By JULIA DEBES Kansas Wheat

As the early stages of harvest shift from south-central to southwest Kansas, yields and morale are decreasing. Extreme drought in the area throughout the growing season is severely limiting yields, causing more abandonment and calls to the insurance adjuster in the region. Even fields that look somewhat decent from the road and are disappointing in the bin, adding to the stress from difficulties finding help and escalating fuel and input prices.

“It’s hard to get excited about this,” said Tyler Ediger, who farms with his family and raises seed wheat in Meade County.

He reported average yields up to 30 or 40 bushels per acre for the late-planted, later maturing varieties, which caught a break at the end with a few rain showers. Earlier varieties were already done by the time the rain arrived. He noted a neighbor had a field that looked great from the road but only averaged 18 bushels per acre because the heads didn’t fill. Other fields in the area are averaging only 10 to 15 bushels per acre.

Even with higher commodity prices this year, low yields and increased fuel prices are putting pressure on farmers in the area. Fuel costs alone are up $3 per acre from last year.

While the fields are short and thin and the seeds are small, there is some good news. Overall, yields are coming in about five bushels per acre more than expected for the area. The test weights are fantastic, ranging up to 65 pounds per bushel, and they’ve had no rust or disease pressure this year. Proteins are ranging from 11 to 15.5 percent.

This year’s harvest will wrap up in only seven days because they can move through the fields quickly, and no rainfall is in the forecast. They are trying to harvest as high as possible on these short fields to maximize stubble. Weeds are starting to come in, so Ediger emphasized the importance of spraying right away to control weeds and trying to keep the ground shaded to prevent further moisture loss.

Weeds could also be an issue in Ford County if a rain shower does pop up. One of the only upsides to the drought is that there was not a lot of rust in the area, although some farmers did need to spray fungicide, according to Mike Schmidt, grain division manager at Pride Ag Resources in Dodge City. There is also a below-average amount of wheat streak mosaic virus, which he attributed a lack of volunteer emergence last summer due to short moisture availability.

Harvest around Dodge City started on June 12 and will be completed by July 4. Yields are all over the place, ranging from six to 60 bushels per acre, depending on if it was summer fallow or double-cropped. Overall, he expects the area average to be 35 bushels per acre. Proteins are averaging 12.0 to 12.9 percent, and test weights are staying good at 60-61 pounds per bushel. Most area producers looking forward plan to stick with their crop rotations, regardless of input costs or wheat prices. Schmidt also noted local elevators are running with half the normal staff because they cannot find anyone to hire, one of the biggest challenges right now.

Luke Jaeger, who farms with his brother Matt in Clark, Ford and Meade counties, also noted concerns with finding truck drivers who can legally drive semis and echoed the severity of the drought conditions in the region.

Jaeger has been farming near Minneola for 26 years and said this was the “driest spring we’ve ever had.” More than half of the brothers’ wheat acres won’t be harvested at all, appraised at zero to two bushels per acre. Summer fallow fields are making 25 to 35 bushels per acre, and most continuous wheat won’t be harvested at all. Some fields received rain after the wheat was ripe, meaning weed pressure is now coming in. Because they no-till, the brothers will spray their fields as soon as harvest is over to control the weeds.

In Meade County south of Fowler, it’s even drier than south of Minneola. Even their irrigated wheat is not good, noting hot, dry, wind-scorched wheat. Proteins are higher than normal, ranging from 13 to 15 percent. He said farmers are extremely nervous. Even with no crop, they have some safety net provided by crop insurance. But they’re very worried about the skyrocketing costs of inputs and availability of “what we have to have to grow food.” He noted worsening rail and supply chain issues are creating ripple effects, and their biggest challenge is trying to manage chemical and fertilizer prices and availability.

“We work really hard to grow a quality product and raise the best quality product we can,” Jaeger said. This is done by “really listening to what your customer wants.”&nbsp;

The 2022 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use&nbsp;#wheatharvest22. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MrcDl8vRl73nM2Pubh8i2LNM0ENYkZgcDLpJyso9J48CLDIpSqOU1zILjfXgqCF6Y1LkYqOW9S0J8Y_-gHsK1GPPjg656XI_1vbtgcq2dfdU_vjOyAiAPi3oDiDgNaBjiJdWKrUadNiby45J8niqDlFYZxtqZLIk&amp;c=kBmqk4KVovrUlwZMCtfPEV2yBWx7-pNSXALX56hEyMqpfuNd5x-u_w==&amp;ch=D_ZwaJJFkqCi3fRSIYj-KhsrY3R65h9cbNOa_17vP1jTMFZjz9pTsQ==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MrcDl8vRl73nM2Pubh8i2LNM0ENYkZgcDLpJyso9J48CLDIpSqOU12nwRxbCODXrQggWY8jZFed7C9-yjSGzSJUrLuRLZglMWAAj2FgUWBmKVVujvDaihhAZEbTyCupeindaK-SotPi4GRj90Bb8i3WEbyppYUYL&amp;c=kBmqk4KVovrUlwZMCtfPEV2yBWx7-pNSXALX56hEyMqpfuNd5x-u_w==&amp;ch=D_ZwaJJFkqCi3fRSIYj-KhsrY3R65h9cbNOa_17vP1jTMFZjz9pTsQ==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MrcDl8vRl73nM2Pubh8i2LNM0ENYkZgcDLpJyso9J48CLDIpSqOU1_pG2avsei_Xr5fHqMVJLxXjqKFmjp7txsDRmhZzOh0QzK-kEMP8gCzNv8aOo9GpX2--jWL_QKuiDzJWfMp_wsuZIUWlzfCWNi07PcYkSprq&amp;c=kBmqk4KVovrUlwZMCtfPEV2yBWx7-pNSXALX56hEyMqpfuNd5x-u_w==&amp;ch=D_ZwaJJFkqCi3fRSIYj-KhsrY3R65h9cbNOa_17vP1jTMFZjz9pTsQ==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By JULIA DEBES Kansas WheatAs the early stages of harvest shift from south-central to southwest Kansas, yields and morale are decreasing. Extreme drought in the area throughout the growing season is severely limiting yields, causing more abandonment and calls to the insurance adjuster in the region. Even fields that look somewhat decent from the road and are disappointing in the bin, adding to the stress from difficulties finding help and escalating fuel and input prices. “It’s hard to get excited about this,” said Tyler Ediger, who farms with his family and raises seed wheat in Meade County. He reported average yields up to 30 or 40 bushels per acre for the late-planted, later maturing varieties, which caught a break at the end with a few rain showers. Earlier varieties were already done by the time the rain arrived. He noted a neighbor had a field that looked great from the road but only averaged 18 bushels per acre because the heads didn’t fill. Other fields in the area are averaging only 10 to 15 bushels per acre. Even with higher commodity prices this year, low yields and increased fuel prices are putting pressure on farmers in the area. Fuel costs alone are up $3 per acre from last year. While the fields are short and thin and the seeds are small, there is some good news. Overall, yields are coming in about five bushels per acre more than expected for the area. The test weights are fantastic, ranging up to 65 pounds per bushel, and they’ve had no rust or disease pressure this year. Proteins are ranging from 11 to 15.5 percent. This year’s harvest will wrap up in only seven days because they can move through the fields quickly, and no rainfall is in the forecast. They are trying to harvest as high as possible on these short fields to maximize stubble. Weeds are starting to come in, so Ediger emphasized the importance of spraying right away to control weeds and trying to keep the ground shaded to prevent further moisture loss. Weeds could also be an issue in Ford County if a rain shower does pop up. One of the only upsides to the drought is that there was not a lot of rust in the area, although some farmers did need to spray fungicide, according to Mike Schmidt, grain division manager at Pride Ag Resources in Dodge City. There is also a below-average amount of wheat streak mosaic virus, which he attributed a lack of volunteer emergence last summer due to short moisture availability. Harvest around Dodge City started on June 12 and will be completed by July 4. Yields are all over the place, ranging from six to 60 bushels per acre, depending on if it was summer fallow or double-cropped. Overall, he expects the area average to be 35 bushels per acre. Proteins are averaging 12.0 to 12.9 percent, and test weights are staying good at 60-61 pounds per bushel. Most area producers looking forward plan to stick with their crop rotations, regardless of input costs or wheat prices. Schmidt also noted local elevators are running with half the normal staff because they cannot find anyone to hire, one of the biggest challenges right now. Luke Jaeger, who farms with his brother Matt in Clark, Ford and Meade counties, also noted concerns with finding truck drivers who can legally drive semis and echoed the severity of the drought conditions in the region. Jaeger has been farming near Minneola for 26 years and said this was the “driest spring we’ve ever had.” More than half of the brothers’ wheat acres won’t be harvested at all, appraised at zero to two bushels per acre. Summer fallow fields are making 25 to 35 bushels per acre, and most continuous wheat won’t be harvested at all. Some fields received rain after the wheat was ripe, meaning weed pressure is now coming in. Because they no-till, the brothers will spray their fields as soon as harvest is over to control the weeds. In Meade County south of Fowler, it’s even drier than south of Minneola. Even their irrigated wheat is not good, noting hot, dry, wind-scorched wheat. Proteins are higher than normal, ranging from 13 to 15 percent. He said farmers are extremely nervous. Even with no crop, they have some safety net provided by crop insurance. But they’re very worried about the skyrocketing costs of inputs and availability of “what we have to have to grow food.” He noted worsening rail and supply chain issues are creating ripple effects, and their biggest challenge is trying to manage chemical and fertilizer prices and availability. “We work really hard to grow a quality product and raise the best quality product we can,” Jaeger said. This is done by “really listening to what your customer wants.”&nbsp;The 2022 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use&nbsp;#wheatharvest22. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MrcDl8vRl73nM2Pubh8i2LNM0ENYkZgcDLpJyso9J48CLDIpSqOU1zILjfXgqCF6Y1LkYqOW9S0J8Y_-gHsK1GPPjg656XI_1vbtgcq2dfdU_vjOyAiAPi3oDiDgNaBjiJdWKrUadNiby45J8niqDlFYZxtqZLIk&amp;c=kBmqk4KVovrUlwZMCtfPEV2yBWx7-pNSXALX56hEyMqpfuNd5x-u_w==&amp;ch=D_ZwaJJFkqCi3fRSIYj-KhsrY3R65h9cbNOa_17vP1jTMFZjz9pTsQ==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MrcDl8vRl73nM2Pubh8i2LNM0ENYkZgcDLpJyso9J48CLDIpSqOU12nwRxbCODXrQggWY8jZFed7C9-yjSGzSJUrLuRLZglMWAAj2FgUWBmKVVujvDaihhAZEbTyCupeindaK-SotPi4GRj90Bb8i3WEbyppYUYL&amp;c=kBmqk4KVovrUlwZMCtfPEV2yBWx7-pNSXALX56hEyMqpfuNd5x-u_w==&amp;ch=D_ZwaJJFkqCi3fRSIYj-KhsrY3R65h9cbNOa_17vP1jTMFZjz9pTsQ==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MrcDl8vRl73nM2Pubh8i2LNM0ENYkZgcDLpJyso9J48CLDIpSqOU1_pG2avsei_Xr5fHqMVJLxXjqKFmjp7txsDRmhZzOh0QzK-kEMP8gCzNv8aOo9GpX2--jWL_QKuiDzJWfMp_wsuZIUWlzfCWNi07PcYkSprq&amp;c=kBmqk4KVovrUlwZMCtfPEV2yBWx7-pNSXALX56hEyMqpfuNd5x-u_w==&amp;ch=D_ZwaJJFkqCi3fRSIYj-KhsrY3R65h9cbNOa_17vP1jTMFZjz9pTsQ==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Day 4: Kansas wheat harvest report

Hey Salina Liberty fans: What would you do for a pair of tickets to the Salina Liberty playoff game with the Billings Outlaws at 6:35 p.m. Saturday in Tony's Pizza Events Center? 

