WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is resurrecting the travel ban policy from his first term, signing a proclamation Wednesday night preventing people from a dozen countries from entering the United States.

The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

In addition to the ban, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, there will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump said in his proclamation.

The list results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on “hostile attitudes” toward the U.S. and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk.

During his first term, Trump issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/464756bcd7d7441da662d47e97bd44c1">an executive order</a>&nbsp;in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family.

The order, often referred to as the “Muslim ban” or the “travel ban,” was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3a20abe305bd4c989116f82bf535393b">upheld by the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;in 2018.

The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families.

Trump and others have defended the initial ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-6e822c892fdd490883adcaf60a1ed647">national security grounds</a>, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is resurrecting the travel ban policy from his first term, signing a proclamation Wednesday night preventing people from a dozen countries from entering the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">&quot;We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen... That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.&quot; –President Trump <a href="https://t.co/ER7nGM4TO2">pic.twitter.com/ER7nGM4TO2</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1930412786271547485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749083514295.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to the ban, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, there will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump said in his proclamation.The list results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on “hostile attitudes” toward the U.S. and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk.During his first term, Trump issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/464756bcd7d7441da662d47e97bd44c1">an executive order</a>&nbsp;in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family.The order, often referred to as the “Muslim ban” or the “travel ban,” was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3a20abe305bd4c989116f82bf535393b">upheld by the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;in 2018.The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families.Trump and others have defended the initial ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-6e822c892fdd490883adcaf60a1ed647">national security grounds</a>, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House.

🎥Trump signs bombshell travel ban involving over a dozen countries

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations

Just after 5:30p.m May 29, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Fusion on 94th Road and Deer Trail Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Deputies located items believed to be illegal drug contraband.  Lasha Dupree Williams Sr., 46, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of violation of a protection order, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

 Abbygail Elizabeth Council, 36, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia.

  Jeannette Lea Henry, 27, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of opiate, opium narcotics or certain stimulant, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748441884812.png" alt="Henry photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Henry photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegationsJust after 5:30p.m May 29, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Fusion on 94th Road and Deer Trail Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748441954577.png" alt="Williams photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies located items believed to be illegal drug contraband. Lasha Dupree Williams Sr., 46, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of violation of a protection order, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748442010043.png" alt="Council photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Council photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Abbygail Elizabeth Council, 36, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jeannette Lea Henry, 27, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of opiate, opium narcotics or certain stimulant, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia.

3 accused of THC possession after Kansas traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him “very strongly” in a phone call Wednesday that he will respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack on Russian airfields as the deadlock over the war drags on and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-memorandum-talks-instanbul-6014fb7e87c15aa60e30bf72bf6cd2fd">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Russia's ceasefire proposal</a>.

The U.S. president said in a social media post that his lengthy call with Putin "was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.”

It's the first time Trump has weighed in on Ukraine's daring attack inside Russia. The U.S. did not have advance notice of the operation, according to the White House, a point Trump emphasized during the call with Putin, according to a Putin’s foreign affairs adviser.

The U.S. has led a recent diplomatic push to stop the full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Trump, in his social media post, did not say how he reacted to Putin's promise to respond to Ukraine's attack, but his post showed none of the frustration that Trump has expressed with his Russian counterpart in recent weeks over his prolonging of the war.

Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, said at a briefing that the two leaders characterized the call as “positive and quite productive,” and reaffirmed their readiness to stay in touch.

“I believe it was useful for Trump to hear our assessments of what happened,” Ushakov said, noting that the discussion of the attacks was one of the key points in the conversation. He didn’t respond to a question about what the Russian response to the attacks could be.

Trump repeatedly promised to end the war quickly, and even said he would accomplish it before he was sworn in. But he lost patience with Putin in recent weeks, publicly pleading with him to stop fighting and even said late last month that the Russian leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-1f2d99bbc4fa9c4bfcc84b50c94ca578">“has gone absolutely CRAZY</a>."

Trump, however, has not committed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-sanctions-graham-blumenthal-b2b9b69f504b8afd064055bb3bf11800">backing a bipartisan push to sanction Putin.</a>

The call was Trump’s first known talk with Putin since May 19. They also discussed, according to Trump and Ushakov, Iran’s nuclear program and the possibility of Russia engaging in talks with Tehran as the U.S. pushes it to abandon its rapidly advancing nuclear program.

It was not clear if Trump also planned to speak with Zelenskyy. The White House did not respond to a message Wednesday afternoon.

Zelenskyy brushes off Russian plan and pushes for talks

The Ukrainian leader earlier Wednesday dismissed Russia's ceasefire plan as “an ultimatum” and renewed his call for direct talks with Putin to break the stalemate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>, which has dragged on for nearly 3½ years.

Putin, however, showed no willingness to meet with Zelenskyy, expressing anger Wednesday about what he said were Ukraine's recent “terrorist acts” on Russian rail lines in the Kursk and Bryansk regions on the countries' border.

“How can any such (summit) meetings be conducted in such circumstances? What shall we talk about?” Putin asked in a video call with top Russian officials.

Putin accused Ukraine of seeking a truce only to replenish its stockpiles of Western arms, recruit more soldiers and prepare new attacks like those in Kursk and Bryansk.

Putin also spoke Wednesday to Pope Leo XIV, who has promised to make “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-eastern-rite-christians-persecuted-protect-a06c75258299e585c7eb8ea2006dc22f">every effort</a>&nbsp;” to help end the war.

During the call, Leo urged Putin to make a gesture that would promote peace and stressed the importance of dialogue, according to the Vatican.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged memorandums setting out their conditions for a ceasefire for discussion at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-drone-attacks-0c2e0a4aeccd86c3fe18edf5cc73b250">Monday's direct peace talks</a>&nbsp;between delegations in Istanbul, their second meeting in just over two weeks. Zelenskyy had previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-ceasefire-2b3d2fad88436c5406ea63f81ac554ef">challenged Putin to meet him</a>&nbsp;in Turkey, but Putin stayed away.

Russia and Ukraine have established red lines that make a quick deal unlikely, despite a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">U.S.-led international diplomatic push</a>&nbsp;to stop the fighting. The Kremlin's Istanbul proposal contained a list of demands that Kyiv and its Western allies see as nonstarters.

Zelenskyy said that the second round of talks in Istanbul was no different from the first meeting on May 16. Zelenskyy described the latest negotiations in Istanbul as “a political performance” and “artificial diplomacy” designed to stall for time, delay sanctions and convince the United States that Russia is engaged in dialogue.

“The same ultimatums they voiced back then — now they just put them on paper ... Honestly, this document looks like spam. It’s spam meant to flood us and create the impression that they’re doing something,” Zelenskyy said in his first reaction to the Russian document.

The Ukrainian leader said that he sees little value in continuing talks at the current level of delegations. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, while Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Putin, headed the Russian team.

Zelenskyy said he wants a ceasefire with Russia before a possible summit meeting with Putin, possibly also including Trump, in an effort to remove obstacles to a peace settlement.

A second round of peace talks on Monday between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul lasted just over an hour and made no progress on ending the war. They agreed only to swap thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops.

Also, a new prisoner exchange with Russia could take place over the weekend, Zelenskyy said.

In tandem with the talks, both sides have kept up offensive military actions along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and carried out deep strikes.

Ukraine’s Security Service gave more details Wednesday about its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-attack-bomber-d9078d989efcec36ec65ddfedfd2b3a5">spectacular weekend drone strike</a>&nbsp;on Russian air bases, which it claimed destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers.

The agency released more footage showing drones swooping under and over parked aircraft and featuring some planes burning. It also claimed the planes struck included A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, Tu-160, An-12, and Il-78 aircraft, adding that the drones had highly automated capabilities and were partly piloted by an operator and partly by using artificial intelligence which flew the drone along a planned route in the event it lost signal.

The drones were not fully autonomous and a “human is still choosing what target to hit,” said Caitlin Lee, a drone warfare expert at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rand.org/about.html">RAND</a>, a think thank.

Ukraine’s security agency said it also set off an explosion on Tuesday on the seabed beneath the Kerch Bridge, a vital transport link between Russia and illegally annexed Crimea, claiming it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/ukraine-claims-it-struck-key-bridge-linking-russia-with-crimea-causing-damage-1f55b3ffc93b4d91b27649092ef3b9f1">caused damage to the structure</a>.

