WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for House Republicans to urgently bring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">$95.3 billion aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to a vote, warning that refusal to take up the bill, passed by the Senate in the morning, would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-nato-congress-b1ae8f4702e430d1995d40f3bc05ea06">“playing into Putin’s hands</a>.”

(click below to watch the statement from President Biden)

“Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin," Biden said, raising his voice in strong comments from the White House as he referred to the Russian leader. “We can't walk away now. That's what Putin is betting on.”

But the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package and made clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to Biden’s desk — if at all.

The potential impasse comes at a crucial point in the nearly two-year-old war, and supporters warn that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>. Yet the months-long push to approve the $60 billion in aid for Kyiv that is included in the package has exposed growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.

Biden also lashed at Trump, who on Saturday said during a campaign appearance that he once warned he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">allow Russia</a>&nbsp;to do whatever it wants to NATO member nations that are “delinquent” in devoting 2% of their gross domestic product to defense.

“When America gives its word it means something,” Biden said. “Donald Trump looks at this as if it’s a burden.”

The Senate vote came early Tuesday after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. Yet 22 Republicans voted with nearly all Democrats to pass the package 70-29.

“With this bill, the Senate declares that American leadership will not waver, will not falter, will not fail,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.

The bill’s passage through the Senate with a flourish of GOP support was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>.

“Ukrainian soldiers out of artillery shells, Ukrainian units rationing rounds of ammunition to defend themselves, Ukrainian families worried that the next Russian strike will permanently plunge them into darkness, or worse,” Biden said.

The president appealed to House members in stark terms and called on Johnson to let the matter come to a vote. Ukraine supporters were also hoping that the showing of bipartisan support in the Senate would pressure Johnson to advance the bill. McConnell has made the issue his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.

Speaking directly to his detractors, the longtime Republican leader said in a statement, “History settles every account. And today, on the value of American leadership and strength, history will record that the Senate did not blink.”

Dollars provided by the legislation would purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.

“Putin’s ambitions have never been limited to Ukraine. His goals are far broader. This means that our defense solidarity must be even broader,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media.

In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>&nbsp;and the West Bank, Ukraine, and other populations caught in conflict zones across the globe.

Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, as well as two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, voted against it.

“I cannot in good conscience support sending billions of additional taxpayer dollars for Prime Minister Netanyahu's military campaign in Gaza,” Welch said. “It’s a campaign that has killed and wounded a shocking number of civilians. It’s created a massive humanitarian crisis.”

The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive proposal that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">a bipartisan deal on border security fell apart</a>&nbsp;just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.

After the deal collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.

While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won a healthy showing of GOP support, several Republicans who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.

Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, argued that the U.S. should step back from the conflict and help broker an end to it with Russia's Putin. He questioned the wisdom of continuing to fuel Ukraine’s defense when Putin appears committed to fighting for years.

“I think it deals with the reality that we’re living in, which is they’re a more powerful country, and it’s their region of the world,” he said.

Vance, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, spent several hours on the floor railing against the aid and complaining about Senate process. They dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak.

Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. They pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.

In the House, many Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, but some key GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”

But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position. A majority of his conference opposes the aid, and he is trying to lead the narrowest of majorities and avoid the fate of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in October.

Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border compromise as "dead on arrival,” contributing to its rapid demise.

House Democratic leaders are looking at rarely used procedures to force a vote on the bill, but those represent a long-shot effort without Johnson's support.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to fellow Democrats Tuesday, “The American people deserve an up or down vote, and we will use every available legislative tool to get comprehensive national security legislation over the finish line.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for House Republicans to urgently bring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">$95.3 billion aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to a vote, warning that refusal to take up the bill, passed by the Senate in the morning, would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-nato-congress-b1ae8f4702e430d1995d40f3bc05ea06">“playing into Putin’s hands</a>.”(click below to watch the statement from President Biden)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1328242457881111%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=290" 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>“Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin," Biden said, raising his voice in strong comments from the White House as he referred to the Russian leader. “We can't walk away now. That's what Putin is betting on.”But the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package and made clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to Biden’s desk — if at all.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am grateful to <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderMcConnell</a>, and every US Senator who has supported continued assistance to Ukraine as we fight for freedom, democracy, and the values we all hold dear. For us in Ukraine, continued US assistance helps to save human lives from Russian terror.…&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1757369670460424603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The potential impasse comes at a crucial point in the nearly two-year-old war, and supporters warn that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>. Yet the months-long push to approve the $60 billion in aid for Kyiv that is included in the package has exposed growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.Biden also lashed at Trump, who on Saturday said during a campaign appearance that he once warned he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">allow Russia</a>&nbsp;to do whatever it wants to NATO member nations that are “delinquent” in devoting 2% of their gross domestic product to defense.“When America gives its word it means something,” Biden said. “Donald Trump looks at this as if it’s a burden.”The Senate vote came early Tuesday after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. Yet 22 Republicans voted with nearly all Democrats to pass the package 70-29.“With this bill, the Senate declares that American leadership will not waver, will not falter, will not fail,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.The bill’s passage through the Senate with a flourish of GOP support was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>.“Ukrainian soldiers out of artillery shells, Ukrainian units rationing rounds of ammunition to defend themselves, Ukrainian families worried that the next Russian strike will permanently plunge them into darkness, or worse,” Biden said.The president appealed to House members in stark terms and called on Johnson to let the matter come to a vote. Ukraine supporters were also hoping that the showing of bipartisan support in the Senate would pressure Johnson to advance the bill. McConnell has made the issue his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.Speaking directly to his detractors, the longtime Republican leader said in a statement, “History settles every account. And today, on the value of American leadership and strength, history will record that the Senate did not blink.”Dollars provided by the legislation would purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.“Putin’s ambitions have never been limited to Ukraine. His goals are far broader. This means that our defense solidarity must be even broader,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media.In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>&nbsp;and the West Bank, Ukraine, and other populations caught in conflict zones across the globe.Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, as well as two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, voted against it.“I cannot in good conscience support sending billions of additional taxpayer dollars for Prime Minister Netanyahu's military campaign in Gaza,” Welch said. “It’s a campaign that has killed and wounded a shocking number of civilians. It’s created a massive humanitarian crisis.”The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive proposal that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">a bipartisan deal on border security fell apart</a>&nbsp;just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.After the deal collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won a healthy showing of GOP support, several Republicans who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, argued that the U.S. should step back from the conflict and help broker an end to it with Russia's Putin. He questioned the wisdom of continuing to fuel Ukraine’s defense when Putin appears committed to fighting for years.“I think it deals with the reality that we’re living in, which is they’re a more powerful country, and it’s their region of the world,” he said.Vance, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, spent several hours on the floor railing against the aid and complaining about Senate process. They dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak.Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. They pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.In the House, many Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, but some key GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position. A majority of his conference opposes the aid, and he is trying to lead the narrowest of majorities and avoid the fate of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in October.Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border compromise as "dead on arrival,” contributing to its rapid demise.House Democratic leaders are looking at rarely used procedures to force a vote on the bill, but those represent a long-shot effort without Johnson's support.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to fellow Democrats Tuesday, “The American people deserve an up or down vote, and we will use every available legislative tool to get comprehensive national security legislation over the finish line.”___

🎥 Biden threatens House GOP who oppose Ukraine funding

Sunday, October 8th, 1933-Tuesday, February 13th, 2024

A full obituary will be posted when available.

