CRAWFORD COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office renew their request to the public for any information that may help resolve the 1993 disappearance of Ginger Hudson.

Ginger May Hudson was 33 years old when she went missing from Pittsburg, Kansas on Aug. 19, 1993. This Saturday, Aug. 19, will mark 30 years since she suddenly disappeared.

Ginger was last seen by a neighbor around 3:30 p.m. outside her mobile home, which was one-eighth of a mile north of 560th&nbsp;Ave. on 180th&nbsp;Street in Pittsburg. 

When Ginger’s boyfriend arrived home around 7:30 p.m., Ginger was gone but all of her belongings had been left behind. Ginger is a white female, who was 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighed around 150 pounds. She had auburn hair, hazel eyes and a surgical scar on the inside of her bottom lip. Ginger was last known wearing a white, sleeveless shirt and dark-colored shorts. Today Ginger would be 63 years old.

Ginger had four young children, and it would be unlike her to abruptly leave. Foul play is suspected in her disappearance.

We thank the public for the tips provided in this case over the years. We urge anyone who knows even the slightest detail related to Ginger’s disappearance to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office at 620-724-8274. Information can also be submitted anonymously at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692389004549.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office renew their request to the public for any information that may help resolve the 1993 disappearance of Ginger Hudson.Ginger May Hudson was 33 years old when she went missing from Pittsburg, Kansas on Aug. 19, 1993. This Saturday, Aug. 19, will mark 30 years since she suddenly disappeared.Ginger was last seen by a neighbor around 3:30 p.m. outside her mobile home, which was one-eighth of a mile north of 560th&nbsp;Ave. on 180th&nbsp;Street in Pittsburg. When Ginger’s boyfriend arrived home around 7:30 p.m., Ginger was gone but all of her belongings had been left behind. Ginger is a white female, who was 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighed around 150 pounds. She had auburn hair, hazel eyes and a surgical scar on the inside of her bottom lip. Ginger was last known wearing a white, sleeveless shirt and dark-colored shorts. Today Ginger would be 63 years old.Ginger had four young children, and it would be unlike her to abruptly leave. Foul play is suspected in her disappearance.We thank the public for the tips provided in this case over the years. We urge anyone who knows even the slightest detail related to Ginger’s disappearance to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office at 620-724-8274. Information can also be submitted anonymously at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

After 30 years: Kan. woman’s disappearance still a mystery

RILEY COUNTY —Preliminary data shows that Manhattan, Kansas had the highest temperature on Saturday across the contiguous United States at 115 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

After Saturday's extreme heat, expect more of the same through at least Wednesday with heat indices of 105-115 degrees each day, according to the National Weather Service.

 Sunday heat indices could reach 120 degrees in some spots. Take extra precautions and avoid being outdoors in the afternoon if possible.

RILEY COUNTY —Preliminary data shows that Manhattan, Kansas had the highest temperature on Saturday across the contiguous United States at 115 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Preliminary data shows that Manhattan, Kansas had the highest temperature today, August 19th, across the contiguous United States at 115 degrees! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a>&mdash; NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWichita/status/1693065231679807915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>After Saturday's extreme heat, expect more of the same through at least Wednesday with heat indices of 105-115 degrees each day, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday heat indices could reach 120 degrees in some spots. Take extra precautions and avoid being outdoors in the afternoon if possible.

Manhattan sizzles: Highest temperature in U.S. on Saturday

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused for his role in an April 2020 shooting death has entered a guilty plea in the case.

This week, 32-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=224582">Jesse Sweeney </a>pleaded guilty to&nbsp;kidnapping and aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

On April 23, of 2020, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 200 block of North Charles in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;

Upon arrival, police found 30-year-old Blake Mayes on the front porch of the home with a gunshot wound to his body.&nbsp; EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died.

The investigation revealed a disturbance occurred at the home between Mayes and three other individuals including Sweeney,  51-year-old William Moore of Wichita and Mayes' girlfriend 36-year-old Bobbie Williams of Topeka. During the disturbance, Mayes was shot one time, causing his fatal injuries.

Police arrested Moore in Wichita and Williams in the Topeka.&nbsp;

Two weeks after the shooting, an alert citizen called 911 reporting seeing Sweeney at an apartment complex in the 200 block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers attempted to contact Sweeney at an apartment, and he fled out a window onto the fire escape and onto a separate floor of the apartments.

Police closed off the area, located Sweeney, and arrested him without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sweeney had previously been arrested and convicted of charges of possession of narcotic drugs, according to Davidson.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=514556">William Moore,</a>&nbsp;faces charges of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon.&nbsp;

In February, 38-year-old Bobbie Williams was sentenced to 27-years in prison, according to the district attorney's office. Sweeney is scheduled for sentencing in September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588334948493.png" alt="Sweeney-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Sweeney-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused for his role in an April 2020 shooting death has entered a guilty plea in the case.This week, 32-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=224582">Jesse Sweeney </a>pleaded guilty to&nbsp;kidnapping and aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;On April 23, of 2020, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 200 block of North Charles in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;Upon arrival, police found 30-year-old Blake Mayes on the front porch of the home with a gunshot wound to his body.&nbsp; EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587900733026.png" alt="In February,&nbsp;38-year-old Bobbie Williams was sentenced to 27-years in prison, according to the district attorney's office.-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>In February,&nbsp;38-year-old Bobbie Williams was sentenced to 27-years in prison, according to the district attorney's office.-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed a disturbance occurred at the home between Mayes and three other individuals including Sweeney, 51-year-old William Moore of Wichita and Mayes' girlfriend 36-year-old Bobbie Williams of Topeka. During the disturbance, Mayes was shot one time, causing his fatal injuries.Police arrested Moore in Wichita and Williams in the Topeka.&nbsp;Two weeks after the shooting, an alert citizen called 911 reporting seeing Sweeney at an apartment complex in the 200 block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers attempted to contact Sweeney at an apartment, and he fled out a window onto the fire escape and onto a separate floor of the apartments.Police closed off the area, located Sweeney, and arrested him without further incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sweeney had previously been arrested and convicted of charges of possession of narcotic drugs, according to Davidson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587856746805.png" alt="Moore photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Moore photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=514556">William Moore,</a>&nbsp;faces charges of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon.&nbsp;In February, 38-year-old Bobbie Williams was sentenced to 27-years in prison, according to the district attorney's office. Sweeney is scheduled for sentencing in September.

Kan. man admits role in the murder of woman's boyfriend

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have a suspect in custody.

&nbsp;Just before 9:30 p.m. Aug. 15,&nbsp; police responded to report of a theft at the Dollar General Store, 2515 SE 6th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Michael Hren.

As the suspect was leaving, he allegedly pointed a firearm at an employee in the store parking lot. 

Officers located the suspect vehicle nearby and a suspect identified as 26-year-old Antonio V. Arreola was apprehended and transported to police headquarters.

Arreola is being held on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Theft and Felony Interference and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to online jail records.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for theft, robbery, obstruction, interference with law enforcement and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692188995900.png" alt="Arreola has previous convictions for theft, robbery, obstruction, interference with law enforcement and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Arreola has previous convictions for theft, robbery, obstruction, interference with law enforcement and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;Just before 9:30 p.m. Aug. 15,&nbsp; police responded to report of a theft at the Dollar General Store, 2515 SE 6th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Michael Hren.As the suspect was leaving, he allegedly pointed a firearm at an employee in the store parking lot. Officers located the suspect vehicle nearby and a suspect identified as 26-year-old Antonio V. Arreola was apprehended and transported to police headquarters.Arreola is being held on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Theft and Felony Interference and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to online jail records.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for theft, robbery, obstruction, interference with law enforcement and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Police: Kansas felon used gun during store robbery

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has appealed a judge's ruling that left a new Nebraska law intact that bans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-abortion-ban-nebraska-1a88067bf403559116df7c09e004e472">abortions</a>&nbsp;after 12 weeks of pregnancy and imposes restrictions on gender-affirming surgery.

Planned Parenthood filed its appeal Friday with help from the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, one week after a judge sided with the state and rejected the challenge to the law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-health-abortion-laws-nebraska-3bd01980e0df33bc89afc3d5b0c11f93">Nebraska lawmakers approved</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.

The lawsuit had argued that the law violated a Nebraska constitutional rule that bills cannot contain more than one subject, but the judge disagreed. Lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-ban-nebraska-filibuster-94f1e637e2d9034f608c793bf929e888">added the abortion ban</a>&nbsp;to an existing bill dealing with gender-related care.

The law outlaws abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. As of Oct. 1, it also will prevent people under 19 from receiving gender-affirming surgery and restricts the use of hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors.

Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said her organization “will never stop fighting for the reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy and health of our Nebraska communities.”