But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that there was no damage.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its troops have taken control of another village in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, on the border with Russia. Putin announced on May 22 that Russian troops aim to create a buffer zone that might help prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks. Since then, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claims its forces have taken control of nine Sumy villages.

Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Chris Megerian in Washington, Emma Burrows in London, Nicole Winfield in Rome and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England contributed reporting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File image (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP" />
 <figcaption>File image (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him “very strongly” in a phone call Wednesday that he will respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack on Russian airfields as the deadlock over the war drags on and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-memorandum-talks-instanbul-6014fb7e87c15aa60e30bf72bf6cd2fd">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Russia's ceasefire proposal</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes...&quot; - President Donald J. Trump <a href="https://t.co/LUe38UcoHQ">pic.twitter.com/LUe38UcoHQ</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1930306225347977475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. president said in a social media post that his lengthy call with Putin "was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.”It's the first time Trump has weighed in on Ukraine's daring attack inside Russia. The U.S. did not have advance notice of the operation, according to the White House, a point Trump emphasized during the call with Putin, according to a Putin’s foreign affairs adviser.The U.S. has led a recent diplomatic push to stop the full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.Trump, in his social media post, did not say how he reacted to Putin's promise to respond to Ukraine's attack, but his post showed none of the frustration that Trump has expressed with his Russian counterpart in recent weeks over his prolonging of the war.Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, said at a briefing that the two leaders characterized the call as “positive and quite productive,” and reaffirmed their readiness to stay in touch.“I believe it was useful for Trump to hear our assessments of what happened,” Ushakov said, noting that the discussion of the attacks was one of the key points in the conversation. He didn’t respond to a question about what the Russian response to the attacks could be.Trump repeatedly promised to end the war quickly, and even said he would accomplish it before he was sworn in. But he lost patience with Putin in recent weeks, publicly pleading with him to stop fighting and even said late last month that the Russian leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-1f2d99bbc4fa9c4bfcc84b50c94ca578">“has gone absolutely CRAZY</a>."Trump, however, has not committed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-sanctions-graham-blumenthal-b2b9b69f504b8afd064055bb3bf11800">backing a bipartisan push to sanction Putin.</a>The call was Trump’s first known talk with Putin since May 19. They also discussed, according to Trump and Ushakov, Iran’s nuclear program and the possibility of Russia engaging in talks with Tehran as the U.S. pushes it to abandon its rapidly advancing nuclear program.It was not clear if Trump also planned to speak with Zelenskyy. The White House did not respond to a message Wednesday afternoon.<h2>Zelenskyy brushes off Russian plan and pushes for talks</h2>The Ukrainian leader earlier Wednesday dismissed Russia's ceasefire plan as “an ultimatum” and renewed his call for direct talks with Putin to break the stalemate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>, which has dragged on for nearly 3½ years.Putin, however, showed no willingness to meet with Zelenskyy, expressing anger Wednesday about what he said were Ukraine's recent “terrorist acts” on Russian rail lines in the Kursk and Bryansk regions on the countries' border.“How can any such (summit) meetings be conducted in such circumstances? What shall we talk about?” Putin asked in a video call with top Russian officials.Putin accused Ukraine of seeking a truce only to replenish its stockpiles of Western arms, recruit more soldiers and prepare new attacks like those in Kursk and Bryansk.Putin also spoke Wednesday to Pope Leo XIV, who has promised to make “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-eastern-rite-christians-persecuted-protect-a06c75258299e585c7eb8ea2006dc22f">every effort</a>&nbsp;” to help end the war.During the call, Leo urged Putin to make a gesture that would promote peace and stressed the importance of dialogue, according to the Vatican.Russia and Ukraine exchanged memorandums setting out their conditions for a ceasefire for discussion at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-drone-attacks-0c2e0a4aeccd86c3fe18edf5cc73b250">Monday's direct peace talks</a>&nbsp;between delegations in Istanbul, their second meeting in just over two weeks. Zelenskyy had previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-ceasefire-2b3d2fad88436c5406ea63f81ac554ef">challenged Putin to meet him</a>&nbsp;in Turkey, but Putin stayed away.Russia and Ukraine have established red lines that make a quick deal unlikely, despite a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">U.S.-led international diplomatic push</a>&nbsp;to stop the fighting. The Kremlin's Istanbul proposal contained a list of demands that Kyiv and its Western allies see as nonstarters.<h2>‘This document looks like spam’</h2>Zelenskyy said that the second round of talks in Istanbul was no different from the first meeting on May 16. Zelenskyy described the latest negotiations in Istanbul as “a political performance” and “artificial diplomacy” designed to stall for time, delay sanctions and convince the United States that Russia is engaged in dialogue.“The same ultimatums they voiced back then — now they just put them on paper ... Honestly, this document looks like spam. It’s spam meant to flood us and create the impression that they’re doing something,” Zelenskyy said in his first reaction to the Russian document.The Ukrainian leader said that he sees little value in continuing talks at the current level of delegations. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, while Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Putin, headed the Russian team.Zelenskyy said he wants a ceasefire with Russia before a possible summit meeting with Putin, possibly also including Trump, in an effort to remove obstacles to a peace settlement.<h2>U.S. defense secretary stays away</h2>A second round of peace talks on Monday between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul lasted just over an hour and made no progress on ending the war. They agreed only to swap thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops.Also, a new prisoner exchange with Russia could take place over the weekend, Zelenskyy said.In tandem with the talks, both sides have kept up offensive military actions along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and carried out deep strikes.Ukraine’s Security Service gave more details Wednesday about its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-attack-bomber-d9078d989efcec36ec65ddfedfd2b3a5">spectacular weekend drone strike</a>&nbsp;on Russian air bases, which it claimed destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers.The agency released more footage showing drones swooping under and over parked aircraft and featuring some planes burning. It also claimed the planes struck included A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, Tu-160, An-12, and Il-78 aircraft, adding that the drones had highly automated capabilities and were partly piloted by an operator and partly by using artificial intelligence which flew the drone along a planned route in the event it lost signal.The drones were not fully autonomous and a “human is still choosing what target to hit,” said Caitlin Lee, a drone warfare expert at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rand.org/about.html">RAND</a>, a think thank.Ukraine’s security agency said it also set off an explosion on Tuesday on the seabed beneath the Kerch Bridge, a vital transport link between Russia and illegally annexed Crimea, claiming it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/ukraine-claims-it-struck-key-bridge-linking-russia-with-crimea-causing-damage-1f55b3ffc93b4d91b27649092ef3b9f1">caused damage to the structure</a>.But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that there was no damage.Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its troops have taken control of another village in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, on the border with Russia. Putin announced on May 22 that Russian troops aim to create a buffer zone that might help prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks. Since then, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claims its forces have taken control of nine Sumy villages.___Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Chris Megerian in Washington, Emma Burrows in London, Nicole Winfield in Rome and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England contributed reporting.___

Trump details latest phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Sedgwick County Zoo is celebrating the birth of another elephant.

In the early morning of Tuesday, June,&nbsp; new mother Arusi safely delivered a healthy calf after 651 days of gestation, according to a social media report from the zoo.

Arusi’s calf joins Bomani (born April 10) and Kijani (born April 14). Bomani, along with his mother, Talia, and Simunye, were present for the birth and have been a supportive presence for Arusi. 

Bomani is already excited and curious about his new herdmate. In alignment with breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums African elephant Species Survival Plan, these additions to the herd are a reflection of the Zoo’s commitment to support the health and sustainability of African elephant populations in North America.

