INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in the denomination’s constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches.

The vote received support from 61% of the delegates, but it failed to get the required two-thirds supermajority. The action reversed a preliminary vote last year in favor of the official ban.

But it still leaves the Southern Baptist Convention with its official doctrinal statement saying the office of pastor is limited to men. Even the opponents of the ban said they favored that doctrinal statement but didn’t think it was necessary to reinforce it in the constitution.

Opponents noted that the SBC already can oust churches that assert women can serve as pastors — as it did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-baptists-saddleback-vote-women-pastors-new-orleans-7ee6606b57d0bf0c4c7ed91316af12b1">last year</a>&nbsp;and again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-baptist-annual-meeting-indianapolis-women-pastors-politics-f1f43f93947fda83119c761c06ea18f0">Tuesday night</a>.

The vote was perhaps the most highly anticipated of the annual meeting, reflecting years of debate in the United States’ largest Protestant denomination. It is the final day of the SBC’s two-day annual meeting in Indianapolis.

Since 2000, the SBC’s nonbinding statement of faith has declared that only men are qualified for the role of pastor. It’s interpreted differently across the denomination, with some believing it doesn’t apply to associate pastors so long as the senior pastor is male.

The proposed amendment, which received preliminary approval last year, would formally exclude churches that have women in any pastoral positions, from lead pastor to associates, or even affirms them in that role. Supporters believe it is biblically necessary, estimating hundreds of Southern Baptist churches have women in those roles.

The rejected amendment would have said any church deemed in “friendly cooperation” — the official term for SBC affiliation — must be one that “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”

Opponents argued the convention already has the power to remove churches over this issue, and the amendment will have unintended consequences, including disproportionately affecting Black Southern Baptist congregations, which tend to have women on their pastoral staffs.

But the motion went swiftly to a vote after only brief debate.

Ryan Fullerton, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, said the measure is “not about preventing women from exercising their gifts” in the church, in roles on church staff such as “children’s ministers.” But he said the Bible is clear that the office of pastor is for men.

He said there is “confusion about gender” in the wider culture and cited what he called “the ravages of the LGBTQIA agenda.”

But Spence Shelton, pastor of Mercy Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, argued that it was unnecessary.

He said there is no doubt that Southern Baptists are “complementarian,” as they describe the view that men and women have equal value but different roles that complement one another.

But he noted that the convention voted to affirm the ouster of a historic Virginia church Tuesday and two other churches last year, including the California megachurch Saddleback, which all have women pastors and affirmed they could hold top pastoral positions.

The reason for ousting them was that they don’t have a faith and practice consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message, the document approved in 2000 that includes the affirmation that the pastoral position is reserved for men.

“Y’all, we have shown the mechanisms we currently have are sufficient to deal with this question,” Shelton said.

Mike Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia and author of the amendment, cited a report that there are about 1,800 women pastors working in the denomination. He cited Bible verses limiting the pastoral office to men.

“Our culture may see this prohibition as harsh, but our God is all wise, and wrote this word for the flourishing of both men and women,” he said.

“This amendment is not about women in ministry,” Law added. “It’s specifically about women in the pastoral office.” He did not spell out the difference in his brief floor speech.

The denomination can’t tell its independent churches what to do or whom to appoint as a pastor. But they can say which churches are in and which are out.

Last year, Southern Baptists refused to take back Saddleback, one of the convention’s largest congregations, and a small Kentucky church over the issue.

Both churches, which had women in top pastoral positions, appealed their ouster to the 2023 annual meeting and were overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates. A similar scenario played out in Indianapolis on Tuesday, when messengers voted overwhelmingly to kick out First Baptist Church of Alexandria in Virginia, which has a woman in an associate position and also asserted that women can hold the top job.

Supporters of the amendment say it probably won’t result in an immediate, large-scale purge, but opponents expressed concern it would burden SBC volunteers and staffs with numerous investigations of churches.

Delegates also elected a North Carolina pastor and longtime denominational statesman to be the next president of their convention in a contest between six candidates that went into two run-off votes.

Clint Pressley, who is senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, will be the next Southern Baptist Convention president after winning 56% of votes in the final run-off race.

The SBC president — one of the most prominent faces of the conservative evangelical network of churches — presides over the annual meeting and appoints members to the denomination’s committees.

Pressley’s nearest opponent, Tennessee pastor, Dan Spencer, received 44 percent of the votes after four other candidates were eliminated in earlier rounds.

Pressley has said he favors a measure being voted on later Wednesday to amend the SBC constitution to ban churches with women pastors.

Pressley earned a master of divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisiana, one of the SBC’s official seminaries. He has led Hickory Grove since 2011 after pastoring churches in Alabama and Mississippi. Pressley was first vice president of the SBC in 2014-15 and served on numerous other denominational boards.

Messengers early Wednesday rejected a proposal to abolish the SBC’s public policy agency, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The measure reflected the views of some that the the staunchly conservative commission wasn’t conservative enough.

Meyer reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir" target="_blank">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718210618422.png" alt="Image courtesy Southern Baptist&nbsp; Convention Executive Committee" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Southern Baptist&nbsp; Convention Executive Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in the denomination’s constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches.The vote received support from 61% of the delegates, but it failed to get the required two-thirds supermajority. The action reversed a preliminary vote last year in favor of the official ban.But it still leaves the Southern Baptist Convention with its official doctrinal statement saying the office of pastor is limited to men. Even the opponents of the ban said they favored that doctrinal statement but didn’t think it was necessary to reinforce it in the constitution.Opponents noted that the SBC already can oust churches that assert women can serve as pastors — as it did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-baptists-saddleback-vote-women-pastors-new-orleans-7ee6606b57d0bf0c4c7ed91316af12b1">last year</a>&nbsp;and again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-baptist-annual-meeting-indianapolis-women-pastors-politics-f1f43f93947fda83119c761c06ea18f0">Tuesday night</a>.The vote was perhaps the most highly anticipated of the annual meeting, reflecting years of debate in the United States’ largest Protestant denomination. It is the final day of the SBC’s two-day annual meeting in Indianapolis.Since 2000, the SBC’s nonbinding statement of faith has declared that only men are qualified for the role of pastor. It’s interpreted differently across the denomination, with some believing it doesn’t apply to associate pastors so long as the senior pastor is male.The proposed amendment, which received preliminary approval last year, would formally exclude churches that have women in any pastoral positions, from lead pastor to associates, or even affirms them in that role. Supporters believe it is biblically necessary, estimating hundreds of Southern Baptist churches have women in those roles.The rejected amendment would have said any church deemed in “friendly cooperation” — the official term for SBC affiliation — must be one that “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”Opponents argued the convention already has the power to remove churches over this issue, and the amendment will have unintended consequences, including disproportionately affecting Black Southern Baptist congregations, which tend to have women on their pastoral staffs.But the motion went swiftly to a vote after only brief debate.Ryan Fullerton, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, said the measure is “not about preventing women from exercising their gifts” in the church, in roles on church staff such as “children’s ministers.” But he said the Bible is clear that the office of pastor is for men.He said there is “confusion about gender” in the wider culture and cited what he called “the ravages of the LGBTQIA agenda.”But Spence Shelton, pastor of Mercy Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, argued that it was unnecessary.He said there is no doubt that Southern Baptists are “complementarian,” as they describe the view that men and women have equal value but different roles that complement one another.But he noted that the convention voted to affirm the ouster of a historic Virginia church Tuesday and two other churches last year, including the California megachurch Saddleback, which all have women pastors and affirmed they could hold top pastoral positions.The reason for ousting them was that they don’t have a faith and practice consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message, the document approved in 2000 that includes the affirmation that the pastoral position is reserved for men.“Y’all, we have shown the mechanisms we currently have are sufficient to deal with this question,” Shelton said.Mike Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia and author of the amendment, cited a report that there are about 1,800 women pastors working in the denomination. He cited Bible verses limiting the pastoral office to men.“Our culture may see this prohibition as harsh, but our God is all wise, and wrote this word for the flourishing of both men and women,” he said.“This amendment is not about women in ministry,” Law added. “It’s specifically about women in the pastoral office.” He did not spell out the difference in his brief floor speech.The denomination can’t tell its independent churches what to do or whom to appoint as a pastor. But they can say which churches are in and which are out.Last year, Southern Baptists refused to take back Saddleback, one of the convention’s largest congregations, and a small Kentucky church over the issue.Both churches, which had women in top pastoral positions, appealed their ouster to the 2023 annual meeting and were overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates. A similar scenario played out in Indianapolis on Tuesday, when messengers voted overwhelmingly to kick out First Baptist Church of Alexandria in Virginia, which has a woman in an associate position and also asserted that women can hold the top job.Supporters of the amendment say it probably won’t result in an immediate, large-scale purge, but opponents expressed concern it would burden SBC volunteers and staffs with numerous investigations of churches.Delegates also elected a North Carolina pastor and longtime denominational statesman to be the next president of their convention in a contest between six candidates that went into two run-off votes.Clint Pressley, who is senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, will be the next Southern Baptist Convention president after winning 56% of votes in the final run-off race.The SBC president — one of the most prominent faces of the conservative evangelical network of churches — presides over the annual meeting and appoints members to the denomination’s committees.Pressley’s nearest opponent, Tennessee pastor, Dan Spencer, received 44 percent of the votes after four other candidates were eliminated in earlier rounds.Pressley has said he favors a measure being voted on later Wednesday to amend the SBC constitution to ban churches with women pastors.Pressley earned a master of divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisiana, one of the SBC’s official seminaries. He has led Hickory Grove since 2011 after pastoring churches in Alabama and Mississippi. Pressley was first vice president of the SBC in 2014-15 and served on numerous other denominational boards.Messengers early Wednesday rejected a proposal to abolish the SBC’s public policy agency, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The measure reflected the views of some that the the staunchly conservative commission wasn’t conservative enough.<h2>___</h2>Meyer reported from Nashville, Tennessee.<h2>___</h2>Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir" target="_blank">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Southern Baptists oppose IVF, reject ban on women pastors

NEOSHO COUNTY—A Kansas man died from injuries in an accident that occurred just before noon Tuesday in Neosho County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Camaro driven by Marcus Earl Howard, 39, Chanute, was&nbsp;southbound on Santa Fe Avenue.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;A westbound bicycle ridden by Harvey Morris Love, 67, Chanute, struck the side rear of the car as it made a right turn into Santa Fe Park.

