WASHINGTON (AP) — A sharply divided&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday effectively killed President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">cancel or reduce federal student loan debts</a>&nbsp;for millions of Americans.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-506_nmip.pdf">Click here to read</a> the decision

The 6-3 decision, with conservative justices in the majority, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23865243-biden-v-nebraska-opinion">Biden administration overstepped its authority</a>&nbsp;with the plan, and it leaves borrowers on the hook for repayments that are expected to resume by late summer.

Biden was to announce a new set of actions to protect student loan borrowers and would address the court decision later Friday, said a White House official. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of Biden’s expected statement on the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The court held that the administration needed Congress' endorsement before undertaking so costly a program. The majority rejected arguments that a bipartisan 2003 law dealing with student loans, known as the HEROES Act, gave Biden the power he claimed.

“Six States sued, arguing that the HEROES Act does not authorize the loan cancellation plan. We agree,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent, joined by the court’s two other liberals, that the majority of the court “overrides the combined judgment of the Legislative and Executive Branches, with the consequence of eliminating loan forgiveness for 43 million Americans.”

Loan repayments are expected to resume by late August under a schedule initially set by the administration and included in the agreement to raise the debt ceiling. Payments have been on hold since the start of the coronavirus pandemic more than three years ago.

The forgiveness program would have canceled $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would have had an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

Twenty-six million people had applied for relief and 43 million would have been eligible, the administration said. The cost was estimated at $400 billion over 30 years.

Advocacy groups supporting debt cancellation condemned the decision while demanding that Biden find another avenue to fulfill his promise of debt relief.

Natalia Abrams, president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center, said the responsibility for new action falls “squarely” on Biden’s shoulders. “The president possesses the power, and must summon the will, to secure the essential relief that families across the nation desperately need,” Abrams said in a statement.

The loan plan joins other pandemic-related initiatives that faltered at the Supreme Court.

Conservative majorities ended an eviction moratorium that had been imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and blocked a plan to require workers at big companies to be vaccinated or undergo regular testing and wear a mask on the job. The court upheld a plan to require vaccinations of health-care workers.

The earlier programs were billed largely as public health measures intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. The loan forgiveness plan, by contrast, was aimed at countering the economic effects of the pandemic.

In more than three hours of arguments last February, conservative justices voiced their skepticism that the administration had the authority to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions.

Republican-led states arguing before the court said the plan would have amounted to a “windfall” for 20 million people who would have seen their entire student debt disappear and been better off than they were before the pandemic.

Roberts was among those on the court who questioned whether non-college workers would essentially be penalized for a break for the college educated.

In contrast, the administration grounded the need for the sweeping loan forgiveness in the COVID-19 emergency and the continuing negative impacts on people near the bottom of the economic ladder. The declared emergency ended on May 11.

Without the promised loan relief, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer told the justices, “delinquencies and defaults will surge.”

At those arguments, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said her fellow justices would be making a mistake if they took for themselves, instead of leaving it to education experts, “the right to decide how much aid to give” people who would struggle if the program were struck down.

The HEROES Act has allowed the secretary of education to waive or modify the terms of federal student loans in connection with a national emergency. The law was primarily intended to keep service members from being hurt financially while they fought in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Biden had once doubted his own authority to broadly cancel student debt, but announced the program last August. Legal challenges quickly followed.

The court majority said the Republican-led states had cleared an early hurdle that required them to show they would be financially harmed if the program had been allowed to take effect.

The states did not even rely on any direct injury to themselves, but instead pointed to the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, a state-created company that services student loans.

Nebraska Solicitor General James Campbell, arguing before the court in February, said the Authority would lose about 40% of its revenues if the Biden plan went into effect. Independent research has cast doubt on the financial harm MOHELA would face, suggesting that the agency would still see an increase in revenue even if Biden’s cancellation went through. That information was not part of the court record.

A federal judge initially found that the states would not be harmed and dismissed their lawsuit before an appellate panel said the case could proceed.

In a second case, the justices ruled unanimously that two Texans who filed a separate challenge did not have legal standing to sue. But the outcome of that case has no bearing on the court's decision to block the debt relief plan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688137205940.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A sharply divided&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday effectively killed President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">cancel or reduce federal student loan debts</a>&nbsp;for millions of Americans.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-506_nmip.pdf">Click here to read</a> the decisionThe 6-3 decision, with conservative justices in the majority, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23865243-biden-v-nebraska-opinion">Biden administration overstepped its authority</a>&nbsp;with the plan, and it leaves borrowers on the hook for repayments that are expected to resume by late summer.Biden was to announce a new set of actions to protect student loan borrowers and would address the court decision later Friday, said a White House official. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of Biden’s expected statement on the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.The court held that the administration needed Congress' endorsement before undertaking so costly a program. The majority rejected arguments that a bipartisan 2003 law dealing with student loans, known as the HEROES Act, gave Biden the power he claimed.“Six States sued, arguing that the HEROES Act does not authorize the loan cancellation plan. We agree,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent, joined by the court’s two other liberals, that the majority of the court “overrides the combined judgment of the Legislative and Executive Branches, with the consequence of eliminating loan forgiveness for 43 million Americans.”Loan repayments are expected to resume by late August under a schedule initially set by the administration and included in the agreement to raise the debt ceiling. Payments have been on hold since the start of the coronavirus pandemic more than three years ago.The forgiveness program would have canceled $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would have had an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.Twenty-six million people had applied for relief and 43 million would have been eligible, the administration said. The cost was estimated at $400 billion over 30 years.Advocacy groups supporting debt cancellation condemned the decision while demanding that Biden find another avenue to fulfill his promise of debt relief.Natalia Abrams, president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center, said the responsibility for new action falls “squarely” on Biden’s shoulders. “The president possesses the power, and must summon the will, to secure the essential relief that families across the nation desperately need,” Abrams said in a statement.The loan plan joins other pandemic-related initiatives that faltered at the Supreme Court.Conservative majorities ended an eviction moratorium that had been imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and blocked a plan to require workers at big companies to be vaccinated or undergo regular testing and wear a mask on the job. The court upheld a plan to require vaccinations of health-care workers.The earlier programs were billed largely as public health measures intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. The loan forgiveness plan, by contrast, was aimed at countering the economic effects of the pandemic.In more than three hours of arguments last February, conservative justices voiced their skepticism that the administration had the authority to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions.Republican-led states arguing before the court said the plan would have amounted to a “windfall” for 20 million people who would have seen their entire student debt disappear and been better off than they were before the pandemic.Roberts was among those on the court who questioned whether non-college workers would essentially be penalized for a break for the college educated.In contrast, the administration grounded the need for the sweeping loan forgiveness in the COVID-19 emergency and the continuing negative impacts on people near the bottom of the economic ladder. The declared emergency ended on May 11.Without the promised loan relief, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer told the justices, “delinquencies and defaults will surge.”At those arguments, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said her fellow justices would be making a mistake if they took for themselves, instead of leaving it to education experts, “the right to decide how much aid to give” people who would struggle if the program were struck down.The HEROES Act has allowed the secretary of education to waive or modify the terms of federal student loans in connection with a national emergency. The law was primarily intended to keep service members from being hurt financially while they fought in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.Biden had once doubted his own authority to broadly cancel student debt, but announced the program last August. Legal challenges quickly followed.The court majority said the Republican-led states had cleared an early hurdle that required them to show they would be financially harmed if the program had been allowed to take effect.The states did not even rely on any direct injury to themselves, but instead pointed to the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, a state-created company that services student loans.Nebraska Solicitor General James Campbell, arguing before the court in February, said the Authority would lose about 40% of its revenues if the Biden plan went into effect. Independent research has cast doubt on the financial harm MOHELA would face, suggesting that the agency would still see an increase in revenue even if Biden’s cancellation went through. That information was not part of the court record.A federal judge initially found that the states would not be harmed and dismissed their lawsuit before an appellate panel said the case could proceed.In a second case, the justices ruled unanimously that two Texans who filed a separate challenge did not have legal standing to sue. But the outcome of that case has no bearing on the court's decision to block the debt relief plan.

