BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/Legal%20experts%20have%20called%20the%20measure%20a%20flagrant%20violation%20of%20the%20U.S.%20government's%20purview%20over%20immigration%20enforcement.">Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott</a>&nbsp;on Monday approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-migrants-arrest-explainer-306f644e8bb95333b078ed3923adacf0">sweeping new powers</a>&nbsp;that allow police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the U.S. border and give local judges authority to order them to leave the country, testing the limits of how far a state can go to enforce immigration laws.

Opponents have called the measure the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law — denounced by critics as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill — that was largely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/57fd255191214d54b420a39a96b82451">struck down</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Supreme Court. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and Texas’ law is also likely to face swift legal challenges.

The law, which takes effect in March, allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who don’t leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.

Abbott, who signed the law in front of a section of border fence in Brownsville, predicted the number of people crossing illegally into Texas would drop by “well over 50%, maybe 75%." He did not offer evidence for that estimate.

“The consequences of it are so extreme that the people being smuggled by the cartels, they will not want to be coming into the state of Texas," he said.

The law adds another tension point over immigration amid a struggle between the White House and Senate negotiators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-security-ukraine-congress-senate-biden-cb8d4e3ad8271323cfd9294b527d6615">to reach a deal on border security</a>. Republicans in Congress are demanding changes to the immigration system in exchange for any help for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs.

Texas Republicans have increasingly challenged the U.S. government’s authority over immigration, saying President Joe Biden's administration isn’t doing enough to control the 1,950-mile (3,149-kilometer) southern border. Texas has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migrants-los-angeles-california-texas-immigration-abbott-3fdb47985b34cd8301b61251b590778c">bused more than 65,000 migrants</a>&nbsp;to cities across America since August 2022 and recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-border-wire-522e993680a4d729e538a53a788ec185">installed razor wire</a>&nbsp;along the banks of the Rio Grande, which has snagged and injured some asylum-seekers.

The U.S. government on Monday temporarily shut down two railroad border crossings in Texas, a move that rail operators said would hamper trade ahead of Christmas. Troy Miller, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s acting commissioner, said the closures at Eagle Pass and El Paso were a response to more migrants traveling on freight trains, particularly over the last week.

Miller said authorities are seeing “unprecedented” arrivals at the border, topping 10,000 crossings on some days this month.

Shortly after Abbott signed the new law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said it would challenge the measure in court. More than 20 congressional Democrats also signed a letter urging the U.S. Justice Department to sue to stop the law, known as Senate Bill 4.

“SB 4 is dangerous for the people of Texas and interferes with the federal government’s exclusive authority over immigration and foreign affairs," the letter read.

Mexico’s government also has rebuked the measure. Under bilateral and international agreements, Mexico is required to accept deportations of its own citizens, but not those of other countries. Under the Texas law, migrants ordered to leave would be sent to ports of entry along the border with Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens. In September and October,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-arrests-venezuela-mexico-a89f66759ac97c7ec62e4559af4e48a3">Venezuelans were the largest nationality</a>&nbsp;arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border.

During debate in the Texas House in November, GOP state Rep. David Spiller pushed back against concerns that the law would be used as a dragnet to arrest immigrants statewide. He said enforcement would mostly take place in border counties. But he also rebuffed several efforts by Democrats to narrow the law, including a proposed carve-out for police on college campuses.

Because the illegal entry charge is a misdemeanor, which has a statue of limitation of two years, Spiller has said the law will not be used to target immigrants who have long been settled in the U.S.

“This is not, ‘Round up everyone who is here illegally and ship them back to Mexico,’” he said during debate over the bill.

Opponents have accused Texas Republicans of using the law as a vehicle to force the Supreme Court’s new conservative majority to revisit its landmark 2012 Arizona decision. At the time, Justice Anthony Kennedy said Arizona may have “understandable frustrations” with immigrants who are in the country illegally but that it can’t pursue policies that “undermine federal law.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702952665492.png" alt="Gov. Greg Abbott signed three bills into law at a border wall construction site in Brownsville, Texas on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, that will broaden his border security plans and add funding for more infrastructure to deter illegal immigration. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Greg Abbott signed three bills into law at a border wall construction site in Brownsville, Texas on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, that will broaden his border security plans and add funding for more infrastructure to deter illegal immigration. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/Legal%20experts%20have%20called%20the%20measure%20a%20flagrant%20violation%20of%20the%20U.S.%20government's%20purview%20over%20immigration%20enforcement.">Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott</a>&nbsp;on Monday approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-migrants-arrest-explainer-306f644e8bb95333b078ed3923adacf0">sweeping new powers</a>&nbsp;that allow police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the U.S. border and give local judges authority to order them to leave the country, testing the limits of how far a state can go to enforce immigration laws.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTexasGovernor%2Fvideos%2F1979749065731909%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=40" 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>Opponents have called the measure the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law — denounced by critics as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill — that was largely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/57fd255191214d54b420a39a96b82451">struck down</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Supreme Court. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and Texas’ law is also likely to face swift legal challenges.The law, which takes effect in March, allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who don’t leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.Abbott, who signed the law in front of a section of border fence in Brownsville, predicted the number of people crossing illegally into Texas would drop by “well over 50%, maybe 75%." He did not offer evidence for that estimate.“The consequences of it are so extreme that the people being smuggled by the cartels, they will not want to be coming into the state of Texas," he said.The law adds another tension point over immigration amid a struggle between the White House and Senate negotiators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-security-ukraine-congress-senate-biden-cb8d4e3ad8271323cfd9294b527d6615">to reach a deal on border security</a>. Republicans in Congress are demanding changes to the immigration system in exchange for any help for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs.Texas Republicans have increasingly challenged the U.S. government’s authority over immigration, saying President Joe Biden's administration isn’t doing enough to control the 1,950-mile (3,149-kilometer) southern border. Texas has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migrants-los-angeles-california-texas-immigration-abbott-3fdb47985b34cd8301b61251b590778c">bused more than 65,000 migrants</a>&nbsp;to cities across America since August 2022 and recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-border-wire-522e993680a4d729e538a53a788ec185">installed razor wire</a>&nbsp;along the banks of the Rio Grande, which has snagged and injured some asylum-seekers.The U.S. government on Monday temporarily shut down two railroad border crossings in Texas, a move that rail operators said would hamper trade ahead of Christmas. Troy Miller, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s acting commissioner, said the closures at Eagle Pass and El Paso were a response to more migrants traveling on freight trains, particularly over the last week.Miller said authorities are seeing “unprecedented” arrivals at the border, topping 10,000 crossings on some days this month.Shortly after Abbott signed the new law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said it would challenge the measure in court. More than 20 congressional Democrats also signed a letter urging the U.S. Justice Department to sue to stop the law, known as Senate Bill 4.“SB 4 is dangerous for the people of Texas and interferes with the federal government’s exclusive authority over immigration and foreign affairs," the letter read.Mexico’s government also has rebuked the measure. Under bilateral and international agreements, Mexico is required to accept deportations of its own citizens, but not those of other countries. Under the Texas law, migrants ordered to leave would be sent to ports of entry along the border with Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens. In September and October,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-arrests-venezuela-mexico-a89f66759ac97c7ec62e4559af4e48a3">Venezuelans were the largest nationality</a>&nbsp;arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border.During debate in the Texas House in November, GOP state Rep. David Spiller pushed back against concerns that the law would be used as a dragnet to arrest immigrants statewide. He said enforcement would mostly take place in border counties. But he also rebuffed several efforts by Democrats to narrow the law, including a proposed carve-out for police on college campuses.Because the illegal entry charge is a misdemeanor, which has a statue of limitation of two years, Spiller has said the law will not be used to target immigrants who have long been settled in the U.S.“This is not, ‘Round up everyone who is here illegally and ship them back to Mexico,’” he said during debate over the bill.Opponents have accused Texas Republicans of using the law as a vehicle to force the Supreme Court’s new conservative majority to revisit its landmark 2012 Arizona decision. At the time, Justice Anthony Kennedy said Arizona may have “understandable frustrations” with immigrants who are in the country illegally but that it can’t pursue policies that “undermine federal law.”___

Immigration showdown: New Texas law lets police arrest illegals

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-ship-attacks-bp-yemen-houthis-dcece18717aa59648ff9a6b04fbc798c">ships transiting the Red Sea</a>&nbsp;that have come under attack by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-ship-attack-israel-hamas-69289146266b9042b5896aa4679605ef">drones and ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Tuesday in Bahrain.

The seriousness of the attacks, several of which have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-us-navy-1727df3d95e548c6e4d20b51f096268f">damaged vessels,</a>&nbsp;has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed.

The U.S. military's Central Command reported two more of the attacks on commercial vessels Monday. A strike by an attack drone and a ballistic missile hit a tanker off Yemen, at roughly the same time a cargo ship reported an explosive detonating in the water near them, the military said.

“This is an international challenge that demands collective action,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement released just after midnight in Bahrain. “Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.”

There are about 400 commercial vessels transiting the southern Red Sea, an area roughly the size of Washington D.C. to Boston, at any given time, a senior military official told reporters who are traveling with Austin in the region.

