiowa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Mercedes C300 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela D. Carroll, 54, Chandler, Oklahoma, was northbound on 11th Avenue at U.S. 54.&nbsp;

The car crossed the railroad tracks and a train struck the vehicle.

EMS transported Carroll and a passenger identified as Christian T. Norris, 28, Edmond, Oklahoma, to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg where Norris was pronounced deceased. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP. One juvenile was present in the car; juvenile record is protected data.

KIOWA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Kiowa County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Mercedes C300 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela D. Carroll, 54, Chandler, Oklahoma, was northbound on 11th Avenue at U.S. 54.&nbsp;The car crossed the railroad tracks and a train struck the vehicle.EMS transported Carroll and a passenger identified as Christian T. Norris, 28, Edmond, Oklahoma, to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg where Norris was pronounced deceased. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP. One juvenile was present in the car; juvenile record is protected data.

Man dies, woman injured after car, train crash in Kansas

WASHINGTON — A Kansas City man was sentenced Tuesday for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Cale Douglas Clayton, 42, of Drexel, Missouri, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol.

&nbsp;Clayton pleaded guilty, on March 10, 2023, to the felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Clayton traveled from his home in Drexel to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally and afterward walked to the north side of the Capitol building. At approximately 4:15 p.m., Clayton was present at the upper west terrace as law enforcement began to clear the area and protestors began to clash with police. While protestors were pushing against police, Clayton picked up a police baton that had been dropped by an officer. Clayton then forcibly grabbed a riot shield held by a police officer.

&nbsp;Later, at approximately 4:28 p.m., Clayton made his way to another confrontation between police and protestors.&nbsp; At this time, police attempted to recover the baton from Clayton. In response, Clayton forcibly made contact with a police officer by grabbing the face shield of the officer’s helmet and pushing the officer backward.

This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

&nbsp;This case was investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department, Arlington County, Virginia Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689157947463.png" alt="photo- United State's Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>photo- United State's Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — A Kansas City man was sentenced Tuesday for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.Cale Douglas Clayton, 42, of Drexel, Missouri, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol.&nbsp;Clayton pleaded guilty, on March 10, 2023, to the felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689157830427.png" alt="Douglas photo&nbsp; United State's Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Douglas photo&nbsp; United State's Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Clayton traveled from his home in Drexel to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally and afterward walked to the north side of the Capitol building. At approximately 4:15 p.m., Clayton was present at the upper west terrace as law enforcement began to clear the area and protestors began to clash with police. While protestors were pushing against police, Clayton picked up a police baton that had been dropped by an officer. Clayton then forcibly grabbed a riot shield held by a police officer.&nbsp;Later, at approximately 4:28 p.m., Clayton made his way to another confrontation between police and protestors.&nbsp; At this time, police attempted to recover the baton from Clayton. In response, Clayton forcibly made contact with a police officer by grabbing the face shield of the officer’s helmet and pushing the officer backward.This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.&nbsp;This case was investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department, Arlington County, Virginia Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

KC-area man admits assaulting officers during Jan. 6 Capitol breach

TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities reported on Wednesday evening that a Silver Alert issued July 1, for 74-year-old George Smith has been canceled, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol found Smith deceased&nbsp;on July 5, after he was involved in a fatal crash. It took some time for authorities to positively identify him.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Wichita Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man.

The whereabouts of 74-year-old George C. Smith are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

George is likely driving a black 2002 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 881PKK. He was last seen in the 7700 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, Friday June 30, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He may have traveled southbound on I-35 toward Oklahoma.

George is described as a black male who is 5-feet-5 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and blue shorts. George requires dialysis several times a week and missed his appointment. He is also diabetic and doesn't have necessary medication.

If you see George Smith or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688258232709.png" alt="George Smith-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>George Smith-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities reported on Wednesday evening that a Silver Alert issued July 1, for 74-year-old George Smith has been canceled, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol found Smith deceased&nbsp;on July 5, after he was involved in a fatal crash. It took some time for authorities to positively identify him.&nbsp;-------SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Wichita Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man.The whereabouts of 74-year-old George C. Smith are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.George is likely driving a black 2002 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 881PKK. He was last seen in the 7700 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, Friday June 30, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He may have traveled southbound on I-35 toward Oklahoma.George is described as a black male who is 5-feet-5 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and blue shorts. George requires dialysis several times a week and missed his appointment. He is also diabetic and doesn't have necessary medication.If you see George Smith or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4111.

Kansas man in Silver Alert dies after pickup crash in Oklahoma

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 21-year-old Caleb A. Cummins, of&nbsp; Atchison, in the 400 block U.S.59 for a traffic violation, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer found drugs and and arrested Cummins.

He is being held on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal use of a vehicle license tag.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689167435732.png" alt="Cummins-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Cummins-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 21-year-old Caleb A. Cummins, of&nbsp; Atchison, in the 400 block U.S.59 for a traffic violation, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer found drugs and and arrested Cummins.He is being held on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal use of a vehicle license tag.

Police: Kansas man was transporting fentanyl

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/meta-platforms-inc">Facebook parent company Meta</a>&nbsp;over the course of at least two years, a group of congressional Democrats reported on Wednesday.

