SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused of stealing and destroy a Jackie Robinson statue from a Wichita Park made another court appearance Thursday.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ricky Alderete, 45, Wichita, pled guilty to the theft of the statue from League 42, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

On January 26, police learned the statue was cut at the ankles to be removed. All that remained of the statue were Robinson's feet.&nbsp;

Alerete, who was in custody after an arrest on&nbsp;February 1, for a probation violation, burglary, kidnapping and criminal damage to property unrelated to the theft of the statue,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251468">according to online jail records</a>&nbsp;was charged with the crime.

Wichita police detectives conducted over 100 interviews both within and outside Sedgwick County to resolve the case.

On January 28, officers from the Wichita Police Department Field Community Response Team located a suspect vehicle used in the theft, unoccupied, at an apartment complex in Wichita.

On January 30, the Wichita Fire Department discovered parts of the statue in a trash can at Garvey Park while responding to a fire call.

The investigation has not revealed any evidence indicating that this was a hate-motivated crime, instead, police believe this theft was motivated by the financial gain of scrapping common metal, according to Moses. Police detectives remain committed to gathering information to identify and charge all individuals involved in the theft and destruction of the  statue.

Alderete has been the only suspect apprehended in the statue’s destruction.&nbsp; He is scheduled for sentencing July 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707844320270.png" alt="Alderete-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Alderete-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused of stealing and destroy a Jackie Robinson statue from a Wichita Park made another court appearance Thursday.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ricky Alderete, 45, Wichita, pled guilty to the theft of the statue from League 42, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706214143377.png" alt="Photo city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Photo city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>On January 26, police learned the statue was cut at the ankles to be removed. All that remained of the statue were Robinson's feet.&nbsp;Alerete, who was in custody after an arrest on&nbsp;February 1, for a probation violation, burglary, kidnapping and criminal damage to property unrelated to the theft of the statue,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251468">according to online jail records</a>&nbsp;was charged with the crime.Wichita police detectives conducted over 100 interviews both within and outside Sedgwick County to resolve the case.On January 28, officers from the Wichita Police Department Field Community Response Team located a suspect vehicle used in the theft, unoccupied, at an apartment complex in Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706641670170.png" alt="-Parts of the burned statue found in a trash bin-photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>-Parts of the burned statue found in a trash bin-photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>On January 30, the Wichita Fire Department discovered parts of the statue in a trash can at Garvey Park while responding to a fire call.The investigation has not revealed any evidence indicating that this was a hate-motivated crime, instead, police believe this theft was motivated by the financial gain of scrapping common metal, according to Moses. Police detectives remain committed to gathering information to identify and charge all individuals involved in the theft and destruction of the statue.Alderete has been the only suspect apprehended in the statue’s destruction.&nbsp; He is scheduled for sentencing July 1.

Kan. man admits stealing Jackie Robinson statue from park

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating gunfire at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City continue asking for help to identify suspects.&nbsp;Five of the eight individuals involved in this incident have been identified.&nbsp; Police are still seeking the publics help in identifying the remaining three.

Just after 6:30 p.m. on April 6, police responded to a report of a shooting and individuals running near 47th and Central, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp;After officers secured the scene, it was discovered that multiple vehicles had been shot into, and one of the vehicles was occupied. There were no injuries.  

&nbsp;Please contact the KCPD Assault Squad at 816-234-5227 or TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit <a href="https://t.co/gULWXwQkBQ" target="_blank">http://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715280977817.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating gunfire at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City continue asking for help to identify suspects.&nbsp;Five of the eight individuals involved in this incident have been identified.&nbsp; Police are still seeking the publics help in identifying the remaining three.Just after 6:30 p.m. on April 6, police responded to a report of a shooting and individuals running near 47th and Central, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp;After officers secured the scene, it was discovered that multiple vehicles had been shot into, and one of the vehicles was occupied. There were no injuries. &nbsp;Please contact the KCPD Assault Squad at 816-234-5227 or TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit <a href="https://t.co/gULWXwQkBQ" target="_blank">http://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

KCPD: Search continues for Country Club Plaza shooting suspects

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Ascension hospitals in Wichita and in many Ascension facilities around the country detected unusual activity in their network systems on Wednesday, according to an Ascension spokesperson.

On Thursday evening, the hospital reported investigators confirmed the hospitals are battling a cybersecurity incident. Hospital staff are working around the clock with internal and external advisors to investigate, contain, and restore the systems following a thorough validation and screening process. The investigation and restoration work will take time to complete, and there is no timeline for completion.

The hospital is actively supporting their ministries as they continue to provide safe, patient care with established downtime protocols and procedures, in which the&nbsp; workforce is well trained. It is expected that the hospital will be utilizing downtime procedures for some time. Patients should bring to their appointment notes on their symptoms and a list of current medications and prescription numbers or the prescription bottles so their care team can call in medication needs to pharmacies.

Systems that are currently unavailable include&nbsp; electronic health records system, MyChart (which enables patients to view their medical records and communicate with their providers), some phone systems, and various systems utilized to order certain tests, procedures and medications.&nbsp;

The hospital has implemented established protocols and procedures to address these particular system disruptions in order to continue to provide safe care to patients. Out of an abundance of caution, however, some non-emergent elective procedures, tests and appointments have been temporarily paused while staff works to bring systems back online. Hospital teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled.

Due to downtime procedures, several hospitals are currently on diversion for emergency medical services in order to ensure emergency cases are triaged immediately. 

The hospital reminds patients, "If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please contact 911 and your local emergency services will bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715251297400.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Ascension hospitals in Wichita and in many Ascension facilities around the country detected unusual activity in their network systems on Wednesday, according to an Ascension spokesperson.On Thursday evening, the hospital reported investigators confirmed the hospitals are battling a cybersecurity incident. Hospital staff are working around the clock with internal and external advisors to investigate, contain, and restore the systems following a thorough validation and screening process. The investigation and restoration work will take time to complete, and there is no timeline for completion.The hospital is actively supporting their ministries as they continue to provide safe, patient care with established downtime protocols and procedures, in which the&nbsp; workforce is well trained. It is expected that the hospital will be utilizing downtime procedures for some time. Patients should bring to their appointment notes on their symptoms and a list of current medications and prescription numbers or the prescription bottles so their care team can call in medication needs to pharmacies.Systems that are currently unavailable include&nbsp; electronic health records system, MyChart (which enables patients to view their medical records and communicate with their providers), some phone systems, and various systems utilized to order certain tests, procedures and medications.&nbsp;The hospital has implemented established protocols and procedures to address these particular system disruptions in order to continue to provide safe care to patients. Out of an abundance of caution, however, some non-emergent elective procedures, tests and appointments have been temporarily paused while staff works to bring systems back online. Hospital teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled.Due to downtime procedures, several hospitals are currently on diversion for emergency medical services in order to ensure emergency cases are triaged immediately. The hospital reminds patients, "If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please contact 911 and your local emergency services will bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room."

Cyberattack on Kansas hospital disrupting many services

Governor says bipartisan bill too costly, risks throwing state into financial turmoil

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

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said there was “absolutely no way” to avoid vetoing the $2.3 billion tax reduction bill approved with bipartisan majorities in the Kansas Legislature, arguing the cumulative year-to-year result of a half-billion-dollar drop in revenue would crack the state’s financial foundation.

Kelly said debate about major tax reform would resume at the statehouse after she called a special session of the Legislature to consider an alterative plan. She promised during an interview with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s “Up To Date” news program to present a new tax package for consideration by House and Senate members.

“I have made it very clear from the get-go that I will veto any bill that came to me that would put Kansas in financial jeopardy. The bill the Legislature passed would do exactly that,” the Democratic governor said. “There is absolutely no way that I would sign it. I’ll call the Legislature back into a special session to pass a good tax cut bill.”

Kelly said the flurry of tax-reduction bills adopted by the 2024 Legislature would create financial problems for the state government within several years despite the current multibillion-dollar revenue surplus. She said the cumulative loss of more than $500 million annually from those bills would be unsustainable. She said it could lead to budget problems reminiscent of the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback, who led the state into a financial quagmire by aggressively reducing the state income tax without cutting spending.

“We do have enough money to do a very robust tax cut, just not as much as the Legislature proposed,” Kelly told KCUR. “There’s no way in the world that I would put my signature on a bill that I think will take us back to those (Brownback) days of four-day school weeks, crumbling roads and bridges, a foster care system that was totally broken. I can’t do that. I promised the people of Kansas that I would fix things. I did and I’m not going to now break them.”

There was a complex political calculus to a veto of Senate Bill 37 because it was approved by the House on a vote of 108-11 and by the Senate with a vote of 25-9. Both Republicans and Democrats have urged her to sign it into law.

The bill in question would eliminate the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries on July 1 rather than Jan. 1, 2025. It would repeal the state income tax on Social Security benefits in the 2024 tax year.