<h2>Nanette Baumfalk (French)</h2>Sunday, October 8th, 1933-Tuesday, February 13th, 2024A full obituary will be posted when available.

Nanette Baumfalk (French)

‘I think a little of it is just cross-border xenophobia for want of a better term,’ says a lawyer for Liberty Hospital

By ALLISON KITE&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

Liberty Hospital would be at risk of falling into the hands of a for-profit chain and losing important services if Missouri lawmakers block a proposed takeover by the University of Kansas Health System, a board member for the Northland hospital argued last week.&nbsp;

Speaking to a Missouri Senate committee,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.libertyhospital.org/">Liberty Hospital</a>&nbsp;board president Dennis Carter implored lawmakers not to pass legislation meant to kill the proposed deal.&nbsp;

Doing so, he said, could result in the public hospital getting scooped up by a chain that he fears would shutter its labor and delivery center and Level II trauma center.&nbsp;

“If we go for-profit, we’ll be a little bit more than a triage center, but we will not be what Liberty Hospital and the people who voted us into office want us to be,” Carter said.

Liberty’s leadership started looking for another health system in May to forge a partnership to help the hospital meet growing demand in the Kansas City suburbs north of the Missouri River. It announced in October that it had chosen the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/">University of Kansas Health System</a>.

But the idea of the Kansas institution&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/11/university-of-kansas-deal-with-missouri-hospital-feels-terribly-wrong-to-lawmakers/">taking over a Missouri hospital sparked opposition</a>&nbsp;from lawmakers in both states. Kansas Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Republican from Salina, introduced legislation requiring KU health system receive legislative approval before investing in a facility outside of the state.&nbsp;

And in Missouri, Sen. Greg Razer, a Kansas City Democrat, is sponsoring legislation that would prohibit Missouri hospitals from partnering with an out-of-state health system “operated by an institution of higher education” unless a supermajority of voters approve the deal.&nbsp;

Razer said he receives medical care from KU and has no issue with the quality of care the institution provides. He says he objects to the idea of a hospital, governed by a board largely appointed by the Kansas governor, running a Missouri institution.

“Borders have a purpose of being there,” Razer said.&nbsp;

Razer also cited Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who recently argued the proposed arrangement is not legal without legislative approval. While public subdivisions in Missouri —&nbsp;like hospital districts or cities —&nbsp;can enter agreements with subdivisions in other states, Kansas law considers the agreements interstate compacts, which require legislative approval, Bailey argued in a letter to Missouri Senate leadership.

Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing Liberty, said in an interview that executives had spoken to Bailey and there was a “misconception” that the deal would involve an interstate compact.

Instead, Hatfield said, the Liberty hospital district will still own the buildings and land as a political subdivision. The New Liberty Hospital Corporation, the nonprofit that currently operates the hospital, will add the University of Kansas Health System, also a nonprofit, as a “member, which will operate the hospital.

“I’m very confident after talking with them that we have or will be able to satisfy all of their concerns,” Hatfield said.&nbsp;

Madeleine Sieren, a spokeswoman for Bailey, said the attorney general’s position had not changed.&nbsp;

In testimony on Razer’s bill, Hatfield said KU would invest “hundreds of millions of dollars” at Liberty. In an interview, he said, those investments are still the subject of negotiations.&nbsp;

When Liberty started looking for a partner, Hatfield said, one of the primary issues was the need for capital to upgrade their electronic record and IT systems, invest in new equipment and keep up with building maintenance.&nbsp;

Much like countless rural hospitals, he said, Liberty can’t come up with the funds needed to keep up with upgrades.

Hatfield noted both he and Razer attended the University of Missouri and “were taught to hate KU.”&nbsp;

“I think a little of it is just cross-border xenophobia for want of a better term,” Hatfield said, “and I don’t think that’s an appropriate way to make healthcare decisions.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707764113575.png" alt=" The University of Kansas Health System, which has its primary location in Kansas City, Kansas, is set to partner with Liberty Hospital, sparking discontent among some state lawmakers. (Allison Kite/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> The University of Kansas Health System, which has its primary location in Kansas City, Kansas, is set to partner with Liberty Hospital, sparking discontent among some state lawmakers. (Allison Kite/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘I think a little of it is just cross-border xenophobia for want of a better term,’ says a lawyer for Liberty Hospital</h2>By ALLISON KITE&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Liberty Hospital would be at risk of falling into the hands of a for-profit chain and losing important services if Missouri lawmakers block a proposed takeover by the University of Kansas Health System, a board member for the Northland hospital argued last week.&nbsp;Speaking to a Missouri Senate committee,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.libertyhospital.org/">Liberty Hospital</a>&nbsp;board president Dennis Carter implored lawmakers not to pass legislation meant to kill the proposed deal.&nbsp;Doing so, he said, could result in the public hospital getting scooped up by a chain that he fears would shutter its labor and delivery center and Level II trauma center.&nbsp;“If we go for-profit, we’ll be a little bit more than a triage center, but we will not be what Liberty Hospital and the people who voted us into office want us to be,” Carter said.Liberty’s leadership started looking for another health system in May to forge a partnership to help the hospital meet growing demand in the Kansas City suburbs north of the Missouri River. It announced in October that it had chosen the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/">University of Kansas Health System</a>.But the idea of the Kansas institution&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/11/university-of-kansas-deal-with-missouri-hospital-feels-terribly-wrong-to-lawmakers/">taking over a Missouri hospital sparked opposition</a>&nbsp;from lawmakers in both states. Kansas Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Republican from Salina, introduced legislation requiring KU health system receive legislative approval before investing in a facility outside of the state.&nbsp;The bill has not yet received a hearing.And in Missouri, Sen. Greg Razer, a Kansas City Democrat, is sponsoring legislation that would prohibit Missouri hospitals from partnering with an out-of-state health system “operated by an institution of higher education” unless a supermajority of voters approve the deal.&nbsp;Razer said he receives medical care from KU and has no issue with the quality of care the institution provides. He says he objects to the idea of a hospital, governed by a board largely appointed by the Kansas governor, running a Missouri institution.“Borders have a purpose of being there,” Razer said.&nbsp;Razer also cited Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who recently argued the proposed arrangement is not legal without legislative approval. While public subdivisions in Missouri —&nbsp;like hospital districts or cities —&nbsp;can enter agreements with subdivisions in other states, Kansas law considers the agreements interstate compacts, which require legislative approval, Bailey argued in a letter to Missouri Senate leadership.Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing Liberty, said in an interview that executives had spoken to Bailey and there was a “misconception” that the deal would involve an interstate compact.Instead, Hatfield said, the Liberty hospital district will still own the buildings and land as a political subdivision. The New Liberty Hospital Corporation, the nonprofit that currently operates the hospital, will add the University of Kansas Health System, also a nonprofit, as a “member, which will operate the hospital.“I’m very confident after talking with them that we have or will be able to satisfy all of their concerns,” Hatfield said.&nbsp;Madeleine Sieren, a spokeswoman for Bailey, said the attorney general’s position had not changed.&nbsp;In testimony on Razer’s bill, Hatfield said KU would invest “hundreds of millions of dollars” at Liberty. In an interview, he said, those investments are still the subject of negotiations.&nbsp;When Liberty started looking for a partner, Hatfield said, one of the primary issues was the need for capital to upgrade their electronic record and IT systems, invest in new equipment and keep up with building maintenance.&nbsp;Much like countless rural hospitals, he said, Liberty can’t come up with the funds needed to keep up with upgrades.Hatfield noted both he and Razer attended the University of Missouri and “were taught to hate KU.”&nbsp;“I think a little of it is just cross-border xenophobia for want of a better term,” Hatfield said, “and I don’t think that’s an appropriate way to make healthcare decisions.”&nbsp;