They say some of that data was then used by Meta to create targeted advertising to its own users, other companies, and to train Meta's algorithms.

The Democrats' report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the wealth of information that H&amp;R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer shared with the social media giant.

In a letter to the heads of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/internal-revenue-service">the IRS</a>, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms.”

Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers' income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.

That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websites to gather information on how to improve their own marketing campaigns. In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.

The program collected information on taxpayers’ filing status, income, refund amounts, names of dependents, approximate federal tax owed, which buttons were clicked on the tax preparers' websites and the names of text entry forms that the taxpayer navigated, the report states.

Taxpayer data was also shared with Google, through its own tracking tools — though the firm told lawmakers that it never used the information to track users on the internet, according to the report.

The letter to federal agencies was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Katie Porter. The lawmakers called for the agencies to “immediately open an investigation into this incident.”

They ask the agencies to investigate “and prosecute any company or individuals who violated the law," saying it could result in billions of dollars in criminal liability to the firms.

The Markup, a nonprofit journalism outlet focusing on technology,&nbsp;<a href="https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/11/22/tax-filing-websites-have-been-sending-users-financial-information-to-facebook">initially reported</a>&nbsp;on the data-sharing between tax firms and Meta in November. TaxAct told The Markup then that it takes the privacy of its customers’ data “very seriously” and ”endeavors to comply with all IRS regulations.” TaxSlayer said then that its customers’ privacy is “of utmost importance” and that it had removed the Pixel to evaluate its use.

H&amp;R Block said on Wednesday that it takes protecting client privacy very seriously and has taken steps to prevent the sharing of information through the Pixel coding.

And Meta said that it has been clear in its policies that advertisers “should not send sensitive information about people through our Business Tools.”

“Doing so is against our policies and we educate advertisers on properly setting up Business tools to prevent this from occurring,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to detect.”

Representatives from the IRS, the DOJ, the FTC and the IRS watchdog also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Democrats say their report serves as an argument for the creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">an electronic free-file system</a>&nbsp;for submitting tax returns that would be run by the government, which the IRS is currently piloting.

The IRS plans to launch a pilot program for the 2024 filing season to test a “direct file” system and help the federal government decide whether to move forward with potentially implementing it in the future.

The IRS in May published&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5788.pdf">a feasibility report</a>&nbsp;laying out taxpayer interest in direct file, how the system could work, its potential cost, operational challenges and more.

The report shows that the majority of surveyed taxpayers would be interested in using an IRS-provided tool to prepare and file their taxes electronically — almost 50% of respondents who preferred the IRS free-file option over commercial tax preparation firms said they preferred to give their financial information directly to the IRS instead of the third party.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/meta-platforms-inc">Facebook parent company Meta</a>&nbsp;over the course of at least two years, a group of congressional Democrats reported on Wednesday.They say some of that data was then used by Meta to create targeted advertising to its own users, other companies, and to train Meta's algorithms.The Democrats' report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the wealth of information that H&amp;R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer shared with the social media giant.In a letter to the heads of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/internal-revenue-service">the IRS</a>, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms.”Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers' income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websites to gather information on how to improve their own marketing campaigns. In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.The program collected information on taxpayers’ filing status, income, refund amounts, names of dependents, approximate federal tax owed, which buttons were clicked on the tax preparers' websites and the names of text entry forms that the taxpayer navigated, the report states.Taxpayer data was also shared with Google, through its own tracking tools — though the firm told lawmakers that it never used the information to track users on the internet, according to the report.The letter to federal agencies was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Katie Porter. The lawmakers called for the agencies to “immediately open an investigation into this incident.”They ask the agencies to investigate “and prosecute any company or individuals who violated the law," saying it could result in billions of dollars in criminal liability to the firms.The Markup, a nonprofit journalism outlet focusing on technology,&nbsp;<a href="https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/11/22/tax-filing-websites-have-been-sending-users-financial-information-to-facebook">initially reported</a>&nbsp;on the data-sharing between tax firms and Meta in November. TaxAct told The Markup then that it takes the privacy of its customers’ data “very seriously” and ”endeavors to comply with all IRS regulations.” TaxSlayer said then that its customers’ privacy is “of utmost importance” and that it had removed the Pixel to evaluate its use.H&amp;R Block said on Wednesday that it takes protecting client privacy very seriously and has taken steps to prevent the sharing of information through the Pixel coding.And Meta said that it has been clear in its policies that advertisers “should not send sensitive information about people through our Business Tools.”“Doing so is against our policies and we educate advertisers on properly setting up Business tools to prevent this from occurring,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to detect.”Representatives from the IRS, the DOJ, the FTC and the IRS watchdog also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The Democrats say their report serves as an argument for the creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">an electronic free-file system</a>&nbsp;for submitting tax returns that would be run by the government, which the IRS is currently piloting.The IRS plans to launch a pilot program for the 2024 filing season to test a “direct file” system and help the federal government decide whether to move forward with potentially implementing it in the future.The IRS in May published&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5788.pdf">a feasibility report</a>&nbsp;laying out taxpayer interest in direct file, how the system could work, its potential cost, operational challenges and more.The report shows that the majority of surveyed taxpayers would be interested in using an IRS-provided tool to prepare and file their taxes electronically — almost 50% of respondents who preferred the IRS free-file option over commercial tax preparation firms said they preferred to give their financial information directly to the IRS instead of the third party.

