KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony Assault in the 1st Degree and other charges as a result of the stabbings this week of two juveniles in a Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Gabriel Martinez, 26, faces Assault 1st Degree, an A felony, and Assault 1st Degree, a B felony, and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to a Kansas City residence on a disturbance in the early morning of July 9. At the scene, officers were told by a woman that her boyfriend, identified as Martinez, was inside with three juveniles, ages 5, 10 and 15, and he was threatening to harm them. When officers heard a child screaming inside, officers kicked the door open. The defendant surrendered and was placed in cuffs. Officers determined two children were assaulted with a deadly weapon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720886897863.png" alt="Martinez-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Martinez-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony Assault in the 1st Degree and other charges as a result of the stabbings this week of two juveniles in a Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Gabriel Martinez, 26, faces Assault 1st Degree, an A felony, and Assault 1st Degree, a B felony, and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to a Kansas City residence on a disturbance in the early morning of July 9. At the scene, officers were told by a woman that her boyfriend, identified as Martinez, was inside with three juveniles, ages 5, 10 and 15, and he was threatening to harm them. When officers heard a child screaming inside, officers kicked the door open. The defendant surrendered and was placed in cuffs. Officers determined two children were assaulted with a deadly weapon.Martinez is being held without bond.

Kansas City man charged in attack on his girlfriend's children

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison for charges related to drug trafficking and illegal firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Christian Michael Woodruff, 33, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that Woodruff was selling meth from his home in Topeka. Following an investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Woodruff’s residence while he was there. Agents found 1,190.1 grams of meth that lab tests later revealed to be 98 percent pure as well as multiple guns, ammunition, and a silencer.

“This case is another example of the connection between drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. ATF will continue to prioritize keeping repeat violent offenders off our streets because it is a critical component of keeping our communities safe,” stated Gordon N. Mallory, Acting, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City. “It is illegal for convicted felons to possess guns, and we will vigorously investigate repeat offenders who continue to arm themselves. I’m grateful for the work our agents and partners put into this case. I hope with this sentence today the community will be a little bit safer.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and

Explosives (ATF), and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721161418518.png" alt="Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison for charges related to drug trafficking and illegal firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Christian Michael Woodruff, 33, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721162164201.png" alt="Woodruff from a Feb. 2023 arrest in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Woodruff from a Feb. 2023 arrest in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>In February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that Woodruff was selling meth from his home in Topeka. Following an investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Woodruff’s residence while he was there. Agents found 1,190.1 grams of meth that lab tests later revealed to be 98 percent pure as well as multiple guns, ammunition, and a silencer.“This case is another example of the connection between drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. ATF will continue to prioritize keeping repeat violent offenders off our streets because it is a critical component of keeping our communities safe,” stated Gordon N. Mallory, Acting, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City. “It is illegal for convicted felons to possess guns, and we will vigorously investigate repeat offenders who continue to arm themselves. I’m grateful for the work our agents and partners put into this case. I hope with this sentence today the community will be a little bit safer.”The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, andExplosives (ATF), and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Kansas felon was selling meth from his home

LAS VEGAS (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will fly to his home in Delaware, where he will “self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.” The news had first been shared by Unidos US President and CEO Janet Murguía, who told guests at the group’s convention in Las Vegas that president had sent his regrets and could not appear because he tested positive for the virus.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, said in a note

Biden was slated to speak at the Unidos event in Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon as part of an effort to rally Hispanic voters ahead of the November election. Instead, he departed for the airport to fly to Delaware, where he had already been planning to spend a long weekend at his home in Rehoboth Beach.

Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and told reporters traveling with him, “I feel good.” The president was not wearing a mask as he walked onto Air Force One.

The president had previously been at the Original Lindo Michoacan restaurant in Las Vegas, where he was greeting diners and sat for an interview with Univision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721298336544.png" alt="Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said.Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will fly to his home in Delaware, where he will “self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.” The news had first been shared by Unidos US President and CEO Janet Murguía, who told guests at the group’s convention in Las Vegas that president had sent his regrets and could not appear because he tested positive for the virus.Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, said in a note<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721256037259.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721256304473.png" alt="President Biden during a campaign stop Tuesday-image from Biden for President video" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a campaign stop Tuesday-image from Biden for President video</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden was slated to speak at the Unidos event in Las Vegas Wednesday afternoon as part of an effort to rally Hispanic voters ahead of the November election. Instead, he departed for the airport to fly to Delaware, where he had already been planning to spend a long weekend at his home in Rehoboth Beach.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I tested positive for COVID-19 this afternoon, but I am feeling good and thank everyone for the well wishes. I will be isolating as I recover, and during this time I will continue to work to get the job done for the American people.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1813715823053193685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and told reporters traveling with him, “I feel good.” The president was not wearing a mask as he walked onto Air Force One.The president had previously been at the Original Lindo Michoacan restaurant in Las Vegas, where he was greeting diners and sat for an interview with Univision.

Read note from Biden's doctor: President tests positive for COVID 

THOMAS COUNTY—On Tuesday, the Thomas County Sheriff's Office and the Colby Police Department both received reports of an attempted abduction of two juvenile girls playing together in Colby, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.

Information gathered from the reporting parties indicates that on Tuesday evening between 4 and 6:30 p.m., a white male driving a black and red SUV, possibly an early 2000's model Suburban, approached two two young girls in the area of 800 South Garfield and 500 West Ash.

The vehicle was described as having a Kansas License plate with unknown digits. The perpetrator was described as a white male about 30 years old with blue eyes and no visible facial hair. The male was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, blue or dark blue jeans, and a partial face covering.

According to reports and evidence gathered, the male attempted to lure the young girls into his vehicle to take them for ice cream. As the juvenile ran away, the suspect followed them eastbound in his vehicle for about two blocks toward a park in the 700 block of South Mission Ridge.

Witnesses alleged the suspect watched where the juveniles went and then quickly left the area and headed north on Mission Ridge. It is believed the male entered the area in his vehicle off Pine Street through an alley and potentially utilized alleys to exit the residential area.

The investigation is currently ongoing. As a result, Thomas County will be increasing the presence of law enforcement personnel in residential areas and areas frequented by younger kids in our community.

Parents and guardians, it is extremely important to have discussions with your children about the dangers of speaking with strangers and your child's need to be vigilant.

It is common for child predators to find ways to relate to children and quickly gain their trust. A predator may mention knowing a child's guardians or siblings. They may state they were told to pick them up and give them a ride or take them home.

Please take the time to speak to your children about what to do in these situations, as they can be very dangerous. Children should know the risks posed by a 'friendly' stranger and not go with anyone they do not know.

Without the quick thinking of these young individuals, this situation could very well have been a tragedy. If you see anything suspicious in your community, if your children report anything out of the ordinary or simply something they feel concerned about, please contact the Colby Police Department at 785-460-4460 or the Thomas County Sheriff's Office at 785-460- 4570.

Even seemingly minor or insignificant information could lead to or prevent a similar tragedy from occurring.

THOMAS COUNTY—On Tuesday, the Thomas County Sheriff's Office and the Colby Police Department both received reports of an attempted abduction of two juvenile girls playing together in Colby, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.Information gathered from the reporting parties indicates that on Tuesday evening between 4 and 6:30 p.m., a white male driving a black and red SUV, possibly an early 2000's model Suburban, approached two two young girls in the area of 800 South Garfield and 500 West Ash.The vehicle was described as having a Kansas License plate with unknown digits. The perpetrator was described as a white male about 30 years old with blue eyes and no visible facial hair. The male was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, blue or dark blue jeans, and a partial face covering.According to reports and evidence gathered, the male attempted to lure the young girls into his vehicle to take them for ice cream. As the juvenile ran away, the suspect followed them eastbound in his vehicle for about two blocks toward a park in the 700 block of South Mission Ridge.Witnesses alleged the suspect watched where the juveniles went and then quickly left the area and headed north on Mission Ridge. It is believed the male entered the area in his vehicle off Pine Street through an alley and potentially utilized alleys to exit the residential area.The investigation is currently ongoing. As a result, Thomas County will be increasing the presence of law enforcement personnel in residential areas and areas frequented by younger kids in our community.Parents and guardians, it is extremely important to have discussions with your children about the dangers of speaking with strangers and your child's need to be vigilant.It is common for child predators to find ways to relate to children and quickly gain their trust. A predator may mention knowing a child's guardians or siblings. They may state they were told to pick them up and give them a ride or take them home.Please take the time to speak to your children about what to do in these situations, as they can be very dangerous. Children should know the risks posed by a 'friendly' stranger and not go with anyone they do not know.Without the quick thinking of these young individuals, this situation could very well have been a tragedy. If you see anything suspicious in your community, if your children report anything out of the ordinary or simply something they feel concerned about, please contact the Colby Police Department at 785-460-4460 or the Thomas County Sheriff's Office at 785-460- 4570.Even seemingly minor or insignificant information could lead to or prevent a similar tragedy from occurring.