Mo. lawmakers debate blocking University of Kan. deal with Liberty hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-military-aid-ukraine-israel-gaza-0b9c866308cc4c8c13c3f54494371f0b">aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.

The vote came after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. But more than a dozen Republicans voted with almost all Democrats to pass the package 70-29, with supporters arguing that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>.

“It’s been years, perhaps decades, since the Senate has passed a bill that so greatly impacts not just our national security, not just the security of our allies, but also the security of western democracy,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.

The bill’s passage through the Senate was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>. The final vote gained 22 Republicans including Kansas Senator Jerry Moran supporting its passage, while two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, voted against it. Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel.

The other Republicans voting for the bill included Senators Boozman Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn, Cramer, Crapo, Ernst, Grassley, Hoeven, Kennedy, McConnell, Murkowski, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Wicker, and Young.&nbsp;

Yet the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation.

Speaker Mike Johnson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package in a statement Monday evening, making clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to President Joe Biden's desk — if at all.

Still, the vote was a win for both Senate leaders. Schumer noted the strong bipartisan support and projected that if the House speaker brings it forward it would have the same strong support in that chamber. McConnell has made Ukraine his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.

Speaking directly to his detractors in a floor speech on Sunday, McConnell said that “the eyes of the world” were on the U.S. Senate.

“Will we give those who wish us harm more reason to question our resolve, or will we recommit to exercising American strength?” McConnell asked.

In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.2 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>.

The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive bill that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.

But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.

After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.

While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won enough Republican support to pass, several GOP senators who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking.

Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.

Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis angrily rebutted some of their arguments, noting that the money would only help Ukraine for less than a year and that much of it would go to replenishing U.S. military stocks.

“Why am I so focused on this vote?” Tillis said. “Because I don’t want to be on the pages of history that we will regret if we walk away. You will see the alliance that is supporting Ukraine crumble. You will ultimately see China become emboldened. And I am not going to be on that page of history.”

At a rally Saturday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">said that he had once told</a>&nbsp;a NATO ally he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to members that are “delinquent” in their financial and military commitments to the alliance. The former president has&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/pronto/20e902788e8701999ce0424f73d478cc">led his party away</a>&nbsp;from the foreign policy doctrines of aggressive American involvement overseas and toward an “America First” isolationism.

Evoking the slogan, Moran said, “I believe in America first, but unfortunately America first means we have to engage in the world.”

While the vast majority of House Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, a handful of GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”

Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border plan as a “non-starter,” contributing to its rapid demise.

“Now, in the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,” Johnson said. “America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo.”

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia Democrat, traveled to Kyiv last week with Turner and other House members. She said the trip underscored to her how Ukraine is still in a fight for its very existence.

As the group traveled through Kyiv in armored vehicles, she said, they witnessed signs of an active war, from sandbagged shelters to burned-out cars and memorials to those killed. During the meeting with Zelenskyy, she said the U.S. lawmakers tried to offer assurances that the American people still stand with his country.

“He was clear that our continued support is critical to their ability to win the war,” Spanberger said. “It’s critical to their own freedom. And importantly, it’s critical to U.S. national security interests.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707796196671.png" alt="Sen. Jerry Moran became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Jerry Moran became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-military-aid-ukraine-israel-gaza-0b9c866308cc4c8c13c3f54494371f0b">aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.The vote came after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. But more than a dozen Republicans voted with almost all Democrats to pass the package 70-29, with supporters arguing that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I believe in America First, but unfortunately America First means we have to engage in the world.&quot;-Senator Moran (R-KS) from the Senate floor in support of the $95B foreign aid to Israel, Ukraine &amp; Taiwan bill. <a href="https://t.co/ID6c1qL7MP">pic.twitter.com/ID6c1qL7MP</a>&mdash; Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1757175089731170755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s been years, perhaps decades, since the Senate has passed a bill that so greatly impacts not just our national security, not just the security of our allies, but also the security of western democracy,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.The bill’s passage through the Senate was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>. The final vote gained 22 Republicans including Kansas Senator Jerry Moran supporting its passage, while two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, voted against it. Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel.The other Republicans voting for the bill included Senators Boozman Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn, Cramer, Crapo, Ernst, Grassley, Hoeven, Kennedy, McConnell, Murkowski, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Wicker, and Young.&nbsp;Yet the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on Senate’s failure to address the most critical aspect of national security supplemental legislation: <a href="https://t.co/ENjJ0WzKsK">pic.twitter.com/ENjJ0WzKsK</a>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1757210505570087039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker Mike Johnson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package in a statement Monday evening, making clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to President Joe Biden's desk — if at all.Still, the vote was a win for both Senate leaders. Schumer noted the strong bipartisan support and projected that if the House speaker brings it forward it would have the same strong support in that chamber. McConnell has made Ukraine his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.Speaking directly to his detractors in a floor speech on Sunday, McConnell said that “the eyes of the world” were on the U.S. Senate.“Will we give those who wish us harm more reason to question our resolve, or will we recommit to exercising American strength?” McConnell asked.Dollars provided by the legislation would purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.2 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>.The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive bill that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707792235922.png" alt="Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., arrives as the Senate prepares a procedural vote on an emergency spending package on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., arrives as the Senate prepares a procedural vote on an emergency spending package on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on today&#39;s vote. ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/PAcnRyILda">pic.twitter.com/PAcnRyILda</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1757479640036249601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won enough Republican support to pass, several GOP senators who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking.Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Democrats&#39; border ‘efforts’ were only ever a charade to find an avenue for more Ukraine funding. It&#39;s never been about helping Israel or addressing the historic border crisis- it&#39;s always been about finding a vessel for more Ukraine funding. <a href="https://t.co/21PH5Qerdf">pic.twitter.com/21PH5Qerdf</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1757190709445042555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, argued that the U.S. should step back from the conflict and help broker an end to it with Russia's Putin. He questioned the wisdom of continuing to fuel Ukraine’s defense when Putin appears committed to fighting for years.“I think it deals with the reality that we’re living in, which is they’re a more powerful country, and it’s their region of the world,” he said.Vance, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, spent several hours on the floor railing against the aid and complaining about Senate process. They dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak.Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor.North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis angrily rebutted some of their arguments, noting that the money would only help Ukraine for less than a year and that much of it would go to replenishing U.S. military stocks.“Why am I so focused on this vote?” Tillis said. “Because I don’t want to be on the pages of history that we will regret if we walk away. You will see the alliance that is supporting Ukraine crumble. You will ultimately see China become emboldened. And I am not going to be on that page of history.”At a rally Saturday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">said that he had once told</a>&nbsp;a NATO ally he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to members that are “delinquent” in their financial and military commitments to the alliance. The former president has&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/pronto/20e902788e8701999ce0424f73d478cc">led his party away</a>&nbsp;from the foreign policy doctrines of aggressive American involvement overseas and toward an “America First” isolationism.Evoking the slogan, Moran said, “I believe in America first, but unfortunately America first means we have to engage in the world.”While the vast majority of House Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, a handful of GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position. A majority of his conference opposes the aid, and he is trying to lead the narrowest of majorities and avoid the fate of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in October.Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border plan as a “non-starter,” contributing to its rapid demise.“Now, in the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,” Johnson said. “America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo.”Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia Democrat, traveled to Kyiv last week with Turner and other House members. She said the trip underscored to her how Ukraine is still in a fight for its very existence.As the group traveled through Kyiv in armored vehicles, she said, they witnessed signs of an active war, from sandbagged shelters to burned-out cars and memorials to those killed. During the meeting with Zelenskyy, she said the U.S. lawmakers tried to offer assurances that the American people still stand with his country.“He was clear that our continued support is critical to their ability to win the war,” Spanberger said. “It’s critical to their own freedom. And importantly, it’s critical to U.S. national security interests.”