Salina Post has two pairs of tickets to the game!

Either go to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapost">Salina Post Facebook page</a> and comment on the pinned post or email <a href="mailto:admin@salinapost.com">admin@salinapost.com</a> and tell us what you would do for two tickets. Please keep your answers in the G-to-PG range. We'll select two winners and announce them at approximately 5 p.m. Friday. Tickets will be available for pickup at the Salina Liberty will-call on Saturday.

Remember, if Salina Liberty wins Saturday, they will will advance to Champions Bowl 7!

And if you can't make it to the game, you can listen to it on KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM). Go Liberty!

Hey Salina Liberty fans: What would you do for a pair of tickets to the Salina Liberty playoff game with the Billings Outlaws at 6:35 p.m. Saturday in Tony's Pizza Events Center? Salina Post has two pairs of tickets to the game!Either go to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapost">Salina Post Facebook page</a> and comment on the pinned post or email <a href="mailto:admin@salinapost.com">admin@salinapost.com</a> and tell us what you would do for two tickets. Please keep your answers in the G-to-PG range. We'll select two winners and announce them at approximately 5 p.m. Friday. Tickets will be available for pickup at the Salina Liberty will-call on Saturday.Remember, if Salina Liberty wins Saturday, they will will advance to Champions Bowl 7!And if you can't make it to the game, you can listen to it on KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM). Go Liberty!

Win tickets to the Salina Liberty playoff game!

New technology makes it nearly impossible to tell fake video or audio
 clips from real ones. Now, as the software used to create these 
“deepfakes” becomes more widespread, scammers are using it to steal 
money and sensitive information.

Deepfakes use artificial intelligence technology to create a 
seemingly real video or audio clip that mimics a person’s face, voice, 
or both. This kind of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/glenngow/2021/05/02/the-scary-truth-behind-the-fbi-warning-deepfake-fraud-is-here-and-its-serious-we-are-not-prepared/?sh=764802bb3179" target="_blank">synthetic content</a> is often used to spread misinformation by impersonating <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/08/11/fact-check-video-pelosi-altered-and-selectively-edited/3332920001/" target="_blank">politicians</a> and celebrities on social media.

However, that’s not the only use. Scammers are currently using deepfakes of corporate executives to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/fraudsters-use-ai-to-mimic-ceos-voice-in-unusual-cybercrime-case-11567157402" target="_blank">steal from large companies</a>.
 As the technology improves and becomes easier to use, we’ll likely see 
scammers using deepfakes to target individuals and small businesses too.

How can you spot a deepfake and avoid getting scammed? BBB recommends the following tips:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBNew technology makes it nearly impossible to tell fake video or audio
 clips from real ones. Now, as the software used to create these 
“deepfakes” becomes more widespread, scammers are using it to steal 
money and sensitive information.<h2>What is a deepfake?&nbsp;</h2>Deepfakes use artificial intelligence technology to create a 
seemingly real video or audio clip that mimics a person’s face, voice, 
or both. This kind of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/glenngow/2021/05/02/the-scary-truth-behind-the-fbi-warning-deepfake-fraud-is-here-and-its-serious-we-are-not-prepared/?sh=764802bb3179" target="_blank">synthetic content</a> is often used to spread misinformation by impersonating <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/08/11/fact-check-video-pelosi-altered-and-selectively-edited/3332920001/" target="_blank">politicians</a> and celebrities on social media.However, that’s not the only use. Scammers are currently using deepfakes of corporate executives to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/fraudsters-use-ai-to-mimic-ceos-voice-in-unusual-cybercrime-case-11567157402" target="_blank">steal from large companies</a>.
 As the technology improves and becomes easier to use, we’ll likely see 
scammers using deepfakes to target individuals and small businesses too.How can you spot a deepfake and avoid getting scammed? BBB recommends the following tips:<h2>Protect yourself from deepfake scams </h2><ul>
 <li>Take a closer look at that video. <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/increasing_threats_of_deepfake_identities_0.pdf" target="_blank">Poor quality deepfakes are easy to identify</a>.
 Look for isolated blurry spots in the video, double edges to the face, 
changes in video quality during the video, unnatural blinking or no 
blinking, and changes in the background or lighting. If you notice any 
of these telltale signs, you’re probably looking at a deepfake video. </li><li>Listen closely to the audio. Fake audio might 
include choppy sentences, unnatural or out-of-place inflection, odd 
phrasing, or background sounds that don’t match the speaker’s location. 
These are all signs of fake audio. </li><li>Don’t believe everything you see online. Scammers 
count on you to take them at their word without verifying their 
identity. Always use a healthy dose of skepticism when contacted by a 
person or company if you can’t validate who they really are. Be wary of 
videos featuring celebrities or politicians that are especially divisive
 or scandalous. </li><li>Make sure you know who you are talking to. As 
deepfake technology progresses, you’ll need to confirm the identity of 
who you are speaking with – even if you think you know and trust them. 
You might not send money to a stranger who calls you out of the blue, 
but if scammers start using deepfakes to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/13/what-are-deepfakes-and-how-can-you-spot-them" target="_blank">impersonate your loved ones</a>,
 falling victim could be easier. Pay attention if a friend or family 
member makes an out-of-character request and confirms their identity 
before sending money or giving up sensitive personal information. </li><li>Be careful what you post online. The only way a 
scammer can make a deepfake video of you is if they have access to a 
selection of photos and videos featuring your face. Stay alert to the 
possibility of impersonation. Make sure your family knows about 
deepfakes, and use caution when posting things publicly. </li><li>Don’t make financial decisions based on viral videos.
 If a celebrity insists you invest in bitcoin or donate funds to a 
specific charity in a viral video, do some research before you send 
money. Scammers would love to get their hands on your money by 
impersonating someone you trust. </li><li>Don’t assume an online persona is the real deal. 
Whether you are hiring a new employee or contacting an outside vendor, 
don’t assume someone exists just because they have video, photos, or 
audio on their online profiles. </li><li>Protect your business accounts. Use <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2021/210310-2.pdf" target="_blank">multi-factor authentication</a> on all systems to prevent scammers from using a deepfake to hack your account and impersonate you. </li><li>Train your employees to recognize deepfakes. Ensure your employees know what to look for, especially if they are in charge of your business’s finances or assets. </li><li>Be cautious when sharing information digitally. Don’t give in to <a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/technology/pages/deepfake-scams-may-be-on-the-rise.aspx#:~:text=Deepfake%20technology%20uses%20artificial%20intelligence,to%20identify%20the%20fake%20version." target="_blank">urgent requests</a>. Even if someone is threatening immediate action against you or your business. Take the time to verify their identity.</li>
 </ul>

BBB: How to spot a deepfake and avoid scams

<a href="https://www.nsrfh.com/obituary/jean-baker">Obituary | Jean Baker of Idana, Kansas | Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home (nsrfh.com)</a>

Jean Baker, 82, a lifetime resident in ldana, Kansas was born August 15, 1939, in Clay Center the daughter of Millard Franklin “Pete” and Rachel “Irene” (Hine) Fyfe. She died June 9, 2022 in Topeka, KS.

She attended the ldana Grade School and Clay Center High School. Upon graduation, she worked for Elmer Anderson Law firm for 27 years. Jean then started her own business, Jean Baker Tax Service. She continued to work until 2019, maybe just once or twice a year, as she loved her work and the contact with friends.

In 1957 she married Robert Baker, they later divorced. To this union she had the joy of one daughter, Bobbi Jean.

Jean was a lifelong member of the ldana Presbyterian Church. She always believed she had her own reserved seat. It was her strong faith that carried her through her life.

She loved spending time with family and friends. The family vacation had become a highlight of the summer. She so treasured that time. Oh, how she loved playing cards and winning and that always included visiting and having good food. Jean was definitely a "pillar" of strength and support to her family and friends. She was a good listener but also didn't hesitate to offer advice.

Jean was a loving sister, mother, life partner, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. 

She is survived by her partner and best friend of 47 years, Everett Burt. Also surviving are her three grandchildren-Scott Peterson, Spencer Peterson, Stacey Harding and husband Charles, six great-grandchildren, three sisters- Karen Starkey, Janet Cyre, and Cheryl Hawkinson and husband Jon, nieces and nephews. 

She was proceeded in death by her daughter Bobbi Jean Peterson, her parents, and beloved brother Richard Fyfe.