Read the Supreme Court decision to end Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Bibi, a 25-year-old Eastern Black Rhinoceros at the Sedgwick County Zoo, died Thursday, according to a media release from the zoo.

Bibi began showing signs of colic, a painful abdominal condition, and a diagnostic exam determined that the prognosis of her gastrointestinal condition was poor. Despite aggressive round-the-clock care, she was not responding to treatment and the very difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her.

After performing a necropsy, Zoo veterinarians determined that Bibi had severe torsion of her large intestine, which is a twisting of the colon that causes an obstruction. Gastrointestinal disease is a leading cause of death in Black Rhinoceros.

Bibi was born January 26, 1998, at Kanazawa Zoological Gardens of Yokohama, Japan, and has called Sedgwick County Zoo home since 2001. Bibi touched the lives of many during her time at SCZ, serving as an important ambassador for her species. Her caretakers will remember her for her strong will, amazing maternal skills, and her overwhelming love for bananas.

Bibi’s move to Sedgwick County Zoo in 2001 was in coordination with the AZA’s Eastern Black Rhino Species Survival Plan (SSP). She was what is referred to as a ‘founder’ in the SSP population, meaning she introduced important genetic diversity to the population. Bibi gave birth to three offspring, with three grandchildren and one great grandchild. Her youngest son, KJ, is two years old and still resides at SCZ.

Although it will be an incredible adjustment, keepers expect KJ to fare well after his mother’s death. He is close to the age when separation would happen naturally for this solitary species. Keepers are relieved to see KJ handling this loss better than expected, but will be continuing to closely monitor his needs in this transitional time.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688154112556.png" alt="Bibi photo courtesy Sedgwick County Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Bibi photo courtesy Sedgwick County Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Bibi, a 25-year-old Eastern Black Rhinoceros at the Sedgwick County Zoo, died Thursday, according to a media release from the zoo.Bibi began showing signs of colic, a painful abdominal condition, and a diagnostic exam determined that the prognosis of her gastrointestinal condition was poor. Despite aggressive round-the-clock care, she was not responding to treatment and the very difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her.After performing a necropsy, Zoo veterinarians determined that Bibi had severe torsion of her large intestine, which is a twisting of the colon that causes an obstruction. Gastrointestinal disease is a leading cause of death in Black Rhinoceros.Bibi was born January 26, 1998, at Kanazawa Zoological Gardens of Yokohama, Japan, and has called Sedgwick County Zoo home since 2001. Bibi touched the lives of many during her time at SCZ, serving as an important ambassador for her species. Her caretakers will remember her for her strong will, amazing maternal skills, and her overwhelming love for bananas.Bibi’s move to Sedgwick County Zoo in 2001 was in coordination with the AZA’s Eastern Black Rhino Species Survival Plan (SSP). She was what is referred to as a ‘founder’ in the SSP population, meaning she introduced important genetic diversity to the population. Bibi gave birth to three offspring, with three grandchildren and one great grandchild. Her youngest son, KJ, is two years old and still resides at SCZ.Although it will be an incredible adjustment, keepers expect KJ to fare well after his mother’s death. He is close to the age when separation would happen naturally for this solitary species. Keepers are relieved to see KJ handling this loss better than expected, but will be continuing to closely monitor his needs in this transitional time.&nbsp;

Kansas zoo says goodbye to 25-year-old Eastern Black Rhino

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on Thursday promised to see Gov. Laura Kelly in court after she said state agencies will continue to support residents who seek gender-affirming birth certificates and driver’s licenses.

The political rivals are tangling over conflicting interpretations of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, which takes effect July 1. The law conflates the meaning of gender and sex as it attempts to define women and restrict transgender rights.

Government officials, attorneys and LGBTQ advocates have tried to decipher the vaguely worded law with varying results.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/06/26/kris-kobach-delivers-advice-on-new-law-targeting-transgender-kansans/">Earlier this week,</a>&nbsp;Kobach advised state agencies to stop changing gender markers on government documents and to revert any that have been changed.

Kelly, a Democrat who defeated Kobach, a Republican, in the 2018 governor’s race, said Thursday that state agencies would follow the advice of their own attorneys.

“While my administration and the attorney general’s office have had many conversations about the law, KDHE and KDOR disagree about its impacts on their operations and will instead keep in place their policies regarding gender markers on birth certificates and driver’s licenses,” Kelly said.

Kobach’s response:&nbsp;“She is violating her oath of office to uphold Kansas law. We will see her in court.”

Republicans passed the law earlier this year, referring to it as a “women’s bill of rights.” In late April, they overrode the Democratic governor’s veto of the measure.

The law defines women as having the ability to produce eggs for reproduction and men as those whose reproductive systems are developed to fertilize eggs — a definition that conflicts with social and scientific definitions of gender.

The language of the law suggests that people who don’t meet these requirements should be banned from female-specific places, such as locker rooms, bathrooms and crisis shelters. But legal authorities say the law can’t actually be used to ban transgender people from specific spaces, in part because there is no enforcement mechanism or penalty specified in the law.

Another portion of the bill stipulates that any agency, office or organization that collects vital statistics has to identify the person as either male or female based on designation at birth.

The right to change gender markers on birth certificates was confirmed in 2019 as part of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lambdalegal.org/sites/default/files/legal-docs/downloads/foster_ks_20190624_consent-judgment.pdf">an agreement in a federal lawsuit</a>. Kobach’s office has asked the&nbsp;federal court to nullify the agreement.

Kelly’s office said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment would continue to follow the federal court order and protect the right to gender-affirming birth certificates for transgender Kansans.

The governor’s administration also said the new law won’t affect the Kansas Department of Revenue’s handling of driver’s licenses.

“The governor has stated that SB 180 changes nothing with respect to drivers licenses and birth certificates,” Kobach said. “That is nonsense. The Legislature passed SB 180 and overrode Governor Kelly’s veto specifically to ensure that those documents reflect biological sex at birth. The governor doesn’t get to veto a bill and then ignore the Legislature’s override.”

Other entities, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, have called Kobach’s interpretation of the law incorrect.

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, called Kelly’s decision a “blatant” attempt to defy the intentions set out by SB180.