Richardson said Planned Parenthood will continue to provide abortions to women up to the 12th week of pregnancy in compliance with state law, and it will work with anyone who needs care later in pregnancy to find treatment in another state.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has appealed a judge's ruling that left a new Nebraska law intact that bans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-abortion-ban-nebraska-1a88067bf403559116df7c09e004e472">abortions</a>&nbsp;after 12 weeks of pregnancy and imposes restrictions on gender-affirming surgery.Planned Parenthood filed its appeal Friday with help from the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, one week after a judge sided with the state and rejected the challenge to the law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-health-abortion-laws-nebraska-3bd01980e0df33bc89afc3d5b0c11f93">Nebraska lawmakers approved</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.The lawsuit had argued that the law violated a Nebraska constitutional rule that bills cannot contain more than one subject, but the judge disagreed. Lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-ban-nebraska-filibuster-94f1e637e2d9034f608c793bf929e888">added the abortion ban</a>&nbsp;to an existing bill dealing with gender-related care.The law outlaws abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. As of Oct. 1, it also will prevent people under 19 from receiving gender-affirming surgery and restricts the use of hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors.Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said her organization “will never stop fighting for the reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy and health of our Nebraska communities.”Richardson said Planned Parenthood will continue to provide abortions to women up to the 12th week of pregnancy in compliance with state law, and it will work with anyone who needs care later in pregnancy to find treatment in another state.

Planned Parenthood appeals ruling that let Neb. abortion ban stand

Payment linked to state’s role in a wrongful conviction leading to 16 years in prison

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

TOPEKA — House and Senate lawmakers and Gov. Laura Kelly agreed Wednesday to settle for $11.25 million&nbsp;a lawsuit brought by exoneree Floyd Bledsoe that accused Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Jefferson County officials of misconduct in a notorious murder case.

The settlement recommended by the office of Attorney General Kris Kobach wasn’t adopted unanimously by the State Finance Council. It was endorsed by the governor, four senators and two representatives, but state Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican who chairs the House budget committee, voted against the deal.

No member of the State Finance Council commented on the settlement during the public portion of the remotely conducted meeting of the council, which met for an hour behind closed doors.

Bledsoe, who spent 16 years in state prison for crimes later attributed to his brother, agreed to the settlement presented to the State Finance Council. The council acts in the absence of the Kansas Legislature.

His convictions were vacated and he was released from prison in 2015 one month after his brother, Tom Bledsoe, committed suicide in Bonner Springs and left suicide notes confessing to assaulting and killing Camille Arfmann, 14, in 1999. Initially, Tom Bledsoe had admitted to the murder but changed his story and implicated Floyd Bledsoe, who was charged with first-degree murder. No forensic evidence was presented at trial implicating Floyd Bledsoe, but he was convicted and sentenced to life behind bars.

An order signed prior to his trial by a representative of the KBI, the county sheriff and the local prosecutor put a halt to DNA testing of evidence in the case. In 2014, however, DNA testing of a vaginal swab matched Tom Bledsoe and excluded Floyd Bledsoe.

Floyd Bledsoe filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in 2016 alleging he was framed by a coalition of county and state law enforcement officers.

In 2019, the state of Kansas awarded $1 million to Floyd Bledsoe under a law dictating year-by-year compensation for wrongfully convicted Kansans. The Jefferson County Commission, which was liable for conduct of county officials in the murder case, agreed earlier this year to pay him $7.5 million over 10 years.

The State Finance Council unanimously approved a $500,000 settlement of the lawsuit brought against the Kansas Highway Patrol for the death of a motorist fatally injured in Topeka when a trooper forced a vehicle off the road.

The suit was brought by the family of Anita Benz, who died of injuries sustained in a March 2021 police chase. The suit was filed against the KHP alleging Trooper Justin Dobler and alleged he using lethal force to stop a vehicle that he contended had a cracked windshield.

Dobler, who was fired by KHP but won reinstatement to his job, began following a white Ford Crown Victoria that he suspected was stolen. The driver, Jeremy Cline, refused to pull over. Dobler pursued the car through residential streets, but didn’t stop when informed the car wasn’t stolen.

Despite warnings from KHP supervisors against using tactical maneuvers to immobilize vehicles in violation of agency policy, Dobler used his cruiser to run the Ford off the road. The Crown Victoria slammed into a utility pole, causing head trauma and other injuries that killed Benz.

Prosecutors charged Cline with felony murder, but the Kansas Court of Appeals this year upheld a district court judge’s decision to suppress evidence recovered after the vehicle maneuver by Dobler. The appellate court concluded Dobler’s actions were “an objectively unreasonable use of excessive force.”

In March, the family of Benz filed the lawsuit alleging excessive force and negligence. It said Dobler had been reprimanded by KHP in two previous vehicle chases. The suit named Dobler as well as Cline as defendants

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692284195449.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly and leaders of the Kansas Legislature voted to settle a lawsuit with wrongfully convicted Floyd Bledsoe for $11.25 million. The council met remotely, leaving two IT staff in an otherwise empty room at the Capitol. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly and leaders of the Kansas Legislature voted to settle a lawsuit with wrongfully convicted Floyd Bledsoe for $11.25 million. The council met remotely, leaving two IT staff in an otherwise empty room at the Capitol. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Payment linked to state’s role in a wrongful conviction leading to 16 years in prison</h2>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — House and Senate lawmakers and Gov. Laura Kelly agreed Wednesday to settle for $11.25 million&nbsp;a lawsuit brought by exoneree Floyd Bledsoe that accused Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Jefferson County officials of misconduct in a notorious murder case.The settlement recommended by the office of Attorney General Kris Kobach wasn’t adopted unanimously by the State Finance Council. It was endorsed by the governor, four senators and two representatives, but state Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican who chairs the House budget committee, voted against the deal.No member of the State Finance Council commented on the settlement during the public portion of the remotely conducted meeting of the council, which met for an hour behind closed doors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668633834190.png" alt="Bledsoe as he appeared in a KDOC booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Bledsoe as he appeared in a KDOC booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Bledsoe, who spent 16 years in state prison for crimes later attributed to his brother, agreed to the settlement presented to the State Finance Council. The council acts in the absence of the Kansas Legislature.His convictions were vacated and he was released from prison in 2015 one month after his brother, Tom Bledsoe, committed suicide in Bonner Springs and left suicide notes confessing to assaulting and killing Camille Arfmann, 14, in 1999. Initially, Tom Bledsoe had admitted to the murder but changed his story and implicated Floyd Bledsoe, who was charged with first-degree murder. No forensic evidence was presented at trial implicating Floyd Bledsoe, but he was convicted and sentenced to life behind bars.An order signed prior to his trial by a representative of the KBI, the county sheriff and the local prosecutor put a halt to DNA testing of evidence in the case. In 2014, however, DNA testing of a vaginal swab matched Tom Bledsoe and excluded Floyd Bledsoe.Floyd Bledsoe filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in 2016 alleging he was framed by a coalition of county and state law enforcement officers.In 2019, the state of Kansas awarded $1 million to Floyd Bledsoe under a law dictating year-by-year compensation for wrongfully convicted Kansans. The Jefferson County Commission, which was liable for conduct of county officials in the murder case, agreed earlier this year to pay him $7.5 million over 10 years.<h2>KHP trooper’s car chase</h2>The State Finance Council unanimously approved a $500,000 settlement of the lawsuit brought against the Kansas Highway Patrol for the death of a motorist fatally injured in Topeka when a trooper forced a vehicle off the road.The suit was brought by the family of Anita Benz, who died of injuries sustained in a March 2021 police chase. The suit was filed against the KHP alleging Trooper Justin Dobler and alleged he using lethal force to stop a vehicle that he contended had a cracked windshield.Dobler, who was fired by KHP but won reinstatement to his job, began following a white Ford Crown Victoria that he suspected was stolen. The driver, Jeremy Cline, refused to pull over. Dobler pursued the car through residential streets, but didn’t stop when informed the car wasn’t stolen.Despite warnings from KHP supervisors against using tactical maneuvers to immobilize vehicles in violation of agency policy, Dobler used his cruiser to run the Ford off the road. The Crown Victoria slammed into a utility pole, causing head trauma and other injuries that killed Benz.Prosecutors charged Cline with felony murder, but the Kansas Court of Appeals this year upheld a district court judge’s decision to suppress evidence recovered after the vehicle maneuver by Dobler. The appellate court concluded Dobler’s actions were “an objectively unreasonable use of excessive force.”In March, the family of Benz filed the lawsuit alleging excessive force and negligence. It said Dobler had been reprimanded by KHP in two previous vehicle chases. The suit named Dobler as well as Cline as defendants

Gov., legislators agree to settle lawsuit with Kansan exonerated of murder

By&nbsp;ROBIN OPSAHL&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

As former President Donald Trump faces his fourth indictment in Georgia, his previous running mate former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday disputed Trump’s claims that the Georgia election was “stolen” while still criticizing the federal justice system.

<a href="https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2023/08/14/23SC188947_-_CRIMINAL_INDICTMENT.pdf">Click here to read the full</a>&nbsp;Georgia indictment from&nbsp;

Pence is one of many candidates competing against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination who are working to balance a campaign message that shows voters why they should be the party pick to take on President Joe Biden while not alienating those who believe the federal justice system is being used unfairly against the former president.