Under the new mission, the military ships will not necessarily escort a specific vessel, but will be positioned to provide umbrella protection to as many as possible at a given time, the official said on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details not made public on how the new operation will work.

Mohammed Abdel-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesman, on Tuesday, challenged the U.S.-created coalition, saying the Iranian-backed rebels would continue targeting Israel-linked vessels off Yemen.

“The American-formed coalition is to protect Israel and militarize the sea without any justification, and will not stop Yemen from continuing its legitimate operations in support of Gaza,” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

He said the Houthis’ attacks “are not a show of force nor a challenge to anyone,” adding, “Whoever seeks to expand the conflict must bear the consequences of his actions.”

On Tuesday the shipping company Maersk announced that for now, it had decided to re-route its ships that have been paused for days outside the strait and Red Sea, and send them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead — a much longer and less efficient passage. Maersk said it welcomed the international security effort, but at the present time, the much longer route would provide "more predictable outcomes” for its customers.

In the last four weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-15d10ed74c7f3cc7fd36fa0f77f73e54">Houthi militants</a>&nbsp;have attacked or seized commercial ships 12 times and still hold 25 members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-houthi-rebels-hijacked-ship-red-sea-dc9b6448690bcf5c70a0baf7c7c34b09">MV Galaxy Leader hostage in Yemen,</a>&nbsp;Austin said in remarks Tuesday in a ministerial meeting on the new maritime mission. The U.S. is still actively seeking member countries to join the mission, and increase the number of navies present and participating.

The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain have joined the new maritime security mission, Austin said. Some of those countries will conduct joint patrols while others provide intelligence support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

One notably absent participant is China, which has warships in the region, but those ships have not responded to previous calls for assistance by commercial vessels, even though some of the ships attacked have had ties to Hong Kong, the military official said.

Several other countries have also agreed to be involved in the operation but prefer not to be publicly named, a defense official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss additional details of the new mission that have not been publicly announced.

The new maritime security mission will be coordinated by the already existing Combined Task Force 153, which was set up in April 2022 to improve maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden. While the task force has primarily provided a headquarters structure to date, the goal of the new mission is to provide ships and other assets to carry out the protection. There have been 39 member nations in CTF 153, but officials were working to determine which of them would participate in this latest effort.

Separately, the United States has also called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the attacks.

In a letter to council members obtained Monday by The Associated Press, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Houthi attacks targeting commercial vessels legally transiting the international waterways continue to threaten “navigational rights and freedoms, international maritime security, and international commerce.”

The 15 council members discussed the Houthi threat behind closed doors Monday but took no immediate action.

Two U.S. warships — the USS Carney and the USS Mason, Navy destroyers — are currently moving through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to help deter and respond to attacks from the Houthis.

The move to set up the expanded operation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">three commercial vessels were struck by missiles</a>&nbsp;fired by Iranian-back Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3. Those attacks were part of an escalating campaign of violence that also included armed and other drones launched in the direction of U.S. warships.

To date, the U.S. has not struck back at the Iranian-back Houthis operating in Yemen or targeted any of the militants’ weapons or other sites. On Monday Austin did not answer a question as to why the Pentagon had not conducted a counterstrike.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702947351254.png" alt="Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III greets Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dec. 18, 2023. Austin traveled to Israel to meet with counterparts and underscore unwavering U.S. commitment to Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law.&nbsp;Photo By:Chad McNeeley, DOD" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III greets Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dec. 18, 2023. Austin traveled to Israel to meet with counterparts and underscore unwavering U.S. commitment to Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law.&nbsp;Photo By:Chad McNeeley, DOD</figcaption>
 </figure>MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-ship-attacks-bp-yemen-houthis-dcece18717aa59648ff9a6b04fbc798c">ships transiting the Red Sea</a>&nbsp;that have come under attack by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-ship-attack-israel-hamas-69289146266b9042b5896aa4679605ef">drones and ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Tuesday in Bahrain.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>The seriousness of the attacks, several of which have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-us-navy-1727df3d95e548c6e4d20b51f096268f">damaged vessels,</a>&nbsp;has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed.The U.S. military's Central Command reported two more of the attacks on commercial vessels Monday. A strike by an attack drone and a ballistic missile hit a tanker off Yemen, at roughly the same time a cargo ship reported an explosive detonating in the water near them, the military said.“This is an international challenge that demands collective action,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement released just after midnight in Bahrain. “Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.”There are about 400 commercial vessels transiting the southern Red Sea, an area roughly the size of Washington D.C. to Boston, at any given time, a senior military official told reporters who are traveling with Austin in the region.Under the new mission, the military ships will not necessarily escort a specific vessel, but will be positioned to provide umbrella protection to as many as possible at a given time, the official said on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details not made public on how the new operation will work.Mohammed Abdel-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesman, on Tuesday, challenged the U.S.-created coalition, saying the Iranian-backed rebels would continue targeting Israel-linked vessels off Yemen.“The American-formed coalition is to protect Israel and militarize the sea without any justification, and will not stop Yemen from continuing its legitimate operations in support of Gaza,” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.He said the Houthis’ attacks “are not a show of force nor a challenge to anyone,” adding, “Whoever seeks to expand the conflict must bear the consequences of his actions.”On Tuesday the shipping company Maersk announced that for now, it had decided to re-route its ships that have been paused for days outside the strait and Red Sea, and send them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead — a much longer and less efficient passage. Maersk said it welcomed the international security effort, but at the present time, the much longer route would provide "more predictable outcomes” for its customers.In the last four weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-15d10ed74c7f3cc7fd36fa0f77f73e54">Houthi militants</a>&nbsp;have attacked or seized commercial ships 12 times and still hold 25 members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-houthi-rebels-hijacked-ship-red-sea-dc9b6448690bcf5c70a0baf7c7c34b09">MV Galaxy Leader hostage in Yemen,</a>&nbsp;Austin said in remarks Tuesday in a ministerial meeting on the new maritime mission. The U.S. is still actively seeking member countries to join the mission, and increase the number of navies present and participating.The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain have joined the new maritime security mission, Austin said. Some of those countries will conduct joint patrols while others provide intelligence support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.One notably absent participant is China, which has warships in the region, but those ships have not responded to previous calls for assistance by commercial vessels, even though some of the ships attacked have had ties to Hong Kong, the military official said.Several other countries have also agreed to be involved in the operation but prefer not to be publicly named, a defense official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss additional details of the new mission that have not been publicly announced.The new maritime security mission will be coordinated by the already existing Combined Task Force 153, which was set up in April 2022 to improve maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden. While the task force has primarily provided a headquarters structure to date, the goal of the new mission is to provide ships and other assets to carry out the protection. There have been 39 member nations in CTF 153, but officials were working to determine which of them would participate in this latest effort.Separately, the United States has also called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the attacks.In a letter to council members obtained Monday by The Associated Press, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Houthi attacks targeting commercial vessels legally transiting the international waterways continue to threaten “navigational rights and freedoms, international maritime security, and international commerce.”The 15 council members discussed the Houthi threat behind closed doors Monday but took no immediate action.Two U.S. warships — the USS Carney and the USS Mason, Navy destroyers — are currently moving through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to help deter and respond to attacks from the Houthis.The move to set up the expanded operation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">three commercial vessels were struck by missiles</a>&nbsp;fired by Iranian-back Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3. Those attacks were part of an escalating campaign of violence that also included armed and other drones launched in the direction of U.S. warships.To date, the U.S. has not struck back at the Iranian-back Houthis operating in Yemen or targeted any of the militants’ weapons or other sites. On Monday Austin did not answer a question as to why the Pentagon had not conducted a counterstrike.___

Operation Prosperity Guardian: US will focus on attacks in the Red Sea

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it.

The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conservatives-synod-lgbtq-5c6e33d4d45aea1b0b5553d3acc799e1">sent to two conservative cardinals</a>&nbsp;that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage.

The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings in question must be non-liturgical in nature and should not be conferred at the same time as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-endorse-same-sex-civil-unions-eb3509b30ebac35e91aa7cbda2013de2">a civil union</a>, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.

But it says requests for such blessings for same-sex couples should not be denied full stop. It offers an extensive and broad definition of the term “blessing” in Scripture to insist that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy should not be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” as a precondition for receiving it.

“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” the document said. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.”

He added: "It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered.”

The document marks the latest gesture of outreach from a pope who has made welcoming LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy. From his 2013 quip, “Who am I to judge?” about a purportedly gay priest, to his 2023 comment to The Associated Press that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“Being homosexual is not a crime,”</a>&nbsp;Francis has distinguished himself from all his predecessors with his message of welcome.

“The significance of this news cannot be overstated,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which supports LGBTQ+ Catholics. “It is one thing to formally approve same-gender blessings, which he had already pastorally permitted, but to say that people should not be subjected to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive God’s love and mercy is an even more significant step.”

The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed same-sex marriage.

And in 2021, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn’t bless the unions of two men or two women because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-decree-same-sex-unions-cannot-bless-sin-077944750c975313ad253328e4cf7443">“God cannot bless sin.”</a>

That document created an outcry, one it appeared even Francis was blindsided by even though he had technically approved its publication. Soon after it was published, he removed the official responsible for it and set about laying the groundwork for a reversal.