“I support aggressive action by our attorney general to uphold the law and hold this administration accountable,” Masterson said. “Their oaths were to the Kansas Constitution, not the radical ideology of the extreme left.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684436202687.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat who defeated Kobach, a Republican, in the 2018 governor’s race, said Thursday that state agencies would follow the advice of their own attorneys.&nbsp;(Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat who defeated Kobach, a Republican, in the 2018 governor’s race, said Thursday that state agencies would follow the advice of their own attorneys.&nbsp;(Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on Thursday promised to see Gov. Laura Kelly in court after she said state agencies will continue to support residents who seek gender-affirming birth certificates and driver’s licenses.The political rivals are tangling over conflicting interpretations of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, which takes effect July 1. The law conflates the meaning of gender and sex as it attempts to define women and restrict transgender rights.Government officials, attorneys and LGBTQ advocates have tried to decipher the vaguely worded law with varying results.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/06/26/kris-kobach-delivers-advice-on-new-law-targeting-transgender-kansans/">Earlier this week,</a>&nbsp;Kobach advised state agencies to stop changing gender markers on government documents and to revert any that have been changed.Kelly, a Democrat who defeated Kobach, a Republican, in the 2018 governor’s race, said Thursday that state agencies would follow the advice of their own attorneys.“While my administration and the attorney general’s office have had many conversations about the law, KDHE and KDOR disagree about its impacts on their operations and will instead keep in place their policies regarding gender markers on birth certificates and driver’s licenses,” Kelly said.Kobach’s response:&nbsp;“She is violating her oath of office to uphold Kansas law. We will see her in court.”Republicans passed the law earlier this year, referring to it as a “women’s bill of rights.” In late April, they overrode the Democratic governor’s veto of the measure.The law defines women as having the ability to produce eggs for reproduction and men as those whose reproductive systems are developed to fertilize eggs — a definition that conflicts with social and scientific definitions of gender.The language of the law suggests that people who don’t meet these requirements should be banned from female-specific places, such as locker rooms, bathrooms and crisis shelters. But legal authorities say the law can’t actually be used to ban transgender people from specific spaces, in part because there is no enforcement mechanism or penalty specified in the law.Another portion of the bill stipulates that any agency, office or organization that collects vital statistics has to identify the person as either male or female based on designation at birth.The right to change gender markers on birth certificates was confirmed in 2019 as part of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lambdalegal.org/sites/default/files/legal-docs/downloads/foster_ks_20190624_consent-judgment.pdf">an agreement in a federal lawsuit</a>. Kobach’s office has asked the&nbsp;federal court to nullify the agreement.Kelly’s office said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment would continue to follow the federal court order and protect the right to gender-affirming birth certificates for transgender Kansans.The governor’s administration also said the new law won’t affect the Kansas Department of Revenue’s handling of driver’s licenses.“The governor has stated that SB 180 changes nothing with respect to drivers licenses and birth certificates,” Kobach said. “That is nonsense. The Legislature passed SB 180 and overrode Governor Kelly’s veto specifically to ensure that those documents reflect biological sex at birth. The governor doesn’t get to veto a bill and then ignore the Legislature’s override.”Other entities, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, have called Kobach’s interpretation of the law incorrect.Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, called Kelly’s decision a “blatant” attempt to defy the intentions set out by SB180.“I support aggressive action by our attorney general to uphold the law and hold this administration accountable,” Masterson said. “Their oaths were to the Kansas Constitution, not the radical ideology of the extreme left.”

Kan. court fight over gender-affirming birth certificates, driver’s licenses

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Sunday morning shooting in Derby have determined it was an accident.

Just after 6:30 a.m. June 25, police responded to an unknown call for EMS in the 400 block of N. Baltimore in the city of Derby. First responders found a woman on the ground with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. 

EMS transported her to Wesley Hospital for treatment.

Evidence indicates that the shooting was accidental, and the victim was the only person involved, according to police.&nbsp; She was reported in stable condition on Friday morning, according to police

Derby Detectives would like to speak with any other potential witnesses. Anyone with information is asked to call the Derby Police Department at 316-788-1557 or submit a tip anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation after a woman was found in a parking lot with a gunshot wound.

Just after 6:30a.m. Sunday police responded to a parking lot in the 400 block of North Baltimore Avenue in Derby, according to Deputy Police Chief Brandon Russell. First responders found an unresponsive woman bleeding from a possible gunshot wound.

EMS transported her to a local hospital. Russell reported no new information early Monday.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Derby Police.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Sunday morning shooting in Derby have determined it was an accident.Just after 6:30 a.m. June 25, police responded to an unknown call for EMS in the 400 block of N. Baltimore in the city of Derby. First responders found a woman on the ground with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. EMS transported her to Wesley Hospital for treatment.Evidence indicates that the shooting was accidental, and the victim was the only person involved, according to police.&nbsp; She was reported in stable condition on Friday morning, according to policeDerby Detectives would like to speak with any other potential witnesses. Anyone with information is asked to call the Derby Police Department at 316-788-1557 or submit a tip anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation after a woman was found in a parking lot with a gunshot wound.Just after 6:30a.m. Sunday police responded to a parking lot in the 400 block of North Baltimore Avenue in Derby, according to Deputy Police Chief Brandon Russell. First responders found an unresponsive woman bleeding from a possible gunshot wound.EMS transported her to a local hospital. Russell reported no new information early Monday.Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Derby Police.

Police: Kansas woman injured in parking lot shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled Friday that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23865226-supreme-court-303-creative-opinion">can refuse to work with same-sex couples</a>.

<a href="https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/303creative21-476_c185.pdf">Click here to read</a> the decision

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-476">Click here to listen to a replay</a> of the oral arguments from December

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-476_c185.pdf">court ruled 6-3</a>&nbsp;for designer Lorie Smith despite a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and other characteristics. Smith&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-entertainment-religion-race-and-ethnicity-discrimination-9f2a76e9c72b6e0dc2a513a968328799">had argued</a>&nbsp;that the law violates her free speech rights.

Smith's opponents warned that a win for her would allow a range of businesses to discriminate, refusing to serve Black, Jewish or Muslim customers, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants. But Smith and her supporters had said that a ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs.

"The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court's six conservative justices.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissent that was joined by the court’s other liberals. “Today, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,” Sotomayor wrote.

The decision is a win for religious rights and one in a series of cases in recent years in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Last year, for example, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-coach-prayer-2981a8073ea82a1a688c367270c941aa">ruled along ideological lines for a football coach</a>&nbsp;who prayed on the field at his public high school after games.

The decision is also a retreat on gay rights for the court. For two decades, the court has expanded the rights of LGBTQ people, most notably giving same-sex couples the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">right to marry in 2015</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-ef3c19a79b65c060fd9e82b9dd87a1d9">announcing five years later</a>&nbsp;that a landmark civil rights law also protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from employment discrimination. That civil rights law decision was also written by Gorsuch.

Even as it has expanded gay rights, however, the court has been careful to say those with differing religious views needed to be respected. The belief that marriage can only be between one man and one woman is an idea that “long has been held — and continues to be held — in good faith by reasonable and sincere people here and throughout the world,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2015/06/26/obergefellhodgesopinion.pdf">the court's gay marriage decision</a>.

The court returned to that idea five years ago when it was confronted with the case of a Christian baker who objected to designing a cake for a same-sex wedding. The court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-politics-459b5e723c4c47ffa40df839097503c9">issued a limited ruling in favor of the baker</a>, Jack Phillips, saying there had been impermissible hostility toward his religious views in the consideration of his case. Phillips' lawyer, Kristen Waggoner, of the Alliance Defending Freedom, also brought the most recent case to the court.

Smith, who owns a Colorado design business called 303 Creative, does not currently create wedding websites. She has said that she wants to but that her Christian faith would prevent her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages. And that’s where she runs into conflict with state law.

Colorado, like most other states, has a law forbidding businesses open to the public from discriminating against customers. Colorado said that under its so-called public accommodations law, if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers, regardless of sexual orientation. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things. Smith argued that applying the law to her violates her First Amendment rights. The state disagreed.