Since his appearance at the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/12/trump-desantis-and-more-2024-candidates-pack-iowa-state-fair/">Iowa State Fair Saturday</a>, Trump and 18 others&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/15/fulton-grand-jury-indicts-trump-members-of-his-inner-circle/">have been indicted in Fulton County, Georgia</a>&nbsp;on 41 charges in relation to alleged interference in the 2020 election.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/110895258274128390">On TruthSocial</a>, the social media platform Trump co-founded, the former president criticized Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for bringing charges on election interference against him.

“No, Fani, the only Election Interference was done by those that Rigged and Stole the Election,” Trump wrote Tuesday. “Those are the ones you should be going after, not the innocent people that are fighting for Election Integrity!”

Some of the Republican presidential hopefuls have dismissed the alleged crimes. Others that have criticized Trump’s alleged actions in the 2020 election cycle — candidates like Pence and former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd — have been heckled and booed for their comments on Trump while speaking in Iowa.

Here’s how Republican candidates are approaching the issue of Trump’s legal battles on the campaign trail:

Pence said Wednesday that the “Georgia election was not stolen” while speaking at the National Conference of State Legislatures’ summit in Indianapolis, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/08/16/pence-defends-georgia-election-after-trump-indictment-announces-states-rights-plan/">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>&nbsp;reported.

Pence disagreed with Trump and his allies’ statements on the Georgia election, in addition to criticizing Trump’s pressure for him to not confirm the 2020 presidential election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Despite what the former president and his allies have said … the Georgia election was not stolen, and I had no right to overturn the election,” Pence said.

Pence has defended his decision to certify the 2020 election results, citing it as a reason why he decided to launch his bid for president. When an audience member&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/10/three-2024-republican-candidates-kick-off-iowa-state-fair-events/">accused him Thursday at the Iowa State Fair</a>&nbsp;of committing treason for his actions, Pence said he did not have the right under the Constitution to reject states’ election results.

“It doesn’t say ‘may,’ it doesn’t say you could send them back to the states, it doesn’t say you can reject votes, even though my former running mate and many of his outside lawyers told me that that authority was there, I knew there never was,” Pence said.

Though he criticized Trump, Pence said in Indianapolis that the federal justice system is “politicized,” and that there is not enough scrutiny placed on Democrats like Hillary Clinton and the president’s son Hunter Biden.

“I’ve said many times (that) I’d hoped the judgment about those days would be left to the American people. Such is not the case,” Pence said.

Though Trump has gone after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on the campaign trail, DeSantis has criticized the charges against Trump. He<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4153958-desantis-says-recent-trump-indictment-exemplifies-criminalization-of-politics/">&nbsp;said Tuesday in New Hampshire</a>&nbsp;that the latest charges are an example of the “criminalization of politics.” He criticized the Georgia judicial officials for bringing racketeering charges against the former president.

“They’re now doing an inordinate amount of resources to try to shoehorn this contest over the 2020 election into a RICO statute, which was really designed to be able to go after organized crime, not necessarily to go after political activity,” DeSantis said. “… I don’t think that this is something that is good for the country.”

Though the Florida governor has often avoided talking about Trump directly in campaign events, he has said he&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/ron-desantis-overhaul-doj-fbi-elected-plans/">has a plan</a>&nbsp;to overhaul the “weaponized” Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation if elected president.

In an<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-of-course-trump-lost-2020-election-rcna98200">&nbsp;interview with NBC News</a>&nbsp;at the Iowa State Fair Saturday, DeSantis said Trump lost the 2020 election, despite false claims by the former president that the election was rigged.

“No, of course he lost,” DeSantis said. “Joe Biden’s the president.”

Speaking with reporters in Iowa, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott criticized the legal actions against Trump.

“We’ve seen the legal system being weaponized against political opponents,” Scott said. “That is un-American and unacceptable. At the end of the day, we need a better system than that.”

Scott, a South Carolina Republican, has repeatedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/27/u-s-sen-tim-scott-calls-for-end-of-doj-weaponization-criticizes-florida-black-history-curriculum/">called for the end of “weaponization”</a>&nbsp;of the Department of Justice in response to questions on indictments against the former president during his time campaigning in Iowa. At an Ankeny event in July, Scott said the country — and federal government — needs to be “very careful on how we use this power against political opponents.” He said he would eliminate political appointees from the DOJ, in addition to making leadership changes at the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies.

At the fair, Scott was also asked specifically about the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/elections/trump-georgia-election-audio-raffensperger.html">recorded phone conversation</a>&nbsp;between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which Trump asked the election official to “find” votes to help him win the state. Scott said he had “just drawn different conclusions” from the reporter about the conversation.

One of entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s promises on the campaign trail is to pardon Trump if elected. In response to the Georgia charges, Ramaswamy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1691149756272095248">wrote on X</a>, formerly Twitter, that Trump should “immediately file a motion to dismiss for a constitutional due process violation for publicly issuing an indictment before the grand jury had actually signed one.”

“As someone who’s running for President against Trump, I’d volunteer to write the amicus brief to the court myself: prosecutors should not be deciding U.S. presidential elections, and if they’re so overzealous that they commit constitutional violations, then the cases should be thrown out &amp; they should be held accountable,” he wrote.

Reuters&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-state-georgia-appears-set-file-charges-against-donald-trump-court-document-2023-08-14/">reported Monday that a document</a>&nbsp;outlining charges against Trump appeared briefly on the Fulton County court’s website before the grand jury issued the indictments, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/08/14/fulton-grand-jury-indicts-trump-members-of-his-inner-circle/">Georgia Recorder</a>. A Fulton County courts spokesperson issued a statement Monday in response to a “fictitious document that has been circulated online and reported by various media outlets.”

The latest Trump indictment did not come up in the conversation between former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Tuesday at her “fair-side chat” interview, but the candidate made a statement Monday that saying the most recent indictment was “another day of challenge for our democracy.”

“Over a year ago, I said that Donald Trump’s actions disqualified him from ever serving as President again,” Hutchinson said. “Those words are more true today than ever before. I will have additional comments after I review the details of the indictment.”

Hutchinson is one of the better-known critics of Trump from within the Republican Party. The former U.S. attorney, who served as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration under former President George W. Bush, said he would not sign the Republican National Committee pledge to support the eventual GOP in the 2024 general election if Trump is convicted.

“I’m not going to vote for him if he’s a convicted felon,” Hutchinson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/14/asa-hutchinson-trump-indictment-00101971">told Politico in June</a>. “If he’s convicted of espionage, I’m not going to vote for him.”

Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd said in a statement that the Republican Party needs to move on from Trump in light of his legal battles, saying the former president would lose against Biden again in 2024 if he becomes the Republican nominee.

“This is further evidence that Trump knew he lost the 2020 election and was ready to do anything it took to cling to power,” Hurd said in a statement. “It’s time we move beyond dealing with the former president’s baggage. The Republican Party needs a leader who isn’t afraid of bullies like Trump.”

Hurd was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/28/iowa-republicans-cheer-trump-as-most-opponents-tread-carefully/">booed off the stage</a>&nbsp;at the Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner in July for bringing up Trump’s indictments.