In the new document, the Vatican said the church must shy away from “doctrinal or disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying."

It stressed that people in “irregular” unions of extramarital sex — gay or straight — are in a state of sin. But it said that shouldn’t deprive them of God’s love or mercy. “Even when a person’s relationship with God is clouded by sin, he can always ask for a blessing, stretching out his hand to God,” the document said.

Offering such a blessing isn't legitimizing anything. But at the same time, the church shouldn't judge, he said.

“Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it,” the document said.

The Rev. James Martin, who advocates for a greater welcome for LGBTQ+ Catholics, praised the new document as a “huge step forward” and a “dramatic shift” from the Vatican's 2021 policy.

The new document “recognizes the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God’s presence and help in their committed relationships,” he said in an email. "Along with many Catholic priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex marriages.”

Traditionalists, however, were outraged. The traditionalist blogger Luigi Casalini of Messa in Latino (Latin Mass) blog wrote that the document appeared to be a form of heresy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="File photo Pope Francis photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Pope Francis photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it.The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conservatives-synod-lgbtq-5c6e33d4d45aea1b0b5553d3acc799e1">sent to two conservative cardinals</a>&nbsp;that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage.The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings in question must be non-liturgical in nature and should not be conferred at the same time as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-endorse-same-sex-civil-unions-eb3509b30ebac35e91aa7cbda2013de2">a civil union</a>, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.But it says requests for such blessings for same-sex couples should not be denied full stop. It offers an extensive and broad definition of the term “blessing” in Scripture to insist that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy should not be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” as a precondition for receiving it.“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” the document said. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.”He added: "It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered.”The document marks the latest gesture of outreach from a pope who has made welcoming LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy. From his 2013 quip, “Who am I to judge?” about a purportedly gay priest, to his 2023 comment to The Associated Press that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“Being homosexual is not a crime,”</a>&nbsp;Francis has distinguished himself from all his predecessors with his message of welcome.“The significance of this news cannot be overstated,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which supports LGBTQ+ Catholics. “It is one thing to formally approve same-gender blessings, which he had already pastorally permitted, but to say that people should not be subjected to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive God’s love and mercy is an even more significant step.”The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed same-sex marriage.And in 2021, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn’t bless the unions of two men or two women because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-decree-same-sex-unions-cannot-bless-sin-077944750c975313ad253328e4cf7443">“God cannot bless sin.”</a>That document created an outcry, one it appeared even Francis was blindsided by even though he had technically approved its publication. Soon after it was published, he removed the official responsible for it and set about laying the groundwork for a reversal.In the new document, the Vatican said the church must shy away from “doctrinal or disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying."It stressed that people in “irregular” unions of extramarital sex — gay or straight — are in a state of sin. But it said that shouldn’t deprive them of God’s love or mercy. “Even when a person’s relationship with God is clouded by sin, he can always ask for a blessing, stretching out his hand to God,” the document said.Offering such a blessing isn't legitimizing anything. But at the same time, the church shouldn't judge, he said.“Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it,” the document said.The Rev. James Martin, who advocates for a greater welcome for LGBTQ+ Catholics, praised the new document as a “huge step forward” and a “dramatic shift” from the Vatican's 2021 policy.The new document “recognizes the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God’s presence and help in their committed relationships,” he said in an email. "Along with many Catholic priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex marriages.”Traditionalists, however, were outraged. The traditionalist blogger Luigi Casalini of Messa in Latino (Latin Mass) blog wrote that the document appeared to be a form of heresy.

Pope issues controversial new document on same-sex unions

Cherise Marie (Patch) Casper, born on October 14, 1970, in Everett, Washington, left this world December 16, 2023. She was the beloved daughter of Christina Wright (Burrows) and her loving stepfather Michael Wright. Cherise was also preceded in death by her father, Donald Patch, and her devoted husband, Richard Casper.

Cherise leaves behind a legacy of love, family, and a distinctive sense of humor. Known for her blunt and sarcastic wit, she brought laughter to those around her. Cherise is survived by her four children: Amanda (Hanley) and Dustin Stiner of Loveland, Colorado, along with their children Jude, Elijah, Serenity, and Adriana; Daymond and Shanell (Sager) Hanley of Colby, and their daughter Ava Hanley; Nichalos Casper of Colby; and Tiffany (Casper) and Jesse Maynard of Missouri, with their children Rory, Aleczandyr, Temperance, Sylar, and Dorien.

Cherise found joy in being a mother and grandmother, creating lasting memories with her family. In addition to her immediate family, Cherise is survived by her sister, Rae Patch, and brother, Donald Patch.

Cherise Casper will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her unique blend of kindness, warmth, and humor will forever remain in the hearts of those who were touched by her presence. May she rest in eternal peace alongside her husband, Richard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cherise Marie (Patch) Casper, born on October 14, 1970, in Everett, Washington, left this world December 16, 2023. She was the beloved daughter of Christina Wright (Burrows) and her loving stepfather Michael Wright. Cherise was also preceded in death by her father, Donald Patch, and her devoted husband, Richard Casper.Cherise leaves behind a legacy of love, family, and a distinctive sense of humor. Known for her blunt and sarcastic wit, she brought laughter to those around her. Cherise is survived by her four children: Amanda (Hanley) and Dustin Stiner of Loveland, Colorado, along with their children Jude, Elijah, Serenity, and Adriana; Daymond and Shanell (Sager) Hanley of Colby, and their daughter Ava Hanley; Nichalos Casper of Colby; and Tiffany (Casper) and Jesse Maynard of Missouri, with their children Rory, Aleczandyr, Temperance, Sylar, and Dorien.Cherise found joy in being a mother and grandmother, creating lasting memories with her family. In addition to her immediate family, Cherise is survived by her sister, Rae Patch, and brother, Donald Patch.Cherise Casper will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her unique blend of kindness, warmth, and humor will forever remain in the hearts of those who were touched by her presence. May she rest in eternal peace alongside her husband, Richard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cherise Marie (Patch) Casper

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

Ellis County District Judge Tom Drees denied a request Friday to reconsider a sentence handed down earlier this year for a man who admitted
to robbing a Hays Dollar General Store in 2022.

Defense attorney Alex Herman argued on behalf of his client Batalova
Senuoke, 39, and with the support of Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson that
Drees should reconsider the sentencing because they reached a plea agreement.

Both attorneys told the court they were not aware of any
case law that would allow a judge to reconsider a felony sentencing and Drees
denied the motion.

Anderson and Herman expressed frustration at Senuoke’s
initial sentencing in October and again Friday in Ellis County District Court
with Drees’ decision to alter a plea agreement the two sides, and prosecutors
in Jefferson County Kentucky had worked out in a similar case.

Senuoke, who is currently in custody in Kentucky, was
convicted of first-degree robbery charges in Jefferson County, Kentucky. He was
sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crimes in Kentucky.

In October, Drees sentenced Senuoke to a total of 10 years in
prison for aggravated robbery and aggravated battery. Drees set those to run
consecutively with the 12 years in Kentucky. Senuoke will serve
12 years in Kentucky and then return to Kansas to serve an additional 10 years.

At Friday’s hearing, Herman said the state of Kentucky
imposed Senuoke’s sentence there to run concurrent to the one in Kansas, meaning
he would serve just the 12 total years in prison. His Kansas sentence would run
at the same time as the Kentucky sentence.

&nbsp;“Mr. Senuoke is going
to be doing 10 years (in prison), whether it’s in Kentucky or whether it’s in
Kansas,” Herman said. “As a taxpayer, I would prefer that he do it in Kentucky, not in Kansas because that’s going to save us money on housing an individual
for 10 years.” 

Herman claimed that the Kansas Department of Corrections estimates
that it would cost more than $300,000 to house Senuoke for 10 years.

If Drees modified the sentence to run concurrently, Herman
said Senuoke would serve the 10-year sentence in Kentucky.

Herman and Anderson also argued returning Senuoke to serve
his time in Kansas would eventually mean he would be paroled in Kansas and that would make him a resident of the state, something that nobody wants.

“When your honor ordered the sentence to be consecutive
against the request of the state and against the request of the defense, what
your honor did was chose where he would do his 10 years (in prison) not that he
would do 20,” Anderson said.

Anderson claimed that Drees, “has a habit of disrupting plea
agreements far more often than [the court] has a habit of going along with it.”

“That has consequences,” Anderson said, “unintended
consequences and intended consequences.”

He also said the judge's ruling would make it harder for
his office to close cases.

Drees said Senuoke is a felon with several prior convictions
and while he agreed to a reduced sentence from the maximum sentence of 233
months, or 19 years and five months to 10 years, he did not agree to run the
sentence at the same time as the Kentucky sentence because of the harm he did
in Kansas.

“Mr. Senuoke is a violent offender with multiple prior
person felonies. He did great harm to a citizen of Ellis County and the state
of Kansas — great emotional harm, which she may never recover from. It was a
violent crime, and it calls for an imprisonment sentence,” Drees said. “The
court found the 10 years to be appropriate, and the court sentenced him to those
10 years of imprisonment. The court believes it's appropriate to run that
consecutive to Kentucky and the court did that.”

