SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a deadly hit-and run accident made her first court appearance in the case on Monday.

Peyton Allart, 19, Wichita, was charged with leaving the scene of a crash, transporting an open container of alcohol and purchase or consumption of alcohol by a minor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The crash killed 28-year-old Jaz Brooks from Wichita.

Just after 3a.m. June 23, police responded to a vehicule collision at the intersection of Central and Mclean in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders discovered a dark-colored Saturn involved in the incident. The passenger, identified as Brooks, was found trapped inside the vehicle and pronounced deceased. The driver of the Saturn received an evaluation by EMS for non-lifethreatening injuries at the scene.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a black Ford F-150 had collided with the Saturn on its passenger side and fled prior to law enforcement's arrival. Officers successfully located the suspect identified as Allart and the vehicle several hours later.&nbsp; &nbsp;

She is scheduled to return to court on July 24 and is free after meeting the requirements for bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719242864860.png" alt="Allart photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Allart photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a deadly hit-and run accident made her first court appearance in the case on Monday.Peyton Allart, 19, Wichita, was charged with leaving the scene of a crash, transporting an open container of alcohol and purchase or consumption of alcohol by a minor, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The crash killed 28-year-old Jaz Brooks from Wichita.Just after 3a.m. June 23, police responded to a vehicule collision at the intersection of Central and Mclean in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders discovered a dark-colored Saturn involved in the incident. The passenger, identified as Brooks, was found trapped inside the vehicle and pronounced deceased. The driver of the Saturn received an evaluation by EMS for non-lifethreatening injuries at the scene.Preliminary investigations revealed that a black Ford F-150 had collided with the Saturn on its passenger side and fled prior to law enforcement's arrival. Officers successfully located the suspect identified as Allart and the vehicle several hours later.&nbsp; &nbsp;She is scheduled to return to court on July 24 and is free after meeting the requirements for bond.

Kan. teen accused in fatal hit-and-run makes court appearance

KANSAS CITY—The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium wants your help to name the new giraffe calf. Last week the zoo announced a&nbsp;female Masai giraffe was born to mom Makali on June 30.

The calf weighed in at 125 pounds and already stands 5 feet 6 inches tall.&nbsp;

The animal care specialists have narrowed the name options down to five for the growing girl. The deadline to vote is 4pm on Friday, July 12, and you may vote only once.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascityzoo.org/form/name-the-baby-giraffe/">Click here to view the name </a>options and cast your vote.

It will be a while before this adorable girl makes her public debut, but the zoo will keep fans updated on the Zoo’s social media pages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720043510469.png" alt="Photo KC Zoo and Aquarium&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Zoo and Aquarium&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium wants your help to name the new giraffe calf. Last week the zoo announced a&nbsp;female Masai giraffe was born to mom Makali on June 30.The calf weighed in at 125 pounds and already stands 5 feet 6 inches tall.&nbsp;The animal care specialists have narrowed the name options down to five for the growing girl. The deadline to vote is 4pm on Friday, July 12, and you may vote only once.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascityzoo.org/form/name-the-baby-giraffe/">Click here to view the name </a>options and cast your vote.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Makali’s calf has been officially introduced to the other giraffe gals, and we can confirm these four are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SquadGoals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SquadGoals</a>. If you haven’t voted on a name for the calf yet, be sure to visit <a href="https://t.co/fZLflY9jNK">https://t.co/fZLflY9jNK</a>! 📸 Katie M. <a href="https://t.co/hVoHu86AOM">pic.twitter.com/hVoHu86AOM</a>&mdash; Kansas City Zoo &amp; Aquarium (@KansasCityZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasCityZoo/status/1810779640471929171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It will be a while before this adorable girl makes her public debut, but the zoo will keep fans updated on the Zoo’s social media pages.

Vote: Kansas City Zoo wants you to name the baby giraffe

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 9:30p.m. July 7,&nbsp;a police officer in the city of Hoyt conducted a traffic stop on 2000 Ford Econoline van for various traffic infractions, near the intersection of 1st&nbsp;Street and Eastern Ave. in the city of Hoyt, according to Police Chief Dan Wentling.

The driver of the van, David Eugene Savard, 36, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, felony interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, Identity Theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, driving while suspended, transporting an open container, illegal registration, and no proof of insurance.

A passenger in the van, Julieanna Dean Corbett, 23, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

Another passenger in the van, Nathan Paul Leonard, 24, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for transporting an open container. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720433678524.png" alt="Savard photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Savard photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 9:30p.m. July 7,&nbsp;a police officer in the city of Hoyt conducted a traffic stop on 2000 Ford Econoline van for various traffic infractions, near the intersection of 1st&nbsp;Street and Eastern Ave. in the city of Hoyt, according to Police Chief Dan Wentling.The driver of the van, David Eugene Savard, 36, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, felony interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, Identity Theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, driving while suspended, transporting an open container, illegal registration, and no proof of insurance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720433718697.png" alt="Corbett photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Corbett photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>A passenger in the van, Julieanna Dean Corbett, 23, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720433781363.png" alt="Leonard-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Leonard-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Another passenger in the van, Nathan Paul Leonard, 24, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for transporting an open container. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrests.

3 jailed in Kansas for drinking and driving, transporting drugs

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;on Monday declared herself “all in” on President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;bid to remain as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, despite calls by some Democrats for him to drop out after his damaging debate performance against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shook their confidence in him.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?536838-1/lady-jill-biden-campaigns-wilmington-nc">Click here to watch</a> Jill Biden's campaign appearance

The president himself has brushed aside those calls and insisted anew on Monday that he isn’t leaving the race.

“For all the talk out there about this race, Joe has made it clear that he’s all in,” the first lady told a military crowd in Wilmington, North Carolina, the first of three battleground states she was visiting.

“That’s the decision that he’s made, and just as he has always supported my career, I am all in too,” said Jill Biden, who teaches English and writing as a community college professor.

Later Monday, in remarks at an American Legion post in Tampa, Florida, she said her husband considers support of the military and veterans a “sacred obligation” that she contended contrasts with Trump.

“As commander in chief, President Biden wakes up every morning ready to work for you,” Jill Biden said. “Donald Trump wakes up every morning thinking of one person and one person only: himself.”

Danny Fuqua, president of the Democratic Veterans Caucus of Florida, said Biden’s ties to the military make him the clear choice in November.

“The Bidens are a military family. They are one of us. They not only see the uniform, they see the person in it,” Fuqua said.

Jill Biden was headed next to an event in Columbus, Georgia, home of the Army’s sprawling Fort Moore.

Her daylong tour was part of the Biden campaign’s broader effort to rebound from the president’s halting performance against Trump in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">last month’s debate</a>.

The debate led some congressional Democrats and others to call on him to let another candidate challenge Trump because they no longer believe the 81-year-old president is mentally and physically capable of defeating the former Republican president in November.

Jill Biden also announced the formation of an organizing group, Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris at her Tampa stop.

“We can’t take anything for granted. We have to meet this moment because our freedoms are at risk,” she said.

The president has insisted since the June 27 debate that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-campaign-wisconsin-abc-news-e4657f86f5e82b10a5fefb526bc49b08">he is staying in the race</a>. He did so again on Monday in a letter to congressional Democrats and during an on-air telephone interview with MSNBC.

Jill Biden used her appearance to draw contrasts between her husband’s and Trump’s attitudes toward U.S. service members, veterans and their families.

The president’s late son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">Beau</a>&nbsp;served in Iraq as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard, and the first lady’s father was a Navy signalman during World War II.

“This is personal to us,” she said, describing the waits to connect by phone with a service member stationed overseas or having to smile through a loved one’s absence on holidays.

“Let me ask you this ... Does Donald Trump know what it’s like?” she said.