“Donald Trump is not running to make America great again,” Hurd said. “Donald Trump is not running to represent the people that voted for him in 2016 and 2020.&nbsp; He’s running to stay out of prison.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691976202111.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail last week at the Iowa State Fair-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail last week at the Iowa State Fair-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;ROBIN OPSAHL&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>As former President Donald Trump faces his fourth indictment in Georgia, his previous running mate former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday disputed Trump’s claims that the Georgia election was “stolen” while still criticizing the federal justice system.<a href="https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2023/08/14/23SC188947_-_CRIMINAL_INDICTMENT.pdf">Click here to read the full</a>&nbsp;Georgia indictment from&nbsp;Pence is one of many candidates competing against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination who are working to balance a campaign message that shows voters why they should be the party pick to take on President Joe Biden while not alienating those who believe the federal justice system is being used unfairly against the former president.Since his appearance at the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/12/trump-desantis-and-more-2024-candidates-pack-iowa-state-fair/">Iowa State Fair Saturday</a>, Trump and 18 others&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/15/fulton-grand-jury-indicts-trump-members-of-his-inner-circle/">have been indicted in Fulton County, Georgia</a>&nbsp;on 41 charges in relation to alleged interference in the 2020 election.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/110895258274128390">On TruthSocial</a>, the social media platform Trump co-founded, the former president criticized Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for bringing charges on election interference against him.“No, Fani, the only Election Interference was done by those that Rigged and Stole the Election,” Trump wrote Tuesday. “Those are the ones you should be going after, not the innocent people that are fighting for Election Integrity!”Some of the Republican presidential hopefuls have dismissed the alleged crimes. Others that have criticized Trump’s alleged actions in the 2020 election cycle — candidates like Pence and former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd — have been heckled and booed for their comments on Trump while speaking in Iowa.Here’s how Republican candidates are approaching the issue of Trump’s legal battles on the campaign trail:<h2>Former Vice President Mike Pence</h2>Pence said Wednesday that the “Georgia election was not stolen” while speaking at the National Conference of State Legislatures’ summit in Indianapolis, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/08/16/pence-defends-georgia-election-after-trump-indictment-announces-states-rights-plan/">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>&nbsp;reported.Pence disagreed with Trump and his allies’ statements on the Georgia election, in addition to criticizing Trump’s pressure for him to not confirm the 2020 presidential election results on Jan. 6, 2021.“Despite what the former president and his allies have said … the Georgia election was not stolen, and I had no right to overturn the election,” Pence said.Pence has defended his decision to certify the 2020 election results, citing it as a reason why he decided to launch his bid for president. When an audience member&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/10/three-2024-republican-candidates-kick-off-iowa-state-fair-events/">accused him Thursday at the Iowa State Fair</a>&nbsp;of committing treason for his actions, Pence said he did not have the right under the Constitution to reject states’ election results.“It doesn’t say ‘may,’ it doesn’t say you could send them back to the states, it doesn’t say you can reject votes, even though my former running mate and many of his outside lawyers told me that that authority was there, I knew there never was,” Pence said.Though he criticized Trump, Pence said in Indianapolis that the federal justice system is “politicized,” and that there is not enough scrutiny placed on Democrats like Hillary Clinton and the president’s son Hunter Biden.“I’ve said many times (that) I’d hoped the judgment about those days would be left to the American people. Such is not the case,” Pence said.<h2>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</h2>Though Trump has gone after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on the campaign trail, DeSantis has criticized the charges against Trump. He<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4153958-desantis-says-recent-trump-indictment-exemplifies-criminalization-of-politics/">&nbsp;said Tuesday in New Hampshire</a>&nbsp;that the latest charges are an example of the “criminalization of politics.” He criticized the Georgia judicial officials for bringing racketeering charges against the former president.“They’re now doing an inordinate amount of resources to try to shoehorn this contest over the 2020 election into a RICO statute, which was really designed to be able to go after organized crime, not necessarily to go after political activity,” DeSantis said. “… I don’t think that this is something that is good for the country.”Though the Florida governor has often avoided talking about Trump directly in campaign events, he has said he&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/ron-desantis-overhaul-doj-fbi-elected-plans/">has a plan</a>&nbsp;to overhaul the “weaponized” Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation if elected president.In an<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-of-course-trump-lost-2020-election-rcna98200">&nbsp;interview with NBC News</a>&nbsp;at the Iowa State Fair Saturday, DeSantis said Trump lost the 2020 election, despite false claims by the former president that the election was rigged.“No, of course he lost,” DeSantis said. “Joe Biden’s the president.”<h2>U.S. Sen. Tim Scott</h2>Speaking with reporters in Iowa, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott criticized the legal actions against Trump.“We’ve seen the legal system being weaponized against political opponents,” Scott said. “That is un-American and unacceptable. At the end of the day, we need a better system than that.”Scott, a South Carolina Republican, has repeatedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/27/u-s-sen-tim-scott-calls-for-end-of-doj-weaponization-criticizes-florida-black-history-curriculum/">called for the end of “weaponization”</a>&nbsp;of the Department of Justice in response to questions on indictments against the former president during his time campaigning in Iowa. At an Ankeny event in July, Scott said the country — and federal government — needs to be “very careful on how we use this power against political opponents.” He said he would eliminate political appointees from the DOJ, in addition to making leadership changes at the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies.At the fair, Scott was also asked specifically about the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/elections/trump-georgia-election-audio-raffensperger.html">recorded phone conversation</a>&nbsp;between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which Trump asked the election official to “find” votes to help him win the state. Scott said he had “just drawn different conclusions” from the reporter about the conversation.<h2>Vivek Ramaswamy</h2>One of entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s promises on the campaign trail is to pardon Trump if elected. In response to the Georgia charges, Ramaswamy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1691149756272095248">wrote on X</a>, formerly Twitter, that Trump should “immediately file a motion to dismiss for a constitutional due process violation for publicly issuing an indictment before the grand jury had actually signed one.”“As someone who’s running for President against Trump, I’d volunteer to write the amicus brief to the court myself: prosecutors should not be deciding U.S. presidential elections, and if they’re so overzealous that they commit constitutional violations, then the cases should be thrown out &amp; they should be held accountable,” he wrote.Reuters&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-state-georgia-appears-set-file-charges-against-donald-trump-court-document-2023-08-14/">reported Monday that a document</a>&nbsp;outlining charges against Trump appeared briefly on the Fulton County court’s website before the grand jury issued the indictments, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/08/14/fulton-grand-jury-indicts-trump-members-of-his-inner-circle/">Georgia Recorder</a>. A Fulton County courts spokesperson issued a statement Monday in response to a “fictitious document that has been circulated online and reported by various media outlets.”<h2>Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson</h2>The latest Trump indictment did not come up in the conversation between former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Tuesday at her “fair-side chat” interview, but the candidate made a statement Monday that saying the most recent indictment was “another day of challenge for our democracy.”“Over a year ago, I said that Donald Trump’s actions disqualified him from ever serving as President again,” Hutchinson said. “Those words are more true today than ever before. I will have additional comments after I review the details of the indictment.”Hutchinson is one of the better-known critics of Trump from within the Republican Party. The former U.S. attorney, who served as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration under former President George W. Bush, said he would not sign the Republican National Committee pledge to support the eventual GOP in the 2024 general election if Trump is convicted.“I’m not going to vote for him if he’s a convicted felon,” Hutchinson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/14/asa-hutchinson-trump-indictment-00101971">told Politico in June</a>. “If he’s convicted of espionage, I’m not going to vote for him.”<h2>Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd</h2>Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd said in a statement that the Republican Party needs to move on from Trump in light of his legal battles, saying the former president would lose against Biden again in 2024 if he becomes the Republican nominee.“This is further evidence that Trump knew he lost the 2020 election and was ready to do anything it took to cling to power,” Hurd said in a statement. “It’s time we move beyond dealing with the former president’s baggage. The Republican Party needs a leader who isn’t afraid of bullies like Trump.”Hurd was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/28/iowa-republicans-cheer-trump-as-most-opponents-tread-carefully/">booed off the stage</a>&nbsp;at the Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner in July for bringing up Trump’s indictments.“Donald Trump is not running to make America great again,” Hurd said. “Donald Trump is not running to represent the people that voted for him in 2016 and 2020.&nbsp; He’s running to stay out of prison.”

2024 Republican candidates weigh in on Trump’s Georgia indictments

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation surrounding a suspicious package was found at Abortion. Provider, Trust Women, 5107 East Kellogg in Wichita on August 2.

On Friday afternoon, police provided a limited update on the investigation that according to Officer juan Rebolledo is still active.&nbsp;

"Based on the investigation conducted thus far, police do not currently possess any information suggesting that this incident is linked to a particular group," according to Rebolledo. "The evidence gathered up to this point does not indicate any intent to disrupt regular business operations, or city activities, or cause fear among the public."

Evidence collected from the scene has been submitted for further examination and laboratory testing and police are waiting for the results of these tests. Police have not located valuable videos of the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691004419878.png" alt="KanDrive camera view Wednesday morning 9a.m. as police shut down Kellogg between Woodlawn and Oliver in both directions." />
 <figcaption>KanDrive camera view Wednesday morning 9a.m. as police shut down Kellogg between Woodlawn and Oliver in both directions.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation surrounding a suspicious package was found at Abortion. Provider, Trust Women, 5107 East Kellogg in Wichita on August 2.On Friday afternoon, police provided a limited update on the investigation that according to Officer juan Rebolledo is still active.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691004362193.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>"Based on the investigation conducted thus far, police do not currently possess any information suggesting that this incident is linked to a particular group," according to Rebolledo. "The evidence gathered up to this point does not indicate any intent to disrupt regular business operations, or city activities, or cause fear among the public."Evidence collected from the scene has been submitted for further examination and laboratory testing and police are waiting for the results of these tests. Police have not located valuable videos of the incident.

Investigation of suspicious package near Kan. abortion provider continues

KANSAS CITY (AP) — As millions of Medicaid recipients face the potential loss of health coverage for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, state call centers are getting inundated with questions from people needing help. In some cases, federal officials say, it’s taking too long to get answers.

Nearly one-third of the states have received warnings from federal Medicaid officials that their lengthy call center wait times may be causing people to hang up — and give up — as they attempt to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-enrollees-removed-review-health-insurance-pandemic-bffc3c67ab2767e4e3cea8250683ea7a">renew Medicaid coverage</a>&nbsp;amid a massive nationwide effort to clean up the rolls of the government health insurance program for lower-income residents.

Some advocates have offered to function like placeholders in a long line for concert or sports tickets — waiting on hold so Medicaid recipients can do other things.

“If you call a call center and you have a sort of significant wait, you oftentimes are neglecting your work duties, you’re neglecting needs of your family, otherwise growing impatient," said Matt Slonaker, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project, a nonprofit that assists Medicaid recipients. "What we’ve seen anecdotally over and over again is people giving up.”

