SALINE COUNTY —Oskar, a new male African lion has completed his 30-day quarantine and is joining the pride’s nine-year-old female sisters, Zalika and Kamali at Rolling Hills Zoo.

 Initially the male and females will be kept separate as they get to know one another. During the first few days Oskar will be adjusting to his new home. 

 It may take time before he is comfortable leaving his sleeping quarters, so we ask our guests to be patient and kind with him. Once he is ready, you will find him in the day room while the females are outside, rotating daily to allow each time outside while they get to know each other. 

This “dating” process will take time, but once the keepers feel comfortable with putting them together, they will do so.  At birth Oskar was really shy, but once he came out of his shell he became very playful and confident. 

After making the move to Rolling Hills Zoo, Oskar is still a little hesitant of new things and is taking his time to check out his environment and warming up to new people. 

 Born at the Denver Zoo in 2020, Oskar was one of two in his litter. His mother, Kamara, and father, Tobias, along with his sister, Araali, still reside at the Denver Zoo. There, his pride consisted of seven lions, four females and three males. 

His half-brother, Tatu (both offspring of Tobias), recently made the move to the Topeka Zoo.       At three years of age, Oskar is just reaching sexual maturity and unlikely to breed until the age of four or five. His favorite enrichment items include phone books, zoo Kongs and scents. 

“Oskar really enjoys shredding paper and cardboard boxes, and loves rhino hay, rolling around in it and getting all stinky,” according to Siarra Abker, RHZ Vet Tech. “Motivated by food, Oskar is eager to train and happy to do anything his keepers ask.”“While still trying to prove he is a big tough lion to everyone, as well as himself, Oskar is a sweetheart and enjoys spending time with his keepers, but only on his terms,” shared Abker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685058982325.jpeg" alt="Oskar, the new male African lion at Pride of the Prairie. Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Oskar, the new male African lion at Pride of the Prairie. Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Oskar, a new male African lion has completed his 30-day quarantine and is joining the pride’s nine-year-old female sisters, Zalika and Kamali at Rolling Hills Zoo. Initially the male and females will be kept separate as they get to know one another. During the first few days Oskar will be adjusting to his new home. It may take time before he is comfortable leaving his sleeping quarters, so we ask our guests to be patient and kind with him. Once he is ready, you will find him in the day room while the females are outside, rotating daily to allow each time outside while they get to know each other. This “dating” process will take time, but once the keepers feel comfortable with putting them together, they will do so. At birth Oskar was really shy, but once he came out of his shell he became very playful and confident. After making the move to Rolling Hills Zoo, Oskar is still a little hesitant of new things and is taking his time to check out his environment and warming up to new people. Born at the Denver Zoo in 2020, Oskar was one of two in his litter. His mother, Kamara, and father, Tobias, along with his sister, Araali, still reside at the Denver Zoo. There, his pride consisted of seven lions, four females and three males. His half-brother, Tatu (both offspring of Tobias), recently made the move to the Topeka Zoo. At three years of age, Oskar is just reaching sexual maturity and unlikely to breed until the age of four or five. His favorite enrichment items include phone books, zoo Kongs and scents. “Oskar really enjoys shredding paper and cardboard boxes, and loves rhino hay, rolling around in it and getting all stinky,” according to Siarra Abker, RHZ Vet Tech. “Motivated by food, Oskar is eager to train and happy to do anything his keepers ask.”“While still trying to prove he is a big tough lion to everyone, as well as himself, Oskar is a sweetheart and enjoys spending time with his keepers, but only on his terms,” shared Abker.

New male African lion arrives at Kansas zoo

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a gunfight near a bar early on Mother's Day that sent a victim to the hospital and have made an additional arresdt.

On Thursday the sheriff's office reported the arrest&nbsp; of 31-year-old Brandon M. Gehrke of Topeka.&nbsp; He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just after 2:15a.m. May 14, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of multiple gunshots in the parking lot of Victoria’s Bar, 5011 SW Topeka Boulevard.

When law enforcement arrived, it was discovered that a 41-year-old man&nbsp; had engaged in a verbal altercation in the parking lot with a group of individuals associated with the Hell’s Lovers Motorcycle Club. Several shots were fired.&nbsp;

During the shooting, a vehicle that was arriving at the business to pick up an employee of the business was also fired upon. The driver of the vehicle, a 35-year-old man, was struck multiple times by gunfire, but managed to flee the scene. The vehicle was located a short time later in the 4500 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. The driver was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released.

In addition, at the time of the shooting, a separate individual that had not been inside the bar and not involved in the original altercation, was sitting in his vehicle in the business parking lot when the shooting began. That individual then exited his vehicle with a firearm and also began shooting at the vehicle that was ultimately located by law enforcement in the 4500 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. That individual was also taken into custody on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm.

On Wednesday, the sheriff's office reported four arrests.

Leon D. Smith-Love I., 28, of Topeka, is being held for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm.

Kathryn R. Hazelwood, 26, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Charles D. Wheat, 42, of Topeka, is in custody on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm.

Jason M. Blenden Sr., 49, of Topeka, was booked in on an arrest warrant and could face additional charges.

On Thursday the sheriff's office reported the arrest of Storm M. Morgan, 30, of Meriden, on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm.

Shawn M. Ray, 39, of Topeka, is in custody on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault and interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685030687572.png" alt="Gehrke-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Gehrke-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a gunfight near a bar early on Mother's Day that sent a victim to the hospital and have made an additional arresdt.On Thursday the sheriff's office reported the arrest&nbsp; of 31-year-old Brandon M. Gehrke of Topeka.&nbsp; He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358381569.png" alt="Blenden-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Blenden-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 2:15a.m. May 14, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of multiple gunshots in the parking lot of Victoria’s Bar, 5011 SW Topeka Boulevard.When law enforcement arrived, it was discovered that a 41-year-old man&nbsp; had engaged in a verbal altercation in the parking lot with a group of individuals associated with the Hell’s Lovers Motorcycle Club. Several shots were fired.&nbsp;During the shooting, a vehicle that was arriving at the business to pick up an employee of the business was also fired upon. The driver of the vehicle, a 35-year-old man, was struck multiple times by gunfire, but managed to flee the scene. The vehicle was located a short time later in the 4500 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. The driver was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released.In addition, at the time of the shooting, a separate individual that had not been inside the bar and not involved in the original altercation, was sitting in his vehicle in the business parking lot when the shooting began. That individual then exited his vehicle with a firearm and also began shooting at the vehicle that was ultimately located by law enforcement in the 4500 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. That individual was also taken into custody on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358461475.png" alt="Smith-Love-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith-Love-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, the sheriff's office reported four arrests.Leon D. Smith-Love I., 28, of Topeka, is being held for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358501058.png" alt="Hazelwood-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hazelwood-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kathryn R. Hazelwood, 26, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358303852.png" alt="Wheat-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wheat-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Charles D. Wheat, 42, of Topeka, is in custody on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm.Jason M. Blenden Sr., 49, of Topeka, was booked in on an arrest warrant and could face additional charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684428008780.png" alt="Morgan-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Morgan-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday the sheriff's office reported the arrest of Storm M. Morgan, 30, of Meriden, on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684428093932.png" alt="Ray-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ray-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Shawn M. Ray, 39, of Topeka, is in custody on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault and interference with law enforcement.

Another arrest in motorcycle club gun fight at Kansas bar

DICKINSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations in connection with arson and theft.

Just before 5:30a.m. Wednesday, police and fire crews responded to a house fire in the 300 block of NE Eighth Street in Abilene, according to a media release.

Moments later, police and fire were dispatched to a second house fire in the 500 block of SE Sixth Street in Abilene. Investigators have determined both fires were intentionally set.

Just before 6a.m. that same morning deputies responded to a burglary at Liberty Store, 601 S. Buckeye Avenue.

Officers determined the two fires and burglary were connected and committed by the same suspect. Just before 8a.m., officer located and arrested 25-year-old&nbsp;Dai’Reese M. Gelinas of Abilene a home in the 100 block of S. Cedar Street.

He is being held on requested charges of aggravated arson, burglary, theft, criminal threat and criminal damage to property.

