ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The death toll is rising from a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit southeast Turkey and northern Syria early on Monday. Hundreds were killed in the two countries, thousands were injured and the toll was expected to rise further.

President Joe Biden has conveyed his condolences to those affected by the deadly quake and offered to send U.S. help to Turkey if needed.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria,” Biden wrote on Twitter, referring to Turkey by its preferred official name.

“I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkiye and provide any and all needed assistance,” he added.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the European Union “stand ready to offer our support” to Turkey as well. Sweden currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

The president of Turkey’s disaster management authority, Yunus Sezer, says more than 40 countries have so far offered help.

Authorities feared the death toll would rise further as rescuers searched through tangles of metal and concrete for survivors in a region beset by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-middle-east-earthquakes-health-605a1b38b5d054ac944ae91335d008cb">more than a decade of Syria’s civil war</a>&nbsp;and a refugee crisis.

Residents jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside in the rain and snow to escape falling debris, while those who were trapped cried for help. Major aftershocks, including one nearly as strong as the initial quake, continued to rattle the region.

“I don’t have the strength anymore,” one survivor could be heard calling out from beneath the rubble in the Turkish city of Adana, as rescue workers tried to reach him, said a resident, journalism student Muhammet Fatih Yavuz. He said three buildings near his home were toppled.

The quake, which was centered on Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, sent residents of Damascus rushing into the street and was felt as far away as Cairo and Beirut.

“Because the debris removal efforts are continuing in many buildings in the earthquake zone, we do not know how high the number of dead and injured will rise,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

The quake piled more misery on a region that has seen tremendous suffering over the past decade. On the Syrian side, the area affected is divided between government-held territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, which is surrounded by Russian-backed government forces. Turkey, meanwhile, is home to millions of refugees from the civil war.

In the rebel-held enclave, hundreds of families remained trapped in rubble, the opposition emergency organization, called the White Helmets, said in a statement. The area is packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of the country by the war. Many of them live in buildings that are already wrecked from past bombardments.

Strained health facilities and hospitals quickly filled with injured, rescue workers said. Others had to be emptied, including a maternity hospital, according to the SAMS medical organization.

The region sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured Monday’s pre-dawn quake at 7.8, with a depth of 18 kilometers (11 miles). Hours later, a 7.5 magnitude one struck more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away.

The second jolt in the afternoon caused a multistory apartment to topple face-forward onto the street in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa, smashing into rubble and raising a cloud of dust as bystanders screamed, according to video of the scene.

Orhan Tatar, an official from Turkey’s disaster management agency, said it was a new earthquake, but Yaareb Altaweel, a seismologist with the USGS, said it was considered an aftershock because it took place on the same fault line as the first.

Thousands of buildings were reported collapsed in a wide area extending from Syria’s cities of Aleppo and Hama to Turkey’s Diyarbakir, more than 330 kilometers (200 miles) to the northeast. A hospital came down in the Mediterranean coastal city of Iskenderun, but casualties were not immediately known, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said.

Such severe damage typically leads to a significant death toll, but bitterly cold temperatures could make matters even worse, reducing the timeframe that rescuers have to save trapped survivors, said Dr. Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University. He added that the difficulty of working in areas beset by civil war would only complicate rescue efforts.

Televisions stations in Turkey aired screens split into four or five, showing live coverage from rescue efforts in the worst-hit provinces. In the city of Kahramanmaras, rescuers pulled two children alive from the rubble, and one could be seen lying on a stretcher on the snowy ground.

Offers of help — from search-and-rescue teams to medical supplies and money — poured in from dozens of countries, as well as the European Union and NATO. The vast majority were for Turkey, with Russian and even an Israeli promise of help to the Syrian government, but it was not clear if any would go to the devastated rebel-held pocket in the northwest.

In Turkey, people trying to leave the quake-stricken regions caused traffic jams, hampering efforts of emergency teams. Mosques around the region were opened to provide shelter for people unable to return to damaged homes amid temperatures that hovered around freezing.

In Diyarbakir, hundreds of rescue workers and civilians formed lines across a mountain of wreckage, passing down broken concrete pieces, household belongings and other debris as they searched for trapped survivors while excavators dug through the rubble below.

In northwest Syria, the quake added new woes to the opposition-held enclave centered on the province of Idlib, which has been under siege for years, with frequent Russian and government airstrikes. The territory depends on a flow of aid from nearby Turkey for everything from food to medical supplies.

The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense described the situation there as “disastrous.”

At a hospital in Idlib, Osama Abdel Hamid said most of his neighbors died. He said their shared four-story building collapsed just as he, his wife and three children ran toward the exit. A wooden door fell on them and acted as a shield.

“God gave me a new lease on life,” he said.

In the small Syrian rebel-held town of Azmarin in the mountains by the Turkish border, the bodies of several dead children, wrapped in blankets, were brought to a hospital.

The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria said the earthquake has caused some damage to the Crusader-built Marqab, or Watchtower Castle, on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. Part of a tower and parts of some walls collapsed.

In Turkey, meanwhile, the quake damaged a historic castle perched atop a hill in the center of the provincial capital of Gaziantep, about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the epicenter. Parts of the fortresses’ walls and watch towers were leveled and other parts heavily damaged, images from the city showed.

More than 1,500 people were killed in 10 Turkish provinces, with some 9,700 injured, according to Turkish authorities. The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to over 460 people, with some 1,300 injured, according to the Health Ministry. In the country’s rebel-held northwest, groups that operate there said the death toll was at least 380, with many hundreds injured.

Huseyin Yayman, a legislator from Turkey’s Hatay province, said several of his family members were stuck under the rubble of their collapsed homes.

“There are so many other people who are also trapped,” he told HaberTurk television by telephone. “There are so many buildings that have been damaged. People are on the streets. It’s raining, it’s winter.”

AZMARIN, Syria (AP) — A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/turkey-earthquake-live-updates-19e7d84fefdeed4c8a355dedf23d914f">killing more than 1,300 people</a>. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.

On both sides of the border, residents jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside on a cold, rainy and snowy winter night, as buildings were flattened and strong aftershocks continued.

Rescue workers and residents in multiple cities searched for survivors, working through tangles of metal and giant piles of concrete. A hospital in Turkey collapsed and patients, including newborns, were evacuated from a handful of facilities in Syria.

In the Turkish city of Adana, one resident said three buildings near his home collapsed. “I don’t have the strength anymore,” one survivor could be heard calling out from beneath the rubble as rescue workers tried to reach him, said the resident, journalism student Muhammet Fatih Yavus.

Farther east in Diyarbakir, cranes and rescue teams rushed people on stretchers out of a mountain of pancaked concrete floors that was once an apartment building.

