KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — A lawyer for WNBA star Brittney Griner at her drug possession trial in Russia on Friday gave the court a U.S. doctor's letter recommending she use medical cannabis to treat pain.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and standout for the Phoenix Mercury, was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport in February after customs officials said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on charges of transporting drugs.

In court last week, Griner pleaded guilty and acknowledged possessing the canisters but said she had no criminal intent and said they were in her luggage because she packed hastily in her return to Russia to play for the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team during the WNBA's offseason.

In Russia’s judicial system, admitting guilt doesn’t automatically end a trial. Since that plea, her court sessions have focused on in-person and written testimony to her good character and athletic prowess.

Griner wore a Nirvana T-shirt as she sat inside the defendant's cage that is customary in Russian courtrooms. At one point, she held up a photo of fellow WNBA players wearing her name and No. 42 on their uniforms in tribute during part of Sunday's All-Star Game in Chicago.

“The attending physician gave Brittney recommendations for the use of medical cannabis," said her lawyer, Maria Blagovolina. "The permission was issued on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health.”

Medical marijuana is not legal in Russia.

The defense on Friday also submitted tests she underwent as part of an anti-doping check, which didn't detect any prohibited substances in her system.

The next hearing of Griner's case was scheduled for July 26.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they are doing all they could to win her release, as well as that of other Americans the U.S. considers “wrongly detained” by Russia, including former Marine Paul Whelan who is serving 16 years on an espionage conviction.

Washington may have little leverage with Moscow, though, because of strong animosity over its military operation in Ukraine.

“In the hearings yesterday and today what became very clear is the tremendous amount of respect and admiration both in the United States and here in Russia where Miss Griner has been playing basketball for seven years, not only for her professional achievements but for her character and integrity,” U.S. Embassy charge d'affaires Elizabeth Rood said outside the courthouse in the Moscow suburb of Khimki, where the airport is located.

The director and team captain of UMMC Ektaerinburg testified on her behalf on Thursday.

Russian media have speculated that Griner could be swapped for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. after being convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

Russia has agitated for Bout’s release for years. But the wide discrepancy in the seriousness of their cases could make such a trade unpalatable to Washington. Others have suggested that Griner could be traded along with Whelan, who is serving 16 years in Russia on an espionage conviction that the U.S. has described as a setup.

The State Department’s designation of Griner as wrongfully detained moves her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator. The classification has irritated Russia.

Asked about the possibility of Griner being swapped for a Russian jailed in the U.S., Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, the senior Russian diplomat, has noted that until her trial is over “there are no formal or procedural reasons to talk about any further steps.”

Ryabkov warned that U.S. criticism, including the description of Griner as wrongfully detained and dismissive comments about the Russian judicial system, “makes it difficult to engage in detailed discussion of any possible exchanges.”

Griner’s detention has been authorized through Dec. 20, suggesting the trial could last months. Griner’s lawyers, however, said they expect it to conclude around the beginning of August.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646510097872.png" alt="The 31-year-old Griner, one of the most recognizable players in women’s basketball, has won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a national championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star and three-time Big 12 Player of the year at Baylor-photo courtesy Phoenix Mercury" />
 <figcaption>The 31-year-old Griner, one of the most recognizable players in women’s basketball, has won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a national championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star and three-time Big 12 Player of the year at Baylor-photo courtesy Phoenix Mercury</figcaption>
 </figure>KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — A lawyer for WNBA star Brittney Griner at her drug possession trial in Russia on Friday gave the court a U.S. doctor's letter recommending she use medical cannabis to treat pain.Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and standout for the Phoenix Mercury, was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport in February after customs officials said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on charges of transporting drugs.In court last week, Griner pleaded guilty and acknowledged possessing the canisters but said she had no criminal intent and said they were in her luggage because she packed hastily in her return to Russia to play for the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team during the WNBA's offseason.In Russia’s judicial system, admitting guilt doesn’t automatically end a trial. Since that plea, her court sessions have focused on in-person and written testimony to her good character and athletic prowess.Griner wore a Nirvana T-shirt as she sat inside the defendant's cage that is customary in Russian courtrooms. At one point, she held up a photo of fellow WNBA players wearing her name and No. 42 on their uniforms in tribute during part of Sunday's All-Star Game in Chicago.“The attending physician gave Brittney recommendations for the use of medical cannabis," said her lawyer, Maria Blagovolina. "The permission was issued on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health.”Medical marijuana is not legal in Russia.The defense on Friday also submitted tests she underwent as part of an anti-doping check, which didn't detect any prohibited substances in her system.The next hearing of Griner's case was scheduled for July 26.U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they are doing all they could to win her release, as well as that of other Americans the U.S. considers “wrongly detained” by Russia, including former Marine Paul Whelan who is serving 16 years on an espionage conviction.Washington may have little leverage with Moscow, though, because of strong animosity over its military operation in Ukraine.“In the hearings yesterday and today what became very clear is the tremendous amount of respect and admiration both in the United States and here in Russia where Miss Griner has been playing basketball for seven years, not only for her professional achievements but for her character and integrity,” U.S. Embassy charge d'affaires Elizabeth Rood said outside the courthouse in the Moscow suburb of Khimki, where the airport is located.The director and team captain of UMMC Ektaerinburg testified on her behalf on Thursday.Russian media have speculated that Griner could be swapped for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. after being convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.Russia has agitated for Bout’s release for years. But the wide discrepancy in the seriousness of their cases could make such a trade unpalatable to Washington. Others have suggested that Griner could be traded along with Whelan, who is serving 16 years in Russia on an espionage conviction that the U.S. has described as a setup.The State Department’s designation of Griner as wrongfully detained moves her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator. The classification has irritated Russia.Asked about the possibility of Griner being swapped for a Russian jailed in the U.S., Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, the senior Russian diplomat, has noted that until her trial is over “there are no formal or procedural reasons to talk about any further steps.”Ryabkov warned that U.S. criticism, including the description of Griner as wrongfully detained and dismissive comments about the Russian judicial system, “makes it difficult to engage in detailed discussion of any possible exchanges.”Griner’s detention has been authorized through Dec. 20, suggesting the trial could last months. Griner’s lawyers, however, said they expect it to conclude around the beginning of August.

Lawyer: Former Big 12 star had doctor's note for cannabis use in Russia

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday blocked a freight railroad strike that would disrupt shipments of all kinds of goods for at least 60 days by naming a board of arbitrators to intervene in the contract dispute.

The widely expected move will keep 115,000 rail workers on the job while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-global-trade-strikes-80286abcd32ae1b0ecd04066ddb5a8df">arbitrators</a>&nbsp;develop a set of contract recommendations for both sides to consider. Biden had to act before Monday to prevent a possible strike. A new round of negotiations is likely after those recommendations are issued.

The president wrote in an executive order naming the arbitrators that he'd "been notified by the National Mediation Board that in its judgment these disputes threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree that would deprive a section of the country of essential transportation service.”

If the railroads and their 12 unions can’t agree on a contract within the next 60 days, Congress would likely step in to prevent a strike by voting to impose terms or taking other action.

The United Rail Unions coalition said the labor unions are preparing to make their case to the board of arbitrators, and believe that current economic data shows the raises they are asking for “are more than warranted when compared to our memberships’ contribution to the record profits of the rail carriers.”

The National Carriers Conference Committee, which represents the nation’s freight railroads in national collective bargaining, cheered Biden's move, noting that it “remains in the best interest of all parties — and the public — for the railroads and rail labor organizations to promptly settle the bargaining round on reasonable terms that provide employees with prompt and well-deserved pay increases and prevent rail service disruptions.”

“Throughout the bargaining round, the railroads have worked to thoughtfully address issues raised by both sides and have offered pay increases that are consistent with labor market benchmarks and reward rail employees for their essential work,” the committee said in a statement.

Any prolonged rail strike could cripple the supply chain that has been slowly recovering from the backlogs and delays that became common during the pandemic because of worker shortages at the ports, trucking companies and railroads as demand for imports surged.