Drees said even if the Kentucky judge elects to run the 12-year prison sentence concurrently with his Kansas prison sentence, he believes Senuoke
would serve 10 years in Kansas and then return to Kentucky to serve the
remainder of his two years there.

Drees disagreed with Anderson's and Herman’s concerns
about the cost of housing Senuoke with the Kansas Department of Corrections for 10 years.

“The cost is also a static cost for the state of Kansas. The
state is not going to pay an additional $300,000 for this individual,” Drees
said. “That is the average cost because Kansas budgets for incarcerating 10,600
people.”

Drees said the state has seen a significant drop in the
number of inmates housed with the Kansas Department of Corrections to fewer than 9,000 this year.

“Kansas is going to pay that cost whether Mr. Senuoke is
here or not,” Drees said.

Drees also rebuffed Anderson’s allegations he has a habit of altering plea agreements.

“I have rarely, rarely gone against plea agreements,” Drees
said. “It’s been a handful of times in the three years that we’ve been
sentencing.”

Anderson disagreed and claimed he has had days that Drees
has “done something to toy with or tweak” with 80-90 percent of the plea
agreements in cases on the docket.

To which Drees said, “I don’t think you’ll be able to show
that, and at the end of the day, that’s my job to impose an appropriate
sentence.”

Drees added, “This is one of those occasions where I disagree
with your plea agreement. I don’t agree with letting Mr. Senuoke commit
multiple, multiple armed robberies and be punished in effect for one.”

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostEllis County District Judge Tom Drees denied a request Friday to reconsider a sentence handed down earlier this year for a man who admitted
to robbing a Hays Dollar General Store in 2022.Defense attorney Alex Herman argued on behalf of his client Batalova
Senuoke, 39, and with the support of Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson that
Drees should reconsider the sentencing because they reached a plea agreement.Both attorneys told the court they were not aware of any
case law that would allow a judge to reconsider a felony sentencing and Drees
denied the motion.Anderson and Herman expressed frustration at Senuoke’s
initial sentencing in October and again Friday in Ellis County District Court
with Drees’ decision to alter a plea agreement the two sides, and prosecutors
in Jefferson County Kentucky had worked out in a similar case.Senuoke, who is currently in custody in Kentucky, was
convicted of first-degree robbery charges in Jefferson County, Kentucky. He was
sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crimes in Kentucky.In October, Drees sentenced Senuoke to a total of 10 years in
prison for aggravated robbery and aggravated battery. Drees set those to run
consecutively with the 12 years in Kentucky. Senuoke will serve
12 years in Kentucky and then return to Kansas to serve an additional 10 years.At Friday’s hearing, Herman said the state of Kentucky
imposed Senuoke’s sentence there to run concurrent to the one in Kansas, meaning
he would serve just the 12 total years in prison. His Kansas sentence would run
at the same time as the Kentucky sentence.&nbsp;“Mr. Senuoke is going
to be doing 10 years (in prison), whether it’s in Kentucky or whether it’s in
Kansas,” Herman said. “As a taxpayer, I would prefer that he do it in Kentucky, not in Kansas because that’s going to save us money on housing an individual
for 10 years.” Herman claimed that the Kansas Department of Corrections estimates
that it would cost more than $300,000 to house Senuoke for 10 years.If Drees modified the sentence to run concurrently, Herman
said Senuoke would serve the 10-year sentence in Kentucky.Herman and Anderson also argued returning Senuoke to serve
his time in Kansas would eventually mean he would be paroled in Kansas and that would make him a resident of the state, something that nobody wants.“When your honor ordered the sentence to be consecutive
against the request of the state and against the request of the defense, what
your honor did was chose where he would do his 10 years (in prison) not that he
would do 20,” Anderson said.Anderson claimed that Drees, “has a habit of disrupting plea
agreements far more often than [the court] has a habit of going along with it.”“That has consequences,” Anderson said, “unintended
consequences and intended consequences.”He also said the judge's ruling would make it harder for
his office to close cases.Drees said Senuoke is a felon with several prior convictions
and while he agreed to a reduced sentence from the maximum sentence of 233
months, or 19 years and five months to 10 years, he did not agree to run the
sentence at the same time as the Kentucky sentence because of the harm he did
in Kansas.“Mr. Senuoke is a violent offender with multiple prior
person felonies. He did great harm to a citizen of Ellis County and the state
of Kansas — great emotional harm, which she may never recover from. It was a
violent crime, and it calls for an imprisonment sentence,” Drees said. “The
court found the 10 years to be appropriate, and the court sentenced him to those
10 years of imprisonment. The court believes it's appropriate to run that
consecutive to Kentucky and the court did that.”Drees said even if the Kentucky judge elects to run the 12-year prison sentence concurrently with his Kansas prison sentence, he believes Senuoke
would serve 10 years in Kansas and then return to Kentucky to serve the
remainder of his two years there.Drees disagreed with Anderson's and Herman’s concerns
about the cost of housing Senuoke with the Kansas Department of Corrections for 10 years.“The cost is also a static cost for the state of Kansas. The
state is not going to pay an additional $300,000 for this individual,” Drees
said. “That is the average cost because Kansas budgets for incarcerating 10,600
people.”Drees said the state has seen a significant drop in the
number of inmates housed with the Kansas Department of Corrections to fewer than 9,000 this year.“Kansas is going to pay that cost whether Mr. Senuoke is
here or not,” Drees said.Drees also rebuffed Anderson’s allegations he has a habit of altering plea agreements.“I have rarely, rarely gone against plea agreements,” Drees
said. “It’s been a handful of times in the three years that we’ve been
sentencing.”Anderson disagreed and claimed he has had days that Drees
has “done something to toy with or tweak” with 80-90 percent of the plea
agreements in cases on the docket.To which Drees said, “I don’t think you’ll be able to show
that, and at the end of the day, that’s my job to impose an appropriate
sentence.”Drees added, “This is one of those occasions where I disagree
with your plea agreement. I don’t agree with letting Mr. Senuoke commit
multiple, multiple armed robberies and be punished in effect for one.”

Ellis County judge dismisses request to reconsider armed robbery sentence

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH Health) continues to explain the circumstances surrounding the hiring of a Chief Financial Officer who had changed his name to hide his true identity and previous felony convictions.

According to a statement on the hospital web site, "As we have previously reported, LMH Health announced on October 30, 2023, that Mike Rogers was no longer in his role as Chief Financial Officer. On October 26, 2023, we became aware of inconsistencies regarding his identity."

"The next day, we confirmed he had legally changed his name, and that he had been convicted of felonies in 2007 and 2005 under his given name of Michael Patrick Brunton.&nbsp;Rogers did not disclose this and other important information in his application or during the interview process."

"We have also disclosed that Rogers was immediately placed on administrative leave, and LMH Health launched an internal process to identify gaps that allowed the fraudulent information to escape identification. This analysis is consistent with being a High Reliability Organization— an organization that operates in complex, high-hazard domains for extended periods without serious accidents or catastrophic failures."

"The findings of that process were presented to the LMH Health Board of Trustees at its November meeting. Due to the nature of the report, it was discussed in an executive session with legal counsel. While the report itself will not be made public because it contains records protected by K.S.A. 45-221, LMH Health continues to place a strong emphasis on candor, trust, and accountability."

"To that end, we want our staff and the community to know we are making process improvements as a result of our findings.&nbsp; This was a very concerning situation, yet because it was caught quickly, and because of existing security protocol, it posed no risk to patient safety or to our finances."

"In her comments at the November 29, 2023, board meeting, Board of Trustees Chair Pat Miller said that high reliability organizations are not without mistakes or missteps, but they are transparent about their errors and take appropriate actions to ensure the mistakes do not happen again."

“The Trustees supported Senior Leadership’s decision to publicly disclose the reason for firing the CFO,” said Miller. “An organization that asks its employees to be open and honest about identifying and correcting mistakes and potential problems must demonstrate these same qualities. Additionally, through our transparency, it may protect other organizations that encounter this individual and/or similar circumstances.”

“Apparently, LMH Health was not the first hospital that hired then quickly fired Mr. Rogers this calendar year,” said Miller. “Had the other hospital disclosed its experience, this person would have been easily excluded during LMH’s CFO search process.”

"We have already made several changes in light of the findings and will make more over the next several months. Included are actions in the following three areas:

"During the meeting, Miller expressed the board’s appreciation for the thoroughness of the assessment and the recommended actions.&nbsp; She noted that the organization’s strong institutional controls protected its financial resources."

“The former CFO never had access to LMH Health’s funds, not even a credit card,” said Miller. “LMH undergoes a rigorous independent financial audit each year, the results of which are publicly disclosed. This event will undergo very close scrutiny during the audit and will be included in the audit findings.”

