DODGE CITY – The Hays Larks game with the Dodge City A’s Saturday
at Cavalier Field was suspended with the Larks leading 4-0 in the top of the
fourth. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday in Dodge
City. The suspended game will now be a seven-inning contest with the regularly
scheduled game a regular nine inning game.

The Larks scored three in the top of the first inning on an
error on a stolen base attempt and a Garrett Gruell two-run homer run. They
added their fourth run on a wild pitch in the third.

Hays PostDODGE CITY – The Hays Larks game with the Dodge City A’s Saturday
at Cavalier Field was suspended with the Larks leading 4-0 in the top of the
fourth. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday in Dodge
City. The suspended game will now be a seven-inning contest with the regularly
scheduled game a regular nine inning game.The Larks scored three in the top of the first inning on an
error on a stolen base attempt and a Garrett Gruell two-run homer run. They
added their fourth run on a wild pitch in the third.

⚾ Larks game in Dodge City suspended due to weather

Thank you for your patience as the threat of severe weather passes. It's looking like it will be a perfect night for some ROCK.

After communicating with the National Weather Service out of Dodge city and the Ellis County Emergency Manager the Wild West Fest committee feels it is in the best interest of safety of our community and our attendees to delay tonight's concerts. 

The incoming storm has a history of producing hail the side up to 1.75 inches and wind gust up to 60 mph. 

It is our intention to open our gates as soon as the storm passes. Please continue to follow Facebook and our partners with Eagle Radio for additional updates.

 Early indications indicate we might be able to open our gates shortly after the 7 o’clock hour.

Wild West Festival&nbsp;UPDATE: 6:25 p.m.Weather update:Gates open at 7 p.m.Sunset Sinners at 7:30 p.m.Quiet Riot at 9:30 p.m.Thank you for your patience as the threat of severe weather passes. It's looking like it will be a perfect night for some ROCK.Original post:After communicating with the National Weather Service out of Dodge city and the Ellis County Emergency Manager the Wild West Fest committee feels it is in the best interest of safety of our community and our attendees to delay tonight's concerts. The incoming storm has a history of producing hail the side up to 1.75 inches and wind gust up to 60 mph. It is our intention to open our gates as soon as the storm passes. Please continue to follow Facebook and our partners with Eagle Radio for additional updates. Early indications indicate we might be able to open our gates shortly after the 7 o’clock hour.

UPDATE: Saturday Wild West Festival delayed for weather

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Residents of a small western Missouri town are saddened and angered after a police dog died in a hot car.

The dog named Horus died June 20 following an overnight shift, Police Chief David Vincent said. In a Facebook posting on Wednesday, Vincent said he couldn't discuss the circumstances of the dog's death while the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducts an investigation.

“Horus was a great asset to our department and the community,” Vincent wrote. “I trusted this K9 around my grandchildren and they adored him. I am upset and angry about what happened to Horus as everyone else is.”

Several residents of the town of 5,000 residents that sits about an hour's drive north of Kansas City posted that the person responsible for the dog's death should face criminal charges.

“The officer should be charged,” one man wrote. “Just as any member of the public would be if they had caused the dog’s death. No excuse at all.”

For now, Horus is buried in an unmarked gravesite. In another post, Vincent said an anonymous donor is buying a headstone. Vincent said city staff will maintain the site that will be “a place of honor.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720202220440.png" alt="Horus photo courtesy Savannah Police" />
 <figcaption>Horus photo courtesy Savannah Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Residents of a small western Missouri town are saddened and angered after a police dog died in a hot car.The dog named Horus died June 20 following an overnight shift, Police Chief David Vincent said. In a Facebook posting on Wednesday, Vincent said he couldn't discuss the circumstances of the dog's death while the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducts an investigation.“Horus was a great asset to our department and the community,” Vincent wrote. “I trusted this K9 around my grandchildren and they adored him. I am upset and angry about what happened to Horus as everyone else is.”Several residents of the town of 5,000 residents that sits about an hour's drive north of Kansas City posted that the person responsible for the dog's death should face criminal charges.“The officer should be charged,” one man wrote. “Just as any member of the public would be if they had caused the dog’s death. No excuse at all.”For now, Horus is buried in an unmarked gravesite. In another post, Vincent said an anonymous donor is buying a headstone. Vincent said city staff will maintain the site that will be “a place of honor.”

Community angered over hot-car death of police dog

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;ruling Monday in former President Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case makes it all but certain that the Republican will not face trial in Washington ahead of the November election.

The Supreme Court did not dismiss — as Trump had wanted —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the indictment alleging</a>&nbsp;he illegally schemed to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. But the ruling still amounts to a major victory for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, whose legal strategy has focused on delaying the proceedings until after the election.

The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.

Trump posted in all capital letters on his social media network shortly after the decision was released: “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”

In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people, who he says deserved to know the outcome of the case before they head to the polls.

“The American people will have to render a judgment about Donald Trump's behavior," Biden said. “The American people must decide whether Trump's assault on our democracy on Jan. 6 makes him unfit for public office.”

Here's a look at the ruling and what comes next:

The court’s conservative majority said former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority" and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official acts. They do not enjoy immunity for unofficial, or private, actions.

The ruling means that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;cannot proceed with significant allegations in the indictment — or must at least defend their use in future proceedings before the trial judge.

The justices, for instance, wiped out Smith’s use of allegations that Trump tried to use the investigative power of the Justice Department to undo the election results, holding that his communications with agency officials is plainly protected from prosecution.

The justices sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who must now “carefully analyze” whether other allegations involve official conduct for which the president would be immune from prosecution.

Among the issues for further analysis is Trump’s relentless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-carlson-1e38cb44d55737031ca528b4f33aa1fb">badgering of then-Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;to not certify the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. The justices said it was “ultimately the Government’s burden to rebut the presumption of immunity” in Trump’s interactions with Pence.

The order also directed additional analysis on the various posts on X, then known as Twitter, that Trump made — as well as a speech he delivered to supporters — in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">run-up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol.</a>&nbsp;Determining whether that communication represents official versus unofficial acts, the justices said, “may depend on the content and context of each" and thus needs more scrutiny.

The justices required fresh fact-finding on one of the more stunning allegations in the indictment — that Trump had participated in a scheme orchestrated by allies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">to enlist slates of fraudulent electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden who would falsely attest that Trump had won in those states.

The Trump team had argued that the selection of alternate electors was in keeping with Trump’s presidential interest in the integrity and proper administration of the federal elections and cited as precedent an episode he said took place in the disputed election in 1876.

The Smith team, by contrast, portrayed the scheme as a purely private action that implicated no presidential responsibility.

The conservative justices in their majority opinion didn’t answer the question as to which side was right, instead saying that “determining whose characterization may be correct, and with respect to which conduct, requires a close analysis of the indictment’s extensive and interrelated allegations.”

Unlike Trump’s interactions with the Justice Department, the justices said, “this alleged conduct cannot be neatly categorized as falling within a particular Presidential function. The necessary analysis is instead fact specific, requiring assessment of numerous alleged interactions with a wide variety of state officials and private persons.”

The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — sharply criticized the majority’s opinion in scathing dissents. Sotomayor gave a dramatic speech as she read her dissent from the bench, at times shaking her head and gritting her teeth as she said the conservative majority wrongly insulated the U.S. president as “a king above the law.”

“Ironic isn’t it? The man in charge of enforcing laws can now just break them," Sotomayor said.

The dissenting justices said the majority decision makes presidents immune from prosecution for acts such as ordering Navy seals to assassinate a political rival, organizing a military coup to hold onto power or accepting a bribe in exchange for a pardon.

“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done. The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law,” Sotomayor wrote.

In a separate dissenting opinion, Jackson said the majority’s ruling “breaks new and dangerous ground.”

“Stated simply: The Court has now declared for the first time in history that the most powerful official in the United States can (under circumstances yet to be fully determined) become a law unto himself,” Jackson wrote.

The majority opinion accused the liberal justices of “fear mongering” and striking a “tone of chilling doom that is wholly disproportionate to what the court actually does today.”

The case will now go back to Chutkan. The trial was supposed to have begun in March, but the case has been on hold since December to allow Trump to pursue his appeal. Chutkan had indicated at that time she would likely give the two sides at least three months to get ready for trial once the case returns to her court.

That had left the door open to the case potentially going to trial before the election if the Supreme Court — like the lower courts — had ruled that Trump was not immune from prosecution.

But the Supreme Court's ruling that Chutkan must conduct further analysis is expected tie the case up for months with legal wrangling over whether the actions in the indictment were official or unofficial.

Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May of 34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;in his hush money trial in New York and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. The falsifying business records charges are punishable by up to four years behind bars, but there's no guarantee Trump will get prison time. Other possibilities include fines or probation.

It seems almost certain that&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">Trump's two other criminal cases</a>&nbsp;will not go to trial before the election.