Sheriff reports alleged attempted abduction of girls in NW Kansas

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A reward of $6,000 is being offered for the tip that will lead detectives to identifying the individual responsible for a vicious attack on a Kansas City, Kansas Police Officer.

Just after 10p.m. July 7, a uniformed KCKPD officer was exiting his patrol vehicle at the East Patrol Station, 849 N. 47th Street, when an individual, who without warning or provocation, produced a screwdriver and stabbed the officer on the head and face.

  After a short struggle, the suspect ran north into a wooded area near 47th and State Avenue. The officer sustained cuts to his face, head and neck. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment and was released the following day. 

 The suspect is described as a black male in his 30s, approximately 5-foot-8 inches tall with a thin build. He has a full beard and receding hairline at his temples, forming a point, widow’s peak, in the middle of his forehead. 

He was wearing dark athletic shorts, a multicolored tank top and black Nike slide sandals.

A cash reward of $5,000 from the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission and $1,000 from the Kansas City, Kansas Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4 - is currently being offered for any tip that leads to the arrest of the suspect in this case. 

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A reward of $6,000 is being offered for the tip that will lead detectives to identifying the individual responsible for a vicious attack on a Kansas City, Kansas Police Officer.Just after 10p.m. July 7, a uniformed KCKPD officer was exiting his patrol vehicle at the East Patrol Station, 849 N. 47th Street, when an individual, who without warning or provocation, produced a screwdriver and stabbed the officer on the head and face. After a short struggle, the suspect ran north into a wooded area near 47th and State Avenue. The officer sustained cuts to his face, head and neck. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment and was released the following day. The suspect is described as a black male in his 30s, approximately 5-foot-8 inches tall with a thin build. He has a full beard and receding hairline at his temples, forming a point, widow’s peak, in the middle of his forehead. He was wearing dark athletic shorts, a multicolored tank top and black Nike slide sandals.A cash reward of $5,000 from the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission and $1,000 from the Kansas City, Kansas Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4 - is currently being offered for any tip that leads to the arrest of the suspect in this case. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous.

Reward offered in attack on Kansas police officer

Cases raise questions about alleged violations of state, federal constitutions

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly adopted a potentially unconstitutional budget provision forbidding pharmaceutical manufacturers from inhibiting the sale of discounted medications to pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens under contract with hospitals or clinics.

Two drugmakers have challenged a proviso tucked into&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb28/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 28</a>&nbsp;— signed by the governor in April — that said the companies couldn’t limit the ability of pharmacies working with eligible health providers from acquiring outpatient prescription drugs at discounts of 25% or more through a federal cost-cutting program.

The objective of the federal 340B program has been to offer indirect financial benefits to the country’s safety-net health providers by lowering drug prices. Many of Kansas’ financially strapped rural hospitals take part in the program.

“Unfortunately, drug manufacturers have recently started decimating the 340B drug discount program by limiting the number of pharmacies a hospital may contract with,” said Chad Austin, president of the Kansas Hospital Association. “These actions are jeopardizing Kansans’ ability to access needed prescriptions and other vital health services. Fortunately, Kansas lawmakers recognized the drug manufacturers’ harmful actions and have appropriately responded to ensure the further reduction of the 340B drug discount program is paused.”

After adopting SB 28 during this year’s session, however, the Legislature had second thoughts about leveraging the Kansas Consumer Protection Act against drug manufacturers at this time. Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2551/" target="_blank">House Bill 2551</a>, in an apparent victory for drugmakers, the Legislature told Attorney General Kris Kobach to delay enforcement of SB 28 until the U.S. Supreme Court settled questions about obligations of drug manufacturers in the 340B program.

Kelly, however, line-item vetoed that part of HB 2551 in May. She said the Legislature’s follow-up maneuver was “premature and contradictory to the protections” in SB 28.

In early July, pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and AbbVie filed lawsuits against the state of Kansas.

The companies asserted SB 28 enabled off-site, for-profit pharmacy chains operating under contract with Kansas clinics and hospitals to buy the manufacturers’ drugs at discounted prices. The plaintiffs claimed Congress didn’t intend for these pharmacies to be covered by the low-cost program.

Wichita attorney Michael Jones, who was among at least seven lawyers working for plaintiffs in the AstraZeneca suit, said the budget provision in SB 28 was in conflict with the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. Jones and his colleagues said prior rulings in federal court made clear the federal 340B statute “does not obligate manufacturers to deliver discounted drugs to unlimited contract pharmacies.”

“No state may engraft new, costly obligations under state law onto an existing federal benefits program, especially not one like the 340B program that involves nationally uniform standards and exclusive enforcement by federal agencies,” the AstraZeneca’s attorneys said.

The company’s lawyers claimed SB 28 was contrary to federal patent law, violated the contracts and takings clauses of the U.S. Constitution and broke the “one-subject rule” in the Kansas Constitution. The single-subject mandate was designed to prevent legislators from “logrolling” unrelated matters into a single bill. In terms of drug manufacturers, AstraZeneca said, SB 28 created new substantive requirements “not purely a matter of appropriations.”

A spokesperson for the Kansas attorney general didn’t respond to a request for comment on the lawsuits seeking to nullify the prescription drug portion of SB 28.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the federal program has been an instrumental tool of health clinics and hospitals seeking to stretch resources as far as possible by providing outpatient medications at reduced prices.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580161711151.png" alt="Two pharmaceutical companies filed lawsuits in Kansas against Attorney General Kris Kobach in his official capacity to challenge a new state law altering the federal scope of a program designed&nbsp;&nbsp;to reduce prescription medicine costs. " />
 <figcaption>Two pharmaceutical companies filed lawsuits in Kansas against Attorney General Kris Kobach in his official capacity to challenge a new state law altering the federal scope of a program designed&nbsp;&nbsp;to reduce prescription medicine costs. </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cases raise questions about alleged violations of state, federal constitutions</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly adopted a potentially unconstitutional budget provision forbidding pharmaceutical manufacturers from inhibiting the sale of discounted medications to pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens under contract with hospitals or clinics.Two drugmakers have challenged a proviso tucked into&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb28/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 28</a>&nbsp;— signed by the governor in April — that said the companies couldn’t limit the ability of pharmacies working with eligible health providers from acquiring outpatient prescription drugs at discounts of 25% or more through a federal cost-cutting program.The objective of the federal 340B program has been to offer indirect financial benefits to the country’s safety-net health providers by lowering drug prices. Many of Kansas’ financially strapped rural hospitals take part in the program.“Unfortunately, drug manufacturers have recently started decimating the 340B drug discount program by limiting the number of pharmacies a hospital may contract with,” said Chad Austin, president of the Kansas Hospital Association. “These actions are jeopardizing Kansans’ ability to access needed prescriptions and other vital health services. Fortunately, Kansas lawmakers recognized the drug manufacturers’ harmful actions and have appropriately responded to ensure the further reduction of the 340B drug discount program is paused.”After adopting SB 28 during this year’s session, however, the Legislature had second thoughts about leveraging the Kansas Consumer Protection Act against drug manufacturers at this time. Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2551/" target="_blank">House Bill 2551</a>, in an apparent victory for drugmakers, the Legislature told Attorney General Kris Kobach to delay enforcement of SB 28 until the U.S. Supreme Court settled questions about obligations of drug manufacturers in the 340B program.Kelly, however, line-item vetoed that part of HB 2551 in May. She said the Legislature’s follow-up maneuver was “premature and contradictory to the protections” in SB 28.In early July, pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and AbbVie filed lawsuits against the state of Kansas.The companies asserted SB 28 enabled off-site, for-profit pharmacy chains operating under contract with Kansas clinics and hospitals to buy the manufacturers’ drugs at discounted prices. The plaintiffs claimed Congress didn’t intend for these pharmacies to be covered by the low-cost program.Wichita attorney Michael Jones, who was among at least seven lawyers working for plaintiffs in the AstraZeneca suit, said the budget provision in SB 28 was in conflict with the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. Jones and his colleagues said prior rulings in federal court made clear the federal 340B statute “does not obligate manufacturers to deliver discounted drugs to unlimited contract pharmacies.”“No state may engraft new, costly obligations under state law onto an existing federal benefits program, especially not one like the 340B program that involves nationally uniform standards and exclusive enforcement by federal agencies,” the AstraZeneca’s attorneys said.The company’s lawyers claimed SB 28 was contrary to federal patent law, violated the contracts and takings clauses of the U.S. Constitution and broke the “one-subject rule” in the Kansas Constitution. The single-subject mandate was designed to prevent legislators from “logrolling” unrelated matters into a single bill. In terms of drug manufacturers, AstraZeneca said, SB 28 created new substantive requirements “not purely a matter of appropriations.”A spokesperson for the Kansas attorney general didn’t respond to a request for comment on the lawsuits seeking to nullify the prescription drug portion of SB 28.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the federal program has been an instrumental tool of health clinics and hospitals seeking to stretch resources as far as possible by providing outpatient medications at reduced prices.