LMH Health President and CEO Russ Johnson said, “Even the best organizations will make mistakes along the way; it’s how we respond that defines us. I am grateful to and proud of the staff who quickly identified this situation and addressed it. They acted courageously and raised this issue to ensure we could take immediate action.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702821734129.png" alt="LMH Health -Google image" />
 <figcaption>LMH Health -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH Health) continues to explain the circumstances surrounding the hiring of a Chief Financial Officer who had changed his name to hide his true identity and previous felony convictions.According to a statement on the hospital web site, "As we have previously reported, LMH Health announced on October 30, 2023, that Mike Rogers was no longer in his role as Chief Financial Officer. On October 26, 2023, we became aware of inconsistencies regarding his identity.""The next day, we confirmed he had legally changed his name, and that he had been convicted of felonies in 2007 and 2005 under his given name of Michael Patrick Brunton.&nbsp;Rogers did not disclose this and other important information in his application or during the interview process.""We have also disclosed that Rogers was immediately placed on administrative leave, and LMH Health launched an internal process to identify gaps that allowed the fraudulent information to escape identification. This analysis is consistent with being a High Reliability Organization— an organization that operates in complex, high-hazard domains for extended periods without serious accidents or catastrophic failures.""The findings of that process were presented to the LMH Health Board of Trustees at its November meeting. Due to the nature of the report, it was discussed in an executive session with legal counsel. While the report itself will not be made public because it contains records protected by K.S.A. 45-221, LMH Health continues to place a strong emphasis on candor, trust, and accountability.""To that end, we want our staff and the community to know we are making process improvements as a result of our findings.&nbsp; This was a very concerning situation, yet because it was caught quickly, and because of existing security protocol, it posed no risk to patient safety or to our finances.""In her comments at the November 29, 2023, board meeting, Board of Trustees Chair Pat Miller said that high reliability organizations are not without mistakes or missteps, but they are transparent about their errors and take appropriate actions to ensure the mistakes do not happen again."“The Trustees supported Senior Leadership’s decision to publicly disclose the reason for firing the CFO,” said Miller. “An organization that asks its employees to be open and honest about identifying and correcting mistakes and potential problems must demonstrate these same qualities. Additionally, through our transparency, it may protect other organizations that encounter this individual and/or similar circumstances.”“Apparently, LMH Health was not the first hospital that hired then quickly fired Mr. Rogers this calendar year,” said Miller. “Had the other hospital disclosed its experience, this person would have been easily excluded during LMH’s CFO search process.”"We have already made several changes in light of the findings and will make more over the next several months. Included are actions in the following three areas:<ul>
 <li>Communication. We will reduce communication gaps through a formalized system with checks and balances and ensure a single point of contact for hiring information.</li><li>Application process. In addition to third-party online application portals, applicants will be asked to submit a formal resume along with answers to screening questions.</li><li>Documentation of credentials. We will use primary source verification and other direct methods for required elements of the position under consideration. We will also extend the timeframe for background checks beyond industry standards for key positions.</li>
 </ul>"During the meeting, Miller expressed the board’s appreciation for the thoroughness of the assessment and the recommended actions.&nbsp; She noted that the organization’s strong institutional controls protected its financial resources."“The former CFO never had access to LMH Health’s funds, not even a credit card,” said Miller. “LMH undergoes a rigorous independent financial audit each year, the results of which are publicly disclosed. This event will undergo very close scrutiny during the audit and will be included in the audit findings.”LMH Health President and CEO Russ Johnson said, “Even the best organizations will make mistakes along the way; it’s how we respond that defines us. I am grateful to and proud of the staff who quickly identified this situation and addressed it. They acted courageously and raised this issue to ensure we could take immediate action.”

Kan. hospital making changes after CFO hid previous crimes

WASHINGTON (AP) — When you buy eyedrops at a U.S. store, you might assume you're getting a product made in a clean, well-maintained factory that’s passed muster with health regulators.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-fda-infection-cvs-rite-aid-a9471104de34efd152137d3fdba9c260">repeated recalls</a>&nbsp;involving over-the-counter drops are drawing new attention to just how little U.S. officials know about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-fda-warning-india-11624105e31a68102d414594c85766f0">conditions</a>&nbsp;at some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1edfda229b11bf9f9181ff6a1271a6bc">manufacturing plants</a>&nbsp;on the other side of the world — and the limited tools they have to intervene when there's a problem.

The Food and Drug Administration is asking Congress for new powers, including the ability to mandate drug recalls and require eyedrop makers to undergo inspections before shipping products to the U.S. But experts say those capabilities will do little without more staff and resources for foreign inspections, which were a challenge even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced regulators to skip thousands of visits.

“The FDA is not getting its job done in terms of drug quality assurance inspections abroad,” said David Ridley of Duke University and co-author of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00686">recent paper</a>&nbsp;tracking the downturn in inspections. “Very few foreign drugmakers have been inspected in the past four years.”

In 2022, FDA foreign inspections were down 79% from 2019, according to agency records collected by Ridley's group. Inspections increased this year but are still far below pre-pandemic levels.

FDA spokesman Jeremy Kahn said: “The FDA works to inspect as many facilities possible, but ultimately industry is responsible for the quality of their products."

An October recall of two dozen eyedrop brands came after FDA staff found cracked floors, barefoot workers and other unsanitary conditions at a Mumbai plant that supplied products to CVS, Walmart and other major retailers. It was the first time FDA staff had visited the site.

That inspection was prompted by an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">earlier recall</a>&nbsp;of tainted eyedrops from a different Indian plant that's been linked to four&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-ezicare-delsam-outbreak-2a0f0cc1273cc71b122702e6180492ca">deaths</a>&nbsp;and more than a dozen cases of vision loss. That&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-infection-outbreak-fda-1e266befa854dc7c0ce65def0da9a0bc">plant</a>&nbsp;had also never been previously inspected.

“These are very rare instances, but what we’ve seen is that these products can cause real harm,” said Dr. Timothy Janetos, an ophthalmologist at Northwestern University. “Something needs to change.”

Prescription medicines are highly regulated. Before a drugmaker can sell one in the U.S., it must undergo FDA review to establish its safety and effectiveness. As part of the process, the FDA typically inspects the factory where the drug will be made.

But eyedrops and other over-the-counter products don’t undergo preliminary review or inspections. Instead, they are governed by a different system called a monograph, essentially a generic recipe for all medicines in a particular class. So long as drugmakers attest that they are using the standard recipe, they can launch a product within days of filing with the FDA.

“It’s nothing more than electronic paperwork,” said Dr. Sandra Brown of the Dry Eye Foundation, a nonprofit advocating for increased regulation. “There’s no requirement for the facility to be inspected prior to shipping for sale.”

The FDA says it has flexibility to adjust its review process “to ensure safety."

But the agency is asking Congress for the power to require manufacturers of eyedrops and other sterile products to give at least six months notice before shipping products from a new factory. That would give inspectors time to visit facilities that aren’t on their radar.

The proposal could face pushback from some over-the-counter drugmakers, who aren’t accustomed to preapproval inspections.

But Brown says the unique risks of tainted eyedrops require a different approach from pills and tablets.

“Anything you swallow is going to meet up with your stomach acid, which is going to kill most bacteria," Brown said. “It’s much more dangerous to put a product in your eye.”

The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-warns-consumers-not-purchase-or-use-certain-eye-drops-several-major-brands-due-risk-eye">warned consumers</a>&nbsp;in late October not to use the eyedrops sold at CVS, Rite-Aid and other stores. But the products weren’t officially recalled until Nov. 15, almost three weeks later.

That's because Indian manufacturer,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kilitch-healthcare-india-limited-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-various-eye-drops-potential">Kilitch Healthcare</a>, initially declined to cooperate. The FDA can force recalls of food, medical devices and many other products, but it lacks the same authority for drugs and instead must ask companies to voluntarily take action.

The FDA recently asked Congress for mandatory recall authority over drugs.

Since the 1990s, drug manufacturing has increasingly moved to India, China and other lower-cost countries.

The Government Accountability Office has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-103611">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;for years about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-china-us-news-medication-health-care-industry-699f56acec5542ffbc4aa95b8ce6a0cf">FDA’s oversight</a>&nbsp;of the global supply chain, flagging it as a&nbsp;<a href="https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-23-106203/index.html#appendix26">“high-risk” issue</a>&nbsp;for more than a decade.

The FDA said in a statement it uses “all available tools” to ensure Americans get “high quality, safe and effective” medications.

The agency generally prioritizes factories that have never been inspected or haven’t been inspected in the last five years. It halted most routine, in-person foreign inspections in March 2020 and did not resume them until 2022. The agency didn’t conduct any inspections in India during the first year of COVID-19.

FDA leaders have long said it's challenging to recruit and keep overseas inspectors.

