TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that total tax collections for May were $910.1 million – $239.5 million, or 35.7%, higher than the estimate for the month.

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA2MDEuNTg3NjcwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDYvMTFfTWF5X1JldmVudWVfRlkyMDIyXzA2LTAxLTIwMjJfRmluYWwucGRmIn0.teTRpZov3oVClL_vYgWTIdwxl-RnveR5T59I2sY9bT0/s/1303160919/br/132240940780-l" target="_blank">Click here</a>&nbsp;to see the spreadsheet for May tax collections.

“Our tax collection receipts continue to show the state’s fiscal health and the work my Administration has done to ensure Kansas is on solid financial footing,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We will continue our work to be fiscally responsible while providing tax cuts and fully funding schools, law enforcement, and roads.”

Individual income tax collections were $518.4 million. That is $198.4 million, or 62.0%, above the estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $51.4 million –$33.4 million, or 185.6%, more than the estimate.

Retail sales tax collections were $240.8 million – $13.8 million, or 6.1%, over the estimate and 5.7% over May 2021 sales tax receipts. Compensating use tax collections were $64.8 million, which is $2.2 million below the estimate but 19.1% greater than May 2021.

“May receipts reflect strong performances by the individual and corporate income tax types. Income tax receipts were not influenced by extensions of tax filing deadlines as had been the case in May 2020 and 2021,”&nbsp;Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.&nbsp;“Retail sales and compensating use tax receipts also continue to reflect the stability they have shown for the past 10 months.”

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that total tax collections for May were $910.1 million – $239.5 million, or 35.7%, higher than the estimate for the month.<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA2MDEuNTg3NjcwOTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDYvMTFfTWF5X1JldmVudWVfRlkyMDIyXzA2LTAxLTIwMjJfRmluYWwucGRmIn0.teTRpZov3oVClL_vYgWTIdwxl-RnveR5T59I2sY9bT0/s/1303160919/br/132240940780-l" target="_blank">Click here</a>&nbsp;to see the spreadsheet for May tax collections.“Our tax collection receipts continue to show the state’s fiscal health and the work my Administration has done to ensure Kansas is on solid financial footing,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We will continue our work to be fiscally responsible while providing tax cuts and fully funding schools, law enforcement, and roads.”Individual income tax collections were $518.4 million. That is $198.4 million, or 62.0%, above the estimate. Corporate income tax collections were $51.4 million –$33.4 million, or 185.6%, more than the estimate.Retail sales tax collections were $240.8 million – $13.8 million, or 6.1%, over the estimate and 5.7% over May 2021 sales tax receipts. Compensating use tax collections were $64.8 million, which is $2.2 million below the estimate but 19.1% greater than May 2021.“May receipts reflect strong performances by the individual and corporate income tax types. Income tax receipts were not influenced by extensions of tax filing deadlines as had been the case in May 2020 and 2021,”&nbsp;Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.&nbsp;“Retail sales and compensating use tax receipts also continue to reflect the stability they have shown for the past 10 months.”

Kansas total tax collections in May exceed $900 million

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man has been convicted of killing a woman he was accused of stalking and faces life in prison when he's sentenced in October. 

The Kansas City Star reports that a Johnson County jury found 44-year-old Clyde James Barnes Jr., of Kansas City, guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder and other counts in the July 2020 killing of 42-year-old Jessica Smith in her Olathe home. 

Barnes was also found guilty of aggravated burglary, unlawful tampering with electronic monitoring, criminal threat and violation of a protection order. Olathe police who were responding to a burglary call at Smith's home found her body inside and arrested Barnes hours later. At the time, Barnes was out on bond for a stalking charge involving Smith, but the charge was later dismissed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594330565958.png" alt="Barnes-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Barnes-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man has been convicted of killing a woman he was accused of stalking and faces life in prison when he's sentenced in October. The Kansas City Star reports that a Johnson County jury found 44-year-old Clyde James Barnes Jr., of Kansas City, guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder and other counts in the July 2020 killing of 42-year-old Jessica Smith in her Olathe home. Barnes was also found guilty of aggravated burglary, unlawful tampering with electronic monitoring, criminal threat and violation of a protection order. Olathe police who were responding to a burglary call at Smith's home found her body inside and arrested Barnes hours later. At the time, Barnes was out on bond for a stalking charge involving Smith, but the charge was later dismissed.

Man guilty of killing Kan. woman he was accused of stalking

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is now offering an increased reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case of Kurt Krueger, who was killed last month in a West Wichita neighborhood

An anonymous donor has offered an additional $5,000 in reward funds to be paid to the tipster who provides the information. This is in addition to the award already offered by our program, bringing the maximum possible reward to $7,500 for this case.

On May 1, at around 2:00 a.m. WPD officers responded to a report of a man down in the roadway in the 7900 block of West Cottontail in Wichita. Officers located Krueger unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

Investigators learned that Krueger was walking in the neighborhood where he lives, approximately 20-30 minutes before his body was found. They believe he was struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene.

Anyone with information regarding a crime that occurred in Sedgwick County is eligible to receive a reward by submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers by calling **TIPS, 316-267-2111 or online at www.stopcrime316.com. Tipsters are always anonymous – Crime Stoppers will never ask someone to identify themselves. If your information leads to an arrest in a felony case, you could be eligible to receive up to $2,500.

Crime Stoppers is a division of the non-profit Wichita Metro Crime Commission. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651519978529.png" alt="photo of the suspect vehicle -Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photo of the suspect vehicle -Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is now offering an increased reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case of Kurt Krueger, who was killed last month in a West Wichita neighborhoodAn anonymous donor has offered an additional $5,000 in reward funds to be paid to the tipster who provides the information. This is in addition to the award already offered by our program, bringing the maximum possible reward to $7,500 for this case.On May 1, at around 2:00 a.m. WPD officers responded to a report of a man down in the roadway in the 7900 block of West Cottontail in Wichita. Officers located Krueger unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced deceased on scene.Investigators learned that Krueger was walking in the neighborhood where he lives, approximately 20-30 minutes before his body was found. They believe he was struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene.Anyone with information regarding a crime that occurred in Sedgwick County is eligible to receive a reward by submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers by calling **TIPS, 316-267-2111 or online at www.stopcrime316.com. Tipsters are always anonymous – Crime Stoppers will never ask someone to identify themselves. If your information leads to an arrest in a felony case, you could be eligible to receive up to $2,500.Crime Stoppers is a division of the non-profit Wichita Metro Crime Commission.

Reward: Search continues for vehicle in death of Kansas man

RENO COUNTY — A preliminary hearing is set for Thursday morning in Reno County District Court for a Hutchinson man facing two counts of first-degree murder.

Kyle Hardwick is accused in the deaths of 58-year-old Philip Anstine and 56-year-old Marion Bates in August of 2021.

Police arrested Hardwick in Maize Sept. 1 after he was listed as a person of interest after authorities discovered the bodies of Bates and Anstine on a property in eastern Reno County.

Thursday’s hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. in front of Judge Joe McCarville.