The first lady mentioned reports that Trump, during a 2018 trip to France, referred to service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-politics-europe-edf5d17c4d41cfb69117f0cf97ef6ac6">“suckers” and “losers.”</a>&nbsp;Trump denies making the comments.

“It’s disgraceful, but it’s not surprising,” she said. And, noting that the Supreme Court has said presidents are immune from prosecution for acts committed while in office, the first lady said “our democracy cannot withstand a Trump president with virtually no limits.”

“Members of our military honor their oath to support and defend the Constitution. We cannot trust Donald Trump to do the same,” she said. “You deserve a commander in chief who serves with integrity and wisdom and character, and that’s my husband, Joe Biden.”

A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

During the debate, Biden and Trump argued over who cares the most about veterans. Biden noted that he recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-election-france-451275981e578163c51b5a2562ae6694">visited an American military cemetery in France</a>, the final resting place for U.S. soldiers who fought in World War I, which Trump notably skipped on his 2018 trip.

Trump asserted during the debate that the Democratic president is coddling migrants while neglecting the needs of veterans and service members, and he faulted Biden for the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720484737607.png" alt="First Lady Dr. Jill Biden at the campaign rally Monday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>First Lady Dr. Jill Biden at the campaign rally Monday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>TAMPA, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;on Monday declared herself “all in” on President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;bid to remain as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, despite calls by some Democrats for him to drop out after his damaging debate performance against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shook their confidence in him.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?536838-1/lady-jill-biden-campaigns-wilmington-nc">Click here to watch</a> Jill Biden's campaign appearanceThe president himself has brushed aside those calls and insisted anew on Monday that he isn’t leaving the race.“For all the talk out there about this race, Joe has made it clear that he’s all in,” the first lady told a military crowd in Wilmington, North Carolina, the first of three battleground states she was visiting.“That’s the decision that he’s made, and just as he has always supported my career, I am all in too,” said Jill Biden, who teaches English and writing as a community college professor.Later Monday, in remarks at an American Legion post in Tampa, Florida, she said her husband considers support of the military and veterans a “sacred obligation” that she contended contrasts with Trump.“As commander in chief, President Biden wakes up every morning ready to work for you,” Jill Biden said. “Donald Trump wakes up every morning thinking of one person and one person only: himself.”Danny Fuqua, president of the Democratic Veterans Caucus of Florida, said Biden’s ties to the military make him the clear choice in November.“The Bidens are a military family. They are one of us. They not only see the uniform, they see the person in it,” Fuqua said.Jill Biden was headed next to an event in Columbus, Georgia, home of the Army’s sprawling Fort Moore.Her daylong tour was part of the Biden campaign’s broader effort to rebound from the president’s halting performance against Trump in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">last month’s debate</a>.The debate led some congressional Democrats and others to call on him to let another candidate challenge Trump because they no longer believe the 81-year-old president is mentally and physically capable of defeating the former Republican president in November.Jill Biden also announced the formation of an organizing group, Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris at her Tampa stop.“We can’t take anything for granted. We have to meet this moment because our freedoms are at risk,” she said.The president has insisted since the June 27 debate that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-campaign-wisconsin-abc-news-e4657f86f5e82b10a5fefb526bc49b08">he is staying in the race</a>. He did so again on Monday in a letter to congressional Democrats and during an on-air telephone interview with MSNBC.Jill Biden used her appearance to draw contrasts between her husband’s and Trump’s attitudes toward U.S. service members, veterans and their families.The president’s late son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">Beau</a>&nbsp;served in Iraq as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard, and the first lady’s father was a Navy signalman during World War II.“This is personal to us,” she said, describing the waits to connect by phone with a service member stationed overseas or having to smile through a loved one’s absence on holidays.“Let me ask you this ... Does Donald Trump know what it’s like?” she said.The first lady mentioned reports that Trump, during a 2018 trip to France, referred to service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-top-news-politics-europe-edf5d17c4d41cfb69117f0cf97ef6ac6">“suckers” and “losers.”</a>&nbsp;Trump denies making the comments.“It’s disgraceful, but it’s not surprising,” she said. And, noting that the Supreme Court has said presidents are immune from prosecution for acts committed while in office, the first lady said “our democracy cannot withstand a Trump president with virtually no limits.”“Members of our military honor their oath to support and defend the Constitution. We cannot trust Donald Trump to do the same,” she said. “You deserve a commander in chief who serves with integrity and wisdom and character, and that’s my husband, Joe Biden.”A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.During the debate, Biden and Trump argued over who cares the most about veterans. Biden noted that he recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-election-france-451275981e578163c51b5a2562ae6694">visited an American military cemetery in France</a>, the final resting place for U.S. soldiers who fought in World War I, which Trump notably skipped on his 2018 trip.Trump asserted during the debate that the Democratic president is coddling migrants while neglecting the needs of veterans and service members, and he faulted Biden for the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.<h2>___</h2>

🎥Jill Biden says she’s ‘all in’ on Joe's reelection 

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack that sent two children to a hospital.

Just after 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a domestic violence incident at a home near the intersection of 38th and Indiana in Kansas City, according to KCPD.

First responders heard what sounded like an argument coming from inside the house. Officers entered the house and found two children including a boy under the age of 10 with a laceration and a girl under the age of 15 with a stab wound.&nbsp; EMS transported them to a local hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police took a man at the home into custody for questioning.

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack that sent two children to a hospital.Just after 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a domestic violence incident at a home near the intersection of 38th and Indiana in Kansas City, according to KCPD.First responders heard what sounded like an argument coming from inside the house. Officers entered the house and found two children including a boy under the age of 10 with a laceration and a girl under the age of 15 with a stab wound.&nbsp; EMS transported them to a local hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police took a man at the home into custody for questioning.

2 children hospitalized after knife attack at Kansas City home

Departures at HeadQuarters tied to staff rebellion, alleged misuse of grants

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

LAWRENCE — The interim executive director and the board of directors at the suicide prevention organization HeadQuarters Kansas resigned amid an uprising by employees and volunteers, allegations grant money was misappropriated and anxiety about potential loss of state and county funding.

Headquarters Kansas, which is based in Lawrence, operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties in the state. It is affiliated with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

The departure Monday of Ruby Johnson, interim executive director; Michelle Fales, chair of the board of directors; and the recent resignation of five other board members was the culmination of months of management turmoil.

“We created new structures of accountability in our relationships with funders, partners and each other,” said Johnson, who agreed in April to assume the role of interim executive director and step down from the board of directors. “The agency faces new challenges, but it falls to others to address them. I am moving on with pride in the work done, secure in having navigated challenges with integrity and with love for those who exemplify the mission of building resilience and preventing suicide.”

Johnson replaced interim director Becky Price, who held the top job from February to April. Price was hired after the sudden departure in January of Steve Devore, who had been president and CEO of the organization since 2019.

In a memorandum to HeadQuarters Kansas staff, Fales said she tendered her resignation Monday after enduring months of “lies and threats” from individuals more interested in provoking controversy than achieving results. She assumed the role of board chair in November and initiated a survey of employees, board members and community partners in conjunction with the overdue employee evaluation of Devore’s work.

“These surveys opened up a can of worms, including the misuse of grant funds,” Fales said. “Management giving bonuses that were not permitted under the grant. Buying family golf memberships with grant funds. Buying over $5,000 in items for a ‘therapy’ dog.”

She asserted three administrative employees at HeadQuarters Kansas were responsible for oversight of an estimated $206,000 in expenditures from 2021 to 2023 that may not have complied with grant guidelines. The spending was embedded in budget documents in ways that made it difficult for the board to track, she said.

In 2022, Fales said, she had asked for clarity about bonuses given certain employees and was allegedly misled by Devore.