 The fires caused. approximately $100,000 in damage. The burglary loss is estimated in excess of $500. The Kansas Highway Patrol and State Fire Marshal assisted with the investigation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685049172807.png" alt="Gelinas-photo&nbsp; Dickinson Co." />
 <figcaption>Gelinas-photo&nbsp; Dickinson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations in connection with arson and theft.Just before 5:30a.m. Wednesday, police and fire crews responded to a house fire in the 300 block of NE Eighth Street in Abilene, according to a media release.Moments later, police and fire were dispatched to a second house fire in the 500 block of SE Sixth Street in Abilene. Investigators have determined both fires were intentionally set.Just before 6a.m. that same morning deputies responded to a burglary at Liberty Store, 601 S. Buckeye Avenue.Officers determined the two fires and burglary were connected and committed by the same suspect. Just before 8a.m., officer located and arrested 25-year-old&nbsp;Dai’Reese M. Gelinas of Abilene a home in the 100 block of S. Cedar Street.He is being held on requested charges of aggravated arson, burglary, theft, criminal threat and criminal damage to property. The fires caused. approximately $100,000 in damage. The burglary loss is estimated in excess of $500. The Kansas Highway Patrol and State Fire Marshal assisted with the investigation.&nbsp;

Kansas man accused of $100,000 arson fire, burglary

BOSTON (AP) — State-backed Chinese hackers have been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises, Microsoft said Wednesday.

The targets include sites in Guam, where the U.S. has a major military presence, the company said.

Hostile activity in cyberspace — from espionage to the advanced positioning of malware for potential future attacks — has become a hallmark of modern geopolitical rivalry.

Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/05/24/volt-typhoon-targets-us-critical-infrastructure-with-living-off-the-land-techniques/">said in a blog post</a>&nbsp;that the state-sponsored group of hackers, which it calls Volt Typhoon, has been active since mid-2021. It said organizations affected by the hacking — which seeks persistent access — are in the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, information technology and education sectors.

Separately, the National Security Agency, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and their counterparts from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Britain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-144a">published a joint advisory</a>&nbsp;sharing technical details on “the recently discovered cluster of activity.”

A Microsoft spokesman would not say why the software giant was making the announcement now or whether it had recently seen an uptick in targeting of critical infrastructure in Guam or at adjacent U.S. military facilities there, which include a major air base.

John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google's Mandiant cybersecurity intelligence operation, called Microsoft's announcement “potentially a really important finding."

“We don’t see a lot of this sort of probing from China. It’s rare,” Hultquist said. “We know a lot about Russian and North Korean and Iranian cyber-capabilities because they have regularly done this.” China has generally withheld use of the kinds of tools that could be used to seed, not just intelligence-gathering capabilities, but also malware for disruptive attacks in an armed conflict, he added.

Microsoft said the intrusion campaign placed a “strong emphasis on stealth” and sought to blend into normal network activity by hacking small-office network equipment, including routers. It said the intruders gained initial access through internet-facing Fortiguard devices, which are engineered to use machine-learning to detect malware.

The maker of Fortiguard devuces, Fortinet, did not immediately respond to an email seeking further details.

“For years, China has conducted aggressive cyber operations to steal intellectual property and sensitive data from organizations around the globe,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly, urging mitigation of affected networks to prevent possible disruption. Bryan Vorndran, the FBI cyber division assistant director, called the intrusions “unacceptable tactics” in the same statement.

Tensions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-us-relations-ambassador-b599541d7af42fff9fa2783030c7c824">between Washington and Beijing</a>&nbsp;— which the U.S. national security establishment considers its main military, economic and strategic rival — have been on the rise in recent months.

Those tensions spiked last year after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-beijing-congress-8857910a1e44cefa70bc4dfd184ef880">visit to democratically governed Taiwan</a>, leading China, which claims the island as its territory, to launch military exercises around Taiwan.

U.S.-China relations became further strained earlier this year after the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-district-of-columbia-wang-yi-china-beijing-0f726ea0cd24731658412da3cae9adbf">shot down a Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;that had crossed the United States.

BOSTON (AP) — State-backed Chinese hackers have been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises, Microsoft said Wednesday.The targets include sites in Guam, where the U.S. has a major military presence, the company said.Hostile activity in cyberspace — from espionage to the advanced positioning of malware for potential future attacks — has become a hallmark of modern geopolitical rivalry.Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/05/24/volt-typhoon-targets-us-critical-infrastructure-with-living-off-the-land-techniques/">said in a blog post</a>&nbsp;that the state-sponsored group of hackers, which it calls Volt Typhoon, has been active since mid-2021. It said organizations affected by the hacking — which seeks persistent access — are in the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, information technology and education sectors.Separately, the National Security Agency, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and their counterparts from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Britain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-144a">published a joint advisory</a>&nbsp;sharing technical details on “the recently discovered cluster of activity.”A Microsoft spokesman would not say why the software giant was making the announcement now or whether it had recently seen an uptick in targeting of critical infrastructure in Guam or at adjacent U.S. military facilities there, which include a major air base.John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google's Mandiant cybersecurity intelligence operation, called Microsoft's announcement “potentially a really important finding."“We don’t see a lot of this sort of probing from China. It’s rare,” Hultquist said. “We know a lot about Russian and North Korean and Iranian cyber-capabilities because they have regularly done this.” China has generally withheld use of the kinds of tools that could be used to seed, not just intelligence-gathering capabilities, but also malware for disruptive attacks in an armed conflict, he added.Microsoft said the intrusion campaign placed a “strong emphasis on stealth” and sought to blend into normal network activity by hacking small-office network equipment, including routers. It said the intruders gained initial access through internet-facing Fortiguard devices, which are engineered to use machine-learning to detect malware.The maker of Fortiguard devuces, Fortinet, did not immediately respond to an email seeking further details.“For years, China has conducted aggressive cyber operations to steal intellectual property and sensitive data from organizations around the globe,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly, urging mitigation of affected networks to prevent possible disruption. Bryan Vorndran, the FBI cyber division assistant director, called the intrusions “unacceptable tactics” in the same statement.Tensions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-us-relations-ambassador-b599541d7af42fff9fa2783030c7c824">between Washington and Beijing</a>&nbsp;— which the U.S. national security establishment considers its main military, economic and strategic rival — have been on the rise in recent months.Those tensions spiked last year after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-beijing-congress-8857910a1e44cefa70bc4dfd184ef880">visit to democratically governed Taiwan</a>, leading China, which claims the island as its territory, to launch military exercises around Taiwan.U.S.-China relations became further strained earlier this year after the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-district-of-columbia-wang-yi-china-beijing-0f726ea0cd24731658412da3cae9adbf">shot down a Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;that had crossed the United States.

Microsoft: Chinese hackers could be laying groundwork for disruption

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit-and-run accident and have identified the victim as&nbsp;Darryl L. Coleman, 63, of Topeka.

Just after 10p.m. Wednesday, were dispatched to the area of SW 21st Street and SW Seabrook Avenue on a report of a dark colored passenger struck a pedestrian later identified as Coleman and fled, according to Police Kerry Connell

Coleman was transported to a local area hospital with life threatening injuries and died. Police released no additional details

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit-and-run accident and have identified the victim as&nbsp;Darryl L. Coleman, 63, of Topeka.Just after 10p.m. Wednesday, were dispatched to the area of SW 21st Street and SW Seabrook Avenue on a report of a dark colored passenger struck a pedestrian later identified as Coleman and fled, according to Police Kerry ConnellColeman was transported to a local area hospital with life threatening injuries and died. Police released no additional details

Hit-and-run: Kansas man struck by vehicle has died

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday sharply&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-454_4g15.pdf">limited the federal government's authority to police water pollution</a>&nbsp;into certain wetlands, the second decision in as many years in which a conservative majority narrowed the reach of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-arizona-state-government-donald-trump-8d46b14c20cb0effcb52ace48220dcce">environmental regulations</a>.

The outcome could threaten efforts to control flooding on the Mississippi River and protect the Chesapeake Bay, among many projects, wrote Justice Brett Kavanaugh, breaking with the other five conservatives.

The justices boosted property rights over concerns about clean water in a ruling in favor of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-environment-lakes-pollution-water-pollution-31034c1d9df1a63cc0841b29ac7a3fe1">Idaho couple</a>&nbsp;who sought to build a house near Priest Lake in the state’s panhandle. Chantell and Michael Sackett objected when federal officials identified a soggy portion of the property as a wetlands that required them to get a permit before filling it with rocks and soil.

By a 5-4 vote, the court said in an opinion by Justice Samuel Alito that wetlands can only be regulated under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act">Clean Water Act</a>&nbsp;if they have a “continuous surface connection” to larger, regulated bodies of water. There is no such connection on the Sacketts’ property.