An appeals court recently halted Trump's Georgia 2020 election interference case while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fani-willis-georgia-election-indictment-3c852370fe7888eaf331fb95dcf9f26f">reviews the lower court judge’s ruling</a>&nbsp;allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case. No trial date had been set in that case. Trump's lawyers have asserted presidential immunity in that case, though there's been no ruling.

Trump was supposed to stand trial starting in May in the other case brought by Smith, over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">classified documents found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after he left the White House</a>. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon canceled the trial date as the case got bogged down with legal issues. She has yet to schedule a new one. That case, too, involves a claim by the Trump team of immunity that prosecutors have disputed.

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-maralago-cannon-8f91da1d6983abdf304be657df3c5ec1">Cannon set the stage further delays</a>&nbsp;by agreeing to revisit a ruling by another judge that permitted crucial evidence related to allegations of obstruction of justice by Trump to be introduced into the case.

One of the arguments Cannon has entertained — that Smith was illegally appointed and that the case should be dismissed — got little traction with the Supreme Court.

A separate concurrence from Justice Clarence Thomas concluded that Smith's appointment was improper, but no other justice signed onto that.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719877935206.png" alt="In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people. -image from the White House video" />
 <figcaption>In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people. -image from the White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;ruling Monday in former President Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case makes it all but certain that the Republican will not face trial in Washington ahead of the November election.The Supreme Court did not dismiss — as Trump had wanted —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the indictment alleging</a>&nbsp;he illegally schemed to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. But the ruling still amounts to a major victory for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, whose legal strategy has focused on delaying the proceedings until after the election.The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719857571770.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump posted in all capital letters on his social media network shortly after the decision was released: “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F2453382978190567%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=7" 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>In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people, who he says deserved to know the outcome of the case before they head to the polls.“The American people will have to render a judgment about Donald Trump's behavior," Biden said. “The American people must decide whether Trump's assault on our democracy on Jan. 6 makes him unfit for public office.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713814787472.png" alt="File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.Here's a look at the ruling and what comes next:_____<h2>THE OPINION</h2>The court’s conservative majority said former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority" and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official acts. They do not enjoy immunity for unofficial, or private, actions.The ruling means that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;cannot proceed with significant allegations in the indictment — or must at least defend their use in future proceedings before the trial judge.The justices, for instance, wiped out Smith’s use of allegations that Trump tried to use the investigative power of the Justice Department to undo the election results, holding that his communications with agency officials is plainly protected from prosecution.The justices sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who must now “carefully analyze” whether other allegations involve official conduct for which the president would be immune from prosecution.Among the issues for further analysis is Trump’s relentless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-carlson-1e38cb44d55737031ca528b4f33aa1fb">badgering of then-Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;to not certify the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. The justices said it was “ultimately the Government’s burden to rebut the presumption of immunity” in Trump’s interactions with Pence.The order also directed additional analysis on the various posts on X, then known as Twitter, that Trump made — as well as a speech he delivered to supporters — in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">run-up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol.</a>&nbsp;Determining whether that communication represents official versus unofficial acts, the justices said, “may depend on the content and context of each" and thus needs more scrutiny.<h2>THE FAKE ELECTORS SCHEME</h2>The justices required fresh fact-finding on one of the more stunning allegations in the indictment — that Trump had participated in a scheme orchestrated by allies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">to enlist slates of fraudulent electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden who would falsely attest that Trump had won in those states.The Trump team had argued that the selection of alternate electors was in keeping with Trump’s presidential interest in the integrity and proper administration of the federal elections and cited as precedent an episode he said took place in the disputed election in 1876.The Smith team, by contrast, portrayed the scheme as a purely private action that implicated no presidential responsibility.The conservative justices in their majority opinion didn’t answer the question as to which side was right, instead saying that “determining whose characterization may be correct, and with respect to which conduct, requires a close analysis of the indictment’s extensive and interrelated allegations.”Unlike Trump’s interactions with the Justice Department, the justices said, “this alleged conduct cannot be neatly categorized as falling within a particular Presidential function. The necessary analysis is instead fact specific, requiring assessment of numerous alleged interactions with a wide variety of state officials and private persons.”<h2>THE DISSENTERS</h2>The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — sharply criticized the majority’s opinion in scathing dissents. Sotomayor gave a dramatic speech as she read her dissent from the bench, at times shaking her head and gritting her teeth as she said the conservative majority wrongly insulated the U.S. president as “a king above the law.”“Ironic isn’t it? The man in charge of enforcing laws can now just break them," Sotomayor said.The dissenting justices said the majority decision makes presidents immune from prosecution for acts such as ordering Navy seals to assassinate a political rival, organizing a military coup to hold onto power or accepting a bribe in exchange for a pardon.“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done. The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law,” Sotomayor wrote.In a separate dissenting opinion, Jackson said the majority’s ruling “breaks new and dangerous ground.”“Stated simply: The Court has now declared for the first time in history that the most powerful official in the United States can (under circumstances yet to be fully determined) become a law unto himself,” Jackson wrote.The majority opinion accused the liberal justices of “fear mongering” and striking a “tone of chilling doom that is wholly disproportionate to what the court actually does today.”<h2>WHAT COMES NEXT</h2>The case will now go back to Chutkan. The trial was supposed to have begun in March, but the case has been on hold since December to allow Trump to pursue his appeal. Chutkan had indicated at that time she would likely give the two sides at least three months to get ready for trial once the case returns to her court.That had left the door open to the case potentially going to trial before the election if the Supreme Court — like the lower courts — had ruled that Trump was not immune from prosecution.But the Supreme Court's ruling that Chutkan must conduct further analysis is expected tie the case up for months with legal wrangling over whether the actions in the indictment were official or unofficial.<h2>TRUMP'S OTHER CASES</h2>Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May of 34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;in his hush money trial in New York and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. The falsifying business records charges are punishable by up to four years behind bars, but there's no guarantee Trump will get prison time. Other possibilities include fines or probation.It seems almost certain that&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">Trump's two other criminal cases</a>&nbsp;will not go to trial before the election.An appeals court recently halted Trump's Georgia 2020 election interference case while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fani-willis-georgia-election-indictment-3c852370fe7888eaf331fb95dcf9f26f">reviews the lower court judge’s ruling</a>&nbsp;allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case. No trial date had been set in that case. Trump's lawyers have asserted presidential immunity in that case, though there's been no ruling.Trump was supposed to stand trial starting in May in the other case brought by Smith, over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">classified documents found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after he left the White House</a>. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon canceled the trial date as the case got bogged down with legal issues. She has yet to schedule a new one. That case, too, involves a claim by the Trump team of immunity that prosecutors have disputed.Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-maralago-cannon-8f91da1d6983abdf304be657df3c5ec1">Cannon set the stage further delays</a>&nbsp;by agreeing to revisit a ruling by another judge that permitted crucial evidence related to allegations of obstruction of justice by Trump to be introduced into the case.One of the arguments Cannon has entertained — that Smith was illegally appointed and that the case should be dismissed — got little traction with the Supreme Court.A separate concurrence from Justice Clarence Thomas concluded that Smith's appointment was improper, but no other justice signed onto that.

🎥 Closer look at Supreme Court's immunity ruling and what's next

Donald “Don” Victor Peterka, of Wilson, KS, passed away on July 1, 2024, at Hays Medical Center in Hays, KS, at the age of 83. He was born at his childhood home on September 3, 1940, to Victor and Theresa (Farney) Peterka in Lincoln County, KS. He married Alice Schmidtberger on June 4, 1966, at St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Victoria, KS.

Don grew up in Wilson and attended the Margaret one room schoolhouse through elementary school. He graduated from Wilson High School in 1958. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1962. Don worked as a welder for the Ellsworth Highway Department, farmer, and in the oil field for a few years.

Don was an American Legion Commander for 7 years and led the rosary at the nursing home monthly for 14 years for St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. He enjoyed track and field, KU Jayhawks, and helping with Wilson Boy Scouts for many years.

Don is survived by his wife, Alice of the home in Wilson; son, Joe (Ann) Peterka of Mansfield, TX; siblings, JoAnn Steinle of Wilson, Loyola Anschutz of Wilson, and Kathleen Merkel of Russell, KS; two grandchildren, Allison and Kate; and one great-grandson, Beau.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Theresa; and siblings, Elaine Shaw and Eugene Peterka.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 10AM at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilson. Burial will follow at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, 6-8PM with a Vigil and Rosary Service at 7PM at the funeral home in Wilson.

Memorials are suggested to St. Wenceslaus Church – Heating &amp; Air or Masses and American Legion Post 262 and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, PO Box 533, Wilson, KS 67490.