Fales said the board of directors eventually decided to seek the resignation or termination of two staff members, which included Devore.

Fales also complained that Andrew Brown, deputy secretary of programs at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, had been advising dissident staff and advocating for her to resign from the board. Prior to working at KDADS, Brown was executive director of HeadQuarters Kansas.

“The board has been slandered, threatened, intimidated, harassed while continuing to work in the best interest of keeping the organization solvent and clean up the messes made by prior management,” Fales said. “It has become abundantly clear that while most of the individuals working at HeadQuarters Kansas Inc. might be in the mental health arena, they have no desire to talk constructively with anyone that differs from their own opinions.”

The defection of Fales, Johnson and the other board members meant an attorney would likely be appointed to coordinate appointment of a new board of directors.

In April, 75 to 100 current and former employees and volunteers at HeadQuarters Kansas publicly demanded wholesale management change. In a letter to leaders of the organization Friday, the employee coalition vowed to initiate the equivalent of a strike if Fales and Johnson didn’t resign Monday.

The letter said HeadQuarters Kansas was in peril of losing state and county aid and the “unjust termination of our colleagues who voiced their concern or disapproval has changed our workplace culture from one of cooperation to one of fear and distrust.” There has been concern controversy at HeadQuarters Kansas could lead to loss of state funding for the 988 hotline, undermine appropriations from Douglas County and eventually force closure of the agency.

Hope Blankenship, vice president of operations at HeadQuarters Kansas, assumed the duties of executive director. Blankenship told the&nbsp;<a href="https://lawrencekstimes.com/2024/04/07/headquarters-kansas-in-crisis/" target="_blank">Lawrence Times</a>&nbsp;there had been no interruption in the organization’s call, text and chat services.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was implemented in Kansas during July 2022. In preparation for the launch, Kansas integrated HeadQuarters Kansas, COMCARE of Sedgwick County and Johnson County Crisis Line into the 988 network.&nbsp;The three centers operate with state funding and oversight from KDADS and the 988 Coordinating Council. In terms of the Lawrence facility, KDADS allocated $3.7 million to the agency during the 2023 fiscal year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720539289959.png" alt=" The entire board of directors and the executive director resigned from the Lawrence-based HeadQuarters Kansas, which operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The entire board of directors and the executive director resigned from the Lawrence-based HeadQuarters Kansas, which operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Departures at HeadQuarters tied to staff rebellion, alleged misuse of grants</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — The interim executive director and the board of directors at the suicide prevention organization HeadQuarters Kansas resigned amid an uprising by employees and volunteers, allegations grant money was misappropriated and anxiety about potential loss of state and county funding.Headquarters Kansas, which is based in Lawrence, operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties in the state. It is affiliated with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.The departure Monday of Ruby Johnson, interim executive director; Michelle Fales, chair of the board of directors; and the recent resignation of five other board members was the culmination of months of management turmoil.“We created new structures of accountability in our relationships with funders, partners and each other,” said Johnson, who agreed in April to assume the role of interim executive director and step down from the board of directors. “The agency faces new challenges, but it falls to others to address them. I am moving on with pride in the work done, secure in having navigated challenges with integrity and with love for those who exemplify the mission of building resilience and preventing suicide.”Johnson replaced interim director Becky Price, who held the top job from February to April. Price was hired after the sudden departure in January of Steve Devore, who had been president and CEO of the organization since 2019.In a memorandum to HeadQuarters Kansas staff, Fales said she tendered her resignation Monday after enduring months of “lies and threats” from individuals more interested in provoking controversy than achieving results. She assumed the role of board chair in November and initiated a survey of employees, board members and community partners in conjunction with the overdue employee evaluation of Devore’s work.“These surveys opened up a can of worms, including the misuse of grant funds,” Fales said. “Management giving bonuses that were not permitted under the grant. Buying family golf memberships with grant funds. Buying over $5,000 in items for a ‘therapy’ dog.”She asserted three administrative employees at HeadQuarters Kansas were responsible for oversight of an estimated $206,000 in expenditures from 2021 to 2023 that may not have complied with grant guidelines. The spending was embedded in budget documents in ways that made it difficult for the board to track, she said.In 2022, Fales said, she had asked for clarity about bonuses given certain employees and was allegedly misled by Devore.Fales said the board of directors eventually decided to seek the resignation or termination of two staff members, which included Devore.Fales also complained that Andrew Brown, deputy secretary of programs at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, had been advising dissident staff and advocating for her to resign from the board. Prior to working at KDADS, Brown was executive director of HeadQuarters Kansas.“The board has been slandered, threatened, intimidated, harassed while continuing to work in the best interest of keeping the organization solvent and clean up the messes made by prior management,” Fales said. “It has become abundantly clear that while most of the individuals working at HeadQuarters Kansas Inc. might be in the mental health arena, they have no desire to talk constructively with anyone that differs from their own opinions.”The defection of Fales, Johnson and the other board members meant an attorney would likely be appointed to coordinate appointment of a new board of directors.In April, 75 to 100 current and former employees and volunteers at HeadQuarters Kansas publicly demanded wholesale management change. In a letter to leaders of the organization Friday, the employee coalition vowed to initiate the equivalent of a strike if Fales and Johnson didn’t resign Monday.The letter said HeadQuarters Kansas was in peril of losing state and county aid and the “unjust termination of our colleagues who voiced their concern or disapproval has changed our workplace culture from one of cooperation to one of fear and distrust.” There has been concern controversy at HeadQuarters Kansas could lead to loss of state funding for the 988 hotline, undermine appropriations from Douglas County and eventually force closure of the agency.Hope Blankenship, vice president of operations at HeadQuarters Kansas, assumed the duties of executive director. Blankenship told the&nbsp;<a href="https://lawrencekstimes.com/2024/04/07/headquarters-kansas-in-crisis/" target="_blank">Lawrence Times</a>&nbsp;there had been no interruption in the organization’s call, text and chat services.The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was implemented in Kansas during July 2022. In preparation for the launch, Kansas integrated HeadQuarters Kansas, COMCARE of Sedgwick County and Johnson County Crisis Line into the 988 network.&nbsp;The three centers operate with state funding and oversight from KDADS and the 988 Coordinating Council. In terms of the Lawrence facility, KDADS allocated $3.7 million to the agency during the 2023 fiscal year.

Kan. suicide prevention nonprofit’s executive director, entire board of directors resign

NEW YORK (AP) — Target will no longer accept personal checks from shoppers as of July 15, another sign of how a once ubiquitous payment method is going the way of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4f8c481007014190ac534c17c2592fdc">outmoded objects</a>&nbsp;like floppy disks and the Rolodex.

The Minneapolis-based discounter confirmed the move in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, citing “extremely low volumes” of customers who still write checks. Target said it remained committed to creating an easy and convenient checkout experience with credit and debit cards, “buy now, pay later” services and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-fourth-quarter-earnings-inflation-231a975d4bf95a80ed623b52a8c77dff">Target Circle membership program</a>, which applies deals automatically at checkout.

“We have taken several measures to notify guests in advance" about the no-checks policy, the company said.

Target's decision leaves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-price-cuts-inflation-target-65fbc568804f20919a609c594531e129">Walmart</a>, Macy’s and Kohl’s among the retailers that still accept personal checks at their stores. Whole Foods Market and the Aldi supermarket chain previously stopped taking checks from customers.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spending-consumers-inflation-economy-growth-federal-reserve-b1d34bc43a0da960a152911b7c230881">Shoppers</a>&nbsp;have pulled out checkbooks increasingly less often since the mid-1990s.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jpmorgan-chase-bank-branches-hiring-5ee9b9ce933759b2b37217d9effef53a">Cash-dispensing ATMs</a>, debit cards, online banking and mobile payment systems like Venmo and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-pay-digital-payments-visa-mastercard-affirm-d8e85a7d30c02523998dfbdd6f0b0497">Apple Pay</a>&nbsp;mean many young adults may never have written a check.