The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688135639053.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled Friday that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23865226-supreme-court-303-creative-opinion">can refuse to work with same-sex couples</a>.<a href="https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/303creative21-476_c185.pdf">Click here to read</a> the decision<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-476">Click here to listen to a replay</a> of the oral arguments from DecemberThe&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-476_c185.pdf">court ruled 6-3</a>&nbsp;for designer Lorie Smith despite a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and other characteristics. Smith&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-entertainment-religion-race-and-ethnicity-discrimination-9f2a76e9c72b6e0dc2a513a968328799">had argued</a>&nbsp;that the law violates her free speech rights.Smith's opponents warned that a win for her would allow a range of businesses to discriminate, refusing to serve Black, Jewish or Muslim customers, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants. But Smith and her supporters had said that a ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs."The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court's six conservative justices.Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissent that was joined by the court’s other liberals. “Today, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,” Sotomayor wrote.The decision is a win for religious rights and one in a series of cases in recent years in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Last year, for example, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-coach-prayer-2981a8073ea82a1a688c367270c941aa">ruled along ideological lines for a football coach</a>&nbsp;who prayed on the field at his public high school after games.The decision is also a retreat on gay rights for the court. For two decades, the court has expanded the rights of LGBTQ people, most notably giving same-sex couples the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">right to marry in 2015</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-ef3c19a79b65c060fd9e82b9dd87a1d9">announcing five years later</a>&nbsp;that a landmark civil rights law also protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from employment discrimination. That civil rights law decision was also written by Gorsuch.Even as it has expanded gay rights, however, the court has been careful to say those with differing religious views needed to be respected. The belief that marriage can only be between one man and one woman is an idea that “long has been held — and continues to be held — in good faith by reasonable and sincere people here and throughout the world,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2015/06/26/obergefellhodgesopinion.pdf">the court's gay marriage decision</a>.The court returned to that idea five years ago when it was confronted with the case of a Christian baker who objected to designing a cake for a same-sex wedding. The court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-politics-459b5e723c4c47ffa40df839097503c9">issued a limited ruling in favor of the baker</a>, Jack Phillips, saying there had been impermissible hostility toward his religious views in the consideration of his case. Phillips' lawyer, Kristen Waggoner, of the Alliance Defending Freedom, also brought the most recent case to the court.Smith, who owns a Colorado design business called 303 Creative, does not currently create wedding websites. She has said that she wants to but that her Christian faith would prevent her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages. And that’s where she runs into conflict with state law.Colorado, like most other states, has a law forbidding businesses open to the public from discriminating against customers. Colorado said that under its so-called public accommodations law, if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers, regardless of sexual orientation. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things. Smith argued that applying the law to her violates her First Amendment rights. The state disagreed.The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.

🎧 Court rules for web designer who refused to work on gay weddings

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Topeka have made an arrest.

identified the victim as 19-year-old&nbsp; Khristopher A. L. Brown of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks

Just before 8 p.m. March 14, police&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to the 1300 block SE 8th for a hit-and-run accident, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. Officers located 19-year-old Khristopher A. L. Brown, who was suffering from a gunshot wound.

First responders pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After a 3 month investigation, police on Thursday transported a 17-year old boy from Topeka to the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of Murder in 1st Degree, Distribution of marijuana within 1000’ of a school and Use of communication facility in commission of a felony drug violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678963605102.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation on March 14 -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation on March 14 -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Topeka have made an arrest.identified the victim as 19-year-old&nbsp; Khristopher A. L. Brown of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna EubanksJust before 8 p.m. March 14, police&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to the 1300 block SE 8th for a hit-and-run accident, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. Officers located 19-year-old Khristopher A. L. Brown, who was suffering from a gunshot wound.First responders pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;After a 3 month investigation, police on Thursday transported a 17-year old boy from Topeka to the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of Murder in 1st Degree, Distribution of marijuana within 1000’ of a school and Use of communication facility in commission of a felony drug violation.

Kan. teen accused of murder after victim found at scene of crash

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alan Arkin, the wry character actor who demonstrated his versatility in everything from farcical comedy to chilling drama as he received four Academy Award nominations and won an Oscar in 2007 for "Little Miss Sunshine," has died. He was 89.

His sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony confirmed their father's death through the actor's publicist on Friday. “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man," they said in a statement.

A member of Chicago's famed Second City comedy troupe, Arkin was an immediate success in movies with the Cold War spoof "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming" and peaked late in life with his win as best supporting actor for the surprise 2006 hit "Little Miss Sunshine.” More than 40 years separated his first Oscar nomination, for "The Russians are Coming," from his nomination for playing a conniving Hollywood producer in the Oscar-winning “Argo.”

In recent years he starred opposite Michael Douglas in the Netflix comedy series “The Kominsky Method,” a role that earned him two Emmy nominations.

“When I was a young actor people wanted to know if I wanted to be a serious actor or a funny one,” Michael McKean tweeted Friday. ‘I’d answer 'Which kind is Alan Arkin?’ and that shut them up.”

Arkin once joked to The Associated Press that the beauty of being a character actor was not having to take his clothes off for a role. He wasn't a sex symbol or superstar, but was rarely out of work, appearing in more than 100 TV and feature films. His trademarks were likability, relatability and complete immersion in his roles, no matter how unusual, whether playing a Russian submarine officer in "The Russians are Coming" who struggles to communicate with the equally jittery Americans, or standing out as the foul-mouthed, drug-addicted grandfather in "Little Miss Sunshine."

"Alan's never had an identifiable screen personality because he just disappears into his characters," director Norman Jewison of "The Russians are Coming" once observed. "His accents are impeccable, and he's even able to change his looks. ... He's always been underestimated, partly because he's never been in service of his own success."

While still with Second City, Arkin was chosen by Carl Reiner to play the young protagonist in the 1963 Broadway play "Enter Laughing," based on Reiner's semi-autobiographical novel.

He attracted strong reviews and the notice of Jewison, who was preparing to direct a 1966 comedy about a Russian sub that creates a panic when it ventures too close to a small New England town. In Arkin's next major film, he proved he could also play a villain, however reluctantly. Arkin starred in "Wait Until Dark" as a vicious drug dealer who holds a blind woman (Audrey Hepburn) captive in her own apartment, believing a drug shipment is hidden there.

He recalled in a 1998 interview how difficult it was to terrorize Hepburn's character.

"Just awful," he said. "She was an exquisite lady, so being mean to her was hard."

Arkin's rise continued in 1968 with "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter," in which he played a sensitive man who could not hear or speak. He starred as the bumbling French detective in "Inspector Clouseau" that same year, but the film would become overlooked in favor of Peter Sellers' Clouseau in the "Pink Panther" movies.

Arkin's career as a character actor continued to blossom when Mike Nichols, a fellow Second City alumnus, cast him in the starring role as Yossarian, the victim of wartime red tape in 1970's "Catch-22," based on Joseph Heller's million-selling novel. Through the years, Arkin turned up in such favorites as "Edward Scissorhands," playing Johnny Depp's neighbor; and in the film version of David Mamet’s "Glengarry Glen Ross" as a dogged real estate salesman. He and Reiner played brothers, one successful (Reiner), one struggling (Arkin), in the 1998 film “The Slums of Beverly Hills.”

“I used to think that my stuff had a lot of variety. But I realized that for the first twenty years or so, most of the characters I played were outsiders, strangers to their environment, foreigners in one way or another,” he told The Associated Press in 2007.

“As I started to get more and more comfortable with myself, that started to shift. I got one of the nicest compliments I've ever gotten from someone a few days ago. They said that they thought my characters were very often the heart, the moral center of a film. I didn't particularly understand it, but I liked it; it made me happy.”

Other recent credits included "Going in Style," a 2017 remake featuring fellow Oscar winners Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, and “The Kominsky Method.” He played a Hollywood talent agent and friend of Douglas' character, a once-promising actor who ran an acting school after his career sputtered.

He also was the voice of Wild Knuckles in the 2022 animated film “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”

Arkin also directed the film version of Jules Feiffer's 1971 dark comedy "Little Murders" and Neil Simon's 1972 play about bickering old vaudeville partners, "The Sunshine Boys." On television, Arkin appeared in the short-lived series "Fay" and "Harry" and played a night court judge in Sidney Lumet's drama series "100 Centre Street" on A&amp;E. He also wrote several books for children.

Born in New York City's borough of Brooklyn, he and his family, which included two younger brothers, moved to Los Angeles when he was 11. His parents found jobs as teachers, but were fired during the post-World War II Red Scare because they were Communists.

"We were dirt poor so I couldn't afford to go to the movies often," he told the AP in 1998. "But I went whenever I could and focused in on movies, as they were more important than anything in my life."

He studied acting at Los Angeles City College; California State University, Los Angeles; and Bennington College in Vermont, where he earned a scholarship to the formerly all-girls school.