Funeral Services:&nbsp;Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Idana First Presbyterian Church in Idana, KS

Services will live stream at the link below: https://www.facebook.com/nsrfuneralhome/live&nbsp;

Visitation:&nbsp;Wednesday, June 15, 2022, from 4-7&nbsp; p.m. at Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home

Memorials:&nbsp;&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to ldana Presbyterian Church, Clay Center Zoo, or Hope House, Clay Center.&nbsp;

<h2>Jean Baker, Idana</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655216500541.png" alt="Jean Baker" />
 <figcaption>Jean Baker</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.nsrfh.com/obituary/jean-baker">Obituary | Jean Baker of Idana, Kansas | Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home (nsrfh.com)</a>Jean Baker, 82, a lifetime resident in ldana, Kansas was born August 15, 1939, in Clay Center the daughter of Millard Franklin “Pete” and Rachel “Irene” (Hine) Fyfe. She died June 9, 2022 in Topeka, KS.She attended the ldana Grade School and Clay Center High School. Upon graduation, she worked for Elmer Anderson Law firm for 27 years. Jean then started her own business, Jean Baker Tax Service. She continued to work until 2019, maybe just once or twice a year, as she loved her work and the contact with friends.In 1957 she married Robert Baker, they later divorced. To this union she had the joy of one daughter, Bobbi Jean.Jean was a lifelong member of the ldana Presbyterian Church. She always believed she had her own reserved seat. It was her strong faith that carried her through her life.She loved spending time with family and friends. The family vacation had become a highlight of the summer. She so treasured that time. Oh, how she loved playing cards and winning and that always included visiting and having good food. Jean was definitely a "pillar" of strength and support to her family and friends. She was a good listener but also didn't hesitate to offer advice.Jean was a loving sister, mother, life partner, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. She is survived by her partner and best friend of 47 years, Everett Burt. Also surviving are her three grandchildren-Scott Peterson, Spencer Peterson, Stacey Harding and husband Charles, six great-grandchildren, three sisters- Karen Starkey, Janet Cyre, and Cheryl Hawkinson and husband Jon, nieces and nephews. She was proceeded in death by her daughter Bobbi Jean Peterson, her parents, and beloved brother Richard Fyfe.Funeral Services:&nbsp;Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Idana First Presbyterian Church in Idana, KSServices will live stream at the link below: https://www.facebook.com/nsrfuneralhome/live&nbsp;Minister:&nbsp;Rev. Scott LingleBurial:&nbsp;Idana Cemetery, Idana, KSVisitation:&nbsp;Wednesday, June 15, 2022, from 4-7&nbsp; p.m. at Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral HomeMemorials:&nbsp;&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to ldana Presbyterian Church, Clay Center Zoo, or Hope House, Clay Center.&nbsp;

Jean Baker

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s closest campaign advisers, top government officials and even his family were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">dismantling his false claims</a>&nbsp;of 2020 election fraud ahead of Jan. 6, but the defeated president seemed “detached from reality” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-day-2-takeaways-5194979c436b3ee567e0dd20c7cc2f2d">clinging to outlandish theories</a>&nbsp;to stay in power, the committee investigating the Capitol attack was told Monday.

With gripping testimony,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/where-to-watch-jan-6-committee-hearings-98a4f76f23a5bab1ab6ed1638fd93294">the panel is laying out in step by step fashion</a>&nbsp;how Trump ignored his own campaign team’s data as one state after another flipped to Joe Biden, and instead latched on to conspiracy theories, court cases and his own declarations of victory rather than having to admit defeat.

Trump’s “big lie” of election fraud escalated and transformed into marching orders that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-presidential-elections-new-mexico-election-2020-fcb3a9ba822a570f360ce03011ee83dc">summoned</a>&nbsp;supporters to Washington and then sent them to the Capitol on Jan. 6 to block Biden’s victory.

“He’s become detached from reality if he really believes this stuff,” said former Attorney General William Barr, who called the voting fraud claims “bull——,” “bogus” and “idiotic,” and resigned in the aftermath. “I didn’t want to be a part of it.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-day-2-takeaways-5194979c436b3ee567e0dd20c7cc2f2d">House 1/6 committee spent the morning hearing delving into Trump’s false claims of election fraud</a>&nbsp;and the countless ways those around him tried to convince the defeated Republican president they were not true, and that he had simply lost the election.

The witnesses Monday, mostly all Republicans and many testifying in pre-recorded videos, described in blunt terms and sometimes exasperated details how Trump refused to take the advice of those closest to him, including his family members. As the people around him splintered into a “team normal” headed by former campaign manager Bill Stepien and others led by Trump confident Rudy Giuliani, the president chose his sides.

On election night, Stepien said, Trump was “growing increasingly unhappy” and refusing to accept the “grim outlook.”

Son-in-law Jared Kushner tried to steer Trump away from attorney Giuliani and his far-flung theories of voter fraud that advisers believed were not true. The president would have none of it.

The back-and-forth intensified in the run-up to Jan. 6. Former Justice Department official Richard Donoghue recalled breaking down one claim after another — from a truckload of ballots in Pennsylvania to a missing suitcase of ballots in Georgia —- and telling Trump “much of the info you’re getting is false.”

Still, Trump pressed on with his false claims even after dozens of court cases collapsed.

The panel also provided new information about how Trump’s fundraising machine collected some $250 million with his campaigns to “Stop the Steal” and others in the aftermath of the November election, mostly from small-dollar donations from Americans. One plea for cash went out 30 minutes before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

“Not only was there the big lie, there was the big ripoff,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bennie-thompson">Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.,</a>&nbsp;opened Monday’s hearing saying Trump “betrayed the trust of the American people” and “tried to remain in office when people had voted him out.”

As the hearings play our for the public, they are also being watched by one of the most important viewers, Attorney General Merrick Garland, who must decide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-adam-schiff-government-and-politics-presidential-elections-d87892379e7e81c2907edef81a3b2b86">whether his department can and should prosecute Trump</a>. No sitting or former president has ever faced such an indictment.

“I am watching,” Garland said Monday at a press briefing at the Justice Department, even if he may not watch all the hearings live. “And I can assure you the Jan. 6 prosecutors are watching all of the hearings as well.”

Biden was getting updates but not watching “blow by blow,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Stepien was to be a key in-person witness Monday but abruptly backed out of appearing live because his wife went into labor. Stepien, who is still close to Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-elections-subpoenas-michael-flynn-08e816bf6f04e62fd71638755b392ed4">had been subpoenaed to appear</a>. He is now a top campaign adviser to the Trump-endorsed House candidate, Harriet Hageman, who is challenging committee vice chair&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-wyoming-presidential-4fd397e5ba68de1924f52c79507eff2f">Rep. Liz Cheney</a>&nbsp;in the Wyoming Republican primary.

The panel marched ahead after a morning scramble and delay, with witness after witness saying Trump latched on to and repeated false claims about the election although those closest told him the theories of stolen ballots or rigged voting machines were simply not true.

Stepien and senior adviser Jason Miller described how the festive mood at the White House on election night turned grim as Fox News announced Trump had lost the state of Arizona to Joe Biden, and aides worked to counsel Trump on what to do next.

But he ignored their advice, choosing to listen instead to Giuliani, who was described as inebriated by several witnesses. Giuliani issued a general denial on Monday, rejecting “all falsehoods” he said were being said about him.

Stepien said, “My belief, my recommendation was to say that votes were still being counted, it’s too early to tell, too early to call the race.”

But Trump “thought I was wrong. He told me so.”

Barr, who had also testified in last week’s blockbuster hearing, said that Trump was “as mad as I’d ever seen him” when the attorney general later explained that the Justice Department would not take sides in the election.

For the past year, the committee has been investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-government-and-politics-riots-d690e70ac850d8652b82c0c3e2fba5bf">the most violent attack on the Capitol</a>&nbsp;since the War of 1812, which some believe posed a grave threat to democracy.

Monday’s hearing also featured live witnesses, including Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News Channel political editor who declared on Election Night that Arizona was being won by Biden. Also appearing was the former U.S. attorney in Atlanta,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2020-f256ba4917d47e9728d216b014edfae9">BJay Pak</a>, who abruptly resigned after Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperge to find enough votes overturn his defeat.

The panel also heard from elections lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg who discussed the norms of election campaign challenges, and former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the city’s election board, who told the panel that regardless of how “fantastical” some of the claims that Trump and his team were making, the city officials investigated. He discussed facing threats after Trump criticized him in a tweet.

As he mulls another White House run, Trump insists the committee’s investigation is a “witch hunt.” Last week he said Jan. 6 “represented the greatest movement in the history of our country.”

Nine people died in the riot and its aftermath, including a Trump supporter shot and killed by Capitol police. More than 800 people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-conspiracy-crime-c2e427dc0fa16077d7fb98c06e61149f">have been arrested in the siege</a>, and members of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-proud-boys-donald-trump-congress-government-and-politics-a8baa24af07b20ab792f4ef6f4481fac">two extremist groups</a>&nbsp;have been indicted on rare sedition charges over their roles leading the charge into the Capitol.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6 riot</a>&nbsp;is delving deeper into what it calls “the big lie,” Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-riot-hearing-67ec5f32b1dd050a24c3312570fa6c67">false claims of voter fraud</a>&nbsp;that fueled his relentless effort to overturn the 2020 election and led a mob of his supporters to lay siege to the U.S. Capitol.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-liz-cheney-congress-election-2020-aeae280e0cae536f7c18bb09efea88ce">The 1/6 panel</a>&nbsp;resumes its hearings Monday with live witnesses, that were supposed to included Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien.

Early Monday, Stepien pulled out of the appearance before the&nbsp; committee. The panel says Stepien's appearance was canceled due to a family emergency.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bennie-thompson">Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.,</a>&nbsp;and vice chair&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-wyoming-presidential-4fd397e5ba68de1924f52c79507eff2f">Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.,</a>&nbsp;are set to lead the morning hearing after last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-impeachments-government-and-politics-ca37532811b317cf67ec076c5f80f9e6">blockbuster session drew nearly 20 million Americans</a>&nbsp;to see its prime-time findings.

For the past year, the committee has been investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-government-and-politics-riots-d690e70ac850d8652b82c0c3e2fba5bf">the most violent attack on the Capitol</a>&nbsp;since the War of 1812 to ensure such an assault never happens again. Its findings come as Trump is considering another run for the White House, and some warn that his effort to over turn Joe Biden’s election victory posed a grave threat to democracy.

In addition to Stepien, the committee is also set to hear testimony from Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News political editor closely involved in election night coverage who stood by the decision to declare Arizona as being won by Biden. He wrote about his experiences later in an op-ed and might be asked about Trump’s actions as Fox New declared states Biden won.

A second group of witnesses testifying Monday will be made up of election officials, investigators and experts who are likely to discuss Trump’s responses to the election, including dozens of failed court challenges, and how his actions diverged from U.S. norms.