Check usage has been in decline for decades as Americans have largely switched to paying for their services with credit and debit cards. Americans wrote roughly 3.4 billion checks in 2022, down from nearly 19 billion checks in 1990, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-reserve-system">the Federal Reserve</a>. However, the average size of the checks Americans wrote over the 32-year period rose from $673 in 1990 — or $1,602 in today’s dollars — to $2,652.

The drop in check writing enabled the Federal Reserve to sharply reduce its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/paymentsystems/check_about.htm">national check processing infrastructure.</a>&nbsp;In 2003, it ran 45 check-processing locations nationwide; since 2010, it has operated only one.

NEW YORK (AP) — Target will no longer accept personal checks from shoppers as of July 15, another sign of how a once ubiquitous payment method is going the way of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4f8c481007014190ac534c17c2592fdc">outmoded objects</a>&nbsp;like floppy disks and the Rolodex.The Minneapolis-based discounter confirmed the move in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, citing “extremely low volumes” of customers who still write checks. Target said it remained committed to creating an easy and convenient checkout experience with credit and debit cards, “buy now, pay later” services and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-fourth-quarter-earnings-inflation-231a975d4bf95a80ed623b52a8c77dff">Target Circle membership program</a>, which applies deals automatically at checkout.“We have taken several measures to notify guests in advance" about the no-checks policy, the company said.Target's decision leaves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-price-cuts-inflation-target-65fbc568804f20919a609c594531e129">Walmart</a>, Macy’s and Kohl’s among the retailers that still accept personal checks at their stores. Whole Foods Market and the Aldi supermarket chain previously stopped taking checks from customers.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spending-consumers-inflation-economy-growth-federal-reserve-b1d34bc43a0da960a152911b7c230881">Shoppers</a>&nbsp;have pulled out checkbooks increasingly less often since the mid-1990s.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jpmorgan-chase-bank-branches-hiring-5ee9b9ce933759b2b37217d9effef53a">Cash-dispensing ATMs</a>, debit cards, online banking and mobile payment systems like Venmo and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-pay-digital-payments-visa-mastercard-affirm-d8e85a7d30c02523998dfbdd6f0b0497">Apple Pay</a>&nbsp;mean many young adults may never have written a check.Check usage has been in decline for decades as Americans have largely switched to paying for their services with credit and debit cards. Americans wrote roughly 3.4 billion checks in 2022, down from nearly 19 billion checks in 1990, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-reserve-system">the Federal Reserve</a>. However, the average size of the checks Americans wrote over the 32-year period rose from $673 in 1990 — or $1,602 in today’s dollars — to $2,652.The drop in check writing enabled the Federal Reserve to sharply reduce its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/paymentsystems/check_about.htm">national check processing infrastructure.</a>&nbsp;In 2003, it ran 45 check-processing locations nationwide; since 2010, it has operated only one.

Target will stop accepting personal checks next week

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. - Joseph S. Bonsall, 76, of Hendersonville, Tennessee passed on to Glory on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, according to a media release.

He leaves behind his precious wife, Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Breanne, grandson Luke, two great grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall.

As a 50-year member of the American music group The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame.

Joseph is also the author of 11 books including his latest, a memoir entitled I See Myself, which releases in November. Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write. He loved to play banjo. He loved working on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first—and we will see him again on the Promised Day.

At the request of Joe, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to <a href="https://www.als.org/support" target="_blank">The ALS Association</a> or to the <a href="https://www.vumc.org/neurology/vanderbilt-als-research-center" target="_blank">Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720544130790.png" alt="Bonsall, lower right, was 50-year member of the The Oak Ridge Boys" />
 <figcaption>Bonsall, lower right, was 50-year member of the The Oak Ridge Boys</figcaption>
 </figure>HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. - Joseph S. Bonsall, 76, of Hendersonville, Tennessee passed on to Glory on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, according to a media release.He leaves behind his precious wife, Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Breanne, grandson Luke, two great grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall.As a 50-year member of the American music group The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame.Joseph is also the author of 11 books including his latest, a memoir entitled I See Myself, which releases in November. Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write. He loved to play banjo. He loved working on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first—and we will see him again on the Promised Day.At the request of Joe, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to <a href="https://www.als.org/support" target="_blank">The ALS Association</a> or to the <a href="https://www.vumc.org/neurology/vanderbilt-als-research-center" target="_blank">Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center</a>.The family is requesting privacy.

Joe Bonsall, Oak Ridge Boys singer, dies from ALS complications

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A teen driver was injured in an accident early Tuesday in Douglas County.

Just after 1:30a.m. a westbound driver on U.S. 56 Highway located a woman walking eastbound four miles east of the Osage County Line or in the 400 Block of N 300 Road, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Deputies determined the 18-year-old was the driver in a rollover crash that occurred earlier.&nbsp; Deputies located the driver's 2003 Dodge Caravan about 200 yards from the highway.

EMS transported the teen to Stormont Vail in Topeka for treatment of injuries not believed to be life-threatening.&nbsp; The Lawrence Humane Society took the teen's dog while she was taken for hospitalization.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A teen driver was injured in an accident early Tuesday in Douglas County.Just after 1:30a.m. a westbound driver on U.S. 56 Highway located a woman walking eastbound four miles east of the Osage County Line or in the 400 Block of N 300 Road, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Deputies determined the 18-year-old was the driver in a rollover crash that occurred earlier.&nbsp; Deputies located the driver's 2003 Dodge Caravan about 200 yards from the highway.EMS transported the teen to Stormont Vail in Topeka for treatment of injuries not believed to be life-threatening.&nbsp; The Lawrence Humane Society took the teen's dog while she was taken for hospitalization.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

Teen, dog found walking on Kan. highway had been in rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's terrible performance at the June 27&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">presidential debate</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-interview-democrat-debate-abc-81d82d10698973be7e801abc16f93030">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;about his age, health and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaign-house-democrats-senate-16c222f825558db01609605b3ad9742a">ability to lead</a>&nbsp;the federal government.

Administration officials have blamed his confused and at times indecipherable answers at the debate with Republican Donald Trump on a head cold, jet lag and poor preparation at Camp David. But at 81, Biden has found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-biden-medical-emergency-5176f10443a286f581221fe994b5ad78">his health</a>&nbsp;to be a key issue for many voters going into November's election. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to address questions about the president's health at Monday's news briefing.

How often does the president see a doctor?

Biden has extensive yearly physical exams, Jean-Pierre said. She added that most Americans don't understand the extent of the medical care provided to the president, as many people are lucky if they get to see their doctors once or twice a year. By contrast, the president's medical unit is “just steps down from the residence” at the White House. “A couple times a week,” Biden does a “verbal check-in with his doctor while he's exercising,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that he had a check-in on Monday.

There has been confusion as to whether Biden saw his doctor about his cold after the presidential debate on June 27. The White House initially said there was no medical exam, but it later said there was a “short verbal check-in” and it was determined that no exam was needed.

“He has seen a neurologist three times,” said Jean-Pierre. “Not more than that.”

The White House spokesperson repeated the phrase “three times” in 17 instances during the Monday briefing. She stressed that all three meetings with a neurologist were tied to the president's annual physical exams. But Jean-Pierre declined to say where Biden had seen the neurologist — whether the visits were at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or elsewhere. “I don’t have anything to state as to location,” she said.

Have Biden's physical exams found signs of Parkinson's or other neurological diseases?

Not according to the report of the president's most recent physical, issued in February. Jean-Pierre cited that document Monday in response to reporters' questions.