Donald “Don” Victor Peterka, of Wilson, KS, passed away on July 1, 2024, at Hays Medical Center in Hays, KS, at the age of 83. He was born at his childhood home on September 3, 1940, to Victor and Theresa (Farney) Peterka in Lincoln County, KS. He married Alice Schmidtberger on June 4, 1966, at St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Victoria, KS.Don grew up in Wilson and attended the Margaret one room schoolhouse through elementary school. He graduated from Wilson High School in 1958. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1962. Don worked as a welder for the Ellsworth Highway Department, farmer, and in the oil field for a few years.Don was an American Legion Commander for 7 years and led the rosary at the nursing home monthly for 14 years for St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. He enjoyed track and field, KU Jayhawks, and helping with Wilson Boy Scouts for many years.Don is survived by his wife, Alice of the home in Wilson; son, Joe (Ann) Peterka of Mansfield, TX; siblings, JoAnn Steinle of Wilson, Loyola Anschutz of Wilson, and Kathleen Merkel of Russell, KS; two grandchildren, Allison and Kate; and one great-grandson, Beau.He is preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Theresa; and siblings, Elaine Shaw and Eugene Peterka.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 10AM at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilson. Burial will follow at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, 6-8PM with a Vigil and Rosary Service at 7PM at the funeral home in Wilson.Memorials are suggested to St. Wenceslaus Church – Heating &amp; Air or Masses and American Legion Post 262 and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, PO Box 533, Wilson, KS 67490.

Donald “Don” Victor Peterka

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

A line of storms with high winds was predicted to move across Kansas in the final hours leading into the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. Even so, the images displayed on radar were not particularly threatening around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Wilson Lake. Chase resident Mackenzie Oberle and family were staying in the Wheatgrass Campground in the Hell Creek area of the lake. Just as the storm arrived, she moved from her parents' camper to a truck just a few feet away.

"It felt like the wind had come up underneath the truck and picked it up," she said. "Something loud hit what I thought was the truck, but it hit the boat. I didn't think anything of it but I looked back and I could see my parents' camper flipped over sideways so I got out and called 911."

Oberle, who has ridden out other storms from inside a camper, said nothing seemed unusual about the storm as it came in. Winds estimated at 70 miles an hour hit the area just as the rain began. Several campers from the packed campgrounds were damaged. One camper near Oberle's truck was blown across the road and completely destroyed. Fortunately, its occupants were able to walk away.

"There wasn't a rhyme or reason why some blew over and some didn't," Oberle said. "There were tiny campers that didn't blow over, and there big, heavy campers that did blow over."

Oberle's parents were able to crawl out of their camper without injury. Three people were transported by Russell County EMS to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries. Christopher Montoya, 64, of Holyrood, was found deceased in the Hell Creek Area of the park.

The storm gained strength as it approached Russell late Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service out of Wichita to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning shortly before 11:30 p.m. More warnings were later issued for Ellsworth and Rice counties. 

Torrential rain fell in a short period with more than an inch recorded in Great Bend, 2.06 inches reported in one location near Larned, and up to 1.90 inches reported near Little River. Most locations near Lawrence later reported more than two inches of rain. Most wind reports out of Ellsworth and Russell counties indicate gusts between 68 and 70 mph. Saline County reported the highest gust at 82 mph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720195934565.jpeg" alt="Several campers at Lake Wilson were blown over by wind gusts shortly before midnight on July 3. Three people were transported to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries and a Holyrood man was found deceased. (photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle)" />
 <figcaption>Several campers at Lake Wilson were blown over by wind gusts shortly before midnight on July 3. Three people were transported to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries and a Holyrood man was found deceased. (photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostA line of storms with high winds was predicted to move across Kansas in the final hours leading into the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. Even so, the images displayed on radar were not particularly threatening around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Wilson Lake. Chase resident Mackenzie Oberle and family were staying in the Wheatgrass Campground in the Hell Creek area of the lake. Just as the storm arrived, she moved from her parents' camper to a truck just a few feet away."It felt like the wind had come up underneath the truck and picked it up," she said. "Something loud hit what I thought was the truck, but it hit the boat. I didn't think anything of it but I looked back and I could see my parents' camper flipped over sideways so I got out and called 911."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720196040317.jpeg" alt="photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle</figcaption>
 </figure>Oberle, who has ridden out other storms from inside a camper, said nothing seemed unusual about the storm as it came in. Winds estimated at 70 miles an hour hit the area just as the rain began. Several campers from the packed campgrounds were damaged. One camper near Oberle's truck was blown across the road and completely destroyed. Fortunately, its occupants were able to walk away."There wasn't a rhyme or reason why some blew over and some didn't," Oberle said. "There were tiny campers that didn't blow over, and there big, heavy campers that did blow over."Oberle's parents were able to crawl out of their camper without injury. Three people were transported by Russell County EMS to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries. Christopher Montoya, 64, of Holyrood, was found deceased in the Hell Creek Area of the park.The storm gained strength as it approached Russell late Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service out of Wichita to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning shortly before 11:30 p.m. More warnings were later issued for Ellsworth and Rice counties. Torrential rain fell in a short period with more than an inch recorded in Great Bend, 2.06 inches reported in one location near Larned, and up to 1.90 inches reported near Little River. Most locations near Lawrence later reported more than two inches of rain. Most wind reports out of Ellsworth and Russell counties indicate gusts between 68 and 70 mph. Saline County reported the highest gust at 82 mph.

Family escapes injury despite camper overturned in storm at Wilson Lake 

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-trump-debate-democrats-withdraw-campaign-8866379e91fdb1425bbd2eb5344655c5">fighting</a>&nbsp;to save his endangered reelection effort, used a highly anticipated TV interview Friday to repeatedly reject taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office while blaming his disastrous debate performance on a “bad episode” and saying there were “no indications of any serious condition."

“Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,” Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, referring to the tasks he faces daily in a rigorous job. “Every day, I have that test. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world.”

The 81-year-old Biden made it through the 22-minute interview without any major blunders that would inflict further damage to his imperiled candidacy, but it appeared unlikely to fully tamp down concerns about his age and fitness for another four years and his ability to defeat Donald Trump in November.

It left Biden in a standoff against a not-insignificant faction of his party with four months to go until Election Day, and with just weeks until the Democratic National Convention. The drawn-out spectacle could benefit Biden’s efforts to remain in the race by limiting the party’s options to replace him. But it also could be a distraction from vital efforts to frame the 2024 race as a referendum on Trump.

During the interview, Biden insisted he was not more frail than earlier in his presidency. He said he undergoes “ongoing assessment” by his personal doctors and they “don't hesitate to tell me” if something is wrong.

“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But I’m still in good shape,” Biden said.

As for the debate, “I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,” Biden said.

Biden suggested that Trump’s disruptions — from just a few feet away — had flustered him: “I realized that, even when I was answering a question and they turned his mic off, he was still shouting and I let it distract me. I’m not blaming it on that. But I realized that I just wasn’t in control.”

At times, Biden rambled during the interview, which ABC said aired in full and without edits. At one point, he started to explain his debate performance, then veered to a New York Times poll, then pivoted to the lies Trump told during the debate. Biden also referred to the midterm “red wave” as occurring in 2020, rather than 2022.

Asked how he might turn the race around, Biden argued that one key would be large and energetic rallies like the one he held Friday in Wisconsin. When reminded that Trump routinely draws larger crowds, the president laid into his opponent.

“Trump is a pathological liar,” Biden said, accusing Trump of bungling the federal response to the COVID pandemic and failing to create jobs. “You ever see something that Trump did that benefited someone else and not him?”

Biden also insisted he was the “most qualified” to lead Democrats against Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The interview, paired with a weekend campaign in battleground Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, was part of Biden's rigorous effort to course correct from his rocky debate performance. But internal party frustrations continue to fester, with one influential Democratic senator working on a nascent push to encourage the president to exit the race and Democrats quietly chatting about where they would go next if the president drops out — or what it would mean if he stays in.

“It’s President Biden’s decision whether or not he remains in the race. Voters select our nominee and they chose him," said California Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the Biden campaign's national advisory board that works as a gathering of his top surrogates. "Now, he needs to prove to those voters that he is up to the job and that will require more than just this one interview.”

One Democrat who watched said they found Biden to be still shaky under controlled conditions and predicted more will call on him to leave the race.

Still, in Wisconsin, Biden was focused on proving his capacity to serve another term. When asked whether he would halt his campaign, he told reporters he was “completely ruling that out” and said he is “positive” he could serve another four years. At a rally in front of hundreds of supporters he acknowledged his subpar debate performance but insisted, “I am running, and I'm going to win again.”

“I beat Donald Trump,” a forceful Biden said, as the crowd gathered in a middle school cheered and waved campaign signs. “I will beat him again.”

While private angst among Democratic lawmakers, donors and strategists has been running deep since the debate, most in the party have held public fire as they wait to see if the president can restore confidence with his weekend travel and his handling of the interview.