The quake, felt as far away as Cairo, was centered north of Gaziantep, a Turkish provincial capital.

It struck a region that has been shaped on both sides of the border by more than a decade of civil war in Syria. On the Syrian side, the swath affected is divided between government-held territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, which is surrounded by Russian-backed government forces. Turkey, meanwhile, is home to millions of refugees from that conflict.

The opposition-held regions in Syria are packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of the country by the fighting. Many of them live in buildings that are already wrecked from past bombardments. Hundreds of families remained trapped in rubble, the opposition emergency organization, called the White Helmets, said in a statement.

Strained health facilities and hospitals were quickly filled with wounded, rescue workers said. Others had to be emptied, including a maternity hospital, according to the SAMS medical organization.

“We fear that the deaths are in the hundreds,” Muheeb Qaddour, a doctor, said by phone from the town of Atmeh.

Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999. The U.S. Geological Survey measured Monday's quake at 7.8. At least 20 aftershocks followed, some hours later during daylight, the strongest measuring 6.6, Turkish authorities said.

Buildings were reported collapsed in a wide area extending from Syria’s cities of Aleppo and Hama to Turkey’s Diyarbakir, more than 330 kilometers (200 miles) to the northeast. Nearly 900 buildings were destroyed in Turkey’s Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces, said Vice President Fuat Oktay. A hospital collapsed in the Mediterranean coastal city of Iskanderoun, but casualties were not immediately known, he said.

“Unfortunately, at the same time, we are also struggling with extremely severe weather conditions,” Oktay told reporters. Nearly 2,800 search and rescue teams have been deployed in the disaster-stricken areas, he said.

“We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote on Twitter.

Countries from Taiwan to Russia to Germany offered to send help, whether medical supplies, search teams or money.

In Turkey, people trying to leave the quake-stricken regions caused traffic jams, hampering efforts of emergency teams trying to reach the affected areas. Authorities urged residents not to take to the roads. Mosques around the region were being opened up as a shelter for people unable to return to damaged homes amid temperatures that hovered around freezing.

The quake heavily damaged Gaziantep’s most famed landmark, its historic castle perched atop a hill in the center of the city. Parts of the fortresses’ walls and watch towers were leveled and other parts heavily damaged, images from the city showed.

The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense described the situation there as “disastrous,” adding that entire buildings have collapsed and people are trapped under the rubble.

The USGS said the quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep. It was 18 kilometers (11 miles) deep.

At least 912 people were killed in 10 Turkish provinces, with more than 5,400 injured, according to Turkey's president. The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to 326 people, with some 1,000 injured, according to the Health Ministry. In rebel-held areas, at least 150 people were killed, according to the White Helmets, though the SAMS medical organization put the toll at 106; both said hundreds were hurt.

In Damascus, buildings shook and many people went down to the streets in fear. The quake jolted residents in Lebanon from beds, shaking buildings for about 40 seconds. Many residents of Beirut left their homes and took to the streets or drove in their cars away from buildings, terrorized by memories of the 2020 port explosion that wrecked a large portion of the city.

Huseyin Yayman, a legislator from Turkey's Hatay province, said several of his family members were trapped under the rubble of their collapsed homes.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A 7.8 magnitude quake has knocked down multiple buildings in southeast Turkey and Syria and many casualties are feared.

At least five deaths were reported initially in Turkey.

In northwest Syria, the opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense described the situation in the rebel-held region as “disastrous” adding that entire buildings have collapsed and people are trapped under the rubble.

The civil defense urged people to evacuate buildings to gather in open areas.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital. It was felt in several provinces

The earthquake came as the Middle East is experiencing a snowstorm that is expected to continue until Thursday.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook southeast Turkey early Monday and was felt in several provinces and elsewhere in the Middle East. The quake knocked down a number of buildings, reports said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital. It was about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the town of Nurdagi.

It was centered 18 kilometers (11 miles) deep, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A strong 6.7 aftershock rumbled about 10 minutes later.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management agency, AFAD, said the quake measured 7.4 and was centered in the town of Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province.

Several buildings tumbled down in the neighboring provinces of Malatya, Diyarbakir and Malatya, HaberTurk television reported. There was no immediate reports on casualties.

The earthquake was also felt in Lebanon and Syria.

Syria’s state media reported that some buildings collapsed in the northern city of Aleppo and the central city of Hama.

In Syria’s rebel-held northwest that borders Turkey several buildings collapsed, according to the opposition’s Syrian civil Defense.

In Damascus, buildings shook and many people went down to the streets in fear.

The quake jolted residents in Lebanon from beds, shaking buildings for about 40 seconds. Many residents of Beirut left their homes and took to the streets or drove in their cars away from buildings.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties in either country.

Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.

Some 18,000 were killed in powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999.

🎥Biden offers US help; hundreds dead, mega quake rocks Turkey, Syria

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged aggravated robbery.

Just before 2p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1400 block of South Seneca in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

 Upon arrival, officers located a 16-year-old victim with several gunshot wounds to his upper body. EMS&nbsp;transported him to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He also underwent surgery and was reported in stable condition.

Investigators determined the circumstances leading up to the shooting. It was not a random incident, according to Rebolledo. Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675682003990.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged aggravated robbery.Just before 2p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1400 block of South Seneca in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. Upon arrival, officers located a 16-year-old victim with several gunshot wounds to his upper body. EMS&nbsp;transported him to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He also underwent surgery and was reported in stable condition.Investigators determined the circumstances leading up to the shooting. It was not a random incident, according to Rebolledo. Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Kan. teen hospitalized after he was shot during robbery

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Though the <a href="https://insightlawrence.org/en/">Insight Women’s Center </a>sits at the epicenter of a reinvigorated battle in the nation’s culture wars, the only hint of its faith-based mission to dissuade people from getting abortions is the jazzy, piano rendition of “Jesus Loves Me” playing in a waiting room.

The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is considering allocating millions of dollars in state funds to similar anti-abortion centers that persuade people to bring their pregnancies to term by offering free pregnancy tests and sonograms, as well as counseling and parenting classes taught by volunteers. They're also considering offering millions more in income tax credits for donors supporting what they call “crisis pregnancy centers."

When the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;last year and gave control of abortion policy to the states, it led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-5101ede97957cbf5f4f8aac1d5e5b4fa">bans and restrictions in some states, and executive orders and laws</a>&nbsp;protecting access in others. Those debates continue, but perhaps less noticed is how this change refueled the renewed battle over taxpayer money.