That letter said “an extremely detailed neurologic exam was again reassuring” in that there were no findings consistent with a stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or ascending lateral sclerosis. The letter added that no tremors or “motor weakness” were detected. Written by Biden's physician, O'Connor, the letter added that Biden “demonstrates excellent fine motor dexterity.”

Why has a neurologist specializing in Parkinson's visited the White House?

Visitor logs show that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who has conducted research into Parkinson's, went to the White House eight times between July 2023 and this past March.

Jean-Pierre declined to confirm the name of the doctor or say why he was going to the White House. She told reporters this was due to security reasons and noted that the White House medical unit treats more people than just the president. “There are thousands of military personnel who come on to this White House,” Jean-Pierre said. “Many of them get the care from the White House medical unit and so we need to be super careful.”

Jean-Pierre encouraged the public to “connect the dots.”

Later Monday, O'Connor released a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Letter7.8.24.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;with the permission of both Biden and Cannard and confirmed that Cannard had been the neurologist who evaluated the president at each of his three physicals since he took office.

But most of Cannard's visits to the White House were pursuant to his role as a specialist attached to the White House Medical Unit, treating patients there for a wide array of neurological issues over a dozen years, O'Connor said.

Cannard made similar trips to the White House during the Obama administration, according to visitor logs, and during the Trump administration — which did not publish visitor logs — according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Cannard did have one visit with Biden’s personal physician this January in the White House Residence clinic, weeks before the president’s physical in February. O'Connor repeated that the findings of that physical that didn't detect signs of any neurological disorder.

“President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical,” O'Connor said in his letter.

Could Biden waive his rights and make his full medical records public?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720133821321.png" alt="White House file photo" />
 <figcaption>White House file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's terrible performance at the June 27&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">presidential debate</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-interview-democrat-debate-abc-81d82d10698973be7e801abc16f93030">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;about his age, health and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaign-house-democrats-senate-16c222f825558db01609605b3ad9742a">ability to lead</a>&nbsp;the federal government.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720526697169.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720526734368.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Administration officials have blamed his confused and at times indecipherable answers at the debate with Republican Donald Trump on a head cold, jet lag and poor preparation at Camp David. But at 81, Biden has found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-biden-medical-emergency-5176f10443a286f581221fe994b5ad78">his health</a>&nbsp;to be a key issue for many voters going into November's election. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to address questions about the president's health at Monday's news briefing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karine Jean-Pierre to <a href="https://twitter.com/edokeefe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edokeefe</a>: &quot;It doesn&#39;t matter how hard you push me. It doesn&#39;t matter how angry you get with me. I&#39;m not going to confirm a name...What I can say share with you is that the president has seen a neurologist for his physical three times.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/oZQjMiIOPv">pic.twitter.com/oZQjMiIOPv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1810397009150619756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>How often does the president see a doctor?</h2>Biden has extensive yearly physical exams, Jean-Pierre said. She added that most Americans don't understand the extent of the medical care provided to the president, as many people are lucky if they get to see their doctors once or twice a year. By contrast, the president's medical unit is “just steps down from the residence” at the White House. “A couple times a week,” Biden does a “verbal check-in with his doctor while he's exercising,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that he had a check-in on Monday.There has been confusion as to whether Biden saw his doctor about his cold after the presidential debate on June 27. The White House initially said there was no medical exam, but it later said there was a “short verbal check-in” and it was determined that no exam was needed.<h2>Has the president seen a neurologist?</h2>“He has seen a neurologist three times,” said Jean-Pierre. “Not more than that.”The White House spokesperson repeated the phrase “three times” in 17 instances during the Monday briefing. She stressed that all three meetings with a neurologist were tied to the president's annual physical exams. But Jean-Pierre declined to say where Biden had seen the neurologist — whether the visits were at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or elsewhere. “I don’t have anything to state as to location,” she said.<h2>Have Biden's physical exams found signs of Parkinson's or other neurological diseases?</h2>Not according to the report of the president's most recent physical, issued in February. Jean-Pierre cited that document Monday in response to reporters' questions.That letter said “an extremely detailed neurologic exam was again reassuring” in that there were no findings consistent with a stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or ascending lateral sclerosis. The letter added that no tremors or “motor weakness” were detected. Written by Biden's physician, O'Connor, the letter added that Biden “demonstrates excellent fine motor dexterity.”<h2>Why has a neurologist specializing in Parkinson's visited the White House?</h2>Visitor logs show that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who has conducted research into Parkinson's, went to the White House eight times between July 2023 and this past March.Jean-Pierre declined to confirm the name of the doctor or say why he was going to the White House. She told reporters this was due to security reasons and noted that the White House medical unit treats more people than just the president. “There are thousands of military personnel who come on to this White House,” Jean-Pierre said. “Many of them get the care from the White House medical unit and so we need to be super careful.”Jean-Pierre encouraged the public to “connect the dots.”Later Monday, O'Connor released a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Letter7.8.24.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;with the permission of both Biden and Cannard and confirmed that Cannard had been the neurologist who evaluated the president at each of his three physicals since he took office.But most of Cannard's visits to the White House were pursuant to his role as a specialist attached to the White House Medical Unit, treating patients there for a wide array of neurological issues over a dozen years, O'Connor said.Cannard made similar trips to the White House during the Obama administration, according to visitor logs, and during the Trump administration — which did not publish visitor logs — according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.Cannard did have one visit with Biden’s personal physician this January in the White House Residence clinic, weeks before the president’s physical in February. O'Connor repeated that the findings of that physical that didn't detect signs of any neurological disorder.“President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical,” O'Connor said in his letter.<h2>Could Biden waive his rights and make his full medical records public?</h2>

Read new note from President Biden's doctor explaining neurologist's visits

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Kansas and have two in custody.

Just before 6:30p.m. Monday, police responded to a reported disturbance&nbsp; in the 900 block of Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found a man in the street who had died from blunt trauma.&nbsp; Police took two suspects into custody.

Police have not released the name of the victim or additional details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Kansas and have two in custody.Just before 6:30p.m. Monday, police responded to a reported disturbance&nbsp; in the 900 block of Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders found a man in the street who had died from blunt trauma.&nbsp; Police took two suspects into custody.Police have not released the name of the victim or additional details.

Police: Kansas man found in street died of blunt trauma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Former Sen. Jim Inhofe, a conservative firebrand known for his strong support of defense spending and his denial that human activity is responsible for the bulk of climate change, has died. He was 89.

Inhofe, a powerful fixture in Oklahoma politics for over six decades, died Tuesday morning after he had a stroke over the July Fourth holiday, his family said in a statement.

Inhofe, who was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-special-elections-oklahoma-jim-inhofe-congress-adc9a3344b4cc339f395859913a98e79">stepped down in early 2023</a>.

Inhofe frequently criticized the mainstream science that human activity contributed to changes in the Earth’s climate, once calling it “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.”

In February 2015, with temperatures in the nation’s capital below freezing, Inhofe brought a snowball on to the Senate floor. He tossed it before claiming that environmentalists focus attention on global warming as it kept getting cold. “It’s very, very cold out. Very unseasonable,” Inhofe said.

As Oklahoma's senior U.S. senator, Inhofe was a staunch supporter of the state’s five military installations and a vocal fan of congressional earmarks. The Army veteran and licensed pilot, who would fly himself to and from Washington, secured the federal money to fund local road and bridge projects, and criticized House Republicans who wanted a one-year moratorium on such pet projects in 2010.

"Defeating an earmark doesn't save a nickel," Inhofe told the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce that August. “It merely means that within the budget process, it goes right back to the bureaucracy.”

He was a strong backer of President Donald Trump, who praised him for his “incredible support of our #MAGA agenda” while endorsing the senator’s 2020 reelection bid. During the Trump administration, Inhofe served as chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee following the death of Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Inhofe caught national attention in March 2009 by introducing legislation that would have prevented detainees from the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay from being relocated "anywhere on American soil."