----------- RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a double homicide in Reno County have found the 2000 red Ford F-150 truck connected to the crime, according to a social media report from the Reno County Sheriff's Department.

Someone called authorities on a suspicious vehicle in a rural area of Reno county and it matched the description of the suspect vehicle.

Kyle Hardwick, 37, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 56-year-old Marion Edward Bates and 58-year-old Phillip Duane Anstine.

Police arrested Hardwick in&nbsp; Maize Sept. 1 after he was&nbsp; listed as a person of interest when two bodies were discovered on a property in eastern Reno County. The truck had been missing since the crime was discovered.

The sheriff’s department says it hopes that the truck will bring about new information that will assist in the investigation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630599777911.png" alt="Hardwick-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Hardwick-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — A preliminary hearing is set for Thursday morning in Reno County District Court for a Hutchinson man facing two counts of first-degree murder.Kyle Hardwick is accused in the deaths of 58-year-old Philip Anstine and 56-year-old Marion Bates in August of 2021.Police arrested Hardwick in Maize Sept. 1 after he was listed as a person of interest after authorities discovered the bodies of Bates and Anstine on a property in eastern Reno County.Thursday’s hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. in front of Judge Joe McCarville.----------- RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a double homicide in Reno County have found the 2000 red Ford F-150 truck connected to the crime, according to a social media report from the Reno County Sheriff's Department.Someone called authorities on a suspicious vehicle in a rural area of Reno county and it matched the description of the suspect vehicle.Kyle Hardwick, 37, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 56-year-old Marion Edward Bates and 58-year-old Phillip Duane Anstine.Police arrested Hardwick in&nbsp; Maize Sept. 1 after he was&nbsp; listed as a person of interest when two bodies were discovered on a property in eastern Reno County. The truck had been missing since the crime was discovered.The sheriff’s department says it hopes that the truck will bring about new information that will assist in the investigation.&nbsp;

Preliminary hearing to begin in Kansas double murder

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating numerous shooting incidents over the Memorial Day weekend in the Wichita area.&nbsp; Two incidents left victims dead.&nbsp;

One fatal shooting occurred at a large graduation party late Saturday at the  Banquet Hall in the 3100 block of East 25th Street in Wichita. A 17-year-old man died and a 15-year-old girl running from the violence was struck by a car and died.

Wichita Interim Police Chief Lemuel Moore held a news conference Tuesday with community leaders to address the increase in violent crime in the city.

Another fatal shooting&nbsp;involved a man who had been walking his dog and later shot and killed a 30-year-old man at an apartment complex in the 4900 block of East Harry.

The violence started just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday. Police reported hearing a volley of gunfire in the area of Planeview Park, 2800 block of South Dunkin in Wichita. Officers checked the area and located a crime scene. No victims or suspects were located.&nbsp;

At approximately 8:00 p.m., on Sunday police were dispatched to Wesley Hospital after officers contacted a 23-year-old male victim who arrived at the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds that were serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was in the area of 9th&nbsp;Street North and Grove in Wichita when he was shot several times by an unknown suspect.&nbsp;

At 8:30 p.m., Sunday, police were dispatched to a disturbance with a weapon at the QuikTrip in the 1600 block of South Olive in Wichita. A 43-year-old woman reports whiling pumping gas she observed an unknown female suspect point and fire one-time causing damage to her car windshield. The suspect fled the business in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp; The suspect is described as an unknown heavy build black female. The victim was not injured in this incident, according to Cruz.

At 9:30 p.m., on Sunday, police were dispatched to a report of gunshots at a residence in the 2300 block of West Pawnee in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located the scene of the shooting. A home in the area was struck, inside the home was a 41-year-old woman, a 22-year-old woman, a 17-year-old boy, a 50-year-old man,and an infant. No injuries were reported and it is unknown who the suspect is at this time.&nbsp;

At approximately the same time on Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of North Volutsia in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located a 27-year-old man with several gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was inside his residence along with a 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man when an unknown suspect fired multiple gunshots, striking the home and the 27-year-old victim. The suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp;

Just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, police were dispatched to a drive-by shooting call in the 500 block of North Dellrose. Upon the officer’s arrival, they contacted several witnesses who reported hearing several gunshots in the area. Officers located a scene in the 500 block of North Dellrose. No injuries were reported, and the suspect is unknown at this time.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating numerous shooting incidents over the Memorial Day weekend in the Wichita area.&nbsp; Two incidents left victims dead.&nbsp;One fatal shooting occurred at a large graduation party late Saturday at the Banquet Hall in the 3100 block of East 25th Street in Wichita. A 17-year-old man died and a 15-year-old girl running from the violence was struck by a car and died.Wichita Interim Police Chief Lemuel Moore held a news conference Tuesday with community leaders to address the increase in violent crime in the city.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWichitaPolice%2Fvideos%2F533417708264003%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=161" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Another fatal shooting&nbsp;involved a man who had been walking his dog and later shot and killed a 30-year-old man at an apartment complex in the 4900 block of East Harry.The violence started just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday. Police reported hearing a volley of gunfire in the area of Planeview Park, 2800 block of South Dunkin in Wichita. Officers checked the area and located a crime scene. No victims or suspects were located.&nbsp;At approximately 8:00 p.m., on Sunday police were dispatched to Wesley Hospital after officers contacted a 23-year-old male victim who arrived at the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds that were serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was in the area of 9th&nbsp;Street North and Grove in Wichita when he was shot several times by an unknown suspect.&nbsp;At 8:30 p.m., Sunday, police were dispatched to a disturbance with a weapon at the QuikTrip in the 1600 block of South Olive in Wichita. A 43-year-old woman reports whiling pumping gas she observed an unknown female suspect point and fire one-time causing damage to her car windshield. The suspect fled the business in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp; The suspect is described as an unknown heavy build black female. The victim was not injured in this incident, according to Cruz.At 9:30 p.m., on Sunday, police were dispatched to a report of gunshots at a residence in the 2300 block of West Pawnee in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located the scene of the shooting. A home in the area was struck, inside the home was a 41-year-old woman, a 22-year-old woman, a 17-year-old boy, a 50-year-old man,and an infant. No injuries were reported and it is unknown who the suspect is at this time.&nbsp;At approximately the same time on Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of North Volutsia in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located a 27-year-old man with several gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was inside his residence along with a 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man when an unknown suspect fired multiple gunshots, striking the home and the 27-year-old victim. The suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp;Just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, police were dispatched to a drive-by shooting call in the 500 block of North Dellrose. Upon the officer’s arrival, they contacted several witnesses who reported hearing several gunshots in the area. Officers located a scene in the 500 block of North Dellrose. No injuries were reported, and the suspect is unknown at this time.&nbsp;

🎥 Community leaders want action against gun crimes in Wichita

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — On Tuesday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment sent local
health departments and providers a general overview of monkeypox, the latest
virus that is gaining attention. Referred to as a distant cousin of chickenpox,
monkeypox involves flu-like symptoms and a rash. 
Barton County Health Director Karen Winkelman said there is a monkeypox vaccine
in countries where the virus is more prevalent, but it is not licensed in the United
States yet. &nbsp; 
"There is a smallpox vaccine, and they think there is some protection 
received from the smallpox vaccine for monkeypox," said Winkelman. "The 
availability of that vaccine is very limited right now because smallpox 
was eradicated. They're looking at the possibility of upping the 
production of the smallpox vaccine." 
Winkelman said there are currently about 15 cases of monkeypox in seven states in the United
States.