The court jettisoned the 17-year-old opinion by their former colleague, Anthony Kennedy, allowing regulation of what can be discharged into wetlands that could affect the health of the larger waterways.

Kennedy's opinion covering wetlands that have a “significant nexus” to larger bodies of water had been the standard for evaluating whether permits were required for discharges under the 1972 landmark environmental law. Opponents had objected that the standard was vague and unworkable.

Kansas First District Rep. Tracey Mann also praised the decision. In a statement from his office Mann wrote, " The U.S. Supreme Court decision is a big win for farmers, ranchers, and producers. This ruling will protect landowners' rights and limit government overreach under President Biden's Waters of the U.S. rule."

Environmental advocates said the new standard would strip protections from millions of acres of the wetlands across the country.

Reacting to the decision, Manish Bapna, the chief executive of the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, called on Congress to amend the Clean Water Act to restore wetlands protections and on states to strengthen their own laws.

“The Supreme Court ripped the heart out of the law we depend on to protect American waters and wetlands. The majority chose to protect polluters at the expense of healthy wetlands and waterways. This decision will cause incalculable harm. Communities across the country will pay the price,” Bapna said in a statement.

The outcome almost certainly will affect ongoing court battles over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-arizona-state-government-donald-trump-8d46b14c20cb0effcb52ace48220dcce">new wetlands regulations</a>&nbsp;that the Biden administration put in place in December. Two federal judges have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clean-water-act-epa-wotus-89ec06b09016564b0d721a6de9a9efb0">temporarily blocked those rules</a>&nbsp;from being enforced in 26 states.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a state that the Clean Water Act has been responsible for “transformational progress” in cleaning up the nation's waterways. “I am disappointed by today’s Supreme Court decision that erodes longstanding clean water protections,” Regan said in a statement.

Damien Schiff, who represented the Sacketts at the Supreme Court, said the decision appropriately narrowed the reach of the law. “Courts now have a clear measuring stick for fairness and consistency by federal regulators. Today’s ruling is a profound win for property rights and the constitutional separation of powers,” Schiff said in a statement issued by the property rights-focused Pacific Legal Foundation.

In Thursday's ruling, all nine justices agreed that the wetlands on the Sacketts’ property are not covered by the act.

But only five justices joined in the opinion that imposed a new test for evaluating when wetlands are covered by the Clean Water Act. Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Clarence Thomas and Alito would have adopted the narrower standard in 2006, in the last big wetlands case at the Supreme Court. They were joined Thursday by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.

Kavanaugh and the court’s three liberal justices charged that their colleagues had rewritten that law.

Kavanaugh wrote that the court’s “new and overly narrow test may leave long-regulated and long-accepted-to-be regulable wetlands suddenly beyond the scope of the agencies’ regulatory authority.”

Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the majority’s rewriting of the act was “an effort to cabin the anti-pollution actions Congress thought appropriate.” Kagan referenced last year's decision limiting the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

In both cases, she noted, the court had appointed “itself as the national decision-maker on environmental policy.” Kagan was joined in what she wrote by her liberal colleagues Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

The Sacketts paid $23,000 for a 0.63-acre lot near Priest Lake in 2005 and started building a three-bedroom home two years later.

They had filled part of the property, described in an appellate ruling as a “soggy residential lot,” with rocks and soil in preparation for construction, when officials with the Environmental Protection Agency showed up and ordered a halt in the work.

They also won an earlier round in their legal fight at the Supreme Court.

The federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld the EPA’s determination in 2021, finding that part of the property, 300 feet from the lake and 30 feet from an unnamed waterway that flows into the lake, was wetlands.

The Sacketts’ own consultant had similarly advised them years ago that their property contained wetlands.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday sharply&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-454_4g15.pdf">limited the federal government's authority to police water pollution</a>&nbsp;into certain wetlands, the second decision in as many years in which a conservative majority narrowed the reach of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-arizona-state-government-donald-trump-8d46b14c20cb0effcb52ace48220dcce">environmental regulations</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Good news coming from the Supreme Court today rejecting the idea that a WOTUS can be every ditch, puddle, pond, and dry creek bed in America. Hopefully the EPA will heed this decision, and farmers and ranchers can have the predictability of regulations they deserve.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1661750001750642690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The outcome could threaten efforts to control flooding on the Mississippi River and protect the Chesapeake Bay, among many projects, wrote Justice Brett Kavanaugh, breaking with the other five conservatives.The justices boosted property rights over concerns about clean water in a ruling in favor of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-environment-lakes-pollution-water-pollution-31034c1d9df1a63cc0841b29ac7a3fe1">Idaho couple</a>&nbsp;who sought to build a house near Priest Lake in the state’s panhandle. Chantell and Michael Sackett objected when federal officials identified a soggy portion of the property as a wetlands that required them to get a permit before filling it with rocks and soil.By a 5-4 vote, the court said in an opinion by Justice Samuel Alito that wetlands can only be regulated under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act">Clean Water Act</a>&nbsp;if they have a “continuous surface connection” to larger, regulated bodies of water. There is no such connection on the Sacketts’ property.The court jettisoned the 17-year-old opinion by their former colleague, Anthony Kennedy, allowing regulation of what can be discharged into wetlands that could affect the health of the larger waterways.Kennedy's opinion covering wetlands that have a “significant nexus” to larger bodies of water had been the standard for evaluating whether permits were required for discharges under the 1972 landmark environmental law. Opponents had objected that the standard was vague and unworkable.Kansas First District Rep. Tracey Mann also praised the decision. In a statement from his office Mann wrote, " The U.S. Supreme Court decision is a big win for farmers, ranchers, and producers. This ruling will protect landowners' rights and limit government overreach under President Biden's Waters of the U.S. rule."Environmental advocates said the new standard would strip protections from millions of acres of the wetlands across the country.Reacting to the decision, Manish Bapna, the chief executive of the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, called on Congress to amend the Clean Water Act to restore wetlands protections and on states to strengthen their own laws.“The Supreme Court ripped the heart out of the law we depend on to protect American waters and wetlands. The majority chose to protect polluters at the expense of healthy wetlands and waterways. This decision will cause incalculable harm. Communities across the country will pay the price,” Bapna said in a statement.The outcome almost certainly will affect ongoing court battles over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-arizona-state-government-donald-trump-8d46b14c20cb0effcb52ace48220dcce">new wetlands regulations</a>&nbsp;that the Biden administration put in place in December. Two federal judges have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clean-water-act-epa-wotus-89ec06b09016564b0d721a6de9a9efb0">temporarily blocked those rules</a>&nbsp;from being enforced in 26 states.EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a state that the Clean Water Act has been responsible for “transformational progress” in cleaning up the nation's waterways. “I am disappointed by today’s Supreme Court decision that erodes longstanding clean water protections,” Regan said in a statement.Damien Schiff, who represented the Sacketts at the Supreme Court, said the decision appropriately narrowed the reach of the law. “Courts now have a clear measuring stick for fairness and consistency by federal regulators. Today’s ruling is a profound win for property rights and the constitutional separation of powers,” Schiff said in a statement issued by the property rights-focused Pacific Legal Foundation.In Thursday's ruling, all nine justices agreed that the wetlands on the Sacketts’ property are not covered by the act.But only five justices joined in the opinion that imposed a new test for evaluating when wetlands are covered by the Clean Water Act. Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Clarence Thomas and Alito would have adopted the narrower standard in 2006, in the last big wetlands case at the Supreme Court. They were joined Thursday by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.Kavanaugh and the court’s three liberal justices charged that their colleagues had rewritten that law.Kavanaugh wrote that the court’s “new and overly narrow test may leave long-regulated and long-accepted-to-be regulable wetlands suddenly beyond the scope of the agencies’ regulatory authority.”Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the majority’s rewriting of the act was “an effort to cabin the anti-pollution actions Congress thought appropriate.” Kagan referenced last year's decision limiting the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.In both cases, she noted, the court had appointed “itself as the national decision-maker on environmental policy.” Kagan was joined in what she wrote by her liberal colleagues Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.The Sacketts paid $23,000 for a 0.63-acre lot near Priest Lake in 2005 and started building a three-bedroom home two years later.They had filled part of the property, described in an appellate ruling as a “soggy residential lot,” with rocks and soil in preparation for construction, when officials with the Environmental Protection Agency showed up and ordered a halt in the work.They also won an earlier round in their legal fight at the Supreme Court.The federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld the EPA’s determination in 2021, finding that part of the property, 300 feet from the lake and 30 feet from an unnamed waterway that flows into the lake, was wetlands.The Sacketts’ own consultant had similarly advised them years ago that their property contained wetlands.