The bill would elevate to $100,000 the exemption from property taxes tied to the statewide school finance levy. That would be a substantive increase from the current $42,000 exemption. The property tax mill levy for education would be cut from 20 mills to 19.5 mills.

It would increase the standard deduction and personal exemption on state income taxes, while lowering the state’s top income tax rate from 5.7% to 5.57%. The state’s lower income tax rate would fall from 5.25% to 5.2%.

In the KCUR radio interview, Kelly said she was most concerned about the excessive cost of income tax reductions woven into bills favored by the Legislature.

Republicans and Democrats who voted for the tax bill pleaded with Kelly to bend to their will. There was urgency to their plea given that all 125 House seats and all 40 Senate seats would be up for grabs in the August primary and the November general election. A quick special session wouldn’t have much impact on those campaigns, but a protracted dispute over tax policy could interfere with fundraising and campaigning.

“I have voted for many income tax reduction bills this session,” said Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican who also voted for SB 37. “I was hoping this would not be vetoed and it would bring tax relief to Kansas residents sooner rather than later.”

The state’s tax revenue forecasters reported in mid-April that Kansas could end the current fiscal year June 30 with a surplus of $2.6 billion in the general treasury and $1.7 billion in a special rainy-day fund. Assuming state tax revenue was reduced next fiscal year by $530 million, the forecast said the state could end the upcoming fiscal year with a $1.9 billion general fund surplus and $1.8 billion in the emergency account.

House Majority Leader Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican who endorsed SB 37, said the state’s anticipated surplus left the governor with no legitimate reason to issue a veto.

“Under our bipartisan tax relief plan,” Croft told constituents, “every Kansan gets a tax cut, no matter their income. Only one signature stands between you and tax relief.”

Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, said the state government could afford tax changes contained in SB 37. He was among House members who voted for the bill.

“In my experience, we don’t get many chances to give real money to real people before the big money players come to get theirs,” Probst said. “I have a real worry that if we miss this moment, most of the tax cuts will go — once again — to people who don’t need it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715305071246.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said on the KCUR radio program "Up To Date" that she would veto the five-year, $2.3 billion property, sales and income tax reduction bill because it would be too costly and lead to budget problems within several years. She said the veto would be accompanied by a call for the Legislature to convene in special session to work on an alternative tax plan. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said on the KCUR radio program "Up To Date" that she would veto the five-year, $2.3 billion property, sales and income tax reduction bill because it would be too costly and lead to budget problems within several years. She said the veto would be accompanied by a call for the Legislature to convene in special session to work on an alternative tax plan. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Governor says bipartisan bill too costly, risks throwing state into financial turmoil</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said there was “absolutely no way” to avoid vetoing the $2.3 billion tax reduction bill approved with bipartisan majorities in the Kansas Legislature, arguing the cumulative year-to-year result of a half-billion-dollar drop in revenue would crack the state’s financial foundation.Kelly said debate about major tax reform would resume at the statehouse after she called a special session of the Legislature to consider an alterative plan. She promised during an interview with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s “Up To Date” news program to present a new tax package for consideration by House and Senate members.“I have made it very clear from the get-go that I will veto any bill that came to me that would put Kansas in financial jeopardy. The bill the Legislature passed would do exactly that,” the Democratic governor said. “There is absolutely no way that I would sign it. I’ll call the Legislature back into a special session to pass a good tax cut bill.”Kelly said the flurry of tax-reduction bills adopted by the 2024 Legislature would create financial problems for the state government within several years despite the current multibillion-dollar revenue surplus. She said the cumulative loss of more than $500 million annually from those bills would be unsustainable. She said it could lead to budget problems reminiscent of the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback, who led the state into a financial quagmire by aggressively reducing the state income tax without cutting spending.“We do have enough money to do a very robust tax cut, just not as much as the Legislature proposed,” Kelly told KCUR. “There’s no way in the world that I would put my signature on a bill that I think will take us back to those (Brownback) days of four-day school weeks, crumbling roads and bridges, a foster care system that was totally broken. I can’t do that. I promised the people of Kansas that I would fix things. I did and I’m not going to now break them.”There was a complex political calculus to a veto of Senate Bill 37 because it was approved by the House on a vote of 108-11 and by the Senate with a vote of 25-9. Both Republicans and Democrats have urged her to sign it into law.The bill in question would eliminate the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries on July 1 rather than Jan. 1, 2025. It would repeal the state income tax on Social Security benefits in the 2024 tax year.The bill would elevate to $100,000 the exemption from property taxes tied to the statewide school finance levy. That would be a substantive increase from the current $42,000 exemption. The property tax mill levy for education would be cut from 20 mills to 19.5 mills.It would increase the standard deduction and personal exemption on state income taxes, while lowering the state’s top income tax rate from 5.7% to 5.57%. The state’s lower income tax rate would fall from 5.25% to 5.2%.In the KCUR radio interview, Kelly said she was most concerned about the excessive cost of income tax reductions woven into bills favored by the Legislature.Republicans and Democrats who voted for the tax bill pleaded with Kelly to bend to their will. There was urgency to their plea given that all 125 House seats and all 40 Senate seats would be up for grabs in the August primary and the November general election. A quick special session wouldn’t have much impact on those campaigns, but a protracted dispute over tax policy could interfere with fundraising and campaigning.“I have voted for many income tax reduction bills this session,” said Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican who also voted for SB 37. “I was hoping this would not be vetoed and it would bring tax relief to Kansas residents sooner rather than later.”The state’s tax revenue forecasters reported in mid-April that Kansas could end the current fiscal year June 30 with a surplus of $2.6 billion in the general treasury and $1.7 billion in a special rainy-day fund. Assuming state tax revenue was reduced next fiscal year by $530 million, the forecast said the state could end the upcoming fiscal year with a $1.9 billion general fund surplus and $1.8 billion in the emergency account.House Majority Leader Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican who endorsed SB 37, said the state’s anticipated surplus left the governor with no legitimate reason to issue a veto.“Under our bipartisan tax relief plan,” Croft told constituents, “every Kansan gets a tax cut, no matter their income. Only one signature stands between you and tax relief.”Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, said the state government could afford tax changes contained in SB 37. He was among House members who voted for the bill.“In my experience, we don’t get many chances to give real money to real people before the big money players come to get theirs,” Probst said. “I have a real worry that if we miss this moment, most of the tax cuts will go — once again — to people who don’t need it.”

Gov. Kelly affirms plan to veto bipartisan $2.3 billion, 5-year tax reform bill

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An unusually strong solar storm headed toward Earth could produce northern lights in the U.S. this weekend and potentially disrupt power and communications.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare geomagnetic storm watch — the first in nearly 20 years. That was expected to become a warning Friday night, when the effects of the solar outburst were due to reach Earth.

NOAA already has alerted operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit to take precautions.

“As far as the worst situation expected here at Earth, that’s tough to say and I wouldn’t want to speculate on that,” said NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl. “However, severe level is pretty extraordinary, It’s a very rare event to happen.”

NOAA said the sun produced strong solar flares beginning Wednesday, resulting in five outbursts of plasma capable of disrupting satellites in orbit and power grids here on Earth. Each eruption — known as a coronal mass ejection — can contain billions of tons of plasma and magnetic field from the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona.

The flares seem to be associated with a sunspot that’s 16 times the diameter of Earth, according to NOAA. An extreme geomagnetic storm in 2003 took out power in Sweden and damaged power transformers in South Africa.

The latest storm could produce northern lights as far south in the U.S. as Alabama and Northern California, according to NOAA.

The most intense solar storm in recorded history, in 1859, prompted auroras in central America and possibly even Hawaii. “That's an extreme-level event," Dahl said. “We are not anticipating that” but it could come close.

WASHINGTON —NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) — a division of the National Weather Service — is monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that began on May 8. Space weather forecasters have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g4-watch-effect-may-11">issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch</a>&nbsp;for the evening of Friday, May 10, according to a statement from the space weather prediction center. Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend.

A large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday at 5:00 am ET. At least five flares were associated with CMEs that appear to be Earth-directed. SWPC forecasters will monitor NOAA and NASA’s space assets for the onset of a geomagnetic storm.

CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth. Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting phone communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations. 

SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action. Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth. A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for aurora to be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715344219111.png" alt="NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite captured the eruption from the sun that occurred around 2 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2024. Credit: NOAA" />
 <figcaption>NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite captured the eruption from the sun that occurred around 2 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2024. Credit: NOAA</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An unusually strong solar storm headed toward Earth could produce northern lights in the U.S. this weekend and potentially disrupt power and communications.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Large sunspot groups and strong solar flares led to the issuance of SWPC&#39;s first G4 Watch since 2005... <a href="https://t.co/oi55cTPXhP">pic.twitter.com/oi55cTPXhP</a>&mdash; NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSWPC/status/1788671368629772306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare geomagnetic storm watch — the first in nearly 20 years. That was expected to become a warning Friday night, when the effects of the solar outburst were due to reach Earth.NOAA already has alerted operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit to take precautions.“As far as the worst situation expected here at Earth, that’s tough to say and I wouldn’t want to speculate on that,” said NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl. “However, severe level is pretty extraordinary, It’s a very rare event to happen.”NOAA said the sun produced strong solar flares beginning Wednesday, resulting in five outbursts of plasma capable of disrupting satellites in orbit and power grids here on Earth. Each eruption — known as a coronal mass ejection — can contain billions of tons of plasma and magnetic field from the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona.The flares seem to be associated with a sunspot that’s 16 times the diameter of Earth, according to NOAA. An extreme geomagnetic storm in 2003 took out power in Sweden and damaged power transformers in South Africa.The latest storm could produce northern lights as far south in the U.S. as Alabama and Northern California, according to NOAA.The most intense solar storm in recorded history, in 1859, prompted auroras in central America and possibly even Hawaii. “That's an extreme-level event," Dahl said. “We are not anticipating that” but it could come close.---------------WASHINGTON —NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) — a division of the National Weather Service — is monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that began on May 8. Space weather forecasters have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g4-watch-effect-may-11">issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch</a>&nbsp;for the evening of Friday, May 10, according to a statement from the space weather prediction center. Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Large sunspot groups and strong solar flares led to the issuance of SWPC&#39;s first G4 Watch since 2005... <a href="https://t.co/oi55cTPXhP">pic.twitter.com/oi55cTPXhP</a>&mdash; NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSWPC/status/1788671368629772306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday at 5:00 am ET. At least five flares were associated with CMEs that appear to be Earth-directed. SWPC forecasters will monitor NOAA and NASA’s space assets for the onset of a geomagnetic storm.CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth. Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting phone communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations. SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action. Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth. A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for aurora to be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California.&nbsp;

NOAA issues first 'severe geomagnetic storm' watch in 20 years 

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted in the fentanyl death of a teen is going to prison.

On Friday, Cameron Bryant, 28,&nbsp; Grandview, was sentenced to 11 and one half years in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

A jury found him guilty of felony distribution of a drug that caused the death of 18-year-old<a href="https://www.porterfuneralhome.com/ObituaryDetails.aspx?id=60878"> Shawnee Mission East senior Olivia Piotrowski.</a> The teen died in September 2021 of a fentanyl overdose.

Prosecutors dismissed additional charges against Bryant including six&nbsp; drug-related counts for using a cell phone during the commission of a felony.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715114388503.png" alt="Bryant-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bryant-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted in the fentanyl death of a teen is going to prison.On Friday, Cameron Bryant, 28,&nbsp; Grandview, was sentenced to 11 and one half years in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715114857832.png" alt="Olivia Piotrowski-photo Porter Funeral Home" />
 <figcaption>Olivia Piotrowski-photo Porter Funeral Home</figcaption>
 </figure>A jury found him guilty of felony distribution of a drug that caused the death of 18-year-old<a href="https://www.porterfuneralhome.com/ObituaryDetails.aspx?id=60878"> Shawnee Mission East senior Olivia Piotrowski.</a> The teen died in September 2021 of a fentanyl overdose.Prosecutors dismissed additional charges against Bryant including six&nbsp; drug-related counts for using a cell phone during the commission of a felony.

Man sentenced in fentanyl death of Kan. high school student

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff.

Just before 11p.m. May 8, police responded to 2700 W. 18th Avenue in Emporia in an attempt to locate 39-year-old Amy K. Worthy, according to Police Captain Ray Mattis.

She had warrants for her arrest through the Lyon County District Court. Officers located her inside one of the rooms of the empty hotel. Worthy would not come out to the officers when the officers announced their presence. 

She was able to evade the officers and escape to the roof. Officers attempted to negotiate with Worthy but she continued to refuse to surrender. Officers gained access to the roof and were able to get Worthy into custody. Worthy remains jailed on the outstanding warrants and interference with a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715292522805.png" alt="Worthy-photo Lyon Co." />
 <figcaption>Worthy-photo Lyon Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff.Just before 11p.m. May 8, police responded to 2700 W. 18th Avenue in Emporia in an attempt to locate 39-year-old Amy K. Worthy, according to Police Captain Ray Mattis.She had warrants for her arrest through the Lyon County District Court. Officers located her inside one of the rooms of the empty hotel. Worthy would not come out to the officers when the officers announced their presence. She was able to evade the officers and escape to the roof. Officers attempted to negotiate with Worthy but she continued to refuse to surrender. Officers gained access to the roof and were able to get Worthy into custody. Worthy remains jailed on the outstanding warrants and interference with a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

Police capture wanted woman on roof of Kansas hotel

DETROIT (AP) — The Chevrolet Malibu, the last midsize car made by a Detroit automaker, is heading for the junkyard.

General Motors confirmed Thursday that it will stop making the car introduced in 1964 as the company focuses more on electric vehicles.

The midsize sedan was once the top-selling segment in the U.S., a stalwart of family garages nationwide. But its sales started to decline in the early 2000s as the SUV became more prominent and pickup truck sales grew.

Now the U.S. auto market is dominated by SUVs and trucks. Full-size pickups from Ford, Chevrolet and Ram are the top selling vehicles in America, and the top-selling non pickup is Toyota's RAV4 small SUV.

Last year midsize cars made up only 8% of U.S. new vehicle sales, but it was 22% as recently as 2007, according to Motorintelligence.com. Still, Americans bought 1.3 million of the cars last year in a segment dominated by the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

GM sold just over 130,000 Malibus last year, 8.5% fewer than in 2022. Sales rose to nearly 230,000 after a redesign for the 2016 model year, but much of those were at low profits to rental car companies.

But the midsize car segment made a bit of a comeback last year with sales up almost 5%.

GM said it sold over 10 million Malibus, making nine generations since its debut.

GM's factory in Kansas City, Kansas, which now makes the Malibu and the Cadillac XT4 small SUV, will stop making the Malibu in November and the XT4 in January. The plant will get a $390 million retooling to make a new version of the Chevrolet Bolt small electric car.

The plant will begin producing the Bolt and XT4 on the same assembly line in late 2025, giving the plant the flexibility to respond to customer demands, the company said.

The Wall Street Journal reported the demise of the Malibu on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1568480071691.png" alt="The General Motors Fairfax Assembly Plant (Photo by Susan McSpadden for Chevrolet" />
 <figcaption>The General Motors Fairfax Assembly Plant (Photo by Susan McSpadden for Chevrolet</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — The Chevrolet Malibu, the last midsize car made by a Detroit automaker, is heading for the junkyard.General Motors confirmed Thursday that it will stop making the car introduced in 1964 as the company focuses more on electric vehicles.The midsize sedan was once the top-selling segment in the U.S., a stalwart of family garages nationwide. But its sales started to decline in the early 2000s as the SUV became more prominent and pickup truck sales grew.Now the U.S. auto market is dominated by SUVs and trucks. Full-size pickups from Ford, Chevrolet and Ram are the top selling vehicles in America, and the top-selling non pickup is Toyota's RAV4 small SUV.Last year midsize cars made up only 8% of U.S. new vehicle sales, but it was 22% as recently as 2007, according to Motorintelligence.com. Still, Americans bought 1.3 million of the cars last year in a segment dominated by the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.GM sold just over 130,000 Malibus last year, 8.5% fewer than in 2022. Sales rose to nearly 230,000 after a redesign for the 2016 model year, but much of those were at low profits to rental car companies.But the midsize car segment made a bit of a comeback last year with sales up almost 5%.GM said it sold over 10 million Malibus, making nine generations since its debut.GM's factory in Kansas City, Kansas, which now makes the Malibu and the Cadillac XT4 small SUV, will stop making the Malibu in November and the XT4 in January. The plant will get a $390 million retooling to make a new version of the Chevrolet Bolt small electric car.The plant will begin producing the Bolt and XT4 on the same assembly line in late 2025, giving the plant the flexibility to respond to customer demands, the company said.The Wall Street Journal reported the demise of the Malibu on Wednesday.

GM's plant in Kansas will end Chevy Malibu production

GRAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Thursday in Gray County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ford F550 driven by&nbsp;Sonday, Bruce&nbsp;Sonday, 52, Montezuma, was eastbound on GG Road at County Road 10 three and one half miles south of U.S. 56.

The driver failed to yield right of way to a northbound 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Everett E.&nbsp;Koehn, 69,&nbsp;Ulysses.&nbsp; The vehicles collided in the intersection.