EMS transported Love to KU Medical Center where he died on Wednesday,&nbsp; according to the Patrol.&nbsp;

NEOSHO COUNTY—A Kansas man died from injuries in an accident that occurred just before noon Tuesday in Neosho County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Camaro driven by Marcus Earl Howard, 39, Chanute, was&nbsp;southbound on Santa Fe Avenue.&nbsp; &nbsp;A westbound bicycle ridden by Harvey Morris Love, 67, Chanute, struck the side rear of the car as it made a right turn into Santa Fe Park.EMS transported Love to KU Medical Center where he died on Wednesday,&nbsp; according to the Patrol.&nbsp;

Kansas bicyclist dies from injuries after crash into car

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Wichita have captured a wanted suspect.

On Wednesday, Wichita Police Homicide investigators arrested 23-year-old Jeremiah Walker on a charge of Second-Degree Murder in the deaath of 27-year-old Quentin Gordon,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

Just after 9:30p.m. June 4, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the 4800 block of East Funston.

Wichita Police, Wichita Fire, and Sedgwick County EMS responded to the scene and found Gordon suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

&nbsp;Preliminary findings suggest that Gordon was involved in an argument with another individual when the shooting occurred, indicating that this was not a random act of violence, according to Moses.

On June 6, police asked for help to locate Anjaliyah S. Orange and Jeremiah Z. Walker as they may have information about the homicide. Police are no longer searching for Orange, according to Moses.

The details of this case have been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, resulting in Walker being charged with Second-Degree Murder, according to Moses.

This incident marks the 15th criminal homicide in Wichita for 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718212493808.png" alt="Walker photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Walker photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Wichita have captured a wanted suspect.On Wednesday, Wichita Police Homicide investigators arrested 23-year-old Jeremiah Walker on a charge of Second-Degree Murder in the deaath of 27-year-old Quentin Gordon,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.Just after 9:30p.m. June 4, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the 4800 block of East Funston.Wichita Police, Wichita Fire, and Sedgwick County EMS responded to the scene and found Gordon suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Preliminary findings suggest that Gordon was involved in an argument with another individual when the shooting occurred, indicating that this was not a random act of violence, according to Moses.On June 6, police asked for help to locate Anjaliyah S. Orange and Jeremiah Z. Walker as they may have information about the homicide. Police are no longer searching for Orange, according to Moses.The details of this case have been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, resulting in Walker being charged with Second-Degree Murder, according to Moses.This incident marks the 15th criminal homicide in Wichita for 2024.

Police capture suspect wanted for June 4 Kansas homicide

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials said Wednesday that inflation has fallen further toward their target level in recent months but signaled that they expect to cut their benchmark interest rate just once this year.

The policymakers' forecast for one rate cut was down from a previous forecast of three, because inflation, despite having cooled in the past two months, remains persistently elevated.

In a statement issued after its two-day meeting, the Fed said the economy is growing at a solid pace, while hiring has “remained strong.” The officials also noted that in recent months there has been “modest" further progress toward its 2% inflation target. That is a more positive assessment than after the Fed's previous meeting May 1, when the officials had noted a lack of progress.

Still, the central bank made clear Wednesday that further improvement is needed.

“We’ll need to see more good data to bolster our confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%,” Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference after the Fed meeting.

The policymakers, as expected, kept their key rate unchanged at roughly 5.3%. The benchmark rate has remained at that level since July of last year, after the Fed raised it 11 times to try to slow borrowing and spending and cool inflation. Fed rate cuts would, over time, lighten loan costs for consumers, who have faced punishingly high rates for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and other forms of borrowing.

The officials' rate-cut forecast reflects the individual estimates of 19 policymakers. The Fed said that eight of those officials projected two rate cuts and seven projected one cut. Four said they envisioned no cuts at all this year.

The Fed’s updated quarterly projections are by no means fixed in time. The policymakers frequently revise their plans for rate cuts — or hikes — depending on how economic growth and inflation evolve over time.

On Wednesday morning, the government reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-8e1d14563d83f55e1773bcddd622bb2b">inflation eased in May</a>&nbsp;for a second straight month, a hopeful sign that an acceleration of prices that occurred early this year may have passed. Consumer prices excluding volatile food and energy costs — the closely watched “core” index — rose just 0.2% from April, the smallest rise since October. Measured from a year earlier, core prices climbed 3.4%, the mildest pace in three years.

“We welcome today’s reading and hope for more like that," Powell said at his news conference.

Though inflation has tumbled from a peak of 9.1% two years ago, it remains too high for the Fed's liking. The policymakers now face the delicate task of keeping rates high enough to slow spending and defeat high inflation without derailing the economy.

The central bank’s rate policies over the next several months could also have consequences for the presidential race. Though the unemployment rate is a low 4%, hiring is robust and consumers continue to spend, voters have taken a generally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-inflation-election-2024-eggs-trump-6690e93b2817f28ebc314c088cbec267">sour view of the economy</a>&nbsp;under President Joe Biden. In large part, that’s because prices remain much higher than they were before the pandemic struck. High borrowing rates impose a further financial burden.

Inflation had cooled steadily in the second half of last year, raising hopes that the Fed could achieve a rare “soft landing,” whereby it would manage to conquer inflation through rate hikes without causing a recession. But inflation came in unexpectedly high in the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-d86c5a3a91a61687496f4a985e6bf362">three months of this year</a>, delaying hoped-for Fed rate cuts and potentially imperiling a soft landing.

Last month, Christopher Waller, an influential member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, said he needed to see “several more months of good inflation data” before he would consider supporting rate cuts. Though Waller didn’t spell out what would constitute good data, economists think it would have to be core inflation of 0.2% or less each month.

As part of the updated quarterly forecasts the Fed's policymakers issued Wednesday, they projected that the economy will grow 2.1% this year and 2% in 2025, the same as they had envisioned in March. They expect core inflation to be 2.8% by year's end, according to their preferred gauge, up from a previous forecast of 2.6%. And they project that unemployment will stay at its current 4% rate by the end of this year and edge up to 4.2% by the end of 2025.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials said Wednesday that inflation has fallen further toward their target level in recent months but signaled that they expect to cut their benchmark interest rate just once this year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Jerome Powell: &quot;Today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged and to continue to reduce our securities holdings.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/y3uLuoN7BN">pic.twitter.com/y3uLuoN7BN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1800962844172656983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The policymakers' forecast for one rate cut was down from a previous forecast of three, because inflation, despite having cooled in the past two months, remains persistently elevated.In a statement issued after its two-day meeting, the Fed said the economy is growing at a solid pace, while hiring has “remained strong.” The officials also noted that in recent months there has been “modest" further progress toward its 2% inflation target. That is a more positive assessment than after the Fed's previous meeting May 1, when the officials had noted a lack of progress.Still, the central bank made clear Wednesday that further improvement is needed.“We’ll need to see more good data to bolster our confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%,” Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference after the Fed meeting.The policymakers, as expected, kept their key rate unchanged at roughly 5.3%. The benchmark rate has remained at that level since July of last year, after the Fed raised it 11 times to try to slow borrowing and spending and cool inflation. Fed rate cuts would, over time, lighten loan costs for consumers, who have faced punishingly high rates for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and other forms of borrowing.The officials' rate-cut forecast reflects the individual estimates of 19 policymakers. The Fed said that eight of those officials projected two rate cuts and seven projected one cut. Four said they envisioned no cuts at all this year.The Fed’s updated quarterly projections are by no means fixed in time. The policymakers frequently revise their plans for rate cuts — or hikes — depending on how economic growth and inflation evolve over time.On Wednesday morning, the government reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-8e1d14563d83f55e1773bcddd622bb2b">inflation eased in May</a>&nbsp;for a second straight month, a hopeful sign that an acceleration of prices that occurred early this year may have passed. Consumer prices excluding volatile food and energy costs — the closely watched “core” index — rose just 0.2% from April, the smallest rise since October. Measured from a year earlier, core prices climbed 3.4%, the mildest pace in three years.“We welcome today’s reading and hope for more like that," Powell said at his news conference.Though inflation has tumbled from a peak of 9.1% two years ago, it remains too high for the Fed's liking. The policymakers now face the delicate task of keeping rates high enough to slow spending and defeat high inflation without derailing the economy.The central bank’s rate policies over the next several months could also have consequences for the presidential race. Though the unemployment rate is a low 4%, hiring is robust and consumers continue to spend, voters have taken a generally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-inflation-election-2024-eggs-trump-6690e93b2817f28ebc314c088cbec267">sour view of the economy</a>&nbsp;under President Joe Biden. In large part, that’s because prices remain much higher than they were before the pandemic struck. High borrowing rates impose a further financial burden.Inflation had cooled steadily in the second half of last year, raising hopes that the Fed could achieve a rare “soft landing,” whereby it would manage to conquer inflation through rate hikes without causing a recession. But inflation came in unexpectedly high in the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-d86c5a3a91a61687496f4a985e6bf362">three months of this year</a>, delaying hoped-for Fed rate cuts and potentially imperiling a soft landing.Last month, Christopher Waller, an influential member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, said he needed to see “several more months of good inflation data” before he would consider supporting rate cuts. Though Waller didn’t spell out what would constitute good data, economists think it would have to be core inflation of 0.2% or less each month.As part of the updated quarterly forecasts the Fed's policymakers issued Wednesday, they projected that the economy will grow 2.1% this year and 2% in 2025, the same as they had envisioned in March. They expect core inflation to be 2.8% by year's end, according to their preferred gauge, up from a previous forecast of 2.6%. And they project that unemployment will stay at its current 4% rate by the end of this year and edge up to 4.2% by the end of 2025.