“It’s really in everybody’s best interests to avoid a strike,” Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said.

The group that represents Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads and the unions have expressed optimism that this new presidential board will be able to help them resolve the dispute that began more than two years ago.

Business groups had urged Biden to take this step to ensure the railroads would continue operating. They worry about what a strike or lockout would mean for the fragile supply chain because railroads deliver all kinds of raw materials, finished products and imported goods that businesses rely on. A railroad strike could jeopardize the health of the economy.

The board of arbitrators will hold hearings with both sides to learn more about their positions before issuing their recommendations about a month from now. The the unions and the railroads will have 30 days to negotiate a new deal before a strike could be permitted under the federal law that governs railroad contract negotiations.

So far, the two sides have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-2669e8de879a3ffe11f8c51be045e3e1">remained far apart</a>&nbsp;because workers want raises that will offset inflation and cover increased health insurance costs while reflecting the current nationwide worker shortages. Railroads maintain that the double-digit raises they are offering over the five year contract that would date back to 2020 are fair based on the kind of raises other companies gave their workers at the time.

The unions are expecting significant raises because the railroads have been reporting record profits in recent years since they eliminated nearly one-third of their employees over the past six years as they overhauled their operations.

The unions also want the railroads to back off their proposals to cut train crews from two people down to one and ease some of the strict workplace rules they have adopted in recent years that workers say make it hard to take any time off.

Agreeing to a new deal would likely help the railroads hire more workers, which they are currently struggling to do. The major railroads have said they each need to hire hundreds more workers to handle the increased demand as the economy recovers and deal with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-omaha-7824a3d4042a757755ea76f55e51f641">chronic delays and missed deliveries</a>&nbsp;that have plagued their service this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650563138994.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday blocked a freight railroad strike that would disrupt shipments of all kinds of goods for at least 60 days by naming a board of arbitrators to intervene in the contract dispute.The widely expected move will keep 115,000 rail workers on the job while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-global-trade-strikes-80286abcd32ae1b0ecd04066ddb5a8df">arbitrators</a>&nbsp;develop a set of contract recommendations for both sides to consider. Biden had to act before Monday to prevent a possible strike. A new round of negotiations is likely after those recommendations are issued.The president wrote in an executive order naming the arbitrators that he'd "been notified by the National Mediation Board that in its judgment these disputes threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree that would deprive a section of the country of essential transportation service.”If the railroads and their 12 unions can’t agree on a contract within the next 60 days, Congress would likely step in to prevent a strike by voting to impose terms or taking other action.The United Rail Unions coalition said the labor unions are preparing to make their case to the board of arbitrators, and believe that current economic data shows the raises they are asking for “are more than warranted when compared to our memberships’ contribution to the record profits of the rail carriers.”The National Carriers Conference Committee, which represents the nation’s freight railroads in national collective bargaining, cheered Biden's move, noting that it “remains in the best interest of all parties — and the public — for the railroads and rail labor organizations to promptly settle the bargaining round on reasonable terms that provide employees with prompt and well-deserved pay increases and prevent rail service disruptions.”“Throughout the bargaining round, the railroads have worked to thoughtfully address issues raised by both sides and have offered pay increases that are consistent with labor market benchmarks and reward rail employees for their essential work,” the committee said in a statement.Any prolonged rail strike could cripple the supply chain that has been slowly recovering from the backlogs and delays that became common during the pandemic because of worker shortages at the ports, trucking companies and railroads as demand for imports surged.“It’s really in everybody’s best interests to avoid a strike,” Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said.The group that represents Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads and the unions have expressed optimism that this new presidential board will be able to help them resolve the dispute that began more than two years ago.Business groups had urged Biden to take this step to ensure the railroads would continue operating. They worry about what a strike or lockout would mean for the fragile supply chain because railroads deliver all kinds of raw materials, finished products and imported goods that businesses rely on. A railroad strike could jeopardize the health of the economy.The board of arbitrators will hold hearings with both sides to learn more about their positions before issuing their recommendations about a month from now. The the unions and the railroads will have 30 days to negotiate a new deal before a strike could be permitted under the federal law that governs railroad contract negotiations.So far, the two sides have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-2669e8de879a3ffe11f8c51be045e3e1">remained far apart</a>&nbsp;because workers want raises that will offset inflation and cover increased health insurance costs while reflecting the current nationwide worker shortages. Railroads maintain that the double-digit raises they are offering over the five year contract that would date back to 2020 are fair based on the kind of raises other companies gave their workers at the time.The unions are expecting significant raises because the railroads have been reporting record profits in recent years since they eliminated nearly one-third of their employees over the past six years as they overhauled their operations.The unions also want the railroads to back off their proposals to cut train crews from two people down to one and ease some of the strict workplace rules they have adopted in recent years that workers say make it hard to take any time off.Agreeing to a new deal would likely help the railroads hire more workers, which they are currently struggling to do. The major railroads have said they each need to hire hundreds more workers to handle the increased demand as the economy recovers and deal with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-omaha-7824a3d4042a757755ea76f55e51f641">chronic delays and missed deliveries</a>&nbsp;that have plagued their service this year.

Biden intervenes in railroad contract fight to block strike

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Kansas Food Bank President and CEO Brian Walker.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Kansas Food Bank President and CEO Brian Walker" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=i4uwx-12748d5-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Kansas Food Bank President and CEO Brian Walker.

🎤Forward Ever: Kansas Food Bank President and CEO Brian Walker

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a high-risk warning for West Nile virus infections (WNV) for north-central, south-central, northeast and southeast Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.

Northwest and southwest Kansas are at moderate risk for WNV infections.

West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States.&nbsp; It is most often spread to people through mosquito bites, but it is not spread from person to person. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop swelling of the brain or brain tissue and, in some cases, death. There are no vaccines or medications to treat WNV. People who have had West Nile virus before are considered immune.

“As more Kansans head outdoors this summer, it is important to know your risk and take action to prevent mosquito bites to protect you and your family against West Nile virus”,&nbsp;said Dr. Joan Duwve, State Health Officer.&nbsp;KDHE recommends the following prevention measures:

●Visit the KDHE WNV website weekly to learn about the current WNV risk level;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1519/West-Nile-Virus-Risk-Level-Surveillance-">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1519/West-Nile-Virus-Risk-Level-Surveillance-</a>.

●When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an&nbsp;EPA-registered active ingredient&nbsp;on skin and clothing, including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Follow the directions on the package.

●Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.

●The elderly or those with a weakened immune system should consider limiting their exposure outside during dusk and dawn when the&nbsp;Culex&nbsp;species mosquitoes are most active.

●Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.

●Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren't being used.

●Horses can also be infected with WNV. Talk with your veterinarian about vaccinating your horses to protect them against WNV.

Most WNV infections occur in the late summer and early fall; so far there have not been any reported cases of WNV in Kansas in 2022.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides this web page with additional information about West Nile virus and preventing mosquito bites:&nbsp;<a href="http://cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html">cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html</a>. &nbsp;For questions about West Nile virus or other Arboviral diseases contact the KDHE Epidemiology hotline at 877-427-7317

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a high-risk warning for West Nile virus infections (WNV) for north-central, south-central, northeast and southeast Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.Northwest and southwest Kansas are at moderate risk for WNV infections.West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States.&nbsp; It is most often spread to people through mosquito bites, but it is not spread from person to person. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop swelling of the brain or brain tissue and, in some cases, death. There are no vaccines or medications to treat WNV. People who have had West Nile virus before are considered immune.“As more Kansans head outdoors this summer, it is important to know your risk and take action to prevent mosquito bites to protect you and your family against West Nile virus”,&nbsp;said Dr. Joan Duwve, State Health Officer.&nbsp;KDHE recommends the following prevention measures:●Visit the KDHE WNV website weekly to learn about the current WNV risk level;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1519/West-Nile-Virus-Risk-Level-Surveillance-">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1519/West-Nile-Virus-Risk-Level-Surveillance-</a>.●When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an&nbsp;EPA-registered active ingredient&nbsp;on skin and clothing, including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Follow the directions on the package.●Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.●The elderly or those with a weakened immune system should consider limiting their exposure outside during dusk and dawn when the&nbsp;Culex&nbsp;species mosquitoes are most active.●Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.●Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren't being used.●Horses can also be infected with WNV. Talk with your veterinarian about vaccinating your horses to protect them against WNV.Most WNV infections occur in the late summer and early fall; so far there have not been any reported cases of WNV in Kansas in 2022.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides this web page with additional information about West Nile virus and preventing mosquito bites:&nbsp;<a href="http://cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html">cdc.gov/westnile/prevention/index.html</a>. &nbsp;For questions about West Nile virus or other Arboviral diseases contact the KDHE Epidemiology hotline at 877-427-7317

KDHE issues high-risk warnings for West Nile virus

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/15/what-those-kansas-abortion-amendment-yard-signs-are-really-saying/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas neighborhoods have been 
flaunting new landscaping in the form of political yard signs during the
 run-up to the Aug. 2 vote on whether the state constitution protects 
abortion rights.