Routine vaccination against smallpox was stopped in the 1970s after the
disease was eradicated in the United States. Winkelman recalled years ago a
fear over smallpox arose where she was given a vaccination, but vaccines rarely
exist throughout the world today. 
"I was one of the only members of the health department staff that 
received the vaccine because I wanted to be as protected as possible if I
 had to go out and do investigations," said Winkelman. "We also gave it 
to a few community health workers at that time." 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that many
individuals infected with monkeypox have mild effects without treatment.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654116989148.jpeg" alt="Barton County Health Director Karen Winkelman educated Barton County Commissioners on the latest information regarding monkeypox at the commission meeting Wednesday." />
 <figcaption>Barton County Health Director Karen Winkelman educated Barton County Commissioners on the latest information regarding monkeypox at the commission meeting Wednesday.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — On Tuesday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment sent local
health departments and providers a general overview of monkeypox, the latest
virus that is gaining attention. Referred to as a distant cousin of chickenpox,
monkeypox involves flu-like symptoms and a rash. 
Barton County Health Director Karen Winkelman said there is a monkeypox vaccine
in countries where the virus is more prevalent, but it is not licensed in the United
States yet. &nbsp; 
"There is a smallpox vaccine, and they think there is some protection 
received from the smallpox vaccine for monkeypox," said Winkelman. "The 
availability of that vaccine is very limited right now because smallpox 
was eradicated. They're looking at the possibility of upping the 
production of the smallpox vaccine." 
Winkelman said there are currently about 15 cases of monkeypox in seven states in the United
States. Routine vaccination against smallpox was stopped in the 1970s after the
disease was eradicated in the United States. Winkelman recalled years ago a
fear over smallpox arose where she was given a vaccination, but vaccines rarely
exist throughout the world today. 
"I was one of the only members of the health department staff that 
received the vaccine because I wanted to be as protected as possible if I
 had to go out and do investigations," said Winkelman. "We also gave it 
to a few community health workers at that time." 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that many
individuals infected with monkeypox have mild effects without treatment.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Barton Co. health providers educated on monkeypox details

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-06-01/scientists-need-you-to-help-them-spot-cute-fuzzy-bumblebees-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

Scientists want Kansans in every corner of the state to help count bumblebees — those fuzzy, good-natured harbingers of summer.

You don’t need a biology degree. Just enthusiasm and <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/greatplainsbba.html" target="_blank">some training</a>,
 which scientists offer online and, this month, in person in Kansas 
City, Wichita and at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.

That’s
 what it takes to help expand a program that already pools the efforts 
of hundreds of volunteers in neighboring Missouri and Nebraska, where 
they have recorded 7,000 bumblebee sightings in just a few short years.

Insect populations are shrinking globally, but <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sd-state-wire-maryland-ks-state-wire-science-biology-767ab6cab1fad77e824149aad0e4fee9" target="_blank">especially in the Midwest</a>. That threatens humans and other life.

When it comes to sustaining plants — the <a href="http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=1013" target="_blank">photosynthetic godsends</a> that allow the rest of us to eat and breathe — bees are tops.

Wasps, bats and other critters pollinate flowers, too, but bees shine extra bright.

“They
 are by far the most effective pollinator,” said Katie Lamke, a 
biologist with the Xerces Society conservation group. “They’re 
constantly gathering pollen and nectar because that’s their only source 
of food.”

The vast majority of flowering plants worldwide can’t reproduce without pollinators. Wind won’t do the trick.

So, insects do most of the work and, Lamke said, “most times, that insect is a bee.”

No
 wonder that scientists are racing to learn more about bees. North 
America has thousands of bee species, about which not enough is known. 
Of the continent’s approximately 50 bumblebee species, <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/about1.html" target="_blank">research suggests</a> one-quarter of them face “dramatic population declines,” the Xerces Society says.

Xerces runs the <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/" target="_blank">Bumble Bee Atlas</a>,
 which this year will grow to include Kansas, California and the 
Dakotas. Bumblebees make a relatively easy focus for community science 
because they’re easier to spot and recognize than smaller bees.

Volunteers
 learn just the right way to swish a net, trap a bumblebee in a jar, 
briefly chill the jar on ice to slow the insect down, photograph the bee
 and release it unharmed. Later, people report their sightings to Xerces
 scientists, who study the notes and review the photos to confirm 
species and learn what kinds of plants the bees visited.

The 
collective effort produces far more information on the creatures than 
Xerces biologists would have time and resources to gather alone.

In seven years of studying and handling bumblebees, Lamke says she’s only sustained one or two stings.

“Bumble bees are quite docile animals,” she said. “It is very uncommon to be stung when surveying.”

Still, anyone with a bee allergy should take extra precautions.

Kansans who want to try their hand at helping scientists study bumblebees can <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/gpevents.html" target="_blank">watch online training and register for in person events</a>:

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654097779764.png" alt="Katie Lamke / Xerces Society" />
 <figcaption>Katie Lamke / Xerces Society</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-06-01/scientists-need-you-to-help-them-spot-cute-fuzzy-bumblebees-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>Scientists want Kansans in every corner of the state to help count bumblebees — those fuzzy, good-natured harbingers of summer.You don’t need a biology degree. Just enthusiasm and <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/greatplainsbba.html" target="_blank">some training</a>,
 which scientists offer online and, this month, in person in Kansas 
City, Wichita and at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.That’s
 what it takes to help expand a program that already pools the efforts 
of hundreds of volunteers in neighboring Missouri and Nebraska, where 
they have recorded 7,000 bumblebee sightings in just a few short years.Insect populations are shrinking globally, but <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sd-state-wire-maryland-ks-state-wire-science-biology-767ab6cab1fad77e824149aad0e4fee9" target="_blank">especially in the Midwest</a>. That threatens humans and other life.When it comes to sustaining plants — the <a href="http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=1013" target="_blank">photosynthetic godsends</a> that allow the rest of us to eat and breathe — bees are tops.Wasps, bats and other critters pollinate flowers, too, but bees shine extra bright.“They
 are by far the most effective pollinator,” said Katie Lamke, a 
biologist with the Xerces Society conservation group. “They’re 
constantly gathering pollen and nectar because that’s their only source 
of food.”The vast majority of flowering plants worldwide can’t reproduce without pollinators. Wind won’t do the trick.So, insects do most of the work and, Lamke said, “most times, that insect is a bee.”No
 wonder that scientists are racing to learn more about bees. North 
America has thousands of bee species, about which not enough is known. 
Of the continent’s approximately 50 bumblebee species, <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/about1.html" target="_blank">research suggests</a> one-quarter of them face “dramatic population declines,” the Xerces Society says.Xerces runs the <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/" target="_blank">Bumble Bee Atlas</a>,
 which this year will grow to include Kansas, California and the 
Dakotas. Bumblebees make a relatively easy focus for community science 
because they’re easier to spot and recognize than smaller bees.Volunteers
 learn just the right way to swish a net, trap a bumblebee in a jar, 
briefly chill the jar on ice to slow the insect down, photograph the bee
 and release it unharmed. Later, people report their sightings to Xerces
 scientists, who study the notes and review the photos to confirm 
species and learn what kinds of plants the bees visited.The 
collective effort produces far more information on the creatures than 
Xerces biologists would have time and resources to gather alone.What are the chances you’ll get stung?In seven years of studying and handling bumblebees, Lamke says she’s only sustained one or two stings.“Bumble bees are quite docile animals,” she said. “It is very uncommon to be stung when surveying.”Still, anyone with a bee allergy should take extra precautions.Kansans who want to try their hand at helping scientists study bumblebees can <a href="https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/gpevents.html" target="_blank">watch online training and register for in person events</a>:<ul>
 <li>June 4 at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City, Missouri.</li><li>June 25 at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita</li><li>June 26 at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City, Kansas.</li>
 </ul>Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Scientists need your help spotting cute, fuzzy bumblebees in Kansas