Drugmakers file lawsuits to block Kansas’ attempt to tinker with discount drug program

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is seriously considering proposals to establish term limits for U.S. Supreme Court justices, and an ethics code that would be enforceable under law amid growing concerns that the justices are not held accountable, according to three people briefed on the plans.

It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-biden-election-student-loans-abortion-37aa38ed8582047b1be5c54261ab02d2">would mark a major shift for Biden</a>, the former head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has long resisted calls to reform the high court, though since taking office he has been increasingly vocal about his belief that the court is abandoning mainstream constitutional interpretation. The details were first reported by The Washington Post.

Any changes would require congressional approval, which would be unlikely in a divided Congress. But with Republican nominee Donald Trump bragging about putting the three justices on the high court who are now part of the conservative majority, Biden's call for major changes could help animate his voters.

Biden is also considering calling for a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the broad immunity for presidents granted by the court in its most recent term, after Donald Trump claimed he was immune from prosecution&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2021-united-states-capitol-riot">for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021</a>, when a mob of his supporters violently descended on the U.S. Capitol.

The people were not authorized to speak publicly about proposals that have not been finalized and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The consideration of such proposals comes in response to growing outrage among Democrats about high court opinions that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-biden-election-2024-dobbs-498d14f6e2bbfe1f313f006ad089de4e">overturned landmark decisions</a>&nbsp;on abortion rights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-chevron-regulations-environment-5173bc83d3961a7aaabe415ceaf8d665">and federal regulatory powers</a>&nbsp;that had stood for decades. There have also been increasing questions surrounding the ethics of the court after revelations about some of the justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-senate-harlan-crow-f538d244f148065de8c52fb13e2f9853">including that Clarence Thomas had accepted</a>&nbsp;luxury trips from a GOP megadonor.

Biden in an interview with BET on Tuesday predicted “there are probably going to be two more appointments" in the coming four years when justices retire and blamed Trump for nominating three conservative justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. “Just imagine if he has two more appointments, what that means," he said.

The Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposal.

Biden, speaking in a weekend call with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, talked about the possibility, the people said. Biden often tells voters they need more Democrats in Congress and a Democrat in the White House to counter the impact of the conservative-leaning court, but these proposals would go much further.

“And by the way, I’m going to need your help on the Supreme Court, because I’m about to come out. I don’t want to prematurely announce it, but I’m about to come out with a major initiative on limiting the court and what we do and — I’ve been working with constitutional scholars for the last three months, and I need some help,” he said, according to a transcript of the call.

About 2 in 3 Americans say they favor term limits or a mandatory retirement age for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices, according to a 2022 poll from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.</a>

According to June survey on the court, confidence remains low: 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they have hardly any confidence in the people running the Supreme Court.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-presidential-immunity-abortion-gun-2918d3af5e37e44bbad9c3526506c66d">The survey found that 7 in 10 Americans think</a>&nbsp;the high court’s justices are more influenced by ideology, while only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults think the justices are more likely to provide an independent check on other branches of government by being fair and impartial.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-code-conflicts-clarence-thomas-64d393ceb6f05402d762dca06f0f4187">In November, the court</a>&nbsp;adopted its first code of ethics.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24164533-supreme-court-code-of-conduct">The policy</a>, agreed to by all nine justices, does not appear to impose any significant new requirements and leaves compliance entirely to each justice.

Republicans have focused for years on remaking the federal judiciary and Supreme Court. When Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was the majority leader, he refused to even meet in 2016 with Obama’s pick for the high court — current Attorney General Merrick Garland, a federal judge at that time. The nomination stalled until a Republican president, Trump, took over.

Establishment GOP operatives backed Trump because of his pledge to name as many judges to the bench as possible. Their gamble worked. Trump ended up with three Supreme Court nominees and 54 federal appeals court judges, reshaping the courts for a generation.

Democrats are now finally understanding the power of judges as a voting tool, and Biden has made judicial nominations a priority, appointing a record number of judges for a president at this point in his first term, including some of the most diverse picks yet to the judiciary. Biden often speaks about those accomplishments during his reelection campaign, but Democrats have pushed him to go further.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, panned the possible Biden move, saying: “The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721180391047.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is seriously considering proposals to establish term limits for U.S. Supreme Court justices, and an ethics code that would be enforceable under law amid growing concerns that the justices are not held accountable, according to three people briefed on the plans.It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-biden-election-student-loans-abortion-37aa38ed8582047b1be5c54261ab02d2">would mark a major shift for Biden</a>, the former head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has long resisted calls to reform the high court, though since taking office he has been increasingly vocal about his belief that the court is abandoning mainstream constitutional interpretation. The details were first reported by The Washington Post.Any changes would require congressional approval, which would be unlikely in a divided Congress. But with Republican nominee Donald Trump bragging about putting the three justices on the high court who are now part of the conservative majority, Biden's call for major changes could help animate his voters.Biden is also considering calling for a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the broad immunity for presidents granted by the court in its most recent term, after Donald Trump claimed he was immune from prosecution&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2021-united-states-capitol-riot">for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021</a>, when a mob of his supporters violently descended on the U.S. Capitol.The people were not authorized to speak publicly about proposals that have not been finalized and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594250864250.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The consideration of such proposals comes in response to growing outrage among Democrats about high court opinions that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-biden-election-2024-dobbs-498d14f6e2bbfe1f313f006ad089de4e">overturned landmark decisions</a>&nbsp;on abortion rights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-chevron-regulations-environment-5173bc83d3961a7aaabe415ceaf8d665">and federal regulatory powers</a>&nbsp;that had stood for decades. There have also been increasing questions surrounding the ethics of the court after revelations about some of the justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-senate-harlan-crow-f538d244f148065de8c52fb13e2f9853">including that Clarence Thomas had accepted</a>&nbsp;luxury trips from a GOP megadonor.Biden in an interview with BET on Tuesday predicted “there are probably going to be two more appointments" in the coming four years when justices retire and blamed Trump for nominating three conservative justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. “Just imagine if he has two more appointments, what that means," he said.The Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposal.Biden, speaking in a weekend call with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, talked about the possibility, the people said. Biden often tells voters they need more Democrats in Congress and a Democrat in the White House to counter the impact of the conservative-leaning court, but these proposals would go much further.“And by the way, I’m going to need your help on the Supreme Court, because I’m about to come out. I don’t want to prematurely announce it, but I’m about to come out with a major initiative on limiting the court and what we do and — I’ve been working with constitutional scholars for the last three months, and I need some help,” he said, according to a transcript of the call.About 2 in 3 Americans say they favor term limits or a mandatory retirement age for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices, according to a 2022 poll from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.</a>According to June survey on the court, confidence remains low: 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they have hardly any confidence in the people running the Supreme Court.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-presidential-immunity-abortion-gun-2918d3af5e37e44bbad9c3526506c66d">The survey found that 7 in 10 Americans think</a>&nbsp;the high court’s justices are more influenced by ideology, while only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults think the justices are more likely to provide an independent check on other branches of government by being fair and impartial.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-code-conflicts-clarence-thomas-64d393ceb6f05402d762dca06f0f4187">In November, the court</a>&nbsp;adopted its first code of ethics.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24164533-supreme-court-code-of-conduct">The policy</a>, agreed to by all nine justices, does not appear to impose any significant new requirements and leaves compliance entirely to each justice.Republicans have focused for years on remaking the federal judiciary and Supreme Court. When Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was the majority leader, he refused to even meet in 2016 with Obama’s pick for the high court — current Attorney General Merrick Garland, a federal judge at that time. The nomination stalled until a Republican president, Trump, took over.Establishment GOP operatives backed Trump because of his pledge to name as many judges to the bench as possible. Their gamble worked. Trump ended up with three Supreme Court nominees and 54 federal appeals court judges, reshaping the courts for a generation.Democrats are now finally understanding the power of judges as a voting tool, and Biden has made judicial nominations a priority, appointing a record number of judges for a president at this point in his first term, including some of the most diverse picks yet to the judiciary. Biden often speaks about those accomplishments during his reelection campaign, but Democrats have pushed him to go further.Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, panned the possible Biden move, saying: “The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country."