Closer to home, Inhofe helped secure millions of dollars to clean up a former mining hub in northeast Oklahoma that spent decades on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list. In a massive buyout program, the federal government purchased homes and businesses within the 40-square-mile (104-square-kilometer) region of Tar Creek, where children consistently tested for dangerous levels of lead in their blood.

"This is an example of a government program created for a specific purpose and then dissolves after the job is completed. This is how government should work,” Inhofe said in December 2010, when the project was nearly complete.

In 2021, Inhofe defied some in his party by voting to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election, saying that to do otherwise would be a violation of his oath of office to support and defend the Constitution. He voted against convicting Trump at both of his impeachment trials.

Born James Mountain Inhofe on Nov. 17, 1934, in Des Moines, Iowa, Inhofe grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Tulsa in 1959. He served in the Army between 1956 and 1958, and was a businessman for three decades, serving as president of Quaker Life Insurance Co.

His political career began in 1966, when he was elected to the state House. Two years later he won an Oklahoma Senate seat that he held during unsuccessful runs for governor in 1974 and for the U.S. House in 1976. He then won three terms at Tulsa mayor starting in 1978.

Inhofe went on to win two terms in the U.S. House in the 1980s, before throwing his hat into a bitter U.S. Senate race when longtime Sen. David Boren resigned in 1994 to become president of the University of Oklahoma. Inhofe beat then-U.S. Rep. Dave McCurdy in a special election that year to serve the final two years of Boren’s term and was reelected five times.

Inhofe lived up to his reputation as a tough campaigner in his 2008 reelection bid against Democrat Andrew Rice, a 35-year-old state senator and former missionary. Inhofe claimed Rice was “too liberal” for Oklahoma and ran television ads that critics said contained anti-gay overtones, including one that showed a wedding cake topped by two plastic grooms and a photo of Rice as a young man wearing a leather jacket.

Rice, who has two children with his wife and earned his master’s degree from Harvard University Divinity School, accused Inhofe of distorting his record and attacking his character.

Inhofe’s bullish personality also was apparent outside politics. He was a commercial-rated pilot and flight instructor with more than 50 years of flying experience.

He made an emergency landing in Claremore in 1999, after his plane lost a propeller, an incident later blamed on an installation error. In 2006, his plane spun out of control upon landing in Tulsa; he and an aide escaped injury, though the plane was severely damaged.

In 2010, Inhofe landed his small plane on a closed runway at a rural South Texas airport while flying himself and others to a home he owned in South Padre Island. Runway workers scrambled, and Inhofe agreed to complete a remedial training program rather than face possible legal action.

"I'm 75 years old, but I still fly airplanes upside down," Inhofe said in August 2010. "I don't know why it is, but I don't hurt anywhere, and I don't feel any differently than I felt five years ago."

Inhofe is survived by his wife, Kay, three children and several grandchildren. A son, Dr. Perry Dyson Inhofe II, died in November 2013, at the age of 51, when the twin-engine aircraft he was flying crashed a few miles north of Tulsa International Airport.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720541196371.png" alt="Senator James Infofe photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senator James Infofe photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Former Sen. Jim Inhofe, a conservative firebrand known for his strong support of defense spending and his denial that human activity is responsible for the bulk of climate change, has died. He was 89.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) died today at the age of 89. He represented Oklahoma in the House from 1987 to 1994 and the Senate from 1994 to 2023. Watch his farewell address.<a href="https://t.co/JwgCQ2VfYZ">https://t.co/JwgCQ2VfYZ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1810702777359937574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Inhofe, a powerful fixture in Oklahoma politics for over six decades, died Tuesday morning after he had a stroke over the July Fourth holiday, his family said in a statement.Inhofe, who was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-special-elections-oklahoma-jim-inhofe-congress-adc9a3344b4cc339f395859913a98e79">stepped down in early 2023</a>.Inhofe frequently criticized the mainstream science that human activity contributed to changes in the Earth’s climate, once calling it “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.”In February 2015, with temperatures in the nation’s capital below freezing, Inhofe brought a snowball on to the Senate floor. He tossed it before claiming that environmentalists focus attention on global warming as it kept getting cold. “It’s very, very cold out. Very unseasonable,” Inhofe said.As Oklahoma's senior U.S. senator, Inhofe was a staunch supporter of the state’s five military installations and a vocal fan of congressional earmarks. The Army veteran and licensed pilot, who would fly himself to and from Washington, secured the federal money to fund local road and bridge projects, and criticized House Republicans who wanted a one-year moratorium on such pet projects in 2010."Defeating an earmark doesn't save a nickel," Inhofe told the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce that August. “It merely means that within the budget process, it goes right back to the bureaucracy.”He was a strong backer of President Donald Trump, who praised him for his “incredible support of our #MAGA agenda” while endorsing the senator’s 2020 reelection bid. During the Trump administration, Inhofe served as chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee following the death of Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.Inhofe caught national attention in March 2009 by introducing legislation that would have prevented detainees from the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay from being relocated "anywhere on American soil."Closer to home, Inhofe helped secure millions of dollars to clean up a former mining hub in northeast Oklahoma that spent decades on the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list. In a massive buyout program, the federal government purchased homes and businesses within the 40-square-mile (104-square-kilometer) region of Tar Creek, where children consistently tested for dangerous levels of lead in their blood."This is an example of a government program created for a specific purpose and then dissolves after the job is completed. This is how government should work,” Inhofe said in December 2010, when the project was nearly complete.In 2021, Inhofe defied some in his party by voting to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election, saying that to do otherwise would be a violation of his oath of office to support and defend the Constitution. He voted against convicting Trump at both of his impeachment trials.Born James Mountain Inhofe on Nov. 17, 1934, in Des Moines, Iowa, Inhofe grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Tulsa in 1959. He served in the Army between 1956 and 1958, and was a businessman for three decades, serving as president of Quaker Life Insurance Co.His political career began in 1966, when he was elected to the state House. Two years later he won an Oklahoma Senate seat that he held during unsuccessful runs for governor in 1974 and for the U.S. House in 1976. He then won three terms at Tulsa mayor starting in 1978.Inhofe went on to win two terms in the U.S. House in the 1980s, before throwing his hat into a bitter U.S. Senate race when longtime Sen. David Boren resigned in 1994 to become president of the University of Oklahoma. Inhofe beat then-U.S. Rep. Dave McCurdy in a special election that year to serve the final two years of Boren’s term and was reelected five times.Inhofe lived up to his reputation as a tough campaigner in his 2008 reelection bid against Democrat Andrew Rice, a 35-year-old state senator and former missionary. Inhofe claimed Rice was “too liberal” for Oklahoma and ran television ads that critics said contained anti-gay overtones, including one that showed a wedding cake topped by two plastic grooms and a photo of Rice as a young man wearing a leather jacket.Rice, who has two children with his wife and earned his master’s degree from Harvard University Divinity School, accused Inhofe of distorting his record and attacking his character.Inhofe’s bullish personality also was apparent outside politics. He was a commercial-rated pilot and flight instructor with more than 50 years of flying experience.He made an emergency landing in Claremore in 1999, after his plane lost a propeller, an incident later blamed on an installation error. In 2006, his plane spun out of control upon landing in Tulsa; he and an aide escaped injury, though the plane was severely damaged.In 2010, Inhofe landed his small plane on a closed runway at a rural South Texas airport while flying himself and others to a home he owned in South Padre Island. Runway workers scrambled, and Inhofe agreed to complete a remedial training program rather than face possible legal action."I'm 75 years old, but I still fly airplanes upside down," Inhofe said in August 2010. "I don't know why it is, but I don't hurt anywhere, and I don't feel any differently than I felt five years ago."Inhofe is survived by his wife, Kay, three children and several grandchildren. A son, Dr. Perry Dyson Inhofe II, died in November 2013, at the age of 51, when the twin-engine aircraft he was flying crashed a few miles north of Tulsa International Airport.