Kan. Senator praises Court ruling for landowner in wetlands dispute

WASHINGTON (AP) — The founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison for orchestrating a weekslong plot that culminated in his followers attacking the U.S. Capitol in a bid to keep President Joe Biden out of the White House after the 2020 election.

Stewart Rhodes is the first person charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack to be sentenced for seditious conspiracy, and his sentence is the longest that has been handed down so far in the hundreds of Capitol riot cases.

It’s another milestone for the Justice Department’s sprawling Jan. 6 investigation, which has led to seditious conspiracy convictions against the top leaders of two far-right extremist groups authorities say came to Washington prepared to fight to keep President Donald Trump in power at all costs.

Before handing down the sentence, the judge told a defiant Rhodes that he is a continued threat to the U.S., saying it’s clear Rhodes “wants democracy in this country to devolve into violence.”

“The moment you are released, whenever that may be, you will be ready to take up arms against your government,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said.

It was one of the most consequential cases brought by the Justice Department, which has sought to prove that the riot by right-wing extremists like the Oath Keepers was not a spur-of-the-moment protest but the culmination of weeks of plotting to overturn Biden’s election victory.

Prosecutors had sought 25 years for Rhodes, who they say was the architect of a plot to forcibly disrupt the transfer of presidential power that included “quick reaction force” teams at a Virginia hotel to ferry weapons into D.C. if they were needed. The weapons were never deployed.

In remarks shortly before the judge handed down the sentence, Rhodes slammed the prosecution as politically motivated, noted that he never went inside the Capitol and insisted he never told anyone else to do so.

“I’m a political prisoner and like President Trump my only crime is opposing those who are destroying our country,” Rhodes said.

In a first for a Jan. 6 case, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta agreed with prosecutors to apply enhanced penalties for “terrorism,” under the argument that the Oath Keepers sought to influence the government through “intimidation or coercion.” Judges in previous sentencings had shot down the Justice Department’s request for the so-called “terrorism enhancement” — which can lead to a longer prison term — but Mehta said it fits in Rhodes’ case.

Prosecutors argued that a lengthy sentence is necessary to deter future political violence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy pointed to interviews and speeches Rhodes has given from jail repeating the lie 2020 election was stolen and saying it would be again in 2024. In remarks just days ago, Rhodes called for “regime change,” the prosecutor said.

People “across the political spectrum” want to believe that Jan. 6 was an “outlier,” Rakoczy said. “Not defendant Rhodes.”

A lawyer for Rhodes, who plans to appeal his conviction, said prosecutors are unfairly trying to make Rhodes “the face” of January 6. Attorney Phillip Linder told the judge that Rhodes could have had many more Oath Keepers come to the Capitol “if he really wanted to” disrupt Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote.

“If you want to put a face on J6 (Jan. 6), you put it on Trump, right-wing media, politicians, all the people who spun that narrative,” Linder said.

Another Oath Keeper convicted alongside Rhodes in November — Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs — was expected to receive his sentence later Thursday.

Two other Oath Keepers, acquitted of the sedition charge but convicted of other offenses, will be sentenced Friday. And four other members found guilty of seditious conspiracy at a second trial in January are scheduled to be sentenced next week.

The convictions were a major blow for the Oath Keepers, which Rhodes founded in 2009 and grew into one of the largest far-right anti-government militia groups. Recruiting past and present members of the military and police officers, the group promotes the belief that the federal government is out to strip citizens of their civil liberties and paints its followers as defenders against tyranny.

Rhodes’ sentence may forecast what prosecutors will seek for former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy alongside other leaders of his far-right group this month for what prosecutors said was a separate plot to block the transfer of presidential power. The Proud Boys will be sentenced in August and September.

Rhodes, 58, and the other Oath Keepers said there was never any plan to attack the Capitol or stop Congress from certifying Biden’s victory. The defense tried to seize on the fact that none of the Oath Keepers’ messages laid out an explicit plan to storm the Capitol. But prosecutors said the Oath Keepers saw an opportunity to further their goal to stop the transfer of power and sprang into action when the mob began storming the building.

Messages, recordings and other evidence presented at trial show Rhodes and his followers growing increasingly enraged after the 2020 election at the prospect of a Biden presidency, which they viewed as a threat to the country and their way of life. In an encrypted chat two days after the election, Rhodes told his followers to prepare their “mind, body, spirit” for “civil war.”

In conference call days later, Rhodes urged his followers to let Trump know they were “willing to die” for the country. One Oath Keeper who was listening was so alarmed that he began recording the call and contacted the FBI, telling jurors “it sounded like we were going to war against the United States government.”

Another man testified that after the riot, Rhodes tried to persuade him to pass along a message to Trump that urged the president not to give up his fight to hold onto power. The intermediary — who told jurors he had an indirect way to reach the president — recorded his meeting with Rhodes and went to the FBI instead of giving the message to Trump. Rhodes told the man during that meeting that the Oath Keepers “should have brought rifles” on Jan. 6.

Before Thursday, the longest sentence in the more than 1,000 Capitol riot cases was 14 years for a man with a long criminal record who attacked police officers with pepper spray and a chair as he stormed the Capitol. Just over 500 of the defendants have been sentenced, with more than half receiving prison time and the remainder getting sentences such as probation or home detention.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669760612209.png" alt="-Rhodes from his Jan. 2022 arrest-photo Collin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Rhodes from his Jan. 2022 arrest-photo Collin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison for orchestrating a weekslong plot that culminated in his followers attacking the U.S. Capitol in a bid to keep President Joe Biden out of the White House after the 2020 election.Stewart Rhodes is the first person charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack to be sentenced for seditious conspiracy, and his sentence is the longest that has been handed down so far in the hundreds of Capitol riot cases.It’s another milestone for the Justice Department’s sprawling Jan. 6 investigation, which has led to seditious conspiracy convictions against the top leaders of two far-right extremist groups authorities say came to Washington prepared to fight to keep President Donald Trump in power at all costs.Before handing down the sentence, the judge told a defiant Rhodes that he is a continued threat to the U.S., saying it’s clear Rhodes “wants democracy in this country to devolve into violence.”“The moment you are released, whenever that may be, you will be ready to take up arms against your government,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said.It was one of the most consequential cases brought by the Justice Department, which has sought to prove that the riot by right-wing extremists like the Oath Keepers was not a spur-of-the-moment protest but the culmination of weeks of plotting to overturn Biden’s election victory.Prosecutors had sought 25 years for Rhodes, who they say was the architect of a plot to forcibly disrupt the transfer of presidential power that included “quick reaction force” teams at a Virginia hotel to ferry weapons into D.C. if they were needed. The weapons were never deployed.In remarks shortly before the judge handed down the sentence, Rhodes slammed the prosecution as politically motivated, noted that he never went inside the Capitol and insisted he never told anyone else to do so.“I’m a political prisoner and like President Trump my only crime is opposing those who are destroying our country,” Rhodes said.In a first for a Jan. 6 case, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta agreed with prosecutors to apply enhanced penalties for “terrorism,” under the argument that the Oath Keepers sought to influence the government through “intimidation or coercion.” Judges in previous sentencings had shot down the Justice Department’s request for the so-called “terrorism enhancement” — which can lead to a longer prison term — but Mehta said it fits in Rhodes’ case.Prosecutors argued that a lengthy sentence is necessary to deter future political violence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy pointed to interviews and speeches Rhodes has given from jail repeating the lie 2020 election was stolen and saying it would be again in 2024. In remarks just days ago, Rhodes called for “regime change,” the prosecutor said.People “across the political spectrum” want to believe that Jan. 6 was an “outlier,” Rakoczy said. “Not defendant Rhodes.”A lawyer for Rhodes, who plans to appeal his conviction, said prosecutors are unfairly trying to make Rhodes “the face” of January 6. Attorney Phillip Linder told the judge that Rhodes could have had many more Oath Keepers come to the Capitol “if he really wanted to” disrupt Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote.“If you want to put a face on J6 (Jan. 6), you put it on Trump, right-wing media, politicians, all the people who spun that narrative,” Linder said.Another Oath Keeper convicted alongside Rhodes in November — Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs — was expected to receive his sentence later Thursday.Two other Oath Keepers, acquitted of the sedition charge but convicted of other offenses, will be sentenced Friday. And four other members found guilty of seditious conspiracy at a second trial in January are scheduled to be sentenced next week.The convictions were a major blow for the Oath Keepers, which Rhodes founded in 2009 and grew into one of the largest far-right anti-government militia groups. Recruiting past and present members of the military and police officers, the group promotes the belief that the federal government is out to strip citizens of their civil liberties and paints its followers as defenders against tyranny.Rhodes’ sentence may forecast what prosecutors will seek for former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy alongside other leaders of his far-right group this month for what prosecutors said was a separate plot to block the transfer of presidential power. The Proud Boys will be sentenced in August and September.Rhodes, 58, and the other Oath Keepers said there was never any plan to attack the Capitol or stop Congress from certifying Biden’s victory. The defense tried to seize on the fact that none of the Oath Keepers’ messages laid out an explicit plan to storm the Capitol. But prosecutors said the Oath Keepers saw an opportunity to further their goal to stop the transfer of power and sprang into action when the mob began storming the building.Messages, recordings and other evidence presented at trial show Rhodes and his followers growing increasingly enraged after the 2020 election at the prospect of a Biden presidency, which they viewed as a threat to the country and their way of life. In an encrypted chat two days after the election, Rhodes told his followers to prepare their “mind, body, spirit” for “civil war.”In conference call days later, Rhodes urged his followers to let Trump know they were “willing to die” for the country. One Oath Keeper who was listening was so alarmed that he began recording the call and contacted the FBI, telling jurors “it sounded like we were going to war against the United States government.”Another man testified that after the riot, Rhodes tried to persuade him to pass along a message to Trump that urged the president not to give up his fight to hold onto power. The intermediary — who told jurors he had an indirect way to reach the president — recorded his meeting with Rhodes and went to the FBI instead of giving the message to Trump. Rhodes told the man during that meeting that the Oath Keepers “should have brought rifles” on Jan. 6.Before Thursday, the longest sentence in the more than 1,000 Capitol riot cases was 14 years for a man with a long criminal record who attacked police officers with pepper spray and a chair as he stormed the Capitol. Just over 500 of the defendants have been sentenced, with more than half receiving prison time and the remainder getting sentences such as probation or home detention.