EMS transported Sonday to&nbsp;St. Catherine Hospital in Dodge City where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS transported Koehn to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GRAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Thursday in Gray County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ford F550 driven by&nbsp;Sonday, Bruce&nbsp;Sonday, 52, Montezuma, was eastbound on GG Road at County Road 10 three and one half miles south of U.S. 56.The driver failed to yield right of way to a northbound 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Everett E.&nbsp;Koehn, 69,&nbsp;Ulysses.&nbsp; The vehicles collided in the intersection.EMS transported Sonday to&nbsp;St. Catherine Hospital in Dodge City where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS transported Koehn to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup, semi crash

KANSAS CITY —An armed domestic violence suspect fired at members of the Sheriff’s Office’s Special Tactics and Response (STAR) team during a stand-off that began Tuesday night and stretched into Wednesday morning, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Just after 9 p.m. May 7, a woman reported a man had assaulted and shot at her in a home in the 700 block of Jessie Circle in Kearney.

 She escaped to a neighbor’s house and called police. She was not struck by the gunfire. The suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Scott Blau was armed and refused to come out. Kearney Police requested the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office STAR Team.

The STAR Team and the Sheriff’s Office negotiators came to the scene. Negotiators spent several hours trying to make contact with Blau. They had information another person could be inside the house. Deputies eventually began deploying tactics to get the suspect to exit the home. They then heard multiple gunshots and saw glass broken out from where Blau had fired through a window at them.

Blau later came into the open garage with a gun in hand. When confronted by deputies, he dropped the gun after being struck by beanbag rounds. After a brief struggle, deputies were able to get him into custody at about 3:30 a.m. May 9. A search of the house revealed no one else was inside.

Blau was transported to the hospital to be checked out before being booked into the Clay County Detention Center on requested charges of domestic assault, two counts of armed criminal action, assault on a law enforcement officer and other weapons violations. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715280306292.png" alt="Photo Clay County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clay County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —An armed domestic violence suspect fired at members of the Sheriff’s Office’s Special Tactics and Response (STAR) team during a stand-off that began Tuesday night and stretched into Wednesday morning, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.No deputies were hit by the gunfire.Just after 9 p.m. May 7, a woman reported a man had assaulted and shot at her in a home in the 700 block of Jessie Circle in Kearney. She escaped to a neighbor’s house and called police. She was not struck by the gunfire. The suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Scott Blau was armed and refused to come out. Kearney Police requested the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office STAR Team.The STAR Team and the Sheriff’s Office negotiators came to the scene. Negotiators spent several hours trying to make contact with Blau. They had information another person could be inside the house. Deputies eventually began deploying tactics to get the suspect to exit the home. They then heard multiple gunshots and saw glass broken out from where Blau had fired through a window at them.Blau later came into the open garage with a gun in hand. When confronted by deputies, he dropped the gun after being struck by beanbag rounds. After a brief struggle, deputies were able to get him into custody at about 3:30 a.m. May 9. A search of the house revealed no one else was inside.Blau was transported to the hospital to be checked out before being booked into the Clay County Detention Center on requested charges of domestic assault, two counts of armed criminal action, assault on a law enforcement officer and other weapons violations. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp;

Domestic assault suspect fired at deputies near Kansas City

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr" target="_blank">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;has challenged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to a head-to-head debate for when both address a Libertarian convention later this month, a move that comes as the presumptive GOP nominee has ramped up both criticism of Kennedy's independent bid and demands that President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;meet him on a debate stage.

Arguing that he is “drawing a lot of voters from your former supporters,” Kennedy said to Trump in an open letter posted Tuesday to X that the Libertarian convention provides “perfect neutral territory for you and me to have a debate where you can defend your record for your wavering supporters.”

Trump has been bullish in calling on Biden to debate him ahead of the November general election but has shied away from other rivals’ previous debate entreaties. Trump skipped the 2024&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republican-primary-debate-9b6c7e74c7ce908cd082df3bb192535f" target="_blank">GOP primary debates</a>, saying it was unnecessary because voters know him and his record.

Kennedy, who last year challenged Biden for the Democratic nomination before launching an independent bid, has argued that his relatively strong showing in a few national polls gives his candidacy heft. Polls during the 2016 presidential campaign regularly put libertarian Gary Johnson’s support in the high single or low double digits, but he ultimately received only about 3% of the vote nationwide.

In the open letter to Trump, Kennedy said their debate could “show the American public that at least two of the major candidates aren’t afraid to debate each other." Kennedy wrote that convention organizers "are game for us to use our time there to bring the American people the debate they deserve!”

Spokespeople for the Trump campaign and the Libertarian Party did not immediately return messages seeking comment on Kennedy's debate challenge.

Kennedy and Trump are scheduled to appear on separate days before attendees at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-libertarian-rfk-jr-voters-gop-biden-659e6f19dec85344bfe1f93e0ea1c0a1" target="_blank">Libertarian National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Washington, D.C. later this month. Both candidates have been courting support from libertarian-leaning voters, although Kennedy — who is working to appear on all 50 ballots, a state-by-state petition process — has ruled out officially running as a Libertarian candidate.

In recent weeks, Trump's campaign has ramped up its attacks against Kennedy, who has appealed to disaffected Democrats and Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-presidential-campaign-independent-2024-30d940109c4956de9c81f332ec418463" target="_blank">looking for an alternative</a>&nbsp;to the pending rematch of the 2020 election.

Last month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “RFK Jr. is a Democrat ‘Plant,’ a Radical Left Liberal who’s been put in place in order to help Crooked Joe Biden." MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump's candidacy, has also issued its own critical posts and created an anti-Kennedy website.

Leaving court one day last week after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-9be06e3d33c25af7060552a44001cc1a" target="_blank">hush money trial</a>, Trump told reporters asking about Kennedy’s campaign that he didn’t feel threatened by it, pointing to polling.

“He might hurt me, I don’t know. But he has very low numbers, certainly not numbers that he can debate with, and he’s got to get his numbers up a lot higher before he’s credible,” Trump said. “The numbers that he’s taking away, they say will be against Biden. I don’t know, it could be a little bit against me, but I don’t see him as a factor.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711482471368.png" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr" target="_blank">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;has challenged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to a head-to-head debate for when both address a Libertarian convention later this month, a move that comes as the presumptive GOP nominee has ramped up both criticism of Kennedy's independent bid and demands that President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden" target="_blank">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;meet him on a debate stage.Arguing that he is “drawing a lot of voters from your former supporters,” Kennedy said to Trump in an open letter posted Tuesday to X that the Libertarian convention provides “perfect neutral territory for you and me to have a debate where you can defend your record for your wavering supporters.”Trump has been bullish in calling on Biden to debate him ahead of the November general election but has shied away from other rivals’ previous debate entreaties. Trump skipped the 2024&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republican-primary-debate-9b6c7e74c7ce908cd082df3bb192535f" target="_blank">GOP primary debates</a>, saying it was unnecessary because voters know him and his record.Kennedy, who last year challenged Biden for the Democratic nomination before launching an independent bid, has argued that his relatively strong showing in a few national polls gives his candidacy heft. Polls during the 2016 presidential campaign regularly put libertarian Gary Johnson’s support in the high single or low double digits, but he ultimately received only about 3% of the vote nationwide.In the open letter to Trump, Kennedy said their debate could “show the American public that at least two of the major candidates aren’t afraid to debate each other." Kennedy wrote that convention organizers "are game for us to use our time there to bring the American people the debate they deserve!”Spokespeople for the Trump campaign and the Libertarian Party did not immediately return messages seeking comment on Kennedy's debate challenge.Kennedy and Trump are scheduled to appear on separate days before attendees at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-libertarian-rfk-jr-voters-gop-biden-659e6f19dec85344bfe1f93e0ea1c0a1" target="_blank">Libertarian National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Washington, D.C. later this month. Both candidates have been courting support from libertarian-leaning voters, although Kennedy — who is working to appear on all 50 ballots, a state-by-state petition process — has ruled out officially running as a Libertarian candidate.In recent weeks, Trump's campaign has ramped up its attacks against Kennedy, who has appealed to disaffected Democrats and Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-presidential-campaign-independent-2024-30d940109c4956de9c81f332ec418463" target="_blank">looking for an alternative</a>&nbsp;to the pending rematch of the 2020 election.Last month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “RFK Jr. is a Democrat ‘Plant,’ a Radical Left Liberal who’s been put in place in order to help Crooked Joe Biden." MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump's candidacy, has also issued its own critical posts and created an anti-Kennedy website.Leaving court one day last week after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-9be06e3d33c25af7060552a44001cc1a" target="_blank">hush money trial</a>, Trump told reporters asking about Kennedy’s campaign that he didn’t feel threatened by it, pointing to polling.“He might hurt me, I don’t know. But he has very low numbers, certainly not numbers that he can debate with, and he’s got to get his numbers up a lot higher before he’s credible,” Trump said. “The numbers that he’s taking away, they say will be against Biden. I don’t know, it could be a little bit against me, but I don’t see him as a factor.”___

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenges Donald Trump to debate

Districts contracting with Pennsylvania company qualify for state matching funds

TOPEKA — Firearm detection software company ZeroEyes hired lobbyists in Kansas and more than a dozen other states this year to improve prospects of cornering the market on multimillion-dollar school district security contracts by inserting restrictions in legislation to undermine the ability of rival venders to bid.