Supporters say the effort shows abortion opponents are addressing families' social and financial needs. But critics say the amount of new funding proposed for organizations like Insight — either in direct funding or tax credits for their donors — fall far short of what’s necessary to improve people’s access to health care and address ongoing poverty.

“You funnel money through a short-term solution that makes it appear as though you are doing something,” said Alesha Doan, a University of Kansas associate professor who has studied and written books about abortion politics.

Increasingly, liberal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-st-louis-missouri-cab307afaf66ce9b5d58d3be191b532e">cities</a>&nbsp;and states are funding access to abortion, including telemedicine, which has seen a notable rise with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">more than half of U.S. abortions now done with pills</a>&nbsp;rather than surgery. Meanwhile, states with GOP legislatures and governors are looking to put more taxpayer money into organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-health-nashville-personal-taxes-fffa6f6f86e6eaa448b8ea89087a1c46">that talk people out of ending their pregnancies</a>.

Legislative committees held hearings Thursday on proposals for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2135_00_0000.pdf">a 70% income tax credit</a>&nbsp;to donors who support anti-abortion centers, with a cap of $10 million in total credits. A Senate committee might vote this week.

It's similar to a longstanding Missouri law that provides income tax credits to donors supporting anti-abortion centers. Arizona has such a law, and Mississippi's Republican House speaker is trying to expand a cap on tax credits to $10 million from the $3.5 million authorized last year.

Arkansas and Oklahoma are considering adding similar tax credits, according to the National Right to Life Committee.

In Missouri, donors to anti-abortion centers have received $15 million in total state tax credits over the past five years, and one state analysis estimates the centers served about 43,000 people last year.

Abortion opponents have operated centers like Insight for decades, and the practice of conservative-led states offering financial aid to them predates Dobbs — the decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade.

On the abortion-rights side, Oregon lawmakers last year created&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-oregon-planned-parenthood-2351bf1bd586b64e84f72d10980cd0b7">a $15 million abortion-access fund,</a>&nbsp;with the first $1 million going to a nonprofit that covers the costs of patients' travel and procedures. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington have also allocated or are considering offering public funding for abortions or related services.

In New Mexico last year, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-michelle-lujan-grisham-new-mexico-275e9af532929a198f12e65e7e049c96">pledged $10 million in state funds</a>&nbsp;to the construction of a new abortion clinic.

Morgan Hopkins, president of the abortion-rights advocacy group All(asterisk) Above All praised the funding. “Budgets are a reflection of our values," she said.

Kansas already provides grants to programs that provide prenatal care, and encourage people to carry their pregnancies to term. But it spends less than $339,000 in a state budget of $24 billion on the program — and made only two grants totaling less than $74,000 to anti-abortion centers.

Now, some abortion opponents talk about emulating Missouri's more than $8 million annual funding, plus the income tax credits.

Abortion rights supporters are frustrated that the push for such support is coming so soon after an Aug. 2 statewide vote that decisively rejected a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have allowed legislators to greatly restrict or ban abortion.

“I have general concerns that we’re not respecting what was the very clear will of voters,” said state Sen. Ethan Corson, a Kansas City-area Democrat who serves on the Senate tax committee.

Abortion rights advocates say the centers lure patients away from abortion clinics with free services, give them inaccurate medical information and counseling from people who are not trained therapists. Some see funding them as a political gesture designed to make abortion bans look less harsh.

Abortion opponents argue that centers like Insight offer patients a wide range of prenatal and post-birth classes, in addition to other help. They also argue that boosting funding for free services after the August vote is a promise not to abandon parents and families.

In Lawrence, where the nearest abortion clinic is a 40-minute drive away, 28-year-old Korbe Bohac is still visiting the Insight center nearly 8 months after her son Winston was born. She told legislators the classes and counseling make her a better, more confident parent — and helped preserve her mental health. She called it “a safety net.”

The Insight center, which is only a few miles from the University of Kansas, has two sonogram nurses, and a doctor and radiologist sometimes volunteer their time. But services depend mostly on about 50 volunteers. The $340,000 annual budget is mostly supplied by private donations, but the organization received a community development grant in 2014 to launch parent education programs.

Center staff said that although they do not refer clients to abortion providers, they discuss abortion as an option. They said some patients who met with them went on to have abortions, though this is not possible to verify given patients' privacy protocols.

Insight has two separate waiting rooms — one for its educational programs and one for medical services. Executive director Bridgit Smith said one reason is that it keeps pregnant patients from being influenced by seeing babies and toddlers.

Smith said she believes the proposed tax credit would increase donations, helping Insight start a maternity home for people without shelter.