Among them is the former U.S. attorney in Atlanta,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2020-f256ba4917d47e9728d216b014edfae9">BJay Pak</a>, who abruptly resigned after Trump pressured Georgia state officials to overturn his presidential defeat. Trump wanted to fire Pak as disloyal, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/byung-pak-resigns-us-attorney-georgia-3532643327838ac9b2bebe658d446f56">Pak stepped down</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s call urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s win in the state became public.

The panel will also hear from former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the election board and who faced down criticism as the state’s election was called for Biden; and noted Washington attorney and elections lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg.

As he mulls a White House run, Trump is decrying the investigation into his efforts to overturn Biden’s election a “witch hunt.” He said last week that Jan. 6 “represented the greatest movement in the history of our country.”

Nine people died in the riot and its aftermath, including a Trump supporter shot and killed by police. More than 800 people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-conspiracy-crime-c2e427dc0fa16077d7fb98c06e61149f">have been arrested in the siege</a>, and members of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-proud-boys-donald-trump-congress-government-and-politics-a8baa24af07b20ab792f4ef6f4481fac">two extremist groups</a>&nbsp;have been indicted on rare sedition charges over their roles leading the charge into the Capitol.

In its prime-time hearing, the committee laid out how Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-riot-hearing-67ec5f32b1dd050a24c3312570fa6c67">told over and over again</a>&nbsp;by his trusted aides and officials at the highest levels of government that there was no election fraud on a scale that could have changed the outcome. But Trump pursued his false claims about the election and beckoned supporters to Washington on Jan. 6 to overturn Biden’s victory as Congress was set to certify the Electoral College results.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-liz-cheney-congress-election-2020-aeae280e0cae536f7c18bb09efea88ce">Additional evidence is set to be released in hearings this week</a>&nbsp;focusing on Trump’s decision to ignore the outcome of the election and the court cases that ruled against him.

Monday’s hearing will also turn to the millions of dollars Trump’s team brought in fundraising in the run-up to Jan. 6, according to a committee aide who insisted on anonymity to discuss the details.

The committee has said most of those interviewed in the investigation are coming forward voluntarily, although some have wanted subpoenas to appear in public. It is unclear why Stepien was issued a subpoena. A Trump spokesman, Taylor Budowich, suggested that the committee’s decision to call Stepien was politically motivated.

Lawmakers indicated that perhaps their most important audience member over the course of the hearings may be Attorney General Merrick Garland, who must decide whether his department can and should prosecute Trump. They left no doubt as to their own view whether the evidence is sufficient to proceed.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said on CNN he doesn’t intend to “browbeat” Garland but noted the committee has already laid out in legal pleadings criminal statutes they believe Trump violated.

“I think that he knows, his staff knows, the U.S. attorneys know, what’s at stake here,” Raskin said.

No president or ex-president has ever been indicted. Garland has not specified whether he would be willing to prosecute, which would be complicated in a political election season in which Trump has openly flirted with the idea of running for president again.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655128386852.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s closest campaign advisers, top government officials and even his family were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">dismantling his false claims</a>&nbsp;of 2020 election fraud ahead of Jan. 6, but the defeated president seemed “detached from reality” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-day-2-takeaways-5194979c436b3ee567e0dd20c7cc2f2d">clinging to outlandish theories</a>&nbsp;to stay in power, the committee investigating the Capitol attack was told Monday.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pr5QUInmGI8?start=205" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>With gripping testimony,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/where-to-watch-jan-6-committee-hearings-98a4f76f23a5bab1ab6ed1638fd93294">the panel is laying out in step by step fashion</a>&nbsp;how Trump ignored his own campaign team’s data as one state after another flipped to Joe Biden, and instead latched on to conspiracy theories, court cases and his own declarations of victory rather than having to admit defeat.Trump’s “big lie” of election fraud escalated and transformed into marching orders that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-riots-presidential-elections-new-mexico-election-2020-fcb3a9ba822a570f360ce03011ee83dc">summoned</a>&nbsp;supporters to Washington and then sent them to the Capitol on Jan. 6 to block Biden’s victory.“He’s become detached from reality if he really believes this stuff,” said former Attorney General William Barr, who called the voting fraud claims “bull——,” “bogus” and “idiotic,” and resigned in the aftermath. “I didn’t want to be a part of it.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-day-2-takeaways-5194979c436b3ee567e0dd20c7cc2f2d">House 1/6 committee spent the morning hearing delving into Trump’s false claims of election fraud</a>&nbsp;and the countless ways those around him tried to convince the defeated Republican president they were not true, and that he had simply lost the election.The witnesses Monday, mostly all Republicans and many testifying in pre-recorded videos, described in blunt terms and sometimes exasperated details how Trump refused to take the advice of those closest to him, including his family members. As the people around him splintered into a “team normal” headed by former campaign manager Bill Stepien and others led by Trump confident Rudy Giuliani, the president chose his sides.On election night, Stepien said, Trump was “growing increasingly unhappy” and refusing to accept the “grim outlook.”Son-in-law Jared Kushner tried to steer Trump away from attorney Giuliani and his far-flung theories of voter fraud that advisers believed were not true. The president would have none of it.The back-and-forth intensified in the run-up to Jan. 6. Former Justice Department official Richard Donoghue recalled breaking down one claim after another — from a truckload of ballots in Pennsylvania to a missing suitcase of ballots in Georgia —- and telling Trump “much of the info you’re getting is false.”Still, Trump pressed on with his false claims even after dozens of court cases collapsed.The panel also provided new information about how Trump’s fundraising machine collected some $250 million with his campaigns to “Stop the Steal” and others in the aftermath of the November election, mostly from small-dollar donations from Americans. One plea for cash went out 30 minutes before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.“Not only was there the big lie, there was the big ripoff,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bennie-thompson">Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.,</a>&nbsp;opened Monday’s hearing saying Trump “betrayed the trust of the American people” and “tried to remain in office when people had voted him out.”As the hearings play our for the public, they are also being watched by one of the most important viewers, Attorney General Merrick Garland, who must decide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-adam-schiff-government-and-politics-presidential-elections-d87892379e7e81c2907edef81a3b2b86">whether his department can and should prosecute Trump</a>. No sitting or former president has ever faced such an indictment.“I am watching,” Garland said Monday at a press briefing at the Justice Department, even if he may not watch all the hearings live. “And I can assure you the Jan. 6 prosecutors are watching all of the hearings as well.”Biden was getting updates but not watching “blow by blow,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.Stepien was to be a key in-person witness Monday but abruptly backed out of appearing live because his wife went into labor. Stepien, who is still close to Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-elections-subpoenas-michael-flynn-08e816bf6f04e62fd71638755b392ed4">had been subpoenaed to appear</a>. He is now a top campaign adviser to the Trump-endorsed House candidate, Harriet Hageman, who is challenging committee vice chair&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-wyoming-presidential-4fd397e5ba68de1924f52c79507eff2f">Rep. Liz Cheney</a>&nbsp;in the Wyoming Republican primary.The panel marched ahead after a morning scramble and delay, with witness after witness saying Trump latched on to and repeated false claims about the election although those closest told him the theories of stolen ballots or rigged voting machines were simply not true.Stepien and senior adviser Jason Miller described how the festive mood at the White House on election night turned grim as Fox News announced Trump had lost the state of Arizona to Joe Biden, and aides worked to counsel Trump on what to do next.But he ignored their advice, choosing to listen instead to Giuliani, who was described as inebriated by several witnesses. Giuliani issued a general denial on Monday, rejecting “all falsehoods” he said were being said about him.Stepien said, “My belief, my recommendation was to say that votes were still being counted, it’s too early to tell, too early to call the race.”But Trump “thought I was wrong. He told me so.”Barr, who had also testified in last week’s blockbuster hearing, said that Trump was “as mad as I’d ever seen him” when the attorney general later explained that the Justice Department would not take sides in the election.For the past year, the committee has been investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-government-and-politics-riots-d690e70ac850d8652b82c0c3e2fba5bf">the most violent attack on the Capitol</a>&nbsp;since the War of 1812, which some believe posed a grave threat to democracy.Monday’s hearing also featured live witnesses, including Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News Channel political editor who declared on Election Night that Arizona was being won by Biden. Also appearing was the former U.S. attorney in Atlanta,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2020-f256ba4917d47e9728d216b014edfae9">BJay Pak</a>, who abruptly resigned after Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperge to find enough votes overturn his defeat.The panel also heard from elections lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg who discussed the norms of election campaign challenges, and former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the city’s election board, who told the panel that regardless of how “fantastical” some of the claims that Trump and his team were making, the city officials investigated. He discussed facing threats after Trump criticized him in a tweet.As he mulls another White House run, Trump insists the committee’s investigation is a “witch hunt.” Last week he said Jan. 6 “represented the greatest movement in the history of our country.”Nine people died in the riot and its aftermath, including a Trump supporter shot and killed by Capitol police. More than 800 people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-conspiracy-crime-c2e427dc0fa16077d7fb98c06e61149f">have been arrested in the siege</a>, and members of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-proud-boys-donald-trump-congress-government-and-politics-a8baa24af07b20ab792f4ef6f4481fac">two extremist groups</a>&nbsp;have been indicted on rare sedition charges over their roles leading the charge into the Capitol.------WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6 riot</a>&nbsp;is delving deeper into what it calls “the big lie,” Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-riot-hearing-67ec5f32b1dd050a24c3312570fa6c67">false claims of voter fraud</a>&nbsp;that fueled his relentless effort to overturn the 2020 election and led a mob of his supporters to lay siege to the U.S. Capitol.Click below to watch at 9a.m. CDT<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pr5QUInmGI8?start=205" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-liz-cheney-congress-election-2020-aeae280e0cae536f7c18bb09efea88ce">The 1/6 panel</a>&nbsp;resumes its hearings Monday with live witnesses, that were supposed to included Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien.Early Monday, Stepien pulled out of the appearance before the&nbsp; committee. The panel says Stepien's appearance was canceled due to a family emergency.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bennie-thompson">Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.,</a>&nbsp;and vice chair&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-wyoming-presidential-4fd397e5ba68de1924f52c79507eff2f">Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.,</a>&nbsp;are set to lead the morning hearing after last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-impeachments-government-and-politics-ca37532811b317cf67ec076c5f80f9e6">blockbuster session drew nearly 20 million Americans</a>&nbsp;to see its prime-time findings.For the past year, the committee has been investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-government-and-politics-riots-d690e70ac850d8652b82c0c3e2fba5bf">the most violent attack on the Capitol</a>&nbsp;since the War of 1812 to ensure such an assault never happens again. Its findings come as Trump is considering another run for the White House, and some warn that his effort to over turn Joe Biden’s election victory posed a grave threat to democracy.In addition to Stepien, the committee is also set to hear testimony from Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News political editor closely involved in election night coverage who stood by the decision to declare Arizona as being won by Biden. He wrote about his experiences later in an op-ed and might be asked about Trump’s actions as Fox New declared states Biden won.A second group of witnesses testifying Monday will be made up of election officials, investigators and experts who are likely to discuss Trump’s responses to the election, including dozens of failed court challenges, and how his actions diverged from U.S. norms.Among them is the former U.S. attorney in Atlanta,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2020-f256ba4917d47e9728d216b014edfae9">BJay Pak</a>, who abruptly resigned after Trump pressured Georgia state officials to overturn his presidential defeat. Trump wanted to fire Pak as disloyal, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/byung-pak-resigns-us-attorney-georgia-3532643327838ac9b2bebe658d446f56">Pak stepped down</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s call urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s win in the state became public.The panel will also hear from former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the election board and who faced down criticism as the state’s election was called for Biden; and noted Washington attorney and elections lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg.As he mulls a White House run, Trump is decrying the investigation into his efforts to overturn Biden’s election a “witch hunt.” He said last week that Jan. 6 “represented the greatest movement in the history of our country.”Nine people died in the riot and its aftermath, including a Trump supporter shot and killed by police. More than 800 people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-conspiracy-crime-c2e427dc0fa16077d7fb98c06e61149f">have been arrested in the siege</a>, and members of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-proud-boys-donald-trump-congress-government-and-politics-a8baa24af07b20ab792f4ef6f4481fac">two extremist groups</a>&nbsp;have been indicted on rare sedition charges over their roles leading the charge into the Capitol.In its prime-time hearing, the committee laid out how Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-riot-hearing-67ec5f32b1dd050a24c3312570fa6c67">told over and over again</a>&nbsp;by his trusted aides and officials at the highest levels of government that there was no election fraud on a scale that could have changed the outcome. But Trump pursued his false claims about the election and beckoned supporters to Washington on Jan. 6 to overturn Biden’s victory as Congress was set to certify the Electoral College results.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-liz-cheney-congress-election-2020-aeae280e0cae536f7c18bb09efea88ce">Additional evidence is set to be released in hearings this week</a>&nbsp;focusing on Trump’s decision to ignore the outcome of the election and the court cases that ruled against him.Monday’s hearing will also turn to the millions of dollars Trump’s team brought in fundraising in the run-up to Jan. 6, according to a committee aide who insisted on anonymity to discuss the details.The committee has said most of those interviewed in the investigation are coming forward voluntarily, although some have wanted subpoenas to appear in public. It is unclear why Stepien was issued a subpoena. A Trump spokesman, Taylor Budowich, suggested that the committee’s decision to call Stepien was politically motivated.Lawmakers indicated that perhaps their most important audience member over the course of the hearings may be Attorney General Merrick Garland, who must decide whether his department can and should prosecute Trump. They left no doubt as to their own view whether the evidence is sufficient to proceed.Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said on CNN he doesn’t intend to “browbeat” Garland but noted the committee has already laid out in legal pleadings criminal statutes they believe Trump violated.“I think that he knows, his staff knows, the U.S. attorneys know, what’s at stake here,” Raskin said.No president or ex-president has ever been indicted. Garland has not specified whether he would be willing to prosecute, which would be complicated in a political election season in which Trump has openly flirted with the idea of running for president again.___