He married a fellow student, Jeremy Yaffe, and they had two sons, Adam and Matthew.

After he and Yaffe divorced in 1961, Arkin married actress-writer Barbara Dana, and they had a son, Anthony. All three sons became actors: Adam starred in the TV series "Chicago Hope."

"It was certainly nothing that I pushed them into," Arkin said in 1998. “It made absolutely no difference to me what they did, as long as it allowed them to grow.”

Arkin began his entertainment career as an organizer and singer with The Tarriers, a group that briefly rode the folk musical revival wave of the late 1950s. Later, he turned to stage acting, off-Broadway and always in dramatic roles.

At Second City, he worked with Nichols, Elaine May, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara and others in creating intellectual, high-speed impromptu riffs the fads and follies of the day.

“I never knew that I could be funny until I joined Second City," he said.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alan Arkin, the wry character actor who demonstrated his versatility in everything from farcical comedy to chilling drama as he received four Academy Award nominations and won an Oscar in 2007 for "Little Miss Sunshine," has died. He was 89.His sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony confirmed their father's death through the actor's publicist on Friday. “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man," they said in a statement.A member of Chicago's famed Second City comedy troupe, Arkin was an immediate success in movies with the Cold War spoof "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming" and peaked late in life with his win as best supporting actor for the surprise 2006 hit "Little Miss Sunshine.” More than 40 years separated his first Oscar nomination, for "The Russians are Coming," from his nomination for playing a conniving Hollywood producer in the Oscar-winning “Argo.”In recent years he starred opposite Michael Douglas in the Netflix comedy series “The Kominsky Method,” a role that earned him two Emmy nominations.“When I was a young actor people wanted to know if I wanted to be a serious actor or a funny one,” Michael McKean tweeted Friday. ‘I’d answer 'Which kind is Alan Arkin?’ and that shut them up.”Arkin once joked to The Associated Press that the beauty of being a character actor was not having to take his clothes off for a role. He wasn't a sex symbol or superstar, but was rarely out of work, appearing in more than 100 TV and feature films. His trademarks were likability, relatability and complete immersion in his roles, no matter how unusual, whether playing a Russian submarine officer in "The Russians are Coming" who struggles to communicate with the equally jittery Americans, or standing out as the foul-mouthed, drug-addicted grandfather in "Little Miss Sunshine.""Alan's never had an identifiable screen personality because he just disappears into his characters," director Norman Jewison of "The Russians are Coming" once observed. "His accents are impeccable, and he's even able to change his looks. ... He's always been underestimated, partly because he's never been in service of his own success."While still with Second City, Arkin was chosen by Carl Reiner to play the young protagonist in the 1963 Broadway play "Enter Laughing," based on Reiner's semi-autobiographical novel.He attracted strong reviews and the notice of Jewison, who was preparing to direct a 1966 comedy about a Russian sub that creates a panic when it ventures too close to a small New England town. In Arkin's next major film, he proved he could also play a villain, however reluctantly. Arkin starred in "Wait Until Dark" as a vicious drug dealer who holds a blind woman (Audrey Hepburn) captive in her own apartment, believing a drug shipment is hidden there.He recalled in a 1998 interview how difficult it was to terrorize Hepburn's character."Just awful," he said. "She was an exquisite lady, so being mean to her was hard."Arkin's rise continued in 1968 with "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter," in which he played a sensitive man who could not hear or speak. He starred as the bumbling French detective in "Inspector Clouseau" that same year, but the film would become overlooked in favor of Peter Sellers' Clouseau in the "Pink Panther" movies.Arkin's career as a character actor continued to blossom when Mike Nichols, a fellow Second City alumnus, cast him in the starring role as Yossarian, the victim of wartime red tape in 1970's "Catch-22," based on Joseph Heller's million-selling novel. Through the years, Arkin turned up in such favorites as "Edward Scissorhands," playing Johnny Depp's neighbor; and in the film version of David Mamet’s "Glengarry Glen Ross" as a dogged real estate salesman. He and Reiner played brothers, one successful (Reiner), one struggling (Arkin), in the 1998 film “The Slums of Beverly Hills.”“I used to think that my stuff had a lot of variety. But I realized that for the first twenty years or so, most of the characters I played were outsiders, strangers to their environment, foreigners in one way or another,” he told The Associated Press in 2007.“As I started to get more and more comfortable with myself, that started to shift. I got one of the nicest compliments I've ever gotten from someone a few days ago. They said that they thought my characters were very often the heart, the moral center of a film. I didn't particularly understand it, but I liked it; it made me happy.”Other recent credits included "Going in Style," a 2017 remake featuring fellow Oscar winners Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, and “The Kominsky Method.” He played a Hollywood talent agent and friend of Douglas' character, a once-promising actor who ran an acting school after his career sputtered.He also was the voice of Wild Knuckles in the 2022 animated film “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”Arkin also directed the film version of Jules Feiffer's 1971 dark comedy "Little Murders" and Neil Simon's 1972 play about bickering old vaudeville partners, "The Sunshine Boys." On television, Arkin appeared in the short-lived series "Fay" and "Harry" and played a night court judge in Sidney Lumet's drama series "100 Centre Street" on A&amp;E. He also wrote several books for children.Born in New York City's borough of Brooklyn, he and his family, which included two younger brothers, moved to Los Angeles when he was 11. His parents found jobs as teachers, but were fired during the post-World War II Red Scare because they were Communists."We were dirt poor so I couldn't afford to go to the movies often," he told the AP in 1998. "But I went whenever I could and focused in on movies, as they were more important than anything in my life."He studied acting at Los Angeles City College; California State University, Los Angeles; and Bennington College in Vermont, where he earned a scholarship to the formerly all-girls school.He married a fellow student, Jeremy Yaffe, and they had two sons, Adam and Matthew.After he and Yaffe divorced in 1961, Arkin married actress-writer Barbara Dana, and they had a son, Anthony. All three sons became actors: Adam starred in the TV series "Chicago Hope.""It was certainly nothing that I pushed them into," Arkin said in 1998. “It made absolutely no difference to me what they did, as long as it allowed them to grow.”Arkin began his entertainment career as an organizer and singer with The Tarriers, a group that briefly rode the folk musical revival wave of the late 1950s. Later, he turned to stage acting, off-Broadway and always in dramatic roles.At Second City, he worked with Nichols, Elaine May, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara and others in creating intellectual, high-speed impromptu riffs the fads and follies of the day.“I never knew that I could be funny until I joined Second City," he said.

Alan Arkin, Oscar-winning 'Little Miss Sunshine' actor, dies at 89

WICHITA – Approximately 6,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 839 (District 70) at Spirit AeroSystems voted Thursday to ratify an improved four-year contract with the aerospace company. IAM members will return to work on Wednesday, July 5. acccording to a media release from the union.

The newly ratified contract includes significant improvements over the previously rejected contract in wages, prescription drug coverage, and overtime rules. IAM members at Spirit AeroSystems have been on strike since Saturday, June 24.

Following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/news/iam-members-at-spirit-aerosystems-in-wichita-vote-to-reject-companys-contract-offer/">the initial contract rejection</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, June 21, the Local 839 negotiating committee and the company returned to the table to continue talks. Both sides agreed to involve a&nbsp;federal mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)&nbsp;to move the negotiation process forward. On Tuesday, June 27, the IAM negotiating committee and the company announced they had reached a second tentative agreement to present to the membership.

“We knew these negotiations were not going to be your typical set of talks,”&nbsp;said IAM Local 839 Chief Negotiator Jason Baze. “Our membership clearly said the original offer was unacceptable by rejecting it soundly. The committee returned to the table to address their concerns.”

IAM members at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita manufacture major aerostructures for companies such as Boeing and Airbus, as well as defense and business jets.