“We’re trying to build strong individuals and strong families. And isn’t that what we all want?” Smith said. “Even for the woman that doesn’t choose to parent, we still want her to be strong and healthy after the decision.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675607447973.png" alt="Bridgit Smith, executive director of the Insight Women's Center stands outside the door to its educational and "Boutique" with clothes and other supplies for new parents, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Lawrence, Kansas. The center provides a variety of free services, including pregnancy tests, limited sonograms, and parenting and money-management counseling. (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>Bridgit Smith, executive director of the Insight Women's Center stands outside the door to its educational and "Boutique" with clothes and other supplies for new parents, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Lawrence, Kansas. The center provides a variety of free services, including pregnancy tests, limited sonograms, and parenting and money-management counseling. (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and GEOFF MULVIHILL&nbsp;LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Though the <a href="https://insightlawrence.org/en/">Insight Women’s Center </a>sits at the epicenter of a reinvigorated battle in the nation’s culture wars, the only hint of its faith-based mission to dissuade people from getting abortions is the jazzy, piano rendition of “Jesus Loves Me” playing in a waiting room.The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is considering allocating millions of dollars in state funds to similar anti-abortion centers that persuade people to bring their pregnancies to term by offering free pregnancy tests and sonograms, as well as counseling and parenting classes taught by volunteers. They're also considering offering millions more in income tax credits for donors supporting what they call “crisis pregnancy centers."When the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;last year and gave control of abortion policy to the states, it led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-5101ede97957cbf5f4f8aac1d5e5b4fa">bans and restrictions in some states, and executive orders and laws</a>&nbsp;protecting access in others. Those debates continue, but perhaps less noticed is how this change refueled the renewed battle over taxpayer money.Supporters say the effort shows abortion opponents are addressing families' social and financial needs. But critics say the amount of new funding proposed for organizations like Insight — either in direct funding or tax credits for their donors — fall far short of what’s necessary to improve people’s access to health care and address ongoing poverty.“You funnel money through a short-term solution that makes it appear as though you are doing something,” said Alesha Doan, a University of Kansas associate professor who has studied and written books about abortion politics.Increasingly, liberal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-st-louis-missouri-cab307afaf66ce9b5d58d3be191b532e">cities</a>&nbsp;and states are funding access to abortion, including telemedicine, which has seen a notable rise with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">more than half of U.S. abortions now done with pills</a>&nbsp;rather than surgery. Meanwhile, states with GOP legislatures and governors are looking to put more taxpayer money into organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-health-nashville-personal-taxes-fffa6f6f86e6eaa448b8ea89087a1c46">that talk people out of ending their pregnancies</a>.Legislative committees held hearings Thursday on proposals for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2135_00_0000.pdf">a 70% income tax credit</a>&nbsp;to donors who support anti-abortion centers, with a cap of $10 million in total credits. A Senate committee might vote this week.It's similar to a longstanding Missouri law that provides income tax credits to donors supporting anti-abortion centers. Arizona has such a law, and Mississippi's Republican House speaker is trying to expand a cap on tax credits to $10 million from the $3.5 million authorized last year.Arkansas and Oklahoma are considering adding similar tax credits, according to the National Right to Life Committee.In Missouri, donors to anti-abortion centers have received $15 million in total state tax credits over the past five years, and one state analysis estimates the centers served about 43,000 people last year.Abortion opponents have operated centers like Insight for decades, and the practice of conservative-led states offering financial aid to them predates Dobbs — the decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade.On the abortion-rights side, Oregon lawmakers last year created&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-oregon-planned-parenthood-2351bf1bd586b64e84f72d10980cd0b7">a $15 million abortion-access fund,</a>&nbsp;with the first $1 million going to a nonprofit that covers the costs of patients' travel and procedures. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington have also allocated or are considering offering public funding for abortions or related services.In New Mexico last year, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-michelle-lujan-grisham-new-mexico-275e9af532929a198f12e65e7e049c96">pledged $10 million in state funds</a>&nbsp;to the construction of a new abortion clinic.Morgan Hopkins, president of the abortion-rights advocacy group All(asterisk) Above All praised the funding. “Budgets are a reflection of our values," she said.Kansas already provides grants to programs that provide prenatal care, and encourage people to carry their pregnancies to term. But it spends less than $339,000 in a state budget of $24 billion on the program — and made only two grants totaling less than $74,000 to anti-abortion centers.Now, some abortion opponents talk about emulating Missouri's more than $8 million annual funding, plus the income tax credits.Abortion rights supporters are frustrated that the push for such support is coming so soon after an Aug. 2 statewide vote that decisively rejected a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have allowed legislators to greatly restrict or ban abortion.“I have general concerns that we’re not respecting what was the very clear will of voters,” said state Sen. Ethan Corson, a Kansas City-area Democrat who serves on the Senate tax committee.Abortion rights advocates say the centers lure patients away from abortion clinics with free services, give them inaccurate medical information and counseling from people who are not trained therapists. Some see funding them as a political gesture designed to make abortion bans look less harsh.Abortion opponents argue that centers like Insight offer patients a wide range of prenatal and post-birth classes, in addition to other help. They also argue that boosting funding for free services after the August vote is a promise not to abandon parents and families.In Lawrence, where the nearest abortion clinic is a 40-minute drive away, 28-year-old Korbe Bohac is still visiting the Insight center nearly 8 months after her son Winston was born. She told legislators the classes and counseling make her a better, more confident parent — and helped preserve her mental health. She called it “a safety net.”The Insight center, which is only a few miles from the University of Kansas, has two sonogram nurses, and a doctor and radiologist sometimes volunteer their time. But services depend mostly on about 50 volunteers. The $340,000 annual budget is mostly supplied by private donations, but the organization received a community development grant in 2014 to launch parent education programs.Center staff said that although they do not refer clients to abortion providers, they discuss abortion as an option. They said some patients who met with them went on to have abortions, though this is not possible to verify given patients' privacy protocols.Insight has two separate waiting rooms — one for its educational programs and one for medical services. Executive director Bridgit Smith said one reason is that it keeps pregnant patients from being influenced by seeing babies and toddlers.Smith said she believes the proposed tax credit would increase donations, helping Insight start a maternity home for people without shelter.“We’re trying to build strong individuals and strong families. And isn’t that what we all want?” Smith said. “Even for the woman that doesn’t choose to parent, we still want her to be strong and healthy after the decision.”

Kan. joins states taking control of abortion debate with funding focus

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Kansas City, Kansas have identified the man who died as 50-year-old John Anderton, according to a statement from KCMO police. According to the Kansas Department of Corrections, Anderton is a Kansas felon with a previous drug conviction in Dickinson County.

Just before 6p.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of Haskell Avenue on an opioid overdose.&nbsp; As officers and EMS arrived at the home, they observed a man fleeing on a bicycle. A description of that individual was broadcast to other officers in the region.

In the home, first responders found one man and one woman&nbsp; unresponsive. EMS revived them by administering NARCAN and transported them to an area hospital.

A short time after hearing the broadcast of the fleeing suspect’s description, an officer located him in the 5200 block of Rowland Avenue, approximately a half mile from the home. The officer attempted to make contact. 

During that interaction, the officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect. Police and a deputy with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office performed life-saving efforts until EMS arrived on scene and pronounced him deceased.

 No officers were injured in the exchange. A gun was recovered near the suspect. As per department policy, the officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave pending evaluation.

Detectives with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office continue investigating this incident.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675513760546.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Kansas City, Kansas have identified the man who died as 50-year-old John Anderton, according to a statement from KCMO police. According to the Kansas Department of Corrections, Anderton is a Kansas felon with a previous drug conviction in Dickinson County.Just before 6p.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of Haskell Avenue on an opioid overdose.&nbsp; As officers and EMS arrived at the home, they observed a man fleeing on a bicycle. A description of that individual was broadcast to other officers in the region.In the home, first responders found one man and one woman&nbsp; unresponsive. EMS revived them by administering NARCAN and transported them to an area hospital.A short time after hearing the broadcast of the fleeing suspect’s description, an officer located him in the 5200 block of Rowland Avenue, approximately a half mile from the home. The officer attempted to make contact. During that interaction, the officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect. Police and a deputy with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office performed life-saving efforts until EMS arrived on scene and pronounced him deceased. No officers were injured in the exchange. A gun was recovered near the suspect. As per department policy, the officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave pending evaluation.Detectives with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office continue investigating this incident.&nbsp;

Police ID Kan. man shot, killed as officers responded to overdose call

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — The downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon just off South Carolina’s coast created a spectacle over one of the state’s tourism hubs and drew crowds reacting with a mixture of bewildered gazing, distress and cheering.