The gender and name of this calf will be revealed on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/today?__cft__[0]=AZUk1i6LM1mJJJwHZ1VebJCPQASYvXET4wc0GHbr8IUXsyjbbW3_B2-niDKgczLnd36TiAw9HaSgoFw7GjnX2mdat3je-zaMa0EtpGZmyr541eplMI19GKAqpPVBd6x7Pi47Ru5noJSfpC7dEk1O5FEbCP6oDlpHP0_p9B18s6lDJz7b7eLgBPz_XDZqhz1rBllxPC273_0w2f5vuYPpbRUd&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Today Show</a> tomorrow at 9:00am CST.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749068637548.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Sedgwick County Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Sedgwick County Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Sedgwick County Zoo is celebrating the birth of another elephant.In the early morning of Tuesday, June,&nbsp; new mother Arusi safely delivered a healthy calf after 651 days of gestation, according to a social media report from the zoo.Arusi’s calf joins Bomani (born April 10) and Kijani (born April 14). Bomani, along with his mother, Talia, and Simunye, were present for the birth and have been a supportive presence for Arusi. Bomani is already excited and curious about his new herdmate. In alignment with breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums African elephant Species Survival Plan, these additions to the herd are a reflection of the Zoo’s commitment to support the health and sustainability of African elephant populations in North America.The gender and name of this calf will be revealed on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/today?__cft__[0]=AZUk1i6LM1mJJJwHZ1VebJCPQASYvXET4wc0GHbr8IUXsyjbbW3_B2-niDKgczLnd36TiAw9HaSgoFw7GjnX2mdat3je-zaMa0EtpGZmyr541eplMI19GKAqpPVBd6x7Pi47Ru5noJSfpC7dEk1O5FEbCP6oDlpHP0_p9B18s6lDJz7b7eLgBPz_XDZqhz1rBllxPC273_0w2f5vuYPpbRUd&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Today Show</a> tomorrow at 9:00am CST.

Kansas zoo welcomes third baby elephant in eight weeks

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A judge on Wednesday barred a major U.S. private prison operator from housing immigrants facing possible deportation in a shuttered Kansas City area detention center unless it can get a permit from frustrated city officials.

Leavenworth County Judge John Bryant agreed after a packed hearing to grant the city of Leavenworth's request for a temporary restraining order against CoreCivic, one of the nation's largest private prison operators.

CoreCivic had claimed in legal filings that halting the opening of the 1,033-bed facility on the northwest outskirts of the Kansas City area would cost it $4.2 million in revenue each month. City officials said they anticipated the arrival of detainees apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was imminent under a Trump administration crackdown on illegal immigration.

Leavenworth isn’t the first city where controversy has surrounded the reopening of a private prison as an ICE detention facility. In Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newark-mayor-ras-baraka-lawsuit-arrest-immigration-0d17f4adb136b9fefc02ea8b498124ed">sued</a>&nbsp;the state’s top federal prosecutor on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-ice-newark-mayor-arrested-5a2b3fefd7da563c48d2f85831cf2194">over his recent arrest on a trespassing charge</a>&nbsp;at a federal immigration detention facility in that state, saying the Trump-appointed attorney had pursued the case out of political spite.

Scott Peterson, the city manager for Leavenworth, said he didn’t know if the case in Kansas marked the first time a municipality had prevailed in court.

“I would point out that maybe the reason we have seen some success here today is this is not about immigration,” Peterson said. “This is not about private prisons. This is about land use.”

In late 2021, CoreCivic stopped housing pretrial detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service in the Leavenworth facility after then-President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-prisons-coronavirus-pandemic-c8c246f00695f37ef2afb1dd3a5f115e">called</a>&nbsp;on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons. In the months leading up to the closure, the American Civil Liberties Union and federal public defenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-kansas-202252fa64aa4979a7b0f9714f462756">urged the White House</a>&nbsp;to speed up the closure, citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-890c5ae1e78e46629d1b36a4373fbfdb">inmate rights violations</a>&nbsp;there along with stabbings, suicides and even one homicide.

But with President Donald Trump pushing for mass deportations under a wide-ranging crackdown on illegal immigration, the facility that CoreCivic now calls the Midwest Regional Reception Center is in demand again. It is located just 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the Kansas City International Airport. As part of his crackdown, Trump has vowed to sharply increase detention beds nationwide from the budgeted 41,000 beds this year.

Tennessee-based CoreCivic initially applied for a special use permit from the city in February but then withdrew that application the next month, arguing in court filings that it didn’t need the permit and that the process would take too long.

“It became clear to CoreCivic that there was not a cooperative relationship,” said Taylor Concannon Hausmann, an attorney for the private prison operator, speaking in court.

The city sued CoreCivic, the lawsuit claiming that CoreCivic impeded the city police force’s ability to investigate sexual assaults and other violent crimes. The lawsuit contended that the permitting process was needed to safeguard itself from future problems.

“Just follow our rules," an attorney for the city, Joe Hatley, said in court. “Go get a permit.”

The first version of the lawsuit, filed in March in federal court, was tossed out in May on technical grounds. But Bryant sided with Hatley in the case refiled the same month in state court, finding that the proper procedures weren't followed.

Concannon Hausmann, CoreCivic's attorney, declined to comment as the crowd filtered out of the courtroom Wednesday. Norman Mallicoat held a sign reading, “CoreCivic Doesn’t Run Leavenworth” as he left.

“I see this as basically a large company trying to bully a small city into getting what it wants and not having to follow the rules and ordinances of the city,” Mallicoat said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574019674964.png" alt="File photo Prison Leavenworth Detention Center is owned and operated by CoreCivic" />
 <figcaption>File photo Prison Leavenworth Detention Center is owned and operated by CoreCivic</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A judge on Wednesday barred a major U.S. private prison operator from housing immigrants facing possible deportation in a shuttered Kansas City area detention center unless it can get a permit from frustrated city officials.Leavenworth County Judge John Bryant agreed after a packed hearing to grant the city of Leavenworth's request for a temporary restraining order against CoreCivic, one of the nation's largest private prison operators.CoreCivic had claimed in legal filings that halting the opening of the 1,033-bed facility on the northwest outskirts of the Kansas City area would cost it $4.2 million in revenue each month. City officials said they anticipated the arrival of detainees apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was imminent under a Trump administration crackdown on illegal immigration.Leavenworth isn’t the first city where controversy has surrounded the reopening of a private prison as an ICE detention facility. In Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newark-mayor-ras-baraka-lawsuit-arrest-immigration-0d17f4adb136b9fefc02ea8b498124ed">sued</a>&nbsp;the state’s top federal prosecutor on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-ice-newark-mayor-arrested-5a2b3fefd7da563c48d2f85831cf2194">over his recent arrest on a trespassing charge</a>&nbsp;at a federal immigration detention facility in that state, saying the Trump-appointed attorney had pursued the case out of political spite.Scott Peterson, the city manager for Leavenworth, said he didn’t know if the case in Kansas marked the first time a municipality had prevailed in court.“I would point out that maybe the reason we have seen some success here today is this is not about immigration,” Peterson said. “This is not about private prisons. This is about land use.”In late 2021, CoreCivic stopped housing pretrial detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service in the Leavenworth facility after then-President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-prisons-coronavirus-pandemic-c8c246f00695f37ef2afb1dd3a5f115e">called</a>&nbsp;on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons. In the months leading up to the closure, the American Civil Liberties Union and federal public defenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-kansas-202252fa64aa4979a7b0f9714f462756">urged the White House</a>&nbsp;to speed up the closure, citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-890c5ae1e78e46629d1b36a4373fbfdb">inmate rights violations</a>&nbsp;there along with stabbings, suicides and even one homicide.But with President Donald Trump pushing for mass deportations under a wide-ranging crackdown on illegal immigration, the facility that CoreCivic now calls the Midwest Regional Reception Center is in demand again. It is located just 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the Kansas City International Airport. As part of his crackdown, Trump has vowed to sharply increase detention beds nationwide from the budgeted 41,000 beds this year.Tennessee-based CoreCivic initially applied for a special use permit from the city in February but then withdrew that application the next month, arguing in court filings that it didn’t need the permit and that the process would take too long.“It became clear to CoreCivic that there was not a cooperative relationship,” said Taylor Concannon Hausmann, an attorney for the private prison operator, speaking in court.The city sued CoreCivic, the lawsuit claiming that CoreCivic impeded the city police force’s ability to investigate sexual assaults and other violent crimes. The lawsuit contended that the permitting process was needed to safeguard itself from future problems.“Just follow our rules," an attorney for the city, Joe Hatley, said in court. “Go get a permit.”The first version of the lawsuit, filed in March in federal court, was tossed out in May on technical grounds. But Bryant sided with Hatley in the case refiled the same month in state court, finding that the proper procedures weren't followed.Concannon Hausmann, CoreCivic's attorney, declined to comment as the crowd filtered out of the courtroom Wednesday. Norman Mallicoat held a sign reading, “CoreCivic Doesn’t Run Leavenworth” as he left.“I see this as basically a large company trying to bully a small city into getting what it wants and not having to follow the rules and ordinances of the city,” Mallicoat said.

Judge blocks private Kan. prison from housing ICE detainees

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-sherman">MARK SHERMAN</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sequence of events is familiar: A lower court judge blocks a part of President Donald Trump’s agenda, an appellate panel refuses to put the order on hold while the case continues and the Justice Department turns to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>.