“At the end of the day, IAM members democratically decide what is acceptable to them during contract negotiations – and we always support their decision,”&nbsp;said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Rickey Wallace. “These critical improvements demonstrate the power of collective bargaining. I am very proud of our Local 839 negotiating committee and membership.”

The IAM Local 839 negotiating committee unanimously recommended the proposal. Contract negotiations&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/press-releases/iam-local-lodge-839-opens-negotiations-with-spirit-aerosystems-in-wichita/">have been&nbsp;ongoing since May 1, 2023</a>.

“It’s never an easy decision to make when voting to go out on strike, but our membership felt that excluding vital medication in their core insurance plan was unacceptable,”&nbsp;said IAM Southern Territory Chief of Staff Craig Martin. “I am proud of the negotiating committee and the membership for standing strong together.”

These negotiations continue a string of critical aerospace negotiations for the IAM, including at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/news/machinists-union-members-at-boeing-st-louis-vote-to-ratify-modified-contract-after-standing-strong-for-secure-retirement-plan-other-improvements/">Boeing</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/press-releases/machinists-union-reaches-strong-tentative-agreements-with-lockheed-martin-covering-4000-workers/">Lockheed Martin</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/press-releases/approximately-3000-machinists-union-members-at-pratt-whitney-in-central-connecticut-ratify-contract-with-job-security-strong-benefits/">Pratt and Whitney</a>.

“The contract negotiating committee worked hard to bring an acceptable offer to the membership of Local 839,” said&nbsp;IAM Southern Territory Grand Lodge Representative William (Benji) Sullivan.&nbsp;“Through the collective bargaining process, the membership saw the second tentative agreement as more acceptable in addressing their concerns. Great job all around.”

The four-year agreement takes effect on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

WICHITA – Approximately 6,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 839 (District 70) at Spirit AeroSystems voted Thursday to ratify an improved four-year contract with the aerospace company. IAM members will return to work on Wednesday, July 5. acccording to a media release from the union.The newly ratified contract includes significant improvements over the previously rejected contract in wages, prescription drug coverage, and overtime rules. IAM members at Spirit AeroSystems have been on strike since Saturday, June 24.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congrats to IAM Local 839 members on approving a new contract with Spirit AeroSystems. Thanks to both IAM members and the company for coming to the table, securing higher wages and better conditions for workers, and making it possible for our aviation industry to remain strong.&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1674585088808370179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/news/iam-members-at-spirit-aerosystems-in-wichita-vote-to-reject-companys-contract-offer/">the initial contract rejection</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, June 21, the Local 839 negotiating committee and the company returned to the table to continue talks. Both sides agreed to involve a&nbsp;federal mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)&nbsp;to move the negotiation process forward. On Tuesday, June 27, the IAM negotiating committee and the company announced they had reached a second tentative agreement to present to the membership.“We knew these negotiations were not going to be your typical set of talks,”&nbsp;said IAM Local 839 Chief Negotiator Jason Baze. “Our membership clearly said the original offer was unacceptable by rejecting it soundly. The committee returned to the table to address their concerns.”IAM members at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita manufacture major aerostructures for companies such as Boeing and Airbus, as well as defense and business jets.“At the end of the day, IAM members democratically decide what is acceptable to them during contract negotiations – and we always support their decision,”&nbsp;said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Rickey Wallace. “These critical improvements demonstrate the power of collective bargaining. I am very proud of our Local 839 negotiating committee and membership.”The IAM Local 839 negotiating committee unanimously recommended the proposal. Contract negotiations&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/press-releases/iam-local-lodge-839-opens-negotiations-with-spirit-aerosystems-in-wichita/">have been&nbsp;ongoing since May 1, 2023</a>.“It’s never an easy decision to make when voting to go out on strike, but our membership felt that excluding vital medication in their core insurance plan was unacceptable,”&nbsp;said IAM Southern Territory Chief of Staff Craig Martin. “I am proud of the negotiating committee and the membership for standing strong together.”These negotiations continue a string of critical aerospace negotiations for the IAM, including at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/news/machinists-union-members-at-boeing-st-louis-vote-to-ratify-modified-contract-after-standing-strong-for-secure-retirement-plan-other-improvements/">Boeing</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/press-releases/machinists-union-reaches-strong-tentative-agreements-with-lockheed-martin-covering-4000-workers/">Lockheed Martin</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goiam.org/press-releases/approximately-3000-machinists-union-members-at-pratt-whitney-in-central-connecticut-ratify-contract-with-job-security-strong-benefits/">Pratt and Whitney</a>.“The contract negotiating committee worked hard to bring an acceptable offer to the membership of Local 839,” said&nbsp;IAM Southern Territory Grand Lodge Representative William (Benji) Sullivan.&nbsp;“Through the collective bargaining process, the membership saw the second tentative agreement as more acceptable in addressing their concerns. Great job all around.”The four-year agreement takes effect on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

Strike ends: Machinists union in Kansas votes to accept contract offer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States flew nuclear-capable bombers to the Korean Peninsula on Friday in its latest show of force against North Korea, days after the North staged massive anti-U.S. rallies in its capital.

The long-range B-52 bombers took part in joint aerial drills with other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the peninsula, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. The bombers’ flyover is the latest in a series of temporary U.S. deployments of strategic assets in South Korea in response to North Korea’s push to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-jong-un-nuclear-arsenal-9b1093e2939b87facfdf1f74612d3738">expand its nuclear arsenal</a>.

Two weeks ago, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-submarine-north-korea-missiles-3bf330fa9f8a19cb9b90f0af3d6bac3a">U.S. deployed a nuclear-powered submarine</a>&nbsp;capable of carrying about 150 Tomahawk missiles to South Korean waters for the first time in six years. The USS Michigan’s arrival came a day after North Korea resumed missile tests to protest previous U.S.-South Korean drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.

The South Korean Defense Ministry said the B-52 bombers' deployment boosted the visibility of U.S. strategic assets to the peninsula. It said the allies have been demonstrating their firm resolve to strengthen combined defense postures and will continue joint drills involving U.S. strategic bombers.

On Sunday, more than 120,000 North Koreans participated in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-antius-rallies-leaflets-13d61a2ef5c3f2b9dca0b8b3216030d3">mass rallies in Pyongyang</a>&nbsp;to mark the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War. During the rallies, officials and residents delivered speeches vowing “merciless revenge” against the United States over the war while accusing the U.S. of plotting an invasion on North Korea.

The Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula in a technical state of war. The U.S. stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression by North Korea.

Since its June 15 launches of two short-range ballistic missiles, North Korea hasn’t performed any further public weapons tests. But the U.S. bombers’ deployment could prompt it to launch weapons again in protest.

Enhancing “regular visibility of U.S. strategic assets" to the Korean Peninsula was part of agreements reached between U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-yoon-south-korea-nuclear-submarines-agreement-8f1e003990cb434afa0980707e471396">summit in Washington in April</a>. Biden stated at the time that any North Korean nuclear attack on the U.S. or its allies would “result in the end of whatever regime” took such action.

Since the start of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 missile tests in a bid to enlarge its arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles targeting the U.S. mainland and South Korea. The allies have responded by expanding their military exercises.