Experts say Congress can and should address that.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When you buy eyedrops at a U.S. store, you might assume you're getting a product made in a clean, well-maintained factory that’s passed muster with health regulators.But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-fda-infection-cvs-rite-aid-a9471104de34efd152137d3fdba9c260">repeated recalls</a>&nbsp;involving over-the-counter drops are drawing new attention to just how little U.S. officials know about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-fda-warning-india-11624105e31a68102d414594c85766f0">conditions</a>&nbsp;at some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1edfda229b11bf9f9181ff6a1271a6bc">manufacturing plants</a>&nbsp;on the other side of the world — and the limited tools they have to intervene when there's a problem.The Food and Drug Administration is asking Congress for new powers, including the ability to mandate drug recalls and require eyedrop makers to undergo inspections before shipping products to the U.S. But experts say those capabilities will do little without more staff and resources for foreign inspections, which were a challenge even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced regulators to skip thousands of visits.“The FDA is not getting its job done in terms of drug quality assurance inspections abroad,” said David Ridley of Duke University and co-author of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00686">recent paper</a>&nbsp;tracking the downturn in inspections. “Very few foreign drugmakers have been inspected in the past four years.”In 2022, FDA foreign inspections were down 79% from 2019, according to agency records collected by Ridley's group. Inspections increased this year but are still far below pre-pandemic levels.FDA spokesman Jeremy Kahn said: “The FDA works to inspect as many facilities possible, but ultimately industry is responsible for the quality of their products."An October recall of two dozen eyedrop brands came after FDA staff found cracked floors, barefoot workers and other unsanitary conditions at a Mumbai plant that supplied products to CVS, Walmart and other major retailers. It was the first time FDA staff had visited the site.That inspection was prompted by an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">earlier recall</a>&nbsp;of tainted eyedrops from a different Indian plant that's been linked to four&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-ezicare-delsam-outbreak-2a0f0cc1273cc71b122702e6180492ca">deaths</a>&nbsp;and more than a dozen cases of vision loss. That&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-infection-outbreak-fda-1e266befa854dc7c0ce65def0da9a0bc">plant</a>&nbsp;had also never been previously inspected.“These are very rare instances, but what we’ve seen is that these products can cause real harm,” said Dr. Timothy Janetos, an ophthalmologist at Northwestern University. “Something needs to change.”Experts point to three possible changes:EARLIER INSPECTIONSPrescription medicines are highly regulated. Before a drugmaker can sell one in the U.S., it must undergo FDA review to establish its safety and effectiveness. As part of the process, the FDA typically inspects the factory where the drug will be made.But eyedrops and other over-the-counter products don’t undergo preliminary review or inspections. Instead, they are governed by a different system called a monograph, essentially a generic recipe for all medicines in a particular class. So long as drugmakers attest that they are using the standard recipe, they can launch a product within days of filing with the FDA.“It’s nothing more than electronic paperwork,” said Dr. Sandra Brown of the Dry Eye Foundation, a nonprofit advocating for increased regulation. “There’s no requirement for the facility to be inspected prior to shipping for sale.”The FDA says it has flexibility to adjust its review process “to ensure safety."But the agency is asking Congress for the power to require manufacturers of eyedrops and other sterile products to give at least six months notice before shipping products from a new factory. That would give inspectors time to visit facilities that aren’t on their radar.The proposal could face pushback from some over-the-counter drugmakers, who aren’t accustomed to preapproval inspections.But Brown says the unique risks of tainted eyedrops require a different approach from pills and tablets.“Anything you swallow is going to meet up with your stomach acid, which is going to kill most bacteria," Brown said. “It’s much more dangerous to put a product in your eye.”REQUIRING RECALLSThe FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-warns-consumers-not-purchase-or-use-certain-eye-drops-several-major-brands-due-risk-eye">warned consumers</a>&nbsp;in late October not to use the eyedrops sold at CVS, Rite-Aid and other stores. But the products weren’t officially recalled until Nov. 15, almost three weeks later.That's because Indian manufacturer,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kilitch-healthcare-india-limited-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-various-eye-drops-potential">Kilitch Healthcare</a>, initially declined to cooperate. The FDA can force recalls of food, medical devices and many other products, but it lacks the same authority for drugs and instead must ask companies to voluntarily take action.The FDA recently asked Congress for mandatory recall authority over drugs.FUNDING FOREIGN INSPECTORSSince the 1990s, drug manufacturing has increasingly moved to India, China and other lower-cost countries.The Government Accountability Office has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-103611">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;for years about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-china-us-news-medication-health-care-industry-699f56acec5542ffbc4aa95b8ce6a0cf">FDA’s oversight</a>&nbsp;of the global supply chain, flagging it as a&nbsp;<a href="https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-23-106203/index.html#appendix26">“high-risk” issue</a>&nbsp;for more than a decade.The FDA said in a statement it uses “all available tools” to ensure Americans get “high quality, safe and effective” medications.The agency generally prioritizes factories that have never been inspected or haven’t been inspected in the last five years. It halted most routine, in-person foreign inspections in March 2020 and did not resume them until 2022. The agency didn’t conduct any inspections in India during the first year of COVID-19.FDA leaders have long said it's challenging to recruit and keep overseas inspectors.Experts say Congress can and should address that.

After recalls and infections, experts say safer eyedrops will require new FDA powers

By BENJAMIN DOME Kansas vice president of individual programs for FCCLA

The Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) Family Career and Community Leaders of America, also known as FCCLA, is thriving and strong in Ellis County and the surrounding areas. FCCLA is the only CTSO with family as its core value.

FCCLA has a chapter at every high school in Ellis County with a Family and Consumer Science class. The chapters at Victoria High School, Ellis High School, and the newly formed Hays High School Chapter have been representing Western Kansas extraordinarily on the state and national&nbsp;level.

Victoria High School has over 78 percent of students affiliated with their FCCLA chapter. Nine of those members serve as officers on the local officer team. Victoria FCCLA also hosts District B secretary Kennidy Amrien and the state vice president of individual programs Benjamin Dome.

Both serve on higher executive councils for the area FCCLA district and the state of Kansas.

Additionally, Victoria had six competitive STAR Events compete on the national level at the National Leadership Conference last summer in Denver. Three of these members, Sienna Schmeidler, Jillian Schmidt, and Averi Whindholz, took fifth in the nation with a gold in the Interior Design category. Victoria FCCLA has also been hard at work in the Victoria community.

Their members planned a welcome-back event for every Victoria Jr./Sr. High School student, hosted an American Red Cross blood drive, collected 200 canned goods for the local food pantry, 15 bags of shoes for poorer individuals, planned and threw a holiday bash for elementary students and their parents, and awarded local heroes for their hard work in the community.

Victoria FCCLA also played a vital role at the District B Fall Leadership Conference in Hoisington. Members Sienna Schmeidler and Sage Moos got on stage in front of members from schools ranging from Phillips and Smith County to Barton County to congratulate members on their completion of the Power of One units.

Kennedy Amerin, a senior at Victoria High School and currently serving as the District B secretary, attended two planning meetings to smoothly plan and execute the District B Fall Leadership Conference. Victoria FCCLA has many plans to close out the 1st semester and kick off the 2nd semester positively.

Victoria FCCLA adviser and FCS teacher Connie Braun stated, “Victoria FCCLA has five members interested in running for various higher office positions, and 18 members working on STAR Events.”

Both elections of officers and STAR Events take place in the second semester. Victoria is also poised to host the 2024 District B Star Event Competitions. 

USD 432 Superintendant and Victoria Jr. Sr. High School Principal Kimberley Woolf stated, “We are so excited to host the STAR Events this year on Valentine’s Day for District B FCCLA. Our teachers will be here to help facilitate the rooms and judge. Some of my standout moments as a principal at Victoria are getting to attend some of these events with students and watching them compete.

"It is amazing to see all their months of work come to fruition when they present to their team of judges. Connie Braun is an essential part of all of this! The kids love her for her dedication and commitment.”

Ellis High School FCCLA is also enjoying The Ultimate Journey. Ellis FCCLA boasts a roster of 40 members. One of which, Taegen Shannon, serves as the current District B president.

Part of Shannon’s role is serving on the State Advisory Council and heading the planning of the District B Fall Leadership Conference, which was hosted in Hoisington in early October.

Additionally, Railers in the FCCLA Chapter have been hard at work preparing for the STAR Event competitions. Ellis FCCLA adviser and FCS teacher Mrs. Nihlas stated, “We have a group hard at work preparing for their competition. We also have a member gearing up to run for a higher office as well.” District elections will be hosted in late January at Smith Center High School.

Hays High School is also getting into the action this year. This will be the first year for Hays High to offer FCCLA in it’s school history. District B FCCLA is happy to have them become a part of the FCCLA family. The entire state association is excited to welcome them into the FCCLA community.

Many Ellis County businesses support FCCLA at various levels. Leon’s Welding and Fabrication, LLC, and Great Plains Dermatology are both sponsors of Kansas FCCLA. Leon’s Welding and Fabrication, LLC is a bronze sponsor, and Great Plains Dermatology is a silver sponsor. Kansas FCCLA is extremely thankful for their support.

The state of FCCLA in Ellis County is strong and hopeful. The entirety of the State Executive Council is proud of District B FCCLA and excited to see what Ellis County FCCLA Chapters produce in the coming semester.