“We started working with statehouses to do some sort of direct appropriated money, that kind of thing, or maybe some policy changes,” said Kieran Carroll, chief strategy officer for ZeroEyes of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

After business lobbying successes in Utah, Texas, Florida and Michigan, Carroll said the company expanded its operation this year to state capitols in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, North Carolina and half-dozen other states. The objective of hiring four lobbyists in Kansas was to convince legislators to support a bill incentivizing school districts to enter contracts with ZeroEyes for deployment of AI technology capable of monitoring security camera feeds to identify gun-wielding intruders.

Rep. Kristey Williams, the Augusta Republican and chairperson of the House K-12 Budget Committee, invited Carroll to make a presentation to her committee in February.

“Take a couple minutes and do the live demo,” Williams urged Carroll. “It’s impressive.”

The ZeroEyes appearance was part of an “informational” hearing, which in legislative speak meant it wasn’t a regular committee meeting in which vendors or lobbyists with opinions contrary to those of ZeroEyes would be given an opportunity to make a sales pitch to legislators.

An early version of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb387_03_0000.pdf">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;explicitly declared Kansas school districts that hired ZeroEyes would be eligible for a slice of the state’s $5 million School Safety and Security Grant program.

The final version of the bill sent Gov. Laura Kelly didn’t overtly earmark state tax dollars for the no-bid arrangement beneficial to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://zeroeyes.com/">ZeroEyes</a>, but a rival vendor says four of eight precisely written caveats within that bill excluded all companies except ZeroEyes from leveraging state grant funding to obtain AI security systems.

A school district in Kansas could go with a different vendor, but language in the bill meant the dollar-for-dollar match from the state would only be available to districts that signed with ZeroEyes. The financial incentive would be in play if the governor chose to sign the bill rather than line-item veto the ZeroEyes provision. The bill, which contained the annual budget appropriation for Kansas’ public schools, passed the House on a vote of 115-2 and the Senate by a margin of 35-2.

“I look at us as a bipartisan, nonpartisan solution,” Carroll said. “We are not trying to get overly involved in any kind of Second Amendment debate, or civil rights debate or any mental health debate.”

Overall cost of video monitoring services would be a major consideration for school districts in Kansas. During the presentation to the House committee, Carroll said outfitting Kansas’ 1,300 school buildings with ZeroEyes technology and providing 24/7 oversight of images captured on 25 cameras in each school would cost $8.5 million annually. An upgrade to the option of 50 cameras in each school building would annually cost taxpayers $15.2 million per year.

Mark Franken, vice president of marketing at Omnilert in Leesburg, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C., said the industry had taken notice of ZeroEyes’ hardball business tactics in statehouses. He said Omnilert hired lobbyists in a couple states, but not Kansas, to make legislators aware of ZeroEyes’ anti-competitive campaign.

He said one method ZeroEyes inhibited competition was to convince state legislators to write bills requiring bidders to hold a U.S. Department of Homeland Security “safety act” validation. The only company to go through that paperwork process to obtain the DHS document was ZeroEyes, Franken said.

“Kansas is one of several states where that tactic has been used. It’s actually happening in Missouri right now,” Franken said. “We would love to bid. We’re all for open competition.”

He said vender competition would result in school districts getting technology most suited to the need and at a price that was fair whether it was a larger school district such as Wichita, Blue Valley, Olathe and Topeka or a smaller district ranging from Buhler, Garnett, Wellsville, McLouth to Bucklin.

A reduction in the per-camera cost of AI monitoring services would stretch taxpayer dollars so more school cameras could be linked to gun-identification software, he said.

Omnilert has been in the AI security business for about four years and its clients include Baltimore County schools where 7,500 cameras were being monitored throughout the district, he said.

The bill on Kelly’s desk required venders to have contracts in at least 30 states and customers in the public and private sectors. It required the vendor to have received a patent on AI security technology. It must have developed its software in the United States without third-party or open-source data, be compliant with the safety act at DHS and manage an operations center staffed by “highly trained analysts.” It couldn’t collect or monetize biometric data or personally identifiable information.

These features were attributed to ZeroEyes in the verbal presentation to the House committee or in marketing information on the company’s website.

Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative affairs for the Kansas State Department of Education, said 188 school districts in Kansas applied last year for part of the $5 million allocated annually by the state for school safety and security projects. Requests from those school districts totaled $14 million, he said.

Harwood said the vast majority of schools in Kansas had some building coverage with security cameras. He said some schools might have a handful of cameras in each building while others could have 200 cameras in a large high school complex.

A security company making recommendations about placement of cameras to make use of AI software would likely suggest installation of additional cameras to deal with coverage gaps inside and outside school buildings, he said.

“You’re going to have a lot of districts that will say, and the company will say, you don’t have enough cameras in the right places,” Harwood said.

Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, R-Ottawa, said she was supportive of collaboration among businesses and school districts to better defend against potential attacks on students, teachers and administrators. She expressed appreciation for the dedication of ZeroEyes executives to the problem of school violence.

“It is unfortunate, the disregard for life,” she said. “It is absolutely heartbreaking.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715277614119.png" alt=" Rep. Kristey Williams, the Augusta Republican and chairperson of the House K-12 Budget Committee, negotiated a budget bill offering state-funded incentives to school districts that hired a Pennsylvania security vendor, but not that company's rival vendors, to provide artificial intelligence services capable of identifying gun-toting people in school buildings. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Kristey Williams, the Augusta Republican and chairperson of the House K-12 Budget Committee, negotiated a budget bill offering state-funded incentives to school districts that hired a Pennsylvania security vendor, but not that company's rival vendors, to provide artificial intelligence services capable of identifying gun-toting people in school buildings. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Districts contracting with Pennsylvania company qualify for state matching funds</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Firearm detection software company ZeroEyes hired lobbyists in Kansas and more than a dozen other states this year to improve prospects of cornering the market on multimillion-dollar school district security contracts by inserting restrictions in legislation to undermine the ability of rival venders to bid.In Kansas, the gambit may work.“We started working with statehouses to do some sort of direct appropriated money, that kind of thing, or maybe some policy changes,” said Kieran Carroll, chief strategy officer for ZeroEyes of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.After business lobbying successes in Utah, Texas, Florida and Michigan, Carroll said the company expanded its operation this year to state capitols in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, North Carolina and half-dozen other states. The objective of hiring four lobbyists in Kansas was to convince legislators to support a bill incentivizing school districts to enter contracts with ZeroEyes for deployment of AI technology capable of monitoring security camera feeds to identify gun-wielding intruders.Rep. Kristey Williams, the Augusta Republican and chairperson of the House K-12 Budget Committee, invited Carroll to make a presentation to her committee in February.“Take a couple minutes and do the live demo,” Williams urged Carroll. “It’s impressive.”The ZeroEyes appearance was part of an “informational” hearing, which in legislative speak meant it wasn’t a regular committee meeting in which vendors or lobbyists with opinions contrary to those of ZeroEyes would be given an opportunity to make a sales pitch to legislators.<h2>ZeroEyes only</h2>An early version of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb387_03_0000.pdf">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;explicitly declared Kansas school districts that hired ZeroEyes would be eligible for a slice of the state’s $5 million School Safety and Security Grant program.The final version of the bill sent Gov. Laura Kelly didn’t overtly earmark state tax dollars for the no-bid arrangement beneficial to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://zeroeyes.com/">ZeroEyes</a>, but a rival vendor says four of eight precisely written caveats within that bill excluded all companies except ZeroEyes from leveraging state grant funding to obtain AI security systems.A school district in Kansas could go with a different vendor, but language in the bill meant the dollar-for-dollar match from the state would only be available to districts that signed with ZeroEyes. The financial incentive would be in play if the governor chose to sign the bill rather than line-item veto the ZeroEyes provision. The bill, which contained the annual budget appropriation for Kansas’ public schools, passed the House on a vote of 115-2 and the Senate by a margin of 35-2.“I look at us as a bipartisan, nonpartisan solution,” Carroll said. “We are not trying to get overly involved in any kind of Second Amendment debate, or civil rights debate or any mental health debate.”Overall cost of video monitoring services would be a major consideration for school districts in Kansas. During the presentation to the House committee, Carroll said outfitting Kansas’ 1,300 school buildings with ZeroEyes technology and providing 24/7 oversight of images captured on 25 cameras in each school would cost $8.5 million annually. An upgrade to the option of 50 cameras in each school building would annually cost taxpayers $15.2 million per year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715277659912.png" alt=" Kieran Carroll, chief strategy officer of the AI school-safety company ZeroEyes, made a sales pitch to a Kansas House committee in February. A K-12 budget bill offers state matching grant funding to school districts that hire ZeroEyes, but not the company’s competitors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption> Kieran Carroll, chief strategy officer of the AI school-safety company ZeroEyes, made a sales pitch to a Kansas House committee in February. A K-12 budget bill offers state matching grant funding to school districts that hire ZeroEyes, but not the company’s competitors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Love to bid’</h2>Mark Franken, vice president of marketing at Omnilert in Leesburg, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C., said the industry had taken notice of ZeroEyes’ hardball business tactics in statehouses. He said Omnilert hired lobbyists in a couple states, but not Kansas, to make legislators aware of ZeroEyes’ anti-competitive campaign.He said one method ZeroEyes inhibited competition was to convince state legislators to write bills requiring bidders to hold a U.S. Department of Homeland Security “safety act” validation. The only company to go through that paperwork process to obtain the DHS document was ZeroEyes, Franken said.“Kansas is one of several states where that tactic has been used. It’s actually happening in Missouri right now,” Franken said. “We would love to bid. We’re all for open competition.”He said vender competition would result in school districts getting technology most suited to the need and at a price that was fair whether it was a larger school district such as Wichita, Blue Valley, Olathe and Topeka or a smaller district ranging from Buhler, Garnett, Wellsville, McLouth to Bucklin.A reduction in the per-camera cost of AI monitoring services would stretch taxpayer dollars so more school cameras could be linked to gun-identification software, he said.Omnilert has been in the AI security business for about four years and its clients include Baltimore County schools where 7,500 cameras were being monitored throughout the district, he said.The bill on Kelly’s desk required venders to have contracts in at least 30 states and customers in the public and private sectors. It required the vendor to have received a patent on AI security technology. It must have developed its software in the United States without third-party or open-source data, be compliant with the safety act at DHS and manage an operations center staffed by “highly trained analysts.” It couldn’t collect or monetize biometric data or personally identifiable information.These features were attributed to ZeroEyes in the verbal presentation to the House committee or in marketing information on the company’s website.<h2>Demand for security</h2>Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative affairs for the Kansas State Department of Education, said 188 school districts in Kansas applied last year for part of the $5 million allocated annually by the state for school safety and security projects. Requests from those school districts totaled $14 million, he said.Harwood said the vast majority of schools in Kansas had some building coverage with security cameras. He said some schools might have a handful of cameras in each building while others could have 200 cameras in a large high school complex.A security company making recommendations about placement of cameras to make use of AI software would likely suggest installation of additional cameras to deal with coverage gaps inside and outside school buildings, he said.“You’re going to have a lot of districts that will say, and the company will say, you don’t have enough cameras in the right places,” Harwood said.Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, R-Ottawa, said she was supportive of collaboration among businesses and school districts to better defend against potential attacks on students, teachers and administrators. She expressed appreciation for the dedication of ZeroEyes executives to the problem of school violence.“It is unfortunate, the disregard for life,” she said. “It is absolutely heartbreaking.”