Utah had an average call center wait time of 35 minutes in May, with one in four callers simply hanging up, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

According to the most recent CMS data, the longest wait time was in Missouri, at 48 minutes, though state officials say that figure is misleading. In Nevada, more than half the callers abandoned their calls.

States typically conduct annual eligibility reviews. But they are now dealing with a backlog of cases because the federal government prohibited states from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/access-to-health-care-48d1f565c800139bb397bb886436968f">removing people from Medicaid</a>&nbsp;during the coronavirus pandemic — a roughly three-year moratorium that ended in April.

During that time, Medicaid enrollment swelled by nearly one-third, from 71 million people in February 2020 to 94 million in April 2023.

Since then, well over 4 million people have lost Medicaid coverage during the mandatory renewal process. Most of those people were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-health-care-coverage-77d715bdb520316820d3cccbfda9cff7">dropped for what CMS describes as procedural reasons</a>, such as failing to return renewal forms.

In letters sent last week to state Medicaid agencies, CMS raised concerns that long call center wait times and high abandonment rates “are impeding equitable access to assistance and the ability for people to apply for or renew Medicaid” and may run afoul of federal requirements. Similar warnings were sent to 16 states —Kansas, Missouri, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Utah.

Among those 16 states, the average call center wait time was 25 minutes and the average hang-up rate was 29%. That's significantly higher than the rest of the states, where the average call wait was less than 3 minutes and the average hang-up rate was less than 6%.

Though many states added staff or contractors to help handle the surge in eligibility determinations, some state Medicaid officials acknowledged difficulty in keeping up with the calls.

“For sure it has been a challenge,” said Dave Baden, interim director of the Oregon Health Authority. "With the amount of humanity we’re going through, there’s no way we could have hired up so many people to be ready for all of that.”

In some states, the same staff who make Medicaid eligibility determinations also are responsible for fielding phone calls.

“It is a tradeoff. We can’t process applications as fast if we put more people on the phones,” said Jeanne Lambrew, commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Utah has faced a similar balancing act in splitting staff time between answering phones and processing Medicaid renewals, said Nate Checketts, deputy director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Within a few months, he said, the department hopes to have improved its computer capabilities to automatically renew some people based on data compiled for other social services programs such as food assistance.

"That will help cut down on the number of individuals that need to call us to try to clarify information on their forms,” Checketts said.

Missouri's nationally high May call center wait time of 48 minutes was based on data from a general call center, said state Department of Social Services spokesperson Caitlin Whaley. Revised data from four call centers that take Medicaid calls show an average wait time of 28 minutes in May, she said.

But Missouri has taken several steps since to drive down wait times, including having whoever answers the phone address all of a caller's needs instead of potentially transferring the caller to multiple people, Whaley said. The department also has adopted “a blitz strategy” when many phones are ringing.

“During times of high call volume, it’s like an all-hands-on-deck,” she said, adding, "workers and supervisors both are answering calls to try and help more people and get those wait times down.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588364574722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — As millions of Medicaid recipients face the potential loss of health coverage for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, state call centers are getting inundated with questions from people needing help. In some cases, federal officials say, it’s taking too long to get answers.Nearly one-third of the states have received warnings from federal Medicaid officials that their lengthy call center wait times may be causing people to hang up — and give up — as they attempt to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-enrollees-removed-review-health-insurance-pandemic-bffc3c67ab2767e4e3cea8250683ea7a">renew Medicaid coverage</a>&nbsp;amid a massive nationwide effort to clean up the rolls of the government health insurance program for lower-income residents.Some advocates have offered to function like placeholders in a long line for concert or sports tickets — waiting on hold so Medicaid recipients can do other things.“If you call a call center and you have a sort of significant wait, you oftentimes are neglecting your work duties, you’re neglecting needs of your family, otherwise growing impatient," said Matt Slonaker, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project, a nonprofit that assists Medicaid recipients. "What we’ve seen anecdotally over and over again is people giving up.”Utah had an average call center wait time of 35 minutes in May, with one in four callers simply hanging up, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.According to the most recent CMS data, the longest wait time was in Missouri, at 48 minutes, though state officials say that figure is misleading. In Nevada, more than half the callers abandoned their calls.States typically conduct annual eligibility reviews. But they are now dealing with a backlog of cases because the federal government prohibited states from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/access-to-health-care-48d1f565c800139bb397bb886436968f">removing people from Medicaid</a>&nbsp;during the coronavirus pandemic — a roughly three-year moratorium that ended in April.During that time, Medicaid enrollment swelled by nearly one-third, from 71 million people in February 2020 to 94 million in April 2023.Since then, well over 4 million people have lost Medicaid coverage during the mandatory renewal process. Most of those people were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-health-care-coverage-77d715bdb520316820d3cccbfda9cff7">dropped for what CMS describes as procedural reasons</a>, such as failing to return renewal forms.In letters sent last week to state Medicaid agencies, CMS raised concerns that long call center wait times and high abandonment rates “are impeding equitable access to assistance and the ability for people to apply for or renew Medicaid” and may run afoul of federal requirements. Similar warnings were sent to 16 states —Kansas, Missouri, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Utah.Among those 16 states, the average call center wait time was 25 minutes and the average hang-up rate was 29%. That's significantly higher than the rest of the states, where the average call wait was less than 3 minutes and the average hang-up rate was less than 6%.Though many states added staff or contractors to help handle the surge in eligibility determinations, some state Medicaid officials acknowledged difficulty in keeping up with the calls.“For sure it has been a challenge,” said Dave Baden, interim director of the Oregon Health Authority. "With the amount of humanity we’re going through, there’s no way we could have hired up so many people to be ready for all of that.”In some states, the same staff who make Medicaid eligibility determinations also are responsible for fielding phone calls.“It is a tradeoff. We can’t process applications as fast if we put more people on the phones,” said Jeanne Lambrew, commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.Utah has faced a similar balancing act in splitting staff time between answering phones and processing Medicaid renewals, said Nate Checketts, deputy director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Within a few months, he said, the department hopes to have improved its computer capabilities to automatically renew some people based on data compiled for other social services programs such as food assistance."That will help cut down on the number of individuals that need to call us to try to clarify information on their forms,” Checketts said.Missouri's nationally high May call center wait time of 48 minutes was based on data from a general call center, said state Department of Social Services spokesperson Caitlin Whaley. Revised data from four call centers that take Medicaid calls show an average wait time of 28 minutes in May, she said.But Missouri has taken several steps since to drive down wait times, including having whoever answers the phone address all of a caller's needs instead of potentially transferring the caller to multiple people, Whaley said. The department also has adopted “a blitz strategy” when many phones are ringing.“During times of high call volume, it’s like an all-hands-on-deck,” she said, adding, "workers and supervisors both are answering calls to try and help more people and get those wait times down.”

Feds concerned: Long call center wait times; millions dropped from Medicaid

JEFFERSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 2p.m. Friday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Micaleb S. Hayes, 33, Topeka, was westbound on Kansas 92 just east of Kansas 4 Highway.

The driver lost control of the motorcycle when he applied brakes hard to avoid striking a westbound 2017 GMC pickup driven by Sean O. Maher, 58,&nbsp;Mc Louth, who was stopped in traffic waiting for a vehicle to turn left onto Greenview Drive.

Hayes and a passenger were both thrown from the motorcycle. Then an eastbound Ford passenger car driven by Tim G.&nbsp;Morrison, 59,&nbsp;Meriden, struck Hayes, and left the road to the right and came to a stop.

Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Barnett Funeral Home in Oskaloosa. EMS transported the motorcycle passenger identified as Katy I. Hayes, 31, Topeka, to Stormont Vail. There were no other injuries. The occupants of the motorcycle were not wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

JEFFERSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 2p.m. Friday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Micaleb S. Hayes, 33, Topeka, was westbound on Kansas 92 just east of Kansas 4 Highway.The driver lost control of the motorcycle when he applied brakes hard to avoid striking a westbound 2017 GMC pickup driven by Sean O. Maher, 58,&nbsp;Mc Louth, who was stopped in traffic waiting for a vehicle to turn left onto Greenview Drive.Hayes and a passenger were both thrown from the motorcycle. Then an eastbound Ford passenger car driven by Tim G.&nbsp;Morrison, 59,&nbsp;Meriden, struck Hayes, and left the road to the right and came to a stop.Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Barnett Funeral Home in Oskaloosa. EMS transported the motorcycle passenger identified as Katy I. Hayes, 31, Topeka, to Stormont Vail. There were no other injuries. The occupants of the motorcycle were not wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dead, woman injured after thrown from motorcycle

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea agreed Friday to expand security and economic ties at a historic summit at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David, cementing a new agreement with the allies that are on an increasingly tense ledge in relations with China and North Korea.

Biden said the nations would establish a communications hotline to discuss responses to threats. He announced the agreements, including what the leaders termed the “Camp David Principles,” at the close of his talks with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yoon-suk-yeol">South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida</a>.

“Our countries are stronger and the world will be safer as we stand together. And I know this is a belief that all three share,” Biden said

“The purpose of our trilateral security cooperation is and will remain to promote and enhance peace and stability throughout the region,” the leaders said in a joint statement.