By BENJAMIN DOME Kansas vice president of individual programs for FCCLA The Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) Family Career and Community Leaders of America, also known as FCCLA, is thriving and strong in Ellis County and the surrounding areas. FCCLA is the only CTSO with family as its core value.FCCLA has a chapter at every high school in Ellis County with a Family and Consumer Science class. The chapters at Victoria High School, Ellis High School, and the newly formed Hays High School Chapter have been representing Western Kansas extraordinarily on the state and national&nbsp;level.Victoria High School has over 78 percent of students affiliated with their FCCLA chapter. Nine of those members serve as officers on the local officer team. Victoria FCCLA also hosts District B secretary Kennidy Amrien and the state vice president of individual programs Benjamin Dome.Both serve on higher executive councils for the area FCCLA district and the state of Kansas.Additionally, Victoria had six competitive STAR Events compete on the national level at the National Leadership Conference last summer in Denver. Three of these members, Sienna Schmeidler, Jillian Schmidt, and Averi Whindholz, took fifth in the nation with a gold in the Interior Design category. Victoria FCCLA has also been hard at work in the Victoria community.Their members planned a welcome-back event for every Victoria Jr./Sr. High School student, hosted an American Red Cross blood drive, collected 200 canned goods for the local food pantry, 15 bags of shoes for poorer individuals, planned and threw a holiday bash for elementary students and their parents, and awarded local heroes for their hard work in the community.Victoria FCCLA also played a vital role at the District B Fall Leadership Conference in Hoisington. Members Sienna Schmeidler and Sage Moos got on stage in front of members from schools ranging from Phillips and Smith County to Barton County to congratulate members on their completion of the Power of One units.Kennedy Amerin, a senior at Victoria High School and currently serving as the District B secretary, attended two planning meetings to smoothly plan and execute the District B Fall Leadership Conference. Victoria FCCLA has many plans to close out the 1st semester and kick off the 2nd semester positively.Victoria FCCLA adviser and FCS teacher Connie Braun stated, “Victoria FCCLA has five members interested in running for various higher office positions, and 18 members working on STAR Events.”Both elections of officers and STAR Events take place in the second semester. Victoria is also poised to host the 2024 District B Star Event Competitions. USD 432 Superintendant and Victoria Jr. Sr. High School Principal Kimberley Woolf stated, “We are so excited to host the STAR Events this year on Valentine’s Day for District B FCCLA. Our teachers will be here to help facilitate the rooms and judge. Some of my standout moments as a principal at Victoria are getting to attend some of these events with students and watching them compete."It is amazing to see all their months of work come to fruition when they present to their team of judges. Connie Braun is an essential part of all of this! The kids love her for her dedication and commitment.”Ellis High School FCCLA is also enjoying The Ultimate Journey. Ellis FCCLA boasts a roster of 40 members. One of which, Taegen Shannon, serves as the current District B president.Part of Shannon’s role is serving on the State Advisory Council and heading the planning of the District B Fall Leadership Conference, which was hosted in Hoisington in early October.Additionally, Railers in the FCCLA Chapter have been hard at work preparing for the STAR Event competitions. Ellis FCCLA adviser and FCS teacher Mrs. Nihlas stated, “We have a group hard at work preparing for their competition. We also have a member gearing up to run for a higher office as well.” District elections will be hosted in late January at Smith Center High School.Hays High School is also getting into the action this year. This will be the first year for Hays High to offer FCCLA in it’s school history. District B FCCLA is happy to have them become a part of the FCCLA family. The entire state association is excited to welcome them into the FCCLA community.Many Ellis County businesses support FCCLA at various levels. Leon’s Welding and Fabrication, LLC, and Great Plains Dermatology are both sponsors of Kansas FCCLA. Leon’s Welding and Fabrication, LLC is a bronze sponsor, and Great Plains Dermatology is a silver sponsor. Kansas FCCLA is extremely thankful for their support.The state of FCCLA in Ellis County is strong and hopeful. The entirety of the State Executive Council is proud of District B FCCLA and excited to see what Ellis County FCCLA Chapters produce in the coming semester.

LETTER: FCCLA strong in Ellis County, surrounding areas

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The Sedgwick County Zoo announced Thursday that Mitch, a 20-year-old North American Black Bear, has passed away, according to a memorial on the zoo web site.

Mitch was being treated for age-related arthritis and was recently diagnosed with heart disease. During a diagnostic procedure, it was decided that further medical treatment wouldn’t be able to improve his condition, and the extremely difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.

Mitch came to the Sedgwick County Zoo in October of 2003 as a young cub. He was named after the police officer who confiscated him from a home in Springfield, Illinois. He was first delivered to the Henson Robinson Zoo where they checked him medically, raised him until he was weaning age, and then began to search for his long-term home. At the same time, Sedgwick County Zoo was looking to find a male for our habitat here at the Zoo.

Mitch was a character from the start. Since he had only been around humans, he had to learn how to to adjust to “the life of a bear.”

While learning how to be a bear, the team remembers that on one specific day his back feet got wet and he began to drag himself around on his belly, not using his legs. We thought something was wrong with him, and just before we called the veterinary team, he began walking normally again. When it happened again the next day, we realized that he just didn’t like getting his feet wet. Every time he got his feet wet, he would drag himself around in protest. Thankfully it didn’t take long for him to get used to water and begin to enjoy playing in it.

Once he was comfortable with his space at SCZ, the time came for Mitch to meet Ursa, our female bear. We gave them a safe space for him to see, hear and smell each other with high hopes that Ursa would see this new cub and want to teach him everything a bear needs to know. Unfortunately, Ursa decided she was in no mood to befriend a young male, so we needed to wait until Mitch was a little older before putting them together.

Once Mitch was larger and better able to match Ursa we began introductions.&nbsp;One of the zookeepers remembers beginning introductions with Ursa and Mitch not going according to plan. Mitch immediately decided that he was not a fan of this other bear being in his habitat and quickly returned to the bedroom area where all of his humans were anxiously watching.&nbsp;

Keepers worked hard to get the two bears comfortable around one another. Mitch, growing up with humans, was used to being around humans, but not around bears. His team helped to build his confidence around Ursa and eventually the two were comfortable together on the habitat.&nbsp;

Ursa and Mitch were never overly close, but they kept each other company until Ursa passed a few years ago.&nbsp;When Ursa passed, we decided to keep Mitch without a companion as black bears often live solitary lives by nature, and he seemed content with his human caregivers and adoring guests.

Mitch was a sweet, goofy, silly boy who in his sprier days could do a juggling performance with a large branch that was dubbed his “bear-kwondo routine.” He would always have a favorite branch for this and would randomly decide to sit up and do a performance, much to the delight of any onlookers.

He was constantly making people smile and laugh with his silly antics and behaviors. He loved people, and everyone that met him instantly fell in love with him.

In the past few years, he began showing signs of arthritis and was being treated with medication to keep him comfortable. We discovered that he would readily take his medication from a spoon if we inserted the pills into a prune and then covered it in yogurt. He always liked to follow up this treat with his favorite bear chow.

Mitch also loved relaxing. Our favorite sight of him was sprawled out on his back in a hammock. He would even allow food to be tossed directly onto the hammock with him, and would casually grab a carrot, drag it up and over his belly, and then hold it in both paws to eat. In the heat, he would also hang out in his water tank and let the hose run right on him.

During breeding season, he had a “breeding stomp” he would perform to show Zoo guests what a handsome and strong bear he was.&nbsp;He would stomp his front feet on the ground with each step.&nbsp;

Mitch was also very trainable; he would voluntarily cooperate for medical treatments as long as he knew he would get a treat while the work was being done. Mitch had been participating in training as complex as standing for a blood draw. He had great trust in his primary zookeeper and worked with her to accomplish many tasks, including fun ones, like painting.

Unfortunately, with age comes health issues, and Mitch was diagnosed with arthritis and heart disease. He was kept comfortable with big soft beds and appropriate medications, but his care team recently saw a significant decline in his health.

Making the decision to say goodbye was hard.&nbsp; The Prairie will not be the same without him.&nbsp; It’s hard to imagine not seeing his hopeful face every day, waiting for his yogurt-dipped prune.&nbsp;He was loved by many.

We were lucky to be able to be a part of his life for more than 20 years.&nbsp; Happy trails, Mitch!&nbsp;We hope you are eating all the snacks you love and lying in a big hammock after a day full of stomping and “bear-kwando.”