Tax prep firms shared your data with Facebook parent Meta

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration calls it a “student loan safety net.” Opponents call it a backdoor attempt to make college free. And it could be the next battleground in the legal fight over student loan relief.

Starting this summer, millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in a new repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms ever. Interest won’t pile up as long as borrowers make regular payments. Millions of people will have monthly payments reduced to $0. And in as little as 10 years, any remaining debt will be canceled.

It’s known as the SAVE Plan, and although it was announced last year, it has mostly been overshadowed by President Joe Biden’s proposal for mass student loan cancellation. But now, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa" target="_blank">the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s forgiveness plan</a>, the repayment option is taking center stage.

Since the ruling Biden has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-new-proposal-biden-b74e9dd2b535c97a7ce0f43b600fa28b" target="_blank">proposed an alternate approach</a>&nbsp;to cancel debt and also shifted attention to the lesser-known initiative, calling it “the most affordable repayment plan ever.” The typical borrower who enrolls in the plan will save $1,000 a month, he said.

Republicans have fought against the plan, saying it oversteps the president’s authority. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called it “deeply unfair” to the 87% of Americans who don’t have student loans.

The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated over the next decade the plan would cost $230 billion, which would be even higher now that the forgiveness plan has been struck down. Estimates from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania put the cost at up to $361 billion.

Emboldened by the Supreme Court’s decision on cancellation, some opponents say it’s a matter of time before the repayment plan also faces a legal challenge.

Here’s what to know about the SAVE Plan:

The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of four plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans.

Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower’s discretionary income. If a borrower’s earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased.

As part of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728" target="_blank">debt relief plan</a>&nbsp;announced last year, Biden said his Education Department would create a new income-driven repayment plan that lowers payments even further. It became known as the SAVE Plan, and it’s generally intended to replace existing income-driven plans.

Borrowers will be able to apply later this summer, but some of the changes will be phased in over time.

Right away, more people will be eligible for $0 payments. The new plan won’t require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line — $32,800 a year for a single person. The cutoff for current plans, by contrast, is 150% of the poverty line, or $22,000 a year for a single person.

Another immediate change aims to prevent interest from snowballing.

As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, their overall balance won’t increase. Once they cover their adjusted monthly payment — even if it’s $0 — any remaining interest will be waived.

Other major changes will take effect in July 2024.

Most notably, payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Those with graduate and undergraduate loans will pay between 5% and 10%, depending on their original loan balance. For millions of Americans, monthly payments could be reduced by half.

Next July will also bring a quicker road to loan forgiveness. Starting then, borrowers with initial balances of $12,000 or less will get the remainder of their loans canceled after 10 years of payments. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond that, the cancellation will come after an additional year of payments.

For example, a borrower with an original balance of $14,000 would get all remaining debt cleared after 12 years. Payments made before 2024 will count toward forgiveness.

The Education Department says it will notify borrowers when the new application process launches this summer. Those enrolled in an existing plan known as REPAYE will automatically be moved into the SAVE plan. Borrowers will also be able to sign up by contacting their loan servicers directly.

It will be available to all borrowers in the Direct Loan Program who are in good standing on their loans.

Supporters say Biden’s plan will simplify repayment options and offer relief to millions of borrowers. The Biden administration has argued that ballooning student debt puts college out of reach for too many Americans and holds borrowers back financially.

Opponents call it an unfair perk for those who don’t need it, saying it passes a heavy cost onto taxpayers who already repaid student loans or didn’t go to college. Some worry that it will give colleges incentive to raise tuition prices higher since they know many students will get their loans canceled later.

Voices across the political spectrum have said it amounts to a form of free college. Biden campaigned on a promise to make community college free, but it failed to gain support from Congress. Critics say the new plan is an attempt to do something similar without Congress’ approval.

That depends on who you ask, but the question hasn’t been taken up by a federal court.

Instead of creating a new payment plan from scratch, the Biden administration proposed changes to an existing plan. It cemented those changes by going through a negotiated rulemaking process that allows the Education Department to develop federal regulations without Congress.

It’s a process that’s commonly used by administrations from both political parties. But critics question whether the new plan goes further than the law allows.

More than 60 Republicans lawmakers urged Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to withdraw the plan in February, calling it “reckless, fiscally irresponsible, and blatantly illegal.”

Supporters argue that the Obama administration similarly used its authority to create a repayment plan that was more generous than any others at the time.