🎥Former GOP Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma dies at 89

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Oklahoma have captured a suspect in Kansas.

On Monday, police in Wichita arrested <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=749367">38-year-old Thomas Conway</a> on an active warrant on requested charges including possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, maintaining a dwelling for keeping or selling a controlled dangerous substance and unlawful use of a police scanner.

Just before 1 a.m. Monday, the Bartlesville Police Department dispatch center received a call about a gunshot in the 1400 block of West Hensley in Bartlesville, according to a media release.

First responders found 38-year old Alexander Daugherty lying in the alley and began life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived. EMS transported Daugherty to the hospital, where he died.

Bartlesville Police are working with Wichita Police as they continue to investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720519929237.png" alt="Conway photo Bartlesville Police" />
 <figcaption>Conway photo Bartlesville Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Oklahoma have captured a suspect in Kansas.On Monday, police in Wichita arrested <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=749367">38-year-old Thomas Conway</a> on an active warrant on requested charges including possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, maintaining a dwelling for keeping or selling a controlled dangerous substance and unlawful use of a police scanner.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720523026154.png" alt="Conway photo Sedgwick Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Conway photo Sedgwick Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1 a.m. Monday, the Bartlesville Police Department dispatch center received a call about a gunshot in the 1400 block of West Hensley in Bartlesville, according to a media release.First responders found 38-year old Alexander Daugherty lying in the alley and began life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived. EMS transported Daugherty to the hospital, where he died.Bartlesville Police are working with Wichita Police as they continue to investigate.

Oklahoma murder suspect captured in Kansas 

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden met Monday at the White House with Liat Beinin Atzili, an Israeli-American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza for more than 50 days by Hamas militants.

Atzili was among those taken captive on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants rampaged through Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Aviv, was killed in the attack.

The White House said in a statement that Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, joined Biden’s meeting with Atzili and her family.

The meeting comes as hostage negotiations are expected to resume this week amid signs of narrowing differences between Israel and Hamas over a U.S.-backed proposal to release all remaining hostages over the course through a three-phase deal.

Biden has dispatched CIA Director William Burns and White House senior adviser Brett McGurk to the region for the talks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701295331170.png" alt="Liat Beinin Hostages and Missing Families Forum" />
 <figcaption>Liat Beinin Hostages and Missing Families Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden met Monday at the White House with Liat Beinin Atzili, an Israeli-American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza for more than 50 days by Hamas militants.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPOTUS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0mkmQz6gTeCeAwsRdSDdchA4zYwgvSHJd1NFyot3FTTychUwpaKQ54HzfbSXMfmryl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="508" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Atzili was among those taken captive on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants rampaged through Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Aviv, was killed in the attack.The White House said in a statement that Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, joined Biden’s meeting with Atzili and her family.The meeting comes as hostage negotiations are expected to resume this week amid signs of narrowing differences between Israel and Hamas over a U.S.-backed proposal to release all remaining hostages over the course through a three-phase deal.Biden has dispatched CIA Director William Burns and White House senior adviser Brett McGurk to the region for the talks.

American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza visits the White House

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Republican National Committee’s platform committee has adopted a policy document that reflects former President Donald Trump’s position opposing a federal abortion ban and ceding limits to states, omitting the explicit basis for a national ban for the first time in 40 years.

<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=Nog6f1V6">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full 16-page platform

The points of the platform are listed below

The committee adopted a draft platform Monday asserting, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process.” The document, obtained by The Associated Press, also noted "that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”

The document sticks to the party's longstanding principle that the Constitution extends rights to the unborn, but removes language maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” a passage in the party platform first included in 1984.

The move comes as Trump imposes his priorities on the committee as he seeks to steer clear of strict abortion language, even while taking credit for setting up the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. Trump appointed three of the six justices who voted in the majority to overturn the 1973 abortion rights precedent.

The abortion language was first reported by The New York Times.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA Pro-Life America president, praised the committee for reaffirming “its commitment to protect unborn life through the 14th Amendment.”

Dannenfelser stopped short of endorsing the document's reflection of Trump's view that the matter rests entirely with states. Under the 14th Amendment, “it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-presidential-election-events-5f771e9c99d24893ad698614b65f6afc">platform is a statement of first principles</a>&nbsp;traditionally written by party activists. Trump's campaign wants the group drafting this year's platform to produce a shorter document that excludes statements favored by many conservatives but are potentially unpopular with the broader electorate.

The platform committee began its meeting Monday, a week before the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Wisconsin where Trump is scheduled to accept his third straight nomination for president.

Trump has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-harris-trump-roe-1f7c48bc4a9c1c44bb802dce0eb5b159">months of Democratic criticism over abortion</a>&nbsp;as President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has highlighted that Trump nominated half of the Supreme Court majority that struck down the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.

In promoting the platform document, the campaign released a statement highlighting 20 issues it addresses, including immigration, the economy, energy, taxes and crime, but omitted any mention of abortion.

Among the vocal abortion opponents on the platform committee, some say the aspiration of a federal ban on abortion after a certain stage in pregnancy must remain a party principle, even if it's not an immediately attainable policy or one that necessarily helps the Trump campaign in November.

“I see that as problematic. We still need these principles clearly stated. Some of these battles are not over,” said Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman, a platform committee member who supported Trump’s winning Iowa caucus campaign in January and also supports a federal limit on abortion.

While the abortion statement is likely to be the most contested provision in the platform, there may also be disputes over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/83f8d0349379443a876f9179fe1091bb">Trump’s preference for tariffs</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-united-states-government-and-politics-5c6ba68dbd9b2ee86bc77faad6936cf6">isolationist approach to foreign policy</a>&nbsp;and U.S. involvement in global conflicts, particularly in helping Ukraine as it battles Russia.

Conservative activists who are accustomed to having a seat at the table fumed over what they said was a secretive process for selecting committee members and the meeting taking place behind closed doors.

“For 40 years, the Republican Party and the GOP platform have massively benefitted from an open and transparent process,” said Tim Chapman, the incoming president of Advancing American Freedom, a foundation headed by Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump’s campaign has sought to reshape the Republican National Committee into a campaign vessel. It signaled in a memo last month from senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles that “textbook-long platforms ... are scrutinized and intentionally misrepresented by our political opponents.”

Trump ally Russ Vought is serving as the policy director of the Republican Party’s platform writing committee while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">leading the effort to draft the 180-day agenda</a>&nbsp;for Project 2025, a sweeping proposal for remaking government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-biden-9d372469033d23e1e3aef5cf0470a2e6">Trump said Friday he knew “nothing about”</a>&nbsp;despite having several former aides involved.

Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0a165e54c0a94600871539472ba82ba1">supported federal legislation in 2018</a>&nbsp;that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, though the measure fell short of the necessary support in the Senate.

However, after the 2022 midterm elections, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-gop-2024-20586bbb64a511030ef58290e98f99f0">blamed Republicans who held strict anti-abortion positions</a>&nbsp;for the party's failure to secure a larger House majority. He has since been critical of the most stringent abortion bans in individual states.

An AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2023 found that about two-thirds of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The poll also found that 6 in 10 Americans think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Biden's campaign has criticized Republicans for making the platform committee meetings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, closed to the news media and reminded voters of Trump's onetime support for a 20-week abortion ban.

Tamara Scott, who is one of Iowa's two Republican National Committee members and also a platform committee member, said Trump could campaign on the position he holds and also embrace the platform to reflect a longer-term goal of a federal limit.