Trump administration lawyers have filed emergency appeals with the nation’s highest court a little less than once a week on average since Trump began his second term.

The court is not being asked to render a final decision but rather to set the rules of the road while the case makes it way through the courts.

The justices have issued orders in 11 cases so far, and the Trump administration has won more than it has lost.

Among the administration’s victories was an order allowing it to enforce the Republican president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-military-ban-ef67038857bd5b99e128bf0b8866afb4">ban of on transgender military service members</a>. Among its losses was a prohibition on using an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-venezuelans-deportations-c1dc29a89faa173593f5d42b62aa8276">deport Venezuelans</a>&nbsp;alleged to be gang members to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">a notorious prison in El Salvador</a>.

The most recent emergency filing arrived May 27.

A judge rebuked the administration over deportations to South Sudan

The Trump administration’s latest appeal asks the high court to halt an order by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston. The White House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deportation-immigration-south-sudan-department-of-homeland-security-a09612dbd055c5d1d88902c415bdf3e6">violated his earlier order</a>, Murphy found, with a deportation flight bound for the African nation carrying people from other countries who had been convicted of crimes in the U.S.

Those immigrants must get a real chance to raise any fears that being sent there could put them in danger, Murphy wrote.

Trump’s top Supreme Court lawyer, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, asked for an immediate high court order that would allow the third-country deportations to resume.

Murphy has stalled efforts to carry out deportations of migrants who can’t be returned to their home countries, Sauer wrote. Finding countries willing to take them is “a delicate diplomatic endeavor” and the court requirements are a major setback, he said.

Lawyers for the deported men have until Wednesday to respond.

A watchdog group is trying to bring transparency to DOGE

The Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-e09ac9f31cb2eb2e2d815a66cdffb7ba">his departure</a>&nbsp;on Friday, is resisting a lawsuit calling for it to publicly disclose information about its operations.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington argues in a lawsuit that DOGE, which has been central to Trump’s push to remake the government, is a federal agency and must be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

CREW claims that DOGE “wields shockingly broad power” with no transparency about its actions. The administration says DOGE is just a presidential advisory body that is exempt from FOIA disclosures.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had found that its role is likely more than just advisory, especially in helping to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-usaid-federal-workers-bfb69a0bf38419b7518555de42169ca1">shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development</a>&nbsp;and cut billions of dollars in government contracts.

The administration appealed Cooper’s orders requiring documents be turned over and acting Administrator Amy Gleason to answer questions under oath.

Last week, Chief Justice John Roberts agreed to temporarily pause the orders pending additional word from the Supreme Court.

A judge blocked DOGE’s access to Social Security systems over privacy concerns

Social Security has personal data on nearly everyone in the country, including school records, bank details, salary information and medical and mental health records for disability recipients, according to court documents.

The Trump administration says DOGE needs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-social-security-trump-administration-supreme-court-a38db8e9908e56b01265432f4d46e8e3">access to Social Security’s systems</a>&nbsp;as part of its mission to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-waste-fraud-abuse-635b1419014a43e061f548c9713860c4">target waste in the federal government</a>.

But U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland restricted the team’s access to Social Security under federal privacy laws, saying DOGE’s efforts at the agency amounted to a “fishing expedition” based on “little more than suspicion” of fraud.

The judge is disrupting DOGE’s work and interfering with decisions that belong to the executive branch, not courts, Sauer wrote in asking the high court to block Hollander’s order in the suit filed by labor unions and retirees.

Trump wants to change citizenship rules in place for more than 125 years

Several judges quickly blocked an executive order Trump signed his first day in office that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-b66a99ba8b22ddb0f3e24a129440126f">deny citizenship</a>&nbsp;to children who are born to people who are in the country illegally or temporarily.

The administration appealed three court orders that prohibit the changes from taking effect anywhere in the country.

Earlier in May, the justices took the rare step of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/supreme-court-weighs-whether-to-let-trumps-birthright-citizenship-restrictions-take-effect-c8923f24bafe4860b6b466cbad8551bb">hearing arguments</a>&nbsp;in an emergency appeal. It’s unclear how the case will come out, but the court seemed intent on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-nationwide-injunctions-2c495cddc1436e21a9fa976d295dc292">keeping the changes on hold</a>&nbsp;while looking for a way to scale back nationwide court orders.

One possibility advanced by some justices was to find a different legal mechanism, perhaps a class action, to accomplish essentially the same thing as the nationwide injunctions blocking Trump’s citizenship order.

Nationwide injunctions have emerged as an important check on Trump’s efforts to remake the government and a source of mounting frustration to the Republican president and his allies.

Judges have issued 40 nationwide injunctions since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-inauguration-swearing-capitol-b3549ebe5dae74a872502aa79def7a11">began his second term</a>&nbsp;in January, Sauer told the court during the arguments.

The court could act anytime, but almost certainly no later than early summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748689514721.png" alt="(Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-sherman">MARK SHERMAN</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The sequence of events is familiar: A lower court judge blocks a part of President Donald Trump’s agenda, an appellate panel refuses to put the order on hold while the case continues and the Justice Department turns to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>.Trump administration lawyers have filed emergency appeals with the nation’s highest court a little less than once a week on average since Trump began his second term.The court is not being asked to render a final decision but rather to set the rules of the road while the case makes it way through the courts.The justices have issued orders in 11 cases so far, and the Trump administration has won more than it has lost.Among the administration’s victories was an order allowing it to enforce the Republican president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-military-ban-ef67038857bd5b99e128bf0b8866afb4">ban of on transgender military service members</a>. Among its losses was a prohibition on using an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-venezuelans-deportations-c1dc29a89faa173593f5d42b62aa8276">deport Venezuelans</a>&nbsp;alleged to be gang members to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">a notorious prison in El Salvador</a>.The most recent emergency filing arrived May 27.<h2>A judge rebuked the administration over deportations to South Sudan</h2>The Trump administration’s latest appeal asks the high court to halt an order by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston. The White House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deportation-immigration-south-sudan-department-of-homeland-security-a09612dbd055c5d1d88902c415bdf3e6">violated his earlier order</a>, Murphy found, with a deportation flight bound for the African nation carrying people from other countries who had been convicted of crimes in the U.S.Those immigrants must get a real chance to raise any fears that being sent there could put them in danger, Murphy wrote.Trump’s top Supreme Court lawyer, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, asked for an immediate high court order that would allow the third-country deportations to resume.Murphy has stalled efforts to carry out deportations of migrants who can’t be returned to their home countries, Sauer wrote. Finding countries willing to take them is “a delicate diplomatic endeavor” and the court requirements are a major setback, he said.Lawyers for the deported men have until Wednesday to respond.<h2>A watchdog group is trying to bring transparency to DOGE</h2>The Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-e09ac9f31cb2eb2e2d815a66cdffb7ba">his departure</a>&nbsp;on Friday, is resisting a lawsuit calling for it to publicly disclose information about its operations.Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington argues in a lawsuit that DOGE, which has been central to Trump’s push to remake the government, is a federal agency and must be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.CREW claims that DOGE “wields shockingly broad power” with no transparency about its actions. The administration says DOGE is just a presidential advisory body that is exempt from FOIA disclosures.U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had found that its role is likely more than just advisory, especially in helping to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-usaid-federal-workers-bfb69a0bf38419b7518555de42169ca1">shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development</a>&nbsp;and cut billions of dollars in government contracts.The administration appealed Cooper’s orders requiring documents be turned over and acting Administrator Amy Gleason to answer questions under oath.Last week, Chief Justice John Roberts agreed to temporarily pause the orders pending additional word from the Supreme Court.<h2>A judge blocked DOGE’s access to Social Security systems over privacy concerns</h2>Social Security has personal data on nearly everyone in the country, including school records, bank details, salary information and medical and mental health records for disability recipients, according to court documents.The Trump administration says DOGE needs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-social-security-trump-administration-supreme-court-a38db8e9908e56b01265432f4d46e8e3">access to Social Security’s systems</a>&nbsp;as part of its mission to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-waste-fraud-abuse-635b1419014a43e061f548c9713860c4">target waste in the federal government</a>.But U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland restricted the team’s access to Social Security under federal privacy laws, saying DOGE’s efforts at the agency amounted to a “fishing expedition” based on “little more than suspicion” of fraud.The judge is disrupting DOGE’s work and interfering with decisions that belong to the executive branch, not courts, Sauer wrote in asking the high court to block Hollander’s order in the suit filed by labor unions and retirees.The justices could act anytime.<h2>Trump wants to change citizenship rules in place for more than 125 years</h2>Several judges quickly blocked an executive order Trump signed his first day in office that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-b66a99ba8b22ddb0f3e24a129440126f">deny citizenship</a>&nbsp;to children who are born to people who are in the country illegally or temporarily.The administration appealed three court orders that prohibit the changes from taking effect anywhere in the country.Earlier in May, the justices took the rare step of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/supreme-court-weighs-whether-to-let-trumps-birthright-citizenship-restrictions-take-effect-c8923f24bafe4860b6b466cbad8551bb">hearing arguments</a>&nbsp;in an emergency appeal. It’s unclear how the case will come out, but the court seemed intent on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-nationwide-injunctions-2c495cddc1436e21a9fa976d295dc292">keeping the changes on hold</a>&nbsp;while looking for a way to scale back nationwide court orders.One possibility advanced by some justices was to find a different legal mechanism, perhaps a class action, to accomplish essentially the same thing as the nationwide injunctions blocking Trump’s citizenship order.Nationwide injunctions have emerged as an important check on Trump’s efforts to remake the government and a source of mounting frustration to the Republican president and his allies.Judges have issued 40 nationwide injunctions since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-inauguration-swearing-capitol-b3549ebe5dae74a872502aa79def7a11">began his second term</a>&nbsp;in January, Sauer told the court during the arguments.The court could act anytime, but almost certainly no later than early summer.