In late May, a North Korean launch of a rocket carrying its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-spy-satellite-ruling-party-c9f16baacd3a8bdb87d8393f481d0cb8">first spy satellite ended in failure</a>, with the rocket plunging into waters soon after liftoff. North Korea has since repeatedly said it would attempt a second launch, saying it’s crucial to build space-based surveillance system to cope with what it calls U.S. hostility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688122374321.png" alt="FILE - In this photo provided by the South Korean Defense Ministry, U.S. B-52H bombers, center, and F-16 fighter jets and South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jets, right bottom, fly over the Korean Peninsula during a joint air drill in South Korea on April 14, 2023. The United States flew nuclear-capable bombers to the Korean Peninsula on Friday, June 30, in its latest show of force against North Korea, days after the North staged massive anti-U.S. rallies in its capital. (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - In this photo provided by the South Korean Defense Ministry, U.S. B-52H bombers, center, and F-16 fighter jets and South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jets, right bottom, fly over the Korean Peninsula during a joint air drill in South Korea on April 14, 2023. The United States flew nuclear-capable bombers to the Korean Peninsula on Friday, June 30, in its latest show of force against North Korea, days after the North staged massive anti-U.S. rallies in its capital. (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States flew nuclear-capable bombers to the Korean Peninsula on Friday in its latest show of force against North Korea, days after the North staged massive anti-U.S. rallies in its capital.The long-range B-52 bombers took part in joint aerial drills with other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the peninsula, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. The bombers’ flyover is the latest in a series of temporary U.S. deployments of strategic assets in South Korea in response to North Korea’s push to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-jong-un-nuclear-arsenal-9b1093e2939b87facfdf1f74612d3738">expand its nuclear arsenal</a>.Two weeks ago, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-submarine-north-korea-missiles-3bf330fa9f8a19cb9b90f0af3d6bac3a">U.S. deployed a nuclear-powered submarine</a>&nbsp;capable of carrying about 150 Tomahawk missiles to South Korean waters for the first time in six years. The USS Michigan’s arrival came a day after North Korea resumed missile tests to protest previous U.S.-South Korean drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.The South Korean Defense Ministry said the B-52 bombers' deployment boosted the visibility of U.S. strategic assets to the peninsula. It said the allies have been demonstrating their firm resolve to strengthen combined defense postures and will continue joint drills involving U.S. strategic bombers.On Sunday, more than 120,000 North Koreans participated in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-antius-rallies-leaflets-13d61a2ef5c3f2b9dca0b8b3216030d3">mass rallies in Pyongyang</a>&nbsp;to mark the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War. During the rallies, officials and residents delivered speeches vowing “merciless revenge” against the United States over the war while accusing the U.S. of plotting an invasion on North Korea.The Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula in a technical state of war. The U.S. stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression by North Korea.Since its June 15 launches of two short-range ballistic missiles, North Korea hasn’t performed any further public weapons tests. But the U.S. bombers’ deployment could prompt it to launch weapons again in protest.Enhancing “regular visibility of U.S. strategic assets" to the Korean Peninsula was part of agreements reached between U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-yoon-south-korea-nuclear-submarines-agreement-8f1e003990cb434afa0980707e471396">summit in Washington in April</a>. Biden stated at the time that any North Korean nuclear attack on the U.S. or its allies would “result in the end of whatever regime” took such action.Since the start of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 missile tests in a bid to enlarge its arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles targeting the U.S. mainland and South Korea. The allies have responded by expanding their military exercises.In late May, a North Korean launch of a rocket carrying its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-spy-satellite-ruling-party-c9f16baacd3a8bdb87d8393f481d0cb8">first spy satellite ended in failure</a>, with the rocket plunging into waters soon after liftoff. North Korea has since repeatedly said it would attempt a second launch, saying it’s crucial to build space-based surveillance system to cope with what it calls U.S. hostility.

US flies nuclear bombers in a fresh show of force against North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday struck down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/affirmative-action">affirmative action</a>&nbsp;in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

(Click below to watch the President's statement)

The court's conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the opinion&nbsp;

Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have “concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”

Justice Clarence Thomas — the nation's second Black justice, who had long called for an end to affirmative action — wrote separately that the decision “sees the universities’ admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.”

Echoing her dissent, President Joe Biden said he “strongly, strongly” disagrees with the court's ruling. He urged colleges not to let the ruling “be the last word.”

"They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America,” Biden said from the White House. He said colleges should evaluate “adversity overcome” by candidates.

Both Thomas and Sotomayor, the two justices who have acknowledged affirmative action played a role in their admissions to college and law school, took the unusual step of reading a summary of their opinions aloud in the courtroom.

In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson — the court’s first Black female justice — called the decision “truly a tragedy for us all.”

Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board, wrote, “With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”

The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.

Two former presidents offered starkly different takes on the high-court ruling.

Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP presidential frontrunner, wrote on his social media network that the decision marked “a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded.”

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that affirmative action “allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it’s up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve — and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.”

The Supreme Court had twice upheld&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-admissions-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-harvard-university-95be5363a3245fbf185babe8423426a4">race-conscious college admissions programs</a>&nbsp;in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.

But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined the court. At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which had been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.

Lower courts also had upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.

The college admissions disputes are among several high-profile cases focused on race in America, and were weighed by the conservative-dominated, but most diverse court ever. Among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina.

The justices earlier in June decided a voting rights case in favor of Black voters in Alabama and rejected a race-based challenge to a Native American child protection law.

The affirmative action cases were brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.

The group argued that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and called for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.

Roberts' opinion effectively did so, both Thomas and the dissenters wrote.

The only institutions of higher education explicitly left out of the ruling are the nation's military academies, Roberts wrote, suggesting that national security interests could affect the legal analysis.

Blum’s group had contended that colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors.

The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.

At the eight Ivy League universities, the number of nonwhite students increased by 55% from 2010 to 2021, according to federal data. That group, which includes, Native American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and biracial students, accounted for 35% of students on those campuses in 2021, up from 27% in 2010.

The end of affirmative action in higher education in California, Michigan, Washington state and elsewhere led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0">a steep drop in minority enrollment in the states’ leading public universities</a>.

They are among nine states that already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities. The others are: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.

In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.

A poll last month by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;showed 63% of U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions. A Pew Research Center survey released last week found that half of Americans disapprove of considerations of applicants’ race, while a third approve.

The chief justice and Jackson received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, went to law school there, and Kagan was the first woman to serve as the law school’s dean.

Every U.S. college and university the justices attended, save one, urged the court to preserve race-conscious admissions.

Those schools — Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Notre Dame and Holy Cross — joined briefs in defense of Harvard’s and UNC’s admissions plans.

Only Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s undergraduate alma mater, Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tennessee, was not involved in the cases.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday struck down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/affirmative-action">affirmative action</a>&nbsp;in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.(Click below to watch the President's statement)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2yQseH__Khw?start=2040" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The court's conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the opinion&nbsp;Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have “concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”Justice Clarence Thomas — the nation's second Black justice, who had long called for an end to affirmative action — wrote separately that the decision “sees the universities’ admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.”Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For decades, the Supreme Court recognized a college’s freedom to decide how to build a diverse student body and provide opportunity. Today, the Court walked away from precedent, effectively ending affirmative action in higher education. I strongly disagree with this decision.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1674460493803577344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. And America is stronger because we are tapping into our full range of talent. Today&#39;s Supreme Court decision is not the last word.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1674461363488411648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Echoing her dissent, President Joe Biden said he “strongly, strongly” disagrees with the court's ruling. He urged colleges not to let the ruling “be the last word.”"They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America,” Biden said from the White House. He said colleges should evaluate “adversity overcome” by candidates.Both Thomas and Sotomayor, the two justices who have acknowledged affirmative action played a role in their admissions to college and law school, took the unusual step of reading a summary of their opinions aloud in the courtroom.In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson — the court’s first Black female justice — called the decision “truly a tragedy for us all.”Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board, wrote, “With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688060191536.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Two former presidents offered starkly different takes on the high-court ruling.Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP presidential frontrunner, wrote on his social media network that the decision marked “a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded.”Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that affirmative action “allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it’s up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve — and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.”The Supreme Court had twice upheld&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-admissions-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-harvard-university-95be5363a3245fbf185babe8423426a4">race-conscious college admissions programs</a>&nbsp;in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined the court. At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which had been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.Lower courts also had upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.The college admissions disputes are among several high-profile cases focused on race in America, and were weighed by the conservative-dominated, but most diverse court ever. Among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina.The justices earlier in June decided a voting rights case in favor of Black voters in Alabama and rejected a race-based challenge to a Native American child protection law.The affirmative action cases were brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.The group argued that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and called for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.Roberts' opinion effectively did so, both Thomas and the dissenters wrote.The only institutions of higher education explicitly left out of the ruling are the nation's military academies, Roberts wrote, suggesting that national security interests could affect the legal analysis.Blum’s group had contended that colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors.The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.At the eight Ivy League universities, the number of nonwhite students increased by 55% from 2010 to 2021, according to federal data. That group, which includes, Native American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and biracial students, accounted for 35% of students on those campuses in 2021, up from 27% in 2010.The end of affirmative action in higher education in California, Michigan, Washington state and elsewhere led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0">a steep drop in minority enrollment in the states’ leading public universities</a>.They are among nine states that already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities. The others are: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.A poll last month by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;showed 63% of U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions. A Pew Research Center survey released last week found that half of Americans disapprove of considerations of applicants’ race, while a third approve.The chief justice and Jackson received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, went to law school there, and Kagan was the first woman to serve as the law school’s dean.Every U.S. college and university the justices attended, save one, urged the court to preserve race-conscious admissions.Those schools — Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Notre Dame and Holy Cross — joined briefs in defense of Harvard’s and UNC’s admissions plans.Only Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s undergraduate alma mater, Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tennessee, was not involved in the cases.