Kansas bill dangles cash to persuade K-12 school districts to hire a specific gun-detection vendor

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Police made an arrest connected to a disturbance Thursday morning.

&nbsp;At approximately 8:33 a.m.Thursday, police were dispatched to 1st Avenue and Main Street in Hutchinson for a disturbance, according to a media release from Police Capt. Dayton Gates. When officers arrived on scene, they located a man with a laceration to his body. Another victim reported a man threatening him with a knife during the same incident.

The injured victim was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. He is currently in stable condition. Briantey L. Baskin, 26, of Hutchinson, was arrested for Attempted Murder in the First Degree and Aggravated Assault.

If you have information about this case, please contact Detective Kelly with Hutchinson Police Department at 620-694-2824, Crimestoppers of Reno County at 800-222-TIPS, your local law enforcement agency, or use your P3Tips App on your smartphone. Please reference case number 2024-17414.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715273871315.png" alt="Baskin has a 2023 conviction for criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Baskin has a 2023 conviction for criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Police made an arrest connected to a disturbance Thursday morning.&nbsp;At approximately 8:33 a.m.Thursday, police were dispatched to 1st Avenue and Main Street in Hutchinson for a disturbance, according to a media release from Police Capt. Dayton Gates. When officers arrived on scene, they located a man with a laceration to his body. Another victim reported a man threatening him with a knife during the same incident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715264701275.jpeg" alt="Police have the area in front of Hutch Rec and the Fox Theatre blocked off for an investigation Thursday. Photo by Nick Gosnell." />
 <figcaption>Police have the area in front of Hutch Rec and the Fox Theatre blocked off for an investigation Thursday. Photo by Nick Gosnell.</figcaption>
 </figure>The injured victim was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. He is currently in stable condition. Briantey L. Baskin, 26, of Hutchinson, was arrested for Attempted Murder in the First Degree and Aggravated Assault.If you have information about this case, please contact Detective Kelly with Hutchinson Police Department at 620-694-2824, Crimestoppers of Reno County at 800-222-TIPS, your local law enforcement agency, or use your P3Tips App on your smartphone. Please reference case number 2024-17414.

Kansas felon arrested for alleged knife attack in Hutchinson

RILEY COUNTY— The mayor of Manhattan resigned after he was arrested in connection with an alleged DUI crash that occurred just after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in Manhattan.

According to the Riley County Police Department activity report, an Infinity passenger vehicle driven by 72-year-old <a href="https://cityofmhk.com/1703/Mayor-Wynn-Butler">Winfried Butler,</a> of Manhattan, struck Candlewood Liquor&nbsp;in the 3200 block of Kimball Avenue.

&nbsp;The total estimated loss in this matter is over $1,000. Butler was arrested and cited for driving under the influence.&nbsp; He met the requirement of a $750 bond and is no longer in custody, according to the RCPD.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After his arrest Butler resigned, according to a statement from fellow city commissioner Peter Oppelt.&nbsp; Mayor Pro Tem Susan Adamchak will now take over as mayor.

Butler was first elected to the Manhattan City Commission in April 2011, according to the city web site. He served as Mayor in 2014-2015 and 2021. He was re-elected to the Commission in 2021 for a four-year term.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715272569983.png" alt="-Crash photos courtesy Candlewood Retail Liquor. They are still open for business." />
 <figcaption>-Crash photos courtesy Candlewood Retail Liquor. They are still open for business.</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY— The mayor of Manhattan resigned after he was arrested in connection with an alleged DUI crash that occurred just after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in Manhattan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715267065929.png" alt="Butler photo City of Manhattan" />
 <figcaption>Butler photo City of Manhattan</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the Riley County Police Department activity report, an Infinity passenger vehicle driven by 72-year-old <a href="https://cityofmhk.com/1703/Mayor-Wynn-Butler">Winfried Butler,</a> of Manhattan, struck Candlewood Liquor&nbsp;in the 3200 block of Kimball Avenue.&nbsp;The total estimated loss in this matter is over $1,000. Butler was arrested and cited for driving under the influence.&nbsp; He met the requirement of a $750 bond and is no longer in custody, according to the RCPD.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715272595068.png" alt="-Crash photos courtesy Candlewood Retail Liquor. They are still open for business." />
 <figcaption>-Crash photos courtesy Candlewood Retail Liquor. They are still open for business.</figcaption>
 </figure>After his arrest Butler resigned, according to a statement from fellow city commissioner Peter Oppelt.&nbsp; Mayor Pro Tem Susan Adamchak will now take over as mayor.Butler was first elected to the Manhattan City Commission in April 2011, according to the city web site. He served as Mayor in 2014-2015 and 2021. He was re-elected to the Commission in 2021 for a four-year term.

Mayor of Manhattan resigns after alleged DUI crash into liquor store

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of stealing and destroying a Jackie Robinson statue from a Wichita park is due back in court Thursday afternoon.

Ricky Alderete, 45, is scheduled for an arraignment hearing in the case, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251468">&nbsp;Alderete</a>&nbsp;is charged with Felony Theft – Value over $25,000, Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property, Identity Theft and Making False Information,&nbsp;according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.&nbsp; Alderete has previous convictions for theft and burglary in Sumner County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; He is being held&nbsp;on $150,000 bond.