The balloon was struck by a missile from an F-22 fighter just off Myrtle Beach, fascinating sky-watchers across a populous area known as the Grand Strand for its miles of beaches that draw retirees and vacationers. Crowds gathered in neighborhoods, hotel parking lots and beaches to watch the balloon hover, with some cheering just after it went down.

The festive mood belied the seriousness of the situation, with law enforcement around the county of 366,000 warning people not to touch any debris and to instead call dispatchers.

“Members of the US Military are coordinating to collect debris; however, fragments may make it to the coastline,” the Horry County Police Department said in a statement.

Ashlyn Preaux, 33, went out to get her mail in Forestbrook, South Carolina, just inland of Myrtle Beach when she saw her neighbors gathered outside. Curious, she went to see what they were looking at. It was easy to spot the balloon in the cloudless blue sky and then what appeared to be fighter jets circling overhead as well. After the strike, she could see the balloon start to fall apart and fall from the sky.

“I did not anticipate waking up to be in a Top Gun movie today,” she said.

The balloon hovered directly above the Hardy family as they checked into their oceanfront hotel in Myrtle Beach. The family from Anderson joined several employees in the parking lot taking videos of the scene unfolding above before going up to their room ahead of the missile strike.

Logan Hardy, 12, said the moment of impact generated a “boom” that shook the building. His room’s balcony gave the middle-schooler a clear view of the debris dropping.

“It looked like stars falling down,” he said, adding: “I will never forget this day.”

Some watchers rushed to nearby beaches as the balloon approached the ocean. Travis Huffstetler, who captured photos of the balloon, said the packed Garden City Beach almost looked like summertime on the chilly winter day with people looking skyward and taking pictures and videos on their phones.

When the balloon began crossing the water, Mark Doss, 54, drove a golf cart three blocks down from his home to Garden City Beach. There, Doss said he and his two teenage children spent 90 minutes watching the balloon strike and waiting in vain for debris to wash ashore.

The sheer size of the white orb awed Doss, who said the approaching fighter jet looked like a little model airplane. Doss recalled a “white puff of smoke” after the missile struck the balloon.

“That one jet made a beeline straight to it — wham!” Doss said.

Life continued uninterrupted for many others into the evening. Doss described the spectacle from a biker bar. There, Saturday night thrill seekers gathered like normal as if international tensions had not played out hours earlier 60,000 feet (18,300 meters) above them. A cover band performed while people shot pool and huddled around patio heaters. Along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, nightlife staff went unbothered by the day’s events. Other line-waiters outside a club had completely missed the news.

But the severity of the growing diplomatic turmoil was not lost on Doss. He lamented the stress the events placed on his two teenage children, whose exposure to such sights had previously only come through the big screen.

State Sen. Greg Hembree of Horry, who represents the area in the South Carolina General Assembly, watched the strike from his neighbor's backyard.

The sight was both impressive and “a little bit scary" for Hembree, who said Americans typically expect such images to come from other countries.

“It was stunning," Hembree said. “You don't ever think you're going to see a live engagement with an adversary in sort of a military context.”

The ensuing debris spread across roughly seven miles (11 kilometers) and landed in 47 feet (14 meters) of water, shallower than officials had expected. As a federal operation to recover the remains continued into Sunday, life in the beach town largely returned to normal.

About a dozen people strolled along Surfside Beach on the rainy, foggy morning. One couple spotted a ship in the distance through binoculars. A nearby bakery brands the area as “The Family Beach.” Locals described the beach town as a typically quiet stretch, save for the hullabaloo caused the previous day by the balloon.

For Sandy and Bob Grubb, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">balloon situation</a>&nbsp;was not in the travel itinerary. The retired couple from Lebanon, Pennsylvania has been vacationing there for over 30 years. The two said they had been joking about the prospect of washed-up debris as they collected sea shells on their Sunday morning walk.

“It's a quite peaceful place — gave us some excitement," Sandy Grubb said, laughing. "Not the kind of excitement you need.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675547938768.png" alt="-Photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV" />
 <figcaption>-Photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV</figcaption>
 </figure>MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — The downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon just off South Carolina’s coast created a spectacle over one of the state’s tourism hubs and drew crowds reacting with a mixture of bewildered gazing, distress and cheering.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsunsetbeachpolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02Hqm6XsMXCxx7E7hdbsj1ZSBJvpEjgDLFxfQVWBzu7Lotq9MseYvNSy2RQUcXwk8Zl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="552" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The balloon was struck by a missile from an F-22 fighter just off Myrtle Beach, fascinating sky-watchers across a populous area known as the Grand Strand for its miles of beaches that draw retirees and vacationers. Crowds gathered in neighborhoods, hotel parking lots and beaches to watch the balloon hover, with some cheering just after it went down.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmyrtlebeachcitygovernment%2Fposts%2Fpfbid025CR2zxJuCutGVfMw6bS1K1feHbrTzHaDNCcmWzXdRVcnSmY3q7Dwc4QBinLPGsRRl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="599" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The festive mood belied the seriousness of the situation, with law enforcement around the county of 366,000 warning people not to touch any debris and to instead call dispatchers.“Members of the US Military are coordinating to collect debris; however, fragments may make it to the coastline,” the Horry County Police Department said in a statement.Ashlyn Preaux, 33, went out to get her mail in Forestbrook, South Carolina, just inland of Myrtle Beach when she saw her neighbors gathered outside. Curious, she went to see what they were looking at. It was easy to spot the balloon in the cloudless blue sky and then what appeared to be fighter jets circling overhead as well. After the strike, she could see the balloon start to fall apart and fall from the sky.“I did not anticipate waking up to be in a Top Gun movie today,” she said.The balloon hovered directly above the Hardy family as they checked into their oceanfront hotel in Myrtle Beach. The family from Anderson joined several employees in the parking lot taking videos of the scene unfolding above before going up to their room ahead of the missile strike.Logan Hardy, 12, said the moment of impact generated a “boom” that shook the building. His room’s balcony gave the middle-schooler a clear view of the debris dropping.“It looked like stars falling down,” he said, adding: “I will never forget this day.”Some watchers rushed to nearby beaches as the balloon approached the ocean. Travis Huffstetler, who captured photos of the balloon, said the packed Garden City Beach almost looked like summertime on the chilly winter day with people looking skyward and taking pictures and videos on their phones.When the balloon began crossing the water, Mark Doss, 54, drove a golf cart three blocks down from his home to Garden City Beach. There, Doss said he and his two teenage children spent 90 minutes watching the balloon strike and waiting in vain for debris to wash ashore.The sheer size of the white orb awed Doss, who said the approaching fighter jet looked like a little model airplane. Doss recalled a “white puff of smoke” after the missile struck the balloon.“That one jet made a beeline straight to it — wham!” Doss said.Life continued uninterrupted for many others into the evening. Doss described the spectacle from a biker bar. There, Saturday night thrill seekers gathered like normal as if international tensions had not played out hours earlier 60,000 feet (18,300 meters) above them. A cover band performed while people shot pool and huddled around patio heaters. Along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, nightlife staff went unbothered by the day’s events. Other line-waiters outside a club had completely missed the news.But the severity of the growing diplomatic turmoil was not lost on Doss. He lamented the stress the events placed on his two teenage children, whose exposure to such sights had previously only come through the big screen.State Sen. Greg Hembree of Horry, who represents the area in the South Carolina General Assembly, watched the strike from his neighbor's backyard.The sight was both impressive and “a little bit scary" for Hembree, who said Americans typically expect such images to come from other countries.“It was stunning," Hembree said. “You don't ever think you're going to see a live engagement with an adversary in sort of a military context.”The ensuing debris spread across roughly seven miles (11 kilometers) and landed in 47 feet (14 meters) of water, shallower than officials had expected. As a federal operation to recover the remains continued into Sunday, life in the beach town largely returned to normal.About a dozen people strolled along Surfside Beach on the rainy, foggy morning. One couple spotted a ship in the distance through binoculars. A nearby bakery brands the area as “The Family Beach.” Locals described the beach town as a typically quiet stretch, save for the hullabaloo caused the previous day by the balloon.For Sandy and Bob Grubb, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">balloon situation</a>&nbsp;was not in the travel itinerary. The retired couple from Lebanon, Pennsylvania has been vacationing there for over 30 years. The two said they had been joking about the prospect of washed-up debris as they collected sea shells on their Sunday morning walk.“It's a quite peaceful place — gave us some excitement," Sandy Grubb said, laughing. "Not the kind of excitement you need.”___