As next-door neighbors advertise 
their conflicting worldviews, it’s easy to use the number of yard signs 
on either side as a proxy for the upcoming vote. Whoever has the most 
signs is most likely to win, we think. Some Kansans might be tempted to 
count yard signs.

Or maybe you are using the signs to 
suss out your neighbors’ politics so you don’t say the wrong thing 
during the next Little League game. (You might alternately learn exactly
 who you want to confront at that same ballfield.)

Me? I’m obsessed with the design of these posters and what those decisions say about the groups that made them.

As a lifelong visual communicator, I 
love to pause and stare at the visual choices made by any brand: Juul or
 LEGO or the GOP. I teach my students to critique designs, photos and 
videos for the visual messages they are sending — conscious or not.

After taking my visual storytelling 
class, a student said: “I can’t enjoy anything anymore. I’m constantly 
critiquing the stuff I see.” If she is still curious, this summer’s yard
 signs urging us to vote “yes” or “no” should be giving her lots to 
analyze.

Here’s my breakdown of the visual choices each group made in designing their yard signs.

This sign has been the most common in
 my travels around Kansas, partially because it is just about the only 
“yes” sign I have seen. This kind of unified messaging is a hallmark of 
contemporary conservativism. One bold voice leads an unwavering chorus.&nbsp;

The sign itself is effective in a few
 ways. First, it speaks visually and verbally. The choice of purple is 
sly: it nods to both femininity and royalty. Purple also functions as a 
midpoint between conservative red and liberal blue, positioning the 
pro-life stance as centrist.

The illustration at the left of the 
poster creates a symbol with three literal meanings.&nbsp; The silhouette of a
 mother and a baby — with hands holding one another — is the most 
obvious. The two figures combine to create the outline of a heart, 
although completing the shape of the heart involves decapitating the 
mother, a grim prospect. The other odd twist to the illustration? The 
negative space between the mother and the baby creates the shape of a 
hammer.

The wording of the poster leverages 
one of the biggest advantages provided to those hoping to pass the 
amendment. Because voters will select “yes” on the ballot, the campaign 
poster is able to be positive in its language. Add the exclamation point
 to the all-caps “YES,” and you get a message of enthusiasm. (Imagine 
the scolding tone of an exclamation point combined with “NO” from the 
opposing side.)

The concision of the poster is also 
admirable. It takes just 12 syllables to read the sign aloud. This 
careful word choice allows individual words to be huge for drive-by 
reading.

If the poster for “Value Them Both” 
is able to use positive language, this poster slides into the dreaded 
land of the double-negative. Readers might need a moment to connect the 
slogan with the perspective it advocates. That rhetorical stance hampers
 persuasion.

Reading the final line of the sign — 
“on the constitutional amendment” — seems next to impossible from the 
seat of a passing car. The sentiment — that a constitutional right is at
 risk — has resonance. But can a sign carry that message?

The colors are interesting as a 
Kansas allusion, specifically the colors of KU without the crimson. Of 
course, the campaign sign for a liberal cause might smartly omit red.

The centerpiece of the design is a 
sharply angled sans serif font that strikes a decisive tone. With its 
precisely circular O’s and pointed edges to the V’s and N’s, the font 
mixes contemporary curves that speak to femininity while also displaying
 definitive angles.

This poster is the most formidable 
rival to the purple “VOTE YES!” yard sign. The gradient illustration — 
shifting from blue to pink to red hues — shows a woman’s profile heading
 right. That specific direction speaks to the value of moving forward 
(left to right) and&nbsp;political consensus (from the left side of the aisle to the right).

The billowing hair also references a 
woman in motion. Of course, this reference to an active woman speaks to 
American values of liberty and progress.

“Value her choice” is more hopeful 
and energizing than “Stop the ban.” Of course, politicians have forever 
successfully cultivated fear (such as worry about a ban) as a motivating
 force. However, pro-choice as a political perspective could use the 
positivity of this poster after years of being labeled as “baby killers”
 and “murderers.”

As for a concise message, this poster
 is brief. Its bold-faced font is instantly legible, while emphasizing 
the voter education of voting “NO.”

My apologies to the designers tasked 
with these signs, but it’s difficult to imagine any of the 
micro-decisions that I applauded or criticized here making the 
difference in the vote tally that will define reproductive rights in 
Kansas.

Nevertheless, the way that we voice 
our political messages — whether visually or verbally — matters. Signs 
like these help to define our political arguments and reflect our 
political values.

Sans serif vs. serif choices won’t 
determine our fate as a state. But seeing how differing sides use those 
tools reveals how creative and disciplined they were during this vital 
campaign.

Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657908977911.png" alt="One of the many yard signs weighing in on the Aug. 2 constitutional amendment vote in Kansas states its case. (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>One of the many yard signs weighing in on the Aug. 2 constitutional amendment vote in Kansas states its case. (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/15/what-those-kansas-abortion-amendment-yard-signs-are-really-saying/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas neighborhoods have been 
flaunting new landscaping in the form of political yard signs during the
 run-up to the Aug. 2 vote on whether the state constitution protects 
abortion rights.As next-door neighbors advertise 
their conflicting worldviews, it’s easy to use the number of yard signs 
on either side as a proxy for the upcoming vote. Whoever has the most 
signs is most likely to win, we think. Some Kansans might be tempted to 
count yard signs.Or maybe you are using the signs to 
suss out your neighbors’ politics so you don’t say the wrong thing 
during the next Little League game. (You might alternately learn exactly
 who you want to confront at that same ballfield.)Me? I’m obsessed with the design of these posters and what those decisions say about the groups that made them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As a lifelong visual communicator, I 
love to pause and stare at the visual choices made by any brand: Juul or
 LEGO or the GOP. I teach my students to critique designs, photos and 
videos for the visual messages they are sending — conscious or not.After taking my visual storytelling 
class, a student said: “I can’t enjoy anything anymore. I’m constantly 
critiquing the stuff I see.” If she is still curious, this summer’s yard
 signs urging us to vote “yes” or “no” should be giving her lots to 
analyze.Here’s my breakdown of the visual choices each group made in designing their yard signs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909053606.png" alt="(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“VOTE YES!”This sign has been the most common in
 my travels around Kansas, partially because it is just about the only 
“yes” sign I have seen. This kind of unified messaging is a hallmark of 
contemporary conservativism. One bold voice leads an unwavering chorus.&nbsp;The sign itself is effective in a few
 ways. First, it speaks visually and verbally. The choice of purple is 
sly: it nods to both femininity and royalty. Purple also functions as a 
midpoint between conservative red and liberal blue, positioning the 
pro-life stance as centrist.The illustration at the left of the 
poster creates a symbol with three literal meanings.&nbsp; The silhouette of a
 mother and a baby — with hands holding one another — is the most 
obvious. The two figures combine to create the outline of a heart, 
although completing the shape of the heart involves decapitating the 
mother, a grim prospect. The other odd twist to the illustration? The 
negative space between the mother and the baby creates the shape of a 
hammer.The wording of the poster leverages 
one of the biggest advantages provided to those hoping to pass the 
amendment. Because voters will select “yes” on the ballot, the campaign 
poster is able to be positive in its language. Add the exclamation point
 to the all-caps “YES,” and you get a message of enthusiasm. (Imagine 
the scolding tone of an exclamation point combined with “NO” from the 
opposing side.)The concision of the poster is also 
admirable. It takes just 12 syllables to read the sign aloud. This 
careful word choice allows individual words to be huge for drive-by 
reading.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909094176.png" alt="(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“STOP THE BAN”If the poster for “Value Them Both” 
is able to use positive language, this poster slides into the dreaded 
land of the double-negative. Readers might need a moment to connect the 
slogan with the perspective it advocates. That rhetorical stance hampers
 persuasion.Reading the final line of the sign — 
“on the constitutional amendment” — seems next to impossible from the 
seat of a passing car. The sentiment — that a constitutional right is at
 risk — has resonance. But can a sign carry that message?The colors are interesting as a 
Kansas allusion, specifically the colors of KU without the crimson. Of 
course, the campaign sign for a liberal cause might smartly omit red.The centerpiece of the design is a 
sharply angled sans serif font that strikes a decisive tone. With its 
precisely circular O’s and pointed edges to the V’s and N’s, the font 
mixes contemporary curves that speak to femininity while also displaying
 definitive angles.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909147263.png" alt="(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“VALUE HER CHOICE”This poster is the most formidable 
rival to the purple “VOTE YES!” yard sign. The gradient illustration — 
shifting from blue to pink to red hues — shows a woman’s profile heading
 right. That specific direction speaks to the value of moving forward 
(left to right) and&nbsp;political consensus (from the left side of the aisle to the right).The billowing hair also references a 
woman in motion. Of course, this reference to an active woman speaks to 
American values of liberty and progress.“Value her choice” is more hopeful 
and energizing than “Stop the ban.” Of course, politicians have forever 
successfully cultivated fear (such as worry about a ban) as a motivating
 force. However, pro-choice as a political perspective could use the 
positivity of this poster after years of being labeled as “baby killers”
 and “murderers.”As for a concise message, this poster
 is brief. Its bold-faced font is instantly legible, while emphasizing 
the voter education of voting “NO.”My apologies to the designers tasked 
with these signs, but it’s difficult to imagine any of the 
micro-decisions that I applauded or criticized here making the 
difference in the vote tally that will define reproductive rights in 
Kansas.Nevertheless, the way that we voice 
our political messages — whether visually or verbally — matters. Signs 
like these help to define our political arguments and reflect our 
political values.Sans serif vs. serif choices won’t 
determine our fate as a state. But seeing how differing sides use those 
tools reveals how creative and disciplined they were during this vital 
campaign.Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

OPINION: What Kan. abortion amendment yard signs are really saying

By DYLAN LYSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-07-15/even-at-200-000-a-job-kansas-paid-below-the-going-rate-in-its-deal-to-land-a-panasonic-factory">Kansas News Service</a>

Even at roughly $200,000 per job, analysts say the tax breaks and 
other incentives Kansas put on the table to bring Panasonic’s 
battery-making plant to De Soto fall short of the giveaways other states
 have made in recent years.

Still, the tax dollars devoted to 
bringing the $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant to Johnson County
 bust any records in Kansas for tempting a business to the state.

And few details have been made public about the $829 million incentive plan that was negotiated behind closed doors.

The
 factory will be the largest economic development plan in Kansas 
history. The company is promising 4,000 jobs subsidized at the rate of 
$200,000 per worker.

Additionally, the package to Panasonic appears to be the fourth largest in the country since 2018, according to <a href="https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company_op=starts&amp;subsidy_type%5B%5D=MEGADEAL&amp;order=sub_year&amp;sort=" target="_blank">a subsidy tracker</a> from Good Jobs First, a group largely skeptical about government giveaways to businesses.

Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First said Kansas would spend less than the national average for each new job created.

“There
 are certainly some deals that are more expensive,” LeRoy said. “In 
fact, the average cost is $658,000 per job, so more than three times 
higher.”

Gov. Laura Kelly and other state officials touted the 
deal as a major victory, with Kansas beating out Oklahoma to land 
Panasonic. They said the plant would provide a large boost to the 
state’s economy.

But some economists don’t think “megadeal” incentive packages are a good buy.

Michael
 Farren, an economist at George Mason University, said he opposes states
 competing with each other to offer ever-increasing incentives. Instead,
 he said, states should work together to create fairer negotiations with
 businesses.

“They should cooperate so that they don’t get their 
arms twisted and that they can dictate the terms to these companies 
instead,” Farren said.

But as long as other states continue to offer similar or even bigger economic incentives, Kansas may need to join the race.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-01/kansas-gov-kelly-wants-to-spend-1-billion-to-land-a-big-mystery-manufacturer" target="_blank">Earlier this year</a>,
 Lt. Gov. and commerce secretary David Toland said Kansas needed to make
 the offer to be competitive for large business investments. Since 2017,
 other states had swooped in and beat out Kansas 11 times for companies 
looking to invest $1 billion or more.

The deal with Panasonic changes that, he said, and puts Kansas on the national stage to compete for growing industries.

“And
 we can say loudly and proudly Kansas is the best state for business 
investment,” Toland said during the Panasonic announcement.

That’s
 how states see the issue, Farren said, but it hurts the nation as a 
whole. He said Panasonic would have moved to either Kansas or Oklahoma, 
regardless of their incentive packages, because it wants to work with a 
Tesla factory in Texas.

If they didn’t offer incentives, he said 
one of them would have gotten the plant for free. And Farren said the 
funds in neither of the state’s proposed packages would be used on a 
corporation, but state services that people need.

“This,” Farren said, “is an absolute rat race.”

Dylan
 Lysen reports on politics for the Kansas News Service. You can follow 
him on Twitter @DylanLysen or email him at dlysen@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657897513364.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly chairs the meeting where she and legislative leaders agreed to give $829 million in tax breaks and other incentives to Panasonic Energy to build its electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto, Kansas. Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly chairs the meeting where she and legislative leaders agreed to give $829 million in tax breaks and other incentives to Panasonic Energy to build its electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto, Kansas. Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DYLAN LYSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-07-15/even-at-200-000-a-job-kansas-paid-below-the-going-rate-in-its-deal-to-land-a-panasonic-factory">Kansas News Service</a>Even at roughly $200,000 per job, analysts say the tax breaks and 
other incentives Kansas put on the table to bring Panasonic’s 
battery-making plant to De Soto fall short of the giveaways other states
 have made in recent years.Still, the tax dollars devoted to 
bringing the $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant to Johnson County
 bust any records in Kansas for tempting a business to the state.And few details have been made public about the $829 million incentive plan that was negotiated behind closed doors.The
 factory will be the largest economic development plan in Kansas 
history. The company is promising 4,000 jobs subsidized at the rate of 
$200,000 per worker.Additionally, the package to Panasonic appears to be the fourth largest in the country since 2018, according to <a href="https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company_op=starts&amp;subsidy_type%5B%5D=MEGADEAL&amp;order=sub_year&amp;sort=" target="_blank">a subsidy tracker</a> from Good Jobs First, a group largely skeptical about government giveaways to businesses.Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First said Kansas would spend less than the national average for each new job created.“There
 are certainly some deals that are more expensive,” LeRoy said. “In 
fact, the average cost is $658,000 per job, so more than three times 
higher.”Gov. Laura Kelly and other state officials touted the 
deal as a major victory, with Kansas beating out Oklahoma to land 
Panasonic. They said the plant would provide a large boost to the 
state’s economy.But some economists don’t think “megadeal” incentive packages are a good buy.Michael
 Farren, an economist at George Mason University, said he opposes states
 competing with each other to offer ever-increasing incentives. Instead,
 he said, states should work together to create fairer negotiations with
 businesses.“They should cooperate so that they don’t get their 
arms twisted and that they can dictate the terms to these companies 
instead,” Farren said.But as long as other states continue to offer similar or even bigger economic incentives, Kansas may need to join the race.<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-01/kansas-gov-kelly-wants-to-spend-1-billion-to-land-a-big-mystery-manufacturer" target="_blank">Earlier this year</a>,
 Lt. Gov. and commerce secretary David Toland said Kansas needed to make
 the offer to be competitive for large business investments. Since 2017,
 other states had swooped in and beat out Kansas 11 times for companies 
looking to invest $1 billion or more.The deal with Panasonic changes that, he said, and puts Kansas on the national stage to compete for growing industries.“And
 we can say loudly and proudly Kansas is the best state for business 
investment,” Toland said during the Panasonic announcement.That’s
 how states see the issue, Farren said, but it hurts the nation as a 
whole. He said Panasonic would have moved to either Kansas or Oklahoma, 
regardless of their incentive packages, because it wants to work with a 
Tesla factory in Texas.If they didn’t offer incentives, he said 
one of them would have gotten the plant for free. And Farren said the 
funds in neither of the state’s proposed packages would be used on a 
corporation, but state services that people need.“This,” Farren said, “is an absolute rat race.”Dylan
 Lysen reports on politics for the Kansas News Service. You can follow 
him on Twitter @DylanLysen or email him at dlysen@kcur.org.