Oath Keepers boss sentenced for Jan. 6 riot; ongoing threat

By BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN - Just after 10am on Thursday morning, Manhattan Fire Department was called out to 1006 Pottawatomie Court on the report of a structure fire.

Upon arrival fire crews found a duplex with smoke coming from the building. After searching the house, the fire was contained within 10 minutes.

The occupant was not home at the time of the fire.&nbsp;

One cat was rescued from the fire and received treatment for smoke inhalation by Manhattan Fire Department firefighters and Riley County EMS personnel.

The residence is a single story duplex, with damage from the fire and smoke estimated at $20,000 to the contents of the home and $15,000 to the sturcture.

The owner of the property is listed as Housing Authority City of Manhattan. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685032438166.jpeg" alt="RCEMS and MFD treat cat rescued from house fire in Manhattan -photo Manhattan Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>RCEMS and MFD treat cat rescued from house fire in Manhattan -photo Manhattan Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostMANHATTAN - Just after 10am on Thursday morning, Manhattan Fire Department was called out to 1006 Pottawatomie Court on the report of a structure fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685032757508.jpeg" alt="Firefighters at structure fire at 1006 Pottawatomie Ct, photo by Becky Goff" />
 <figcaption>Firefighters at structure fire at 1006 Pottawatomie Ct, photo by Becky Goff</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon arrival fire crews found a duplex with smoke coming from the building. After searching the house, the fire was contained within 10 minutes.The occupant was not home at the time of the fire.&nbsp;One cat was rescued from the fire and received treatment for smoke inhalation by Manhattan Fire Department firefighters and Riley County EMS personnel.The residence is a single story duplex, with damage from the fire and smoke estimated at $20,000 to the contents of the home and $15,000 to the sturcture.<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/qUlvOuL5-60zMcgvZ.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Fire On Pott Ct 1" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>The owner of the property is listed as Housing Authority City of Manhattan. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

🎥 Firefighters rescue cat in Kansas duplex fire 

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) – ranking member and chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – announced their bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.veterans.senate.gov/services/files/734257CE-3EA1-4288-B18A-0516B756AA1D" target="_blank">Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2023</a>&nbsp;passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law, according to a media release from Moran's office.

This legislation will increase compensation benefits for veterans with service-connected disabilities and military survivors under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“We have a responsibility to take care of our veterans and their families, many of whom rely on the VA for financial support,”&nbsp;said Ranking Member Moran. “Ensuring their benefits keep pace with rising costs and inflation will help provide disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses and children with some peace of mind and provide them the stability they deserve. I appreciate my colleagues working to pass this legislation, and I look forward to it being signed into law.” “We’re at the finish line when it comes to delivering a cost of living increase for the 30,000 disabled veterans and survivors in my home state of Montana, giving these folks—and millions more across the country—a little peace of mind as they struggle to keep pace with rising costs,”&nbsp;said Chairman Tester.&nbsp;“Our veterans put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, and they deserve certainty when it comes to providing for their families. On behalf of these brave men and women, I urge the President to sign our bipartisan bill into law without delay.”

The senators’&nbsp;Veterans’ COLA Act&nbsp;would increase certain VA benefits including disability compensation, clothing allowances and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children to reflect increases in the cost of living. It will directly benefit millions of disabled veterans and military survivors nationwide. The cost-of-living adjustment will be determined by the annual COLA adjustment to social security benefits, as determined by the Social Security Administration, and would go into effect December 1, 2023. The Social Security Administration bases their annual COLA adjustment on the Consumer Price Index, as determined each December by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The&nbsp;Veterans’ COLA Act&nbsp;is supported by the nation’s leading veterans and survivor groups, including The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, Gold Star Wives, TAPS, Wounded Warrior Project, Military Officers Association of America and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661736234251.png" alt="Senator Moran with troops at Fort Riley in August-file phoeo" />
 <figcaption>Senator Moran with troops at Fort Riley in August-file phoeo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) – ranking member and chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – announced their bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.veterans.senate.gov/services/files/734257CE-3EA1-4288-B18A-0516B756AA1D" target="_blank">Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2023</a>&nbsp;passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law, according to a media release from Moran's office.This legislation will increase compensation benefits for veterans with service-connected disabilities and military survivors under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).“We have a responsibility to take care of our veterans and their families, many of whom rely on the VA for financial support,”&nbsp;said Ranking Member Moran. “Ensuring their benefits keep pace with rising costs and inflation will help provide disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses and children with some peace of mind and provide them the stability they deserve. I appreciate my colleagues working to pass this legislation, and I look forward to it being signed into law.” “We’re at the finish line when it comes to delivering a cost of living increase for the 30,000 disabled veterans and survivors in my home state of Montana, giving these folks—and millions more across the country—a little peace of mind as they struggle to keep pace with rising costs,”&nbsp;said Chairman Tester.&nbsp;“Our veterans put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, and they deserve certainty when it comes to providing for their families. On behalf of these brave men and women, I urge the President to sign our bipartisan bill into law without delay.” The senators’&nbsp;Veterans’ COLA Act&nbsp;would increase certain VA benefits including disability compensation, clothing allowances and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children to reflect increases in the cost of living. It will directly benefit millions of disabled veterans and military survivors nationwide. The cost-of-living adjustment will be determined by the annual COLA adjustment to social security benefits, as determined by the Social Security Administration, and would go into effect December 1, 2023. The Social Security Administration bases their annual COLA adjustment on the Consumer Price Index, as determined each December by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The&nbsp;Veterans’ COLA Act&nbsp;is supported by the nation’s leading veterans and survivor groups, including The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, Gold Star Wives, TAPS, Wounded Warrior Project, Military Officers Association of America and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Moran's bill on cost-of-living increase for vets heads to President’s desk

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide have made an arrest.

Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a shooting in the 3000 block of East 79th&nbsp;St. South for a shooting call, according to Sheriff's spokesperson Robin Busch.

First responders found 20-year-old Armando Garcia from Wichita with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Deputies assisted with lifesaving efforts until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported him to an area hospital.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at 01:17a.m., according to Busch.