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Heard before and during their brief marriage. 

The jury also found in favor of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. 

Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654111819095.png" alt="Outside the Fairfax, Virginia County courthouse as the jury released the verdict&nbsp; -photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>Outside the Fairfax, Virginia County courthouse as the jury released the verdict&nbsp; -photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Heard before and during their brief marriage. The jury also found in favor of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

Johnny Depp wins libel lawsuit against ex-wife; $15M in damages

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Following mass 
shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is 
holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control 
legislation — though it’s likely doomed.

The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,”
 and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. But the 
legislation has little chance of making it through the evenly divided 
Senate, where 60 votes would be required for any bill to advance. 
Assuming every Democrat was in favor, they would need 10 Republicans to 
join.

The House package would raise the age of purchasing semiautomatic 
rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home
 with children, prevent gun trafficking, require all firearms to be 
traceable, and close the loophole on bump stocks, among other things.

The meeting was scheduled by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New 
York Democrat, after a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a 
supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, 
on May 14. Ten days later, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was 
attacked by an 18-year-old man&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/05/26/what-gun-used-texas-school-shooting-ar-15/9940849002/">armed with a rifle</a>, and 19 children and two teachers were killed.

Meanwhile, with both the House and Senate in recess this week, a 
small bipartisan group of senators is also holding virtual talks to see 
if it is possible to develop any legislation on guns.

Last week, hours after the Uvalde slaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/25/frustrated-democrats-call-for-gop-help-on-federal-gun-laws-after-mass-school-shooting/">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, did not commit</a>&nbsp;to working on any gun control legislation with Democrats.

However, a few Senate Republicans seemed open to the idea of red flag
 laws, which&nbsp;allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily remove a
 firearm from an individual who is distressed.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut 
Democrat who’s worked for years to attempt to pass gun reform laws, 
tweeted that he’s been talking with senators of both parties about 
putting together a bipartisan gun violence bill.

“Senator Schumer has given us just over a week to find a compromise,” he wrote. “This time, failure cannot be an option.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that 
if Republicans do not work with Democrats to come to an agreement, the 
Senate will still hold a vote on gun control legislation, even if it 
fails, when the chamber returns from recess.

After the Uvalde massacre, the nation’s second-deadliest mass school 
shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago, Schumer took a 
procedural step to begin debate on two background check bills, with the 
possibility of calling for votes on them.

The House-passed bills are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8">H.R. 8</a>, which “establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties,” and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1446">H.R. 1446</a>,
 which “increases the amount of time… that a federal firearms’ licensee 
must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a
 firearm to an unlicensed person.”

On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress 
to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.

Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Gun 
Owners of America, spent a record of nearly $16 million in lobbying in 
2021, campaign finance records show.

“I will meet with Congress on guns, I promise you,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on gun violence June 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654108949705.png" alt="On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Following mass 
shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is 
holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control 
legislation — though it’s likely doomed.The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,”
 and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. But the 
legislation has little chance of making it through the evenly divided 
Senate, where 60 votes would be required for any bill to advance. 
Assuming every Democrat was in favor, they would need 10 Republicans to 
join.The House package would raise the age of purchasing semiautomatic 
rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home
 with children, prevent gun trafficking, require all firearms to be 
traceable, and close the loophole on bump stocks, among other things.The meeting was scheduled by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New 
York Democrat, after a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a 
supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, 
on May 14. Ten days later, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was 
attacked by an 18-year-old man&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/05/26/what-gun-used-texas-school-shooting-ar-15/9940849002/">armed with a rifle</a>, and 19 children and two teachers were killed.Meanwhile, with both the House and Senate in recess this week, a 
small bipartisan group of senators is also holding virtual talks to see 
if it is possible to develop any legislation on guns.Last week, hours after the Uvalde slaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/25/frustrated-democrats-call-for-gop-help-on-federal-gun-laws-after-mass-school-shooting/">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, did not commit</a>&nbsp;to working on any gun control legislation with Democrats.However, a few Senate Republicans seemed open to the idea of red flag
 laws, which&nbsp;allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily remove a
 firearm from an individual who is distressed.Over the Memorial Day weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut 
Democrat who’s worked for years to attempt to pass gun reform laws, 
tweeted that he’s been talking with senators of both parties about 
putting together a bipartisan gun violence bill.“Senator Schumer has given us just over a week to find a compromise,” he wrote. “This time, failure cannot be an option.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that 
if Republicans do not work with Democrats to come to an agreement, the 
Senate will still hold a vote on gun control legislation, even if it 
fails, when the chamber returns from recess.After the Uvalde massacre, the nation’s second-deadliest mass school 
shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago, Schumer took a 
procedural step to begin debate on two background check bills, with the 
possibility of calling for votes on them.The House-passed bills are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8">H.R. 8</a>, which “establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties,” and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1446">H.R. 1446</a>,
 which “increases the amount of time… that a federal firearms’ licensee 
must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a
 firearm to an unlicensed person.”On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress 
to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Gun 
Owners of America, spent a record of nearly $16 million in lobbying in 
2021, campaign finance records show.“I will meet with Congress on guns, I promise you,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on gun violence June 15.

Gun control bills to be taken up by U.S. House panel in emergency meeting

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/01/final-kansas-budget-locks-in-public-university-tuition-freeze-fee-hikes-still-on-table/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — Kansas public 
university students uneasy about the cost of their education dodged a 
tuition hike this fall, but won’t know until mid-June whether they’ll be
 dinged with higher campus fees.

Maneuvering by the Legislature and governor on tuition added 
complexity to the task of pulling together university budgets for the 
fiscal year starting July 1. The Kansas Board of Regents are preparing 
to vote on what campus fees get elevated at the system’s six 
universities.