At $200K a job, Kansas paid below going rate to land Panasonic 

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A third suspect arrested in connection with the July 4th weekend double murder made his first court appearance in the case.

Just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, five days after the authorities asked for help to find him, sheriff deputies located and arrested Luong in east Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp; 

Tips came in and detectives produced other information that led to an apartment complex in the 3700 Block of North Rock Road in&nbsp; Wichita, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.&nbsp; He was arrested without incident.

Hieu Luong, 42 of Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Two other suspects have already been charged. David Baeza, 42 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of voluntary manslaughter. Joseph Ponse, 43 of Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder.&nbsp;

Just after 5 a.m. July 3, sheriff's deputies were sent to a shooting call in the 4400 block of south Rock Road in rural Sedgwick County, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp;

At the scene, first responders found<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20076411">&nbsp;Baeza</a>&nbsp;on the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Colonel Brian White with the sheriff's department. EMS transported Baeza to an area hospital for treatment and later arrested him.

During an additional search of the rural property, deputies found a man and woman deceased in the backyard of a residence the 4300 block of South Rock Road. They died from apparent gunshot wounds. The woman was later identified as 43-year-old Saren Negrete-Perez of California.&nbsp;

While processing the scene, investigators found <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18714449">Ponse Jr.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp; Deputies booked him into the Sedgwick County jail.&nbsp; The victims did not live at the location where they were killed.&nbsp;

Ponse and Baeza remain jailed each on a bond of $500,000.&nbsp; They are due back in court on July 18, according to the district attorney's office.

Luong is also<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=23165"> being held on a $500,000 bond</a>&nbsp;and is scheduled to return to court July 22, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657823720573.png" alt="Luong-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Luong-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A third suspect arrested in connection with the July 4th weekend double murder made his first court appearance in the case.Just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, five days after the authorities asked for help to find him, sheriff deputies located and arrested Luong in east Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp; Tips came in and detectives produced other information that led to an apartment complex in the 3700 Block of North Rock Road in&nbsp; Wichita, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.&nbsp; He was arrested without incident.Hieu Luong, 42 of Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Two other suspects have already been charged. David Baeza, 42 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of voluntary manslaughter. Joseph Ponse, 43 of Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder.&nbsp;Just after 5 a.m. July 3, sheriff's deputies were sent to a shooting call in the 4400 block of south Rock Road in rural Sedgwick County, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657051599579.png" alt="Ponse-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Ponse-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>At the scene, first responders found<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20076411">&nbsp;Baeza</a>&nbsp;on the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Colonel Brian White with the sheriff's department. EMS transported Baeza to an area hospital for treatment and later arrested him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1656781809875.png" alt="Portions of Rock Road were closed during the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Portions of Rock Road were closed during the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>During an additional search of the rural property, deputies found a man and woman deceased in the backyard of a residence the 4300 block of South Rock Road. They died from apparent gunshot wounds. The woman was later identified as 43-year-old Saren Negrete-Perez of California.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657051675461.png" alt="Baeza-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Baeza-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>While processing the scene, investigators found <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18714449">Ponse Jr.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp; Deputies booked him into the Sedgwick County jail.&nbsp; The victims did not live at the location where they were killed.&nbsp;Ponse and Baeza remain jailed each on a bond of $500,000.&nbsp; They are due back in court on July 18, according to the district attorney's office.Luong is also<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=23165"> being held on a $500,000 bond</a>&nbsp;and is scheduled to return to court July 22, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect charged in connection with Kan. double murder

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — It seems like the cost of everything is going up and that is no different at the Barton County Sheriff’s Office. To offset jail costs, the sheriff’s office is increasing their fees to house other law enforcement’s prisoners. Currently, the City of Great Bend is charged $17.50 per day for each inmate the city has jailed through the sheriff’s office.

Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis said the city was notified the price to hold their prisoners at the county jail will increase to $35 per day starting Sept. 1. "That can be a pretty significant expense depending on how things shake out," said Francis. "We made some adjustments in the budget to account for that. We're looking at other ways to help curtail that. That is something we'll be watching closely over the course of the next year." Prisoner care was budgeted for $33,745 out the of the Great Bend Police Department’s budget in 2021. The proposed 2023 budget calls for $70,000 in prisoner care. Any out-of-county prisoners housed at the Barton County Detention Center will cost those counties $50 per inmate each day. Municipalities within Barton County will be charged $35. Unless waiting trial or sentencing, no prisoner can stay in the county jail longer than a year. While in prison, the sheriff’s office has to pay for each prisoner’s food, medical expenses, laundry, utilities, etc. Sheriff Brian Bellendir said, on average, there are 85 inmates incarcerated inside the jail on a daily basis. Of those 85, the City of Great Bend usually has around 10 prisoners.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657901448345.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — It seems like the cost of everything is going up and that is no different at the Barton County Sheriff’s Office. To offset jail costs, the sheriff’s office is increasing their fees to house other law enforcement’s prisoners. Currently, the City of Great Bend is charged $17.50 per day for each inmate the city has jailed through the sheriff’s office.Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis said the city was notified the price to hold their prisoners at the county jail will increase to $35 per day starting Sept. 1. "That can be a pretty significant expense depending on how things shake out," said Francis. "We made some adjustments in the budget to account for that. We're looking at other ways to help curtail that. That is something we'll be watching closely over the course of the next year." Prisoner care was budgeted for $33,745 out the of the Great Bend Police Department’s budget in 2021. The proposed 2023 budget calls for $70,000 in prisoner care. Any out-of-county prisoners housed at the Barton County Detention Center will cost those counties $50 per inmate each day. Municipalities within Barton County will be charged $35. Unless waiting trial or sentencing, no prisoner can stay in the county jail longer than a year. While in prison, the sheriff’s office has to pay for each prisoner’s food, medical expenses, laundry, utilities, etc. Sheriff Brian Bellendir said, on average, there are 85 inmates incarcerated inside the jail on a daily basis. Of those 85, the City of Great Bend usually has around 10 prisoners.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

With costs rising, inmates will pay more at Barton Co. jail

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — President Joe Biden’s fist bump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was drawing criticism even before his meeting with the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia concluded on Friday.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?521735-1/president-biden-arrives-jeddah-saudi-arabia">Click here to&nbsp;</a>watch the President's arrival

U.S. intelligence agencies said the the crown prince, known as MBS, ordered the 2018 killing of journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi.

Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancée, tweeted a screen shot imagining what he would have said in response to the meeting, reading “the blood of MBS’s next victim is on your hands.”

California Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said “One fist bump is worth a thousand words.”

He added: “If we ever needed a visual reminder of the continuing grip oil-rich autocrats have on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, we got it today.”

The fist bump marked the first time Biden has met the crown prince since he took office. The brief encounter, which was captured by Saudi television, occurred as Biden stepped out of his presidential limousine after landing in the Red Sea city of Jeddah from Israel.