Mitch may no longer be with us, but his legacy will live on through those whose hearts he touched.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702661875674.png" alt="Mitch relaxing in his hammock-photo courtesy Sedgwick Co. Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Mitch relaxing in his hammock-photo courtesy Sedgwick Co. Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — The Sedgwick County Zoo announced Thursday that Mitch, a 20-year-old North American Black Bear, has passed away, according to a memorial on the zoo web site.Mitch was being treated for age-related arthritis and was recently diagnosed with heart disease. During a diagnostic procedure, it was decided that further medical treatment wouldn’t be able to improve his condition, and the extremely difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.Mitch came to the Sedgwick County Zoo in October of 2003 as a young cub. He was named after the police officer who confiscated him from a home in Springfield, Illinois. He was first delivered to the Henson Robinson Zoo where they checked him medically, raised him until he was weaning age, and then began to search for his long-term home. At the same time, Sedgwick County Zoo was looking to find a male for our habitat here at the Zoo.Mitch was a character from the start. Since he had only been around humans, he had to learn how to to adjust to “the life of a bear.”While learning how to be a bear, the team remembers that on one specific day his back feet got wet and he began to drag himself around on his belly, not using his legs. We thought something was wrong with him, and just before we called the veterinary team, he began walking normally again. When it happened again the next day, we realized that he just didn’t like getting his feet wet. Every time he got his feet wet, he would drag himself around in protest. Thankfully it didn’t take long for him to get used to water and begin to enjoy playing in it.Once he was comfortable with his space at SCZ, the time came for Mitch to meet Ursa, our female bear. We gave them a safe space for him to see, hear and smell each other with high hopes that Ursa would see this new cub and want to teach him everything a bear needs to know. Unfortunately, Ursa decided she was in no mood to befriend a young male, so we needed to wait until Mitch was a little older before putting them together.Once Mitch was larger and better able to match Ursa we began introductions.&nbsp;One of the zookeepers remembers beginning introductions with Ursa and Mitch not going according to plan. Mitch immediately decided that he was not a fan of this other bear being in his habitat and quickly returned to the bedroom area where all of his humans were anxiously watching.&nbsp;Keepers worked hard to get the two bears comfortable around one another. Mitch, growing up with humans, was used to being around humans, but not around bears. His team helped to build his confidence around Ursa and eventually the two were comfortable together on the habitat.&nbsp;Ursa and Mitch were never overly close, but they kept each other company until Ursa passed a few years ago.&nbsp;When Ursa passed, we decided to keep Mitch without a companion as black bears often live solitary lives by nature, and he seemed content with his human caregivers and adoring guests.Mitch was a sweet, goofy, silly boy who in his sprier days could do a juggling performance with a large branch that was dubbed his “bear-kwondo routine.” He would always have a favorite branch for this and would randomly decide to sit up and do a performance, much to the delight of any onlookers.He was constantly making people smile and laugh with his silly antics and behaviors. He loved people, and everyone that met him instantly fell in love with him.In the past few years, he began showing signs of arthritis and was being treated with medication to keep him comfortable. We discovered that he would readily take his medication from a spoon if we inserted the pills into a prune and then covered it in yogurt. He always liked to follow up this treat with his favorite bear chow.Mitch also loved relaxing. Our favorite sight of him was sprawled out on his back in a hammock. He would even allow food to be tossed directly onto the hammock with him, and would casually grab a carrot, drag it up and over his belly, and then hold it in both paws to eat. In the heat, he would also hang out in his water tank and let the hose run right on him.During breeding season, he had a “breeding stomp” he would perform to show Zoo guests what a handsome and strong bear he was.&nbsp;He would stomp his front feet on the ground with each step.&nbsp;Mitch was also very trainable; he would voluntarily cooperate for medical treatments as long as he knew he would get a treat while the work was being done. Mitch had been participating in training as complex as standing for a blood draw. He had great trust in his primary zookeeper and worked with her to accomplish many tasks, including fun ones, like painting.Unfortunately, with age comes health issues, and Mitch was diagnosed with arthritis and heart disease. He was kept comfortable with big soft beds and appropriate medications, but his care team recently saw a significant decline in his health.Making the decision to say goodbye was hard.&nbsp; The Prairie will not be the same without him.&nbsp; It’s hard to imagine not seeing his hopeful face every day, waiting for his yogurt-dipped prune.&nbsp;He was loved by many.We were lucky to be able to be a part of his life for more than 20 years.&nbsp; Happy trails, Mitch!&nbsp;We hope you are eating all the snacks you love and lying in a big hammock after a day full of stomping and “bear-kwando.”Mitch may no longer be with us, but his legacy will live on through those whose hearts he touched.

Bear, originally confiscated from a home, dies at Kansas zoo

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Health Department on Friday ordered the temporary closure of a melon-packing plant implicated in salmonella infections that killed five people in Canada and three in the United States.

The department did not name the company involved, but Canada’s Public Health Agency linked the outbreak to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes.

Mexico did not say what violations were found at the plant in the northern border state of Sonora, and said testing was being done to find the source of the contamination.

Inspectors took samples of water and swiped surfaces at the plant to look for traces of salmonella bacteria.

Since October, at least 230 people in the U.S. and 129 in Canada have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cantaloupe-salmonella-malichita-recall-b0e630ffcab3aff0936d7c43d3c3b323">sickened in this outbreak.</a>

The cantaloupes implicated in this outbreak include two brands, Malichita and Rudy, that are grown in the Sonora area.

The fruit was imported by Sofia Produce LLC, of Nogales, Arizona, which does business as TruFresh, and Pacific Trellis Fruit LLC, of Los Angeles. So far, more than 36,000 boxes or cases of cantaloupe have been recalled.

Health&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cantaloupe-precut-salmonella-recall-9d96245825d370c85b0c5b71c0c08994">officials are warning</a>&nbsp;consumers, retailers and restaurants not to buy, eat or serve cantaloupe if they don’t know the source.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702734722612.png" alt="-This map published by the FDA Dec. 15 shows where the 302 people in this Salmonella outbreak lived." />
 <figcaption>-This map published by the FDA Dec. 15 shows where the 302 people in this Salmonella outbreak lived.</figcaption>
 </figure>MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Health Department on Friday ordered the temporary closure of a melon-packing plant implicated in salmonella infections that killed five people in Canada and three in the United States.The department did not name the company involved, but Canada’s Public Health Agency linked the outbreak to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes.Mexico did not say what violations were found at the plant in the northern border state of Sonora, and said testing was being done to find the source of the contamination.Inspectors took samples of water and swiped surfaces at the plant to look for traces of salmonella bacteria.Since October, at least 230 people in the U.S. and 129 in Canada have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cantaloupe-salmonella-malichita-recall-b0e630ffcab3aff0936d7c43d3c3b323">sickened in this outbreak.</a>The cantaloupes implicated in this outbreak include two brands, Malichita and Rudy, that are grown in the Sonora area.The fruit was imported by Sofia Produce LLC, of Nogales, Arizona, which does business as TruFresh, and Pacific Trellis Fruit LLC, of Los Angeles. So far, more than 36,000 boxes or cases of cantaloupe have been recalled.Health&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cantaloupe-precut-salmonella-recall-9d96245825d370c85b0c5b71c0c08994">officials are warning</a>&nbsp;consumers, retailers and restaurants not to buy, eat or serve cantaloupe if they don’t know the source.

Melon plant closed after salmonella outbreak left 8 dead 

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been ruled out of the game in New England after having “a cleanup” surgery on his ailing shoulder, coach Andy Reid said Friday, adding that he expects one of the NFL's leading rushers to be back next week.

The Chiefs play the Patriots on Sunday in a game that was flexed out of its original Monday night timeslot.

Pacheco was coming off one of his best games of the season in Green Bay, when he ran 18 times for 110 yards and a score, when the shoulder issue surfaced on the Chiefs' injury report. He did not practice last week and missed the 20-17 loss to Buffalo, and while he participated in walk-throughs this week Pacheco was not ready for any sort of contact.

“Pacheco had a surgery on his shoulder and had some things taken out that were floaters in there, but he’s doing well. He’s moving around good,” Reid said. “We probably anticipate getting him back next week.”

The Chiefs will lean again this week on Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had just 39 yards rushing on 11 carries against the Bills, and third-down back Jerick McKinnon, who was more effective both running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.

Left tackle Donovan Smith also will miss his second straight game with a neck stinger, leaving impressive rookie Wanya Morris to take his place. But the Chiefs got some positive news when linebacker Drue Tranquill returned to practice from a concussion, and when Mike Edwards returned to the field following an illness that had sidelined him earlier in the week.

Wide receiver Justyn Ross, who completed a six-game suspension Monday, returned to practice, but the Chiefs chose to continue using a temporary roster exemption for him. That keeps him from counting toward the club's 53-man roster limit.

Ross was granted diversion for his October arrest on misdemeanor charges of criminal damage and domestic battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702766356826.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) reacts to a run against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) reacts to a run against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been ruled out of the game in New England after having “a cleanup” surgery on his ailing shoulder, coach Andy Reid said Friday, adding that he expects one of the NFL's leading rushers to be back next week.The Chiefs play the Patriots on Sunday in a game that was flexed out of its original Monday night timeslot.Pacheco was coming off one of his best games of the season in Green Bay, when he ran 18 times for 110 yards and a score, when the shoulder issue surfaced on the Chiefs' injury report. He did not practice last week and missed the 20-17 loss to Buffalo, and while he participated in walk-throughs this week Pacheco was not ready for any sort of contact.“Pacheco had a surgery on his shoulder and had some things taken out that were floaters in there, but he’s doing well. He’s moving around good,” Reid said. “We probably anticipate getting him back next week.”The Chiefs will lean again this week on Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had just 39 yards rushing on 11 carries against the Bills, and third-down back Jerick McKinnon, who was more effective both running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.Left tackle Donovan Smith also will miss his second straight game with a neck stinger, leaving impressive rookie Wanya Morris to take his place. But the Chiefs got some positive news when linebacker Drue Tranquill returned to practice from a concussion, and when Mike Edwards returned to the field following an illness that had sidelined him earlier in the week.Wide receiver Justyn Ross, who completed a six-game suspension Monday, returned to practice, but the Chiefs chose to continue using a temporary roster exemption for him. That keeps him from counting toward the club's 53-man roster limit.Ross was granted diversion for his October arrest on misdemeanor charges of criminal damage and domestic battery.“If we're going to do something, we'll do it next week,” Reid said, when asked about adding him onto the roster. “It was good for him to get out there and work. He did all of the scout team reps, so that was a good thing for him.”