A look at cases left on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket

SALINE COUNTY —Authorities are working to confirm the cause of a hotel fire in Salina.

Just before 2:00 am on Wednesday,&nbsp; crews responded to reports of a commercial fire at the Country Inn and Suites, 2760 S. 9th Street in Salina, according to a media release from the Salina Fire Department. Initial reports indicated a fire in a storage room on the second floor.

Upon arrival, fire crews encountered an active fire that appeared to be coming from the exterior of a HVAC unit with fire extending into the adjacent storage room. The building's sprinkler system had activated, containing the fire to the room of origin.&nbsp; The fire was brought under control and extinguished within 10 minutes of arrival of the first due engine company.

During the incident, all guests and hotel staff were safely evacuated from the building and there were no reported injuries.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the fire originated due to a faulty HVAC unit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749059962560.jpeg" alt="Salina Fire Department containing fire at the Country Inn and Suites on 2760 S. 9th St. just before 2:00 am on Wednesday, June 4th-photo Salina Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Salina Fire Department containing fire at the Country Inn and Suites on 2760 S. 9th St. just before 2:00 am on Wednesday, June 4th-photo Salina Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Authorities are working to confirm the cause of a hotel fire in Salina.Just before 2:00 am on Wednesday,&nbsp; crews responded to reports of a commercial fire at the Country Inn and Suites, 2760 S. 9th Street in Salina, according to a media release from the Salina Fire Department. Initial reports indicated a fire in a storage room on the second floor.Upon arrival, fire crews encountered an active fire that appeared to be coming from the exterior of a HVAC unit with fire extending into the adjacent storage room. The building's sprinkler system had activated, containing the fire to the room of origin.&nbsp; The fire was brought under control and extinguished within 10 minutes of arrival of the first due engine company.During the incident, all guests and hotel staff were safely evacuated from the building and there were no reported injuries.Preliminary investigation suggests that the fire originated due to a faulty HVAC unit.

Guests evacuated after early morning Kansas hotel fire

Childhood vaccination rates against measles fell in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of the more than 2,000 U.S. counties with available data — including in states that are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccination-us-rfk-mmr-8fb86f56b0892408680daae4a52047e6">battling outbreaks</a>&nbsp;this year including in Kansas.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported seven new case of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 71 cases in 11 counties.

A Johns Hopkins University study,&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2834892">published in JAMA this week</a>, illustrates where more vulnerable communities are located. The results mirror trends established at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">state</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccinations-kindergarten-exemptions-cdc-1c0f9a196a70491fccf48b9125090de0">national levels</a>: Routine childhood&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">vaccination rates</a>&nbsp;are dropping.

“When you look at the state level or national level ... you really don’t see those drastic drops. Those are there. They’re real and they’re really problematic,” said Lauren Gardner, an expert in infectious disease modeling at Johns Hopkins University who is the paper’s senior author. Gardner also built the university’s COVID-19 database.

Most of the measles cases in the U.S. this year — 1,088 nationally as of Friday — are in unvaccinated people. It has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-international-travel-vaccine-980fdb9fcf8522fed01d23427eba4429">been spreading</a>&nbsp;among communities due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">international and domestic travel</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Three people have died from measles</a>&nbsp;during this year's outbreaks, and 2025 is inching closer to becoming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">the worst for measles</a>&nbsp;in more than three decades.

Measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">the vaccine is safe and highly effective</a>. Public schools nationwide require two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine before kindergarten, but the number of children with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-whooping-cough-rfk-measles-exemptions-covid-27dae6f61505ef1953ca869a78c71942">non-medical exemptions</a>&nbsp;from those requirements hit an all-time high in the 2023-2024 school year. Health experts say community-level vaccination needs to be at 95% or higher to prevent outbreaks.

The Johns Hopkins study looked at 2,066 counties across 33 states, comparing kindergarten vaccination rates averaged over school years from 2017-2020 to averages from 2022-2024. Where kindergarten data wasn’t available, the researchers used a comparable rate.

Here's what it looks like in counties where there have been outbreaks this year, including in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas counties that are the epicenter of measles</a>.

Counties with outbreaks in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;include Gray with 25 cases, Haskell with 11 and and Stevens with seven.

Vaccination rates in Gray County dropped 23 percentage points after the pandemic, from 94% to 71%.

Haskell County dropped 18 percentage points to 65%. And Stevens County dropped 0.5 percentage points to 90.5%.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-vaccines-measles-outbreak-exemptions-rfk-ab4aea44661153a789472f9d7fa8d17b">Texas</a>&nbsp;has logged 742 measles cases since late January, most in West Texas.

Gaines County has 411 cases, the most in the state. Almost 2% of its population got measles. While the county saw a two percentage-point increase in vaccination rates after the pandemic, its 82.4% rate remains&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-gaines-county-texas-religious-exemptions-cacdae1843fa918964a1b8e01fe757f5">below herd immunity.</a>

Terry County (60 cases) and Yoakum County (20 cases) dropped below the 95% threshold for herd immunity after the pandemic, to 93.7% and 91.8% respectively.

Lubbock County — which has seen 53 cases and is the closest metro area to Gaines County — was just below 95% before the pandemic, but dropped three percentage points after to 91.8%.

El Paso County on the border of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexico</a>&nbsp;has had the third-most measles cases in Texas this year with 57. Its vaccination rate is higher than 95% but saw a 2.1 percentage-point decline to 96.5%.

Colorado's outbreak, which is linked to an international flight that landed at the Denver airport in mid-May, involves six cases: five in state residents and one out-of-state traveler.

Two people who got measles live in Arapahoe County in the Denver metro, where the vaccination rate dropped 3.5 percentage points to 88.4%. Three others live in El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, where the vaccination rate dropped 3.8 percentage points to 80% post-pandemic.

Pre-pandemic data in North Dakota wasn't available to Johns Hopkins researchers, but they looked at rates from school years ending in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

North Dakota's first outbreak started in Williams County, which now has 16 measles cases. In the timeframe researchers looked at, vaccination rates in Williams rose from 84.6% in 2022 to 87.7% in 2023, only to drop back to 83.5% in 2024.