The Biden administration formally finalized the rule this month. Conservatives believe it’s vulnerable to a legal challenge, and some say it’s just a matter of finding a plaintiff with the legal right — or standing — to sue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688156132621.png" alt="On July 3, President Joe Biden vowed to push ahead with a new plan providing student loan relief for millions of borrowers, while blaming Republican “hypocrisy” for triggering the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa">Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;that wiped out his original effort." />
 <figcaption>On July 3, President Joe Biden vowed to push ahead with a new plan providing student loan relief for millions of borrowers, while blaming Republican “hypocrisy” for triggering the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa">Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;that wiped out his original effort.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration calls it a “student loan safety net.” Opponents call it a backdoor attempt to make college free. And it could be the next battleground in the legal fight over student loan relief.Starting this summer, millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in a new repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms ever. Interest won’t pile up as long as borrowers make regular payments. Millions of people will have monthly payments reduced to $0. And in as little as 10 years, any remaining debt will be canceled.It’s known as the SAVE Plan, and although it was announced last year, it has mostly been overshadowed by President Joe Biden’s proposal for mass student loan cancellation. But now, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa" target="_blank">the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s forgiveness plan</a>, the repayment option is taking center stage.Since the ruling Biden has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-new-proposal-biden-b74e9dd2b535c97a7ce0f43b600fa28b" target="_blank">proposed an alternate approach</a>&nbsp;to cancel debt and also shifted attention to the lesser-known initiative, calling it “the most affordable repayment plan ever.” The typical borrower who enrolls in the plan will save $1,000 a month, he said.Republicans have fought against the plan, saying it oversteps the president’s authority. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called it “deeply unfair” to the 87% of Americans who don’t have student loans.The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated over the next decade the plan would cost $230 billion, which would be even higher now that the forgiveness plan has been struck down. Estimates from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania put the cost at up to $361 billion.Emboldened by the Supreme Court’s decision on cancellation, some opponents say it’s a matter of time before the repayment plan also faces a legal challenge.Here’s what to know about the SAVE Plan:<h2>WHAT IS AN INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN?</h2>The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of four plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans.Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower’s discretionary income. If a borrower’s earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased.<h2>HOW IS BIDEN’S PLAN DIFFERENT?</h2>As part of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728" target="_blank">debt relief plan</a>&nbsp;announced last year, Biden said his Education Department would create a new income-driven repayment plan that lowers payments even further. It became known as the SAVE Plan, and it’s generally intended to replace existing income-driven plans.Borrowers will be able to apply later this summer, but some of the changes will be phased in over time.Right away, more people will be eligible for $0 payments. The new plan won’t require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line — $32,800 a year for a single person. The cutoff for current plans, by contrast, is 150% of the poverty line, or $22,000 a year for a single person.Another immediate change aims to prevent interest from snowballing.As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, their overall balance won’t increase. Once they cover their adjusted monthly payment — even if it’s $0 — any remaining interest will be waived.Other major changes will take effect in July 2024.Most notably, payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Those with graduate and undergraduate loans will pay between 5% and 10%, depending on their original loan balance. For millions of Americans, monthly payments could be reduced by half.Next July will also bring a quicker road to loan forgiveness. Starting then, borrowers with initial balances of $12,000 or less will get the remainder of their loans canceled after 10 years of payments. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond that, the cancellation will come after an additional year of payments.For example, a borrower with an original balance of $14,000 would get all remaining debt cleared after 12 years. Payments made before 2024 will count toward forgiveness.<h2>HOW DO I APPLY?</h2>The Education Department says it will notify borrowers when the new application process launches this summer. Those enrolled in an existing plan known as REPAYE will automatically be moved into the SAVE plan. Borrowers will also be able to sign up by contacting their loan servicers directly.It will be available to all borrowers in the Direct Loan Program who are in good standing on their loans.<h2>WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS?</h2>Supporters say Biden’s plan will simplify repayment options and offer relief to millions of borrowers. The Biden administration has argued that ballooning student debt puts college out of reach for too many Americans and holds borrowers back financially.Opponents call it an unfair perk for those who don’t need it, saying it passes a heavy cost onto taxpayers who already repaid student loans or didn’t go to college. Some worry that it will give colleges incentive to raise tuition prices higher since they know many students will get their loans canceled later.Voices across the political spectrum have said it amounts to a form of free college. Biden campaigned on a promise to make community college free, but it failed to gain support from Congress. Critics say the new plan is an attempt to do something similar without Congress’ approval.<h2>IS IT LEGAL?</h2>That depends on who you ask, but the question hasn’t been taken up by a federal court.Instead of creating a new payment plan from scratch, the Biden administration proposed changes to an existing plan. It cemented those changes by going through a negotiated rulemaking process that allows the Education Department to develop federal regulations without Congress.It’s a process that’s commonly used by administrations from both political parties. But critics question whether the new plan goes further than the law allows.More than 60 Republicans lawmakers urged Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to withdraw the plan in February, calling it “reckless, fiscally irresponsible, and blatantly illegal.”Supporters argue that the Obama administration similarly used its authority to create a repayment plan that was more generous than any others at the time.The Biden administration formally finalized the rule this month. Conservatives believe it’s vulnerable to a legal challenge, and some say it’s just a matter of finding a plaintiff with the legal right — or standing — to sue.

Battle continues: Biden has new plan to forgive student debt

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

An 18 year-old from Stockton was found guilty of three child
sex crimes Tuesday in Ellis County District Court.

Kevin J. Russell, 18, Stockton, pleaded no contest to three separate
charges of indecent liberties with a child resulting from three different
cases.

Russell was initially charged with seven counts for the
three different incidents that happened on three separate days in December 2022.

According to court documents, Russell was charged with two
counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of indecent
liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated battery, and criminal sodomy.

He was accused of fondling a child younger than the age of 14 and a
15-year-old child and having sex with a 15-year-old child between Dec. 11
and Dec. 23, 2022.