🎥 Replay: Day 2 of House January 6 panel hearings

This season, AJ's in The Alley in downtown Salina is the home for the Coach Heron O'Neal Show.

If you can't be there in person, you can watch the show live on Salina Post or listen to it on KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays! Click the link below to watch the show.

This season, AJ's in The Alley in downtown Salina is the home for the Coach Heron O'Neal Show.If you can't be there in person, you can watch the show live on Salina Post or listen to it on KINA (910 AM and 107.5 FM) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays! Click the link below to watch the show.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ijuZHqASnU"></iframe>
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Watch the Coach Heron O'Neal Show live at 5:30 tonight!

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It's now been over three months since the Cottonwood Complex fire and Reno County VOAD is continuing to come alongside those who are recovering from the damage to their lives.

"Myself and Megan at the Salvation Army, the two of us are visiting with people every day," said Amy Bretz with the United Way of Reno County. "They are calling, asking questions, the biggest thing that we are doing right now is helping people with getting their water hooked back up if they are moving back out there, getting electric lines back in. There are foundations that still need to come out. Since March, there have been many people involved in this process."

The VOAD couldn't have helped nearly as fast as they have without numerous local volunteers and organizations like Mennonite Disaster Services and Interfaith Housing and the overall support of Hutchinson and the surrounding community.

Bretz said that for most people, the property they have is still home, even though they need to rebuild.

"Some have moved out of that area, they were insured and were able to purchase another home and go somewhere else," Bretz said. "For the most part, most of the people who live there who have lost everything, they want to be back on their properties. They have some beautiful spaces out there. It's private. There are beautiful trees. They are out in the country and that's where they want to be, so we want to be sensitive to what their needs are and what their desires are, and help them move in that direction."

There's also the emotional toll that the memory of that day's events continues to take. Bretz has to use her training in social work to help people to cope.

"This is a really traumatic thing that happened," Bretz said. "Those who were present that day, in that fire, trying to grab a pet, grab a loved one, get out of there, race through the smoke. The stories that we've heard, of course, are things that I have never dealt with. I don't know what that felt like, and to listen to them...I want people to talk about that. You need to tell that story. Some of my clients are very willing to talk about that. We discuss it and I ask questions about, you know, you wonder, how do you sleep at night when you wonder, could a fire come and get me again? That's real."

Over 40 properties were damaged in some way, but Bretz notes that the people out there are both resilient and giving, even as they pick up their own pieces.

"I have to give a shout out to the Cottonwood Fire survivors," Bretz said. "The kindness from these people has been amazing. The gratitude that they have shown all of us who are working with them has really been pretty awesome. They have consistently said, help my neighbor, help my neighbor. I'm going to be okay. Please make sure my neighbor is okay."

If you want to give and help, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitedwayofrenocounty.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=11">United Way is still taking donations</a>&nbsp;and 100% of the money will go to help victims. They are not taking any administrative overhead on this project.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654951436825.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — It's now been over three months since the Cottonwood Complex fire and Reno County VOAD is continuing to come alongside those who are recovering from the damage to their lives."Myself and Megan at the Salvation Army, the two of us are visiting with people every day," said Amy Bretz with the United Way of Reno County. "They are calling, asking questions, the biggest thing that we are doing right now is helping people with getting their water hooked back up if they are moving back out there, getting electric lines back in. There are foundations that still need to come out. Since March, there have been many people involved in this process."The VOAD couldn't have helped nearly as fast as they have without numerous local volunteers and organizations like Mennonite Disaster Services and Interfaith Housing and the overall support of Hutchinson and the surrounding community.Bretz said that for most people, the property they have is still home, even though they need to rebuild."Some have moved out of that area, they were insured and were able to purchase another home and go somewhere else," Bretz said. "For the most part, most of the people who live there who have lost everything, they want to be back on their properties. They have some beautiful spaces out there. It's private. There are beautiful trees. They are out in the country and that's where they want to be, so we want to be sensitive to what their needs are and what their desires are, and help them move in that direction."There's also the emotional toll that the memory of that day's events continues to take. Bretz has to use her training in social work to help people to cope."This is a really traumatic thing that happened," Bretz said. "Those who were present that day, in that fire, trying to grab a pet, grab a loved one, get out of there, race through the smoke. The stories that we've heard, of course, are things that I have never dealt with. I don't know what that felt like, and to listen to them...I want people to talk about that. You need to tell that story. Some of my clients are very willing to talk about that. We discuss it and I ask questions about, you know, you wonder, how do you sleep at night when you wonder, could a fire come and get me again? That's real."Over 40 properties were damaged in some way, but Bretz notes that the people out there are both resilient and giving, even as they pick up their own pieces."I have to give a shout out to the Cottonwood Fire survivors," Bretz said. "The kindness from these people has been amazing. The gratitude that they have shown all of us who are working with them has really been pretty awesome. They have consistently said, help my neighbor, help my neighbor. I'm going to be okay. Please make sure my neighbor is okay."If you want to give and help, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitedwayofrenocounty.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=11">United Way is still taking donations</a>&nbsp;and 100% of the money will go to help victims. They are not taking any administrative overhead on this project.

Reno County fire recover effort continues

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a wide-ranging gun control bill Wednesday in response to recent mass shootings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">Buffalo, New York</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>, that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds.

The legislation passed by a mostly party-line vote of 223-204. All members of the Kansas GOP delegation including Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted against the measure.&nbsp;

Five Republicans voted for the bill: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Chris Jacobs of New York, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Fred Upton of Michigan.

 It has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks.

 But the House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show are widely supported.

“We can’t save every life, but my God, shouldn’t we try? America we hear you and today in the House we are taking the action you are demanding,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. “Take note of who is with you and who is not.”

The push comes after a House committee heard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-texas-violence-gun-government-and-politics-4e9fd73d179e2448d80271abbe016fd4">wrenching testimony</a>&nbsp;from recent shooting victims and family members, including from 11-year-old girl Miah Cerrillo, who covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot at the Uvalde elementary school.

(Click below to listen to Miah's testimony)

The seemingly never-ending cycle of mass shootings in the United States has rarely stirred Congress to act. But the shooting of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde has revived efforts in a way that has lawmakers from both parties talking about the need to respond.

“It’s sickening, it’s sickening that our children are forced to live in this constant fear,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Pelosi said the House vote would “make history by making progress.” But it’s unclear where the House measure will go after Wednesday’s vote, given that Republicans were adamant in their opposition.

“The answer is not to destroy the Second Amendment, but that is exactly where the Democrats want to go,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

The work to find common ground is mostly taking place in the Senate, where support from 10 Republicans will be needed to get a bill signed into law. Nearly a dozen Democratic and Republican senators met privately for an hour Wednesday in hopes of reaching a framework for compromise legislation by week’s end. Participants said more conversations were needed about a plan that is expected to propose modest steps.

In a measure of the political peril that efforts to curb guns pose for Republicans, five of the six lead Senate GOP negotiators do not face reelection until 2026. They are Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The sixth, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, is retiring in January. It’s also notable that none of the six is seeking the Republican presidential nomination.