Biden maintained, as have US, South Korean and Japanese officials, that the summit “was not about China” but was focused on broader security issues. Yet, the leaders in their joint summit concluding statement noted China's “dangerous and aggressive" action in the South China Sea and said they “strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific.”

Yoon noted in particular the threat posed by North Korea, saying the three leaders had agreed to improve “our joint response capabilities to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, which have become sophisticated more than ever.”

He said as the three appeared before reporters that “today will be remembered as a historic day, where we established a firm institutional basis and commitments to the trilateral partnership.”

Japan's Kishida said before the private talks that "the fact that we, the three leaders, have got together in this way, I believe means that we are indeed making a new history as of today. The international community is at a turning point in history.”

The visitors spoke in their home languages, their comments repeated by a translator.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea agreed to a new “duty to consult” security pledge committing them to speak with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific.

The pledge is intended to acknowledge that they share “fundamentally interlinked security environments" and that a threat to one is “a threat to all," according to a senior Biden administration official. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the announcement.

Under the pledge, the three countries agree to consult, share information and align their messaging with each other in the face of a threat or crisis, the official said.

The Camp David retreat, 65 miles (104.6 kilometers) from the White House, was where President Jimmy Carter brought together Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 for talks that established a framework for a historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in March 1979. In the midst of World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the retreat — then known as Shangri-La — to plan the Italian campaign that would knock Benito Mussolini out of the war.

Kishida and Yoon were mindful of Camp David’s place in U.S. and world history, making repeated references to its past and now their place in it during their comments at the news conference after the meeting with Biden. The leaders arrived in Washington on Thursday and, as guests of Biden, on Friday were flown separately to Camp David on U.S. military helicopters like the ones Biden uses.

Biden's focus for the gathering was to nu&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-japan-south-korea-camp-david-summit-2421359ebcd5973b6252fa284cfb25ff">dge the United States' two closest Asian allies</a>&nbsp;to further tighten security and economic cooperation with each other. The historic rivals have been divided by differing views of World War II history and Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

But under Kishida and Yoon, the two countries have begun a rapprochement as the two conservative leaders grapple with shared security challenges posed by North Korea and China. Both leaders have been upset by the stepped-up cadence of North Korea's ballistic missile tests and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-548705bdceb0763c654cfd11f9b74dfd">Chinese military exercises near Taiwan,</a>&nbsp;the self-ruled island that is claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, and other aggressive action.

Yoon proposed an initiative in March to resolve disputes stemming from compensation for wartime Korean forced laborers. He announced that South Korea would use its own funds to compensate Koreans enslaved by Japanese companies before the end of World War II.

Yoon also traveled to Tokyo that month for talks with Kishida, the first such visit by a South Korean president in more than 12 years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-japan-yoon-kishida-history-135badc84df0b545f44edcb2b86921fe">Kishida reciprocated with a visit to Seoul in May</a>&nbsp;and expressed sympathy for the suffering of Korean forced laborers during Japan’s colonial rule,

The effort to sustain the trilateral relationship won’t be without challenges.

Beijing sees the tightening cooperation efforts as the first steps of a Pacific-version of NATO, the transatlantic military alliance, forming against it. U.S. officials expect that North Korea will lash out—perhaps with more ballistic missile test and certainly blistering rhetoric.

Polls show that a solid majority of South Koreans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/korea-japan-rapprochement-creates-new-opportunities-in-the-indo-pacific/">oppose Yoon’s handling of the forced labor issue</a>&nbsp;that’s been central to mending relations with Japan. And many in Japan fear that bolstering security cooperation will lead the country into an economic Cold War with China, its biggest trading partner. Biden’s predecessor (and potential successor) Republican Donald Trump unnerved South Korea during his time in the White House with talk of reducing the U.S. military presence on the Korean Peninsula.

“If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the U.S., then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work Biden, Yoon and Kishida are putting in right now,” said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnas.org/people/duyeon-kim">Center for a New American Security</a>&nbsp;’s Indo-Pacific Security Program.

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Joe Biden opened a historic summit with Japan and South Korea at Camp David on Friday focused on strengthening security and economic ties at a time of increasing concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-satellite-us-drills-summit-67262f21543d6e859f324b02dc29c75e">North Korea’s persistent nuclear threats</a>&nbsp;and China’s provocations in the Pacific.

"Our countries are stronger and the world will be safer as we stand together. And I know this is a belief that all three share,” Biden declared at the start of the meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yoon-suk-yeol">South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida</a>&nbsp;at the presidential retreat in Maryland.

Addressing his fellow leaders at what he called the first standalone summit of the three nations, the American president said, "I want to thank you both for your political courage that brought you here.”

Yoon said as the three appeared before reporters that “today will be remembered as a historic day, where we established a firm institutional basis and commitments to the trilateral partnership.”

And Kishida said before the private talks that "the fact that we, the three leaders, have got together in this way, I believe means that we are indeed making a new history as of today. The international community is at a turning point in history.”

The U.S., Japan and South Korea have agreed to a new security pledge committing the three countries to consult with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific. Details about the new “duty to consult” commitment emerged as the summit got underway.

Before the three-way talks, Biden met separately with Yoon and then Kishida in midmorning. The visitors' remarks were translated into English as they spoke to reporters.

The agreement is one of several joint efforts that the leaders were expected to announce at the daylong summit.

“Suffice it to say, this is a big deal," Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Friday shortly before the start of the summit. "It is a historic event, and it sets the conditions for a more peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, and a stronger and more secure United States of America,"

Even before the summit began, it drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-japan-south-korea-6c626a246219c6dc3915ed8a18f34c74">harsh public criticism</a>&nbsp;from the Chinese government.

“The international community has its own judgment as to who is creating contradictions and increasing tensions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters Friday.

“Attempts to form various exclusive groups and cliques and to bring bloc confrontation into the Asia-Pacific region are unpopular and will definitely spark vigilance and opposition in the countries of the region,” Wang said.

Sullivan pushed back against the Chinese concerns.

“It’s explicitly not a NATO for the Pacific,” Sullivan said. “This partnership is not against anyone, it is for something. It is for a vision of the Indo-Pacific that is free, open, secure and prosperous.”

The “duty to consult” pledge is intended to acknowledge that the three countries share “fundamentally interlinked security environments" and that a threat to one of the nations is “a threat to all," according to a senior Biden administration official. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the coming announcement.

The summit is the first Biden has held during his presidency at the storied Camp David. The three leaders were scheduled to hold a news conference later. Biden was hoping to use much of the day with the two leaders as a more informal opportunity to tighten their bond.

The U.S. president planned to take Kishida and Yoon on a walk on the picturesque grounds and host them—and a few senior aides— for a lunch.

The retreat 65 miles (104.6 kilometers) from the White House was where President Jimmy Carter brought together Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 for talks that established a framework for a historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in March 1979. In the midst of World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the retreat — then known as Shangri-La — to plan the Italian campaign that would knock Benito Mussolini out of the war.

Biden's focus for the gathering is to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-japan-south-korea-camp-david-summit-2421359ebcd5973b6252fa284cfb25ff">nudge the United States' two closest Asian allies</a>&nbsp;to further tighten security and economic cooperation with each other. The historic rivals have been divided by differing views of World War II history and Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Polls show that a solid majority of South Koreans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/korea-japan-rapprochement-creates-new-opportunities-in-the-indo-pacific/">oppose Yoon’s handling of the forced labor issue</a>&nbsp;that’s been central to mending relations with Japan. And many in Japan fear that bolstering security cooperation will lead the country into an economic Cold War with China, it’s biggest trading partner. Biden’s predecessor (and potential successor) Republican Donald Trump unnerved South Korea during his time in the White House with talk of reducing the U.S. military presence on the Peninsula.

The three leaders are also expected to detail in their summit communique plans to invest in technology for a three-way crisis hotline and offer an update on progress the countries have made on sharing early-warning data on missile launches by North Korea.

Other announcements expected to come out of the summit include plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-yoon-kishida-camp-david-missile-defense-f3ce58da383f2255ee479624645db542">expand military cooperation</a>&nbsp;on ballistic defenses and to make the summit an annual event. Sullivan said the leaders would commit on Friday to a multiyear planning process for joint military exercises.