Alerete was in custody after an arrest on&nbsp;February 1, for a probation violation, burglary, kidnapping and criminal damage to property unrelated to the theft of the statue,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251468">according to online jail records.</a>

Alderete has been the only suspect apprehended in the statue’s destruction. His arraignment is now set for May 9 at 1:15 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707844320270.png" alt="Alderete-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Alderete-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of stealing and destroying a Jackie Robinson statue from a Wichita park is due back in court Thursday afternoon.Ricky Alderete, 45, is scheduled for an arraignment hearing in the case, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251468">&nbsp;Alderete</a>&nbsp;is charged with Felony Theft – Value over $25,000, Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property, Identity Theft and Making False Information,&nbsp;according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.&nbsp; Alderete has previous convictions for theft and burglary in Sumner County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; He is being held&nbsp;on $150,000 bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706214143377.png" alt="Photo City of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Photo City of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>Alerete was in custody after an arrest on&nbsp;February 1, for a probation violation, burglary, kidnapping and criminal damage to property unrelated to the theft of the statue,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=251468">according to online jail records.</a>Wichita police detectives conducted over 100 interviews both within and outside Sedgwick County to resolve the case.On January 28, officers from the Wichita Police Department Field Community Response Team located a suspect vehicle used in the theft, unoccupied, at an apartment complex in Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706641670170.png" alt="-Parts of the burned statue found in a trash bin-photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>-Parts of the burned statue found in a trash bin-photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>On January 30, the Wichita Fire Department discovered parts of the statue in a trash can at Garvey Park while responding to a fire call.The investigation has not revealed any evidence indicating that this was a hate-motivated crime, instead, police believe this theft was motivated by the financial gain of scrapping common metal, according to Moses. Police detectives remain committed to gathering information to identify and charge all individuals involved in the theft and destruction of the statue.Alderete has been the only suspect apprehended in the statue’s destruction. His arraignment is now set for May 9 at 1:15 p.m.

Jackie Robinson statue suspect set for arraignment hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>&nbsp;— the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.

Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel's defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”

&nbsp;On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, " catering to his pro-terrorist, pro-Hamas faction of his party, Joe Biden is blocking aid to Israel. We are demanding answers.

The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Biden's comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Biden has said that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.

The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of U.S. concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban area.

“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers," Biden told CNN. “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier Wednesday confirmed the weapons delay, telling the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense that the U.S. paused “one shipment of high payload munitions.”

“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah.”

It also comes as the Biden administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-leahy-biden-nsm-military-aid-812864bc424b93c886226e33f5c3f0e5">due to deliver a first-of-its-kind formal verdict</a>&nbsp;this week on whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">airstrikes on Gaza and restrictions on delivery of aid</a>&nbsp;have violated international and U.S. laws designed to spare civilians from the worst horrors of war. A decision against Israel would further add to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-commencement-protests-gaza-9bb8051253c45947509feb32ced78f8c">pressure on Biden</a>&nbsp;to curb the flow of weapons and money to Israel’s military.

Biden signed off on the pause in an order conveyed last week to the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment on the matter. The White House National Security Council sought to keep the decision out of the public eye for several days until it had a better understanding of the scope of Israel’s intensified military operations in Rafah and until Biden could deliver a long-planned speech on Tuesday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Biden’s administration in April began reviewing future transfers of military assistance as Netanyahu’s government appeared to move closer toward an invasion of Rafah, despite months of opposition from the White House. The official said the decision to pause the shipment was made last week and no final decision had been made yet on whether to proceed with the shipment at a later date.

U.S. officials had declined for days to comment on the halted transfer, word of which came as Biden on Tuesday described U.S. support for Israel as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gaza-israel-jewish-congress-f2f84c9e7c52345c35e5cb4c2d00a417">“ironclad, even when we disagree.”</a>

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news, said the decision to pause the shipment was “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating." He suggested the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, the U.S. campus protests and the upcoming election.

The decision also drew a sharp rebuke from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said they only learned about the military aid holdup from press reports, despite assurances from the Biden administration that no such pauses were in the works. The Republicans called on Biden in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SMJ-MM-5.8.24-Letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to swiftly end the blockage, saying it “risks emboldening Israel's enemies,” and to brief lawmakers on the nature of the policy reviews.

Biden has faced pressure from some on the left — and condemnation from the critics on the right who say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.

“If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., his voice rising in anger during an exchange with Austin. “This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can’t afford to lose.”

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Biden ally, said in a statement the pause on big bombs must be a “first step.”

“Our leverage is clear,” Sanders said. “Over the years, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Israel. We can no longer be complicit in Netanyahu’s horrific war against the Palestinian people.”

Austin, meanwhile, told lawmakers that "it’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand.”

"A small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” he said, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.

Israeli troops on Tuesday seized control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-offensive-israel-netanyahu-hamas-palestinians-014b2d850bbe28897b624bc5e5378320">Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing</a>&nbsp;in what the White House described as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">limited operation</a>&nbsp;that stopped short of the full-on Israeli invasion of the city that Biden has repeatedly warned against on humanitarian grounds, most recently in a Monday call with Netanyahu.

Israel has ordered the evacuation of 100,000 Palestinians from the city. Israeli forces have also carried out what it describes as “targeted strikes” on the eastern part of Rafah and captured the Rafah crossing, a critical conduit for the flow of humanitarian aid along the Gaza-Egypt border.

Privately, concern has mounted inside the White House about what’s unfolding in Rafah, but publicly administration officials have stressed that they did not think the operations had defied Biden’s warnings against a widescale operation in the city.

The State Department is separately considering whether to approve the continued transfer of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, which place precision guidance systems onto bombs, to Israel, but the review didn’t pertain to imminent shipments.

Itamar Yaar, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council said the U.S. move is largely symbolic, but a sign of trouble and could become more of a problem if it is sustained.

“It’s not some kind of American embargo on American munitions support, but I think its some kind of diplomatic message to Mr. Netanyahu that he needs to take into consideration American interests more than he has over the last few months," he said. "At least for now it will not impact Israeli capability but it’s some kind of a signal, a ‘be careful.’”

The U.S. dropped the 2,000-pound bomb sparingly in its long war against the Islamic State militant group. Israel, by contrast, has used the bomb frequently in the seven-month Gaza war. Experts say the use of the weapon, in part, has helped drive the enormous Palestinian casualty count that the Hamas-run health ministry puts at more than 34,000 dead, though it doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians.

The U.S.-Israel relationship has been close through both Democratic and Republican administrations. But there have been other moments of deep tension since Israel's founding in which U.S. leaders have threatened to hold up aid in attempt to sway Israeli leadership.

President Dwight Eisenhower pressured Israel with the threat of sanctions into withdrawing from the Sinai in 1957 in the midst of the Suez Crisis. Ronald Reagan delayed the delivery of F16 fighter jets to Israel at a time of escalating violence in the Middle East. President George H.W. Bush held up $10 billion in loan guarantees to force the cessation of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As it targets Hamas’ underground tunnels in Gaza, Israel has relied on powerful 2,000-pound bombs provided by the United States. But now those deliveries are on hold.

The U.S. is pausing a shipment of 1,800 of the bombs, as well as 1,700 500-pound bombs, U.S. officials said. The decision comes as Israel is planning an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah in an attempt to root out the final elements of Hamas.

With more than 1 million refugees sheltering in Rafah, U.S. officials are concerned the bombs could inflict massive casualties. Human rights groups have long said that Israel’s use of powerful bombs has caused the indiscriminate killings of civilians.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">told a Senate panel Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that smaller, more precise weapons are needed for a densely populated area like Rafah.

Still, he made clear the decision wasn’t final.

“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">unfolding events in Rafah</a>.”

A look at the 2,000-pound bomb and why there’s so much concern about its use in Rafah.

While the U.S. has dropped 2,000-pound bombs off its aircraft since World War II, current versions date back to the Vietnam War. It's an air-dropped munition, one that can carry a higher payload because it doesn't have an engine. It's one of the larger munitions in the U.S. inventory, said Ryan Brobst, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies' Center on Military and Political Power.

The 2,000-pound bomb has multiple variants — some are designed to penetrate deep, underground targets while others detonate above ground and cause widespread damage. Depending on the variant, and whether the munition is dropped in an open or urban area, its blast radius can be as far as a quarter mile away or a much more confined area.

The bombs are “dumb” or unguided bombs but can be turned into more precise weapons with the addition of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, or JDAM kits which add a tail fin and navigation.

That added kit enables troops to guide the munition to a target, rather than simply dropping it from a fighter jet onto the ground. The kits make the weapons more precise, but in a densely populated urban environment, a JDAM kit is not going to make much of a difference — a precise hit will still have the reach to kill unintended bystanders.

U.S. fighter jets, bombers and drones can all fire the JDAMs, and the U.S. began providing the munitions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-e48cceaba41f1ec55e35f9dec099fe44">to Ukraine in 2022,</a>&nbsp;a slightly modified version that could be launched from Ukrainian aircraft. After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, the U.S. provided 2,000-pound munitions to Israel to assist in its defense.