🎥 Bad news for borrowers: Fewer interest rate cuts this year

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence as the second anniversary of bipartisan gun safety legislation he signed into law approaches.

(click below to watch the President's comments)

“Never give up on hope,” Biden said during an annual conference hosted by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.

The speech came hours after the president’s son Hunter Biden was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">found guilty</a>&nbsp;in a federal court in Delaware of lying on paperwork related to purchasing a gun and unlawfully possessing that gun, according to media reports.

The federal jury found Hunter Biden, who has struggled with drug addiction, guilty on three related felony charges: lying to a licensed gun dealer, falsely stating on an application for a gun that he was not using drugs and for unlawfully having the gun for 11 days.

He could face up to 25 years in prison, though as a first-time offender his sentence is expected to be much less severe.

The president has avoided publicly commenting on his son’s case and he did not mention the verdict in his speech.

Shortly after Biden began his speech, he was interrupted by a protester who accused the president of being “complicit” in the high death toll of the Israel-Hamas war that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-how-many-palestinians-has-israels-campaign-killed-2024-05-14/">has killed 35,000 Palestinians</a>&nbsp;since Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip run by the Hamas-controlled government. An agreement over a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-urges-hamas-accept-new-israeli-ceasefire-plan-intended-end-war">U.S. backed cease-fire deal</a>&nbsp;remains elusive.

The crowd immediately drowned out the protester. A group of protesters was removed, according to a White House pool report.

“That’s alright,” he said. “Folks, it’s ok, look they care, innocent children have been lost, they make a point.”

Biden went back to his speech, and thanked the gun safety advocates and survivors “who have turned their pain” into advocacy.

“You’ve helped power a movement,” Biden said.

The gun safety law Biden&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2022/06/24/congress-sends-biden-historic-gun-safety-legislation-with-gop-support/">signed</a>&nbsp;in 2022 was the most comprehensive federal gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. It stemmed from two deadly mass shootings less than two weeks apart in 2022.

One was at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were murdered, making it the second-deadliest mass shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012.

The other was in Buffalo, New York, where a white supremacist targeted a Black neighborhood and killed 10 Black people in a grocery store.

The 2022 law provided $750 million for states to enact “red flag laws,” which allow the courts to temporarily remove a firearm from an individual who is a threat to themselves or others as well as $11 billion in mental health services for schools and families. The law cracked down on straw purchases, illegal transactions in which a buyer acquires a gun for someone else.

The bill also requires those who are under 21 and want to purchase a firearm to undergo a background check that takes into account a review of juvenile and mental health records. It also led to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/biden-administration-to-create-new-gun-violence-prevention-office/">creation</a>&nbsp;of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The Justice Department also announced Tuesday it has charged more than 500 people under provisions of the gun safety law to “target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.”

The statutes “directly prohibit straw purchasing and firearms trafficking and significantly enhance the penalties for those crimes, providing for up to 15 years in prison,” according to the Justice Department.

“Criminals rely on illegal gun traffickers and straw purchasers to obtain the weapons they use to harm our communities,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Biden acknowledged that more needs to be done on gun safety legislation and he called on Congress to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks and safe storage of firearms. In a divided Congress, any gun-related legislation is unlikely to pass.

The last time Congress passed major gun legislation was 1994, when then-President Bill Clinton signed a ban on assault weapons that spanned 10 years. When it expired, Congress did not renew the ban.

Biden also took a jab at his rival, former President Donald J. Trump, and said that he won’t tell people to “get over” a mass shooting.

After a school shooting in Perry, Iowa, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee said during a campaign speech in Sioux City, Iowa, that while the school shooting that left two dead – an 11-year-old student and the principal – was a “terrible thing that happened,” his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-iowa-school-shooting-get-over-it-rcna132642">advice</a>&nbsp;was to “get over it. We have to move forward.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence as the second anniversary of bipartisan gun safety legislation he signed into law approaches.(click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1020357619757302%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=207" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“Never give up on hope,” Biden said during an annual conference hosted by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.The speech came hours after the president’s son Hunter Biden was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">found guilty</a>&nbsp;in a federal court in Delaware of lying on paperwork related to purchasing a gun and unlawfully possessing that gun, according to media reports.The federal jury found Hunter Biden, who has struggled with drug addiction, guilty on three related felony charges: lying to a licensed gun dealer, falsely stating on an application for a gun that he was not using drugs and for unlawfully having the gun for 11 days.He could face up to 25 years in prison, though as a first-time offender his sentence is expected to be much less severe.The president has avoided publicly commenting on his son’s case and he did not mention the verdict in his speech.<h2>Gaza protest</h2>Shortly after Biden began his speech, he was interrupted by a protester who accused the president of being “complicit” in the high death toll of the Israel-Hamas war that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-how-many-palestinians-has-israels-campaign-killed-2024-05-14/">has killed 35,000 Palestinians</a>&nbsp;since Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip run by the Hamas-controlled government. An agreement over a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-urges-hamas-accept-new-israeli-ceasefire-plan-intended-end-war">U.S. backed cease-fire deal</a>&nbsp;remains elusive.The crowd immediately drowned out the protester. A group of protesters was removed, according to a White House pool report.Biden tried to calm the crowd.“That’s alright,” he said. “Folks, it’s ok, look they care, innocent children have been lost, they make a point.”<h2>Law nears second anniversary</h2>Biden went back to his speech, and thanked the gun safety advocates and survivors “who have turned their pain” into advocacy.“You’ve helped power a movement,” Biden said.The gun safety law Biden&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2022/06/24/congress-sends-biden-historic-gun-safety-legislation-with-gop-support/">signed</a>&nbsp;in 2022 was the most comprehensive federal gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. It stemmed from two deadly mass shootings less than two weeks apart in 2022.One was at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were murdered, making it the second-deadliest mass shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012.The other was in Buffalo, New York, where a white supremacist targeted a Black neighborhood and killed 10 Black people in a grocery store.The 2022 law provided $750 million for states to enact “red flag laws,” which allow the courts to temporarily remove a firearm from an individual who is a threat to themselves or others as well as $11 billion in mental health services for schools and families. The law cracked down on straw purchases, illegal transactions in which a buyer acquires a gun for someone else.The bill also requires those who are under 21 and want to purchase a firearm to undergo a background check that takes into account a review of juvenile and mental health records. It also led to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/biden-administration-to-create-new-gun-violence-prevention-office/">creation</a>&nbsp;of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.The Justice Department also announced Tuesday it has charged more than 500 people under provisions of the gun safety law to “target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.”The statutes “directly prohibit straw purchasing and firearms trafficking and significantly enhance the penalties for those crimes, providing for up to 15 years in prison,” according to the Justice Department.“Criminals rely on illegal gun traffickers and straw purchasers to obtain the weapons they use to harm our communities,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.<h2>More work to do</h2>Biden acknowledged that more needs to be done on gun safety legislation and he called on Congress to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks and safe storage of firearms. In a divided Congress, any gun-related legislation is unlikely to pass.The last time Congress passed major gun legislation was 1994, when then-President Bill Clinton signed a ban on assault weapons that spanned 10 years. When it expired, Congress did not renew the ban.Biden also took a jab at his rival, former President Donald J. Trump, and said that he won’t tell people to “get over” a mass shooting.After a school shooting in Perry, Iowa, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee said during a campaign speech in Sioux City, Iowa, that while the school shooting that left two dead – an 11-year-old student and the principal – was a “terrible thing that happened,” his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-iowa-school-shooting-get-over-it-rcna132642">advice</a>&nbsp;was to “get over it. We have to move forward.”

🎥Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A fleet of Russian warships reached Cuban waters on Wednesday ahead of planned military exercises in the Caribbean in what some see as a projection of strength as tensions grow over Western support for Ukraine.