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — President Joe Biden emerged from Air Force One on Friday, minutes after landing in Saudi Arabia and walked along a lavender carpet past a sword-bearing honor cordon.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?521735-1/president-biden-arrives-jeddah-saudi-arabia">Click here to </a>watch the President's arrival

The subdued arrival ceremony in the Red Sea city of Jeddah featured no formal program. The president was greeted upon arrival by Mecca’s governor, Prince Khalid bin Faisal, and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar.

He was not met by King Salman, the 86-year-old monarch who was hospitalized twice this year and requires a cane to aid his walking, nor by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom U.S. intelligence agencies assess ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Biden flew to the kingdom directly from Israel, hours after Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to “all air carriers,” signaling the end of its longstanding ban on Israeli flights overflying its territory — a key step toward normalization between the two Mideast nations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657900907332.png" alt="Follow the subdued airport greeting, a fist bump between President Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Salam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Follow the subdued airport greeting, a fist bump between President Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Salam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — President Joe Biden’s fist bump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was drawing criticism even before his meeting with the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia concluded on Friday.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?521735-1/president-biden-arrives-jeddah-saudi-arabia">Click here to&nbsp;</a>watch the President's arrivalU.S. intelligence agencies said the the crown prince, known as MBS, ordered the 2018 killing of journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi.Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancée, tweeted a screen shot imagining what he would have said in response to the meeting, reading “the blood of MBS’s next victim is on your hands.”California Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said “One fist bump is worth a thousand words.”He added: “If we ever needed a visual reminder of the continuing grip oil-rich autocrats have on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, we got it today.”The fist bump marked the first time Biden has met the crown prince since he took office. The brief encounter, which was captured by Saudi television, occurred as Biden stepped out of his presidential limousine after landing in the Red Sea city of Jeddah from Israel.-----------JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — President Joe Biden emerged from Air Force One on Friday, minutes after landing in Saudi Arabia and walked along a lavender carpet past a sword-bearing honor cordon.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?521735-1/president-biden-arrives-jeddah-saudi-arabia">Click here to </a>watch the President's arrivalThe subdued arrival ceremony in the Red Sea city of Jeddah featured no formal program. The president was greeted upon arrival by Mecca’s governor, Prince Khalid bin Faisal, and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657901001480.png" alt="Biden flew to the kingdom directly from Israel, hours after Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to “all air carriers,” signaling the end of its longstanding ban on Israeli flights overflying its territory — a key step toward normalization between the two Mideast nations.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Biden flew to the kingdom directly from Israel, hours after Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to “all air carriers,” signaling the end of its longstanding ban on Israeli flights overflying its territory — a key step toward normalization between the two Mideast nations.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>He was not met by King Salman, the 86-year-old monarch who was hospitalized twice this year and requires a cane to aid his walking, nor by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom U.S. intelligence agencies assess ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.Biden flew to the kingdom directly from Israel, hours after Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to “all air carriers,” signaling the end of its longstanding ban on Israeli flights overflying its territory — a key step toward normalization between the two Mideast nations.

🎥 Biden-Saudi crown prince fist bump draws rebuke

KANSAS CITY (AP) — An intoxicated pilot was arrested after landing a small aircraft early Friday on Interstate 70 southeast of Kansas City after radioing that he had run out of fuel, authorities said.

The landing about 2:30 a.m. east of Grain Valley, roughly 20 miles southeast of Kansas City, closed westbound lanes of the highway for more than 2 1/2 hours, KCTV reported.

The plane had a “minor collision” with a guardrail but otherwise didn't hit anything, the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperA/status/1547911523166629888">Missouri State Highway Patrol</a>&nbsp;tweeted.

The pilot was the only person on board. He suffered minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital for treatment after his arrest, the patrol said. Online arrest records identify the pilot 35-year-old John T. Seesing of Prairie Village. 

Seesing was arrested on requested charges of DWI, felony possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Online records showed that the single-engine plane was 19 minutes into its flight from Warrensburg, Missouri, which is located about 20 miles&nbsp; southeast of the landing site.

The patrol said the pilot radioed that he had run out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing on the highway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657896737743.png" alt="The small plane was removed from I-70 before sunrise Friday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The small plane was removed from I-70 before sunrise Friday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — An intoxicated pilot was arrested after landing a small aircraft early Friday on Interstate 70 southeast of Kansas City after radioing that he had run out of fuel, authorities said.The landing about 2:30 a.m. east of Grain Valley, roughly 20 miles southeast of Kansas City, closed westbound lanes of the highway for more than 2 1/2 hours, KCTV reported.The plane had a “minor collision” with a guardrail but otherwise didn't hit anything, the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperA/status/1547911523166629888">Missouri State Highway Patrol</a>&nbsp;tweeted.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The plane had ran out of fuel! The pilot communicated via radio and made an emergency landing. There was a minor collision w/ a guardrail. The pilot was found to be intoxicated &amp; arrested. He was released to a local hospital for treatment of minor injury. Assisted by the FFA.&mdash; MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperA/status/1547911523166629888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The pilot was the only person on board. He suffered minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital for treatment after his arrest, the patrol said. Online arrest records identify the pilot 35-year-old John T. Seesing of Prairie Village. Seesing was arrested on requested charges of DWI, felony possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.Online records showed that the single-engine plane was 19 minutes into its flight from Warrensburg, Missouri, which is located about 20 miles&nbsp; southeast of the landing site.The patrol said the pilot radioed that he had run out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing on the highway.

Patrol: Intoxicated pilot arrested after landing plane on I-70 near KC

By BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN — Starting out playing in the beer tents when Country Stampede was in Manhattan, Travis Marvin has played on every stage.

Travis Marvin is an Ottawa, Kansas native, who has been performing in the Kansas City &nbsp;area and has previously toured with Aaron Lewis.

In 2021, Travis performed on the main stage at Country Stampede, for the third time.

For 2022, Travis is keeping the party going on the After Party stage.

Country Stampede continues through Saturday evening with Kid Rock performing as the final main stage act.

The full interview with Travis Marvin can be <a href="https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=484433103495241&amp;id=100057856666859&amp;m_entstream_source=feed_mobile&amp;anchor_composer=false">found here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657847554517.jpeg" alt="Travis Marvin doing a sound check before Thursday's show." />
 <figcaption>Travis Marvin doing a sound check before Thursday's show.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostMANHATTAN — Starting out playing in the beer tents when Country Stampede was in Manhattan, Travis Marvin has played on every stage.Travis Marvin is an Ottawa, Kansas native, who has been performing in the Kansas City &nbsp;area and has previously toured with Aaron Lewis.In 2021, Travis performed on the main stage at Country Stampede, for the third time.For 2022, Travis is keeping the party going on the After Party stage.Country Stampede continues through Saturday evening with Kid Rock performing as the final main stage act.The full interview with Travis Marvin can be <a href="https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=484433103495241&amp;id=100057856666859&amp;m_entstream_source=feed_mobile&amp;anchor_composer=false">found here</a>.

🎥 Kansas-native plays Country Stampede for 10th time

By DAVID SOLL <a href="https://theconversation.com/swelling-grocery-bills-are-pummeling-the-poorest-who-spend-over-a-quarter-of-their-incomes-on-food-186980">The Conversation</a>

The cost of eggs and bread is soaring – a trend that’s particularly punishing for the poorest Americans. 

Average food prices <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">climbed an annualized rate of 10.4% in June</a>, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on July 13, 2022. The gains were driven primarily by the cost of groceries, which <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SAF11#">jumped the most since the 1970s</a>, by 12.2%. Overall inflation was up 9.1% from a year earlier.

These sharp increases <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/06/10/1103995329/inflation-americans-spending-consumer-behavior-prices">have startled consumers</a>, in large part because food costs <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIUFDSL">had been rising moderately for decades</a>.

While all Americans have seen their grocery bills swell, many may not
 fully appreciate the enormous burden that rising food costs pose for 
low-income households. The reason is simple: Poor families spend a much 
larger share of their income on food than the median household. 