To that end, Sen. Mark Warner reached out to fellow senators throughout this week to discuss whether to ask Biden to exit the race, according to three people familiar with the effort who requested anonymity to talk about private conversations. The Virginia Democrat’s moves are notable given his chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee and his reputation as a lawmaker who is supportive of Biden and has working relationships with colleagues in both parties. Warner’s effort was first reported by The Washington Post.

The strategy remains fluid. One of the people with knowledge of Warner's effort said there are enough Senate Democrats concerned enough about Biden's capacity to run for reelection to take some sort of action, although there was yet no consensus on what that plan would be. Some of the Democratic senators could meet as soon as Monday on how to move forward.

The top Democrats on House committees are planning to meet virtually Sunday to discuss the situation, according to a person familiar with the gathering granted anonymity to talk about it.

At least four House Democrats have called for Biden to step down as the nominee. While not going that far, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a carefully worded statement Friday that Biden now has a decision to make on “the best way forward.”

“I urge him to listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump,” Healey said.

In the interview, Biden was asked how he might be persuaded to leave the race. He laughed and replied, “If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.”

There were also a few signs of discontent at Biden's campaign rally Friday, with one person onstage waving a sign that read “Pass the torch Joe” as the president came out. His motorcade was also greeted at the middle school by a few people urging him to move on.

But Rebecca Green, a 52-year-old environmental scientist from Madison, said she found Biden’s energy reassuring. “We were just waiting for him to come out strong and fighting again, the way we know he is."

Many Democratic lawmakers, who are hearing from constituents at home during the holiday week, are deeply frustrated and split on whether Biden should stay or go. Privately, discussions among the House Democrats flared this week as word spread that some of them were drafting public letters suggesting the president should quit the race.

Biden appears to have pulled his family closer while attempting to prove that he's still the Democrats' best option.

The ubiquitous presence of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;in the West Wing since the debate has become an uncomfortable dynamic for many staffers, according to two Democrats close to the White House who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

For many staffers, the sight of Hunter Biden, just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">his conviction on felony gun charges</a>, taking a larger role in advising his father has been unsettling and a questionable choice, they said.

In a hastily organized gathering with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-jeff-zients-7794155c12bc78c084e4b964545e2b7f">more than 20 Democratic governors</a>&nbsp;Wednesday evening, Biden acknowledged he needs to sleep more and limit evening events so he can be rested for the job. In trying to explain away those comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Biden “works around the clock” but that he “also recognizes the importance of striking a balance and taking care of himself.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who attended the meeting, said Biden “certainly engaged with us on complicated matters.”

“But then again, this is something that he needs to not just reassure Democratic governors on, but he needs to reassure the American people," Beshear said.

Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison, Joey Cappelletti in Saugatuck, Michigan, Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, and Will Weissert, Zeke Miller, Mary Clare Jalonick, Aamer Madhani, Lisa Mascaro and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-trump-debate-democrats-withdraw-campaign-8866379e91fdb1425bbd2eb5344655c5">fighting</a>&nbsp;to save his endangered reelection effort, used a highly anticipated TV interview Friday to repeatedly reject taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office while blaming his disastrous debate performance on a “bad episode” and saying there were “no indications of any serious condition."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When I first ran for president, I wanted to do three things: restore some decency to the office, restore support for the middle class instead of trickle-down economics, and unite our country. We were told it couldn’t be done. But we got it done. <a href="https://t.co/nIUiwBVy8G">pic.twitter.com/nIUiwBVy8G</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1809382384007008585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,” Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, referring to the tasks he faces daily in a rigorous job. “Every day, I have that test. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m optimistic about this country. I don’t think we’re a country of losers like Donald Trump says. We’ve made great progress. We can do this. <a href="https://t.co/AdtsK9omSU">pic.twitter.com/AdtsK9omSU</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1809382839957311797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden in Madison, WI: &quot;They&#39;re trying to push me out of the race. Well, let me say this as clearly as I can; I&#39;m staying in the race! I&#39;ll beat Donald Trump. I will beat him again in 2020 and by the way we&#39;re&#39; going to do it again in 2024.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/T1xJ7NAThj">pic.twitter.com/T1xJ7NAThj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1809367605334966587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 81-year-old Biden made it through the 22-minute interview without any major blunders that would inflict further damage to his imperiled candidacy, but it appeared unlikely to fully tamp down concerns about his age and fitness for another four years and his ability to defeat Donald Trump in November.It left Biden in a standoff against a not-insignificant faction of his party with four months to go until Election Day, and with just weeks until the Democratic National Convention. The drawn-out spectacle could benefit Biden’s efforts to remain in the race by limiting the party’s options to replace him. But it also could be a distraction from vital efforts to frame the 2024 race as a referendum on Trump.During the interview, Biden insisted he was not more frail than earlier in his presidency. He said he undergoes “ongoing assessment” by his personal doctors and they “don't hesitate to tell me” if something is wrong.“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But I’m still in good shape,” Biden said.As for the debate, “I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,” Biden said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m the sitting President of the United States. I’m the nominee of the Democratic party. I’m staying in the race.&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1809310761933525304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden suggested that Trump’s disruptions — from just a few feet away — had flustered him: “I realized that, even when I was answering a question and they turned his mic off, he was still shouting and I let it distract me. I’m not blaming it on that. But I realized that I just wasn’t in control.”At times, Biden rambled during the interview, which ABC said aired in full and without edits. At one point, he started to explain his debate performance, then veered to a New York Times poll, then pivoted to the lies Trump told during the debate. Biden also referred to the midterm “red wave” as occurring in 2020, rather than 2022.Asked how he might turn the race around, Biden argued that one key would be large and energetic rallies like the one he held Friday in Wisconsin. When reminded that Trump routinely draws larger crowds, the president laid into his opponent.“Trump is a pathological liar,” Biden said, accusing Trump of bungling the federal response to the COVID pandemic and failing to create jobs. “You ever see something that Trump did that benefited someone else and not him?”Biden also insisted he was the “most qualified” to lead Democrats against Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.The interview, paired with a weekend campaign in battleground Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, was part of Biden's rigorous effort to course correct from his rocky debate performance. But internal party frustrations continue to fester, with one influential Democratic senator working on a nascent push to encourage the president to exit the race and Democrats quietly chatting about where they would go next if the president drops out — or what it would mean if he stays in.“It’s President Biden’s decision whether or not he remains in the race. Voters select our nominee and they chose him," said California Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the Biden campaign's national advisory board that works as a gathering of his top surrogates. "Now, he needs to prove to those voters that he is up to the job and that will require more than just this one interview.”One Democrat who watched said they found Biden to be still shaky under controlled conditions and predicted more will call on him to leave the race.Still, in Wisconsin, Biden was focused on proving his capacity to serve another term. When asked whether he would halt his campaign, he told reporters he was “completely ruling that out” and said he is “positive” he could serve another four years. At a rally in front of hundreds of supporters he acknowledged his subpar debate performance but insisted, “I am running, and I'm going to win again.”“I beat Donald Trump,” a forceful Biden said, as the crowd gathered in a middle school cheered and waved campaign signs. “I will beat him again.”While private angst among Democratic lawmakers, donors and strategists has been running deep since the debate, most in the party have held public fire as they wait to see if the president can restore confidence with his weekend travel and his handling of the interview.To that end, Sen. Mark Warner reached out to fellow senators throughout this week to discuss whether to ask Biden to exit the race, according to three people familiar with the effort who requested anonymity to talk about private conversations. The Virginia Democrat’s moves are notable given his chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee and his reputation as a lawmaker who is supportive of Biden and has working relationships with colleagues in both parties. Warner’s effort was first reported by The Washington Post.The strategy remains fluid. One of the people with knowledge of Warner's effort said there are enough Senate Democrats concerned enough about Biden's capacity to run for reelection to take some sort of action, although there was yet no consensus on what that plan would be. Some of the Democratic senators could meet as soon as Monday on how to move forward.The top Democrats on House committees are planning to meet virtually Sunday to discuss the situation, according to a person familiar with the gathering granted anonymity to talk about it.At least four House Democrats have called for Biden to step down as the nominee. While not going that far, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a carefully worded statement Friday that Biden now has a decision to make on “the best way forward.”“I urge him to listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump,” Healey said.In the interview, Biden was asked how he might be persuaded to leave the race. He laughed and replied, “If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.”There were also a few signs of discontent at Biden's campaign rally Friday, with one person onstage waving a sign that read “Pass the torch Joe” as the president came out. His motorcade was also greeted at the middle school by a few people urging him to move on.But Rebecca Green, a 52-year-old environmental scientist from Madison, said she found Biden’s energy reassuring. “We were just waiting for him to come out strong and fighting again, the way we know he is."Many Democratic lawmakers, who are hearing from constituents at home during the holiday week, are deeply frustrated and split on whether Biden should stay or go. Privately, discussions among the House Democrats flared this week as word spread that some of them were drafting public letters suggesting the president should quit the race.Biden appears to have pulled his family closer while attempting to prove that he's still the Democrats' best option.The ubiquitous presence of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;in the West Wing since the debate has become an uncomfortable dynamic for many staffers, according to two Democrats close to the White House who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.For many staffers, the sight of Hunter Biden, just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">his conviction on felony gun charges</a>, taking a larger role in advising his father has been unsettling and a questionable choice, they said.In a hastily organized gathering with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-jeff-zients-7794155c12bc78c084e4b964545e2b7f">more than 20 Democratic governors</a>&nbsp;Wednesday evening, Biden acknowledged he needs to sleep more and limit evening events so he can be rested for the job. In trying to explain away those comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Biden “works around the clock” but that he “also recognizes the importance of striking a balance and taking care of himself.”Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who attended the meeting, said Biden “certainly engaged with us on complicated matters.”“But then again, this is something that he needs to not just reassure Democratic governors on, but he needs to reassure the American people," Beshear said.___Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison, Joey Cappelletti in Saugatuck, Michigan, Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, and Will Weissert, Zeke Miller, Mary Clare Jalonick, Aamer Madhani, Lisa Mascaro and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥 Biden discusses age questions in TV interview as he fights to stay in race