The leaders are also likely to discuss the long-running territorial conflicts in the disputed South China Sea involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692389228871.png" alt="South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, President Joe Biden and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, meet at Camp David, the presidential retreat-image White House" />
 <figcaption>South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, President Joe Biden and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, meet at Camp David, the presidential retreat-image White House</figcaption>
 </figure>CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea agreed Friday to expand security and economic ties at a historic summit at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David, cementing a new agreement with the allies that are on an increasingly tense ledge in relations with China and North Korea.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02uNzXbM5bTXGuvh561LvGychnrQ8m1PmDeqbAHFCsxzLgSZoTfUtmcDpHbRGvZZJ5l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="787" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Biden said the nations would establish a communications hotline to discuss responses to threats. He announced the agreements, including what the leaders termed the “Camp David Principles,” at the close of his talks with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yoon-suk-yeol">South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida</a>.“Our countries are stronger and the world will be safer as we stand together. And I know this is a belief that all three share,” Biden said“The purpose of our trilateral security cooperation is and will remain to promote and enhance peace and stability throughout the region,” the leaders said in a joint statement.Biden maintained, as have US, South Korean and Japanese officials, that the summit “was not about China” but was focused on broader security issues. Yet, the leaders in their joint summit concluding statement noted China's “dangerous and aggressive" action in the South China Sea and said they “strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific.”Yoon noted in particular the threat posed by North Korea, saying the three leaders had agreed to improve “our joint response capabilities to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, which have become sophisticated more than ever.”He said as the three appeared before reporters that “today will be remembered as a historic day, where we established a firm institutional basis and commitments to the trilateral partnership.”Japan's Kishida said before the private talks that "the fact that we, the three leaders, have got together in this way, I believe means that we are indeed making a new history as of today. The international community is at a turning point in history.”The visitors spoke in their home languages, their comments repeated by a translator.The U.S., Japan and South Korea agreed to a new “duty to consult” security pledge committing them to speak with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific.The pledge is intended to acknowledge that they share “fundamentally interlinked security environments" and that a threat to one is “a threat to all," according to a senior Biden administration official. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the announcement.Under the pledge, the three countries agree to consult, share information and align their messaging with each other in the face of a threat or crisis, the official said.The Camp David retreat, 65 miles (104.6 kilometers) from the White House, was where President Jimmy Carter brought together Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 for talks that established a framework for a historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in March 1979. In the midst of World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the retreat — then known as Shangri-La — to plan the Italian campaign that would knock Benito Mussolini out of the war.Kishida and Yoon were mindful of Camp David’s place in U.S. and world history, making repeated references to its past and now their place in it during their comments at the news conference after the meeting with Biden. The leaders arrived in Washington on Thursday and, as guests of Biden, on Friday were flown separately to Camp David on U.S. military helicopters like the ones Biden uses.Biden's focus for the gathering was to nu&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-japan-south-korea-camp-david-summit-2421359ebcd5973b6252fa284cfb25ff">dge the United States' two closest Asian allies</a>&nbsp;to further tighten security and economic cooperation with each other. The historic rivals have been divided by differing views of World War II history and Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.But under Kishida and Yoon, the two countries have begun a rapprochement as the two conservative leaders grapple with shared security challenges posed by North Korea and China. Both leaders have been upset by the stepped-up cadence of North Korea's ballistic missile tests and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-548705bdceb0763c654cfd11f9b74dfd">Chinese military exercises near Taiwan,</a>&nbsp;the self-ruled island that is claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, and other aggressive action.Yoon proposed an initiative in March to resolve disputes stemming from compensation for wartime Korean forced laborers. He announced that South Korea would use its own funds to compensate Koreans enslaved by Japanese companies before the end of World War II.Yoon also traveled to Tokyo that month for talks with Kishida, the first such visit by a South Korean president in more than 12 years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-japan-yoon-kishida-history-135badc84df0b545f44edcb2b86921fe">Kishida reciprocated with a visit to Seoul in May</a>&nbsp;and expressed sympathy for the suffering of Korean forced laborers during Japan’s colonial rule,The effort to sustain the trilateral relationship won’t be without challenges.Beijing sees the tightening cooperation efforts as the first steps of a Pacific-version of NATO, the transatlantic military alliance, forming against it. U.S. officials expect that North Korea will lash out—perhaps with more ballistic missile test and certainly blistering rhetoric.Polls show that a solid majority of South Koreans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/korea-japan-rapprochement-creates-new-opportunities-in-the-indo-pacific/">oppose Yoon’s handling of the forced labor issue</a>&nbsp;that’s been central to mending relations with Japan. And many in Japan fear that bolstering security cooperation will lead the country into an economic Cold War with China, its biggest trading partner. Biden’s predecessor (and potential successor) Republican Donald Trump unnerved South Korea during his time in the White House with talk of reducing the U.S. military presence on the Korean Peninsula.“If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the U.S., then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work Biden, Yoon and Kishida are putting in right now,” said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnas.org/people/duyeon-kim">Center for a New American Security</a>&nbsp;’s Indo-Pacific Security Program.___CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Joe Biden opened a historic summit with Japan and South Korea at Camp David on Friday focused on strengthening security and economic ties at a time of increasing concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-satellite-us-drills-summit-67262f21543d6e859f324b02dc29c75e">North Korea’s persistent nuclear threats</a>&nbsp;and China’s provocations in the Pacific."Our countries are stronger and the world will be safer as we stand together. And I know this is a belief that all three share,” Biden declared at the start of the meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yoon-suk-yeol">South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida</a>&nbsp;at the presidential retreat in Maryland.Addressing his fellow leaders at what he called the first standalone summit of the three nations, the American president said, "I want to thank you both for your political courage that brought you here.”Yoon said as the three appeared before reporters that “today will be remembered as a historic day, where we established a firm institutional basis and commitments to the trilateral partnership.”And Kishida said before the private talks that "the fact that we, the three leaders, have got together in this way, I believe means that we are indeed making a new history as of today. The international community is at a turning point in history.”The U.S., Japan and South Korea have agreed to a new security pledge committing the three countries to consult with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific. Details about the new “duty to consult” commitment emerged as the summit got underway.Before the three-way talks, Biden met separately with Yoon and then Kishida in midmorning. The visitors' remarks were translated into English as they spoke to reporters.The agreement is one of several joint efforts that the leaders were expected to announce at the daylong summit.“Suffice it to say, this is a big deal," Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Friday shortly before the start of the summit. "It is a historic event, and it sets the conditions for a more peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, and a stronger and more secure United States of America,"Even before the summit began, it drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-japan-south-korea-6c626a246219c6dc3915ed8a18f34c74">harsh public criticism</a>&nbsp;from the Chinese government.“The international community has its own judgment as to who is creating contradictions and increasing tensions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters Friday.“Attempts to form various exclusive groups and cliques and to bring bloc confrontation into the Asia-Pacific region are unpopular and will definitely spark vigilance and opposition in the countries of the region,” Wang said.Sullivan pushed back against the Chinese concerns.“It’s explicitly not a NATO for the Pacific,” Sullivan said. “This partnership is not against anyone, it is for something. It is for a vision of the Indo-Pacific that is free, open, secure and prosperous.”The “duty to consult” pledge is intended to acknowledge that the three countries share “fundamentally interlinked security environments" and that a threat to one of the nations is “a threat to all," according to a senior Biden administration official. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the coming announcement.Under the pledge, the three countries agree to consult, share information and align their messaging with each other in the face of a threat or crisis, the official said.The summit is the first Biden has held during his presidency at the storied Camp David. The three leaders were scheduled to hold a news conference later. Biden was hoping to use much of the day with the two leaders as a more informal opportunity to tighten their bond.The U.S. president planned to take Kishida and Yoon on a walk on the picturesque grounds and host them—and a few senior aides— for a lunch.The retreat 65 miles (104.6 kilometers) from the White House was where President Jimmy Carter brought together Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 for talks that established a framework for a historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in March 1979. In the midst of World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the retreat — then known as Shangri-La — to plan the Italian campaign that would knock Benito Mussolini out of the war.Biden's focus for the gathering is to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-japan-south-korea-camp-david-summit-2421359ebcd5973b6252fa284cfb25ff">nudge the United States' two closest Asian allies</a>&nbsp;to further tighten security and economic cooperation with each other. The historic rivals have been divided by differing views of World War II history and Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.But under Kishida and Yoon, the two countries have begun a rapprochement as the two conservative leaders grapple with shared security challenges posed by North Korea and China. Both leaders have been upset by the stepped-up cadence of North Korea's ballistic missile tests and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-warplanes-military-exercises-548705bdceb0763c654cfd11f9b74dfd">Chinese military exercises near Taiwan,</a>&nbsp;the self-ruled island that is claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, and other aggressive action.Yoon proposed an initiative in March to resolve disputes stemming from compensation for wartime Korean forced laborers. He announced that South Korea would use its own funds to compensate Koreans enslaved by Japanese companies before the end of World War II.Yoon also traveled to Tokyo that month for talks with Kishida, the first such visit by a South Korean president in more than 12 years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-japan-yoon-kishida-history-135badc84df0b545f44edcb2b86921fe">Kishida reciprocated with a visit to Seoul in May</a>&nbsp;and expressed sympathy for the suffering of Korean forced laborers during Japan’s colonial rule,The effort to sustain the trilateral relationship won’t be without challenges.Beijing sees the tightening cooperation efforts as the first steps of a Pacific-version of NATO, the transatlantic military alliance, forming against it. U.S. officials expect that North Korea will lash out—perhaps with more ballistic missile test and certainly blistering rhetoric.Polls show that a solid majority of South Koreans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/korea-japan-rapprochement-creates-new-opportunities-in-the-indo-pacific/">oppose Yoon’s handling of the forced labor issue</a>&nbsp;that’s been central to mending relations with Japan. And many in Japan fear that bolstering security cooperation will lead the country into an economic Cold War with China, it’s biggest trading partner. Biden’s predecessor (and potential successor) Republican Donald Trump unnerved South Korea during his time in the White House with talk of reducing the U.S. military presence on the Peninsula.“If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the U.S., then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work Biden, Yoon and Kishida are putting in right now,” said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnas.org/people/duyeon-kim">Center for a New American Security</a>&nbsp;’s Indo-Pacific Security Program.The three leaders are also expected to detail in their summit communique plans to invest in technology for a three-way crisis hotline and offer an update on progress the countries have made on sharing early-warning data on missile launches by North Korea.Other announcements expected to come out of the summit include plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-yoon-kishida-camp-david-missile-defense-f3ce58da383f2255ee479624645db542">expand military cooperation</a>&nbsp;on ballistic defenses and to make the summit an annual event. Sullivan said the leaders would commit on Friday to a multiyear planning process for joint military exercises.The leaders are also likely to discuss the long-running territorial conflicts in the disputed South China Sea involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.