Cass County has seven cases, and its rate has stayed steady at about 92.7%, while Grand Forks County, which has 10 measles cases, dropped from 95.4% to 93.4%.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
 </figure>Childhood vaccination rates against measles fell in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of the more than 2,000 U.S. counties with available data — including in states that are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccination-us-rfk-mmr-8fb86f56b0892408680daae4a52047e6">battling outbreaks</a>&nbsp;this year including in Kansas.&nbsp; The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported seven new case of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 71 cases in 11 counties.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749059518752.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A Johns Hopkins University study,&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2834892">published in JAMA this week</a>, illustrates where more vulnerable communities are located. The results mirror trends established at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">state</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccinations-kindergarten-exemptions-cdc-1c0f9a196a70491fccf48b9125090de0">national levels</a>: Routine childhood&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">vaccination rates</a>&nbsp;are dropping.“When you look at the state level or national level ... you really don’t see those drastic drops. Those are there. They’re real and they’re really problematic,” said Lauren Gardner, an expert in infectious disease modeling at Johns Hopkins University who is the paper’s senior author. Gardner also built the university’s COVID-19 database.Most of the measles cases in the U.S. this year — 1,088 nationally as of Friday — are in unvaccinated people. It has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-international-travel-vaccine-980fdb9fcf8522fed01d23427eba4429">been spreading</a>&nbsp;among communities due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">international and domestic travel</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Three people have died from measles</a>&nbsp;during this year's outbreaks, and 2025 is inching closer to becoming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">the worst for measles</a>&nbsp;in more than three decades.Measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">the vaccine is safe and highly effective</a>. Public schools nationwide require two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine before kindergarten, but the number of children with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-whooping-cough-rfk-measles-exemptions-covid-27dae6f61505ef1953ca869a78c71942">non-medical exemptions</a>&nbsp;from those requirements hit an all-time high in the 2023-2024 school year. Health experts say community-level vaccination needs to be at 95% or higher to prevent outbreaks.The Johns Hopkins study looked at 2,066 counties across 33 states, comparing kindergarten vaccination rates averaged over school years from 2017-2020 to averages from 2022-2024. Where kindergarten data wasn’t available, the researchers used a comparable rate.Here's what it looks like in counties where there have been outbreaks this year, including in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas counties that are the epicenter of measles</a>.<h2>Kansas</h2>Counties with outbreaks in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;include Gray with 25 cases, Haskell with 11 and and Stevens with seven.Vaccination rates in Gray County dropped 23 percentage points after the pandemic, from 94% to 71%.Haskell County dropped 18 percentage points to 65%. And Stevens County dropped 0.5 percentage points to 90.5%.<h2>Texas</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-vaccines-measles-outbreak-exemptions-rfk-ab4aea44661153a789472f9d7fa8d17b">Texas</a>&nbsp;has logged 742 measles cases since late January, most in West Texas.Gaines County has 411 cases, the most in the state. Almost 2% of its population got measles. While the county saw a two percentage-point increase in vaccination rates after the pandemic, its 82.4% rate remains&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-gaines-county-texas-religious-exemptions-cacdae1843fa918964a1b8e01fe757f5">below herd immunity.</a>Terry County (60 cases) and Yoakum County (20 cases) dropped below the 95% threshold for herd immunity after the pandemic, to 93.7% and 91.8% respectively.Lubbock County — which has seen 53 cases and is the closest metro area to Gaines County — was just below 95% before the pandemic, but dropped three percentage points after to 91.8%.El Paso County on the border of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexico</a>&nbsp;has had the third-most measles cases in Texas this year with 57. Its vaccination rate is higher than 95% but saw a 2.1 percentage-point decline to 96.5%.<h2>Colorado</h2>Colorado's outbreak, which is linked to an international flight that landed at the Denver airport in mid-May, involves six cases: five in state residents and one out-of-state traveler.Two people who got measles live in Arapahoe County in the Denver metro, where the vaccination rate dropped 3.5 percentage points to 88.4%. Three others live in El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, where the vaccination rate dropped 3.8 percentage points to 80% post-pandemic.<h2>North Dakota</h2>Pre-pandemic data in North Dakota wasn't available to Johns Hopkins researchers, but they looked at rates from school years ending in 2022, 2023 and 2024.North Dakota's first outbreak started in Williams County, which now has 16 measles cases. In the timeframe researchers looked at, vaccination rates in Williams rose from 84.6% in 2022 to 87.7% in 2023, only to drop back to 83.5% in 2024.Cass County has seven cases, and its rate has stayed steady at about 92.7%, while Grand Forks County, which has 10 measles cases, dropped from 95.4% to 93.4%.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Measles vaccination rates drop after COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for jumping the wall at President&nbsp;Donald Trump's Florida Mar-a-Lago estate, according to Captain Will Rothrock with the Palm Beach Police Department.

Just after midnight June 3, Palm Beach Police Department responded to Mar-a-Lago club, 1100 South Ocean Blvd., in reference to a trespass, according to a probable cause affidavit from the department.

Upon arrival, Palm Beach Police officers were met by U.S. Secret Service agents who had detained 23-year-old Anthony Thomas Reyes.

Secret Service agents advised that Reyes was found on the property and that Reyes stated to them that "he had jumped over the wall to get into the property." Secret Service agents stated that Reyes had not entered the sweep area or had been granted permission to enter the protected site. Reyes was previously trespassed from Mar-a-Lago on December 31, 2024.

Reyes was read his Miranda Warnings from a Palm Beach Police pre-printed card to which he acknowledged he understood.&nbsp;

Mar-a-Lago Club has numerous signs posted around the property that clearly state "No Trespassing" with tallgates that remain closed when not in use. At this time, Mar-a-Lago was not accepting visitors or guests, the gates and entry points were closed and manned by USSS security personnel.

Reyes is being held at Palm Beach County Jail on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records. He pleaded not guilty later Tuesday during his first appearance in court. President Trump was in Washington at the time of the incident.

It should be noted that effective May 16, 2025, House Bill 1447: Trespass provides enhanced penalties for trespassing on property maintained or secured by federal, state, or local law enforcement officers if specified notice is posted, anyone in violation commits a felony.

Based on the facts, police had&nbsp; Probable Cause to arrest Reyes on requested charges of count of Felony Occupied Trespass pursuant to F.S.S 810.09 (1) (a) (2) because he did in fact, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully entered upon and remained on the property at 1100 South Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, FL 33480, which at the time of the offense, was a federally protected area by the United States Secret Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749032592579.png" alt="Reyes photo Palm Beach County" />
 <figcaption>Reyes photo Palm Beach County</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for jumping the wall at President&nbsp;Donald Trump's Florida Mar-a-Lago estate, according to Captain Will Rothrock with the Palm Beach Police Department.Just after midnight June 3, Palm Beach Police Department responded to Mar-a-Lago club, 1100 South Ocean Blvd., in reference to a trespass, according to a probable cause affidavit from the department.Upon arrival, Palm Beach Police officers were met by U.S. Secret Service agents who had detained 23-year-old Anthony Thomas Reyes.Secret Service agents advised that Reyes was found on the property and that Reyes stated to them that "he had jumped over the wall to get into the property." Secret Service agents stated that Reyes had not entered the sweep area or had been granted permission to enter the protected site. Reyes was previously trespassed from Mar-a-Lago on December 31, 2024.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749048514455.png" alt="Document from the New Year's Eve incident at Mar-a-Lago involving Reyes-Palm Beach Police" />
 <figcaption>Document from the New Year's Eve incident at Mar-a-Lago involving Reyes-Palm Beach Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Reyes was read his Miranda Warnings from a Palm Beach Police pre-printed card to which he acknowledged he understood.&nbsp;Mar-a-Lago Club has numerous signs posted around the property that clearly state "No Trespassing" with tallgates that remain closed when not in use. At this time, Mar-a-Lago was not accepting visitors or guests, the gates and entry points were closed and manned by USSS security personnel.Reyes is being held at Palm Beach County Jail on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records. He pleaded not guilty later Tuesday during his first appearance in court. President Trump was in Washington at the time of the incident.It should be noted that effective May 16, 2025, House Bill 1447: Trespass provides enhanced penalties for trespassing on property maintained or secured by federal, state, or local law enforcement officers if specified notice is posted, anyone in violation commits a felony.Based on the facts, police had&nbsp; Probable Cause to arrest Reyes on requested charges of count of Felony Occupied Trespass pursuant to F.S.S 810.09 (1) (a) (2) because he did in fact, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully entered upon and remained on the property at 1100 South Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, FL 33480, which at the time of the offense, was a federally protected area by the United States Secret Service.

Police: Man scaled wall at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas congressional delegation participated in a moment of silence on the U.S. House floor to honor the memory of a couple slain in May during an apparent antisemitic attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

Federal lawmakers stood in tribute for Sarah Milgrim, who grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas, and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky. Both were staff members at the Israeli embassy. They were fatally shot May 21 by a Chicago man who reportedly yelled “free Palestine” while handcuffed and has been charged with first-degree murder.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat who represents the community where Milgrim was raised, said the couple were “tragically and senselessly killed in an antisemitic attack.”