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

When the aggressive nature of Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is combined with the limited post-emergence herbicide options in grain sorghum, problems often arise – even when an adequate preemergence herbicide program is used. This article highlights post-emergence herbicide options for Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum. To see the full version of the article with use rates, recommended surfactants, and plant height restrictions. Search for K-State Agronomy eUpdates, June 27th issue. Combinations of the herbicides listed here will generally improve control, and all of the options are most effective when applied to small (under 4 inches tall) pigweeds. Atrazine can control sensitive populations of Palmer amaranth and can be combined with other herbicides to enhance effectiveness. Aim (carfentrazone) is a Group 14 herbicide that can be applied to grain sorghum between 4 inches and boot stage. It is less effective than some of the other herbicides in this article and requires good coverage for maximum effectiveness.

2,4-D is an effective herbicide option to control Palmer amaranth. However, crop response should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Dicamba, at the rates used in grain sorghum (0.5 pint), may be less effective on Palmer amaranth than 2,4-D. Bromoxynil can be applied from the 3-leaf stage through boot stage. Crop response will be less with bromoxynil than other herbicides, but bromoxynil alone will not control Palmer amaranth larger than 4-leaf. Bromoxynil is a contact herbicide that is not translocated in the plant. Therefore, adequate spray coverage is needed for maximum effectiveness.

Huskie (pyrasulfutole+bromoxynil) is most effective when mixed with atrazine (up to 1 pound). When used alone, it can be applied between 3-leaf and 30 inches and should be applied with HSOC (high surfactant oil concentrate) or AMS + NIS. Huskie will cause leaf burn, which can be greater in fields where mesotrione was applied pre-emergence. Huskie plus atrazine may be tank-mixed with phenoxy broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D or dicamba.

Imiflex (imazamox) can only be applied to igrowth grain sorghum and only in fields that were not sprayed preemergence. Imiflex is an ALS-inhibiting herbicide, and ALS-resistance is assumed to be widespread in Kansas. However, there is limited evidence that it may still contribute to suppression of ALS-resistant pigweeds. For susceptible Palmer amaranth plants, herbicide applications should target plants that are 3” tall or less.

Other herbicide resistant sorghum technologies are also on the market and this technology specifically targets grasses. These technologies include Inzen sorghum from Corteva with the herbicide partner Zest WDG and DoubleTeam sorghum from S&amp;W seeds with the herbicide partner First Act.

Additional information can be found in the 2024 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1176-https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/SRP1183.pdf

The use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719877123898.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictWhen the aggressive nature of Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is combined with the limited post-emergence herbicide options in grain sorghum, problems often arise – even when an adequate preemergence herbicide program is used. This article highlights post-emergence herbicide options for Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum. To see the full version of the article with use rates, recommended surfactants, and plant height restrictions. Search for K-State Agronomy eUpdates, June 27th issue. Combinations of the herbicides listed here will generally improve control, and all of the options are most effective when applied to small (under 4 inches tall) pigweeds. Atrazine can control sensitive populations of Palmer amaranth and can be combined with other herbicides to enhance effectiveness. Aim (carfentrazone) is a Group 14 herbicide that can be applied to grain sorghum between 4 inches and boot stage. It is less effective than some of the other herbicides in this article and requires good coverage for maximum effectiveness.2,4-D is an effective herbicide option to control Palmer amaranth. However, crop response should be expected, especially if applied in hot, humid conditions. Dicamba, at the rates used in grain sorghum (0.5 pint), may be less effective on Palmer amaranth than 2,4-D. Bromoxynil can be applied from the 3-leaf stage through boot stage. Crop response will be less with bromoxynil than other herbicides, but bromoxynil alone will not control Palmer amaranth larger than 4-leaf. Bromoxynil is a contact herbicide that is not translocated in the plant. Therefore, adequate spray coverage is needed for maximum effectiveness.Huskie (pyrasulfutole+bromoxynil) is most effective when mixed with atrazine (up to 1 pound). When used alone, it can be applied between 3-leaf and 30 inches and should be applied with HSOC (high surfactant oil concentrate) or AMS + NIS. Huskie will cause leaf burn, which can be greater in fields where mesotrione was applied pre-emergence. Huskie plus atrazine may be tank-mixed with phenoxy broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D or dicamba.Imiflex (imazamox) can only be applied to igrowth grain sorghum and only in fields that were not sprayed preemergence. Imiflex is an ALS-inhibiting herbicide, and ALS-resistance is assumed to be widespread in Kansas. However, there is limited evidence that it may still contribute to suppression of ALS-resistant pigweeds. For susceptible Palmer amaranth plants, herbicide applications should target plants that are 3” tall or less.Other herbicide resistant sorghum technologies are also on the market and this technology specifically targets grasses. These technologies include Inzen sorghum from Corteva with the herbicide partner Zest WDG and DoubleTeam sorghum from S&amp;W seeds with the herbicide partner First Act.Additional information can be found in the 2024 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland, K-State publication SRP-1176-https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/SRP1183.pdfThe use of trade names is for clarity to readers and does not imply endorsement of a particular product, nor does exclusion imply non-approval. Always consult the herbicide label for the most current use requirements.Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Palmer amaranth control in grain sorghum

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person is dead following a helicopter crash on Friday in a rural area of northwest Sedgwick County.

Just after 8 a.m. first responders were dispatched to the crash in the 5700 block of North 255th Street West, according to a supervisor with Sedgwick County Sheriff's office 911.&nbsp; EMS did not transport anyone else for treatment, according to the supervisor.

The FAA and NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720198452791.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person is dead following a helicopter crash on Friday in a rural area of northwest Sedgwick County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720189143245.png" alt="Location of the crash near the community of Andale- Google map" />
 <figcaption>Location of the crash near the community of Andale- Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 8 a.m. first responders were dispatched to the crash in the 5700 block of North 255th Street West, according to a supervisor with Sedgwick County Sheriff's office 911.&nbsp; EMS did not transport anyone else for treatment, according to the supervisor.The FAA and NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

One dead in rural Kansas helicopter crash

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have issued a public health advisory due to&nbsp;blue-green algae.

A harmful algal bloom (HAB) may look like foam, scum or paint floating on the water and be colored&nbsp;blue, bright green, brown or red. Blooms can develop rapidly; if the water appears suspicious or there is decaying algae on the shore, avoid contact and keep pets away. These toxins can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols and even skin contact. Symptoms vary depending upon the type of exposure (e.g. direct contact, ingestion, inhalation) but can include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headache. If you, or your pets, come into contact with algae rinse the area with clean, fresh water. Suspected HAB-related health incidents, whether human or animal, regardless of season, should be reported at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Sd1qhyODPBDTfbpoeA78zXOAXA2lXW5qRQ3oJV5_-uQ/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">kdhe.ks.gov/1163</a>.

A&nbsp;Hazard status&nbsp;indicates that a harmful algal bloom is present, and extreme conditions exist.&nbsp;

When a hazard is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

A&nbsp;Warning status&nbsp;indicates that conditions are unsafe for human and pet exposure.&nbsp; Contact with the waterbody should be avoided.

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

A&nbsp;Watch status&nbsp;means that&nbsp;blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.

&nbsp;When a watch is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Advisories are&nbsp;Lifted&nbsp;when cell densities and toxin concentrations dissipate to levels below the Watch thresholds.