Three ships slowly crossed the mouth of the Havana Bay accompanied by small boats that guided them through the narrow channel. The flagship frigate, adorned with the Russian and Cuban flags, was greeted by 21 cannon salutes. Sailors in dress uniform stood in military formation as they approached the island.

A nuclear-powered submarine was expected to arrive behind them.

The U.S. military expects the exercises will involve a handful of Russian ships and support vessels, which may also stop in Venezuela.

Russia is a longtime ally of Venezuela and Cuba, and its warships and aircraft have periodically made forays into the Caribbean. But this mission comes less than two weeks after President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/czechia-ukraine-russia-nato-blinken-441c9624d95f8193e99cf08effced44f">authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons</a>&nbsp;to strike inside Russia to protect Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, prompting President Vladimir Putin to suggest his military could respond with “asymmetrical steps” elsewhere in the world.

“Most of all, the warships are a reminder to Washington that it is unpleasant when an adversary meddles in your near abroad,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Washington-based Wilson Center think tank, referring to the Western involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine. “It also reminds Russia’s friends in the region, including U.S. antagonists Cuba and Venezuela, that Moscow is on their side.”

Although the fleet includes a nuclear-powered submarine, a senior U.S. administration official told The Associated Press that the intelligence community has determined no vessel is carrying nuclear weapons. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly, said Russia’s deployments “pose no direct threat to the United States.”

U.S. officials last week said the Russian ships were expected to remain in the region through the summer.

Russian ships have occasionally docked in Havana since 2008, when a group of Russian vessels entered Cuban waters in what state media described as the first such visit in almost two decades. In 2015, a reconnaissance and communications ship arrived unannounced in Havana a day before the start of discussions between U.S. and Cuban officials on the reopening of diplomatic relations.

A State Department spokesperson told the AP that Russia’s port calls in Cuba are “routine naval visits,” while acknowledging its military exercises “have ratcheted up because of U.S. support to Ukraine and exercise activity in support of our NATO allies.”

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hosted his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez, for talks in Moscow. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Lavrov thanked the Cuban authorities for their position on Ukraine.

“From the very beginning, Havana gave an assessment of what was happening outlining the absolutely correct, true reasons for what was unfolding (in Ukraine), and what was being prepared by the West for many years,” Lavrov said.

Russian military and defense doctrine holds Latin America and the Caribbean in an important position, with the sphere seen as under U.S. influence acting as a counterweight to Washington’s activities in Europe, said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“While this is likely little more than provocation from Moscow, it sends a message about Russia’s ability to project power into the Western Hemisphere with the help of its allies, and it will certainly keep the U.S. military on high alert while they are in theater,” Berg said.

The timing of this year’s mission may serve Russia’s purposes, but it is also raising questions of whether Venezuela’s government may use it as an opportunity to shore up President Nicolás Maduro’s bid for a third term in the July 28 election.

Venezuela’s chief opposition coalition is threatening the ruling party’s decadeslong grip on power, and engineering a crisis built on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-guyana-essequibo-territory-dispute-maduro-referendum-d956cc4d5d2a70e3a1e762b744e397de">simmering tensions with Guyana</a>&nbsp;is among the scenarios that analysts believe Maduro’s government could use to delay or cancel the vote.

“It is almost unthinkable that Maduro will risk actually losing power,” said Evan Ellis, Latin America research professor with the U.S. Army War College.

“The most obvious alternative, consistent with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guyana-venezuela-oil-dispute-essequibo-border-maduro-621435b792524e9732a6ccd01f06fb23">Venezuelan military’s recent moves</a>&nbsp;... is to fabricate an international crisis that would provide an excuse for ‘postponing’ Venezuela’s election,” he continued. “The presence of Russian warships in the vicinity would greatly add to the escalation risk of any such crisis that Maduro would fabricate, which is possibly the point.”

Venezuelan voters approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-guyana-essequibo-territory-dispute-maduro-referendum-90a4f0f962a83620903987a68a7d39b0">referendum in December to claim sovereignty</a>&nbsp;over the Essequibo territory, which accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and lies near big offshore oil deposits. Venezuela argues it was stolen when the border was drawn more than a century ago.

Guyana is awaiting a decision regarding Venezuela’s claim from the International Court of Justice, but Maduro’s government does not recognize its authority.

The U.S. supports Guyana in the ongoing dispute and assisted it with surveillance flights late last year when Venezuela had threatened to invade the country. Guyana’s government last month gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guyana-venezuela-united-states-military-jets-eb7e858f1476dd51228853f1a21c4db5">permission for the U.S. military to fly</a>&nbsp;two powerful F/A-18F Super Hornet jets over its capital in a demonstration of close cooperation.

Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on June 6 acknowledged that the Russian fleet does not represent “a direct threat.”

“Nevertheless, we’re vigilant, and we’re keeping this issue firmly in our policy radar,” Jagdeo said in a press conference.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A fleet of Russian warships reached Cuban waters on Wednesday ahead of planned military exercises in the Caribbean in what some see as a projection of strength as tensions grow over Western support for Ukraine.Three ships slowly crossed the mouth of the Havana Bay accompanied by small boats that guided them through the narrow channel. The flagship frigate, adorned with the Russian and Cuban flags, was greeted by 21 cannon salutes. Sailors in dress uniform stood in military formation as they approached the island.A nuclear-powered submarine was expected to arrive behind them.The U.S. military expects the exercises will involve a handful of Russian ships and support vessels, which may also stop in Venezuela.Russia is a longtime ally of Venezuela and Cuba, and its warships and aircraft have periodically made forays into the Caribbean. But this mission comes less than two weeks after President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/czechia-ukraine-russia-nato-blinken-441c9624d95f8193e99cf08effced44f">authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons</a>&nbsp;to strike inside Russia to protect Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, prompting President Vladimir Putin to suggest his military could respond with “asymmetrical steps” elsewhere in the world.“Most of all, the warships are a reminder to Washington that it is unpleasant when an adversary meddles in your near abroad,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Washington-based Wilson Center think tank, referring to the Western involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine. “It also reminds Russia’s friends in the region, including U.S. antagonists Cuba and Venezuela, that Moscow is on their side.”Although the fleet includes a nuclear-powered submarine, a senior U.S. administration official told The Associated Press that the intelligence community has determined no vessel is carrying nuclear weapons. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly, said Russia’s deployments “pose no direct threat to the United States.”U.S. officials last week said the Russian ships were expected to remain in the region through the summer.Russian ships have occasionally docked in Havana since 2008, when a group of Russian vessels entered Cuban waters in what state media described as the first such visit in almost two decades. In 2015, a reconnaissance and communications ship arrived unannounced in Havana a day before the start of discussions between U.S. and Cuban officials on the reopening of diplomatic relations.A State Department spokesperson told the AP that Russia’s port calls in Cuba are “routine naval visits,” while acknowledging its military exercises “have ratcheted up because of U.S. support to Ukraine and exercise activity in support of our NATO allies.”On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hosted his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez, for talks in Moscow. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Lavrov thanked the Cuban authorities for their position on Ukraine.“From the very beginning, Havana gave an assessment of what was happening outlining the absolutely correct, true reasons for what was unfolding (in Ukraine), and what was being prepared by the West for many years,” Lavrov said.Russian military and defense doctrine holds Latin America and the Caribbean in an important position, with the sphere seen as under U.S. influence acting as a counterweight to Washington’s activities in Europe, said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.“While this is likely little more than provocation from Moscow, it sends a message about Russia’s ability to project power into the Western Hemisphere with the help of its allies, and it will certainly keep the U.S. military on high alert while they are in theater,” Berg said.The timing of this year’s mission may serve Russia’s purposes, but it is also raising questions of whether Venezuela’s government may use it as an opportunity to shore up President Nicolás Maduro’s bid for a third term in the July 28 election.Venezuela’s chief opposition coalition is threatening the ruling party’s decadeslong grip on power, and engineering a crisis built on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-guyana-essequibo-territory-dispute-maduro-referendum-d956cc4d5d2a70e3a1e762b744e397de">simmering tensions with Guyana</a>&nbsp;is among the scenarios that analysts believe Maduro’s government could use to delay or cancel the vote.“It is almost unthinkable that Maduro will risk actually losing power,” said Evan Ellis, Latin America research professor with the U.S. Army War College.“The most obvious alternative, consistent with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guyana-venezuela-oil-dispute-essequibo-border-maduro-621435b792524e9732a6ccd01f06fb23">Venezuelan military’s recent moves</a>&nbsp;... is to fabricate an international crisis that would provide an excuse for ‘postponing’ Venezuela’s election,” he continued. “The presence of Russian warships in the vicinity would greatly add to the escalation risk of any such crisis that Maduro would fabricate, which is possibly the point.”Venezuelan voters approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-guyana-essequibo-territory-dispute-maduro-referendum-90a4f0f962a83620903987a68a7d39b0">referendum in December to claim sovereignty</a>&nbsp;over the Essequibo territory, which accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and lies near big offshore oil deposits. Venezuela argues it was stolen when the border was drawn more than a century ago.Guyana is awaiting a decision regarding Venezuela’s claim from the International Court of Justice, but Maduro’s government does not recognize its authority.The U.S. supports Guyana in the ongoing dispute and assisted it with surveillance flights late last year when Venezuela had threatened to invade the country. Guyana’s government last month gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guyana-venezuela-united-states-military-jets-eb7e858f1476dd51228853f1a21c4db5">permission for the U.S. military to fly</a>&nbsp;two powerful F/A-18F Super Hornet jets over its capital in a demonstration of close cooperation.Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on June 6 acknowledged that the Russian fleet does not represent “a direct threat.”“Nevertheless, we’re vigilant, and we’re keeping this issue firmly in our policy radar,” Jagdeo said in a press conference.