Moran's emotional plea helps Senate pass $95B aid package for Ukraine, Israel 

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas county jail inmate with a history of health issue died on Sunday.

On January 28, EMS transported a Sedgwick County inmate to a local hospital&nbsp; due to chronic medical problems, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

The 36-year-old inmate identified as Kelly Junius Peterson, according to Sedgwick County booking records, was being evaluated by the Detention Facility Medical Clinic for the past three years after reporting difficulties with his chronic medical issues to jail medical staff. He was hospitalized for a total of 25 times since his arrest in October of 2020&nbsp;on felony charges of Criminal Sodomy, Aggravated Indecent Liberties and Sexual Exploitation of a child.

The hospital staff had been attempting to treat Peterson, but his condition had a very small chance of survival.&nbsp; Based on medical advice, on February 8, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office contacted Peterson's family and made accommodations for them to visit him. 

Just before 5:30p.m. Sunday Peterson was pronounced deceased. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation Division were notified.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707701963256.png" alt="PETERSON-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>PETERSON-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas county jail inmate with a history of health issue died on Sunday.On January 28, EMS transported a Sedgwick County inmate to a local hospital&nbsp; due to chronic medical problems, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.The 36-year-old inmate identified as Kelly Junius Peterson, according to Sedgwick County booking records, was being evaluated by the Detention Facility Medical Clinic for the past three years after reporting difficulties with his chronic medical issues to jail medical staff. He was hospitalized for a total of 25 times since his arrest in October of 2020&nbsp;on felony charges of Criminal Sodomy, Aggravated Indecent Liberties and Sexual Exploitation of a child.He was hospitalized eight times in 2023.The hospital staff had been attempting to treat Peterson, but his condition had a very small chance of survival.&nbsp; Based on medical advice, on February 8, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office contacted Peterson's family and made accommodations for them to visit him. Just before 5:30p.m. Sunday Peterson was pronounced deceased. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation Division were notified.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. inmate jailed for child sex crime allegations has died

By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays Post

Cassie Waldschmidt grew up in small-town America but had her sights set on bigger things.

Since graduating from Ellis High School in 2019, Waldschmidt has skydived in Australia, kayaked in Canada and gone snorkeling in the Caribbean. She has seen the sights in Spain and Tasmania and relaxed on beaches in Hawaii, French Polynesia and the Turks and Caicos Islands – and much, much more.

Waldschmidt, who considers herself the adventurous sort, knew from an early age she wanted to make a career out of dancing. So soon after graduating, she moved to Las Vegas to pursue her dream.

“I was a little nervous at first, especially when you move from a small town like Ellis,” Waldschmidt said. “I never drove in the city before. That stood out.”

After several dancing gigs (one-off performances), Waldschmidt landed a role in a Vegas show in December 2021.

“I was so excited,” Waldschmidt said. “I immediately started crying. I was so happy.”

“It felt like everything I was working for finally was coming to fruition,” she added. “Getting your first show – I can’t explain the feeling I had.”

But Waldschmidt’s dream was to become a dancer on a cruise ship.

“I loved it, but I knew there was more I wanted&nbsp; to do,” Waldschmidt said. “It wasn’t my final stop.”

Waldschmidt had applied numerous times previously to become a cast member on a cruise.&nbsp;

Then a fellow dancer in her first show, who had danced on a cruise ship, encouraged Waldschmidt to try again and mention her name when applying.

Disappointment is part of being a dancer, Waldschmidt said. You accept it as a possibility and continue working for your dream.

“It’s a constant battle you have with yourself,” Waldschmidt said. “When you’re first starting out at auditions, you’re going to be told ‘no’ 90 percent of the time.”

“It can be really disheartening because it’s something you really want,” she added. “You really have to remind yourself that perseverance is the biggest thing. Nobody likes rejection, but that’s a big part of what we do.”

That made it all the sweeter for&nbsp;Waldschmidt when she opened her email one day in July 2022 and saw a contract offer from Princess Cruises.

“I think I was the most excited I’ve been in my entire life,” she said.

Waldschmidt moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles for rehearsals with her cast members, then they all flew to Sydney, Australia.&nbsp;

After a day of sight-seeing, Waldschmidt boarded the Majestic Princess on Oct. 31, 2022. It was a two-week cruise, which typically means two shows a night three different nights. There also would be smaller performances during the cruise.

For her high school graduation, Waldschmidt’s three older siblings gifted her with a cruise so she could see what it was like.

“I immediately fell in love with it,” Waldschmidt said. “The shows were fascinating. This was something I really wanted to do.”

Waldschmidt’s dance teacher when she was growing up was Alyssa Dechant, owner of Styles Dance Centre. Dechant was not surprised by Waldschmidt’s success.

“Cassie was one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever had,” Dechant said. “I knew she could do anything she wanted to.”

“I work with a lot of very uniquely talented dancers,” she added. “Cassie was just so determined.”

That determination saw Waldschmidt through tough times just starting out. She graduated from Las Vegas’ Theater Arts Preparatory School in March 2020 – right when the COVID-19 pandemic sent the world to a screeching halt.