While Cornyn has said the talks are serious, he has not joined the chorus of Democrats saying the outlines of a deal could be reached by the end of this week. He told reporters Wednesday that he considers having an agreement before Congress begins a recess in late June to be “an aspirational goal.”

The House bill stitches together a variety of proposal Democrats had introduced before the recent shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde. The suspects in the shootings at the Uvalde, elementary school and Buffalo supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the semi-automatic weapons used in the attacks. The bill would increase the minimum age to buy such weapons to 21.

“A person under 21 cannot buy a Budweiser. We should not let a person under 21 buy an AR-15 weapon of war,” said Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif.

Republicans have noted that a U.S. appeals court ruling last month found California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 was unconstitutional.

“This is unconstitutional and it’s immoral. Why is it immoral? Because we’re telling 18, 19 and 20-year-olds to register for the draft. You can go die for your country. We expect you to defend us, but we’re not going to give you the tools to defend yourself and your family,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

The House bill also includes incentives designed to increase the use of safe gun storage devises and creates penalties for violating safe storage requirements, providing for a fine and imprisonment of up to five years if a gun is not properly stored and is subsequently used by a minor to injure or kill themselves or another individual.

It also builds on executive actions banning fast-action “bump stock” devices and “ghost guns” that are assembled without serial numbers.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre hailed the House bill, tweeting, “We continue to work hard with both parties to save lives and stand up for families.”&nbsp;

On the Democratic side, Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only no votes. Schrader lost his reelection bid in the Democratic primary. Golden faces a competitive election in November.

The House is also expected to approve a bill Thursday that would allow families, police and others to ask federal courts to order the removal of firearms from people who are believed to be at extreme risk of harming themselves or others.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently have such “red flag laws.” Under the House bill, a judge could issue an order to temporarily remove and store the firearms until a hearing can be held no longer than two weeks later to determine whether the firearms should be returned or kept for a specific period.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654786081395.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House vote would “make history by making progress.” But it’s unclear where the House measure will go after Wednesday’s vote, given that Republicans were adamant in their opposition." />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House vote would “make history by making progress.” But it’s unclear where the House measure will go after Wednesday’s vote, given that Republicans were adamant in their opposition.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a wide-ranging gun control bill Wednesday in response to recent mass shootings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">Buffalo, New York</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>, that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds.The legislation passed by a mostly party-line vote of 223-204. All members of the Kansas GOP delegation including Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted against the measure.&nbsp;Five Republicans voted for the bill: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Chris Jacobs of New York, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Fred Upton of Michigan. It has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last night, House Democrats blocked the STOP II School Safety Act. This bill, which I cosponsored, improves school safety, supports mental health care, and expands law enforcement information sharing—all without infringing on the 2A rights of law-abiding citizens. Learn more 👇 <a href="https://t.co/4V0ANx7Dsk">pic.twitter.com/4V0ANx7Dsk</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1534898757275471872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> But the House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show are widely supported.“We can’t save every life, but my God, shouldn’t we try? America we hear you and today in the House we are taking the action you are demanding,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. “Take note of who is with you and who is not.”The push comes after a House committee heard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-texas-violence-gun-government-and-politics-4e9fd73d179e2448d80271abbe016fd4">wrenching testimony</a>&nbsp;from recent shooting victims and family members, including from 11-year-old girl Miah Cerrillo, who covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot at the Uvalde elementary school.(Click below to listen to Miah's testimony)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RejrxgL-vEI?start=2148" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The seemingly never-ending cycle of mass shootings in the United States has rarely stirred Congress to act. But the shooting of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde has revived efforts in a way that has lawmakers from both parties talking about the need to respond.“It’s sickening, it’s sickening that our children are forced to live in this constant fear,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.Pelosi said the House vote would “make history by making progress.” But it’s unclear where the House measure will go after Wednesday’s vote, given that Republicans were adamant in their opposition.“The answer is not to destroy the Second Amendment, but that is exactly where the Democrats want to go,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.The work to find common ground is mostly taking place in the Senate, where support from 10 Republicans will be needed to get a bill signed into law. Nearly a dozen Democratic and Republican senators met privately for an hour Wednesday in hopes of reaching a framework for compromise legislation by week’s end. Participants said more conversations were needed about a plan that is expected to propose modest steps.In a measure of the political peril that efforts to curb guns pose for Republicans, five of the six lead Senate GOP negotiators do not face reelection until 2026. They are Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The sixth, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, is retiring in January. It’s also notable that none of the six is seeking the Republican presidential nomination.While Cornyn has said the talks are serious, he has not joined the chorus of Democrats saying the outlines of a deal could be reached by the end of this week. He told reporters Wednesday that he considers having an agreement before Congress begins a recess in late June to be “an aspirational goal.”The House bill stitches together a variety of proposal Democrats had introduced before the recent shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde. The suspects in the shootings at the Uvalde, elementary school and Buffalo supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the semi-automatic weapons used in the attacks. The bill would increase the minimum age to buy such weapons to 21.“A person under 21 cannot buy a Budweiser. We should not let a person under 21 buy an AR-15 weapon of war,” said Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif.Republicans have noted that a U.S. appeals court ruling last month found California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 was unconstitutional.“This is unconstitutional and it’s immoral. Why is it immoral? Because we’re telling 18, 19 and 20-year-olds to register for the draft. You can go die for your country. We expect you to defend us, but we’re not going to give you the tools to defend yourself and your family,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.The House bill also includes incentives designed to increase the use of safe gun storage devises and creates penalties for violating safe storage requirements, providing for a fine and imprisonment of up to five years if a gun is not properly stored and is subsequently used by a minor to injure or kill themselves or another individual.It also builds on executive actions banning fast-action “bump stock” devices and “ghost guns” that are assembled without serial numbers.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre hailed the House bill, tweeting, “We continue to work hard with both parties to save lives and stand up for families.”&nbsp;On the Democratic side, Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon were the only no votes. Schrader lost his reelection bid in the Democratic primary. Golden faces a competitive election in November.The House is also expected to approve a bill Thursday that would allow families, police and others to ask federal courts to order the removal of firearms from people who are believed to be at extreme risk of harming themselves or others.Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently have such “red flag laws.” Under the House bill, a judge could issue an order to temporarily remove and store the firearms until a hearing can be held no longer than two weeks later to determine whether the firearms should be returned or kept for a specific period.

🎥Kan. GOP delegation voted against House-passed gun control bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — An 11-year-old girl who survived the mass shooting at an elementary school in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas,</a>&nbsp;recounted in video testimony to Congress on Wednesday how she covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot and “just stayed quiet.”

Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary School, told lawmakers in a pre-recorded video that she watched a teacher get shot in the head before looking for a place to hide.

“I thought he would come back so I covered myself with blood,” Miah told the House panel. “I put it all over me and I just stayed quiet.” She called 911 using the deceased teacher’s phone and pleaded for help.

Nineteen children and two teachers died when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle inside Robb Elementary School on May 24.

It was the second day lawmakers heard wrenching testimony on the nation’s gun violence. On Tuesday, a Senate panel heard from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-new-york-government-and-politics-gun-violence-2aaff6f50089767777d4bd8db8182bea">son of an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers</a>&nbsp;in Buffalo, New York, on May 14. Ten people died.

In the video Wednesday, Miah’s father, Miguel Cerillo, asked his daughter if she feels safe at school anymore. She shook her head no.

“Why?” he asks. “I don’t want it to happen again,” she responds.

The testimony at the House Oversight Committee came as lawmakers work to strike a bipartisan agreement on gun safety measures in the aftermath of back-to-back mass shootings.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the panel’s chairwoman, called the hearing to focus on the human impact of gun violence and the urgency for gun control legislation.

“I am asking every member of this committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives,” Maloney said. “Our witnesses today have endured pain and loss. Yet they are displaying incredible courage by coming here to ask us to do our jobs.”

But even as some lawmakers shed tears alongside the witnesses, the hearing displayed the contentious debate over gun control Congress has faced repeatedly after mass shootings. Several Republicans turned the conversation to the individuals who abuse guns and how “hardening schools” could help protect students.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who owns a gun store, said that one of the things he learned in his military service was that “the harder the target you are, the less likely you will be engaged by the enemy.” He called on schools to keep doors locked, provide a single point of entry and “a volunteer force of well-trained and armed staff, in addition to a school resource officer.”

The parents of victims and survivors implored lawmakers not to let their children’s deaths and pain be in vain. After Miah spoke, her father told lawmakers that he testified because “I could have lost my baby girl.”

“But she is not the same little girl that I use to play with,” Cerrillo said. “Schools are not safe anymore. Something needs to really change.”

Also testifying was Zeneta Everhart, whose 20-year-old son Zaire was wounded in the Buffalo mass shooting.

Everhart told lawmakers it was their duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and other Americans. She said that if they did not find the testimony moving enough to act on gun laws, they had an invitation to go to her home to help her clean her son’s wounds.

“My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back, and another on his left leg,” she said, then paused to compose herself. “As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children.”

The parents of Lexi Rubio, who died in her classroom in Uvalde, also testified. Felix and Kimberly Rubio recounted finding out about their daughter’s death hours after leaving Lexi’s school awards ceremony on the morning of the shooting.

To get to the elementary school, Kimberly Rubio said she ran barefoot for a mile with her sandals in her hand and with her husband by her side. A firefighter eventually gave them a ride back to the civic center.

“Soon after we received the news that our daughter was among the 19 students and two teachers that died as a result of gun violence,” she said, fighting through tears.

She said that Lexi would have made a positive change in the world if she had been given the chance.

“Somewhere out there, there’s a mom listening to our testimony, thinking I can’t even imagine their pain, not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now,” Kimberly Rubio said.

Dr. Roy Guerrero described in stark terms the carnage he witnessed at the local hospital as he tried to treat the injured. He went to the area of the hospital where two dead children had been taken. The bodies were so pulverized, he said, “that the only clue to their identities was the blood-splattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none.”

The Democratic-led House is expected to pass legislation that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.