Police warn citizens not to touch debris from spy balloon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Creighton University economist Ernie Goss believes that the employment picture is going to be mixed going forward, especially in the Midwest.

"You look at the employment level for Kansas and the region, we're almost back to Feb. 2020, in terms of the employment. That's well below the national number. The national, U.S. economy is well above the Feb. 2020 number. Kansas is about at its 2020 number. We're not back to where we should be, absent the pandemic."

None the less the people Goss surveys aren't as concerned about hiring as he thought they might be.

"I still think we're going to see layoffs in some of the industry," Goss said. "The unemployment rate in Kansas is likely to rise, but not nearly what we thought. In other words, maybe the Federal Reserve is getting a soft landing. That is, a slowdown in growth moving toward zero and perhaps avoiding a negative number."

Our interview with Goss was prior to the Governor's announcement Thursday of a new semiconductor project in Wichita. However, that project still needs federal funding to get off of the ground.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Creighton University economist Ernie Goss believes that the employment picture is going to be mixed going forward, especially in the Midwest."You look at the employment level for Kansas and the region, we're almost back to Feb. 2020, in terms of the employment. That's well below the national number. The national, U.S. economy is well above the Feb. 2020 number. Kansas is about at its 2020 number. We're not back to where we should be, absent the pandemic."None the less the people Goss surveys aren't as concerned about hiring as he thought they might be."I still think we're going to see layoffs in some of the industry," Goss said. "The unemployment rate in Kansas is likely to rise, but not nearly what we thought. In other words, maybe the Federal Reserve is getting a soft landing. That is, a slowdown in growth moving toward zero and perhaps avoiding a negative number."Our interview with Goss was prior to the Governor's announcement Thursday of a new semiconductor project in Wichita. However, that project still needs federal funding to get off of the ground.

Economist: Employment likely to be mixed as we go through 2023

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Two abducted children who had been missing from Missouri for almost a year were found in a central Florida grocery store with their non-custodial mother, who was taken into police custody, authorities said.

Kristi Gilley was arrested last Wednesday on an out-of-state fugitive warrant. Court records show Gilley, 36, remained in jail on Sunday.

High Springs police officers found Gilley and the two children in a Winn Dixie super market after running a routine vehicle tag check that indicated the vehicle's owner was a fugitive, the High Springs Police Department said in a news release. High Springs is located about 22 miles&nbsp; northwest of Gainesville, Florida.

The children had been missing from Clay County, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, since last March.

The High Springs Police Department said the children were turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families and would be reunited with family members in Missouri.

Gilley's court-appointed lawyer from the local public defender's office didn't respond to an emailed inquiry on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675638225206.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Two abducted children who had been missing from Missouri for almost a year were found in a central Florida grocery store with their non-custodial mother, who was taken into police custody, authorities said.Kristi Gilley was arrested last Wednesday on an out-of-state fugitive warrant. Court records show Gilley, 36, remained in jail on Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675638330811.png" alt="Gilley photo -Alachua County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Gilley photo -Alachua County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>High Springs police officers found Gilley and the two children in a Winn Dixie super market after running a routine vehicle tag check that indicated the vehicle's owner was a fugitive, the High Springs Police Department said in a news release. High Springs is located about 22 miles&nbsp; northwest of Gainesville, Florida.The children had been missing from Clay County, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, since last March.The High Springs Police Department said the children were turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families and would be reunited with family members in Missouri.Gilley's court-appointed lawyer from the local public defender's office didn't respond to an emailed inquiry on Sunday.

2 abducted KC-area children found in a Florida supermarket

&nbsp;Paul Zamarripa was located safe in McPherson, according to the KBI.&nbsp; The silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;

BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities on Sunday issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing 80-year-old man, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigaton.

The whereabouts of Paul Zamarripa, 80, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. 

He was last seen Sunday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. on Interstate 35, headed south in a 2009 G2500 Chevy Van, according to Great Bend Police.

The van is white with a green ladder on top and bears Kansas tag 087NRD. 

Zamarripa is described 5-foot-9, weighs 140 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has Alzheimer’s and has a history of skipping his medication. 

If you have seen him or his vehicle, please contact the Great Bend Police Department dispatch at 620-793-1920.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675652522792.png" alt="Zamarripa-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Zamarripa-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Paul Zamarripa was located safe in McPherson, according to the KBI.&nbsp; The silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;--------BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities on Sunday issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing 80-year-old man, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigaton.The whereabouts of Paul Zamarripa, 80, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. He was last seen Sunday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. on Interstate 35, headed south in a 2009 G2500 Chevy Van, according to Great Bend Police.The van is white with a green ladder on top and bears Kansas tag 087NRD. Zamarripa is described 5-foot-9, weighs 140 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has Alzheimer’s and has a history of skipping his medication. If you have seen him or his vehicle, please contact the Great Bend Police Department dispatch at 620-793-1920.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled; missing Kansas man found safe

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who admitted his role in a fatal Thanksgiving Day DUI crash is going to prison.