“It definitely put a stop to everything entertainment-wise,” Waldschmidt said.

Waldschmidt moved back home and worked at Hays restaurants before moving back to Las Vegas a year later. She then landed a summer job as a performer at an amusement park in Pennsylvania before returning to Las Vegas that fall. She worked gigs there until getting a role in her first show.

“It definitely changed everything I thought was going to happen,” Waldschmidt said of the pandemic. “It ended up working out pretty well.”

Waldschmidt determined that dance was for her even though she had track scholarship offers coming out of high school.

She qualified for state track all four years, competing in four events as both a junior and senior.&nbsp;

Waldschmidt, who holds the school record in the 400-meter dash, was runner-up in that event at state her last two years.

“I can always go back to college if this doesn’t work,” said Waldschmidt, now 23. “I only have one shot of being young and giving it a shot.”

Waldschmidt is set for her third cruise later this month. Performing for others is special for her.

“I like entertaining people and being onstage,” Waldschmidt said. “Some people express themselves through painting, some people express themselves through writing.”

“When you see me the most vulnerable is when I’m dancing,” she added. “I think it’s just rewarding to share part of myself with people. When I’m dancing, it’s the most open and vulnerable I can possibly be.”

While enjoying cruising and still wanting to continue doing it for a while longer, eventually Waldschmidt would like to live and perform in shows in California.

But that’s in the future. Now, she is dancing the night away and seeing what life has to offer.

“Sometimes, it doesn’t feel real,” Waldschmidt said. “Sometimes, I have to pinch myself a little bit.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707514447727.jpeg" alt="Cassie Waldschmidt" />
 <figcaption>Cassie Waldschmidt</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700680730977.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays PostCassie Waldschmidt grew up in small-town America but had her sights set on bigger things.Since graduating from Ellis High School in 2019, Waldschmidt has skydived in Australia, kayaked in Canada and gone snorkeling in the Caribbean. She has seen the sights in Spain and Tasmania and relaxed on beaches in Hawaii, French Polynesia and the Turks and Caicos Islands – and much, much more.Waldschmidt, who considers herself the adventurous sort, knew from an early age she wanted to make a career out of dancing. So soon after graduating, she moved to Las Vegas to pursue her dream.“I was a little nervous at first, especially when you move from a small town like Ellis,” Waldschmidt said. “I never drove in the city before. That stood out.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707514568206.jpeg" alt="Cassie Waldschmidt, who grew up in Ellis, first worked as a dancer in Las Vegas after graduating from high school. Third from left, she is in a go-go costume for a performance. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Cassie Waldschmidt, who grew up in Ellis, first worked as a dancer in Las Vegas after graduating from high school. Third from left, she is in a go-go costume for a performance. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>After several dancing gigs (one-off performances), Waldschmidt landed a role in a Vegas show in December 2021.“I was so excited,” Waldschmidt said. “I immediately started crying. I was so happy.”“It felt like everything I was working for finally was coming to fruition,” she added. “Getting your first show – I can’t explain the feeling I had.”But Waldschmidt’s dream was to become a dancer on a cruise ship.“I loved it, but I knew there was more I wanted&nbsp; to do,” Waldschmidt said. “It wasn’t my final stop.”Waldschmidt had applied numerous times previously to become a cast member on a cruise.&nbsp;No luck.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707514618857.jpeg" alt="In her time off from her main job as a cruise ship dancer, Waldschmidt went sky diving in Australia. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>In her time off from her main job as a cruise ship dancer, Waldschmidt went sky diving in Australia. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Then a fellow dancer in her first show, who had danced on a cruise ship, encouraged Waldschmidt to try again and mention her name when applying.Disappointment is part of being a dancer, Waldschmidt said. You accept it as a possibility and continue working for your dream.“It’s a constant battle you have with yourself,” Waldschmidt said. “When you’re first starting out at auditions, you’re going to be told ‘no’ 90 percent of the time.”“It can be really disheartening because it’s something you really want,” she added. “You really have to remind yourself that perseverance is the biggest thing. Nobody likes rejection, but that’s a big part of what we do.”That made it all the sweeter for&nbsp;Waldschmidt when she opened her email one day in July 2022 and saw a contract offer from Princess Cruises.“I think I was the most excited I’ve been in my entire life,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707514660505.jpeg" alt="Waldschmidt got to see a koala bear up close and personal while in Australia. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Waldschmidt got to see a koala bear up close and personal while in Australia. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Waldschmidt moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles for rehearsals with her cast members, then they all flew to Sydney, Australia.&nbsp;After a day of sight-seeing, Waldschmidt boarded the Majestic Princess on Oct. 31, 2022. It was a two-week cruise, which typically means two shows a night three different nights. There also would be smaller performances during the cruise.For her high school graduation, Waldschmidt’s three older siblings gifted her with a cruise so she could see what it was like.“I immediately fell in love with it,” Waldschmidt said. “The shows were fascinating. This was something I really wanted to do.”Waldschmidt’s dance teacher when she was growing up was Alyssa Dechant, owner of Styles Dance Centre. Dechant was not surprised by Waldschmidt’s success.“Cassie was one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever had,” Dechant said. “I knew she could do anything she wanted to.”“I work with a lot of very uniquely talented dancers,” she added. “Cassie was just so determined.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707514701657.jpeg" alt="Waldschmidt rehearsed before her first time performing on a cruise ship. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Waldschmidt rehearsed before her first time performing on a cruise ship. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>That determination saw Waldschmidt through tough times just starting out. She graduated from Las Vegas’ Theater Arts Preparatory School in March 2020 – right when the COVID-19 pandemic sent the world to a screeching halt.“It definitely put a stop to everything entertainment-wise,” Waldschmidt said.Waldschmidt moved back home and worked at Hays restaurants before moving back to Las Vegas a year later. She then landed a summer job as a performer at an amusement park in Pennsylvania before returning to Las Vegas that fall. She worked gigs there until getting a role in her first show.“It definitely changed everything I thought was going to happen,” Waldschmidt said of the pandemic. “It ended up working out pretty well.”Waldschmidt determined that dance was for her even though she had track scholarship offers coming out of high school.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707514743792.jpeg" alt="The night before her first cruise in October 2022, Waldschmidt visited the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The night before her first cruise in October 2022, Waldschmidt visited the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>She qualified for state track all four years, competing in four events as both a junior and senior.&nbsp;Waldschmidt, who holds the school record in the 400-meter dash, was runner-up in that event at state her last two years.“I can always go back to college if this doesn’t work,” said Waldschmidt, now 23. “I only have one shot of being young and giving it a shot.”Waldschmidt is set for her third cruise later this month. Performing for others is special for her.“I like entertaining people and being onstage,” Waldschmidt said. “Some people express themselves through painting, some people express themselves through writing.”“When you see me the most vulnerable is when I’m dancing,” she added. “I think it’s just rewarding to share part of myself with people. When I’m dancing, it’s the most open and vulnerable I can possibly be.”While enjoying cruising and still wanting to continue doing it for a while longer, eventually Waldschmidt would like to live and perform in shows in California.But that’s in the future. Now, she is dancing the night away and seeing what life has to offer.“Sometimes, it doesn’t feel real,” Waldschmidt said. “Sometimes, I have to pinch myself a little bit.”