In 2020, the average middle-income American family <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=58372">spent roughly 12% of its earnings on food</a>. In sharp contrast, poor households spent 27% on food that year.

What explains this enormous discrepancy? The answer begins with a 
dramatic change in spending patterns among American households during 
the 20th century, which <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/profiles/solld/">I learned</a> while <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/files/7106/David-Soll-Authors-Celebration-2020-Poster.pdf">researching shifts in commuting practices</a>.

In the 1900s, the bare necessities of life, including food, were 
enormously expensive compared with today, leaving little room for 
spending on other goods or services for most Americans, according to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cex/csxhistorical.htm">2006 study</a> by the Department of Labor. On average, American families <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2006/may/wk4/art05.htm">spent over 40% of their income</a> on food in 1901, 23% on housing and 14% on clothing.

But the relative cost of food and clothing decreased steadily over 
the next 100 years. By 2002, the two categories represented only 17.3% 
of a middle-class family’s expenditures and by 2020, the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/consumer-expenditures/2020/home.htm">figure had fallen to 14.2%</a>.

The sharp drop in the cost of food and clothing led to a massive 
reshuffling of family budgets over roughly the past century. As people 
reduced their spending on these items, they spent more on housing, 
transportation and insurance. As the country became wealthier, <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/03/household-expenditures-and-income">discretionary spending increased</a>, too. Most Americans had more room in their budgets for eating out, televisions and entertainment.

This revolution in household spending largely excluded poor 
Americans, who continue to devote most of their income to feeding their 
families and other necessities like shelter. As a result, they are 
particularly vulnerable to spikes in food costs.

Low-income households devote more than twice as large a share of 
their budgets to food as middle-income households. As a result, food 
inflation is around twice as burdensome for families of limited means. 
But this actually understates the burden of high food costs on the poor 
because, <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/report-americans-cutting-back-on-discretionary-spending-because-of-inflation/article_349326e4-c59c-11ec-a095-57da6f173842.html">unlike middle-class families</a>, they have little discretionary spending they can pare back to free up funds for food.

American households <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/09/consumers-changing-eating-shopping-habits-as-inflation-pushes-up-price.html">are responding to soaring food inflation</a>
 by eating out less frequently, buying generic brands and consuming less
 meat. For many, it may be the first time they’ve ever had to be so 
careful about what they spent on food.

Poor families, however, have long been forced to deploy these tactics to keep food expenditures in check. 

<a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america">An estimated 38 million Americans</a>
 are food-insecure, meaning that they have insufficient means to obtain 
sufficient food. The concern is, with food inflation rising at the rate 
it is, more families will face the prospect of being unsure where their 
next meal is coming from.

David Soll is an Associate Professor of History and Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657824297211.jpg" alt="Courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SOLL <a href="https://theconversation.com/swelling-grocery-bills-are-pummeling-the-poorest-who-spend-over-a-quarter-of-their-incomes-on-food-186980">The Conversation</a>The cost of eggs and bread is soaring – a trend that’s particularly punishing for the poorest Americans. Average food prices <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">climbed an annualized rate of 10.4% in June</a>, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on July 13, 2022. The gains were driven primarily by the cost of groceries, which <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SAF11#">jumped the most since the 1970s</a>, by 12.2%. Overall inflation was up 9.1% from a year earlier. These sharp increases <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/06/10/1103995329/inflation-americans-spending-consumer-behavior-prices">have startled consumers</a>, in large part because food costs <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIUFDSL">had been rising moderately for decades</a>.While all Americans have seen their grocery bills swell, many may not
 fully appreciate the enormous burden that rising food costs pose for 
low-income households. The reason is simple: Poor families spend a much 
larger share of their income on food than the median household. In 2020, the average middle-income American family <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=58372">spent roughly 12% of its earnings on food</a>. In sharp contrast, poor households spent 27% on food that year. What explains this enormous discrepancy? The answer begins with a 
dramatic change in spending patterns among American households during 
the 20th century, which <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/profiles/solld/">I learned</a> while <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/files/7106/David-Soll-Authors-Celebration-2020-Poster.pdf">researching shifts in commuting practices</a>.In the 1900s, the bare necessities of life, including food, were 
enormously expensive compared with today, leaving little room for 
spending on other goods or services for most Americans, according to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cex/csxhistorical.htm">2006 study</a> by the Department of Labor. On average, American families <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2006/may/wk4/art05.htm">spent over 40% of their income</a> on food in 1901, 23% on housing and 14% on clothing.But the relative cost of food and clothing decreased steadily over 
the next 100 years. By 2002, the two categories represented only 17.3% 
of a middle-class family’s expenditures and by 2020, the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/consumer-expenditures/2020/home.htm">figure had fallen to 14.2%</a>.The sharp drop in the cost of food and clothing led to a massive 
reshuffling of family budgets over roughly the past century. As people 
reduced their spending on these items, they spent more on housing, 
transportation and insurance. As the country became wealthier, <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/03/household-expenditures-and-income">discretionary spending increased</a>, too. Most Americans had more room in their budgets for eating out, televisions and entertainment. This revolution in household spending largely excluded poor 
Americans, who continue to devote most of their income to feeding their 
families and other necessities like shelter. As a result, they are 
particularly vulnerable to spikes in food costs.Low-income households devote more than twice as large a share of 
their budgets to food as middle-income households. As a result, food 
inflation is around twice as burdensome for families of limited means. 
But this actually understates the burden of high food costs on the poor 
because, <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/report-americans-cutting-back-on-discretionary-spending-because-of-inflation/article_349326e4-c59c-11ec-a095-57da6f173842.html">unlike middle-class families</a>, they have little discretionary spending they can pare back to free up funds for food.American households <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/09/consumers-changing-eating-shopping-habits-as-inflation-pushes-up-price.html">are responding to soaring food inflation</a>
 by eating out less frequently, buying generic brands and consuming less
 meat. For many, it may be the first time they’ve ever had to be so 
careful about what they spent on food.Poor families, however, have long been forced to deploy these tactics to keep food expenditures in check. <a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america">An estimated 38 million Americans</a>
 are food-insecure, meaning that they have insufficient means to obtain 
sufficient food. The concern is, with food inflation rising at the rate 
it is, more families will face the prospect of being unsure where their 
next meal is coming from.David Soll is an Associate Professor of History and Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186980/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1"></iframe></div>

Food costs pummeling the poor, who spend over a quarter of income on food

My husband and I have a beginner emergency fund set aside, and we’re working on paying off $30,000 in credit card debt and two cars in Baby Step 2. He would also like us to start putting money aside for a couple of trips and a few other things we have always wanted. This makes me nervous, because we have made so much progress over the last year in getting control of our finances, paying off debt and living on a budget. I understand wanting something to look forward to, but I would hate to see us slow down when we are doing so well. How do you feel about this?

Okay, so you have two car payments hanging over your heads, plus a bunch of credit card&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator" target="_blank">debt</a>, and your husband wants to throw saving for toys and vacations into the mix? I’m sure he’s a good guy, and he has obviously been on-board with your financial overhaul so far, but I wouldn’t recommend doing this.

The reason people are successful following my plan is because I teach common sense methods, wrapped up in unbridled, scorched-earth intensity. There’s a process here. There’s an idea combined with passion. And when you plug into it full force, you’re going to move in a positive direction so quickly it’ll make your head spin.

You know how I say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-basics-of-personal-finance" target="_blank">personal finance</a>&nbsp;is 80% behavior and only 20% head knowledge? It’s true.&nbsp;Behaviors&nbsp;have to change. The more dramatically they change, the better the results and the faster you progress. But if you don’t plug into it, you’ll fall back into the same old things.

It’s okay to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/5-things-we-should-be-saving-for" target="_blank">save up</a>&nbsp;for a trip or buy some fun stuff in the general philosophy of life. But getting out of debt, and having control of your finances should come first. Remember when you were a kid, and you had to finish your dinner or clean up your room before going out to play? That’s what I teach. Work first, play later.