Biden considering proposals on changes to the Supreme Court

KANSAS CITY —Authorities in Kansas City are investigating a gun theft and the business owner is asking for help to identify and catch the suspects involved.

Just before 4a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;Adventure Outdoors, 117 North Main in Liberty, Missouri was robbed by couple of young cowards who drove a car into the store, the business described on social media.

According to Liberty Police, a gray Hyundai Tucson and a newer model silver minivan were involved in the burglary at Adventure Outdoors. The Hyundai was driven through the front door, smashing into the building. The suspects, wearing masks and gloves, took multiple firearms. The Hyundai was left behind inside the store and was determined to be stolen.

Police received a report of suspicious activity involving the Hyundai on Monday.&nbsp; Police are seeking information on the silver minivan involved in the burglary.&nbsp; Adventure Outdoors is offering a $500.00 cash reward for the arrest and conviction of those involved. If you have any information please email the business at info@adventure-outdoors.us

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721211362537.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities in Kansas City are investigating a gun theft and the business owner is asking for help to identify and catch the suspects involved.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F100094843973376%2Fvideos%2F858746425686703%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=140" 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>Just before 4a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;Adventure Outdoors, 117 North Main in Liberty, Missouri was robbed by couple of young cowards who drove a car into the store, the business described on social media.According to Liberty Police, a gray Hyundai Tucson and a newer model silver minivan were involved in the burglary at Adventure Outdoors. The Hyundai was driven through the front door, smashing into the building. The suspects, wearing masks and gloves, took multiple firearms. The Hyundai was left behind inside the store and was determined to be stolen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721211337629.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Police received a report of suspicious activity involving the Hyundai on Monday.&nbsp; Police are seeking information on the silver minivan involved in the burglary.&nbsp; Adventure Outdoors is offering a $500.00 cash reward for the arrest and conviction of those involved. If you have any information please email the business at info@adventure-outdoors.us

🎥Stolen car rammed  KC area gun store before burglary

Five Republicans, two Democrats seek to replace departing Rep. Jake LaTurner

TOPEKA — Name recognition developed during more than 20 years in elective office and participation in four statewide campaigns placed former Attorney General Derek Schmidt as the clear frontrunner in the Republican Party’s primary to replace departing U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Kansas political analyst says.

In the only open Kansas congressional race of 2024, Schmidt took the lead among five GOP primary candidates in the eastern Kansas district. The 2nd District has been represented by a Republican for 28 of the past 30 years. The Democratic Party primary features two candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City. She was the upstart who defeated incumbent 2nd District U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun in 2006, but was ousted herself two years later.

Bob Beatty, professor of political science at Washburn University in Topeka, said public polling showed Schmidt had backing of 44% the survey’s participants. In that snapshot, Topeka attorney Jeff Kahrs had 4% and Delevan feedlot operator Shawn Tiffany held 3% with the rest undecided.

“Obviously, that’s a massive lead,” Beatty said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. “I think it’s safe to call Derek Schmidt&nbsp;the establishment candidate. That doesn’t mean he’s from the left or the right. It just means that he’s been in politics a long time. He’s very well known.”

Schmidt, who calls Independence his hometown, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump during the 2022 campaign for Kansas governor. He lost the race to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly by 21,000 votes out of 1 million cast, but carried 55% to 66% of the statewide vote in his three successful campaigns for Kansas attorney general.

In an interview Friday, Beatty said millions of dollars spent defining Schmidt two years ago in the contest for governor was paying dividends now. In a sense, Beatty said, Schmidt’s campaign could draft upon conservative messaging from previous campaigns.

LaTurner announced his decision not to seek reelection in April, which left relatively unknown candidates less time to leave a mark on potential voters. He hasn’t endorsed a primary candidate in the House race.

Neither Kahrs nor Tiffany had previously campaigned for major public office in Kansas, which meant they would struggle to capture the attention of voters. Schmidt, Tiffany and Kahrs have sought to highlight their affinity for Trump’s vision of government, Beatty said. Border security, inflation, federal debt, energy regulation, abortion and criticism of President Joe Biden were central elements of their congressional campaigns.

“The past two years of the Biden administration have made it more clear than ever that career politicians don’t have the answers to the problems facing America,” Tiffany said.

Kahrs’ campaign ad declared he was a “proven conservative” who was selected by the Trump administration to advance the America First agenda as a Midwest administrator in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kahrs later worked as a senior adviser to LaTurner, who was elected to Congress in 2020.

“All three of the main candidates on the Republican side, they are campaigning as if there’s no Democrats in the district at all,” Beatty said. “One candidate, Sean Tiffany, doesn’t even like moderate Republicans.”

Chad Young of Lawrence and Michael Ogle of Topeka have been justifiably viewed as long-shot candidates in the Republican primary, Beatty said.

In the Democratic primary, Boyda is up against Matt Kleinmann, a community health organizer in Wyandotte County who played college basketball at University of Kansas. Beatty said in a low-turnout Democratic primary both candidates had a chance to win.

Boyda offered a unifying message and pledged to work among Republicans and Democrats to get the job done in Washington.

“Boyda&nbsp;has already made some statements that have angered a few, you know, more traditional Democrats. I’m seeing her as a bit of a disrupter in this primary, even though she is a former congresswoman,” Beatty said.

Beatty said Kleinmann was campaigning on economic and health care issues relevant to the working class.

“We will create opportunities, ensure everyone has the resources they need and safeguard the communities and freedoms that make America great,” Kleinmann said.

Beatty, who was interviewed for the podcast before Saturday’s wounding of Trump in Pennsylvania, said he was stunned by Biden’s weak performance in the June debate with Trump.

“I can’t underscore how disastrous that debate was, and how awful it was. I’ve attended 12 presidential debates. Never seen anything that bad,” Beatty said.

He said the debate didn’t alter an underlying desire among a portion of U.S. voters for the Republican and Democratic parties to place nominees other than Trump and Biden on November ballots. Trump’s first term and more recent legal problems turned off voters, he said, while questions about Biden’s age troubled voters.

Polling for two years demonstrated a significant percentage of the electorate was disappointed with the major party offerings, he said.

“Trump will say, ‘Oh, yes, I got convicted.’ Or, ‘Yes, I lost that case. But I was railroaded. I’m innocent.’ You know, even in the debate, he said, I didn’t have sex with the porn star. So, I guess his supporters can choose to believe him,” Beatty said. “Here’s the difference. It’s not believable when (Biden) says, ‘Oh, I’m just as good as I was four years ago.’ So, you’re insulting the voters by denying that you’ve lost a step.”

If Biden were to decline the presidential nomination for a second term, Beatty said the likely Democratic nominee would be Vice President Kamala Harris. Beatty said Harris, 59, would have an opportunity to invigorate Democrats and independents eager for a younger candidate. She would be able to select a running mate from a swing state such as Michigan, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, he said.

“Trump is&nbsp;winning all of those swing states at the moment,” Beatty said.