But the legislation has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. The House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show appeal to a majority.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-violence-presidential-elections-shootings-5d769e174b200923e75e27b0051da225">Majorities of U.S. adults think mass shootings would occur less often</a>&nbsp;if guns were harder to get, and that schools and other public places have become less safe than they were two decades ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An 11-year-old girl who survived the mass shooting at an elementary school in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas,</a>&nbsp;recounted in video testimony to Congress on Wednesday how she covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot and “just stayed quiet.”<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RejrxgL-vEI?start=2147" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary School, told lawmakers in a pre-recorded video that she watched a teacher get shot in the head before looking for a place to hide.“I thought he would come back so I covered myself with blood,” Miah told the House panel. “I put it all over me and I just stayed quiet.” She called 911 using the deceased teacher’s phone and pleaded for help.Nineteen children and two teachers died when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle inside Robb Elementary School on May 24.It was the second day lawmakers heard wrenching testimony on the nation’s gun violence. On Tuesday, a Senate panel heard from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-new-york-government-and-politics-gun-violence-2aaff6f50089767777d4bd8db8182bea">son of an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers</a>&nbsp;in Buffalo, New York, on May 14. Ten people died.In the video Wednesday, Miah’s father, Miguel Cerillo, asked his daughter if she feels safe at school anymore. She shook her head no.“Why?” he asks. “I don’t want it to happen again,” she responds.The testimony at the House Oversight Committee came as lawmakers work to strike a bipartisan agreement on gun safety measures in the aftermath of back-to-back mass shootings.Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the panel’s chairwoman, called the hearing to focus on the human impact of gun violence and the urgency for gun control legislation.“I am asking every member of this committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives,” Maloney said. “Our witnesses today have endured pain and loss. Yet they are displaying incredible courage by coming here to ask us to do our jobs.”But even as some lawmakers shed tears alongside the witnesses, the hearing displayed the contentious debate over gun control Congress has faced repeatedly after mass shootings. Several Republicans turned the conversation to the individuals who abuse guns and how “hardening schools” could help protect students.Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who owns a gun store, said that one of the things he learned in his military service was that “the harder the target you are, the less likely you will be engaged by the enemy.” He called on schools to keep doors locked, provide a single point of entry and “a volunteer force of well-trained and armed staff, in addition to a school resource officer.”The parents of victims and survivors implored lawmakers not to let their children’s deaths and pain be in vain. After Miah spoke, her father told lawmakers that he testified because “I could have lost my baby girl.”“But she is not the same little girl that I use to play with,” Cerrillo said. “Schools are not safe anymore. Something needs to really change.”Also testifying was Zeneta Everhart, whose 20-year-old son Zaire was wounded in the Buffalo mass shooting.Everhart told lawmakers it was their duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and other Americans. She said that if they did not find the testimony moving enough to act on gun laws, they had an invitation to go to her home to help her clean her son’s wounds.“My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back, and another on his left leg,” she said, then paused to compose herself. “As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children.”The parents of Lexi Rubio, who died in her classroom in Uvalde, also testified. Felix and Kimberly Rubio recounted finding out about their daughter’s death hours after leaving Lexi’s school awards ceremony on the morning of the shooting.To get to the elementary school, Kimberly Rubio said she ran barefoot for a mile with her sandals in her hand and with her husband by her side. A firefighter eventually gave them a ride back to the civic center.“Soon after we received the news that our daughter was among the 19 students and two teachers that died as a result of gun violence,” she said, fighting through tears.She said that Lexi would have made a positive change in the world if she had been given the chance.“Somewhere out there, there’s a mom listening to our testimony, thinking I can’t even imagine their pain, not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now,” Kimberly Rubio said.Dr. Roy Guerrero described in stark terms the carnage he witnessed at the local hospital as he tried to treat the injured. He went to the area of the hospital where two dead children had been taken. The bodies were so pulverized, he said, “that the only clue to their identities was the blood-splattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none.”The Democratic-led House is expected to pass legislation that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.But the legislation has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. The House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show appeal to a majority.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-violence-presidential-elections-shootings-5d769e174b200923e75e27b0051da225">Majorities of U.S. adults think mass shootings would occur less often</a>&nbsp;if guns were harder to get, and that schools and other public places have become less safe than they were two decades ago.___

🎥4th grade Uvalde survivor: 'I don't want it to happen again'

By MARGARET MELLOTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/08/despite-approved-school-security-funding-kansas-leaders-grapple-with-gun-threat/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The sunny Friday of Dec. 14, 2012, became <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/14/lawmakers-must-take-these-actions-to-reduce-kansans-risk-of-dying-from-gun-violence/">one of the most horrifying days</a> in U.S. history when a gunman opened fire at a Connecticut elementary school.

Twenty-six people were killed, 20 of them children.

“I remember going to pick up my own 
kids after Sandy Hook,” said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a 
Lenexa Democrat. “There was a police car at the elementary school at the
 time, and it just kind of takes your breath away.”

Ten years and dozens of mass shootings later, children are still dying in U.S. classrooms. <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/26/another-day-in-america-and-kansas-senseless-murder-of-children-and-a-fifth-grade-graduation/">The shooting last month</a>
 at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, has people across the country 
calling for action — including candidates seeking public office in 
Kansas.

“How could this have happened?” asked
 Joseph Nuci Jr., a Republican candidate for Kansas House District 115, 
from Dodge City. “You know, you’re supposed to have all these barriers 
in line, all these barriers to be able to keep this from happening. And 
they all fell through. You shouldn’t be able to just walk into a 
school.”

In Kansas, funding has been approved to improve both school security and mental health resources for students.

“The Legislature has once again (for 
the fifth year in a row) initiated and approved $5 million in annual 
funding for school-safety grants in the coming year,” wrote Attorney 
General Derek Schmidt in a <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1531789589626687488?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">Twitter thread</a> following the events in Uvalde.

Schmidt is a Republican gubernatorial
 candidate, running alongside Katie Sawyer, a senior staffer for GOP 
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall. He will face Democratic incumbent Gov. Laura 
Kelly in the fall.

“As Attorney General, I have long 
worked to support the professionals who keep our kids safe at school,” 
Schmidt continued in the thread. “As the terrible crimes in Uvalde, 
Texas, last week once again reminded our nation, and as the shooting at 
Olathe East High School recently reminded Kansans, school safety is an 
ongoing need we all must continually work together to meet.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/04/u-s-senator-state-political-leaders-torn-by-school-shooting-at-olathe-high-school/">On March 4</a>,
 an 18-year-old student brought a gun to Olathe East High School and 
seriously injured an administrator and school resource officer.

In a <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TomWitt/status/1531803159147986944?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">reply</a>
 to Schmidt’s tweets, Thomas Witt, executive director of Equality 
Kansas, said the $5 million in funding isn’t sufficient enough to 
substantially improve school safety.

“There are 1351 school buildings in 
Kansas,” Witt wrote. “$5 million works out to $3701.00 per building. 
Tell me, Mr Attorney General, how far does $3700 get? Spoiler alert: Not
 far.”

Schmidt and Witt weren’t the only two
 who responded to the latest school shooting on Twitter. U.S. Republican
 Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall of Kansas also shared their 
sympathies.

“Robba and I are heartbroken,” <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1529231463236902912?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">Moran tweeted</a>.
 “This is horrifying news and every parent, teacher or community’s 
nightmare. We join all Americans in mourning the lives of the children 
and teacher lost to this senseless act of evil.”

“Absolutely devastated to hear about the 14 children and 1 teacher who died in Texas today,” <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1529231267396366336?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">Marshall tweeted.</a> “Our hearts and prayers are with their families during this incredibly difficult time.”

Robert Klingenberg, a Democratic U.S.
 Senate candidate from Salina, said in an interview last week at the 
Secretary of State’s Office that basic needs must be addressed to find 
solutions for school violence.

“What we have to understand is that 
all violence is rooted from socioeconomic conditions,” Klingenberg said.
 “The No. 1 way to prevent school violence is to address those directly.
 So, that can take a lot of different forms — such as providing jobs 
that provide living wages, handling social issues at school, things like
 bullying.”

For Nuci, school safety comes down to
 two things: improving security and allowing teachers the chance to 
carry concealed firearms.

“Put more money into the security 
systems that these schools have, because we have spent a lot of money in
 other ways that should have gone to that,” Nuci said. “And then to 
allow teachers to carry if they feel the need or they have the 
specialized training to be able to allow them to carry.”

Sykes said the goal was not to ignore the Second Amendment but to find middle ground in the Kansas Senate for concrete action.

“In the grand scheme, there are other
 things that are just as unsafe,” Sykes said. “This is highlighted in 
the media. … But it doesn’t mean that we sit by and don’t do anything. 
We have to have the conversation and figure out how we can come to a 
compromise because we don’t want to take away the Second Amendment, but 
we do want to have guardrails to make it safer for our kids.”

Agreeing with Sykes’ sentiments, Nuci said the first step is opening up conversations in the House and listening to each other.