As a result of the plea agreement, four of the seven charges were dropped.

Ellis County District Court Judge Glenn Braun accepted the
no contest pleas and found Russell guilty on the three counts of indecent
liberties with a child, a level 5 person felony.

Russell faces between 34 and 31 months in prison for each charge,
with a maximum of 102 months in prison if the three sentences are run
consecutively.

According to the plea agreement, Russell can file a motion
for durational departure and request the judge sentence him to probation
in lieu of jail time. His attorney, Cheryl Stewart said Tuesday they will ask the
judge for probation at sentencing.

As a result of the convictions, Russell will be required to
register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Sentencing has been scheduled for August.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689211222398.png" alt="Russell-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Russell-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostAn 18 year-old from Stockton was found guilty of three child
sex crimes Tuesday in Ellis County District Court.Kevin J. Russell, 18, Stockton, pleaded no contest to three separate
charges of indecent liberties with a child resulting from three different
cases.Russell was initially charged with seven counts for the
three different incidents that happened on three separate days in December 2022.According to court documents, Russell was charged with two
counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of indecent
liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated battery, and criminal sodomy.He was accused of fondling a child younger than the age of 14 and a
15-year-old child and having sex with a 15-year-old child between Dec. 11
and Dec. 23, 2022.As a result of the plea agreement, four of the seven charges were dropped.Ellis County District Court Judge Glenn Braun accepted the
no contest pleas and found Russell guilty on the three counts of indecent
liberties with a child, a level 5 person felony.Russell faces between 34 and 31 months in prison for each charge,
with a maximum of 102 months in prison if the three sentences are run
consecutively.According to the plea agreement, Russell can file a motion
for durational departure and request the judge sentence him to probation
in lieu of jail time. His attorney, Cheryl Stewart said Tuesday they will ask the
judge for probation at sentencing.As a result of the convictions, Russell will be required to
register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.Sentencing has been scheduled for August.

NW Kansas man guilty of child sex crimes

LOS ANGELES&nbsp;– A federal grand jury Wednesday returned an indictment against a man from Hays, Kansas and a man from West Los Angeles who allegedly ran a decade-long telemarketing scam primarily targeting elderly victims that fraudulently obtained more than $4.5 million via false promises to help victims sell or rent their timeshare properties.

Michael Alexai Dragunov, 44, whose aliases include “Michael Anthony Farole,” “Michael LeFleur,” “Victor Romano,” and “James Logan,” is charged in the 10-count indictment along with Christopher Michael Lang, 42, of Hays, Kansas, whose aliases include “Scott Graham,” “Don Lewis,” and “Jack Morgan.”

Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and email marketing targeting the elderly.

Dragunov was arrested on a federal criminal complaint in this matter on June 28 and was ordered jailed without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for July 18 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Lang was arrested in Kansas on June 28 and is expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

According to the indictment, from August 2013 to June 2023, Dragunov and Lang purported to represent companies that provided advertising and other services to current or former timeshare owners. The companies included Premier Marketing LLC, CML Marketing Specialists Inc., Condo Rental Associates LLC, and Paramount Media LLC.

Dragunov and Lang allegedly contacted victims, many of whom were elderly, and, to conceal the fraudulent scheme and their true identities, the defendants also used Skype messaging service phone numbers and used aliases instead of their true names.

Victims allegedly were induced to enter into agreements with the defendants’ telemarketing companies – agreements that were formalized in documents that were faxed or sent electronically – by falsely representing that the telemarketing companies would assist the victims with selling or renting their timeshare properties for a “one time” advertising fee.

Despite the recurring fees that each victim paid, often reaching the hundreds of thousands over several years, no victim received the timeshare-related services or proceeds promised, the indictment alleges.

To dupe victims into sending them more money, Dragunov and Lang allegedly told their victims a series of lies, including that the fees being requested would be refunded or reimbursed to the victims upon completion of the sale or rental of the victims’ timeshare, that the victims still owed taxes on the timeshare properties, and if the victims tried to dispute their payments to the telemarketing companies, the victims would automatically lose their disputes and lose all funds paid and any proceeds from a sale or rental of their timeshares.

To create the false impression that the telemarketing companies were legitimate, Dragunov and Lang pretended to be the companies’ customers and engaged in hundreds of phony small transactions with the companies’ payment processing accounts, according to the indictment.

Dragunov and Lang also allegedly concealed material facts from the victims, including the fact that their money was being used to personally enrich themselves.