 NWester: Ellis’ Waldschmidt dancing ’round world

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — First lady Jill Biden said in an email to campaign donors over the weekend she didn't know what the special counsel was trying to achieve when he suggested President Joe Biden could not remember when his oldest son died.

”We should give everyone grace, and I can’t imagine someone would try to use our son’s death to score political points," she wrote. "If you’ve experienced a loss like that, you know that you don’t measure it in years -- you measure it in grief."

It was an emphatic defense of her husband in a note to supporters as Biden's team worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-special-counsel-classified-documents-election-2024-a54f03441e8145f9d6915858caaac37e">alleviate Democratic concerns</a>&nbsp;over the alarms raised by a special counsel about Biden’s age and memory, in a report determining that Biden would not be charged with any criminal activity for possessing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">classified documents after he left office.</a>

Special Counsel Robert Hur, a Republican former U.S. attorney appointed by Donald Trump, found the president should not face charges for retaining the documents, and described as a hypothetical defense that the 81-year-old president could show his memory was “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations," and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-age-trump-2024-4791639cc06cc0affee55aba80c7e6b3">added that during an interview with investigators</a>&nbsp;that Biden couldn't recall ”even within years" when his oldest son Beau had died.

“Believe me, like anyone who has lost a child, Beau and his death never leave him," Jill Biden said.

It was an unusually personal observation for a special counsel investigating the president's handling of classified documents.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">Beau Biden died in 2015 from a brain tumor.</a>&nbsp;It's something that Biden speaks of regularly, and cites as both a reason why he didn't run in 2016 and a later motivator for his successful 2020 run.

“May 30th is a day forever etched on our hearts,” Jill Biden said in a note to supporters about the day Beau Biden died. “It shattered me, it shattered our family. ... What helped me, and what helped Joe, was to find purpose. That’s what keeps Joe going, serving you and the country we love.”

The references to Beau Biden in Hur's report enraged the president, who later said: “How in the hell dare he raise that?”

(click below to watch President Biden answer questions about his age)

Biden mentioned that he had sat for five hours of interviews with Hur’s team over two days on Oct. 8 and 9, “even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis.”

Voters have been concerned about his age. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">an August poll</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 77% of U.S. adults said Biden is too old to be effective for four more years. It was one of the rare sources of bipartisan agreement during a politically polarized era, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying Biden’s age is a problem.

“Joe is 81, that’s true, but he’s 81 doing more in an hour than most people do in a day. Joe has wisdom, empathy, and vision,” Jill Biden said. “His age, with his experience and expertise, is an incredible asset and he proves it every day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707678366989.png" alt="First lady Jill Biden during opening comments at a Women's Health conference Feb. 7, in Atlanta-White House image" />
 <figcaption>First lady Jill Biden during opening comments at a Women's Health conference Feb. 7, in Atlanta-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — First lady Jill Biden said in an email to campaign donors over the weekend she didn't know what the special counsel was trying to achieve when he suggested President Joe Biden could not remember when his oldest son died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707662434941.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707662459491.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>”We should give everyone grace, and I can’t imagine someone would try to use our son’s death to score political points," she wrote. "If you’ve experienced a loss like that, you know that you don’t measure it in years -- you measure it in grief."It was an emphatic defense of her husband in a note to supporters as Biden's team worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-special-counsel-classified-documents-election-2024-a54f03441e8145f9d6915858caaac37e">alleviate Democratic concerns</a>&nbsp;over the alarms raised by a special counsel about Biden’s age and memory, in a report determining that Biden would not be charged with any criminal activity for possessing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">classified documents after he left office.</a>Special Counsel Robert Hur, a Republican former U.S. attorney appointed by Donald Trump, found the president should not face charges for retaining the documents, and described as a hypothetical defense that the 81-year-old president could show his memory was “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations," and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-age-trump-2024-4791639cc06cc0affee55aba80c7e6b3">added that during an interview with investigators</a>&nbsp;that Biden couldn't recall ”even within years" when his oldest son Beau had died.“Believe me, like anyone who has lost a child, Beau and his death never leave him," Jill Biden said.It was an unusually personal observation for a special counsel investigating the president's handling of classified documents.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">Beau Biden died in 2015 from a brain tumor.</a>&nbsp;It's something that Biden speaks of regularly, and cites as both a reason why he didn't run in 2016 and a later motivator for his successful 2020 run.“May 30th is a day forever etched on our hearts,” Jill Biden said in a note to supporters about the day Beau Biden died. “It shattered me, it shattered our family. ... What helped me, and what helped Joe, was to find purpose. That’s what keeps Joe going, serving you and the country we love.”The references to Beau Biden in Hur's report enraged the president, who later said: “How in the hell dare he raise that?”(click below to watch President Biden answer questions about his age)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F690627529895091%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=243" 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>Biden mentioned that he had sat for five hours of interviews with Hur’s team over two days on Oct. 8 and 9, “even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis.”Voters have been concerned about his age. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">an August poll</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 77% of U.S. adults said Biden is too old to be effective for four more years. It was one of the rare sources of bipartisan agreement during a politically polarized era, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying Biden’s age is a problem.“Joe is 81, that’s true, but he’s 81 doing more in an hour than most people do in a day. Joe has wisdom, empathy, and vision,” Jill Biden said. “His age, with his experience and expertise, is an incredible asset and he proves it every day.”

Read First lady's email that questions special counsel report to 'score political points'

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.&nbsp;– For the third time in four days, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to a statement from the agency.

The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity is not seen as a threat.

An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

In February of 2023, U.S. aircraft including two F16 fighters intercepted four Russian aircraft that flew into a buffer zone of international airspace near Alaska. This was a few days before the U.S. reported shooting down&nbsp; UFOs in the region.

In October 2022, NORAD detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.&nbsp; This was

NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.

NORAD released no additional details on the Russian aircraft tracked this week.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.&nbsp;– For the third time in four days, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to a statement from the agency.The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity is not seen as a threat.An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.In February of 2023, U.S. aircraft including two F16 fighters intercepted four Russian aircraft that flew into a buffer zone of international airspace near Alaska. This was a few days before the U.S. reported shooting down&nbsp; UFOs in the region.In October 2022, NORAD detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.&nbsp; This wasNORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.NORAD released no additional details on the Russian aircraft tracked this week.

NORAD: Russian aircraft tracked near Alaska 3 days this week

JOHNSON COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a violent sex crime.

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Uzziel Badillo-Villalobos was sentenced to just over 12-years in prison, according to Johnson County District Attorney's office.

The sentence stems from an October 2019 incident, according to the&nbsp; &nbsp;district attorney's office. In May of 2020 Badillo-Villalobos was arrested in connection with the crime.