Trust me. It’ll pay off in the long run!&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648177011035.png" alt="Dave Ramsey&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,My husband and I have a beginner emergency fund set aside, and we’re working on paying off $30,000 in credit card debt and two cars in Baby Step 2. He would also like us to start putting money aside for a couple of trips and a few other things we have always wanted. This makes me nervous, because we have made so much progress over the last year in getting control of our finances, paying off debt and living on a budget. I understand wanting something to look forward to, but I would hate to see us slow down when we are doing so well. How do you feel about this?MarieDear Marie,Okay, so you have two car payments hanging over your heads, plus a bunch of credit card&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator" target="_blank">debt</a>, and your husband wants to throw saving for toys and vacations into the mix? I’m sure he’s a good guy, and he has obviously been on-board with your financial overhaul so far, but I wouldn’t recommend doing this.The reason people are successful following my plan is because I teach common sense methods, wrapped up in unbridled, scorched-earth intensity. There’s a process here. There’s an idea combined with passion. And when you plug into it full force, you’re going to move in a positive direction so quickly it’ll make your head spin.You know how I say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-basics-of-personal-finance" target="_blank">personal finance</a>&nbsp;is 80% behavior and only 20% head knowledge? It’s true.&nbsp;Behaviors&nbsp;have to change. The more dramatically they change, the better the results and the faster you progress. But if you don’t plug into it, you’ll fall back into the same old things.It’s okay to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/5-things-we-should-be-saving-for" target="_blank">save up</a>&nbsp;for a trip or buy some fun stuff in the general philosophy of life. But getting out of debt, and having control of your finances should come first. Remember when you were a kid, and you had to finish your dinner or clean up your room before going out to play? That’s what I teach. Work first, play later.Trust me. It’ll pay off in the long run!&nbsp;&nbsp;Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: There’s a process here … and it works!

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents deleted text messages sent and received around the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;even after an inspector general requested them as part of an investigation into the insurrection, the government watchdog has found.

The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, said the messages between Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021, were erased “as part of a device-replacement program.” The erasure came after the watchdog office requested records of electronic communications between the agents as part of its probe into events surrounding the Jan. 6 attack, the letter said.

Additionally, Homeland Security personnel were told they couldn’t provide records to the inspector general and any such records would first have to be reviewed by DHS attorneys.

“This review led to a weeks-long delays in OIG obtaining records and created confusion over whether all records had been produced,” states the letter, which was dated Wednesday and sent to leaders of the House and Senate Homeland Security committees.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi objected to the letter Thursday night, saying: “The insinuation that the Secret Service maliciously deleted text messages following a request is false. In fact, the Secret Service has been fully cooperating with the OIG in every respect — whether it be interviews, documents, emails, or texts.”

He said the Secret Service had started to reset its mobile devices to factory settings in January 2021 “as part of a pre-planned, three-month system migration.” In that process, some data was lost.

The inspector general has first requested the electronic communications on Feb. 26, “after the migration was well under way,” Guglielmi said.

“The Secret Service notified DHS OIG of the loss of certain phones’ data, but confirmed to OIG that none of the texts it was seeking had been lost in the migration,” he said.

The allegation that officials at the inspector general’s office were not given timely access to the material because of a review by Homeland Security attorneys had been raised by the inspector general before and is also not true, he said.

“DHS has repeatedly and publicly debunked this allegation, including in response to OIG’s last two semi-annual reports to Congress,” Guglielmi added.

The agency said it provided a substantial number of emails and chat messages that included conversations and details related to Jan. 6 to the inspector general and said text messages from the Capitol Police requesting assistance on Jan. 6 were preserved and provided to the inspector general’s office.

The erasure of the messages is sure to raise new questions for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-ivanka-trump-biden-election-2020-elections-83fe7ee399bf9c374f8e90106dc2f93c">House panel</a>&nbsp;investigating the Jan. 6 attack, which has taken a renewed interest in the Secret Service following the dramatic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-04b8570726ca6ccb8713cf90594afee2">testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;about former President Donald Trump’s actions the day of the insurrection.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;recalled being told about a confrontation between Trump and his Secret Service detail as he angrily demanded to be driven to the Capitol, where his supporters would later breach the building. She also recalled overhearing Trump telling security officials to remove magnetometers for his rally on the Ellipse even though some of his supporters were armed.

That account, however, was quickly disputed by those agents. Robert Engel, the agent who was driving the presidential SUV, and Trump security official Tony Ornato are willing to testify under oath that no agent was assaulted and Trump never lunged for the steering wheel, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. The person would not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The erasure of the text messages was first reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://theintercept.com/2022/07/14/jan-6-texts-deleted-secret-service/" target="_blank">The Intercept</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654808700580.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents deleted text messages sent and received around the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;even after an inspector general requested them as part of an investigation into the insurrection, the government watchdog has found.The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, said the messages between Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021, were erased “as part of a device-replacement program.” The erasure came after the watchdog office requested records of electronic communications between the agents as part of its probe into events surrounding the Jan. 6 attack, the letter said.Additionally, Homeland Security personnel were told they couldn’t provide records to the inspector general and any such records would first have to be reviewed by DHS attorneys.“This review led to a weeks-long delays in OIG obtaining records and created confusion over whether all records had been produced,” states the letter, which was dated Wednesday and sent to leaders of the House and Senate Homeland Security committees.Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi objected to the letter Thursday night, saying: “The insinuation that the Secret Service maliciously deleted text messages following a request is false. In fact, the Secret Service has been fully cooperating with the OIG in every respect — whether it be interviews, documents, emails, or texts.”He said the Secret Service had started to reset its mobile devices to factory settings in January 2021 “as part of a pre-planned, three-month system migration.” In that process, some data was lost.The inspector general has first requested the electronic communications on Feb. 26, “after the migration was well under way,” Guglielmi said.“The Secret Service notified DHS OIG of the loss of certain phones’ data, but confirmed to OIG that none of the texts it was seeking had been lost in the migration,” he said.The allegation that officials at the inspector general’s office were not given timely access to the material because of a review by Homeland Security attorneys had been raised by the inspector general before and is also not true, he said.“DHS has repeatedly and publicly debunked this allegation, including in response to OIG’s last two semi-annual reports to Congress,” Guglielmi added.The agency said it provided a substantial number of emails and chat messages that included conversations and details related to Jan. 6 to the inspector general and said text messages from the Capitol Police requesting assistance on Jan. 6 were preserved and provided to the inspector general’s office.The erasure of the messages is sure to raise new questions for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-ivanka-trump-biden-election-2020-elections-83fe7ee399bf9c374f8e90106dc2f93c">House panel</a>&nbsp;investigating the Jan. 6 attack, which has taken a renewed interest in the Secret Service following the dramatic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-04b8570726ca6ccb8713cf90594afee2">testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;about former President Donald Trump’s actions the day of the insurrection.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;recalled being told about a confrontation between Trump and his Secret Service detail as he angrily demanded to be driven to the Capitol, where his supporters would later breach the building. She also recalled overhearing Trump telling security officials to remove magnetometers for his rally on the Ellipse even though some of his supporters were armed.That account, however, was quickly disputed by those agents. Robert Engel, the agent who was driving the presidential SUV, and Trump security official Tony Ornato are willing to testify under oath that no agent was assaulted and Trump never lunged for the steering wheel, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. The person would not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The erasure of the text messages was first reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://theintercept.com/2022/07/14/jan-6-texts-deleted-secret-service/" target="_blank">The Intercept</a>.

Watchdog says Secret Service deleted Jan. 6 text messages

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are making every effort to dispel an online rumor involving a baby being taken from the hospital in Dodge City.

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are making every effort to dispel an online rumor involving a baby being taken from the hospital in Dodge City.According to the Dodge City Police Facebook page, they have no report of a baby taken from Western Plains Regional Hospital.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDodgeCityPD%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0293JjmkGeDJtqzDJbXoySAB4aEh8yDhCymQZAoTxKomygTNMz1ksy5pLtWYGCivQ7l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>According to Garden City police, this has been circulating in Garden City public groups as well and probably has appeared in groups across the country - just another way to cause panic and scam people. Stay vigilant, everyone.