If convicted of all charges, Dragunov and Lang would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Henry County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Department; Hays (Kansas) Police Department; and United States Marshals Service provided substantial assistance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688408367149.png" alt="Christopher Lang was booked into the Shawnee Co. Jail June 28.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Christopher Lang was booked into the Shawnee Co. Jail June 28.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES&nbsp;– A federal grand jury Wednesday returned an indictment against a man from Hays, Kansas and a man from West Los Angeles who allegedly ran a decade-long telemarketing scam primarily targeting elderly victims that fraudulently obtained more than $4.5 million via false promises to help victims sell or rent their timeshare properties.Michael Alexai Dragunov, 44, whose aliases include “Michael Anthony Farole,” “Michael LeFleur,” “Victor Romano,” and “James Logan,” is charged in the 10-count indictment along with Christopher Michael Lang, 42, of Hays, Kansas, whose aliases include “Scott Graham,” “Don Lewis,” and “Jack Morgan.”Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and email marketing targeting the elderly.Dragunov was arrested on a federal criminal complaint in this matter on June 28 and was ordered jailed without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for July 18 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Lang was arrested in Kansas on June 28 and is expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.According to the indictment, from August 2013 to June 2023, Dragunov and Lang purported to represent companies that provided advertising and other services to current or former timeshare owners. The companies included Premier Marketing LLC, CML Marketing Specialists Inc., Condo Rental Associates LLC, and Paramount Media LLC.Dragunov and Lang allegedly contacted victims, many of whom were elderly, and, to conceal the fraudulent scheme and their true identities, the defendants also used Skype messaging service phone numbers and used aliases instead of their true names.Victims allegedly were induced to enter into agreements with the defendants’ telemarketing companies – agreements that were formalized in documents that were faxed or sent electronically – by falsely representing that the telemarketing companies would assist the victims with selling or renting their timeshare properties for a “one time” advertising fee.Despite the recurring fees that each victim paid, often reaching the hundreds of thousands over several years, no victim received the timeshare-related services or proceeds promised, the indictment alleges.To dupe victims into sending them more money, Dragunov and Lang allegedly told their victims a series of lies, including that the fees being requested would be refunded or reimbursed to the victims upon completion of the sale or rental of the victims’ timeshare, that the victims still owed taxes on the timeshare properties, and if the victims tried to dispute their payments to the telemarketing companies, the victims would automatically lose their disputes and lose all funds paid and any proceeds from a sale or rental of their timeshares.To create the false impression that the telemarketing companies were legitimate, Dragunov and Lang pretended to be the companies’ customers and engaged in hundreds of phony small transactions with the companies’ payment processing accounts, according to the indictment.Dragunov and Lang also allegedly concealed material facts from the victims, including the fact that their money was being used to personally enrich themselves.If convicted of all charges, Dragunov and Lang would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count.An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Henry County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Department; Hays (Kansas) Police Department; and United States Marshals Service provided substantial assistance.

Kan. man charged with wire fraud in $4.5M timeshare scheme

By Andy Miller <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing funding to states for child vaccination programs, according to an agency email obtained by KFF Health News.

The funding cut “is a significant change to your budget,” said the email to immunization managers, dated June 27 and signed by two CDC officials.

The immunization managers who received the message are public health officials who direct state, territorial, and local programs to promote vaccinations against a variety of infectious diseases, such as measles and chickenpox.

The reduction comes from a federal immunization grant — totaling about $680 million in the latest year — that supports vaccination programs for children, according to the Association of Immunization Managers.

“There will be no easy solution for this,” said the CDC email. “We know that this change will require some tough decisions.”

When asked about the change, CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said last week, “The budgetary impact is still being worked out.”

Agency officials linked the reduction to the debt ceiling deal recently struck by the Biden administration and Congress. The cut may result in less complete reporting on vaccinations, the CDC said.

The debt deal rescinded about $27 billion in unspent federal money that had been allocated to fight COVID. It also led the CDC to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rollcall.com/2023/06/14/cdc-alerts-states-of-cuts-to-sti-workforce-blames-debt-deal/#:~:text=The%20CDC%20told%20states%20on,recently%20passed%20debt%20ceiling%20deal.">remove $400 million in funding</a>&nbsp;to states for workers who fight the spread of sexually transmitted infections, according to an email obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, said Wednesday that jurisdictions are reporting that the cut amounts to 10% or more of their previous year’s award.

The targeted cut will affect programs that identify communities vulnerable to disease outbreaks, said Hannan. This information is used to prevent and manage outbreaks, Hannan added.

States and territories, along with a few cities, were expected to learn their federal funding amounts for child immunization last week, Hannan said. However, Jeff Powell, spokesperson for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said Friday the state had not received notice of a change in its funding level.

The budget cut comes as the number of children getting vaccinated dropped amid the COVID pandemic. During the 2021-22 school year, approximately&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7202a2.htm#:~:text=During%20the%202021%E2%80%9322%20school%20year%2C%20coverage%20with%20MMR%2C,school%20year%2C%20when%20children%20were">93% of kindergartners nationwide received</a>&nbsp;each of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis), polio, and varicella vaccines. That was down from 94% during the 2020-21 school year and 95% coverage during 2019-20.

Children who are not vaccinated are more likely to get diseases like measles and whooping cough, the CDC points out on its website. Outbreaks of these diseases have occurred recently, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

“Now is not the time to reduce federal support for routine childhood vaccine administration,” said Mark Del Monte, CEO of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We need to make sure every child remains fully up to date on their vaccinations as we approach back-to-school season, and that requires sustained investments in the vaccine delivery system.”

Shifting money from one area to another isn’t easy because of rigidity in the CDC’s budget, said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

Local public health agencies depend on federal funding to support their immunization programs, Benjamin said. He worries low-income families are especially vulnerable if local departments face budget cuts.

“This is what happens when you don’t pay attention to public health,” Benjamin said.