KDHE investigates publicly accessible bodies of water for&nbsp;blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on credible field observation and sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.&nbsp;

If you observe a scum or paint-like surface on the water, small floating&nbsp;blue-green clumps or filaments in the water, or if the water is an opaque green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

For information on&nbsp;blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.wUW3e2y0q3LAZ2sMgPXyN3pXAH3TL5-DTkVc5zqpjdk/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">kdhe.ks.gov/HAB</a>&nbsp;and check out our&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.kuy8zmniJTyAsaA8-A2115W7pK1QyyadugxTeZDjq3s/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">interactive story</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.cz_hofSoU9Isy9Ole81xKTmONh-xjdGuHGqgPShuy88/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">informative video</a>.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have issued a public health advisory due to&nbsp;blue-green algae.A harmful algal bloom (HAB) may look like foam, scum or paint floating on the water and be colored&nbsp;blue, bright green, brown or red. Blooms can develop rapidly; if the water appears suspicious or there is decaying algae on the shore, avoid contact and keep pets away. These toxins can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols and even skin contact. Symptoms vary depending upon the type of exposure (e.g. direct contact, ingestion, inhalation) but can include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headache. If you, or your pets, come into contact with algae rinse the area with clean, fresh water. Suspected HAB-related health incidents, whether human or animal, regardless of season, should be reported at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Sd1qhyODPBDTfbpoeA78zXOAXA2lXW5qRQ3oJV5_-uQ/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">kdhe.ks.gov/1163</a>.Active Advisories<h2>Warning&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>King Lake, Lyon County</li><li>Rooks Co. SFL, Rooks County</li><li>Webster Lake, Rooks County</li>
 </ul><h2>Watch&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Eagle Lake (Bel Aire), Sedgwick County</li><li>Gathering Pond, Geary County (Added July 3)</li><li>Harvey County East Lake, Harvey County</li><li>Lovewell Lake, Jewell County</li><li>Marion Lake (Reservoir), Marion County</li><li>Woodland Park Pond (Mount Hope), Sedgwick County&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Lifted&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Lake Shawnee, Shawnee County</li>
 </ul>A&nbsp;Hazard status&nbsp;indicates that a harmful algal bloom is present, and extreme conditions exist.&nbsp;When a hazard is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:<ul>
 <li>Signage should be posted at all public access locations.</li><li>It is recommended that either a portion of the lake or the entire lake or zone, be closed to the public.</li><li>In some cases, the adjacent land should be closed as well. Actual setback distances will be determined on a site-specific basis, if necessary.</li><li>When partial closures (i.e., beach or cove) are issued, the remaining lake or zone area will carry a warning status.</li>
 </ul>A&nbsp;Warning status&nbsp;indicates that conditions are unsafe for human and pet exposure.&nbsp; Contact with the waterbody should be avoided.When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:<ul>
 <li>Signage should be posted at all public access locations.</li><li>Inhalation of spray or aerosols may be harmful.</li><li>Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.&nbsp;</li><li>Lake water, regardless of&nbsp;blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.&nbsp;</li><li>Water contact should be avoided.&nbsp;</li><li>Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.&nbsp;</li><li>Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.&nbsp;</li><li>If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.&nbsp;</li><li>Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>A&nbsp;Watch status&nbsp;means that&nbsp;blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.&nbsp;When a watch is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:<ul>
 <li>Signage should be posted at all public access locations.</li><li>Water may be unsafe for humans/animals.</li><li>Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.</li><li>Swimming, wading, skiing and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms.</li><li>Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.</li><li>Clean fish thoroughly with potable water and eat fillet portion only.</li>
 </ul>Advisories are&nbsp;Lifted&nbsp;when cell densities and toxin concentrations dissipate to levels below the Watch thresholds.KDHE investigates publicly accessible bodies of water for&nbsp;blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on credible field observation and sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.&nbsp;If you observe a scum or paint-like surface on the water, small floating&nbsp;blue-green clumps or filaments in the water, or if the water is an opaque green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.For information on&nbsp;blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.wUW3e2y0q3LAZ2sMgPXyN3pXAH3TL5-DTkVc5zqpjdk/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">kdhe.ks.gov/HAB</a>&nbsp;and check out our&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.kuy8zmniJTyAsaA8-A2115W7pK1QyyadugxTeZDjq3s/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">interactive story</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.cz_hofSoU9Isy9Ole81xKTmONh-xjdGuHGqgPShuy88/s/1305913623/br/245236026887-l">informative video</a>.

Public health advisories for Kansas lakes due to blue-green algae

WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;vowed Wednesday to keep running for reelection, rejecting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-debate-democrats-congress-election-aa619e71e1e09868abe22d19fc48e351">growing pressure from Democrats</a>&nbsp;to withdraw after a disastrous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">debate performance</a>&nbsp;raised questions about his readiness to keep campaigning, much less win in November.

But increasingly ominous signs were mounting for the president. Two Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to exit the race while a leading ally publicly suggested how the party might&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-replacement-democratic-ballot-dnc-rules-7aa836b0ae642a68eec86cc0bebd3772">choose someone else</a>. And senior aides said they believed he might only have a matter of days to show he was up to the challenge before anxiety in the party boils over.

“Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running … no one’s pushing me out," Biden said on a call with staffers from his reelection campaign. "I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win.”

In his private conversations, Biden was focused on efforts to course correct from his rocky debate and on the threat that, in his view, former President Donald Trump poses to the country, as he scoured for feedback on what went wrong last Thursday in Atlanta and took responsibility for his performance.

“We had a direct, open, clear-eyed conversation about the debate, his thoughts on what happened and why it wasn't his best evening or best debate,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who spoke with Biden on Tuesday, said in an interview with the Associated Press. “He wanted advice. He was asking earnestly for input and comment on what he should do to restore confidence and support, and what's the best path forward.”

Coons, the president's closest ally on Capitol Hill, said Biden clearly understood the urgency, the difficulty and the importance of the election, as the senator advised that the president do more unscripted, open-ended events to restore confidence in his candidacy. The two also spoke about Biden's schedule and its impact on his political efforts, particularly as he balances that task with critical governing tasks such as the NATO summit in Washington next week.

Biden's efforts to pull multiple levers to salvage his faltering reelection include his impromptu appearance with campaign aides, private conversations with senior lawmakers, a weekend blitz of travel and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-abc-televisiion-debate-1d33bf51fe706e2fd1adea7a83bbf617">network television interview</a>. But he was confronting serious indications that support for him was rapidly eroding on Capitol Hill and among other allies.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., told The New York Times that though he backs Biden as long as he is a candidate, this “is an opportunity to look elsewhere” and what Biden "needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race.”

Senior advisers say they believe the 81-year-old Biden may have mere days to mount a convincing display of his fitness for office before his party’s panic over his debate performance and anger about his response boils over, according to two people with knowledge who insisted on anonymity to more freely discuss strategy. The president accepts the urgency of the task — having reviewed the polling and mountains of media coverage — but he is convinced he can do that in the coming days and insistent that he will not step out of the race, they said.

Biden met for more than hour at the White House on Wednesday night, in person and virtually, with more than 20 Democratic governors including Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. Afterward, the governors described the conversation as “candid” but said they were standing behind Biden despite being concerned about a Trump victory in November.

“The president is our nominee. The president is our party leader,” said Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland. He added that, in the meeting, Biden “was very clear that he’s in this to win."

Despite such reassuring sentiments, a major Democratic donor, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, also called on the president to exit the race, saying, “Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous.” The statement was first reported by The New York Times.

And all that followed Rep. Jim Clyburn, a longtime Biden friend and confidant, saying he'd back a “mini-primary” in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention next month if Biden were to leave the race. The South Carolina Democrat floated an idea that appeared to be laying the groundwork for alternative choices by delegates during the Democrats’ planned virtual roll call that is scheduled before the more formal party convention set to begin Aug. 19 in Chicago.

On CNN, Clyburn said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-biden-fundraising-election-campaign-donations-5709f07420b4f138caa884361653368e">Vice President Kamala Harris</a>, governors and others could join the competition: “It would be fair to everybody.”

Clyburn, a senior lawmaker who is a former member of his party's House leadership team, said he has not personally seen the president act as he did on the debate stage last week and called it “concerning.”

And even as other Democratic allies have remained quiet since Thursday’s debate, there is a growing private frustration about the Biden campaign’s response to his disastrous debate performance at a crucial moment in the campaign — particularly in Biden waiting several days to do direct damage control with senior members of his own party.

One Democratic aide said the lacking response has been worse than the debate performance itself, saying lawmakers who support Biden want to see him directly combatting the concerns about his stamina in front of reporters and voters. The aide was granted anonymity to candidly discuss interparty dynamics.

Most Democratic lawmakers are taking a wait-and-see approach with Biden, though, holding out for a better idea of how the situation plays out through new polling and Biden’s scheduled ABC News interview, according to Democratic lawmakers who requested anonymity to speak bluntly about the president.

When Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who called on Biden to leave the race this week, shopped around his move for support from other Democratic lawmakers, he had no takers and eventually issued a statement on his own, according to a person familiar with the effort granted anonymity to discuss it.