🎥Biden: Court's affirmative action decision not the last word

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 30-year-old Kurel Hayes of Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Just after 10:3o p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 500 block of N. Gordon in Wichita, according to Gupilan.

First responders located Kurel who had a single gunshot wound to his upper torso area. Fire and EMS began rendering medical aid and he was transported to a local area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

This was not a random incident, and it is believed that the suspect of this violent crime is known to Kurel. Investigators were actively working on the case Thursday afternoon and following up on leads and gathering additional facts. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688070724017.png" alt="Police the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 30-year-old Kurel Hayes of Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Just after 10:3o p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 500 block of N. Gordon in Wichita, according to Gupilan.First responders located Kurel who had a single gunshot wound to his upper torso area. Fire and EMS began rendering medical aid and he was transported to a local area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.This was not a random incident, and it is believed that the suspect of this violent crime is known to Kurel. Investigators were actively working on the case Thursday afternoon and following up on leads and gathering additional facts. Police released no additional details.

Police: Victim in Kansas shooting knew his killer

OLATHE —Governor Laura Kelly joined federal, state, and local leaders on Thursday to break ground on a new 72-bed mental health inpatient hospital in&nbsp;Olathe, Kansas, jointly operated by KVC Health Systems and Children’s Mercy Hospital, according to a media release from the governor's office.

The mental wellness campus will have the capacity to care for more than 3,400 patients annually and will create approximately 150 new jobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The $53 million project is supported by a $12.725 million grant from the State of Kansas Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee, which distributed federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The need to strengthen mental health services is a nonpartisan issue that affects all Kansans, rural and urban alike—and addressing the need pays dividends for everyone,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “A lack of psychiatric beds has been one of the largest barriers to providing mental health care in our state. When completed, this state-of-the-art hospital will take significant pressure off our health care systems.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are really enthusiastic about the options this project is going to bring to the&nbsp;Olathe&nbsp;community and surrounding region to increase the treatment capacity for those in need of mental health beds,”&nbsp;KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;“This facility will allow more children and adults to get the inpatient psychiatric care they need and positively impacts our continued efforts as a state to improve mental health in Kansas.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

The joint venture between KVC and Children’s Mercy Hospital will create an additional 48 pediatric beds and 24 adult beds. It will also create six private courtyards, walking paths, and dining and activity spaces. The design and healing environment prioritize staff and patient safety, supportive care and treatment spaces, patient wellness, and connection with nature.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We feel a sense of urgency to partner in new, transformative ways to expand help for children and adults experiencing acute mental health crises,”&nbsp;said Jason Hooper, KVC Health Systems President and CEO.&nbsp;“It’s been absolutely inspiring to see so many steps forward, including Children’s Mercy as our JV collaborator and the Sunderland Foundation and the State of Kansas as lead supporters. Mental health deserves our urgent action, and we want the community to know that there is hope and help for anyone who is hurting.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Our country is facing a mental health crisis. This collaboration demonstrates our joint commitment to providing resources and creating greater capacity across Kansas and Missouri to serve children requiring more complex care,”&nbsp;said Paul Kempinski, Children’s Mercy President and CEO.&nbsp;“We continue to see an increasing need for these services each year. In 2022 alone, Children’s Mercy provided care to nearly 3,000 children in our emergency department with acute mental health needs. This new hospital will take a significant strain off area emergency departments that are not well-suited to facilitate care for patients in mental health crisis by increasing access to acute inpatient care designed specifically for their needs.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688120844603.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE —Governor Laura Kelly joined federal, state, and local leaders on Thursday to break ground on a new 72-bed mental health inpatient hospital in&nbsp;Olathe, Kansas, jointly operated by KVC Health Systems and Children’s Mercy Hospital, according to a media release from the governor's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688080746986.png" alt="&nbsp;The mental wellness campus will have the capacity to care for more than 3,400 patients annually and will create approximately 150 new jobs-courtesy photos " />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;The mental wellness campus will have the capacity to care for more than 3,400 patients annually and will create approximately 150 new jobs-courtesy photos </figcaption>
 </figure>The mental wellness campus will have the capacity to care for more than 3,400 patients annually and will create approximately 150 new jobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688120844603.png" alt="Photo courtesy Children's Mercy" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Children's Mercy</figcaption>
 </figure>The $53 million project is supported by a $12.725 million grant from the State of Kansas Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee, which distributed federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688080726391.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“The need to strengthen mental health services is a nonpartisan issue that affects all Kansans, rural and urban alike—and addressing the need pays dividends for everyone,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “A lack of psychiatric beds has been one of the largest barriers to providing mental health care in our state. When completed, this state-of-the-art hospital will take significant pressure off our health care systems.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“We are really enthusiastic about the options this project is going to bring to the&nbsp;Olathe&nbsp;community and surrounding region to increase the treatment capacity for those in need of mental health beds,”&nbsp;KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;“This facility will allow more children and adults to get the inpatient psychiatric care they need and positively impacts our continued efforts as a state to improve mental health in Kansas.” &nbsp;&nbsp;The joint venture between KVC and Children’s Mercy Hospital will create an additional 48 pediatric beds and 24 adult beds. It will also create six private courtyards, walking paths, and dining and activity spaces. The design and healing environment prioritize staff and patient safety, supportive care and treatment spaces, patient wellness, and connection with nature.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We feel a sense of urgency to partner in new, transformative ways to expand help for children and adults experiencing acute mental health crises,”&nbsp;said Jason Hooper, KVC Health Systems President and CEO.&nbsp;“It’s been absolutely inspiring to see so many steps forward, including Children’s Mercy as our JV collaborator and the Sunderland Foundation and the State of Kansas as lead supporters. Mental health deserves our urgent action, and we want the community to know that there is hope and help for anyone who is hurting.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our country is facing a mental health crisis. This collaboration demonstrates our joint commitment to providing resources and creating greater capacity across Kansas and Missouri to serve children requiring more complex care,”&nbsp;said Paul Kempinski, Children’s Mercy President and CEO.&nbsp;“We continue to see an increasing need for these services each year. In 2022 alone, Children’s Mercy provided care to nearly 3,000 children in our emergency department with acute mental health needs. This new hospital will take a significant strain off area emergency departments that are not well-suited to facilitate care for patients in mental health crisis by increasing access to acute inpatient care designed specifically for their needs.”&nbsp;