This article first appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News,</a>&nbsp;a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues, which is one of the core operating programs at KFF, an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.&nbsp;Read the original article&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/cdc-childhood-vaccinations-programs-funding-cut-public-health/view/republish/">here</a>.

By Andy Miller <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing funding to states for child vaccination programs, according to an agency email obtained by KFF Health News.The funding cut “is a significant change to your budget,” said the email to immunization managers, dated June 27 and signed by two CDC officials.The immunization managers who received the message are public health officials who direct state, territorial, and local programs to promote vaccinations against a variety of infectious diseases, such as measles and chickenpox.The reduction comes from a federal immunization grant — totaling about $680 million in the latest year — that supports vaccination programs for children, according to the Association of Immunization Managers.“There will be no easy solution for this,” said the CDC email. “We know that this change will require some tough decisions.”When asked about the change, CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said last week, “The budgetary impact is still being worked out.”Agency officials linked the reduction to the debt ceiling deal recently struck by the Biden administration and Congress. The cut may result in less complete reporting on vaccinations, the CDC said.The debt deal rescinded about $27 billion in unspent federal money that had been allocated to fight COVID. It also led the CDC to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rollcall.com/2023/06/14/cdc-alerts-states-of-cuts-to-sti-workforce-blames-debt-deal/#:~:text=The%20CDC%20told%20states%20on,recently%20passed%20debt%20ceiling%20deal.">remove $400 million in funding</a>&nbsp;to states for workers who fight the spread of sexually transmitted infections, according to an email obtained by CQ Roll Call.Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, said Wednesday that jurisdictions are reporting that the cut amounts to 10% or more of their previous year’s award.The targeted cut will affect programs that identify communities vulnerable to disease outbreaks, said Hannan. This information is used to prevent and manage outbreaks, Hannan added.States and territories, along with a few cities, were expected to learn their federal funding amounts for child immunization last week, Hannan said. However, Jeff Powell, spokesperson for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said Friday the state had not received notice of a change in its funding level.The budget cut comes as the number of children getting vaccinated dropped amid the COVID pandemic. During the 2021-22 school year, approximately&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7202a2.htm#:~:text=During%20the%202021%E2%80%9322%20school%20year%2C%20coverage%20with%20MMR%2C,school%20year%2C%20when%20children%20were">93% of kindergartners nationwide received</a>&nbsp;each of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis), polio, and varicella vaccines. That was down from 94% during the 2020-21 school year and 95% coverage during 2019-20.Children who are not vaccinated are more likely to get diseases like measles and whooping cough, the CDC points out on its website. Outbreaks of these diseases have occurred recently, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.“Now is not the time to reduce federal support for routine childhood vaccine administration,” said Mark Del Monte, CEO of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We need to make sure every child remains fully up to date on their vaccinations as we approach back-to-school season, and that requires sustained investments in the vaccine delivery system.”Shifting money from one area to another isn’t easy because of rigidity in the CDC’s budget, said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.Local public health agencies depend on federal funding to support their immunization programs, Benjamin said. He worries low-income families are especially vulnerable if local departments face budget cuts.“This is what happens when you don’t pay attention to public health,” Benjamin said.This article first appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News,</a>&nbsp;a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues, which is one of the core operating programs at KFF, an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.&nbsp;Read the original article&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/cdc-childhood-vaccinations-programs-funding-cut-public-health/view/republish/">here</a>.

CDC to reduce funding for states’ child vaccination programs

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two men accused in the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz Club in Wichita's Old Town have made their initial appearance in court.

On Tuesday 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram was charged with aggravated battery, 6 counts of aggravated assault, 3 counts of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;John D. Houze, 27, was charged on Tuesday with 6 counts of aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city. Both suspects are being held on a bond of $500,000. King-ingram and Houze are due back in court July 24.

On Tuesday evening police arrested a third suspect identified as&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; Six days ago police asked the public for help to locate Thomas. Police have not released details of the arrest. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740180\">He is being held on</a> requested charges of attempted first degree murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.&nbsp;The facts of Thomas’ involvement will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for a charging decision.

A Missouri man arrested in the case July 3 was not charged after the district attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later that day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688816302231.png" alt="King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two men accused in the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz Club in Wichita's Old Town have made their initial appearance in court.On Tuesday 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram was charged with aggravated battery, 6 counts of aggravated assault, 3 counts of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689015131240.png" alt="Houze has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon, fleeing police and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. -photo KDOC " />
 <figcaption>Houze has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon, fleeing police and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. -photo KDOC </figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;John D. Houze, 27, was charged on Tuesday with 6 counts of aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city. Both suspects are being held on a bond of $500,000. King-ingram and Houze are due back in court July 24.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689162087966.png" alt="Thomas was booked into jail just after 10p.m.. Tuesday, according to online jail records." />
 <figcaption>Thomas was booked into jail just after 10p.m.. Tuesday, according to online jail records.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday evening police arrested a third suspect identified as&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; Six days ago police asked the public for help to locate Thomas. Police have not released details of the arrest. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740180\">He is being held on</a> requested charges of attempted first degree murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.&nbsp;The facts of Thomas’ involvement will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for a charging decision.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>A Missouri man arrested in the case July 3 was not charged after the district attorney determined he was acting in self defense.Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later that day.