“It’s our vision. It’s our foundational principles. It’s who we are as a party,” Scott said. “I agree a platform must be clear and concise but it must convey our core principles.”

To several on the committee, that means maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” the passage first included in 1984.

Trump was urged to keep that language in the platform, according to a letter signed by leaders of groups opposed to abortion, including Dannenfelser, Ralph Reed, Faith and Freedom Coalition founder and chairman; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

That passage, once removed, would be difficult to restore in future platforms, Dannenfelser said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718556066582.png" alt="File photo -Former President Trump during a campaign stop last month -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Former President Trump during a campaign stop last month -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Republican National Committee’s platform committee has adopted a policy document that reflects former President Donald Trump’s position opposing a federal abortion ban and ceding limits to states, omitting the explicit basis for a national ban for the first time in 40 years.<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=Nog6f1V6">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full 16-page platform<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720521521992.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The points of the platform are listed below<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720484913719.png" alt="Image courtesy RNC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy RNC</figcaption>
 </figure>The committee adopted a draft platform Monday asserting, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process.” The document, obtained by The Associated Press, also noted "that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”The document sticks to the party's longstanding principle that the Constitution extends rights to the unborn, but removes language maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” a passage in the party platform first included in 1984.The move comes as Trump imposes his priorities on the committee as he seeks to steer clear of strict abortion language, even while taking credit for setting up the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. Trump appointed three of the six justices who voted in the majority to overturn the 1973 abortion rights precedent.The abortion language was first reported by The New York Times.Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA Pro-Life America president, praised the committee for reaffirming “its commitment to protect unborn life through the 14th Amendment.”Dannenfelser stopped short of endorsing the document's reflection of Trump's view that the matter rests entirely with states. Under the 14th Amendment, “it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-presidential-election-events-5f771e9c99d24893ad698614b65f6afc">platform is a statement of first principles</a>&nbsp;traditionally written by party activists. Trump's campaign wants the group drafting this year's platform to produce a shorter document that excludes statements favored by many conservatives but are potentially unpopular with the broader electorate.The platform committee began its meeting Monday, a week before the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Wisconsin where Trump is scheduled to accept his third straight nomination for president.Trump has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-harris-trump-roe-1f7c48bc4a9c1c44bb802dce0eb5b159">months of Democratic criticism over abortion</a>&nbsp;as President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has highlighted that Trump nominated half of the Supreme Court majority that struck down the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.In promoting the platform document, the campaign released a statement highlighting 20 issues it addresses, including immigration, the economy, energy, taxes and crime, but omitted any mention of abortion.Among the vocal abortion opponents on the platform committee, some say the aspiration of a federal ban on abortion after a certain stage in pregnancy must remain a party principle, even if it's not an immediately attainable policy or one that necessarily helps the Trump campaign in November.“I see that as problematic. We still need these principles clearly stated. Some of these battles are not over,” said Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman, a platform committee member who supported Trump’s winning Iowa caucus campaign in January and also supports a federal limit on abortion.While the abortion statement is likely to be the most contested provision in the platform, there may also be disputes over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/83f8d0349379443a876f9179fe1091bb">Trump’s preference for tariffs</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-united-states-government-and-politics-5c6ba68dbd9b2ee86bc77faad6936cf6">isolationist approach to foreign policy</a>&nbsp;and U.S. involvement in global conflicts, particularly in helping Ukraine as it battles Russia.Conservative activists who are accustomed to having a seat at the table fumed over what they said was a secretive process for selecting committee members and the meeting taking place behind closed doors.“For 40 years, the Republican Party and the GOP platform have massively benefitted from an open and transparent process,” said Tim Chapman, the incoming president of Advancing American Freedom, a foundation headed by Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence.Trump’s campaign has sought to reshape the Republican National Committee into a campaign vessel. It signaled in a memo last month from senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles that “textbook-long platforms ... are scrutinized and intentionally misrepresented by our political opponents.”Trump ally Russ Vought is serving as the policy director of the Republican Party’s platform writing committee while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">leading the effort to draft the 180-day agenda</a>&nbsp;for Project 2025, a sweeping proposal for remaking government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-biden-9d372469033d23e1e3aef5cf0470a2e6">Trump said Friday he knew “nothing about”</a>&nbsp;despite having several former aides involved.Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0a165e54c0a94600871539472ba82ba1">supported federal legislation in 2018</a>&nbsp;that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, though the measure fell short of the necessary support in the Senate.However, after the 2022 midterm elections, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-gop-2024-20586bbb64a511030ef58290e98f99f0">blamed Republicans who held strict anti-abortion positions</a>&nbsp;for the party's failure to secure a larger House majority. He has since been critical of the most stringent abortion bans in individual states.An AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2023 found that about two-thirds of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The poll also found that 6 in 10 Americans think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.Biden's campaign has criticized Republicans for making the platform committee meetings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, closed to the news media and reminded voters of Trump's onetime support for a 20-week abortion ban.Tamara Scott, who is one of Iowa's two Republican National Committee members and also a platform committee member, said Trump could campaign on the position he holds and also embrace the platform to reflect a longer-term goal of a federal limit.“It’s our vision. It’s our foundational principles. It’s who we are as a party,” Scott said. “I agree a platform must be clear and concise but it must convey our core principles.”To several on the committee, that means maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” the passage first included in 1984.Trump was urged to keep that language in the platform, according to a letter signed by leaders of groups opposed to abortion, including Dannenfelser, Ralph Reed, Faith and Freedom Coalition founder and chairman; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.That passage, once removed, would be difficult to restore in future platforms, Dannenfelser said.___

Read the Trump inspired Republican Party 2024 platform document

KANSAS CITY—An Amtrak train struck a tree Monday afternoon near Washington, Missouri.

According to a statement from the rail service, "Just before 5p.m. Monday, Amtrak Train 319 made contact with a tree on the tracks east of Washington, Missouri. There were no injuries to the 124 passengers and five crew members aboard the train made up of one locomotive and seven railcars, but rear axle of the locomotive lost contact with the tracks."

Power has since been restored to the train and Amtrak is making arrangements to transport passengers on to their destinations."

As of 6:25 p.m. and due to ongoing delays, Amtrak canceled Train 319 and made other arrangements to transported passengers. Washington, Missouri is three hours east of Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY—An Amtrak train struck a tree Monday afternoon near Washington, Missouri.According to a statement from the rail service, "Just before 5p.m. Monday, Amtrak Train 319 made contact with a tree on the tracks east of Washington, Missouri. There were no injuries to the 124 passengers and five crew members aboard the train made up of one locomotive and seven railcars, but rear axle of the locomotive lost contact with the tracks."Power has since been restored to the train and Amtrak is making arrangements to transport passengers on to their destinations."As of 6:25 p.m. and due to ongoing delays, Amtrak canceled Train 319 and made other arrangements to transported passengers. Washington, Missouri is three hours east of Kansas City.

Amtrak train derails in Missouri after striking a tree

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in the death of his mother at her home in Olathe has been charged for the crime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720003596616.png" alt="Thode-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Thode-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in the death of his mother at her home in Olathe has been charged for the crime.Last week, 40-year-old Brian Christopher Thode was charged with first degree murder and cruelty to animals, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office. The charges are in connection with the June 29, death of 72-year-old Nancy Thode.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 6 p.m. June 29, police were dispatched to the 1000 block of East Oakview Street in Olathe for a death investigation, according to&nbsp;Police Sergeant John Moncayo.Officers arrived and discovered Nancy Thode unresponsive with significant injuries. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brian Thode also “unlawfully, knowingly, maliciously and feloniously” killed a cat and a bird, according to a charging document in the case. Thode remains jailed on a $3,000,000.00 bond. He is due back in court July 17, according to online jail records.