The $37.5 million allocated by the Legislature to universities 
governed by the Board of Regents, and Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a 
budget provision that would have allowed tuition increases, mean 
students wouldn’t pay more in tuition during the 2022-2023 school year. 
It would be the fourth consecutive year without a tuition rate 
adjustment at the University of Kansas following the 2.8% boost in 2019.
 The five other universities in the system have each adopted tuition 
increases twice in the past five years.

Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the Board of Regents, said 
affordability of higher education was a center piece on the system’s 
priority list. Status quo tuition rates and more need-based student 
financial aid will combine to improve student access to education, she 
said.

In January, Kelly and the Board of Regents requested a $45.7 million 
increase from the Legislature. The justification was a desire to restore
 funding cut in the past, acknowledge a projected inflation rate of 1.9%
 and initiate a 2% budget increase to put off higher tuition rates.

The budget adopted by the House and Senate was $8 million less than 
sought by the Board of Regents. To cover the gap, university 
administrators in Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Emporia, Pittsburg and 
Hays drafted proposals for tuition increases ranging from 1.07% at KU to
 3.07% at Fort Hays State University, which has the system’s lowest 
tuition. Officials at the other state universities in Kansas set their 
sights on tuition increases of 1% to 1.3%.

Those plans were withdrawn after Kelly line-item vetoed the budget 
proviso opening the door to higher tuition. Kelly said higher education 
in Kansas was on solid footing because the universities could expect to 
receive $1 billion in the new fiscal year.

“I believe that the regents institutions will be able to continue to 
hold tuition flat, making college more affordable for Kansans of all 
backgrounds. This is especially important if we, as a state, are going 
to provide the workforce needed to fully actualize the benefits and 
opportunities of our recent economic growth,” Kelly said.

KU chancellor Doug Girod said the governor’s rejection of the 
tuition-increase option left university officials no choice but to 
embrace a tuition freeze, but wouldn’t necessarily block changes to 
campus or academic fees.

He said Board of Regents universities were grateful for nearly securing their full budget request to the 2022 Legislature.

“It played out as well as we could have hoped,” Girod said. “We 
certainly are most grateful to the governor and the Legislature for the 
support they have passed our way.”

Ken Hush, interim president at Emporia State University, said the 
university had concluded after the legislative session ended that a 3% 
tuition increase would have been appropriate. That idea was trimmed to 
1% before abandoned in response to the veto. A 1% increase in ESU 
tuition would equate to $221,000 in new revenue.

“We felt it was a good investment,” Hush said. “We embrace what’s happened.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654093752768.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, right, and University of Kansas chancellor Doug Girod, chat during a 2021 groundbreaking ceremony. The politics of higher education resulted in a $37.5 million budget increase for state universities, but a freeze on tuition rates. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, right, and University of Kansas chancellor Doug Girod, chat during a 2021 groundbreaking ceremony. The politics of higher education resulted in a $37.5 million budget increase for state universities, but a freeze on tuition rates. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/01/final-kansas-budget-locks-in-public-university-tuition-freeze-fee-hikes-still-on-table/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — Kansas public 
university students uneasy about the cost of their education dodged a 
tuition hike this fall, but won’t know until mid-June whether they’ll be
 dinged with higher campus fees.Maneuvering by the Legislature and governor on tuition added 
complexity to the task of pulling together university budgets for the 
fiscal year starting July 1. The Kansas Board of Regents are preparing 
to vote on what campus fees get elevated at the system’s six 
universities.The $37.5 million allocated by the Legislature to universities 
governed by the Board of Regents, and Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a 
budget provision that would have allowed tuition increases, mean 
students wouldn’t pay more in tuition during the 2022-2023 school year. 
It would be the fourth consecutive year without a tuition rate 
adjustment at the University of Kansas following the 2.8% boost in 2019.
 The five other universities in the system have each adopted tuition 
increases twice in the past five years.Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the Board of Regents, said 
affordability of higher education was a center piece on the system’s 
priority list. Status quo tuition rates and more need-based student 
financial aid will combine to improve student access to education, she 
said.In January, Kelly and the Board of Regents requested a $45.7 million 
increase from the Legislature. The justification was a desire to restore
 funding cut in the past, acknowledge a projected inflation rate of 1.9%
 and initiate a 2% budget increase to put off higher tuition rates.The budget adopted by the House and Senate was $8 million less than 
sought by the Board of Regents. To cover the gap, university 
administrators in Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Emporia, Pittsburg and 
Hays drafted proposals for tuition increases ranging from 1.07% at KU to
 3.07% at Fort Hays State University, which has the system’s lowest 
tuition. Officials at the other state universities in Kansas set their 
sights on tuition increases of 1% to 1.3%.Those plans were withdrawn after Kelly line-item vetoed the budget 
proviso opening the door to higher tuition. Kelly said higher education 
in Kansas was on solid footing because the universities could expect to 
receive $1 billion in the new fiscal year.“I believe that the regents institutions will be able to continue to 
hold tuition flat, making college more affordable for Kansans of all 
backgrounds. This is especially important if we, as a state, are going 
to provide the workforce needed to fully actualize the benefits and 
opportunities of our recent economic growth,” Kelly said.KU chancellor Doug Girod said the governor’s rejection of the 
tuition-increase option left university officials no choice but to 
embrace a tuition freeze, but wouldn’t necessarily block changes to 
campus or academic fees.He said Board of Regents universities were grateful for nearly securing their full budget request to the 2022 Legislature.“It played out as well as we could have hoped,” Girod said. “We 
certainly are most grateful to the governor and the Legislature for the 
support they have passed our way.”Ken Hush, interim president at Emporia State University, said the 
university had concluded after the legislative session ended that a 3% 
tuition increase would have been appropriate. That idea was trimmed to 
1% before abandoned in response to the veto. A 1% increase in ESU 
tuition would equate to $221,000 in new revenue.“We felt it was a good investment,” Hush said. “We embrace what’s happened.”

Final Kansas budget locks in public university tuition freeze

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;3,211 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Wednesday May 25, to Wednesday June 1, for a total of 789,127 cases.

<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.app/dashboard/littleapple/posts/e934d6dc-37db-451e-8c65-7278e0aa6cf0">The state reported</a>&nbsp;4 additional COVID-19 deaths in the past week for a total of 8,943.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continue to support access to free COVID-19 testing, work to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;3,211 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Wednesday May 25, to Wednesday June 1, for a total of 789,127 cases.<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.app/dashboard/littleapple/posts/e934d6dc-37db-451e-8c65-7278e0aa6cf0">The state reported</a>&nbsp;4 additional COVID-19 deaths in the past week for a total of 8,943.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654102771267.png" alt="Wednesday June 1, 2022-KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday June 1, 2022-KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continue to support access to free COVID-19 testing, work to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE: Latest COVID-19 numbers in Kansas

RENO COUNTY— Police arrested a Hutchinson man after he allegedly threatened to harm his co-workers at a business in Hutchinson business.

On Tuesday afternoon, police detained 24-year-old Andrew Patterson during a traffic stop after law enforcement received information that he had made the threatening comments, according to a media release.

During the stop, police found detailed plans in Patterson’s vehicle to carry out an act of mass violence against the employees. A search warrant was executed at his residence where additional evidence related to the plan was collected.