On Feb. 2, a judge sentenced Garrett Meyers, 38, Andover to 200 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Dec. 19, Myers pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 8p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday Nov. 25, 2021, police responded to report of an accident at 13th and Hillside in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Investigators determined a truck driven by Myers struck an SUV driven by 65-year-old Leroy Grim, of Wichita, who was stopped westbound at the intersection. Grim was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported a 67-year-old woman in the SUV to an area hospital. Police arrested Myers.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638389226894.png" alt="Myers-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Myers-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who admitted his role in a fatal Thanksgiving Day DUI crash is going to prison.On Feb. 2, a judge sentenced Garrett Meyers, 38, Andover to 200 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Dec. 19, Myers pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 8p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday Nov. 25, 2021, police responded to report of an accident at 13th and Hillside in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Investigators determined a truck driven by Myers struck an SUV driven by 65-year-old Leroy Grim, of Wichita, who was stopped westbound at the intersection. Grim was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported a 67-year-old woman in the SUV to an area hospital. Police arrested Myers.&nbsp;------------

Kansas man sentenced for fatal Thanksgiving Day DUI crash

By ALLISON WINTER <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01/billions-in-federal-farm-payments-flow-to-a-select-group-of-producers-report-shows/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The
 top 10% of recipients of federal farm payments raked in more than 79% 
of total subsidies over the last 25 years — producing billions of 
dollars for a relatively small group of U.S. producers, according to a 
new analysis of federal data from an environmental group.

In total, the federal government paid
 more than $478 billion from 2015 to 2021 in farm support for crop 
insurance, disasters, conservation payments and subsidies for certain 
crops such as corn and soybeans, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ewg.org/research/updated-ewg-farm-subsidy-database-shows-largest-producers-reap-billions-despite-climate">analysis of federal data</a> the Environmental Working Group released Wednesday.&nbsp;

The U.S. Agriculture Department 
programs support hundreds of thousands of producers across the country. 
But a select group of super collectors is bringing in an outsized 
portion of farm subsidies.&nbsp;

The top 1% collected 27% of total subsidies between 1995 and 2021, according to the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some of the farm payments are more 
opaque. The government does not release information on all of the 
individuals who receive support for crop insurance. And the Trump
 administration changed how it reported some farm subsidies, so it lists
 them by banks instead of individuals, making it harder to see who 
received some of the payments from 2019 to 2021.&nbsp;

More than half of farm subsidies over
 the last 25 years were commodity payments to crops such as corn, 
soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice, according to the EWG database.&nbsp;

“Based on what we do know, we can 
still see the most successful farm businesses are still collecting the 
lion’s share of subsidies … while the vast majority of farmers are 
getting little or nothing,” said Scott Faber, vice president of 
government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, an independent 
nonprofit that conducts extensive research.&nbsp;

The biggest of those were corn subsidies.&nbsp;

Federal spending on crop insurance 
has grown in recent farm bills, and crop insurance payments now make up a
 quarter of all subsidy payments.

In Iowa, the family farm that is 
managed by the son of Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a farm policy
 leader, received more than $1.4 million from 1995 to 2021, the report 
shows. The payments included disaster, corn, soybean and oat commodity subsidies.&nbsp;

The payments are listed for Robin
 Grassley, the family farm manager. Chuck Grassley and Republican Sen. 
Joni Ernst of Iowa both sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee.&nbsp;

Pat Grassley, a state representative 
in Iowa and the senator’s grandson, collected $55,500 in federal 
payments since 2005. Most of those were relatively small commodity 
payments from $700 to $2,000 a year — with the exception of 2020, when 
he received $20,000.

The database compiles data collected from federal reporting and Freedom of Information Act requests.

<a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/?_ga=2.237948168.96044977.1675267085-584142049.1674755652">The distribution of farm subsidies</a> does not necessarily follow the amount of agricultural production in a state.&nbsp;

For instance, California is the most 
agriculture-producing state, according to the USDA, but is 11th on the 
list for subsidy payments.&nbsp;

North Carolina is in the top 10 for 
agriculture production but ranks 20th for farm subsidy receipts. 
Instead, more money goes to Texas, Iowa and Illinois, where large farms 
grow subsidized commodity crops, such as corn and soybeans.

The top 15 states with the most total farm subsidies distributed from 1995 to 2021, ranked by payments, were:&nbsp;

Here is a link to the <a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=31000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;regionname=Nebraska">top recipients</a> of commodity subsidies in Nebraska in 1995-2021, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Pennsylvania, a major agricultural 
state, is 29th on the list with $3.4 billion from 1995-2021. The biggest
 subsidy programs in the state are for dairy farmers.&nbsp;

But 80% of Pennsylvania’s producers do not receive federal farm subsidies, according to the report.&nbsp;

Producers in House Agriculture 
Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson’s congressional district in 
Pennsylvania received nearly $35 million in commodity payment support 
from 1995 to 2021, according to the database. The largest of those went 
to Long Acres Potato Farms in Tionesta, which collected more than $1.5 
million over that time period.&nbsp;

The report comes as Congress kicks 
off its rewrite of the sweeping federal farm bill, which will set both 
policy and funding levels for farm, food and conservation programs for 
the next five years. The Senate Agriculture Committee held its first 
farm bill hearing of the year Wednesday. The current farm bill expires 
at the end of September.

Originally a product of the New Deal,
 the first farm bill in 1933 focused on commodity price support to 
provide relief for farmers and ensure a steady domestic food supply for 
Americans during the Great Depression.&nbsp;

Since then, lawmakers have passed 18 farm bills and greatly expanded the reach of the legislation.&nbsp;

For example, Congress added a 
conservation section to the farm bill in 1985 with payments for farmers 
who conserve soil, idle land for wildlife habitat or employ certain 
conservation practices.&nbsp;