Beatty said he would have recommended Trump add U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, to the 2024 ticket. Other contenders include U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721069282143.png" alt="Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University, says former Attorney General Derek Schmidt had taken control of the Republican primary in the 2nd congressional district and that large numbers of potential voters remain disappointed with the presidential options of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University, says former Attorney General Derek Schmidt had taken control of the Republican primary in the 2nd congressional district and that large numbers of potential voters remain disappointed with the presidential options of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Five Republicans, two Democrats seek to replace departing Rep. Jake LaTurner</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Name recognition developed during more than 20 years in elective office and participation in four statewide campaigns placed former Attorney General Derek Schmidt as the clear frontrunner in the Republican Party’s primary to replace departing U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Kansas political analyst says.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719627531343.png" alt="File photo Derek Schmidt, a Republican candidate for Congress and a former Kansas attorney general. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Derek Schmidt, a Republican candidate for Congress and a former Kansas attorney general. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>In the only open Kansas congressional race of 2024, Schmidt took the lead among five GOP primary candidates in the eastern Kansas district. The 2nd District has been represented by a Republican for 28 of the past 30 years. The Democratic Party primary features two candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City. She was the upstart who defeated incumbent 2nd District U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun in 2006, but was ousted herself two years later.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">📺 NEW: Check out our NEW AD! Kansans deserve a proven fighter who will always STAND TALL for our conservative values! 🇺🇸 Join us: <a href="https://t.co/FYSSFQNvC0">https://t.co/FYSSFQNvC0</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ks02?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ks02</a> <a href="https://t.co/9ogNTemVyR">pic.twitter.com/9ogNTemVyR</a>&mdash; Derek Schmidt (@DerekSchmidtKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1813551729037992151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Bob Beatty, professor of political science at Washburn University in Topeka, said public polling showed Schmidt had backing of 44% the survey’s participants. In that snapshot, Topeka attorney Jeff Kahrs had 4% and Delevan feedlot operator Shawn Tiffany held 3% with the rest undecided.“Obviously, that’s a massive lead,” Beatty said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. “I think it’s safe to call Derek Schmidt&nbsp;the establishment candidate. That doesn’t mean he’s from the left or the right. It just means that he’s been in politics a long time. He’s very well known.”Schmidt, who calls Independence his hometown, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump during the 2022 campaign for Kansas governor. He lost the race to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly by 21,000 votes out of 1 million cast, but carried 55% to 66% of the statewide vote in his three successful campaigns for Kansas attorney general.In an interview Friday, Beatty said millions of dollars spent defining Schmidt two years ago in the contest for governor was paying dividends now. In a sense, Beatty said, Schmidt’s campaign could draft upon conservative messaging from previous campaigns.LaTurner announced his decision not to seek reelection in April, which left relatively unknown candidates less time to leave a mark on potential voters. He hasn’t endorsed a primary candidate in the House race.<h2>The Trump agenda</h2>Neither Kahrs nor Tiffany had previously campaigned for major public office in Kansas, which meant they would struggle to capture the attention of voters. Schmidt, Tiffany and Kahrs have sought to highlight their affinity for Trump’s vision of government, Beatty said. Border security, inflation, federal debt, energy regulation, abortion and criticism of President Joe Biden were central elements of their congressional campaigns.“The past two years of the Biden administration have made it more clear than ever that career politicians don’t have the answers to the problems facing America,” Tiffany said.Kahrs’ campaign ad declared he was a “proven conservative” who was selected by the Trump administration to advance the America First agenda as a Midwest administrator in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kahrs later worked as a senior adviser to LaTurner, who was elected to Congress in 2020.“All three of the main candidates on the Republican side, they are campaigning as if there’s no Democrats in the district at all,” Beatty said. “One candidate, Sean Tiffany, doesn’t even like moderate Republicans.”Chad Young of Lawrence and Michael Ogle of Topeka have been justifiably viewed as long-shot candidates in the Republican primary, Beatty said.In the Democratic primary, Boyda is up against Matt Kleinmann, a community health organizer in Wyandotte County who played college basketball at University of Kansas. Beatty said in a low-turnout Democratic primary both candidates had a chance to win.Boyda offered a unifying message and pledged to work among Republicans and Democrats to get the job done in Washington.“Boyda&nbsp;has already made some statements that have angered a few, you know, more traditional Democrats. I’m seeing her as a bit of a disrupter in this primary, even though she is a former congresswoman,” Beatty said.Beatty said Kleinmann was campaigning on economic and health care issues relevant to the working class.“We will create opportunities, ensure everyone has the resources they need and safeguard the communities and freedoms that make America great,” Kleinmann said.<h2>The presidential race</h2>Beatty, who was interviewed for the podcast before Saturday’s wounding of Trump in Pennsylvania, said he was stunned by Biden’s weak performance in the June debate with Trump.“I can’t underscore how disastrous that debate was, and how awful it was. I’ve attended 12 presidential debates. Never seen anything that bad,” Beatty said.He said the debate didn’t alter an underlying desire among a portion of U.S. voters for the Republican and Democratic parties to place nominees other than Trump and Biden on November ballots. Trump’s first term and more recent legal problems turned off voters, he said, while questions about Biden’s age troubled voters.Polling for two years demonstrated a significant percentage of the electorate was disappointed with the major party offerings, he said.“Trump will say, ‘Oh, yes, I got convicted.’ Or, ‘Yes, I lost that case. But I was railroaded. I’m innocent.’ You know, even in the debate, he said, I didn’t have sex with the porn star. So, I guess his supporters can choose to believe him,” Beatty said. “Here’s the difference. It’s not believable when (Biden) says, ‘Oh, I’m just as good as I was four years ago.’ So, you’re insulting the voters by denying that you’ve lost a step.”If Biden were to decline the presidential nomination for a second term, Beatty said the likely Democratic nominee would be Vice President Kamala Harris. Beatty said Harris, 59, would have an opportunity to invigorate Democrats and independents eager for a younger candidate. She would be able to select a running mate from a swing state such as Michigan, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, he said.“Trump is&nbsp;winning all of those swing states at the moment,” Beatty said.Beatty said he would have recommended Trump add U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, to the 2024 ticket. Other contenders include U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

Derek Schmidt reaps advantages of 4 statewide GOP campaigns to lead Kan. congressional race

KANSAS CITY—The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium asked for your help to name the new giraffe calf.&nbsp; The female Masai giraffe was born to mom Makali on June 30.

The calf weighed in at 125 pounds and and stood 5 feet 6 inches tall and she is growing quickly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721155686237.png" alt="Willow photo courtesy Kansas City Zoo and Aquaraium" />
 <figcaption>Willow photo courtesy Kansas City Zoo and Aquaraium</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium asked for your help to name the new giraffe calf.&nbsp; The female Masai giraffe was born to mom Makali on June 30.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last week, we asked you to vote on the name of Makali&#39;s calf, and &quot;Willow&quot; is the winner! Although Willow will nurse from mom anywhere from 6 months to a year, she is starting to act like her mama and explore the diet of the adult giraffes. <a href="https://t.co/arKI3htlK8">pic.twitter.com/arKI3htlK8</a>&mdash; Kansas City Zoo &amp; Aquarium (@KansasCityZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasCityZoo/status/1813233825033441659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The calf weighed in at 125 pounds and and stood 5 feet 6 inches tall and she is growing quickly.

 Voters select name for baby Masai giraffe at Kansas City Zoo

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump was celebrated Tuesday at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-takeaways-day-2-73281582594bb4548c0272c00c8f5d93">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;by former rivals who just months ago leveled harsh critiques about him, a show of unity that contrasts with the divisions increasingly ripping through the Democratic Party.

Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador who was Trump’s final challenger in the GOP primary, directly addressed her supporters after taking the stage to a mix of cheers and boos.

“My message to them is simple: You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him,” Haley said.

She was followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a onetime Trump ally turned primary rival who has worked to rebuild his relationship with the former president since dropping out of the primary.

“Donald Trump has been demonized. He’s been sued. He’s been prosecuted. And he nearly lost his life,” DeSantis told the crowd. “We cannot let him down. And we cannot let America down.”

Such overtures are typical in political conventions, where the purpose is often to bring a party together after bitter primaries. But the Haley and DeSantis appearances were particularly notable given the personal animosity that defined this year’s GOP contest — much of that being directed by Trump at Haley and DeSantis.

The displays of unity stood in stark contrast to the dynamic facing Democrats, many of whom are increasingly uncertain that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-nevada-naacp-black-voters-trump-3f9386fae612adbb7630bad3c62b683d">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is the right choice to take on Trump in the November election.

DeSantis was once seen as best positioned to challenge Trump's position at the top of the party. As a presidential candidate, he was slow to criticize Trump directly before eventually accusing him of repeatedly failing to follow through on his promises.

Haley, meanwhile, painted Trump as chaotic and suggested the 78-year-old was too old to serve another term. Unlike DeSantis, she did not immediately endorse Trump after she dropped out, instead waiting a few months to announce he had her vote.

Biden's campaign resurrected Haley's criticisms Tuesday. Austin Weatherford, a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement, “Ambassador Haley said it best herself: someone who doesn’t respect our military, doesn’t know right from wrong, and ‘surrounds himself in chaos’ can’t be president."

Several speakers spotlighted immigration, a key element of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;’s political brand that helped endear him to the GOP base when he began his first campaign in 2015.

Trump has criticized the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">unprecedented number of migrants</a>&nbsp;entering the country illegally through the U.S. border with Mexico. The numbers of unauthorized crossings have fallen abruptly after Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-arrests-biden-mexico-asylum-f9246ad9b9eb40e2b0c05513658f9bd6">issued a rule suspending many asylum claims</a>&nbsp;at the border.

At rallies and other campaign events, Trump has pointed to examples of migrants who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-riley-immigrants-crime-63181cbc7a89fe9fe28b1d0cf84c8b9a">committed heinous crimes</a>&nbsp;and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-violent-crime-trump-republican-convention-bd40d14546bc7eb9a1dbbadfcb190950">blamed migration</a>&nbsp;for the trafficking of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-presidential-candidates-mexico-cartels-fentanyl-trafficking-b4127423a3130967a1fafb0d9fb7526a">drugs like fentanyl</a>, even though federal data suggests many people smuggling fentanyl across the border are U.S. citizens. He has vowed to carry out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-immigration-gop-147d96fd00aa4c56e2cbe6074eceb874">the largest deportation operation</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.

Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric has also strayed into talking points not backed by evidence, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigrant-voting-noncitizens-elections-explained-cf4c73b336147b5f5d9c2a22b2564994">unfounded claims</a>&nbsp;that migrants are entering the country to vote in the 2024 election.

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the House majority leader, made that statement in his remarks, declaring, “Biden and Harris want illegals to vote now that they’ve opened up the border.”

The convention's programming has featured people the campaign has referred to as “everyday Americans." On Tuesday, they included people who had lost loved ones to fentanyl overdoses or in violent crimes linked by authorities to immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

Among the speakers was Michael Morin, whose sister was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-watch-rnc-haley-immigration-trump-1b9b66c874ac9a71a4e103f411857ab1">Rachel Morin</a>, a Maryland woman whom prosecutors say was killed and raped by a fugitive from El Salvador.

“Joe Biden and his designated ‘border czar’ Kamala Harris opened our borders to him and others like him, empowering them to victimize the innocent,” Morin told the audience.

Peer-reviewed academic studies have generally found no link between immigration and violent crime, though conclusions vary based on the data examined.

The recent attempt on Trump's life lingers over convention

Trump's survival of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-cdfd3f4b163f7f91b05eeefe21caa45a">attempted assassination</a>&nbsp;Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania was on the minds of many inside the hall. One of the delegates in the crowd could be seen with a folded white piece of paper over his ear — an apparent tribute to the bandage Trump wore when he entered the hall Monday to a roaring crowd.

Trump was again wearing a bandage when he arrived Tuesday night, appearing even earlier in the arena than he did the night before. Trump entered a few minutes after his newly chosen running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

Scalise, who was injured in a politically motivated shooting in 2017 while he was practicing for a charity baseball game, spoke of his own experience when he touched on Trump's attack.

“While I was fighting for my life, Donald Trump was one of the first to come to console my family at the hospital. That’s the kind of leader he is. Courageous under fire, compassionate towards others,” Scalise said.

In the wake of Saturday’s attempt on Trump’s life, there was a heightened focus on security at the convention, which drew thousands of people to downtown Milwaukee, including a number of high-profile elected officials.

A man armed with an AK-47 pistol and wearing a ski mask was taken into custody Monday, the convention’s first day, near the Fiserv Forum where the convention is being held, a federal law enforcement official said Tuesday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

On Tuesday, five Ohio police officers who were in Wisconsin for the convention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-convention-milwaukee-police-shooting-columbus-2a85bd8dd3be69500e5c0992fb302343">shot a man who was in a knife fight</a>&nbsp;near the convention, killing him, Milwaukee’s police chief said.

There's growing anticipation for Trump's speech

Trump and Vance were expected to appear in the hall each night of the convention. Vance is slated to speak Wednesday and Trump will speak Thursday.

Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-georgia-state-elections-media-elections-6e30f557f7a015cc9fda9549d2778670">has long decried rivals with harsh language</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-indictment-documents-biden-american-democracy-5a8ec37b359fee85d0f0956139d79f51">talked about prosecuting opponents if he wins a second term</a>, seemed poised to deliver a more toned-down speech. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said in an Axios interview outside the RNC that he spent three or four hours going through his father’s convention speech with him, “trying to de-escalate some of that rhetoric.”

“I think it lasts," the younger Trump said of the change in his father's rhetoric. "There are events that change you for a couple minutes, and there are events that change you permanently.”

But there were also hints in Tuesday's programming of some of Trump's old grievances, including several references to Trump's disproven theories of election fraud. One of the primetime speakers, Madeline Brame, railed against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office prosecuted Trump for illegally orchestrating a hush money scheme to influence the 2016 election. That made Trump the first former president convicted of a felony crime.

Brame accused Bragg of having mishandled the cases against the people accused of killing her son. Of Trump, she said, “He’s been a victim of the same corrupt system that I have been and my family has been.”

Then she echoed a version of a line he has delivered at his rallies for years.

“They’re after us," she said. "He’s just standing in the way.”

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump was celebrated Tuesday at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-takeaways-day-2-73281582594bb4548c0272c00c8f5d93">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;by former rivals who just months ago leveled harsh critiques about him, a show of unity that contrasts with the divisions increasingly ripping through the Democratic Party.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NikkiHaley</a>: &quot;President Trump asked me to speak to this convention in the name of unity. It was a gracious initiation and I was happy to accept. I&#39;ll start by making one thing perfectly clear; Donald Trump has my strong endorsement. Period.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/wMsttkx3il">pic.twitter.com/wMsttkx3il</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1813396352644080071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador who was Trump’s final challenger in the GOP primary, directly addressed her supporters after taking the stage to a mix of cheers and boos.“My message to them is simple: You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him,” Haley said.She was followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a onetime Trump ally turned primary rival who has worked to rebuild his relationship with the former president since dropping out of the primary.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a>: &quot;America cannot afford for more years of a Weekend at Bernie&#39;s presidency.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ge9Wn1NR4P">pic.twitter.com/ge9Wn1NR4P</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1813396631112274019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Donald Trump has been demonized. He’s been sued. He’s been prosecuted. And he nearly lost his life,” DeSantis told the crowd. “We cannot let him down. And we cannot let America down.”Such overtures are typical in political conventions, where the purpose is often to bring a party together after bitter primaries. But the Haley and DeSantis appearances were particularly notable given the personal animosity that defined this year’s GOP contest — much of that being directed by Trump at Haley and DeSantis.The displays of unity stood in stark contrast to the dynamic facing Democrats, many of whom are increasingly uncertain that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-nevada-naacp-black-voters-trump-3f9386fae612adbb7630bad3c62b683d">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is the right choice to take on Trump in the November election.DeSantis was once seen as best positioned to challenge Trump's position at the top of the party. As a presidential candidate, he was slow to criticize Trump directly before eventually accusing him of repeatedly failing to follow through on his promises.Haley, meanwhile, painted Trump as chaotic and suggested the 78-year-old was too old to serve another term. Unlike DeSantis, she did not immediately endorse Trump after she dropped out, instead waiting a few months to announce he had her vote.Biden's campaign resurrected Haley's criticisms Tuesday. Austin Weatherford, a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement, “Ambassador Haley said it best herself: someone who doesn’t respect our military, doesn’t know right from wrong, and ‘surrounds himself in chaos’ can’t be president."<h2>Immigration was a key theme on Tuesday</h2>Several speakers spotlighted immigration, a key element of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;’s political brand that helped endear him to the GOP base when he began his first campaign in 2015.Trump has criticized the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">unprecedented number of migrants</a>&nbsp;entering the country illegally through the U.S. border with Mexico. The numbers of unauthorized crossings have fallen abruptly after Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-arrests-biden-mexico-asylum-f9246ad9b9eb40e2b0c05513658f9bd6">issued a rule suspending many asylum claims</a>&nbsp;at the border.At rallies and other campaign events, Trump has pointed to examples of migrants who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-riley-immigrants-crime-63181cbc7a89fe9fe28b1d0cf84c8b9a">committed heinous crimes</a>&nbsp;and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-violent-crime-trump-republican-convention-bd40d14546bc7eb9a1dbbadfcb190950">blamed migration</a>&nbsp;for the trafficking of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-presidential-candidates-mexico-cartels-fentanyl-trafficking-b4127423a3130967a1fafb0d9fb7526a">drugs like fentanyl</a>, even though federal data suggests many people smuggling fentanyl across the border are U.S. citizens. He has vowed to carry out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-immigration-gop-147d96fd00aa4c56e2cbe6074eceb874">the largest deportation operation</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric has also strayed into talking points not backed by evidence, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigrant-voting-noncitizens-elections-explained-cf4c73b336147b5f5d9c2a22b2564994">unfounded claims</a>&nbsp;that migrants are entering the country to vote in the 2024 election.Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the House majority leader, made that statement in his remarks, declaring, “Biden and Harris want illegals to vote now that they’ve opened up the border.”The convention's programming has featured people the campaign has referred to as “everyday Americans." On Tuesday, they included people who had lost loved ones to fentanyl overdoses or in violent crimes linked by authorities to immigrants in the U.S. illegally.Among the speakers was Michael Morin, whose sister was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-watch-rnc-haley-immigration-trump-1b9b66c874ac9a71a4e103f411857ab1">Rachel Morin</a>, a Maryland woman whom prosecutors say was killed and raped by a fugitive from El Salvador.“Joe Biden and his designated ‘border czar’ Kamala Harris opened our borders to him and others like him, empowering them to victimize the innocent,” Morin told the audience.Peer-reviewed academic studies have generally found no link between immigration and violent crime, though conclusions vary based on the data examined.<h2>The recent attempt on Trump's life lingers over convention</h2>Trump's survival of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-cdfd3f4b163f7f91b05eeefe21caa45a">attempted assassination</a>&nbsp;Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania was on the minds of many inside the hall. One of the delegates in the crowd could be seen with a folded white piece of paper over his ear — an apparent tribute to the bandage Trump wore when he entered the hall Monday to a roaring crowd.Trump was again wearing a bandage when he arrived Tuesday night, appearing even earlier in the arena than he did the night before. Trump entered a few minutes after his newly chosen running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.Scalise, who was injured in a politically motivated shooting in 2017 while he was practicing for a charity baseball game, spoke of his own experience when he touched on Trump's attack.“While I was fighting for my life, Donald Trump was one of the first to come to console my family at the hospital. That’s the kind of leader he is. Courageous under fire, compassionate towards others,” Scalise said.In the wake of Saturday’s attempt on Trump’s life, there was a heightened focus on security at the convention, which drew thousands of people to downtown Milwaukee, including a number of high-profile elected officials.A man armed with an AK-47 pistol and wearing a ski mask was taken into custody Monday, the convention’s first day, near the Fiserv Forum where the convention is being held, a federal law enforcement official said Tuesday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.On Tuesday, five Ohio police officers who were in Wisconsin for the convention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-convention-milwaukee-police-shooting-columbus-2a85bd8dd3be69500e5c0992fb302343">shot a man who was in a knife fight</a>&nbsp;near the convention, killing him, Milwaukee’s police chief said.<h2>There's growing anticipation for Trump's speech</h2>Trump and Vance were expected to appear in the hall each night of the convention. Vance is slated to speak Wednesday and Trump will speak Thursday.Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-georgia-state-elections-media-elections-6e30f557f7a015cc9fda9549d2778670">has long decried rivals with harsh language</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-indictment-documents-biden-american-democracy-5a8ec37b359fee85d0f0956139d79f51">talked about prosecuting opponents if he wins a second term</a>, seemed poised to deliver a more toned-down speech. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said in an Axios interview outside the RNC that he spent three or four hours going through his father’s convention speech with him, “trying to de-escalate some of that rhetoric.”“I think it lasts," the younger Trump said of the change in his father's rhetoric. "There are events that change you for a couple minutes, and there are events that change you permanently.”But there were also hints in Tuesday's programming of some of Trump's old grievances, including several references to Trump's disproven theories of election fraud. One of the primetime speakers, Madeline Brame, railed against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office prosecuted Trump for illegally orchestrating a hush money scheme to influence the 2016 election. That made Trump the first former president convicted of a felony crime.Brame accused Bragg of having mishandled the cases against the people accused of killing her son. Of Trump, she said, “He’s been a victim of the same corrupt system that I have been and my family has been.”Then she echoed a version of a line he has delivered at his rallies for years.“They’re after us," she said. "He’s just standing in the way.”