Patterson was taken into custody on requested charges of domestic terrorism. His bond has been set at $3,000,000. Formal charges are pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654095767992.jpeg" alt="Patterson-photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>Patterson-photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— Police arrested a Hutchinson man after he allegedly threatened to harm his co-workers at a business in Hutchinson business.On Tuesday afternoon, police detained 24-year-old Andrew Patterson during a traffic stop after law enforcement received information that he had made the threatening comments, according to a media release.During the stop, police found detailed plans in Patterson’s vehicle to carry out an act of mass violence against the employees. A search warrant was executed at his residence where additional evidence related to the plan was collected.Patterson was taken into custody on requested charges of domestic terrorism. His bond has been set at $3,000,000. Formal charges are pending.

Police: Kan. man had plan for mass violence against co-workers

<a href="https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/yellowstone-park-tourist-gored-by-bison-after-getting-too-close/">Daily Montanan</a>

A 25-year-old female from Grove City,
 Ohio, was gored and treated for injuries after she approached a bison 
to within 10 feet on the morning of May 30, 2022, Yellowstone National 
Park said Tuesday in a news release.

Park regulations require visitors to 
stay 25 yards away from bison. But the woman and two others got closer 
to the animal, and the bison gored her and tossed her 10 feet into the 
air near a boardwalk at Black Sand Basin north of Old Faithful, the park
 said.

The woman sustained other injuries, 
the park said, and she was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical
 Center after being treated by park emergency medical providers.

The park reminded people that bison can run three times faster than humans.

“The incident remains under investigation, and there is no additional information to share,” the park said in the news release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654097982204.png" alt=""Warning: Many visitors have been gored."" />
 <figcaption>"Warning: Many visitors have been gored."</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/yellowstone-park-tourist-gored-by-bison-after-getting-too-close/">Daily Montanan</a>A 25-year-old female from Grove City,
 Ohio, was gored and treated for injuries after she approached a bison 
to within 10 feet on the morning of May 30, 2022, Yellowstone National 
Park said Tuesday in a news release.Park regulations require visitors to 
stay 25 yards away from bison. But the woman and two others got closer 
to the animal, and the bison gored her and tossed her 10 feet into the 
air near a boardwalk at Black Sand Basin north of Old Faithful, the park
 said.The woman sustained other injuries, 
the park said, and she was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical
 Center after being treated by park emergency medical providers.The park reminded people that bison can run three times faster than humans.“The incident remains under investigation, and there is no additional information to share,” the park said in the news release.The park also said the following:<ul>
 <li>Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached.
 When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in
 a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away 
from all large animals — bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and 
coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If 
need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a 
wild animal in close proximity.</li><li>This
 is the first reported incident in 2022 of a visitor threatening a bison
 (getting too close to the animal) and the bison responding to the 
threat by goring the individual.</li><li>Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal.</li><li>Read more about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm">safety in the park</a>, including how to behave around wildlife.</li><li>Visitors: This year marks 150 Years of Yellowstone. Protect the park today and for future generations. Take the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/yellowstonepledge.htm">Yellowstone Pledge</a>!</li>
 </ul>

Yellowstone: Tourist gored by bison after getting too close

TOPEKA —Republican candidate for governor Derek Schmidt has named Katie Sawyer, a member of U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's staff, as his running mate,&nbsp; according t<a href="https://schmidtforkansas.com/meet-katie/">o Schmidt's campaign website</a>.

Sawyer, 38, from Inman earned her bachelor’s degrees in communications and international studies from Pittsburg State University and a master’s degree in strategic communications from Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to a media release from the Schmidt campain.

She, along with her husband, is a fourth-generation owner and operator of their family farm in McPherson County. They are also the parents of two young sons.

&nbsp;Sawyer was a journalist and editor of the McPherson Sentinel prior to working for Marshall. She also worked at McPherson College in marketing and business development.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654094884608.png" alt="Derek Schmidt announces Katie Sawyer as his running mate&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Derek Schmidt announces Katie Sawyer as his running mate&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Republican candidate for governor Derek Schmidt has named Katie Sawyer, a member of U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's staff, as his running mate,&nbsp; according t<a href="https://schmidtforkansas.com/meet-katie/">o Schmidt's campaign website</a>.Sawyer, 38, from Inman earned her bachelor’s degrees in communications and international studies from Pittsburg State University and a master’s degree in strategic communications from Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to a media release from the Schmidt campain.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Katie Sawyer will make an exceptional Lt. Gov. She has her finger on the pulse of kitchen table issues in Kansas and cares deeply about the future of Kansas families. I’m very excited for her. <a href="https://t.co/IX3eHrzFJG">https://t.co/IX3eHrzFJG</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1532004354278006784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She, along with her husband, is a fourth-generation owner and operator of their family farm in McPherson County. They are also the parents of two young sons.&nbsp;Sawyer was a journalist and editor of the McPherson Sentinel prior to working for Marshall. She also worked at McPherson College in marketing and business development.

Schmidt names Senate staffer as running mate in race for governor

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman accused of decapitating her 6-year-old son has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.

A Jackson County judge last week placed Tasha Haefs, 35, in the custody of the Missouri Department of Mental Health after finding her incompetent to stand trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article261971375.html">the Kansas City Star reported</a>. Haefs had been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Karvel Stevens.

Officers who were called in February to a home in eastern Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-homicide-kansas-city-81a62a9b8fee5b718e5085688a8f1dff">found the boy and a family dog decapitated inside</a>&nbsp;and Haefs covered in blood. They also found bloody knives, and officials said Haefs told police she killed her son in the home's bathtub.

Police went to the home after a woman believed to be Haefs called and said the devil was trying to attack her. Haefs' family members later told the Star that she had struggled for years with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations.

A phone message left Wednesday morning with Haefs’ public defender, Laura O’Sullivan, seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, said Haefs' mental competence will be re-evaluated after several months of treatment to see if she can stand trial at a later date.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman who authorities said decapitated her 6-year-old son was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.

Tasha Haefs, 35, was charged after officers found her son dead at their east Kansas City home late Tuesday, according to a probable cause statement. It was not immediately known if Haefs had an attorney to speak on her behalf.

Police said in an affidavit for a search warrant that a woman called from the house and said the devil was trying to attack her before she hung up, local media reported.

The statement said responding officers saw blood on the front steps of the home and apparent blood and hair on the front door and a severed head near the home's threshold. A woman inside refused to open the door.

After police were told other children lived in the house and had not been seen for several days, they forcibly entered the home. They found the boy's body and saw Haefs with blood on her and knives and a screwdriver with apparent blood throughout the home, according to the affidavit.

No other children were found in the home. A decapitated dog was found in the basement.

During a police interview, Haefs identified the victim as her son and admitted that she killed him in a bathtub and decapitated him, according to the affidavit written by Detective Zakary Glidewell.

It was not immediately clear where the other children in the home were.

Haefs, who was also charged with armed criminal action, was being held in the Jackson County Jail on no bond.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement that the child's gruesome death “takes our breath away.”

She said the death calls for law enforcement, public health, social services and all their partners to work to better protect Kansas City's children.