Je was also required to register as a sex offender this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707304491634.png" alt="Badillo-Villalobos" />
 <figcaption>Badillo-Villalobos</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a violent sex crime.On Tuesday, 33-year-old Uzziel Badillo-Villalobos was sentenced to just over 12-years in prison, according to Johnson County District Attorney's office.The sentence stems from an October 2019 incident, according to the&nbsp; &nbsp;district attorney's office. In May of 2020 Badillo-Villalobos was arrested in connection with the crime.Je was also required to register as a sex offender this week.

Kansas man sentenced for violent sex crime

Weston “Wes” Jay Essmiller, 44, passed away February 2, 2024, in Clermont, FL. He was born on October 10, 1979, in Great Bend, KS to Jay and Lesli (Bobbitt) Essmiller. He graduated from Great Bend High School in 1998, survived a bout with cancer in 1999-2000, and graduated from Kansas State University in 2005 with a BS in Agriculture, Horticulture/Landscape Design. He married Lisa Dionne Pryor on June 9, 2007, in Manhattan, KS.

Wes, a resident of Clermont, FL coming from Manhattan, Topeka, and Great Bend, KS was a landscape designer specializing in groundwater management and golf course irrigation supplies. &nbsp;Most recently he had worked as a sales manager for Netafim, USA and NDS, Inc., and had previously served as the executive director for Groundwater Management District #5. &nbsp;Wes was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity (KSU), Ducks Unlimited, and past chairman of Central Kansas Catbackers. &nbsp;He enjoyed hunting, playing golf and all-things K-State. &nbsp;

Survivors include his father and stepmother, Jay and Karla Essmiller of Pawnee Rock; his mother and stepfather, Lesli and Edward Miles of Canton; two sons, Jayden Essmiller and Easton Essmiller; a daughter, Gracelyn Essmiller; two sisters, Manon Emery (Adam) of Rolla, MO and Elizabeth Sneden (Luke) of Overland Park; a brother, Jeremy Essmiller of Great Bend; two nieces, Layna and Annika Emery; a nephew, Zaben Sneden; grandmother, Jeri Shute of Red Cloud, NE; &nbsp;and many uncles, aunts, cousins and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Robert and Grace Essmiller; Bob and Beverly Bobbitt, and Edward Shute.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 15, 2024, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Rev. Daniel Vandenburg presiding. Memorials have been designated to the Essmiller Children’s Education Fund or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707524144681.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Weston “Wes” Jay Essmiller, 44, passed away February 2, 2024, in Clermont, FL. He was born on October 10, 1979, in Great Bend, KS to Jay and Lesli (Bobbitt) Essmiller. He graduated from Great Bend High School in 1998, survived a bout with cancer in 1999-2000, and graduated from Kansas State University in 2005 with a BS in Agriculture, Horticulture/Landscape Design. He married Lisa Dionne Pryor on June 9, 2007, in Manhattan, KS.Wes, a resident of Clermont, FL coming from Manhattan, Topeka, and Great Bend, KS was a landscape designer specializing in groundwater management and golf course irrigation supplies. &nbsp;Most recently he had worked as a sales manager for Netafim, USA and NDS, Inc., and had previously served as the executive director for Groundwater Management District #5. &nbsp;Wes was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity (KSU), Ducks Unlimited, and past chairman of Central Kansas Catbackers. &nbsp;He enjoyed hunting, playing golf and all-things K-State. &nbsp;Survivors include his father and stepmother, Jay and Karla Essmiller of Pawnee Rock; his mother and stepfather, Lesli and Edward Miles of Canton; two sons, Jayden Essmiller and Easton Essmiller; a daughter, Gracelyn Essmiller; two sisters, Manon Emery (Adam) of Rolla, MO and Elizabeth Sneden (Luke) of Overland Park; a brother, Jeremy Essmiller of Great Bend; two nieces, Layna and Annika Emery; a nephew, Zaben Sneden; grandmother, Jeri Shute of Red Cloud, NE; &nbsp;and many uncles, aunts, cousins and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Robert and Grace Essmiller; Bob and Beverly Bobbitt, and Edward Shute.The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 15, 2024, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Rev. Daniel Vandenburg presiding. Memorials have been designated to the Essmiller Children’s Education Fund or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Weston “Wes” Jay Essmiller

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. —The five deceased Marines from the CH-53E helicopter mishap on February 6, have been identified, according to a statement from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The decorated Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and were based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

The Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night on its way back to Miramar from Creech Air Force Base during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-storms-atmospheric-river-383921ec5cc4b41a0b454b236476da5a">a historic storm</a>. The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley.

Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.&nbsp; Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 3, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on January 1, 2024. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Langen enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 14, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on October 1, 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps on March 29, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on August 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.

Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 16, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on September 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.

Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.&nbsp;Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 26, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on November 1, 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

“We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service family’s worst fear,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of HMH-361. “Our top priority now is supporting the families of our fallen heroes, and we ask for your respect and understanding as they grieve. The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together.”

At the time of the mishap, the CH-53E and crew were conducting routine flight training. The mishap is currently under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503351008.png" alt="Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kan., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kan., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. —The five deceased Marines from the CH-53E helicopter mishap on February 6, have been identified, according to a statement from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.The decorated Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and were based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.The Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night on its way back to Miramar from Creech Air Force Base during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-storms-atmospheric-river-383921ec5cc4b41a0b454b236476da5a">a historic storm</a>. The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley.The identities of the Marines are&nbsp;Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.&nbsp; Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 3, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on January 1, 2024. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503381530.png" alt="Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Ariz., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Ariz., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Langen enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 14, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on October 1, 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503174301.png" alt="Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps on March 29, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on August 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503278410.png" alt="Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, N.H., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, N.H., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 16, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on September 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503310587.png" alt="Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Mich., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Mich., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.&nbsp;Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 26, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on November 1, 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.“We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service family’s worst fear,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of HMH-361. “Our top priority now is supporting the families of our fallen heroes, and we ask for your respect and understanding as they grieve. The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together.”At the time of the mishap, the CH-53E and crew were conducting routine flight training. The mishap is currently under investigation.

Kansan among 5 Marines who died in helicopter crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The longstanding concerns about President Joe Biden's age and memory intensified on Thursday after the release of a&nbsp;special counsel's report investigating his possession of classified documents.

(click below to watch Biden's exchange with reporters)

The report described the 81-year-old Democrat's memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor" and having “significant limitations.” It noted that Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.

“My memory is fine,” Biden responded Thursday night from the White House, where he grew visibly angry as he denied forgetting when his son died. Beau Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">died of brain cancer in 2015</a>&nbsp;at the age of 46.

While Biden will not face charges for mishandling classified documents, the report’s assertions about his memory could undermine Biden’s message to voters that he can manage the government and safeguard the country. Voters are already going into this year’s election with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-government-and-politics-ede57ce56fdf7958addec2cf9ef5e0de">severe misgivings about Biden’s age</a>, having scrutinized his gaffes, his coughing, his slow walking and even a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-secret-service-jill-delaware-government-and-politics-d039291d372a38982b533d05d18d7a6f">tumble off his bicycle</a>.