But the biggest spending in recent farm bills is not on farms at all but in the nutrition title, which includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675280755915.png" alt="Corn grows in Saunders County, Nebraska, just outside Ashland. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) " />
 <figcaption>Corn grows in Saunders County, Nebraska, just outside Ashland. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) </figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON WINTER <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01/billions-in-federal-farm-payments-flow-to-a-select-group-of-producers-report-shows/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The
 top 10% of recipients of federal farm payments raked in more than 79% 
of total subsidies over the last 25 years — producing billions of 
dollars for a relatively small group of U.S. producers, according to a 
new analysis of federal data from an environmental group.In total, the federal government paid
 more than $478 billion from 2015 to 2021 in farm support for crop 
insurance, disasters, conservation payments and subsidies for certain 
crops such as corn and soybeans, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ewg.org/research/updated-ewg-farm-subsidy-database-shows-largest-producers-reap-billions-despite-climate">analysis of federal data</a> the Environmental Working Group released Wednesday.&nbsp;The U.S. Agriculture Department 
programs support hundreds of thousands of producers across the country. 
But a select group of super collectors is bringing in an outsized 
portion of farm subsidies.&nbsp;The top 1% collected 27% of total subsidies between 1995 and 2021, according to the report.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some of the farm payments are more 
opaque. The government does not release information on all of the 
individuals who receive support for crop insurance. And the Trump
 administration changed how it reported some farm subsidies, so it lists
 them by banks instead of individuals, making it harder to see who 
received some of the payments from 2019 to 2021.&nbsp;More than half of farm subsidies over
 the last 25 years were commodity payments to crops such as corn, 
soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice, according to the EWG database.&nbsp;“Based on what we do know, we can 
still see the most successful farm businesses are still collecting the 
lion’s share of subsidies … while the vast majority of farmers are 
getting little or nothing,” said Scott Faber, vice president of 
government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, an independent 
nonprofit that conducts extensive research.&nbsp;The biggest of those were corn subsidies.&nbsp;Federal spending on crop insurance 
has grown in recent farm bills, and crop insurance payments now make up a
 quarter of all subsidy payments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675280824960.jpeg" alt="U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley won election to his eighth term in the Senate on Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Mike Franken. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley won election to his eighth term in the Senate on Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Mike Franken. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure>In Iowa, the family farm that is 
managed by the son of Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a farm policy
 leader, received more than $1.4 million from 1995 to 2021, the report 
shows. The payments included disaster, corn, soybean and oat commodity subsidies.&nbsp;The payments are listed for Robin
 Grassley, the family farm manager. Chuck Grassley and Republican Sen. 
Joni Ernst of Iowa both sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee.&nbsp;Pat Grassley, a state representative 
in Iowa and the senator’s grandson, collected $55,500 in federal 
payments since 2005. Most of those were relatively small commodity 
payments from $700 to $2,000 a year — with the exception of 2020, when 
he received $20,000.The database compiles data collected from federal reporting and Freedom of Information Act requests.<h2>Harvesting federal support</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/?_ga=2.237948168.96044977.1675267085-584142049.1674755652">The distribution of farm subsidies</a> does not necessarily follow the amount of agricultural production in a state.&nbsp;For instance, California is the most 
agriculture-producing state, according to the USDA, but is 11th on the 
list for subsidy payments.&nbsp;North Carolina is in the top 10 for 
agriculture production but ranks 20th for farm subsidy receipts. 
Instead, more money goes to Texas, Iowa and Illinois, where large farms 
grow subsidized commodity crops, such as corn and soybeans.The top 15 states with the most total farm subsidies distributed from 1995 to 2021, ranked by payments, were:&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675280862244.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Here is a link to the <a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=31000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;regionname=Nebraska">top recipients</a> of commodity subsidies in Nebraska in 1995-2021, according to the Environmental Working Group.Pennsylvania, a major agricultural 
state, is 29th on the list with $3.4 billion from 1995-2021. The biggest
 subsidy programs in the state are for dairy farmers.&nbsp;But 80% of Pennsylvania’s producers do not receive federal farm subsidies, according to the report.&nbsp;Producers in House Agriculture 
Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson’s congressional district in 
Pennsylvania received nearly $35 million in commodity payment support 
from 1995 to 2021, according to the database. The largest of those went 
to Long Acres Potato Farms in Tionesta, which collected more than $1.5 
million over that time period.&nbsp;<h2>Farm bill debate launches</h2>The report comes as Congress kicks 
off its rewrite of the sweeping federal farm bill, which will set both 
policy and funding levels for farm, food and conservation programs for 
the next five years. The Senate Agriculture Committee held its first 
farm bill hearing of the year Wednesday. The current farm bill expires 
at the end of September.Originally a product of the New Deal,
 the first farm bill in 1933 focused on commodity price support to 
provide relief for farmers and ensure a steady domestic food supply for 
Americans during the Great Depression.&nbsp;Since then, lawmakers have passed 18 farm bills and greatly expanded the reach of the legislation.&nbsp;For example, Congress added a 
conservation section to the farm bill in 1985 with payments for farmers 
who conserve soil, idle land for wildlife habitat or employ certain 
conservation practices.&nbsp;But the biggest spending in recent farm bills is not on farms at all but in the nutrition title, which includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.&nbsp;The politically fraught process of 
authoring a new farm bill faces extra challenges this year from a 
divided Congress, a looming debate over the federal debt ceiling and the
 potential for extended amendments in the House.&nbsp;The leaders of the House and Senate 
Agriculture committees, Thompson and Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of 
Michigan, have each said they will aim to finish a new farm bill on time
 but acknowledged it will be a challenge this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We know because of the timeline and 
all of the complexity of everything going on and the challenges in the 
House that it may take a little bit longer, but we’re committed to 
getting it done,” Stabenow said in a January interview on the web 
broadcast <a target="_blank" href="https://www.agri-pulse.com/media/videos/play/942">Agri-Pulse newsmakers</a>.<h2>Crop subsidies could face attacks</h2>Crop subsidies come under fire in 
every farm bill debate — both from environmental groups that would like 
to see the money invested elsewhere and budget hawks who want to trim 
federal spending.&nbsp;The Republican Study Committee, whose
 members make up 80% of all Republican members of Congress, proposed 
drastic cuts for the farm bill and limits on some farm subsidies in the <a target="_blank" href="https://banks.house.gov/uploadedfiles/rsc_2023_budget_final_version.pdf">draft budget</a> it released last summer as a “Blueprint to Save America.”&nbsp;&nbsp;But Agriculture Committee leaders have not indicated they intend to undertake any massive overhaul in this farm bill.Thompson has said he does not want to
 dismantle farm supports, which he and other farm state lawmakers see as
 a safety net critical for producers and rural communities.&nbsp;Democrats on his committee have not shown enthusiasm for an overhaul of farm subsidies, either.&nbsp;In a recent list of farm bill 
priorities, Georgia Rep. David Scott, the top Democrat on the House 
Agriculture Committee, did not include changes for farm subsidies other 
than extending programs for livestock producers and&nbsp; small farmers.Georgia Republican Rep. Austin Scott,
 who will chair the subcommittee that oversees farm commodities, said at
 a farm bill listening session last month that he wants to look at the 
reference prices that trigger payments for row crops but has not 
expressed interest in a massive subsidy overhaul.