“In politics in general, there is a 
greater good when we can work together,” Nuci said. “And if you’re not 
willing to even open up a conversation then you’re not representing your
 community to the highest of your ability.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654700379876.png" alt="Just a few months ago, Kansans woke up to the news that a gunman had entered Olathe East High School and opened fire. March 4, an 18-year-old student brought a gun to school, seriously injuring an administrator and school resource officer. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Just a few months ago, Kansans woke up to the news that a gunman had entered Olathe East High School and opened fire. March 4, an 18-year-old student brought a gun to school, seriously injuring an administrator and school resource officer. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET MELLOTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/08/despite-approved-school-security-funding-kansas-leaders-grapple-with-gun-threat/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The sunny Friday of Dec. 14, 2012, became <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/14/lawmakers-must-take-these-actions-to-reduce-kansans-risk-of-dying-from-gun-violence/">one of the most horrifying days</a> in U.S. history when a gunman opened fire at a Connecticut elementary school.Twenty-six people were killed, 20 of them children.“I remember going to pick up my own 
kids after Sandy Hook,” said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a 
Lenexa Democrat. “There was a police car at the elementary school at the
 time, and it just kind of takes your breath away.”Ten years and dozens of mass shootings later, children are still dying in U.S. classrooms. <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/26/another-day-in-america-and-kansas-senseless-murder-of-children-and-a-fifth-grade-graduation/">The shooting last month</a>
 at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, has people across the country 
calling for action — including candidates seeking public office in 
Kansas.“How could this have happened?” asked
 Joseph Nuci Jr., a Republican candidate for Kansas House District 115, 
from Dodge City. “You know, you’re supposed to have all these barriers 
in line, all these barriers to be able to keep this from happening. And 
they all fell through. You shouldn’t be able to just walk into a 
school.”In Kansas, funding has been approved to improve both school security and mental health resources for students.“The Legislature has once again (for 
the fifth year in a row) initiated and approved $5 million in annual 
funding for school-safety grants in the coming year,” wrote Attorney 
General Derek Schmidt in a <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1531789589626687488?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">Twitter thread</a> following the events in Uvalde.Schmidt is a Republican gubernatorial
 candidate, running alongside Katie Sawyer, a senior staffer for GOP 
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall. He will face Democratic incumbent Gov. Laura 
Kelly in the fall.“As Attorney General, I have long 
worked to support the professionals who keep our kids safe at school,” 
Schmidt continued in the thread. “As the terrible crimes in Uvalde, 
Texas, last week once again reminded our nation, and as the shooting at 
Olathe East High School recently reminded Kansans, school safety is an 
ongoing need we all must continually work together to meet.”<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/04/u-s-senator-state-political-leaders-torn-by-school-shooting-at-olathe-high-school/">On March 4</a>,
 an 18-year-old student brought a gun to Olathe East High School and 
seriously injured an administrator and school resource officer.In a <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TomWitt/status/1531803159147986944?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">reply</a>
 to Schmidt’s tweets, Thomas Witt, executive director of Equality 
Kansas, said the $5 million in funding isn’t sufficient enough to 
substantially improve school safety.“There are 1351 school buildings in 
Kansas,” Witt wrote. “$5 million works out to $3701.00 per building. 
Tell me, Mr Attorney General, how far does $3700 get? Spoiler alert: Not
 far.”Schmidt and Witt weren’t the only two
 who responded to the latest school shooting on Twitter. U.S. Republican
 Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall of Kansas also shared their 
sympathies.“Robba and I are heartbroken,” <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1529231463236902912?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">Moran tweeted</a>.
 “This is horrifying news and every parent, teacher or community’s 
nightmare. We join all Americans in mourning the lives of the children 
and teacher lost to this senseless act of evil.”“Absolutely devastated to hear about the 14 children and 1 teacher who died in Texas today,” <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1529231267396366336?s=20&amp;t=v6H03k5tIMAhL-w7AGhW5w">Marshall tweeted.</a> “Our hearts and prayers are with their families during this incredibly difficult time.”Robert Klingenberg, a Democratic U.S.
 Senate candidate from Salina, said in an interview last week at the 
Secretary of State’s Office that basic needs must be addressed to find 
solutions for school violence.“What we have to understand is that 
all violence is rooted from socioeconomic conditions,” Klingenberg said.
 “The No. 1 way to prevent school violence is to address those directly.
 So, that can take a lot of different forms — such as providing jobs 
that provide living wages, handling social issues at school, things like
 bullying.”For Nuci, school safety comes down to
 two things: improving security and allowing teachers the chance to 
carry concealed firearms.“Put more money into the security 
systems that these schools have, because we have spent a lot of money in
 other ways that should have gone to that,” Nuci said. “And then to 
allow teachers to carry if they feel the need or they have the 
specialized training to be able to allow them to carry.”Sykes said the goal was not to ignore the Second Amendment but to find middle ground in the Kansas Senate for concrete action.“In the grand scheme, there are other
 things that are just as unsafe,” Sykes said. “This is highlighted in 
the media. … But it doesn’t mean that we sit by and don’t do anything. 
We have to have the conversation and figure out how we can come to a 
compromise because we don’t want to take away the Second Amendment, but 
we do want to have guardrails to make it safer for our kids.”Agreeing with Sykes’ sentiments, Nuci said the first step is opening up conversations in the House and listening to each other.“In politics in general, there is a 
greater good when we can work together,” Nuci said. “And if you’re not 
willing to even open up a conversation then you’re not representing your
 community to the highest of your ability.”

Despite approved school security funding, Kan. leaders grapple with gun threat

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering nationwide waivers to increase access to infant formula for families in need as states receive and distribute imported infant formula made available by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/01/president-biden-announces-fourth-operation-fly-formula-mission/">Biden-Harris Administration’s Operation Fly Formula</a>, according to a media release from the agency.

USDA is leveraging new authority from the recently passed Access to Baby Formula Act to offer this flexibility.

“USDA is committed to providing our WIC families with nutritious foods, and while we continue working with our many partners to bring the infant formula shortages to a speedy conclusion, we’re also going to keep looking for ways to help families here and now,” said Stacy Dean, USDA’s deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services. “We’re maximizing flexibility, encouraging action, and providing ongoing support so we can all overcome this obstacle together.”

The action builds on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/infant-formula-waiver-status">existing flexibilities</a>&nbsp;to provide widest access to available infant formula for WIC families. Within days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/ofs/infant-formula-safety">recall</a>, USDA offered WIC state agencies waivers to maximize formula options for WIC participants and ensure they could exchange or return any recalled formula. To date, USDA has approved well over 250 state waiver requests.

In addition, Food and Nutrition Service recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/news-item/usda-0113.22">encouraged state agencies</a>&nbsp;to work with their infant formula manufacturers to identify and implement temporary flexibility in their contracts to allow WIC participants to purchase alternate sizes, forms, or brands of infant formula during the ongoing shortage. North Carolina and its formula manufacturer, Nestle Gerber, are the first to have put this into action by agreeing to a contract modification that expands access to formula for WIC participants in the state.

“When formula supply began to tighten, we looked at all avenues to ensure safe and nutritious options for North Carolina babies and families,” said North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “We immediately began working with our federal partners and with our contracted WIC manufacturer, Nestle Gerber, to give families in the WIC program the flexibility to choose different sizes, types and brands of formula during the shortage. We negotiated and implemented these changes as quickly as possible to relieve some of the stress that WIC-participating families felt.”

Food and Nutrition Service is encouraged by the action taken by North Carolina. “We are grateful for the leadership and teamwork of North Carolina and Nestle Gerber to increase formula access for WIC families in their state,” said Dean. The agency recently shared best practices with WIC state agencies to help them establish contract flexibilities that will help WIC participants access the formula they need.

USDA continues to work closely with&nbsp;<a href="https://hhs.gov/formula">HHS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-improve-supply-infant-and-specialty-formula-products">FDA</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/18/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-address-infant-formula-shortage/">administration</a>&nbsp;to support WIC families through this challenging time and to bring to a swift end to the shortage. Recent USDA actions include:

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/">www.fns.usda.gov</a>&nbsp;and follow&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/USDANutrition">@USDANutrition</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653517823167.png" alt="First Lady Dr. Jill Biden welcomed&nbsp; a shipment of 120,000 pounds of baby formula to the United States last month." />
 <figcaption>First Lady Dr. Jill Biden welcomed&nbsp; a shipment of 120,000 pounds of baby formula to the United States last month.</figcaption>
 </figure>Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering nationwide waivers to increase access to infant formula for families in need as states receive and distribute imported infant formula made available by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/01/president-biden-announces-fourth-operation-fly-formula-mission/">Biden-Harris Administration’s Operation Fly Formula</a>, according to a media release from the agency.USDA is leveraging new authority from the recently passed Access to Baby Formula Act to offer this flexibility.“USDA is committed to providing our WIC families with nutritious foods, and while we continue working with our many partners to bring the infant formula shortages to a speedy conclusion, we’re also going to keep looking for ways to help families here and now,” said Stacy Dean, USDA’s deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services. “We’re maximizing flexibility, encouraging action, and providing ongoing support so we can all overcome this obstacle together.”The action builds on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/infant-formula-waiver-status">existing flexibilities</a>&nbsp;to provide widest access to available infant formula for WIC families. Within days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/ofs/infant-formula-safety">recall</a>, USDA offered WIC state agencies waivers to maximize formula options for WIC participants and ensure they could exchange or return any recalled formula. To date, USDA has approved well over 250 state waiver requests.In addition, Food and Nutrition Service recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/news-item/usda-0113.22">encouraged state agencies</a>&nbsp;to work with their infant formula manufacturers to identify and implement temporary flexibility in their contracts to allow WIC participants to purchase alternate sizes, forms, or brands of infant formula during the ongoing shortage. North Carolina and its formula manufacturer, Nestle Gerber, are the first to have put this into action by agreeing to a contract modification that expands access to formula for WIC participants in the state.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653255522967.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“When formula supply began to tighten, we looked at all avenues to ensure safe and nutritious options for North Carolina babies and families,” said North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “We immediately began working with our federal partners and with our contracted WIC manufacturer, Nestle Gerber, to give families in the WIC program the flexibility to choose different sizes, types and brands of formula during the shortage. We negotiated and implemented these changes as quickly as possible to relieve some of the stress that WIC-participating families felt.”Food and Nutrition Service is encouraged by the action taken by North Carolina. “We are grateful for the leadership and teamwork of North Carolina and Nestle Gerber to increase formula access for WIC families in their state,” said Dean. The agency recently shared best practices with WIC state agencies to help them establish contract flexibilities that will help WIC participants access the formula they need.USDA continues to work closely with&nbsp;<a href="https://hhs.gov/formula">HHS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-improve-supply-infant-and-specialty-formula-products">FDA</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/18/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-address-infant-formula-shortage/">administration</a>&nbsp;to support WIC families through this challenging time and to bring to a swift end to the shortage. Recent USDA actions include:<ul>
 <li>Coordinating cross-government to rapidly transport safe specialty formulas into the country for babies with special medical needs through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/19/biden-administration-approves-first-operation-fly-formula-mission/">Operation Fly Formula</a>. More shipments, including regular formula, are on the way in the coming days.</li><li>Calling on states to take advantage of all available WIC flexibilities that could help those they serve. Since May 13, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/state-director-letter-infant-formula">USDA wrote to state health commissioners</a>&nbsp;on this issue, more than 50 new waivers have been requested and approved, with all 50 states now offering at least one flexibility to help WIC families get the formula they need.</li><li>Engaging directly with WIC stakeholders including holding multiple listening sessions to better understand current needs and concerns.</li>
 </ul>USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/">www.fns.usda.gov</a>&nbsp;and follow&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/USDANutrition">@USDANutrition</a>.Additional resources:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/formula/">Addressing the Infant Formula Shortage | The White House</a></li><li><a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/flexibilities-formula-enforcement-discretion">Additional WIC Flexibilities - Imported Infant Formula under FDA's Infant Formula Enforcement Discretion | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/state-health-commissioner-letter-june">Follow-up Letter to State Health Commissioners | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)</a></li>
 </ul>