🎥Trump feted by former rivals in a show of unity after rally shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a 15-year-old in connection with a shooting during an altercation with a man and his wife who were taking a walk.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a large disturbance at 100 S. Saint Francis in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. 

Officers were then notified of a possible shooting. Subsequently, another call came in from 100 S. Broadway reporting a shooting victim. Officers responded to that location and found a 64-year old man from Wichita suffering from a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. 

EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of critical but non-life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the victim and his wife were walking in the Naftzger Park area when they got into a verbal argument with a large group of young individuals. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, leading to several individuals pursuing the victim to a nearby parking lot, where a 15- year-old boy shot the victim before fleeing the area.

The 15-year-old juvenile was later taken into custody and booked on requested charges of aggravated battery and attempted murder. The case will be presented to the District Attorney's Office for charge.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a 15-year-old in connection with a shooting during an altercation with a man and his wife who were taking a walk.Just before 11:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a large disturbance at 100 S. Saint Francis in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. Officers were then notified of a possible shooting. Subsequently, another call came in from 100 S. Broadway reporting a shooting victim. Officers responded to that location and found a 64-year old man from Wichita suffering from a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of critical but non-life-threatening injuries.Preliminary investigations indicate that the victim and his wife were walking in the Naftzger Park area when they got into a verbal argument with a large group of young individuals. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, leading to several individuals pursuing the victim to a nearby parking lot, where a 15- year-old boy shot the victim before fleeing the area.The 15-year-old juvenile was later taken into custody and booked on requested charges of aggravated battery and attempted murder. The case will be presented to the District Attorney's Office for charge.

Police: 15-year-old shot man walking with his wife in Kansas park

JERUSALEM —From January to June 2024, ISIS has claimed 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria. At this rate, ISIS is on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

The increase in attacks indicates ISIS is attempting to reconstitute following several years of decreased capability.

To continue the effort to defeat ISIS and prevent its ability to conduct external attacks, United States Central Command, along with our Defeat ISIS partners, Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, conducted 196 Defeat ISIS Missions resulting in 44 ISIS operatives killed and 166 detained in the first half of 2024. In Iraq, 137 partnered operations resulted in 30 ISIS operatives killed and 74 ISIS operatives detained. In Syria, 59 operations conducted alongside the SDF and other partners resulted in 14 ISIS operatives killed and 92 ISIS operatives detained. 

The above operations resulted in eight senior ISIS leaders killed and 32 captured in both Iraq and Syria. These leaders include those responsible for planning of operations outside of Syria and Iraq, recruiting, training, and weapons smuggling. The removal of these individuals from their leadership positions further degrades ISIS capabilities to conduct external operations in the U.S. and allied nations.

The continued pursuit of the approximately 2,500 ISIS fighters at large across Iraq and Syria is a critical component to the enduring defeat of ISIS.  Equally important are the ongoing international efforts to repatriate more than 9,000 ISIS detainees in detention facilities in Syria, and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of more than 43,000 individuals and families from the Al Hol and Al Roj camps. This is down from the peak of over 70,000 in 2019. 

“The global enduring defeat of ISIS relies on combined efforts of the Coalition and partners to remove key leaders from the battlefield and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of families from Al Hol and Al Roj,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. “We continue to focus our efforts on specifically targeting those members of ISIS who are seeking to conduct external operations outside of Iraq and Syria and those ISIS members attempting to break out ISIS members in detention in an attempt to reconstitute their forces.”

JERUSALEM —From January to June 2024, ISIS has claimed 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria. At this rate, ISIS is on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.The increase in attacks indicates ISIS is attempting to reconstitute following several years of decreased capability.To continue the effort to defeat ISIS and prevent its ability to conduct external attacks, United States Central Command, along with our Defeat ISIS partners, Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, conducted 196 Defeat ISIS Missions resulting in 44 ISIS operatives killed and 166 detained in the first half of 2024. In Iraq, 137 partnered operations resulted in 30 ISIS operatives killed and 74 ISIS operatives detained. In Syria, 59 operations conducted alongside the SDF and other partners resulted in 14 ISIS operatives killed and 92 ISIS operatives detained. The above operations resulted in eight senior ISIS leaders killed and 32 captured in both Iraq and Syria. These leaders include those responsible for planning of operations outside of Syria and Iraq, recruiting, training, and weapons smuggling. The removal of these individuals from their leadership positions further degrades ISIS capabilities to conduct external operations in the U.S. and allied nations.The continued pursuit of the approximately 2,500 ISIS fighters at large across Iraq and Syria is a critical component to the enduring defeat of ISIS. Equally important are the ongoing international efforts to repatriate more than 9,000 ISIS detainees in detention facilities in Syria, and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of more than 43,000 individuals and families from the Al Hol and Al Roj camps. This is down from the peak of over 70,000 in 2019. “The global enduring defeat of ISIS relies on combined efforts of the Coalition and partners to remove key leaders from the battlefield and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of families from Al Hol and Al Roj,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. “We continue to focus our efforts on specifically targeting those members of ISIS who are seeking to conduct external operations outside of Iraq and Syria and those ISIS members attempting to break out ISIS members in detention in an attempt to reconstitute their forces.”

ISIS on pace to more than double number of attacks they claimed in 2023

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident near Clinton Lake in&nbsp; Douglas County.

The victim of the crash has been identified as 17-year-old Brody Minton of Lawrence, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff. Family members reported him missing on Monday and law enforcement had attempted to find him. Douglas County sheriff's deputies searched Monday and Tuesday searched extensively including the campgrounds at Clinton Lake and were working to locate his vehicle in the area.