2 suspects charged for Wichita mass shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants Ukraine to win the war against Russia. But he doesn’t want World War III — especially with nuclear weapons.

(click below to watch the President's comments)

Balancing those two goals has been difficult, and the tension was on particular display at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-summit-ukraine-biden-2e7d25531e659bb9aa7274e203b0711b">the NATO summit in Vilnius</a>&nbsp;this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-joe-biden-ukraine-turkey-sweden-babfa62c0e9f0a76e5417a50c7701b2d">an emotional, even caustic, demand</a>&nbsp;for a clear path toward joining the alliance.

But Biden, who was to try to showcase NATO's strength in a sum-up speech Wednesday evening, was not willing to take that step, even as the United States continues to provide more weapons and ammunition than any other country to Ukraine.

The competing priorities in the midst of Europe’s bloodiest war in generations created an undercurrent of friction even as Biden and Zelenskyy projected a united front during their meeting as the summit drew to a close.

The public encounter had the vibe of two leaders clearing the air, and each conspicuously heaped praise on his counterpart.

Biden lauded Zelenskyy and Ukrainians for their courage by saying it's “been a model for the whole world to see.” Zelenskyy thanked Biden and the American people for billions of dollars in military assistance, saying that “you spend this money for our lives.”

Wearing a blue-and-yellow-striped tie in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, Biden acknowledged that Zelenskyy has occasionally been unsatisfied by unfulfilled requests for weapons.

“The frustration, I can only imagine," Biden said. "I know that you're many times frustrated about whether things get to you quickly enough, what's getting to you and how we're getting it. But I promise you, the United States is doing everything we can to get you what you need.”

Biden also said the war had created a sense of unity about opposing international aggression.

“It’s bringing the world together," he said. "It’s a hell of a price to pay, but it’s bringing the world together.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689177961581.png" alt="Biden lauded Zelenskyy and Ukrainians for their courage by saying it's “been a model for the whole world to see.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden lauded Zelenskyy and Ukrainians for their courage by saying it's “been a model for the whole world to see.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants Ukraine to win the war against Russia. But he doesn’t want World War III — especially with nuclear weapons.(click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F199272586432539%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=119" 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>Balancing those two goals has been difficult, and the tension was on particular display at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-summit-ukraine-biden-2e7d25531e659bb9aa7274e203b0711b">the NATO summit in Vilnius</a>&nbsp;this week.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-joe-biden-ukraine-turkey-sweden-babfa62c0e9f0a76e5417a50c7701b2d">an emotional, even caustic, demand</a>&nbsp;for a clear path toward joining the alliance.But Biden, who was to try to showcase NATO's strength in a sum-up speech Wednesday evening, was not willing to take that step, even as the United States continues to provide more weapons and ammunition than any other country to Ukraine.The competing priorities in the midst of Europe’s bloodiest war in generations created an undercurrent of friction even as Biden and Zelenskyy projected a united front during their meeting as the summit drew to a close.The public encounter had the vibe of two leaders clearing the air, and each conspicuously heaped praise on his counterpart.Biden lauded Zelenskyy and Ukrainians for their courage by saying it's “been a model for the whole world to see.” Zelenskyy thanked Biden and the American people for billions of dollars in military assistance, saying that “you spend this money for our lives.”Wearing a blue-and-yellow-striped tie in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, Biden acknowledged that Zelenskyy has occasionally been unsatisfied by unfulfilled requests for weapons.“The frustration, I can only imagine," Biden said. "I know that you're many times frustrated about whether things get to you quickly enough, what's getting to you and how we're getting it. But I promise you, the United States is doing everything we can to get you what you need.”Biden also said the war had created a sense of unity about opposing international aggression.“It’s bringing the world together," he said. "It’s a hell of a price to pay, but it’s bringing the world together.”The meeting came after a few other encounters between Biden and Zelenskyy at the summit. They sat close to each other at the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, a new forum that's intended to give Kyiv a greater voice within the alliance.And they shared the stage as the Group of Seven, which includes the world's most powerful democratic countries, announced plans for long-term security assistance for Ukraine.But Wednesday afternoon was the first opportunity for Biden and Zelenskyy to sit down privately with their advisers — after their public comments.And by then, Zelenskyy had softened his tone considerably. En route to Vilnius on Tuesday, he had blasted NATO's vague plans for Ukraine's eventual membership, tweeting, “It’s unprecedented and absurd when a time frame is set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine’s membership.”Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, said everyone “needs to look squarely at the fact” that allowing Ukraine to join NATO at this point “means war with Russia.”“That is an inescapable fact,” he told CNN.Sullivan credited Biden with ensuring that NATO is “more unified and more determined and more decisive than at any point.”“That’s President Biden’s legacy when it comes to NATO, and it’s one that he can be very proud of," he said.In an interview with The Associated Press before Biden left on his trip, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the president has been “heading in the right direction but not fast enough” when it comes to supporting Ukraine.“The weapons transfers never seem to happen as soon as they’re announced,” said McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. Although Ukrainians are “extremely grateful for the help,” he said, the assistance "frequently doesn’t get there soon enough to be the most effective.”Although McConnell has been a firm supporter of sending help to Ukraine, other Republicans have voiced skepticism, creating uncertainty about Biden's ability to make long-term financial commitments.