Washington monitoring as Russian warships enter Havana harbor

SALINE&nbsp; COUNTY —Janet Willson, the 43-year-old who woman suffered a gunshot wound to her abdomen on May 26 in rural Saline County died on Tuesday afternoon at the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, according to the Saline County Sheriff's office.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said Willson was shot with a single .410 gauge shotgun and the injury is now believed to be self-inflicted.

Timothy Lecklider was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of attempted murder in connection to the shooting.

On June 10 investigators conducted an interview with the victim and coupled with evidence collected at the scene determined that Lecklider was not involved in the shooting.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available

SALINE COUNTY —A man accused of shooting his wife in the stomach is out of jail after a lengthy investigation by the Saline County sheriff's office.

Just before 7:30p.m.&nbsp; Sunday May 26, deputies responded to a residence located at 10798 W. Watkins Road in rural Saline County for a report of a woman claiming to have been shot by her husband.

Responding deputies found&nbsp; 43, Janet Wilson in the yard of the residence with a single .410 Guage shotgun wound to the abdomen.

Deputies took 60-year-old Timothy Lecklider into custody at the scene and booked him into the Saline County Jail on&nbsp; requested charges of attempted Murder. 

On June 10, investigators conducted an interview with the victim and coupled with evidence collected at the scene determined that Lecklider was not involved in the shooting.&nbsp; The sheriff's office release him from jail.

According to a statement from the Saline County Sheriff's office, the woman' injury is now believed to be self-inflicted.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

SALINE&nbsp; COUNTY —Janet Willson, the 43-year-old who woman suffered a gunshot wound to her abdomen on May 26 in rural Saline County died on Tuesday afternoon at the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, according to the Saline County Sheriff's office.Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said Willson was shot with a single .410 gauge shotgun and the injury is now believed to be self-inflicted.Timothy Lecklider was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of attempted murder in connection to the shooting.On June 10 investigators conducted an interview with the victim and coupled with evidence collected at the scene determined that Lecklider was not involved in the shooting.Check the Post for additional details as they become available-----------SALINE COUNTY —A man accused of shooting his wife in the stomach is out of jail after a lengthy investigation by the Saline County sheriff's office.Just before 7:30p.m.&nbsp; Sunday May 26, deputies responded to a residence located at 10798 W. Watkins Road in rural Saline County for a report of a woman claiming to have been shot by her husband.Responding deputies found&nbsp; 43, Janet Wilson in the yard of the residence with a single .410 Guage shotgun wound to the abdomen.Deputies took 60-year-old Timothy Lecklider into custody at the scene and booked him into the Saline County Jail on&nbsp; requested charges of attempted Murder. On June 10, investigators conducted an interview with the victim and coupled with evidence collected at the scene determined that Lecklider was not involved in the shooting.&nbsp; The sheriff's office release him from jail.According to a statement from the Saline County Sheriff's office, the woman' injury is now believed to be self-inflicted.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.--------------------

Sheriff: Kan. man falsely accused of shooting his wife; she has died

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced.

West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor.

West was “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him,” the Clippers said in announcing his death. West’s wife, Karen, was by his side when he died, the Clippers said.

He was an All-Star in all 14 of his NBA seasons, a 12-time All-NBA selection, part of the 1972 Lakers team that won a championship, an NBA Finals MVP as part of a losing team in 1969 and was selected as part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.

West was general manager of eight NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping build the “Showtime” dynasty. He also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers. Among his many, many highlights as an executive with the Lakers: he drafted Magic Johnson and James Worthy, then brought in Kobe Bryant and eventually Shaquille O'Neal to play alongside Bryant.

Even in the final years of his life, West was considered basketball royalty. He routinely sat courtside at Summer League games in Las Vegas, often watching many games in a day while greeting long lines of players — LeBron James among them — who would approach to shake his hand and pay him respect.

“The game transcends many things,” West said while attending Summer League last year. “The players change, the style of play may change, but the respect that you learn in this game never changes.”

He's 25th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, and while the league has never confirmed that West was in fact the model for its logo — a player dribbling a ball, set against a red-and-blue background — the league has never said otherwise, either.

“While it’s never been officially declared that the logo is Jerry West,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in 2021, “it sure looks a lot like him.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718200112562.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced.He was 86.West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718200754702.png" alt="His silhouette was the inspiration for the NBA logo" />
 <figcaption>His silhouette was the inspiration for the NBA logo</figcaption>
 </figure>West was “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him,” the Clippers said in announcing his death. West’s wife, Karen, was by his side when he died, the Clippers said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Honoring the legendary Jerry West <a href="https://t.co/vN9gzMPVMc">pic.twitter.com/vN9gzMPVMc</a>&mdash; Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1800917552639746539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He was an All-Star in all 14 of his NBA seasons, a 12-time All-NBA selection, part of the 1972 Lakers team that won a championship, an NBA Finals MVP as part of a losing team in 1969 and was selected as part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From 2019, Former Los Angeles <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lakers</a> Guard Jerry West receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom. RIP.<a href="https://t.co/8OyNrNtRhS">pic.twitter.com/8OyNrNtRhS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1800895733673107505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>West was general manager of eight NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping build the “Showtime” dynasty. He also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers. Among his many, many highlights as an executive with the Lakers: he drafted Magic Johnson and James Worthy, then brought in Kobe Bryant and eventually Shaquille O'Neal to play alongside Bryant.Even in the final years of his life, West was considered basketball royalty. He routinely sat courtside at Summer League games in Las Vegas, often watching many games in a day while greeting long lines of players — LeBron James among them — who would approach to shake his hand and pay him respect.“The game transcends many things,” West said while attending Summer League last year. “The players change, the style of play may change, but the respect that you learn in this game never changes.”He's 25th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, and while the league has never confirmed that West was in fact the model for its logo — a player dribbling a ball, set against a red-and-blue background — the league has never said otherwise, either.“While it’s never been officially declared that the logo is Jerry West,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in 2021, “it sure looks a lot like him.”

NBA legend Jerry West dead at 86

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight people from Tajikistan with suspected ties to the Islamic State group have been arrested in the United States in recent days, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

The arrests took place in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles and the individuals, who entered the U.S. through the southern border, are being held on immigration violations, said the people, who were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The nature of their suspected connections to the IS was not immediately clear, but the individuals were being tracked by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, or JTTF. They were in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which made the arrests while working with the JTTF, pending proceedings to remove them from the country.

The individuals from Tajikistan entered the country last spring and passed through the U.S. government's screening process without turning up information that would have identified them as potential terrorism-related concerns, said one of the people familiar with the matter.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a statement confirming the immigration-related arrests of “several non-citizens” but did not detail specifics. The agencies noted that the U.S. has been in a “heightened threat environment.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray has said the U.S. is facing accelerating threats from homegrown violent extremists as well as foreign terrorist organizations, particularly in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.

He said at one recent congressional hearing that officials were "concerned about the terrorism implications from potential targeting of vulnerabilities at the border.”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-smuggling-terrorist-islamic-state-immigration-6d2192be5874f7f271ce28bbcc5c0473">The Biden administration in August</a>&nbsp;said that it had detected and stopped a network attempting to smuggle people from Uzbekistan into the U.S. and that at least one member of the network had links to a foreign terrorist group.

“The FBI and DHS will continue working around the clock with our partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt potential threats to national security,” the agencies said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718154677776.png" alt="FBI Director Christopher Wray has said the U.S. is facing accelerating threats from homegrown violent extremists as well as foreign terrorist organizations-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>FBI Director Christopher Wray has said the U.S. is facing accelerating threats from homegrown violent extremists as well as foreign terrorist organizations-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight people from Tajikistan with suspected ties to the Islamic State group have been arrested in the United States in recent days, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.The arrests took place in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles and the individuals, who entered the U.S. through the southern border, are being held on immigration violations, said the people, who were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The nature of their suspected connections to the IS was not immediately clear, but the individuals were being tracked by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, or JTTF. They were in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which made the arrests while working with the JTTF, pending proceedings to remove them from the country.The individuals from Tajikistan entered the country last spring and passed through the U.S. government's screening process without turning up information that would have identified them as potential terrorism-related concerns, said one of the people familiar with the matter.The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a statement confirming the immigration-related arrests of “several non-citizens” but did not detail specifics. The agencies noted that the U.S. has been in a “heightened threat environment.”FBI Director Christopher Wray has said the U.S. is facing accelerating threats from homegrown violent extremists as well as foreign terrorist organizations, particularly in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.He said at one recent congressional hearing that officials were "concerned about the terrorism implications from potential targeting of vulnerabilities at the border.”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-smuggling-terrorist-islamic-state-immigration-6d2192be5874f7f271ce28bbcc5c0473">The Biden administration in August</a>&nbsp;said that it had detected and stopped a network attempting to smuggle people from Uzbekistan into the U.S. and that at least one member of the network had links to a foreign terrorist group.“The FBI and DHS will continue working around the clock with our partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt potential threats to national security,” the agencies said.