“This hateful and targeted violence is not only heartbreaking, it is unacceptable,” she said. “Antisemitism has no place in our country, and yet we are seeing a deeply disturbing rise in these acts of hate.”

Davids said Milgrim was a member of Congregation B’nai Jehudah and that Milgrim and Lischinsky were committed to building understanding and connection between Israel and the United States.

“To the Jewish community in Kansas, Colorado and across the nation,” Davids said, “please know that I am standing with you. We mourn with you. We recommit to creating a world where no one fears for their safety because of who they are.”

Davids offered her thoughts Tuesday in collaboration with a group of representatives, including Kansas Republican U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Derek Schmidt.

Milgrim was a 2017 graduate of Shawnee Mission East High School and earned a degree in 2021 from the University of Kansas. Her funeral service was May 27 at a synagogue in Overland Park, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749052335813.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, leads colleagues Tuesday in a moment of silence in honor of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, who were shot and killed in May in Washington, D.C. Milgrim grew up in Johnson County, Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of U.S. House’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, leads colleagues Tuesday in a moment of silence in honor of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, who were shot and killed in May in Washington, D.C. Milgrim grew up in Johnson County, Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of U.S. House’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas congressional delegation participated in a moment of silence on the U.S. House floor to honor the memory of a couple slain in May during an apparent antisemitic attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Last night, I held a moment of silence on the House floor for Sarah Milgrim, a Prairie Village native, and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky. They were tragically killed in an antisemitic attack earlier this month. May their memories be a blessing. <a href="https://t.co/Cvg8D8WFph">pic.twitter.com/Cvg8D8WFph</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1930307937022480816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Federal lawmakers stood in tribute for Sarah Milgrim, who grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas, and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky. Both were staff members at the Israeli embassy. They were fatally shot May 21 by a Chicago man who reportedly yelled “free Palestine” while handcuffed and has been charged with first-degree murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747923211105.png" alt="Sarah Milgrim, who grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas, and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Milgrim, who grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas, and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat who represents the community where Milgrim was raised, said the couple were “tragically and senselessly killed in an antisemitic attack.”“This hateful and targeted violence is not only heartbreaking, it is unacceptable,” she said. “Antisemitism has no place in our country, and yet we are seeing a deeply disturbing rise in these acts of hate.”Davids said Milgrim was a member of Congregation B’nai Jehudah and that Milgrim and Lischinsky were committed to building understanding and connection between Israel and the United States.“To the Jewish community in Kansas, Colorado and across the nation,” Davids said, “please know that I am standing with you. We mourn with you. We recommit to creating a world where no one fears for their safety because of who they are.”Davids offered her thoughts Tuesday in collaboration with a group of representatives, including Kansas Republican U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Derek Schmidt.Milgrim was a 2017 graduate of Shawnee Mission East High School and earned a degree in 2021 from the University of Kansas. Her funeral service was May 27 at a synagogue in Overland Park, Kansas.

U.S. House offers moment of silence honoring native Kansan slain in Washington

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Wichita area of south-central Kansas, forcing firefighters to rescue dozens of people, including stranded motorists.

Sedgwick County's emergency management director, Julie Stimson, said at a briefing Tuesday night that the county had received anywhere from 1 1/2 inches to 7 inches of rain since Monday. She warned motorists who run into flooded areas not to drive around barricades or emergency vehicles, and to turn around instead.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued a disaster emergency declaration to enable state agencies to provide assistance.

The Wichita Fire Department used boats to rescue several motorists trapped in their cars. While the water sometimes reached windshield height, some people still attempted to drive through it.

“We have to put ourselves in danger with our life jackets and our boats to get them into a life jacket and into a boat to get them out of the water,” Fire Capt.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wfd-rescues-stranded-drivers-in-high-water-during-flash-flood/">Lance Diffenbaugh told KSN-TV</a>. “So there’s no sense in it if they can just turn around and wait 10 minutes for the water to go down.”

A few roads remained closed Wednesday morning,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/06f9e01cbb154ff38671a4d1892d5dc9">according to the county's interactive map</a>.

About 30 miles east, the torrential rainfall caused the Walnut River to overflow, flooding several streets in Dorado and sending people scrambling for safety.

“By the time we got most of the stuff out of there and were going to get the last few things, it was already up to our waist, and we were pretty much swimming to get out,” resident&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/home/torrential-rainfall-in-el-dorado-causes-walnut-river-to-overflow-evacuating-residents/article_01921e04-d0fe-43f3-9c36-3768c9f38a89.html">Michelle Yerge told KAKE-TV</a>.

Wednesday's forecast called for dry conditions, but more storms were forecast for Thursday. Officials warned that the soil in the area is saturated and even an inch or two of rainfall could lead to localized flooding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748988705777.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Wichita area of south-central Kansas, forcing firefighters to rescue dozens of people, including stranded motorists.Sedgwick County's emergency management director, Julie Stimson, said at a briefing Tuesday night that the county had received anywhere from 1 1/2 inches to 7 inches of rain since Monday. She warned motorists who run into flooded areas not to drive around barricades or emergency vehicles, and to turn around instead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749047082101.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued a disaster emergency declaration to enable state agencies to provide assistance.The Wichita Fire Department used boats to rescue several motorists trapped in their cars. While the water sometimes reached windshield height, some people still attempted to drive through it.“We have to put ourselves in danger with our life jackets and our boats to get them into a life jacket and into a boat to get them out of the water,” Fire Capt.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wfd-rescues-stranded-drivers-in-high-water-during-flash-flood/">Lance Diffenbaugh told KSN-TV</a>. “So there’s no sense in it if they can just turn around and wait 10 minutes for the water to go down.”A few roads remained closed Wednesday morning,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/06f9e01cbb154ff38671a4d1892d5dc9">according to the county's interactive map</a>.About 30 miles east, the torrential rainfall caused the Walnut River to overflow, flooding several streets in Dorado and sending people scrambling for safety.“By the time we got most of the stuff out of there and were going to get the last few things, it was already up to our waist, and we were pretty much swimming to get out,” resident&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kake.com/home/torrential-rainfall-in-el-dorado-causes-walnut-river-to-overflow-evacuating-residents/article_01921e04-d0fe-43f3-9c36-3768c9f38a89.html">Michelle Yerge told KAKE-TV</a>.Wednesday's forecast called for dry conditions, but more storms were forecast for Thursday. Officials warned that the soil in the area is saturated and even an inch or two of rainfall could lead to localized flooding.

Water rescues after heavy rains cause flash flooding in Kansas

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry voted on Tuesday to advance Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-marshall-welch-mccormick-fetterman-and-reps-thompson-and-schrier-lead-bipartisan-legislation-to-bring-whole-milk-access-to-all-schools/">Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act</a>.&nbsp;This legislation&nbsp;would expand healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias, according to a media release from the senator's office.

Roger Marshall wrote, "Today’s vote was a step to correct a major mistake made during the Obama Administration – and a great start to National Dairy Month,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“Whole and reduced-fat milk should have never been excluded from the National School Lunch Program. Now, 13 years after its removal, nearly 75% of children do not receive their recommended daily dairy intake. By increasing kids’ access to milk in school cafeterias, we will help prevent diseases down the road and encourage nutrient-rich diets for years to come.”

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source for both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.

The legislation was first introduced by Senator Marshall in June of 2023 and reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors. The bill is scheduled to proceed to the Senate floor for a vote before advancing to the House of Representatives for approval. Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-marshall-welch-mccormick-fetterman-and-reps-thompson-and-schrier-lead-bipartisan-legislation-to-bring-whole-milk-access-to-all-schools/">HERE</a>&nbsp;to learn more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748988260590.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON –&nbsp;The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry voted on Tuesday to advance Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-marshall-welch-mccormick-fetterman-and-reps-thompson-and-schrier-lead-bipartisan-legislation-to-bring-whole-milk-access-to-all-schools/">Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act</a>.&nbsp;This legislation&nbsp;would expand healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias, according to a media release from the senator's office.Roger Marshall wrote, "Today’s vote was a step to correct a major mistake made during the Obama Administration – and a great start to National Dairy Month,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“Whole and reduced-fat milk should have never been excluded from the National School Lunch Program. Now, 13 years after its removal, nearly 75% of children do not receive their recommended daily dairy intake. By increasing kids’ access to milk in school cafeterias, we will help prevent diseases down the road and encourage nutrient-rich diets for years to come.”The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source for both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.The legislation was first introduced by Senator Marshall in June of 2023 and reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors. The bill is scheduled to proceed to the Senate floor for a vote before advancing to the House of Representatives for approval. Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-marshall-welch-mccormick-fetterman-and-reps-thompson-and-schrier-lead-bipartisan-legislation-to-bring-whole-milk-access-to-all-schools/">HERE</a>&nbsp;to learn more.Background:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which amended nutrition standards in the School Lunch Program. Among the changes, the law mandated that flavored milk must be fat-free within the program.</li><li>In May of 2017, the USDA announced a rule that allowed schools to receive waivers for low-fat (1%) flavored milk, rather than only fat-free.</li><li>Last Congress, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support (330-99).&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Kan. U.S. Senator's 'Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act' advances

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a hit-and-run collision and asking the public for help to locate a suspect vehicle.