“Let’s also focus, Kansas City, on the violence among us," Peters Baker wrote. “It’s a challenge we can no longer ignore. We cannot become complacent with 180 or 170 or even 150 homicides per year and hundreds more shot but not killed. ... Going forward let’s keep a clear goal: Reduce our community’s violence and alert mental health professionals whenever we are aware of someone in need of intervention.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645066201034.png" alt="Haefs-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Haefs-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman accused of decapitating her 6-year-old son has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.A Jackson County judge last week placed Tasha Haefs, 35, in the custody of the Missouri Department of Mental Health after finding her incompetent to stand trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article261971375.html">the Kansas City Star reported</a>. Haefs had been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Karvel Stevens.Officers who were called in February to a home in eastern Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-homicide-kansas-city-81a62a9b8fee5b718e5085688a8f1dff">found the boy and a family dog decapitated inside</a>&nbsp;and Haefs covered in blood. They also found bloody knives, and officials said Haefs told police she killed her son in the home's bathtub.Police went to the home after a woman believed to be Haefs called and said the devil was trying to attack her. Haefs' family members later told the Star that she had struggled for years with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations.A phone message left Wednesday morning with Haefs’ public defender, Laura O’Sullivan, seeking comment was not immediately returned.Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, said Haefs' mental competence will be re-evaluated after several months of treatment to see if she can stand trial at a later date.---------------KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman who authorities said decapitated her 6-year-old son was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.Tasha Haefs, 35, was charged after officers found her son dead at their east Kansas City home late Tuesday, according to a probable cause statement. It was not immediately known if Haefs had an attorney to speak on her behalf.Police said in an affidavit for a search warrant that a woman called from the house and said the devil was trying to attack her before she hung up, local media reported.The statement said responding officers saw blood on the front steps of the home and apparent blood and hair on the front door and a severed head near the home's threshold. A woman inside refused to open the door.After police were told other children lived in the house and had not been seen for several days, they forcibly entered the home. They found the boy's body and saw Haefs with blood on her and knives and a screwdriver with apparent blood throughout the home, according to the affidavit.No other children were found in the home. A decapitated dog was found in the basement.During a police interview, Haefs identified the victim as her son and admitted that she killed him in a bathtub and decapitated him, according to the affidavit written by Detective Zakary Glidewell.It was not immediately clear where the other children in the home were.Haefs, who was also charged with armed criminal action, was being held in the Jackson County Jail on no bond.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement that the child's gruesome death “takes our breath away.”She said the death calls for law enforcement, public health, social services and all their partners to work to better protect Kansas City's children.“Let’s also focus, Kansas City, on the violence among us," Peters Baker wrote. “It’s a challenge we can no longer ignore. We cannot become complacent with 180 or 170 or even 150 homicides per year and hundreds more shot but not killed. ... Going forward let’s keep a clear goal: Reduce our community’s violence and alert mental health professionals whenever we are aware of someone in need of intervention.”

KC mom accused of decapitating 6-year-old son found unfit for trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">importing foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">using the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production.

The White House said Biden would host a roundtable Wednesday with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. The list is notable for who isn’t on it: Abbott Nutrition, the company whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">Michigan plant was shut down</a>&nbsp;in February over safety concerns, sparking the shortage in the United States.

Biden will be joined by Heath and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The meeting is expected to provide an update on what the administration has dubbed Operation Fly Formula to import formula from overseas into the U.S. and deploy the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers of the formula manufacturers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease any production bottlenecks.

Those measures will help but won’t immediately bring an end to formula supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.

The Food and Drug Administration began honing in on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.

After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.

U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why Abbott was not included from Wednesday’s meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652447550275.png" alt="On May 12, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways to do more to help families access infant formula." />
 <figcaption>On May 12, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways to do more to help families access infant formula.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">importing foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">using the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production.The White House said Biden would host a roundtable Wednesday with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. The list is notable for who isn’t on it: Abbott Nutrition, the company whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">Michigan plant was shut down</a>&nbsp;in February over safety concerns, sparking the shortage in the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My Administration is invoking the Defense Production Act for the third time in less than a week to help Cargill deliver the materials needed to maximize production of infant formula. We’re using the full power of the federal government to ramp up production and increase supply.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1530543942424576000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden will be joined by Heath and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The meeting is expected to provide an update on what the administration has dubbed Operation Fly Formula to import formula from overseas into the U.S. and deploy the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers of the formula manufacturers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease any production bottlenecks.Those measures will help but won’t immediately bring an end to formula supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.The Food and Drug Administration began honing in on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why Abbott was not included from Wednesday’s meeting.

Biden to meet with baby formula makers on easing shortage

KANSAS CITY —A police officer and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for a $99,000 wire fraud scheme in which they used debit cards from a local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, where they served as officers, for spending on personal items, according to the United State's Attorney.

Michael A. Hardin,&nbsp; 46, and his wife, Sarah J. Hardin, 42, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

Michael Hardin, an officer with the St. Joseph Police Department, was the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 for approximately 10 years. Sarah Hardin, formerly a deputy with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, was the treasurer of the lodge for approximately 10 years. The lodge, headquartered in St. Joseph, is a fraternity of approximately 300 law enforcement officers from police departments in nine northwest Missouri counties.

Tuesday’s indictment alleges the Hardins used debit cards linked to the bank accounts of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 to make $99,000 in purchases for their own personal gain over a four-year period from December 2015 to December 2019.

According to the indictment, Sarah Hardin used two debit cards to make purchases at Walmart, Menards, Party City, HyVee, and other businesses for personal items and expenses. Michael Hardin allegedly used one debit card to make purchases from various merchants, including Hampton Inn, for personal items and expenses.

The Hardins did not provide information about the fraudulent spending to the members of the lodge, the indictment says, nor did they seek approval to use lodge funds for personal items.

Tuesday’s indictment charges Sarah Hardin with four counts of wire fraud and Michael Hardin with three counts of wire fraud.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592845080777.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A police officer and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for a $99,000 wire fraud scheme in which they used debit cards from a local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, where they served as officers, for spending on personal items, according to the United State's Attorney.Michael A. Hardin,&nbsp; 46, and his wife, Sarah J. Hardin, 42, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.Michael Hardin, an officer with the St. Joseph Police Department, was the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 for approximately 10 years. Sarah Hardin, formerly a deputy with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, was the treasurer of the lodge for approximately 10 years. The lodge, headquartered in St. Joseph, is a fraternity of approximately 300 law enforcement officers from police departments in nine northwest Missouri counties.Tuesday’s indictment alleges the Hardins used debit cards linked to the bank accounts of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 to make $99,000 in purchases for their own personal gain over a four-year period from December 2015 to December 2019.According to the indictment, Sarah Hardin used two debit cards to make purchases at Walmart, Menards, Party City, HyVee, and other businesses for personal items and expenses. Michael Hardin allegedly used one debit card to make purchases from various merchants, including Hampton Inn, for personal items and expenses.The Hardins did not provide information about the fraudulent spending to the members of the lodge, the indictment says, nor did they seek approval to use lodge funds for personal items.Tuesday’s indictment charges Sarah Hardin with four counts of wire fraud and Michael Hardin with three counts of wire fraud.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.This case was investigated by the FBI.