Sheriff’s Detectives investigated the incident and booked 21-year-old Isac Monjaras from Haysville, on a requested charge of Involuntary Manslaughter.

Detectives do not believe this incident to be gang-related. Alcohol may have been a contributing factor. This case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684958431122.png" alt="Monjaras-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Monjaras-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide have made an arrest.Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a shooting in the 3000 block of East 79th&nbsp;St. South for a shooting call, according to Sheriff's spokesperson Robin Busch.First responders found 20-year-old Armando Garcia from Wichita with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.Deputies assisted with lifesaving efforts until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported him to an area hospital.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at 01:17a.m., according to Busch.Sheriff’s Detectives investigated the incident and booked 21-year-old Isac Monjaras from Haysville, on a requested charge of Involuntary Manslaughter.Detectives do not believe this incident to be gang-related. Alcohol may have been a contributing factor. This case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff: Alcohol a possible factor in Kan. man's shooting death

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-biden-mccarthy-default-negotiations-cb0646c6301f1df97211896897df3723">debt ceiling talks</a>&nbsp;to the brink, displaying risky political bravado as they prepare to leave town Thursday for the holiday weekend just days before the U.S. could face an unprecedented default that could hurl the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-congress-world-economy-recession-biden-52df635e9b89f4b1677176fc8d59eff0">global economy into chaos</a>.

A defiant House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the debt ceiling standoff was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-congress-mccarthy-biden-budget-850273c73ed40f4ad002fa24e50f9b40">“not my fault”</a>&nbsp;as Republican negotiators and the White House failed to finish out talks. He warned they need more time to try to reach a budget-slashing deal with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.

But it's clear the Republican speaker — who leads a Trump-aligned party whose hard-right flank lifted him to power — is now staring down a potential crisis.

Lawmakers are tentatively not expected back at work until Tuesday, just two days from June 1, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said the U.S. could start running out of cash to pay its bills and face a potentially catastrophic default.

Fitch Ratings agency placed the United States’ AAA credit on “ratings watch negative,” warning of a possible downgrade because of what it called the brinkmanship and political partisanship surrounding the debate over lifting the debt ceiling.

"This is a battle between extremism and common sense,” said Democratic Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the minority whip.

The Republicans, she said, "want the American people to make an impossible choice: devastating cuts or devastating debt default.”

Weeks of negotiations between Republicans and the White House have failed to produce a deal — in part because the Biden administration never expected to be having to negotiate with McCarthy over the debt limit, arguing it should not be used as leverage to extract other partisan priorities.

McCarthy is holding out for steep spending cuts that Republicans are demanding in exchange for their vote to raise the nation's borrowing limit. The White House has offered to freeze next year's 2024 spending at current levels, but the Republican leader says that's not enough.

“We have to spend less than we spent last year. That is the starting point," said McCarthy, R-Calif.

Failure to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, now at $31 trillion, would risk a potentially chaotic federal default, almost certain to inflict economic turmoil at home and abroad. Anxious retirees and social service groups are among those already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/default-yellen-biden-debt-ceiling-republicans-416a2fad74db0cb4535655ef26c9f845">making default contingency</a>&nbsp;plans.

Even if negotiators strike a deal in coming days, McCarthy has promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting — now likely Tuesday or even Wednesday. The Senate, where Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to move quickly, would also have to pass the package before it could go to Biden’s desk to be signed into law, right before next Thursday's possible deadline.

The contours of a deal have been within reach for days, but Republicans are unsatisfied as they press the White House team for more.

In one potential development, Republicans may be easing their demand to boost defense spending, instead offering to keep it at levels the Biden administration proposed, according to one person familiar with the talks and granted anonymity to discuss them.

The Republicans may achieve their goal of of rolling back bolstered funding for the Internal Revenue Service if they agree to instead allow the White House to push that money into other domestic accounts, the person said.

At the White House, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blamed Republicans for risking a devastating default that would hit “every single part of the country” as they demand “extreme" spending cuts that would hurt millions of Americans.

She decried what the administration called a “manufactured crisis” set in motion by the GOP.

The White House has continued to argue that deficits can be reduced by ending tax breaks for wealthier households and some corporations, but McCarthy said he told the president as early as their February meeting that raising revenue from tax hikes was off the table.

Donald Trump, the former president who is again running for office, has encouraged Republicans to “do a default” if they don’t get the deal they want from the White House.

Time is short to strike a deal. Yellen said Wednesday that “it seems almost certain” that without a deal the United States would not make it past early June without defaulting. “We are seeing some stress already in Treasury markets,” she said at a Wall Street Journal event.

While Biden has ruled out, for now,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/14th-amendment-biden-debt-ceiling-explained-92ebc0db703d49eab2c91d4d4a354cdf">invoking the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;to raise the debt limit on his own, Democrats in the House announced they have all signed on to a legislative “discharge” process that would force a debt ceiling vote. But they need five Republicans to break with their party and tip the majority to set the plan forward.

“Sign the bill!” Democrats yelled on the House floor after Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana announced the holiday recess schedule.

Agreement on a topline spending level is vital. It would enable McCarthy to deliver spending restraints for conservatives while not being so severe that it would chase off the Democratic votes that would be needed in the divided Congress to pass any bill.

But what, if anything, Democrats would get if they agreed to deeper spending cuts than Biden's team has proposed is uncertain.

McCarthy and his Republican negotiators said what the Democrats get is a debt ceiling increase — typically something both parties take responsibility for doing.

“The problem is not the White House. The problem is Kevin McCarthy and the extreme Republicans,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chair of the progressive caucus. “They are the ones holding this economy hostage, that are putting all these cuts on the American people.”

The negotiators are now also debating the duration of a 1% cap on annual spending growth going forward, with Republicans dropping their demand for a 10-year cap to six years, but the White House offering only one year, for 2025.

Republicans want to beef up work requirements for government aid to recipients of food stamps, cash assistance and the Medicaid health care program that the Biden administration says would impact millions of people who depend on assistance.

All sides have been eyeing the potential for the package to include a framework to ease federal regulations and speed energy project developments. They are all but certain to claw back some $30 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-coronavirus-relief-funds-9c60de5ad51a922bae1c2cf2fa284be3">unspent COVID-19 funds</a>&nbsp;now that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-covid19-coronavirus-national-emergency-e3a52722b57a6b4f24187426c27b3b39">pandemic emergency has officially been lifted</a>.