Just after 9:30p.m. June 1, police responded to an injury collision in the area of South Hydraulic and East Wassall, according to a social media report.

 When officers arrived, they located two motorcycle riders, a 24-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, lying in the roadway. 

Investigators learned that a tan/gold Chevrolet Impala failed to yield to the motorcycle, resulting in a collision between the motorcycle and the passenger side of the Chevrolet Impala. 

Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact WPD investigators at (316) 350-3687, or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111. WPD Case# 25C096170

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748994892666.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a hit-and-run collision and asking the public for help to locate a suspect vehicle.Just after 9:30p.m. June 1, police responded to an injury collision in the area of South Hydraulic and East Wassall, according to a social media report. When officers arrived, they located two motorcycle riders, a 24-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, lying in the roadway. Investigators learned that a tan/gold Chevrolet Impala failed to yield to the motorcycle, resulting in a collision between the motorcycle and the passenger side of the Chevrolet Impala. Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact WPD investigators at (316) 350-3687, or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111. WPD Case# 25C096170

Police ask for help to ID car in Kan. motorcycle hit-and-run

KANSAS CITY — Lee's Summit police officer, Jared Timbrook, shot four times while pursuing a suspect on Sunday is out of the hospital.

"Officer Timbrook was treated by his fellow officers on scene and he was transported to an area trauma center by the paramedics of the Lee’s Summit Fire Department," according to a media release from the department.

"On Tuesday afternoon, Timbrook was released from the hospital to continue his healing journey at home."

"On behalf of Officer Timbrook and his family along with the men and women of the Lee's Summit Police Deparatment, we are thankful for the amazing care that he received and the outpouring of support for him from this amazing community." Officer Timbrook has been with the LSPD for approximately 18 months and comes to the department with approximately 7 years of experience with his previous agency."

Meanwhile the suspect Thomas Tolbert has been charged with&nbsp; 1st Degree Assault, Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest/Detention/Stop by Fleeing, and 2nd Degree Domestic Assault in connection with the incident, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2636/484693-PC-Statement-Tolbert-Thomas_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Lee’s Summit police were dispatched to an apartment complex near SW Hollywood Drive and Highway 150 on June 1 regarding a man, later identified as Tolbert who was allegedly involved in a domestic assault with the victim. &nbsp;

Upon arrival, an officer approached Tolbert in the parking lot of the complex and attempted to detain him. Tolbert broke away and began to run. As the officer ran after him, the defendant began to fire multiple gunshots at the officer, striking him four times. The officer was hit in the left leg, left arm, chest of his body armor, and his shoulder.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749034731726.png" alt="Jared Timbrook-photo Lee's Summit Police" />
 <figcaption>Jared Timbrook-photo Lee's Summit Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Lee's Summit police officer, Jared Timbrook, shot four times while pursuing a suspect on Sunday is out of the hospital."Officer Timbrook was treated by his fellow officers on scene and he was transported to an area trauma center by the paramedics of the Lee’s Summit Fire Department," according to a media release from the department."On Tuesday afternoon, Timbrook was released from the hospital to continue his healing journey at home.""On behalf of Officer Timbrook and his family along with the men and women of the Lee's Summit Police Deparatment, we are thankful for the amazing care that he received and the outpouring of support for him from this amazing community." Officer Timbrook has been with the LSPD for approximately 18 months and comes to the department with approximately 7 years of experience with his previous agency."Meanwhile the suspect Thomas Tolbert has been charged with&nbsp; 1st Degree Assault, Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest/Detention/Stop by Fleeing, and 2nd Degree Domestic Assault in connection with the incident, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748958751939.jpeg" alt="Tolbert was captured Tuesday in Ellis&nbsp; County- photo Ellis Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Tolbert was captured Tuesday in Ellis&nbsp; County- photo Ellis Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2636/484693-PC-Statement-Tolbert-Thomas_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Lee’s Summit police were dispatched to an apartment complex near SW Hollywood Drive and Highway 150 on June 1 regarding a man, later identified as Tolbert who was allegedly involved in a domestic assault with the victim. &nbsp;Upon arrival, an officer approached Tolbert in the parking lot of the complex and attempted to detain him. Tolbert broke away and began to run. As the officer ran after him, the defendant began to fire multiple gunshots at the officer, striking him four times. The officer was hit in the left leg, left arm, chest of his body armor, and his shoulder.&nbsp;

KC-area police officer shot four times is released from hospital 

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas authorities on Tuesday released a photo rendering of a convicted murderer and former police chief known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-934e7fe6a45d3eafb18443f5b2bc5680?utm_source=Facebook&amp;utm_medium=share&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawKjFE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF4MmxjbUJyV05JWjVpTWZxAR7HdBxBzlrOzjOfYiCdChZPCLBAhbxLUw0ibnBZA-1ZgEI9955QwHFHVGhqmw_aem_bQ6Hm8suIdhTYD_ucbzvWg">the “Devil in the Ozarks</a>&nbsp;" as the search for the escaped inmate entered its second week.

The new image was released as state legislators raised concerns about Hardin's escape and said they planned to conduct a review of how it occurred.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748998437729.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas authorities on Tuesday released a photo rendering of a convicted murderer and former police chief known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-934e7fe6a45d3eafb18443f5b2bc5680?utm_source=Facebook&amp;utm_medium=share&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawKjFE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF4MmxjbUJyV05JWjVpTWZxAR7HdBxBzlrOzjOfYiCdChZPCLBAhbxLUw0ibnBZA-1ZgEI9955QwHFHVGhqmw_aem_bQ6Hm8suIdhTYD_ucbzvWg">the “Devil in the Ozarks</a>&nbsp;" as the search for the escaped inmate entered its second week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748998090150.png" alt="Hardin photo ADC" />
 <figcaption>Hardin photo ADC</figcaption>
 </figure>The new image was released as state legislators raised concerns about Hardin's escape and said they planned to conduct a review of how it occurred.The Arkansas Department of Corrections said the photo rendering of Grant Hardin, 56, depicts how he may look after he escaped May 25 from the Calico Rock prison. The rendering shows Hardin with some hair on his head and face.Authorities have said Hardin escaped by donning an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform.Rand Champion, a department spokesperson, said officials are focusing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-b48323fc891ac94d04209b50caa2a04d">their search</a>&nbsp;on the north-central Arkansas region where the prison is located. Tips from elsewhere about potential Hardin sightings have come in, but so far none have panned out, Champion said.Hardin, a former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>. He was the subject of the TV documentary “Devil in the Ozarks.”Hardin was housed in a maximum-security wing of the primarily medium security prison, formally known as the North Central Unit. Officials are investigating whether a job Hardin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/devil-ozarks-arkansas-prison-grant-hardin-9f2600255eea6ec5be0aae045de550df">held in the kitchen</a>&nbsp;aided in his escape, including whether it gave him access to materials he could have used to fashion his makeshift uniform.The co-chairs of a legislative subcommittee overseeing the prison system told the head of the state Board of Corrections that they planned to conduct a review of any "inadequacies or deviations" from security protocols that allowed Hardin to escape.Area legislators have raised questions about why Hardin was being held at the Calico Rock facility.The letter was sent Monday by Republican Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Matt McKee to Benny Magness, who heads the state board.“Given Hardin’s background as a former law enforcement officer and his history of working for multiple law enforcement agencies, it is evident that he possesses knowledge and skills that enabled him to exploit weaknesses in our security protocols,” the lawmakers wrote. "His manipulation of the system by wearing a disguise resembling a uniform is disturbing and speaks to a broader system failure."