But there was also a sense that the waiting period will soon expire if Biden does not step up his outreach to Capitol Hill or prove otherwise that he’s up to the job.

Some suggested Harris was emerging as the favorite to replace Biden if he were to withdraw, although those involved in private discussions acknowledge that Govs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gavin-newsom">Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;of California and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gretchen-whitmer">Gretchen Whitmer</a>&nbsp;of Michigan remain viable alternatives. But for some insiders, Harris is viewed as the best prospect to quickly unify the party and avoid a messy and divisive convention fight.

Even as pressure around Biden mounted, he and Harris made a surprise appearance on an all-staff reelection campaign call and offered a pep talk. They stressed how important it was to beat Trump, the presumptive nominee, in November and returned to Biden’s previous post-debate vow that when he gets knocked down, he gets up again.

“Just as we beat Donald Trump in 2020, we’re going to beat him again in 2024,” said Biden, who told participants that he would not be dragged out of the race. Harris added: “We will not back down. We will follow our president’s lead. We will fight, and we will win.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked during her briefing with reporters whether Biden would consider stepping down. “Absolutely not,” she said.

“I cannot lay out something that would change the president’s mind," Jean-Pierre said about Biden continuing to seek a second term.

Still, Democrats are unsatisfied with the explanations of Biden’s debate performance, from both White House staff and the president himself. And there is a deeper frustration among some in the party who feel that Biden should have handled questions about his stumbling debate performance much sooner and that he has put them in a difficult position by staying in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>.

The Leadership Now Project, a group of business executives, academics and thought leaders, said in a letter that the “threat of a second Trump term” is great enough that Biden should “pass the torch of this year’s presidential nomination to the next generation of highly capable Democrats.”

Trump’s campaign issued a statement noting that “every Democrat” now calling on the president “to quit was once a supporter of Biden.”

Trump had a slight lead over Biden in two polls of voters conducted after last week's debate. One poll,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/politics/cnn-poll-post-debate/index.html">conducted by SSRS for CNN</a>, found that three-quarters of voters — including more than half of Democratic voters — said the party has a better chance of winning the presidency in November with a candidate other than Biden.

About 7 in 10 voters, and 45% of Democrats, said Biden’s physical and mental ability is a reason to vote against him, according to the CNN/SSRS poll.

And about 6 in 10 voters, including about one-quarter of Democrats, said reelecting Biden would be a risky choice for the country rather than a safe one, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/us/politics/poll-debate-biden-trump.html">a New York Times/Siena College poll</a>. That poll found that Democrats were split on whether Biden should remain the nominee.

Biden campaign pollster Molly Murphy said "today’s polling doesn’t fundamentally change the course of the race."

In a further effort to boost morale, Biden chief of staff Jeff Zients urged White House aides during an all-staff meeting to tune out the “noise” and focus on the task of governing.

Biden himself began making personal outreach on his own,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-debate-democrats-congress-election-aa619e71e1e09868abe22d19fc48e351">speaking privately with senior Democratic lawmakers</a>&nbsp;such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Coons and Clyburn.

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Zeke Miller, Colleen Long, Josh Boak and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux in Washington and Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717102691651.png" alt="File photo -Biden met for more than hour at the White House on Wednesday night, in person and virtually, with more than 20 Democratic governors including Kansas Governor Laura Kelly- File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Biden met for more than hour at the White House on Wednesday night, in person and virtually, with more than 20 Democratic governors including Kansas Governor Laura Kelly- File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;vowed Wednesday to keep running for reelection, rejecting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-debate-democrats-congress-election-aa619e71e1e09868abe22d19fc48e351">growing pressure from Democrats</a>&nbsp;to withdraw after a disastrous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">debate performance</a>&nbsp;raised questions about his readiness to keep campaigning, much less win in November.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Happy Independence Day from the White House! <a href="https://t.co/fsIoKgJMVo">pic.twitter.com/fsIoKgJMVo</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1809078460691710171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But increasingly ominous signs were mounting for the president. Two Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to exit the race while a leading ally publicly suggested how the party might&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-replacement-democratic-ballot-dnc-rules-7aa836b0ae642a68eec86cc0bebd3772">choose someone else</a>. And senior aides said they believed he might only have a matter of days to show he was up to the challenge before anxiety in the party boils over.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When Kansas City has needed millions for better buses, infrastructure, and healthcare support for all, <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> has been there for us. That’s the same story in cities and towns across America. That’s why I’m proud to stand with Joe this 4th of July and every day. <a href="https://t.co/zqhRuHAHSy">pic.twitter.com/zqhRuHAHSy</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1808927369463206068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running … no one’s pushing me out," Biden said on a call with staffers from his reelection campaign. "I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win.”In his private conversations, Biden was focused on efforts to course correct from his rocky debate and on the threat that, in his view, former President Donald Trump poses to the country, as he scoured for feedback on what went wrong last Thursday in Atlanta and took responsibility for his performance.“We had a direct, open, clear-eyed conversation about the debate, his thoughts on what happened and why it wasn't his best evening or best debate,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who spoke with Biden on Tuesday, said in an interview with the Associated Press. “He wanted advice. He was asking earnestly for input and comment on what he should do to restore confidence and support, and what's the best path forward.”Coons, the president's closest ally on Capitol Hill, said Biden clearly understood the urgency, the difficulty and the importance of the election, as the senator advised that the president do more unscripted, open-ended events to restore confidence in his candidacy. The two also spoke about Biden's schedule and its impact on his political efforts, particularly as he balances that task with critical governing tasks such as the NATO summit in Washington next week.Biden's efforts to pull multiple levers to salvage his faltering reelection include his impromptu appearance with campaign aides, private conversations with senior lawmakers, a weekend blitz of travel and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-abc-televisiion-debate-1d33bf51fe706e2fd1adea7a83bbf617">network television interview</a>. But he was confronting serious indications that support for him was rapidly eroding on Capitol Hill and among other allies.Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., told The New York Times that though he backs Biden as long as he is a candidate, this “is an opportunity to look elsewhere” and what Biden "needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race.”Senior advisers say they believe the 81-year-old Biden may have mere days to mount a convincing display of his fitness for office before his party’s panic over his debate performance and anger about his response boils over, according to two people with knowledge who insisted on anonymity to more freely discuss strategy. The president accepts the urgency of the task — having reviewed the polling and mountains of media coverage — but he is convinced he can do that in the coming days and insistent that he will not step out of the race, they said.Biden met for more than hour at the White House on Wednesday night, in person and virtually, with more than 20 Democratic governors including Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. Afterward, the governors described the conversation as “candid” but said they were standing behind Biden despite being concerned about a Trump victory in November.“The president is our nominee. The president is our party leader,” said Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland. He added that, in the meeting, Biden “was very clear that he’s in this to win."Despite such reassuring sentiments, a major Democratic donor, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, also called on the president to exit the race, saying, “Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous.” The statement was first reported by The New York Times.And all that followed Rep. Jim Clyburn, a longtime Biden friend and confidant, saying he'd back a “mini-primary” in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention next month if Biden were to leave the race. The South Carolina Democrat floated an idea that appeared to be laying the groundwork for alternative choices by delegates during the Democrats’ planned virtual roll call that is scheduled before the more formal party convention set to begin Aug. 19 in Chicago.On CNN, Clyburn said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-biden-fundraising-election-campaign-donations-5709f07420b4f138caa884361653368e">Vice President Kamala Harris</a>, governors and others could join the competition: “It would be fair to everybody.”Clyburn, a senior lawmaker who is a former member of his party's House leadership team, said he has not personally seen the president act as he did on the debate stage last week and called it “concerning.”And even as other Democratic allies have remained quiet since Thursday’s debate, there is a growing private frustration about the Biden campaign’s response to his disastrous debate performance at a crucial moment in the campaign — particularly in Biden waiting several days to do direct damage control with senior members of his own party.One Democratic aide said the lacking response has been worse than the debate performance itself, saying lawmakers who support Biden want to see him directly combatting the concerns about his stamina in front of reporters and voters. The aide was granted anonymity to candidly discuss interparty dynamics.Most Democratic lawmakers are taking a wait-and-see approach with Biden, though, holding out for a better idea of how the situation plays out through new polling and Biden’s scheduled ABC News interview, according to Democratic lawmakers who requested anonymity to speak bluntly about the president.When Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who called on Biden to leave the race this week, shopped around his move for support from other Democratic lawmakers, he had no takers and eventually issued a statement on his own, according to a person familiar with the effort granted anonymity to discuss it.But there was also a sense that the waiting period will soon expire if Biden does not step up his outreach to Capitol Hill or prove otherwise that he’s up to the job.Some suggested Harris was emerging as the favorite to replace Biden if he were to withdraw, although those involved in private discussions acknowledge that Govs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gavin-newsom">Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;of California and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gretchen-whitmer">Gretchen Whitmer</a>&nbsp;of Michigan remain viable alternatives. But for some insiders, Harris is viewed as the best prospect to quickly unify the party and avoid a messy and divisive convention fight.Even as pressure around Biden mounted, he and Harris made a surprise appearance on an all-staff reelection campaign call and offered a pep talk. They stressed how important it was to beat Trump, the presumptive nominee, in November and returned to Biden’s previous post-debate vow that when he gets knocked down, he gets up again.“Just as we beat Donald Trump in 2020, we’re going to beat him again in 2024,” said Biden, who told participants that he would not be dragged out of the race. Harris added: “We will not back down. We will follow our president’s lead. We will fight, and we will win.”White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked during her briefing with reporters whether Biden would consider stepping down. “Absolutely not,” she said.“I cannot lay out something that would change the president’s mind," Jean-Pierre said about Biden continuing to seek a second term.Still, Democrats are unsatisfied with the explanations of Biden’s debate performance, from both White House staff and the president himself. And there is a deeper frustration among some in the party who feel that Biden should have handled questions about his stumbling debate performance much sooner and that he has put them in a difficult position by staying in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>.The Leadership Now Project, a group of business executives, academics and thought leaders, said in a letter that the “threat of a second Trump term” is great enough that Biden should “pass the torch of this year’s presidential nomination to the next generation of highly capable Democrats.”Trump’s campaign issued a statement noting that “every Democrat” now calling on the president “to quit was once a supporter of Biden.”Trump had a slight lead over Biden in two polls of voters conducted after last week's debate. One poll,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/politics/cnn-poll-post-debate/index.html">conducted by SSRS for CNN</a>, found that three-quarters of voters — including more than half of Democratic voters — said the party has a better chance of winning the presidency in November with a candidate other than Biden.About 7 in 10 voters, and 45% of Democrats, said Biden’s physical and mental ability is a reason to vote against him, according to the CNN/SSRS poll.And about 6 in 10 voters, including about one-quarter of Democrats, said reelecting Biden would be a risky choice for the country rather than a safe one, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/us/politics/poll-debate-biden-trump.html">a New York Times/Siena College poll</a>. That poll found that Democrats were split on whether Biden should remain the nominee.Biden campaign pollster Molly Murphy said "today’s polling doesn’t fundamentally change the course of the race."In a further effort to boost morale, Biden chief of staff Jeff Zients urged White House aides during an all-staff meeting to tune out the “noise” and focus on the task of governing.Biden himself began making personal outreach on his own,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-debate-democrats-congress-election-aa619e71e1e09868abe22d19fc48e351">speaking privately with senior Democratic lawmakers</a>&nbsp;such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Coons and Clyburn.___Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Zeke Miller, Colleen Long, Josh Boak and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux in Washington and Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Democrat governors say they are standing behind President Biden