Yet even as Biden defended himself, he committed another gaffe while discussing the Israel-Hamas War and mistakenly referred to Egypt’s leader Abdel Fattah El-Sissi as “the president of Mexico."

In ruling out prosecution of Biden over his retention of highly classified materials as a private citizen, the report from special counsel Robert Hur suggested he would seem too feeble to prosecute: “It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

Biden said the report's descriptions of his memory and his son's death were “extraneous commentary” that “had no place in this report.” About his son's death, Biden said, “How in the hell dare he raise that?”

“Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn’t any of their damn business,” he said. “Every Memorial Day we hold a service remembering him, attended by friends and family and the people who loved him. I don’t need anyone, I don’t need anyone to remind me when he passed away.”

In response to reporters' questions about his memory, Biden disputed the report's statements and said he's “the most qualified person in this country to be president.”

The White House also pushed back on the characterizations of Biden's memory in a Feb. 5 letter from the president's lawyers that was published in Hur's report. The letter argues that Biden's “inability to recall dates or details of events that happened years ago is neither surprising nor unusual,” particularly about when certain documents were packed or moved.

“We do not believe that the report’s treatment of President Biden’s memory is accurate or appropriate,” the letter said. “The report uses highly prejudicial language to describe a commonplace occurrence among witnesses: a lack of recall of years-old events. Such comments have no place in a Department of Justice report.”

It is not unusual for the subjects of government investigations to say they don't recall an event or a conversation in order to avoid issues such as perjury. The special counsel did not release the transcript of the interviews with Biden, so some context is unclear. Former President Donald Trump, the current Republican front-runner, has boasted of his own vast memory but has also at times said in legal proceedings that he does not recall certain events.

Biden noted in a statement issued Thursday that he had sat for five hours of interviews with Hur's team over two days on Oct. 8 and 9, “even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis.”

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">an August poll</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 77% of U.S. adults said Biden is too old to be effective for four more years. It was one of the rare sources of bipartisan agreement during a politically polarized era, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying Biden’s age is a problem.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The longstanding concerns about President Joe Biden's age and memory intensified on Thursday after the release of a&nbsp;special counsel's report investigating his possession of classified documents.(click below to watch Biden's exchange with reporters)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F690627529895091%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=243" 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>The report described the 81-year-old Democrat's memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor" and having “significant limitations.” It noted that Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707478982378.png" alt="Page from the special counsel's report that highlight's Biden's memory challenges.- U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Page from the special counsel's report that highlight's Biden's memory challenges.- U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>“My memory is fine,” Biden responded Thursday night from the White House, where he grew visibly angry as he denied forgetting when his son died. Beau Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">died of brain cancer in 2015</a>&nbsp;at the age of 46.While Biden will not face charges for mishandling classified documents, the report’s assertions about his memory could undermine Biden’s message to voters that he can manage the government and safeguard the country. Voters are already going into this year’s election with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-donald-trump-government-and-politics-ede57ce56fdf7958addec2cf9ef5e0de">severe misgivings about Biden’s age</a>, having scrutinized his gaffes, his coughing, his slow walking and even a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-secret-service-jill-delaware-government-and-politics-d039291d372a38982b533d05d18d7a6f">tumble off his bicycle</a>.Yet even as Biden defended himself, he committed another gaffe while discussing the Israel-Hamas War and mistakenly referred to Egypt’s leader Abdel Fattah El-Sissi as “the president of Mexico."In ruling out prosecution of Biden over his retention of highly classified materials as a private citizen, the report from special counsel Robert Hur suggested he would seem too feeble to prosecute: “It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”Biden said the report's descriptions of his memory and his son's death were “extraneous commentary” that “had no place in this report.” About his son's death, Biden said, “How in the hell dare he raise that?”“Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn’t any of their damn business,” he said. “Every Memorial Day we hold a service remembering him, attended by friends and family and the people who loved him. I don’t need anyone, I don’t need anyone to remind me when he passed away.”In response to reporters' questions about his memory, Biden disputed the report's statements and said he's “the most qualified person in this country to be president.”The White House also pushed back on the characterizations of Biden's memory in a Feb. 5 letter from the president's lawyers that was published in Hur's report. The letter argues that Biden's “inability to recall dates or details of events that happened years ago is neither surprising nor unusual,” particularly about when certain documents were packed or moved.“We do not believe that the report’s treatment of President Biden’s memory is accurate or appropriate,” the letter said. “The report uses highly prejudicial language to describe a commonplace occurrence among witnesses: a lack of recall of years-old events. Such comments have no place in a Department of Justice report.”It is not unusual for the subjects of government investigations to say they don't recall an event or a conversation in order to avoid issues such as perjury. The special counsel did not release the transcript of the interviews with Biden, so some context is unclear. Former President Donald Trump, the current Republican front-runner, has boasted of his own vast memory but has also at times said in legal proceedings that he does not recall certain events.Biden noted in a statement issued Thursday that he had sat for five hours of interviews with Hur's team over two days on Oct. 8 and 9, “even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis.”In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">an August poll</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 77% of U.S. adults said Biden is too old to be effective for four more years. It was one of the rare sources of bipartisan agreement during a politically polarized era, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying Biden’s age is a problem.The release of the report overlapped with recent Biden speeches in which he mistakenly claimed to talk with European leaders — France’s Francois Mitterrand and Germany’s Helmut Kohl — who had, in fact, not held office since the 1990s and had died several years ago.The 77-year-old Trump also faces questions about recent memory lapses. In a January speech, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-trump-mental-fitness-pelosi-522c3cddcaf7b85df5a64658c5041e96">mistakenly and repeatedly</a>&nbsp;confused former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, his major opponent for the GOP nomination, with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.Pelosi was the House speaker during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection by Trump’s supporters who were seeking to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Trump said it was Haley who led the House and alleged she should have done more to secure it.But Republican critics were quick to pile on Thursday as the special counsel's report became public.Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said on X, formerly Twitter, that the report was “alarming” and it's clear that Biden “does not have the cognitive ability to be President.”“If you’re too senile to stand trial, then you’re too senile to be president. Joe Biden is unfit to lead this nation,” said Alex Pfeiffer, a spokesman for Make America Great Again Inc., the main super PAC backing Trump's candidacy.Shortly before the special counsel's report was publicly released, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was playing down Biden's gaffes at the daily news briefing. Jean-Pierre said the slip-ups are “common” for most public figures, including those younger than Biden.“It happens to all of us,” said Jean-Pierre, who noted she herself has misspoken, as has House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.Jean-Pierre tried to say that the public's attention should be focused more on the substance of what Biden was saying about how world leaders are worried about Trump's possible return to the White House.And Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford, D-Nev., on Thursday dismissed concerns about Biden’s mental acuity after the president’s mix-ups earlier this week.“I was with the president on Sunday,” Horsford said, referring to Biden’s Nevada visit. “The president is very well suited to be our commander-in-chief and we’re going to continue to focus on the issues that the American people are focused on.”