8 with possible Islamic State ties arrested in US on immigration violations

KANSAS CITY- KC Scout, a bi-state initiative between Kansas and Missouri&nbsp; Departments of Transportation to provide travel and traffic information and service for the Kansas City metro area, suffered a cyberattack on April 25. 

For the past several weeks, efforts to restore KC Scout services have been underway. On Wednesday, June 12, motorists on Kansas City metro highways will once again see test messages displayed on the highway digital signs, according to a media release from the agency.

If testing is successful, real-time information should return to the boards in the next week. 

Returning real-time information is considered the first step to restoring all KC Scout systems and services. Additional restoration efforts continue and include having the website operational, camera views available online, and camera stream access.

The DOTs and KC Scout thank everyone for their patience during the service outage and as efforts toward complete service restoration continues.

The Kansas and Missouri DOTs remind motorists that emergency services are still available in Kansas and Missouri. Kansas Highway Patrol Motorist Assist Vehicle (MAV) continue to proactively run routes and respond to incidents in their jurisdiction. 

MoDOT Emergency Response Continue to proactively run routes and respond to incidents in their jurisdiction. Immediate and critical traffic information impacting the KC metro area is being shared through <a href="http://modot.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR09GLiozaM6T2M7ml6P9tPbFHXdqYtwrCawElwvj05vcTT7adsVux2-FbA_aem_AU_Pj1jPyIyhQQIuX9YBs7g64rJIJI0zcUP74BHHUcUWGNKr5V6JSNOc6OQKB_t2rPjMX4Npb6h1Ha9EekcQfDIV" target="_blank">modot.org</a> in Missouri and <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2FKanDrive.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3xuYCQar7psg-4ovMKcjcjBnRurW9rZldPmJ8X4lSJruvNuClp4umCYgM_aem_AU93-LO_i4ikP37x8LdPD_NjgMMznedT8Z-TrwECmO1VSb-acK5dm1uNIeD2ZrGd4C2VNsQ6uRiZa20B6c9XiRkd&amp;h=AT3BvUtWPvA4w1Im4fah0k5j48u8IsudQy_HbogRx8mOPjt34IOQtB8a4tWUFjAomjHWnlcBtVDrWy32nrIZDgnu7IQNgHDpry6zW0IXU0TqtvsHctzxaRzE2Q3O5UFCX_RXBxY&amp;__tn__=-UK-y-R&amp;c[0]=AT2zLeQexISXF2s50qRhcxTGlrpA-O9NFCwI4JPBpA2BimQ9_NkpKAGYXZYOHl5rQcX7i6wZ2se4pk3WgCdfK-McTm9Tfa6tKz2_2fpuHkUcNOyxA6XiAboYbAqHxCSQ2yPJS0382FQbMQIKSYtdkztZ6lpjKF7QxRqlB4qZPACsKZTFZkcav_cmQDxFXacrAjyGuEAOF3svFc25dOxNIinoSsU5jmzmnTmtyzetW9AFIhzb2b0MOEdqiC48UAcn-56NL4WzhQGIf3CiVt7f" target="_blank">KanDrive.gov</a> in Kansas.

 While data is not available via KC Scout cameras, message boards or website, the Missouri and Kansas traveler information sites, apps, and phone numbers are providing traffic conditions and lane closures from rush hour, construction and crash information in the KC metro area.

Information is available via phone and website/app:• Missouri: Call 888.275.6636 or visit <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.modot.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR23NOg9ltm4ZJpZbdxRkEIFN0TaoFvORY9PGdMkxElEE70ZCsITu-yXcRA_aem_AU-B352m2PQPljEBTProh45ETIDJscqeytEukT3LU_tXwrSzgkHeGPlpYPJaPWXjTmqYOtKSQ1RixmPc-51EIF40&amp;h=AT0dWceqRie8zbWexflVX7-My66eFcL9ej-WENfNeMKP-Z3hTDpCVYZ6TaZ0LPobj_sQE1KQ9iCxGPNJtPTVf9E1LRNACj6vEitqyyK--vCfmqFdQDRhShuDLHOEDfQOrCHNGN8&amp;__tn__=-UK-y-R&amp;c[0]=AT2zLeQexISXF2s50qRhcxTGlrpA-O9NFCwI4JPBpA2BimQ9_NkpKAGYXZYOHl5rQcX7i6wZ2se4pk3WgCdfK-McTm9Tfa6tKz2_2fpuHkUcNOyxA6XiAboYbAqHxCSQ2yPJS0382FQbMQIKSYtdkztZ6lpjKF7QxRqlB4qZPACsKZTFZkcav_cmQDxFXacrAjyGuEAOF3svFc25dOxNIinoSsU5jmzmnTmtyzetW9AFIhzb2b0MOEdqiC48UAcn-56NL4WzhQGIf3CiVt7f" target="_blank">www.modot.org</a>• Kansas: Call 511 or visit <a href="https://kandrive.gov/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0c-j-JkJHap5Q6vN3MSg0GZRDJDWLBJLAGOvvWj2Fkzmf9hv0InjcGMgk_aem_AU9Hu0FzAwQIQbJ9xJQxXphqllGgKogv3kEOvHGFZ2OIsE1DAtr1BLSKA9YMc-KfvX1TMZx-VkK_ycidwrRMGuFx" target="_blank">KanDrive.gov</a>MoDOT and KDOT remind travelers to drive safely based on current road conditions and traffic flow. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KSDOTHQ?__cft__[0]=AZVru8tYlyqKjuIw0otj4k84FYMfnyMxk0zT7tBpH-8HNx_rKCb23yRUuJe51SOwtuy64CnDCrNvlEqvfY_QoxSWGKCPgdxWOfrLabRLW2nbW5cndRm5-GcBp-8pdUelzbqMnNjMp2536B5ix080dqtkTi3scLnP1lgengZ6TwrGANqYtTjgi-vMXsFJB0jyijSG_LkNADtJ3mESBWhH1YY3yWm66eA1KjerJlMJq8z6SVQ95lUfqaacuiBB6dcA9Uc&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Kansas Department of Transportation</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MoDOT.KansasCity?__cft__[0]=AZVru8tYlyqKjuIw0otj4k84FYMfnyMxk0zT7tBpH-8HNx_rKCb23yRUuJe51SOwtuy64CnDCrNvlEqvfY_QoxSWGKCPgdxWOfrLabRLW2nbW5cndRm5-GcBp-8pdUelzbqMnNjMp2536B5ix080dqtkTi3scLnP1lgengZ6TwrGANqYtTjgi-vMXsFJB0jyijSG_LkNADtJ3mESBWhH1YY3yWm66eA1KjerJlMJq8z6SVQ95lUfqaacuiBB6dcA9Uc&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">MoDOT Kansas City</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718146988748.png" alt="Image from a traffic crash in May of 2023" />
 <figcaption>Image from a traffic crash in May of 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY- KC Scout, a bi-state initiative between Kansas and Missouri&nbsp; Departments of Transportation to provide travel and traffic information and service for the Kansas City metro area, suffered a cyberattack on April 25. For the past several weeks, efforts to restore KC Scout services have been underway. On Wednesday, June 12, motorists on Kansas City metro highways will once again see test messages displayed on the highway digital signs, according to a media release from the agency.If testing is successful, real-time information should return to the boards in the next week. Returning real-time information is considered the first step to restoring all KC Scout systems and services. Additional restoration efforts continue and include having the website operational, camera views available online, and camera stream access.The DOTs and KC Scout thank everyone for their patience during the service outage and as efforts toward complete service restoration continues.The Kansas and Missouri DOTs remind motorists that emergency services are still available in Kansas and Missouri. Kansas Highway Patrol Motorist Assist Vehicle (MAV) continue to proactively run routes and respond to incidents in their jurisdiction. MoDOT Emergency Response Continue to proactively run routes and respond to incidents in their jurisdiction. Immediate and critical traffic information impacting the KC metro area is being shared through <a href="http://modot.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR09GLiozaM6T2M7ml6P9tPbFHXdqYtwrCawElwvj05vcTT7adsVux2-FbA_aem_AU_Pj1jPyIyhQQIuX9YBs7g64rJIJI0zcUP74BHHUcUWGNKr5V6JSNOc6OQKB_t2rPjMX4Npb6h1Ha9EekcQfDIV" target="_blank">modot.org</a> in Missouri and <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2FKanDrive.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3xuYCQar7psg-4ovMKcjcjBnRurW9rZldPmJ8X4lSJruvNuClp4umCYgM_aem_AU93-LO_i4ikP37x8LdPD_NjgMMznedT8Z-TrwECmO1VSb-acK5dm1uNIeD2ZrGd4C2VNsQ6uRiZa20B6c9XiRkd&amp;h=AT3BvUtWPvA4w1Im4fah0k5j48u8IsudQy_HbogRx8mOPjt34IOQtB8a4tWUFjAomjHWnlcBtVDrWy32nrIZDgnu7IQNgHDpry6zW0IXU0TqtvsHctzxaRzE2Q3O5UFCX_RXBxY&amp;__tn__=-UK-y-R&amp;c[0]=AT2zLeQexISXF2s50qRhcxTGlrpA-O9NFCwI4JPBpA2BimQ9_NkpKAGYXZYOHl5rQcX7i6wZ2se4pk3WgCdfK-McTm9Tfa6tKz2_2fpuHkUcNOyxA6XiAboYbAqHxCSQ2yPJS0382FQbMQIKSYtdkztZ6lpjKF7QxRqlB4qZPACsKZTFZkcav_cmQDxFXacrAjyGuEAOF3svFc25dOxNIinoSsU5jmzmnTmtyzetW9AFIhzb2b0MOEdqiC48UAcn-56NL4WzhQGIf3CiVt7f" target="_blank">KanDrive.gov</a> in Kansas. While data is not available via KC Scout cameras, message boards or website, the Missouri and Kansas traveler information sites, apps, and phone numbers are providing traffic conditions and lane closures from rush hour, construction and crash information in the KC metro area.Information is available via phone and website/app:• Missouri: Call 888.275.6636 or visit <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.modot.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR23NOg9ltm4ZJpZbdxRkEIFN0TaoFvORY9PGdMkxElEE70ZCsITu-yXcRA_aem_AU-B352m2PQPljEBTProh45ETIDJscqeytEukT3LU_tXwrSzgkHeGPlpYPJaPWXjTmqYOtKSQ1RixmPc-51EIF40&amp;h=AT0dWceqRie8zbWexflVX7-My66eFcL9ej-WENfNeMKP-Z3hTDpCVYZ6TaZ0LPobj_sQE1KQ9iCxGPNJtPTVf9E1LRNACj6vEitqyyK--vCfmqFdQDRhShuDLHOEDfQOrCHNGN8&amp;__tn__=-UK-y-R&amp;c[0]=AT2zLeQexISXF2s50qRhcxTGlrpA-O9NFCwI4JPBpA2BimQ9_NkpKAGYXZYOHl5rQcX7i6wZ2se4pk3WgCdfK-McTm9Tfa6tKz2_2fpuHkUcNOyxA6XiAboYbAqHxCSQ2yPJS0382FQbMQIKSYtdkztZ6lpjKF7QxRqlB4qZPACsKZTFZkcav_cmQDxFXacrAjyGuEAOF3svFc25dOxNIinoSsU5jmzmnTmtyzetW9AFIhzb2b0MOEdqiC48UAcn-56NL4WzhQGIf3CiVt7f" target="_blank">www.modot.org</a>• Kansas: Call 511 or visit <a href="https://kandrive.gov/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0c-j-JkJHap5Q6vN3MSg0GZRDJDWLBJLAGOvvWj2Fkzmf9hv0InjcGMgk_aem_AU9Hu0FzAwQIQbJ9xJQxXphqllGgKogv3kEOvHGFZ2OIsE1DAtr1BLSKA9YMc-KfvX1TMZx-VkK_ycidwrRMGuFx" target="_blank">KanDrive.gov</a>MoDOT and KDOT remind travelers to drive safely based on current road conditions and traffic flow. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KSDOTHQ?__cft__[0]=AZVru8tYlyqKjuIw0otj4k84FYMfnyMxk0zT7tBpH-8HNx_rKCb23yRUuJe51SOwtuy64CnDCrNvlEqvfY_QoxSWGKCPgdxWOfrLabRLW2nbW5cndRm5-GcBp-8pdUelzbqMnNjMp2536B5ix080dqtkTi3scLnP1lgengZ6TwrGANqYtTjgi-vMXsFJB0jyijSG_LkNADtJ3mESBWhH1YY3yWm66eA1KjerJlMJq8z6SVQ95lUfqaacuiBB6dcA9Uc&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Kansas Department of Transportation</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MoDOT.KansasCity?__cft__[0]=AZVru8tYlyqKjuIw0otj4k84FYMfnyMxk0zT7tBpH-8HNx_rKCb23yRUuJe51SOwtuy64CnDCrNvlEqvfY_QoxSWGKCPgdxWOfrLabRLW2nbW5cndRm5-GcBp-8pdUelzbqMnNjMp2536B5ix080dqtkTi3scLnP1lgengZ6TwrGANqYtTjgi-vMXsFJB0jyijSG_LkNADtJ3mESBWhH1YY3yWm66eA1KjerJlMJq8z6SVQ95lUfqaacuiBB6dcA9Uc&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">MoDOT Kansas City</a>