Biden strengthens ties with Japan and South Korea amid China threat

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's murder.

Just after 12a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to 400 block of NW 88th St. on a reported prowler call, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. At the scene, officers located a man in the rear of the residence.&nbsp; Officers detained this individual prompting further investigation. After preliminary investigations, detectives were directed to a residence in the 400 block of NW 88th Terrace and were given access by the occupants of the home.

Officers then discovered an man later identified a 56=year-old Daniel T. Lainson&nbsp; who was unresponsive and suffering from apparent bodily trauma.&nbsp; EMS responded and pronounced him deceased. Police have a subject of interest in custody.&nbsp; The circumstances surrounding the homicide are unknown. Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel also responded to the scene to process the scene and to recover any evidence and speak to any potential witnesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692369347853.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation early Friday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation early Friday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's murder.Just after 12a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to 400 block of NW 88th St. on a reported prowler call, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. At the scene, officers located a man in the rear of the residence.&nbsp; Officers detained this individual prompting further investigation. After preliminary investigations, detectives were directed to a residence in the 400 block of NW 88th Terrace and were given access by the occupants of the home.Officers then discovered an man later identified a 56=year-old Daniel T. Lainson&nbsp; who was unresponsive and suffering from apparent bodily trauma.&nbsp; EMS responded and pronounced him deceased. Police have a subject of interest in custody.&nbsp; The circumstances surrounding the homicide are unknown. Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel also responded to the scene to process the scene and to recover any evidence and speak to any potential witnesses.

Police respond to report of prowler, find man dead at KC home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating one of their own for an alleged sex crime.

Just after 3p.m. August 15, deputies arrested 26=year-old Grant Cook, a member of the police force in Cheney, on a requested charge of rape, according to the Sedgwick County daily arrest report.

He is no longer in custody at the Sedgwick County Detention Facility and has been moved to another facility, according to online jail records.

"The case is currently under investigation and will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office," according Robin Bush with the sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692222608949.png" alt="Cook-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Cook-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating one of their own for an alleged sex crime.Just after 3p.m. August 15, deputies arrested 26=year-old Grant Cook, a member of the police force in Cheney, on a requested charge of rape, according to the Sedgwick County daily arrest report.He is no longer in custody at the Sedgwick County Detention Facility and has been moved to another facility, according to online jail records."The case is currently under investigation and will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office," according Robin Bush with the sheriff's office.

Kan. police officer accused of rape is moved to another jail

By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A district judge has granted a motion allowing transgender Kansans to intervene in Attorney General Kris Kobach’s lawsuit that would require Kansas driver’s licenses to list an individual’s sex assigned at birth instead of their gender.

On July 11, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed the motion to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans. Shawnee County District Court Judge Theresa Watson’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SN-2023-CV-000422-Order-on-Motion-to-Intervene-TLW..pdf">decision</a>&nbsp;Friday allows those directly affected by the policy to voice their concerns, broadening the case beyond Kobach and the Kansas Department of Revenue.

“We are gratified that the court has seen that our clients have a vested interest in the outcome of this case, and should be entitled to make their arguments,” said Sharon Brett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas. “… This case is about trans Kansans’ well-being and their ability to live freely and without government-sanctioned persecution.”

Kobach in July asked the court to order KDOR’s Division of Vehicles to comply with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/SB180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, which took effect July 1, and issue driver’s licenses that reflect a resident’s sex at birth.

Watson earlier issued a restraining order to stop all changes to gender markers on driver’s licenses until the lawsuit is completed. She presided over&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/16/attorneys-battle-over-request-for-transgender-kansans-to-intervene-in-drivers-license-lawsuit/">a hearing Wednesday</a>&nbsp;with Brett; a KDOR attorney; and Tony Powell, solicitor for the attorney general, to determine whether the ACLU can intervene on behalf of transgender Kansans.

“The notion that they’re being silenced is ridiculous thinking. We are happy to answer their constitutional claims,” Kobach said Wednesday. “It’s just that procedurally, those should follow the determination of what the statute means. If the court were to agree with our interpretation of the statute, then at that point our posture shifts slightly and we are defending the Department of Revenue against the constitutional claims made by the interveners.”

The ACLU of Kansas posted on its website that if Kobach’s suit was successful, “irreparably harm” would be caused by an “unconstitutional effort” to ban and reverse gender markers on driver’s licenses.

Watson previously set a hearing date for Nov. 1, but in the order allowing the intervention, she said the proposed intervenors have potential to raise issues that will affect the schedule.

“The primary legal question remains the same: Does a state agency have to follow the plain meaning of a law passed by our duly-elected legislators?” Kobach said Friday. “With respect to the constitutional challenge raised by the ACLU, we look forward to rebutting their novel theories in court.”

Rose Saxe, deputy director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ &amp; HIV Project, said she is thankful the court will hear from transgender Kansans.

“The policy change being pursued by the Attorney General is a degrading and discriminatory affront to transgender Kansans’ liberty and their safety, and the voices of transgender Kansans in defense of their personhood shall not and will not be silenced,” Saxe said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692390996441.png" alt=" Adam Kellogg speaks during rally in support of transgender rights May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. Kellogg is one of the five transgender Kansan's represented by the ACLU in a case involving gender markers on driver's licenses. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Adam Kellogg speaks during rally in support of transgender rights May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. Kellogg is one of the five transgender Kansan's represented by the ACLU in a case involving gender markers on driver's licenses. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A district judge has granted a motion allowing transgender Kansans to intervene in Attorney General Kris Kobach’s lawsuit that would require Kansas driver’s licenses to list an individual’s sex assigned at birth instead of their gender.On July 11, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed the motion to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans. Shawnee County District Court Judge Theresa Watson’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SN-2023-CV-000422-Order-on-Motion-to-Intervene-TLW..pdf">decision</a>&nbsp;Friday allows those directly affected by the policy to voice their concerns, broadening the case beyond Kobach and the Kansas Department of Revenue.“We are gratified that the court has seen that our clients have a vested interest in the outcome of this case, and should be entitled to make their arguments,” said Sharon Brett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas. “… This case is about trans Kansans’ well-being and their ability to live freely and without government-sanctioned persecution.”Kobach in July asked the court to order KDOR’s Division of Vehicles to comply with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/SB180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, which took effect July 1, and issue driver’s licenses that reflect a resident’s sex at birth.Watson earlier issued a restraining order to stop all changes to gender markers on driver’s licenses until the lawsuit is completed. She presided over&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/16/attorneys-battle-over-request-for-transgender-kansans-to-intervene-in-drivers-license-lawsuit/">a hearing Wednesday</a>&nbsp;with Brett; a KDOR attorney; and Tony Powell, solicitor for the attorney general, to determine whether the ACLU can intervene on behalf of transgender Kansans.“The notion that they’re being silenced is ridiculous thinking. We are happy to answer their constitutional claims,” Kobach said Wednesday. “It’s just that procedurally, those should follow the determination of what the statute means. If the court were to agree with our interpretation of the statute, then at that point our posture shifts slightly and we are defending the Department of Revenue against the constitutional claims made by the interveners.”The ACLU of Kansas posted on its website that if Kobach’s suit was successful, “irreparably harm” would be caused by an “unconstitutional effort” to ban and reverse gender markers on driver’s licenses.Watson previously set a hearing date for Nov. 1, but in the order allowing the intervention, she said the proposed intervenors have potential to raise issues that will affect the schedule.“The primary legal question remains the same: Does a state agency have to follow the plain meaning of a law passed by our duly-elected legislators?” Kobach said Friday. “With respect to the constitutional challenge raised by the ACLU, we look forward to rebutting their novel theories in court.”Rose Saxe, deputy director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ &amp; HIV Project, said she is thankful the court will hear from transgender Kansans.“The policy change being pursued by the Attorney General is a degrading and discriminatory affront to transgender Kansans’ liberty and their safety, and the voices of transgender Kansans in defense of their personhood shall not and will not be silenced,” Saxe said.