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

For the 15th consecutive year, the mill levy for the city of Hays will remain at 25 mills, the same as it has been since 2010.

City commissioners got their first glance at the 2025 draft budget Tuesday with highlights presented by Collin Bielser, deputy city manager.

"The budget is balanced, and reserves are funded. ... Total assessed valuation is up 4.2%,"&nbsp;Bielser said.

"Unfortunately, sales tax receipts are down this year to date," Bielser said. "So, we do project revenues at the end of 2024 to be down about 2.6% below what we originally budgeted."

Sales tax revenues are the primary funding source for the city's general fund. For 2025, a 2% increase over 2024 projections is estimated.

Although general fund spending will be about $178,000 below 2024 levels, operating expenditures will increase by $625,000, mostly due to a 2% step and 3% cost-of-living increases for all city employees.

The number of city employees will also increase by seven, including four more police officers.&nbsp; A new public relations position for the city manager's office has been added.&nbsp;The city will have 183 full-time employees, still below the high of 186 employees in 2023.

Capital improvement projects for 2025 include $8 million that has been set aside for renovation and expansion of the existing Astra Bank building in downtown Hays for the future police station and municipal court.

Another $5 million is included for extending infrastructure to the city's property northeast of the Interstate 70 Exit 161 interchange. 

As the R9 Ranch water transfer project progresses, $6 million will be used for land acquisition costs for the 68-mile pipeline from Edwards County to just south of Hays.

The reconstruction of 32nd/33rd Streets from Willow to Vine is planned to cost $1.8 million.

Reconstruction of the crosswind runway and the Taxiway M intersection at the Hays Regional Airport, which will cost $337,000, is also to be completed. The FAA will pay for 95% of the project.

Commissioner Mason Ruder was pleased with the budget numbers.

"My initial glance through it, projecting revenues down and expenditures up, instead of coming to us in a panic, you put pencil to paper and made it work," Ruder said.

Although revenue is down, the general fund will transfer about $2.15 million to the Commission Capital Reserve account.

Of that transfer amount, about $1.2 million comes from the city's share of the Ellis County 1/4 cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020.&nbsp;

"Times are a little tighter than they have been," said Mayor Shaun Musil, "but we're still moving forward."

Commissioners will have several opportunities to review the budget again in detail prior to the Sept. 12 public hearing.

"If the public has any questions or concerns about this budget, please contact any of the commissioners," said Sandy Jacobs, vice mayor.&nbsp;

The draft budget is available on the city's website at <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/6549/2025-BUDGET-WORKBOOK-DRAFT">www.haysusa.com</a>.

In other business, Jeff Boyle, director of parks, reviewed the renewal of the lease agreement with Fort Hays State University for Larks Park. With a few minor adjustments, the city's cost for the lease should go down slightly. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720041605970.jpeg" alt="Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, presented the proposed 2025 budget to Hays city commissioners Tuesday. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, presented the proposed 2025 budget to Hays city commissioners Tuesday. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostFor the 15th consecutive year, the mill levy for the city of Hays will remain at 25 mills, the same as it has been since 2010.City commissioners got their first glance at the 2025 draft budget Tuesday with highlights presented by Collin Bielser, deputy city manager."The budget is balanced, and reserves are funded. ... Total assessed valuation is up 4.2%,"&nbsp;Bielser said."Unfortunately, sales tax receipts are down this year to date," Bielser said. "So, we do project revenues at the end of 2024 to be down about 2.6% below what we originally budgeted."Sales tax revenues are the primary funding source for the city's general fund. For 2025, a 2% increase over 2024 projections is estimated.Although general fund spending will be about $178,000 below 2024 levels, operating expenditures will increase by $625,000, mostly due to a 2% step and 3% cost-of-living increases for all city employees.The number of city employees will also increase by seven, including four more police officers.&nbsp; A new public relations position for the city manager's office has been added.&nbsp;The city will have 183 full-time employees, still below the high of 186 employees in 2023.Capital improvement projects for 2025 include $8 million that has been set aside for renovation and expansion of the existing Astra Bank building in downtown Hays for the future police station and municipal court.Another $5 million is included for extending infrastructure to the city's property northeast of the Interstate 70 Exit 161 interchange. As the R9 Ranch water transfer project progresses, $6 million will be used for land acquisition costs for the 68-mile pipeline from Edwards County to just south of Hays.The reconstruction of 32nd/33rd Streets from Willow to Vine is planned to cost $1.8 million.Reconstruction of the crosswind runway and the Taxiway M intersection at the Hays Regional Airport, which will cost $337,000, is also to be completed. The FAA will pay for 95% of the project.Commissioner Mason Ruder was pleased with the budget numbers."My initial glance through it, projecting revenues down and expenditures up, instead of coming to us in a panic, you put pencil to paper and made it work," Ruder said.Although revenue is down, the general fund will transfer about $2.15 million to the Commission Capital Reserve account.Of that transfer amount, about $1.2 million comes from the city's share of the Ellis County 1/4 cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020.&nbsp;"Times are a little tighter than they have been," said Mayor Shaun Musil, "but we're still moving forward."Commissioners will have several opportunities to review the budget again in detail prior to the Sept. 12 public hearing."If the public has any questions or concerns about this budget, please contact any of the commissioners," said Sandy Jacobs, vice mayor.&nbsp;The draft budget is available on the city's website at <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/6549/2025-BUDGET-WORKBOOK-DRAFT">www.haysusa.com</a>.In other business, Jeff Boyle, director of parks, reviewed the renewal of the lease agreement with Fort Hays State University for Larks Park. With a few minor adjustments, the city's cost for the lease should go down slightly. Boyle also reviewed facility agreements with the Hays Recreation Commission for&nbsp;Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex, swimming pool services, and recreation facilities. Hays Rec has agreed to increase the city's stop-loss commitment for the municipal pools from $26,000 to $40,000. &nbsp;Water Resources Director Jeff Crispin presented a recommended bid award for sewer point repairs in 73 locations for&nbsp;$299,697 from CC Steel, LLC, Maple Plain, Minnesota.The three items will be voted on at the next city commission meeting.Commissioner Alaina Cunningham was absent from the meeting.