Cyberattack: Network of KC traffic cameras could return next week

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Even as they prepare to vote on a formal ban on churches with women pastors, delegates to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-southern-baptists-women-pastors-sexual-abuse-indianapolis-f16d01e35fc379e91f8c72dea643cd81">Southern Baptist Convention</a>&nbsp;annual meeting voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to boot one such church from its ranks.

Messengers, as voting representatives are known, voted 6,759 to 563 to oust&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-southern-baptists-women-pastors-saddleback-3b40fd925377a9e3aa2ecb4a4072a4a6">First Baptist Church of Alexandria</a>, a historic Virginia congregation that affirms women can serve in any pastoral role, including as senior pastor. A similar scenario played out at last year’s meeting. Two congregations, including a well-known&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-baptists-saddleback-vote-women-pastors-new-orleans-7ee6606b57d0bf0c4c7ed91316af12b1">California megachurch</a>, were ejected from the convention. Ninety-two percent of messengers approved this year's ouster.

The Virginia congregation has been involved in the nation's largest Protestant denomination since its 19th century founding and has contributed millions toward denominational causes. But it came under scrutiny after the pastor of a neighboring church reported it to denominational authorities over its having a woman as pastor for children and women.

The vote came after the denomination's credentials committee recommended earlier Tuesday that the denomination deem the church to be not in “friendly cooperation,” the formulation for expulsion, on the grounds that it conflicts with the Baptist Faith and Message. That statement of Southern Baptist doctrine declares only men are qualified for the role of pastor. Some interpret that only to apply to associate pastors as long as the senior pastor is male.

“We find no joy in making this recommendation, but have formed the opinion that the church’s egalitarian beliefs regarding the office of pastor do not closely identify with the convention’s adopted statement of faith,” said Jonathan Sams, chair of the credentials committee.

The Alexandria church is currently led by a man, Robert Stephens, but the church has made clear it believes women can serve as senior pastors, too. Stephens said his church has had women in ministry for more than 44 years and wants to continue cooperating with Southern Baptists who disagreed on this issue.

“First Alexandria stands before you today as a testament that we can maintain a fruitful partnership with churches that take a different stance on women in ministry,” he said. “We at First Baptist are advancing the gospel, and we hope that we will continue to work alongside you all.”

Afterward, representatives from the Alexandria church said they wished the SBC well. But they said they would focus on First Baptist's own work, ranging from sending a mission team to Nicaragua to partnering on a Bible translation project to taking part in a church youth camp and other ministries.

“This is a sad moment for us, but we also recognize that God has a future for First Baptist Church,” Stephens said.

“We have good news to share with the world, and we will keep doing that,” added Kim Eskridge, the pastor for children and women.

On Wednesday, delegates are slated to consider enshrining a ban on churches with any women pastors in the SBC's constitution. The proposed amendment received preliminary approval last year, and it requires a final vote this year to be enacted. As of Tuesday evening, 10,895 messengers were registered to take part.

Early Tuesday, a small group of women stood outside the Indiana Convention Center in a low-key demonstration in support of women in ministry.

“I hope that people know women have equal value and can be pastors,” said the Rev. Meredith Stone, executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry. The organization originated among Southern Baptists in the 1980s, but it now works with women in a variety of Baptist denominations.

Joining them was Christa Brown, who has long advocated for fellow survivors of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches and criticized the denomination’s resistance to reforms, an effort she has chronicled in a new memoir, “Baptistland.” The Southern Baptists ongoing struggles with sexual abuse reforms is also on this year's calendar.

She said there’s a direct connection between issues of abuse and the equality of women in ministry.

“When you squash some people, it sets up a lot more people to be squashed,” she said.

An SBC Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force recently concluded its work. While it has provided a curriculum for training churches on preventing and responding to abuse, it has not achieved the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-california-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-baptist-southern-convention-ba7ba613947cc893659b6e8e45ab4b73">mandate</a>&nbsp;of previous annual meetings to establish a “Ministry Check” database of offenders, which could help churches avoid hiring them.

“We’re probably beyond frustrated that there are not names on the database right now or the database is not live right now,” said Josh Wester, chairman of the task force, which officially concluded its work Tuesday. Messengers adopted its recommendations and assigned the denomination’s Executive Committee to complete goals such as activating Ministry Check and creating a “permanent home” for abuse response.

After denominational officials said they couldn’t get insurance for producing a Ministry Watch list, Wester said he and some others set up a separate non-profit organization to maintain it. But he said the Executive Committee’s new leadership is looking for ways to oversee it in-house.

The list would include those convicted or found liable for abuse in civil court — short of an earlier annual meeting’s call for a list including those who confessed or were credibly accused outside of court.

Wester said the ultimate goal is for a broader list.

“We’re just trying to get a database online because it can always be improved,” Wester said.

Though some have advocated for reforms for the past two decades, the SBC has particularly struggled to respond to sexual abuse in its churches since a 2019 report by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. It said that roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers faced allegations of sexual misconduct in the previous two decades.