Police officer, wife allegedly spent $99K in union funds for personal use

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.

The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the U.S. that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the weapons package that will be formally unveiled on Wednesday.

The U.S. decision to provide the advance rocket systems tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.

In a guest essay published Tuesday evening in The New York Times, President Joe Biden confirmed that he’s decided to “provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”

Biden had said Monday that the U.S. would not send Ukraine “rocket systems that can strike into Russia.” Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border. The aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the U.S. considers medium-range rockets — they generally can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers), the officials said.

The Ukrainians have assured U.S. officials that they will not fire rockets into Russian territory, according to the senior administration officials. One official noted that the advanced rocket systems will give Ukrainian forces greater precision in targeting Russian assets inside Ukraine.

The expectation is that Ukraine could use the rockets in the eastern Donbas region, where they could both intercept Russian artillery and take out Russian positions in towns where fighting is intense, such as Sievierodonetsk.

Sievierodonetsk is important to Russian efforts to capture the Donbas before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defense. The city, which is 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of the Russian border, is in an area that is the last pocket under Ukrainian government control in the Luhansk region of the Donbas.

Biden in his New York Times’ essay added: “We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”

It’s the 11th package approved so far, and will be the first to tap the $40 billion in security and economic assistance recently passed by Congress. The rocket systems would be part of Pentagon drawdown authority, so would involve taking weapons from U.S. inventory and getting them into Ukraine quickly. Ukrainian troops would also need training on the new systems, which could take at least a week or two.

Officials said the plan is to send Ukraine the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets. The system can launch a medium-range rocket, which is the current plan, but is also capable of firing a longer-range missile, the Army Tactical Missile System, which has a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers) and is not part of the plan.

Since the war began in February, the U.S. and its allies have tried to walk a narrow line: send Ukraine weapons needed to fight off Russia, but stop short of providing aid that will inflame Russian President Vladimir Putin and trigger a broader conflict that could spill over into other parts of Europe.

Over time, however, the U.S. and allies have amped up the weaponry going into Ukraine, as the fight has shifted from Russia’s broader campaign to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas, to more close-contact skirmishes for small pieces of land in the east and south.

To that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to help stop Russia’s destruction of towns in the Donbas. The rockets have a longer range than the howitzer artillery systems that the U.S. has provided Ukraine. They would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops from a distance outside the range of Russia’s artillery systems.

“We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said in a recent address.

Ukraine needs multiple launch rocket systems, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATO’s top commander from 2013 to 2016.

“These are very important capabilities that we have not gotten them yet. And they not only need them, but they have been very vociferous in explaining they want them,” said Breedlove. “We need to get serious about supplying this army so that it can do what the world is asking it to do: fight a world superpower alone on the battlefield.”

U.S. and White House officials had no public comment on the specifics of the aid package.

“We continue to consider a range of systems that have the potential to be effective on the battlefield for our Ukrainian partners. But the point the president made is that we won’t be sending long-range rockets for use beyond the battlefield in Ukraine,” State Department Ned Price said Tuesday. “As the battle has shifted its dynamics, we have also shifted the type of security assistance that we are providing to them, in large part because they have asked us for the various systems that are going to be more effective in places like the Donbas.”

Russia has been making incremental progress in the Donbas, as it tries to take the remaining sections of the region not already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Putin has repeatedly warned the West against sending greater firepower to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin held an 80-minute telephone call Saturday with the leaders of France and Germany in which he warned against the continued transfers of Western weapons.

Overall, the United States has committed approximately $5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including approximately $4.5 billion since the Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647393225414.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the U.S. that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the weapons package that will be formally unveiled on Wednesday.The U.S. decision to provide the advance rocket systems tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.In a guest essay published Tuesday evening in The New York Times, President Joe Biden confirmed that he’s decided to “provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”Biden had said Monday that the U.S. would not send Ukraine “rocket systems that can strike into Russia.” Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border. The aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the U.S. considers medium-range rockets — they generally can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers), the officials said.The Ukrainians have assured U.S. officials that they will not fire rockets into Russian territory, according to the senior administration officials. One official noted that the advanced rocket systems will give Ukrainian forces greater precision in targeting Russian assets inside Ukraine.The expectation is that Ukraine could use the rockets in the eastern Donbas region, where they could both intercept Russian artillery and take out Russian positions in towns where fighting is intense, such as Sievierodonetsk.Sievierodonetsk is important to Russian efforts to capture the Donbas before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defense. The city, which is 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of the Russian border, is in an area that is the last pocket under Ukrainian government control in the Luhansk region of the Donbas.Biden in his New York Times’ essay added: “We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”It’s the 11th package approved so far, and will be the first to tap the $40 billion in security and economic assistance recently passed by Congress. The rocket systems would be part of Pentagon drawdown authority, so would involve taking weapons from U.S. inventory and getting them into Ukraine quickly. Ukrainian troops would also need training on the new systems, which could take at least a week or two.Officials said the plan is to send Ukraine the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets. The system can launch a medium-range rocket, which is the current plan, but is also capable of firing a longer-range missile, the Army Tactical Missile System, which has a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers) and is not part of the plan.Since the war began in February, the U.S. and its allies have tried to walk a narrow line: send Ukraine weapons needed to fight off Russia, but stop short of providing aid that will inflame Russian President Vladimir Putin and trigger a broader conflict that could spill over into other parts of Europe.Over time, however, the U.S. and allies have amped up the weaponry going into Ukraine, as the fight has shifted from Russia’s broader campaign to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas, to more close-contact skirmishes for small pieces of land in the east and south.To that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to help stop Russia’s destruction of towns in the Donbas. The rockets have a longer range than the howitzer artillery systems that the U.S. has provided Ukraine. They would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops from a distance outside the range of Russia’s artillery systems.“We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said in a recent address.Ukraine needs multiple launch rocket systems, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATO’s top commander from 2013 to 2016.“These are very important capabilities that we have not gotten them yet. And they not only need them, but they have been very vociferous in explaining they want them,” said Breedlove. “We need to get serious about supplying this army so that it can do what the world is asking it to do: fight a world superpower alone on the battlefield.”U.S. and White House officials had no public comment on the specifics of the aid package.“We continue to consider a range of systems that have the potential to be effective on the battlefield for our Ukrainian partners. But the point the president made is that we won’t be sending long-range rockets for use beyond the battlefield in Ukraine,” State Department Ned Price said Tuesday. “As the battle has shifted its dynamics, we have also shifted the type of security assistance that we are providing to them, in large part because they have asked us for the various systems that are going to be more effective in places like the Donbas.”Russia has been making incremental progress in the Donbas, as it tries to take the remaining sections of the region not already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.Putin has repeatedly warned the West against sending greater firepower to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin held an 80-minute telephone call Saturday with the leaders of France and Germany in which he warned against the continued transfers of Western weapons.Overall, the United States has committed approximately $5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including approximately $4.5 billion since the Russia invaded on Feb. 24.