And unlike other types of munitions in the U.S. inventory, the military has an ample supply of them, so providing them doesn’t involve the same type of stockpile pressures the U.S. has with other more limited munitions like the 155mm artillery rounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697623511291.png" alt="File -President Biden greets Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last fall- White House photo" />
 <figcaption>File -President Biden greets Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last fall- White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>&nbsp;— the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel's defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”&nbsp;On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, " catering to his pro-terrorist, pro-Hamas faction of his party, Joe Biden is blocking aid to Israel. We are demanding answers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715134220290.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price. This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can&#39;t afford to lose. This is Hiroshima &amp; Nagasaki on steroids&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LindseyGrahamSC</a> <a href="https://t.co/YU8w3346Cd">pic.twitter.com/YU8w3346Cd</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1788240461922009549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Biden's comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Biden has said that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of U.S. concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban area.“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers," Biden told CNN. “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.”Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier Wednesday confirmed the weapons delay, telling the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense that the U.S. paused “one shipment of high payload munitions.”“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah.”It also comes as the Biden administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-leahy-biden-nsm-military-aid-812864bc424b93c886226e33f5c3f0e5">due to deliver a first-of-its-kind formal verdict</a>&nbsp;this week on whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">airstrikes on Gaza and restrictions on delivery of aid</a>&nbsp;have violated international and U.S. laws designed to spare civilians from the worst horrors of war. A decision against Israel would further add to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-commencement-protests-gaza-9bb8051253c45947509feb32ced78f8c">pressure on Biden</a>&nbsp;to curb the flow of weapons and money to Israel’s military.Biden signed off on the pause in an order conveyed last week to the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment on the matter. The White House National Security Council sought to keep the decision out of the public eye for several days until it had a better understanding of the scope of Israel’s intensified military operations in Rafah and until Biden could deliver a long-planned speech on Tuesday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.Biden’s administration in April began reviewing future transfers of military assistance as Netanyahu’s government appeared to move closer toward an invasion of Rafah, despite months of opposition from the White House. The official said the decision to pause the shipment was made last week and no final decision had been made yet on whether to proceed with the shipment at a later date.U.S. officials had declined for days to comment on the halted transfer, word of which came as Biden on Tuesday described U.S. support for Israel as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gaza-israel-jewish-congress-f2f84c9e7c52345c35e5cb4c2d00a417">“ironclad, even when we disagree.”</a>Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news, said the decision to pause the shipment was “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating." He suggested the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, the U.S. campus protests and the upcoming election.The decision also drew a sharp rebuke from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said they only learned about the military aid holdup from press reports, despite assurances from the Biden administration that no such pauses were in the works. The Republicans called on Biden in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SMJ-MM-5.8.24-Letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to swiftly end the blockage, saying it “risks emboldening Israel's enemies,” and to brief lawmakers on the nature of the policy reviews.Biden has faced pressure from some on the left — and condemnation from the critics on the right who say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.“If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., his voice rising in anger during an exchange with Austin. “This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can’t afford to lose.”Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Biden ally, said in a statement the pause on big bombs must be a “first step.”“Our leverage is clear,” Sanders said. “Over the years, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Israel. We can no longer be complicit in Netanyahu’s horrific war against the Palestinian people.”Austin, meanwhile, told lawmakers that "it’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand.”"A small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” he said, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.Israeli troops on Tuesday seized control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-offensive-israel-netanyahu-hamas-palestinians-014b2d850bbe28897b624bc5e5378320">Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing</a>&nbsp;in what the White House described as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">limited operation</a>&nbsp;that stopped short of the full-on Israeli invasion of the city that Biden has repeatedly warned against on humanitarian grounds, most recently in a Monday call with Netanyahu.Israel has ordered the evacuation of 100,000 Palestinians from the city. Israeli forces have also carried out what it describes as “targeted strikes” on the eastern part of Rafah and captured the Rafah crossing, a critical conduit for the flow of humanitarian aid along the Gaza-Egypt border.Privately, concern has mounted inside the White House about what’s unfolding in Rafah, but publicly administration officials have stressed that they did not think the operations had defied Biden’s warnings against a widescale operation in the city.The State Department is separately considering whether to approve the continued transfer of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, which place precision guidance systems onto bombs, to Israel, but the review didn’t pertain to imminent shipments.Itamar Yaar, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council said the U.S. move is largely symbolic, but a sign of trouble and could become more of a problem if it is sustained.“It’s not some kind of American embargo on American munitions support, but I think its some kind of diplomatic message to Mr. Netanyahu that he needs to take into consideration American interests more than he has over the last few months," he said. "At least for now it will not impact Israeli capability but it’s some kind of a signal, a ‘be careful.’”The U.S. dropped the 2,000-pound bomb sparingly in its long war against the Islamic State militant group. Israel, by contrast, has used the bomb frequently in the seven-month Gaza war. Experts say the use of the weapon, in part, has helped drive the enormous Palestinian casualty count that the Hamas-run health ministry puts at more than 34,000 dead, though it doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians.The U.S.-Israel relationship has been close through both Democratic and Republican administrations. But there have been other moments of deep tension since Israel's founding in which U.S. leaders have threatened to hold up aid in attempt to sway Israeli leadership.President Dwight Eisenhower pressured Israel with the threat of sanctions into withdrawing from the Sinai in 1957 in the midst of the Suez Crisis. Ronald Reagan delayed the delivery of F16 fighter jets to Israel at a time of escalating violence in the Middle East. President George H.W. Bush held up $10 billion in loan guarantees to force the cessation of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories.----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — As it targets Hamas’ underground tunnels in Gaza, Israel has relied on powerful 2,000-pound bombs provided by the United States. But now those deliveries are on hold.The U.S. is pausing a shipment of 1,800 of the bombs, as well as 1,700 500-pound bombs, U.S. officials said. The decision comes as Israel is planning an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah in an attempt to root out the final elements of Hamas.With more than 1 million refugees sheltering in Rafah, U.S. officials are concerned the bombs could inflict massive casualties. Human rights groups have long said that Israel’s use of powerful bombs has caused the indiscriminate killings of civilians.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">told a Senate panel Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that smaller, more precise weapons are needed for a densely populated area like Rafah.Still, he made clear the decision wasn’t final.“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">unfolding events in Rafah</a>.”A look at the 2,000-pound bomb and why there’s so much concern about its use in Rafah.2,000-POUND BOMBSWhile the U.S. has dropped 2,000-pound bombs off its aircraft since World War II, current versions date back to the Vietnam War. It's an air-dropped munition, one that can carry a higher payload because it doesn't have an engine. It's one of the larger munitions in the U.S. inventory, said Ryan Brobst, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies' Center on Military and Political Power.The 2,000-pound bomb has multiple variants — some are designed to penetrate deep, underground targets while others detonate above ground and cause widespread damage. Depending on the variant, and whether the munition is dropped in an open or urban area, its blast radius can be as far as a quarter mile away or a much more confined area.The bombs are “dumb” or unguided bombs but can be turned into more precise weapons with the addition of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, or JDAM kits which add a tail fin and navigation.That added kit enables troops to guide the munition to a target, rather than simply dropping it from a fighter jet onto the ground. The kits make the weapons more precise, but in a densely populated urban environment, a JDAM kit is not going to make much of a difference — a precise hit will still have the reach to kill unintended bystanders.U.S. fighter jets, bombers and drones can all fire the JDAMs, and the U.S. began providing the munitions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-e48cceaba41f1ec55e35f9dec099fe44">to Ukraine in 2022,</a>&nbsp;a slightly modified version that could be launched from Ukrainian aircraft. After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, the U.S. provided 2,000-pound munitions to Israel to assist in its defense.And unlike other types of munitions in the U.S. inventory, the military has an ample supply of them, so providing them doesn’t involve the same type of stockpile pressures the U.S. has with other more limited munitions like the 155mm artillery rounds.USE IN GAZAThe Israeli military has said little about what kinds of bombs and artillery it is using in Gaza. But from blast fragments found on-site and analyses of strike footage, experts are confident that the vast majority of bombs dropped on the besieged enclave are U.S.-made. They say the 2,000-pound bombs have killed hundreds in densely populated areas.Brobst said the 2,000-pound bombs are still needed to assist Israel in striking Hamas' tunnel network in Rafah.Wes Bryant, a weapons expert and retired American Air Force master sergeant who served on an independent task force for the State and Defense Departments on Israel's use of weapons in Gaza, said that the pause would be a “huge hit” to the Israeli arsenal.The 2,000- and 500-pound bombs are some of the main munitions used by Israel in its seven-month war campaign, Bryant said.“They have been burning right through them,” said Bryant. He said the munitions are made by major American weapons manufacturers like Raytheon, Northrop, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and General Atomics.THE PERIL FOR RAFAHA report compiled by the independent task force for the State and Defense Departments last month said U.S. sources informed one of its members that 300,000 munitions had been dropped on or fired in Gaza during the first six months of the war.It cited “credible” media investigations that in the first month of the Israeli campaign alone, there were at least 500 craters in Gaza consistent with the use of 2,000-pound bombs.The potential use of 2,000-pound bombs in Rafah, where more than 1 million people have sheltered because they have nowhere else to go, has drawn significant administration concern.At the hearing, Austin questioned whether the 2,000-pound bomb was the right tool for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-05-08-2024-385416e25c74f57c4286fbc2eb93ebc1">Rafah operation.</a>“It’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand. And a small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” said Austin, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.Israel reacted strongly to the U.S. decision. Its U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the pause “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating,” in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news. He suggested that the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, campus protests and the upcoming election.