The White House has countered by proposing to keep defense and nondefense spending flat next year, which would save $90 billion in the 2024 budget year and $1 trillion over 10 years.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-biden-mccarthy-default-negotiations-cb0646c6301f1df97211896897df3723">debt ceiling talks</a>&nbsp;to the brink, displaying risky political bravado as they prepare to leave town Thursday for the holiday weekend just days before the U.S. could face an unprecedented default that could hurl the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-congress-world-economy-recession-biden-52df635e9b89f4b1677176fc8d59eff0">global economy into chaos</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Washington is collecting more money than ever. But it&#39;s also spending the most. So it’s not a revenue problem—it’s a spending problem. 60% of Americans believe that spending limits should accompany any debt limit increase. That&#39;s exactly what Republicans are fighting for. <a href="https://t.co/SDyUs0JBf3">pic.twitter.com/SDyUs0JBf3</a>&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1661474450435629056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A defiant House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the debt ceiling standoff was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-congress-mccarthy-biden-budget-850273c73ed40f4ad002fa24e50f9b40">“not my fault”</a>&nbsp;as Republican negotiators and the White House failed to finish out talks. He warned they need more time to try to reach a budget-slashing deal with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.But it's clear the Republican speaker — who leads a Trump-aligned party whose hard-right flank lifted him to power — is now staring down a potential crisis.Lawmakers are tentatively not expected back at work until Tuesday, just two days from June 1, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said the U.S. could start running out of cash to pay its bills and face a potentially catastrophic default.Fitch Ratings agency placed the United States’ AAA credit on “ratings watch negative,” warning of a possible downgrade because of what it called the brinkmanship and political partisanship surrounding the debate over lifting the debt ceiling."This is a battle between extremism and common sense,” said Democratic Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the minority whip.The Republicans, she said, "want the American people to make an impossible choice: devastating cuts or devastating debt default.”Weeks of negotiations between Republicans and the White House have failed to produce a deal — in part because the Biden administration never expected to be having to negotiate with McCarthy over the debt limit, arguing it should not be used as leverage to extract other partisan priorities.McCarthy is holding out for steep spending cuts that Republicans are demanding in exchange for their vote to raise the nation's borrowing limit. The White House has offered to freeze next year's 2024 spending at current levels, but the Republican leader says that's not enough.“We have to spend less than we spent last year. That is the starting point," said McCarthy, R-Calif.Failure to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, now at $31 trillion, would risk a potentially chaotic federal default, almost certain to inflict economic turmoil at home and abroad. Anxious retirees and social service groups are among those already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/default-yellen-biden-debt-ceiling-republicans-416a2fad74db0cb4535655ef26c9f845">making default contingency</a>&nbsp;plans.Even if negotiators strike a deal in coming days, McCarthy has promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting — now likely Tuesday or even Wednesday. The Senate, where Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to move quickly, would also have to pass the package before it could go to Biden’s desk to be signed into law, right before next Thursday's possible deadline.The contours of a deal have been within reach for days, but Republicans are unsatisfied as they press the White House team for more.In one potential development, Republicans may be easing their demand to boost defense spending, instead offering to keep it at levels the Biden administration proposed, according to one person familiar with the talks and granted anonymity to discuss them.The Republicans may achieve their goal of of rolling back bolstered funding for the Internal Revenue Service if they agree to instead allow the White House to push that money into other domestic accounts, the person said.At the White House, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blamed Republicans for risking a devastating default that would hit “every single part of the country” as they demand “extreme" spending cuts that would hurt millions of Americans.She decried what the administration called a “manufactured crisis” set in motion by the GOP.The White House has continued to argue that deficits can be reduced by ending tax breaks for wealthier households and some corporations, but McCarthy said he told the president as early as their February meeting that raising revenue from tax hikes was off the table.Donald Trump, the former president who is again running for office, has encouraged Republicans to “do a default” if they don’t get the deal they want from the White House.Time is short to strike a deal. Yellen said Wednesday that “it seems almost certain” that without a deal the United States would not make it past early June without defaulting. “We are seeing some stress already in Treasury markets,” she said at a Wall Street Journal event.While Biden has ruled out, for now,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/14th-amendment-biden-debt-ceiling-explained-92ebc0db703d49eab2c91d4d4a354cdf">invoking the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;to raise the debt limit on his own, Democrats in the House announced they have all signed on to a legislative “discharge” process that would force a debt ceiling vote. But they need five Republicans to break with their party and tip the majority to set the plan forward.“Sign the bill!” Democrats yelled on the House floor after Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana announced the holiday recess schedule.Agreement on a topline spending level is vital. It would enable McCarthy to deliver spending restraints for conservatives while not being so severe that it would chase off the Democratic votes that would be needed in the divided Congress to pass any bill.But what, if anything, Democrats would get if they agreed to deeper spending cuts than Biden's team has proposed is uncertain.McCarthy and his Republican negotiators said what the Democrats get is a debt ceiling increase — typically something both parties take responsibility for doing.“The problem is not the White House. The problem is Kevin McCarthy and the extreme Republicans,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chair of the progressive caucus. “They are the ones holding this economy hostage, that are putting all these cuts on the American people.”The negotiators are now also debating the duration of a 1% cap on annual spending growth going forward, with Republicans dropping their demand for a 10-year cap to six years, but the White House offering only one year, for 2025.Republicans want to beef up work requirements for government aid to recipients of food stamps, cash assistance and the Medicaid health care program that the Biden administration says would impact millions of people who depend on assistance.All sides have been eyeing the potential for the package to include a framework to ease federal regulations and speed energy project developments. They are all but certain to claw back some $30 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-coronavirus-relief-funds-9c60de5ad51a922bae1c2cf2fa284be3">unspent COVID-19 funds</a>&nbsp;now that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-covid19-coronavirus-national-emergency-e3a52722b57a6b4f24187426c27b3b39">pandemic emergency has officially been lifted</a>.The White House has countered by proposing to keep defense and nondefense spending flat next year, which would save $90 billion in the 2024 budget year and $1 trillion over 10 years.

Debt ceiling talks on the brink as lawmakers leave for weekend

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Wednesday vowed to take “any legal action necessary” against Kansas City if its police department does not enforce a law banning transgender transition procedures for minors.

Bailey, a Republican, said in a letter to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners that the board has a constitutional duty to enforce the law, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">passed by the Missouri Legislature</a>&nbsp;this month. Republican Gov. Mike Parson has not yet signed the bill but is expected to do so.

The letter comes after the Kansas City Council on May 11 approved a resolution designating the city as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-sanctuary-city-gender-affirming-care-f253f23b9eefe9ede53d98c7b36f7310">an LGBTQ+ sanctuary city.</a>&nbsp;The resolution said the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone receive gender-affirming care such as as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery.

The city also said if the state passes a law imposing criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions in such cases, personnel in Missouri’s largest city will make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”

Kansas City, a Democratic stronghold in a largely Republican state, is currently the only city in Missouri that does not control its police department. Instead, the board of police commissioners, made up the mayor and four members appointed by the governor, oversees the department.

Bailey said because the board is state-controlled, following the city council's resolution would violate the board's legal duties. He also said state law preempts contradictory local ordinances.

“It is the Board’s constitutional duty to enforce the law and ensure that children are protected from these dangerous, experimental gender transition interventions,” Bailey wrote. “As Missouri’s top legal officer, I will take any legal action necessary against the City to ensure our state laws are enforced.”

Earlier this week, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said in a statement that the law is outside the police department's jurisdiction because its provisions “do not pertain to criminal conduct, but rather seeks enforcement through medical licensing and civil action.”

“I want to assure Kansas City, we will continue to serve all the members of the community equitably regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation,” Graves said.

Bailey had sought to implement an emergency rule in April that would have required adults and minors to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-care-missouri-emergency-rule-withdrawn-c3ce483448f4013a6f46f666051db6b2">withdrew the rule</a>&nbsp;after lawmakers passed the law banning transgender care for minors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681466878038.png" alt="Missouri AG Andrew Bailey courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Missouri AG Andrew Bailey courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Wednesday vowed to take “any legal action necessary” against Kansas City if its police department does not enforce a law banning transgender transition procedures for minors.Bailey, a Republican, said in a letter to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners that the board has a constitutional duty to enforce the law, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">passed by the Missouri Legislature</a>&nbsp;this month. Republican Gov. Mike Parson has not yet signed the bill but is expected to do so.The letter comes after the Kansas City Council on May 11 approved a resolution designating the city as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-sanctuary-city-gender-affirming-care-f253f23b9eefe9ede53d98c7b36f7310">an LGBTQ+ sanctuary city.</a>&nbsp;The resolution said the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone receive gender-affirming care such as as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery.The city also said if the state passes a law imposing criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions in such cases, personnel in Missouri’s largest city will make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”Kansas City, a Democratic stronghold in a largely Republican state, is currently the only city in Missouri that does not control its police department. Instead, the board of police commissioners, made up the mayor and four members appointed by the governor, oversees the department.Bailey said because the board is state-controlled, following the city council's resolution would violate the board's legal duties. He also said state law preempts contradictory local ordinances.“It is the Board’s constitutional duty to enforce the law and ensure that children are protected from these dangerous, experimental gender transition interventions,” Bailey wrote. “As Missouri’s top legal officer, I will take any legal action necessary against the City to ensure our state laws are enforced.”Earlier this week, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said in a statement that the law is outside the police department's jurisdiction because its provisions “do not pertain to criminal conduct, but rather seeks enforcement through medical licensing and civil action.”“I want to assure Kansas City, we will continue to serve all the members of the community equitably regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation,” Graves said.Bailey had sought to implement an emergency rule in April that would have required adults and minors to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-care-missouri-emergency-rule-withdrawn-c3ce483448f4013a6f46f666051db6b2">withdrew the rule</a>&nbsp;after lawmakers passed the law banning transgender care for minors.

AG demands Kansas City police enforce transgender care restrictions law

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting that sent a 19-year-old from Wichita to the hospital where she died Wednesday afternoon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Officers continue the search for a suspect identified as&nbsp; 19-year-old La’Niha Banks who is considered armed and dangerous.

Just after 11 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N in Wichita.

First responders located a woman with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed that the victim was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. 

After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but&nbsp; Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.

During the investigation, detectives were able to confirm Banks as the suspect. She was last seen fleeing in a red 2014 Buick Lacrosse with a paper 60-day tag. The police have located the car.