The denomination subsequently commissioned a report from a consulting firm, Guidepost Solutions. It concluded that leaders of the convention’s Executive Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baptist-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-southern-convention-bfdbe64389790630488f854c3dae3fd5">intimidated and mistreated</a>&nbsp;survivors who sought help. The committee handles day-to-day business of the convention.

Some outspoken voices have contended that there is no crisis of abuse in the convention and that such claims are overstated.

But survivor Tiffany Thigpen, one of several advocates for abuse survivors attending the meeting, noted that SBC messengers have repeatedly supported reforms.

“Our hope has been that the messengers finally get as frustrated as we’ve been and say, ‘OK, wait, we’re not allowing this anymore,’" she said.

In events held on the sidelines of the meeting, politics has been featured. On Monday, former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-election-abortion-christians-13318983232798e44e9638a33811f844">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appealed for votes in a videotaped message to attendees of a staunchly anti-abortion conservative group that met next door to the convention center.

On Tuesday, former Vice President Mike Pence told an audience of about 500 that he would “never” vote for President Joe Biden, criticizing him on border, abortion and other policies. But Pence stopped short of endorsing Trump, his estranged onetime running mate.

Later, messengers approved a resolution against any effort to establish a state religion, including “Christianity as the state religion of the United States” — a notable move given the rise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-founders-christian-nation-conservative-beliefs-4ea388e8d80c54016a6a4460cbef9b82">Christian nationalism</a>&nbsp;in some conservative circles. The resolution calls for robust religious freedoms and for Christians to get involved in public office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718155364274.png" alt="Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Indianapolis.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Indianapolis.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Even as they prepare to vote on a formal ban on churches with women pastors, delegates to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-southern-baptists-women-pastors-sexual-abuse-indianapolis-f16d01e35fc379e91f8c72dea643cd81">Southern Baptist Convention</a>&nbsp;annual meeting voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to boot one such church from its ranks.Messengers, as voting representatives are known, voted 6,759 to 563 to oust&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-southern-baptists-women-pastors-saddleback-3b40fd925377a9e3aa2ecb4a4072a4a6">First Baptist Church of Alexandria</a>, a historic Virginia congregation that affirms women can serve in any pastoral role, including as senior pastor. A similar scenario played out at last year’s meeting. Two congregations, including a well-known&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-baptists-saddleback-vote-women-pastors-new-orleans-7ee6606b57d0bf0c4c7ed91316af12b1">California megachurch</a>, were ejected from the convention. Ninety-two percent of messengers approved this year's ouster.The Virginia congregation has been involved in the nation's largest Protestant denomination since its 19th century founding and has contributed millions toward denominational causes. But it came under scrutiny after the pastor of a neighboring church reported it to denominational authorities over its having a woman as pastor for children and women.The vote came after the denomination's credentials committee recommended earlier Tuesday that the denomination deem the church to be not in “friendly cooperation,” the formulation for expulsion, on the grounds that it conflicts with the Baptist Faith and Message. That statement of Southern Baptist doctrine declares only men are qualified for the role of pastor. Some interpret that only to apply to associate pastors as long as the senior pastor is male.“We find no joy in making this recommendation, but have formed the opinion that the church’s egalitarian beliefs regarding the office of pastor do not closely identify with the convention’s adopted statement of faith,” said Jonathan Sams, chair of the credentials committee.The Alexandria church is currently led by a man, Robert Stephens, but the church has made clear it believes women can serve as senior pastors, too. Stephens said his church has had women in ministry for more than 44 years and wants to continue cooperating with Southern Baptists who disagreed on this issue.“First Alexandria stands before you today as a testament that we can maintain a fruitful partnership with churches that take a different stance on women in ministry,” he said. “We at First Baptist are advancing the gospel, and we hope that we will continue to work alongside you all.”Afterward, representatives from the Alexandria church said they wished the SBC well. But they said they would focus on First Baptist's own work, ranging from sending a mission team to Nicaragua to partnering on a Bible translation project to taking part in a church youth camp and other ministries.“This is a sad moment for us, but we also recognize that God has a future for First Baptist Church,” Stephens said.“We have good news to share with the world, and we will keep doing that,” added Kim Eskridge, the pastor for children and women.On Wednesday, delegates are slated to consider enshrining a ban on churches with any women pastors in the SBC's constitution. The proposed amendment received preliminary approval last year, and it requires a final vote this year to be enacted. As of Tuesday evening, 10,895 messengers were registered to take part.Early Tuesday, a small group of women stood outside the Indiana Convention Center in a low-key demonstration in support of women in ministry.“I hope that people know women have equal value and can be pastors,” said the Rev. Meredith Stone, executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry. The organization originated among Southern Baptists in the 1980s, but it now works with women in a variety of Baptist denominations.Joining them was Christa Brown, who has long advocated for fellow survivors of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches and criticized the denomination’s resistance to reforms, an effort she has chronicled in a new memoir, “Baptistland.” The Southern Baptists ongoing struggles with sexual abuse reforms is also on this year's calendar.She said there’s a direct connection between issues of abuse and the equality of women in ministry.“When you squash some people, it sets up a lot more people to be squashed,” she said.An SBC Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force recently concluded its work. While it has provided a curriculum for training churches on preventing and responding to abuse, it has not achieved the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-california-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-baptist-southern-convention-ba7ba613947cc893659b6e8e45ab4b73">mandate</a>&nbsp;of previous annual meetings to establish a “Ministry Check” database of offenders, which could help churches avoid hiring them.“We’re probably beyond frustrated that there are not names on the database right now or the database is not live right now,” said Josh Wester, chairman of the task force, which officially concluded its work Tuesday. Messengers adopted its recommendations and assigned the denomination’s Executive Committee to complete goals such as activating Ministry Check and creating a “permanent home” for abuse response.After denominational officials said they couldn’t get insurance for producing a Ministry Watch list, Wester said he and some others set up a separate non-profit organization to maintain it. But he said the Executive Committee’s new leadership is looking for ways to oversee it in-house.The list would include those convicted or found liable for abuse in civil court — short of an earlier annual meeting’s call for a list including those who confessed or were credibly accused outside of court.Wester said the ultimate goal is for a broader list.“We’re just trying to get a database online because it can always be improved,” Wester said.Though some have advocated for reforms for the past two decades, the SBC has particularly struggled to respond to sexual abuse in its churches since a 2019 report by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. It said that roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers faced allegations of sexual misconduct in the previous two decades.The denomination subsequently commissioned a report from a consulting firm, Guidepost Solutions. It concluded that leaders of the convention’s Executive Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baptist-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-southern-convention-bfdbe64389790630488f854c3dae3fd5">intimidated and mistreated</a>&nbsp;survivors who sought help. The committee handles day-to-day business of the convention.Some outspoken voices have contended that there is no crisis of abuse in the convention and that such claims are overstated.But survivor Tiffany Thigpen, one of several advocates for abuse survivors attending the meeting, noted that SBC messengers have repeatedly supported reforms.“Our hope has been that the messengers finally get as frustrated as we’ve been and say, ‘OK, wait, we’re not allowing this anymore,’" she said.In events held on the sidelines of the meeting, politics has been featured. On Monday, former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-election-abortion-christians-13318983232798e44e9638a33811f844">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appealed for votes in a videotaped message to attendees of a staunchly anti-abortion conservative group that met next door to the convention center.On Tuesday, former Vice President Mike Pence told an audience of about 500 that he would “never” vote for President Joe Biden, criticizing him on border, abortion and other policies. But Pence stopped short of endorsing Trump, his estranged onetime running mate.Later, messengers approved a resolution against any effort to establish a state religion, including “Christianity as the state religion of the United States” — a notable move given the rise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-founders-christian-nation-conservative-beliefs-4ea388e8d80c54016a6a4460cbef9b82">Christian nationalism</a>&nbsp;in some conservative circles. The resolution calls for robust religious freedoms and for Christians to get involved in public office.

Southern Baptists expel church for believing women can serve as pastors

KANSAS CITY —Three people were injured in an accident just before 10a.m. Monday just south of Kansas City in Cass County, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol a 1994 Kenworth semi driven by 31-year0-old Chaz M. Cage of Garden City, Missouri, was southbound on MO 7 just south of Kircher Road.

The vehicle rear-ended a Department of Transportation TMA and truck driven by Madelynn R. Sonstegard, 23, Concordia, Missouri, during a striping operation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718188183101.png" alt="Photos MODOT" />
 <figcaption>Photos MODOT</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Three people were injured in an accident just before 10a.m. Monday just south of Kansas City in Cass County, Missouri.According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol a 1994 Kenworth semi driven by 31-year0-old Chaz M. Cage of Garden City, Missouri, was southbound on MO 7 just south of Kircher Road.The vehicle rear-ended a Department of Transportation TMA and truck driven by Madelynn R. Sonstegard, 23, Concordia, Missouri, during a striping operation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718187750721.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported&nbsp;Sonstegard to Belton Regional Medical Center.&nbsp; A passenger on the MODOT vehicle Jacob W. Smith, 34, Amorett, Missouri and Cage were transported to Cass Regional Medical Center.Because both were buckled, the employees will be okay. They took quick actions to evacuate after the crash and before a resulting fire engulfed the vehicles, according to a statement from MODOT.The department of transportation reminded driver to "please watch for mobile operations on roadways for your safety and ours. And remember to always buckle up and put your phones down."