&nbsp;Banks is wanted on requested charges of aggravated battery, five counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and one count of&nbsp; murder.&nbsp; If you see Banks or know where she is, call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684684649459.png" alt="Banks-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Banks-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting that sent a 19-year-old from Wichita to the hospital where she died Wednesday afternoon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Officers continue the search for a suspect identified as&nbsp; 19-year-old La’Niha Banks who is considered armed and dangerous.Just after 11 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N in Wichita.First responders located a woman with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed that the victim was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but&nbsp; Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684688157483.png" alt="Police reported Tuesday they had recovered Banks' car -photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Police reported Tuesday they had recovered Banks' car -photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, detectives were able to confirm Banks as the suspect. She was last seen fleeing in a red 2014 Buick Lacrosse with a paper 60-day tag. The police have located the car.&nbsp;Banks is wanted on requested charges of aggravated battery, five counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and one count of&nbsp; murder.&nbsp; If you see Banks or know where she is, call 911.

Search for suspect continues: Victim in Kan. shooting has died

Hundreds of people of the Catholic faith are flooding to the small town to Gower, Missouri, to witness what many are calling a miracle.&nbsp; &nbsp;

After Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, founder of the Benedictine Sisters of Mary in Gower, passed away in May of 2019 she was buried on the grounds of the chapel. Four years later the sisters decided to dig up her remains to place them under an altar in the chapel.&nbsp; &nbsp;

When unburied, her tomb was found with a crack down the middle, and her body intact and appearing to be incorrupt. &nbsp;

Sister Lancaster's body is on display until Monday, May 29th, and people of the Catholic faith have been flooding to Gower to witness it, touch, and pray with the body. &nbsp;

Bishop James Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph released the following statement regarding Sr. Wilhemina:&nbsp;

“The condition of the remains of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster has understandably generated widespread interest and raised important questions. At the same time, it is important to protect the integrity of the mortal remains of Sister Wilhelmina to allow for a thorough investigation.&nbsp;

I invite all the Faithful to continue praying during this time of investigation for God’s will in the lives of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles; for all women religious; and all the baptized in our common vocation to holiness, with hope and trust in the Lord.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635337146615.jpeg" alt="Fence posts (left) go up as part of the wall construction at the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles Abbey near Gower. Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Fence posts (left) go up as part of the wall construction at the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles Abbey near Gower. Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostHundreds of people of the Catholic faith are flooding to the small town to Gower, Missouri, to witness what many are calling a miracle.&nbsp; &nbsp;After Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, founder of the Benedictine Sisters of Mary in Gower, passed away in May of 2019 she was buried on the grounds of the chapel. Four years later the sisters decided to dig up her remains to place them under an altar in the chapel.&nbsp; &nbsp;When unburied, her tomb was found with a crack down the middle, and her body intact and appearing to be incorrupt. &nbsp;Sister Lancaster's body is on display until Monday, May 29th, and people of the Catholic faith have been flooding to Gower to witness it, touch, and pray with the body. &nbsp;Bishop James Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph released the following statement regarding Sr. Wilhemina:&nbsp;“The condition of the remains of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster has understandably generated widespread interest and raised important questions. At the same time, it is important to protect the integrity of the mortal remains of Sister Wilhelmina to allow for a thorough investigation.&nbsp;I invite all the Faithful to continue praying during this time of investigation for God’s will in the lives of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles; for all women religious; and all the baptized in our common vocation to holiness, with hope and trust in the Lord.”&nbsp;

'Miracle in Missouri' Hundreds travel to see nun’s exhumed, ‘incorrupt’ body

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution on Wednesday that would overturn President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">student loan</a>&nbsp;cancellation plan, but the White House has vowed to veto it and the plan remains on hold as the Supreme Court considers its fate.

It adds to the GOP’s ongoing attack on Biden’s one-time student loan cancellation, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-education-donald-trump-student-loans-f2e944d85e95792089fa1e2fb9858287">halted in November</a>&nbsp;in response to lawsuits from conservative opponents. The Supreme Court is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-case-explained-8c62622e87c4ebff995f971263d932fc">now weighing the plan</a>&nbsp;after hearing arguments in February. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">Biden’s plan</a>&nbsp;would cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loans for 43 million Americans. About 26 million had applied for the relief before courts intervened.

The latest Republican challenge employs the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations. Passing a resolution requires a simple majority in both chambers, but overriding a presidential veto requires two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.

The vote was 218-203, with two Democrats, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, supporting it.

Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia introduced the resolution in the House in March. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., introduced it in the Senate, which has not taken up the measure.

On Monday, the White House promised to veto the resolution if Congress approves it. The debt cancellation is based on “decades-old authority granted by Congress” to protect borrowers from the impact of national emergencies, according to a statement from the Office of Management and Budget.

The GOP resolution is “an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery,” the White House said.

If enacted, the measure would revoke Biden’s cancellation plan and curtail the Education Department’s ability to cancel student loans in the future. It would also rescind Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">latest extension of a payment pause</a>&nbsp;that began early in the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673377040107.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution on Wednesday that would overturn President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">student loan</a>&nbsp;cancellation plan, but the White House has vowed to veto it and the plan remains on hold as the Supreme Court considers its fate.It adds to the GOP’s ongoing attack on Biden’s one-time student loan cancellation, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-education-donald-trump-student-loans-f2e944d85e95792089fa1e2fb9858287">halted in November</a>&nbsp;in response to lawsuits from conservative opponents. The Supreme Court is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-case-explained-8c62622e87c4ebff995f971263d932fc">now weighing the plan</a>&nbsp;after hearing arguments in February. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-plan-d9c8e18774a744187c9af634bf4eb728">Biden’s plan</a>&nbsp;would cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loans for 43 million Americans. About 26 million had applied for the relief before courts intervened.The latest Republican challenge employs the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations. Passing a resolution requires a simple majority in both chambers, but overriding a presidential veto requires two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.The vote was 218-203, with two Democrats, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, supporting it.Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia introduced the resolution in the House in March. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., introduced it in the Senate, which has not taken up the measure.On Monday, the White House promised to veto the resolution if Congress approves it. The debt cancellation is based on “decades-old authority granted by Congress” to protect borrowers from the impact of national emergencies, according to a statement from the Office of Management and Budget.The GOP resolution is “an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery,” the White House said.If enacted, the measure would revoke Biden’s cancellation plan and curtail the Education Department’s ability to cancel student loans in the future. It would also rescind Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">latest extension of a payment pause</a>&nbsp;that began early in the pandemic.The measure would retroactively add several months of student loan interest that was waived by Biden’s extension, according to a letter from more than 260 organizations urging Congress to reject it.Passing it “would immediately force tens of millions of borrowers into abrupt and unplanned repayment with devastating effects,” the coalition said. The action would also end Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a student loan cancellation program for teachers, firefighters and other public workers, the letter said.About 43% of U.S. adults approve of how Biden is handling student debt, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s similar to his overall approval rating, 40%, but better than his ratings on the economy, gun policy and immigration. Biden gets credit for the issue among young adults in particular, with 53% under age 30 approving his handling of student loans.Republicans say Biden overstepped his authority and illegally sidestepped Congress in pursuit of loan cancellation, which was a key campaign promise. Opponents say it’s too expensive and unfairly benefits college graduates at the expense of taxpayers who didn’t go to college.Democrats say Biden’s plan gives needed relief to Americans hit hardest by the pandemic. They argue that federal law gives the Education Department wide authority to cancel student loans.The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Biden’s one-time cancellation would cost about $315 billion.Republicans have escalated their war on Biden’s student loan agenda in recent weeks. Last month, the House passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-congress-republicans-18a1bdde96b3a72c0398c995fed94ac5">U.S. debt legislation</a>&nbsp;that would have reversed Biden’s cancellation, ended the repayment pause and barred the Education Department from future debt forgiveness.The bill, which was seen as dead-on-arrival in the Senate, also aimed to eliminate a new, more generous student loan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-miguel-cardona-business-73dcbf54ddb3b53c9c3c5468cfdec3b9">repayment plan</a>&nbsp;being pushed by Biden.With neither party wielding a forceful majority in Congress, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-hearing-2128da75fc27ff3bcc0c3804ebd98aa7">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;could end up with the final say on the debate. The justices have been examining Biden’s plan in response to a challenge by six Republican-led states, along with a separate lawsuit brought by two students.___