Just after 5:30p.m. Tuesday, a person called dispatchers after locating tracks in the area and finding a vehicle in a wooded area east of the road in the 900 Block of N 1150 Road. The callers found the 1997 Nissan Altima and Brody was in the car. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the details surrounding the crash.

Deputies temporarily closed East 900 Road, known as the dam road at Clinton Lake, for the DGSO Crash Reconstruction Team to investigate the crash.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident near Clinton Lake in&nbsp; Douglas County.The victim of the crash has been identified as 17-year-old Brody Minton of Lawrence, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff. Family members reported him missing on Monday and law enforcement had attempted to find him. Douglas County sheriff's deputies searched Monday and Tuesday searched extensively including the campgrounds at Clinton Lake and were working to locate his vehicle in the area.Just after 5:30p.m. Tuesday, a person called dispatchers after locating tracks in the area and finding a vehicle in a wooded area east of the road in the 900 Block of N 1150 Road. The callers found the 1997 Nissan Altima and Brody was in the car. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the details surrounding the crash.Deputies temporarily closed East 900 Road, known as the dam road at Clinton Lake, for the DGSO Crash Reconstruction Team to investigate the crash.

Sheriff investigating death of Kansas teen in crash near lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — A threat on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;life from Iran prompted additional security in the days before Saturday’s campaign rally, but it was unrelated to the assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee, two U.S. officials said Tuesday, as law enforcement warned of the potential for more violence inspired by the shooting.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said officials have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration. Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.

“These threats arise from Iran’s desire to seek revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani. We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority,” Watson said.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Trump campaign were made aware of the latest threat, prompting a surge in resources and assets, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

The additional resources did not prevent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">Saturday attack at a rally in Pennsylvania</a>, where a 20-year-old with an AR-style rifle opened fire from a nearby rooftop, leaving the former president with an ear injury, killing one rallygoer and severely injuring two others.

Watson said there have been no ties identified between the gunman at the rally “and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic.”

“The Secret Service and other agencies are constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources, as needed,” said Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi who said he couldn't comment on any specific threats.

Online rhetoric is particularly concerning

Since the rally shooting, rhetoric online has become particularly concerning “given that individuals in some online communities have threatened, encouraged, or referenced acts of violence in response to the attempted assassination,” according to a joint intelligence bulletin by Homeland Security and the FBI and obtained by The Associated Press.

Presidents — and presidential candidates — are always the subject of threats, but the FBI and Homeland Security officials are “concerned about the potential for follow-on or retaliatory acts of violence following this attack,” according to the bulletin released Monday evening. Law enforcement warned that lone actors and small groups will “continue to see rallies and campaign events as attractive targets.”

A visibly stronger security detail now surrounds Trump and President Joe Biden. And independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received Secret Service protection in the wake of the shooting.

There were more agents surrounding Biden as he boarded Air Force One to Las Vegas on Monday night.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-national-convention-58c09e396b79751c44baed14a1b432a8">As Trump made his first post-shooting</a>&nbsp;appearance on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that same night, there was a much larger presence than he has previously had, with agents keeping a protective barrier between Trump and the crowd, preventing him from greeting supporters as easily as he usually does.

Show of force, but also an effort to reassure

The visibly stepped-up presence is meant to add a show of force and additional protection, but is also an effort to reassure Americans concerned about the potential for additional violence after the already-tense and vitriolic 2024 election season turned deadly.

Both Trump and Biden have called for unity following the shooting; Biden has said repeatedly that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-shooting-election-2024-704592d02c3421a767112f0bf6d25eb9">political violence must be rejected</a>.

The FBI has no clear motive for the shooting and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">investigation is ongoing</a>. Biden ordered an independent review of the federal response after questions swirled about how the gunman could have gotten so close to the stage, and how the enhanced security presence did not prevent the attack.

“This attack reinforces our assessment that election-related targets are under a heightened threat of attack or other types of disruptive incidents,” according to the bulletin.

Security will also be enhanced at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-trump-reelection-convention-2024-99db6ca0b7df215442b7fc1fd24f4463">Democratic National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Chicago in a few weeks.

The U.S. Secret Service, which is tasked with protecting the president, former presidents, their spouses, some other lawmakers and major security events, has protocols in place that allow for leeway to adjust security needs in the moment. That includes adding additional agents around the candidates, or beefing up behind-the-scenes operations and additional advance teams who travel ahead to scope out sites and test for vulnerabilities.

They're constantly monitoring possible threats. Authorities this week arrested a Florida man they say made comments about wanting to kill Biden. The man’s comments, both online and in person at a mental health facility, were made before Saturday’s assassination attempt of Trump, according to court papers.

Federal law provides Secret Service protection to former presidents and their spouses for life. The security posture around ex-presidents varies depending on threat levels and exposure, generally being toughest in the immediate aftermath of their leaving office and getting lower-profile — but never going away — as the years go on.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-second-term-prosecute-media-b892fd6f3ce721016eb1176e82aa51c3">is the first modern ex-president to seek another term</a>, and because of his high visibility, his protective detail has always been larger than some of his peers. That protective bubble had only grown tighter in recent months as he became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. All major party nominees are granted enhanced security details with counterassault and countersniper teams similar to the president.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday said Biden had also ordered protection for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-rfk-baf2281a888d736a50d78a3ae4188521">Kennedy, whose campaign had been</a>&nbsp;urging the president to provide him with Secret Service protection for months, and has sent multiple requests after various&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-candidate-rfk-intruder-california-arrest-243a04db152b10c12632b2ec89f74a2a">incidents</a>.

Kennedy’s uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, were both assassinated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721173952120.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A threat on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;life from Iran prompted additional security in the days before Saturday’s campaign rally, but it was unrelated to the assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee, two U.S. officials said Tuesday, as law enforcement warned of the potential for more violence inspired by the shooting.National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said officials have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration. Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.“These threats arise from Iran’s desire to seek revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani. We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority,” Watson said.The U.S. Secret Service and the Trump campaign were made aware of the latest threat, prompting a surge in resources and assets, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.The additional resources did not prevent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">Saturday attack at a rally in Pennsylvania</a>, where a 20-year-old with an AR-style rifle opened fire from a nearby rooftop, leaving the former president with an ear injury, killing one rallygoer and severely injuring two others.Watson said there have been no ties identified between the gunman at the rally “and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic.”“The Secret Service and other agencies are constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources, as needed,” said Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi who said he couldn't comment on any specific threats.<h2>Online rhetoric is particularly concerning</h2>Since the rally shooting, rhetoric online has become particularly concerning “given that individuals in some online communities have threatened, encouraged, or referenced acts of violence in response to the attempted assassination,” according to a joint intelligence bulletin by Homeland Security and the FBI and obtained by The Associated Press.Presidents — and presidential candidates — are always the subject of threats, but the FBI and Homeland Security officials are “concerned about the potential for follow-on or retaliatory acts of violence following this attack,” according to the bulletin released Monday evening. Law enforcement warned that lone actors and small groups will “continue to see rallies and campaign events as attractive targets.”A visibly stronger security detail now surrounds Trump and President Joe Biden. And independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received Secret Service protection in the wake of the shooting.There were more agents surrounding Biden as he boarded Air Force One to Las Vegas on Monday night.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-national-convention-58c09e396b79751c44baed14a1b432a8">As Trump made his first post-shooting</a>&nbsp;appearance on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that same night, there was a much larger presence than he has previously had, with agents keeping a protective barrier between Trump and the crowd, preventing him from greeting supporters as easily as he usually does.<h2>Show of force, but also an effort to reassure</h2>The visibly stepped-up presence is meant to add a show of force and additional protection, but is also an effort to reassure Americans concerned about the potential for additional violence after the already-tense and vitriolic 2024 election season turned deadly.Both Trump and Biden have called for unity following the shooting; Biden has said repeatedly that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-shooting-election-2024-704592d02c3421a767112f0bf6d25eb9">political violence must be rejected</a>.The FBI has no clear motive for the shooting and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">investigation is ongoing</a>. Biden ordered an independent review of the federal response after questions swirled about how the gunman could have gotten so close to the stage, and how the enhanced security presence did not prevent the attack.“This attack reinforces our assessment that election-related targets are under a heightened threat of attack or other types of disruptive incidents,” according to the bulletin.Security will also be enhanced at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-trump-reelection-convention-2024-99db6ca0b7df215442b7fc1fd24f4463">Democratic National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Chicago in a few weeks.The U.S. Secret Service, which is tasked with protecting the president, former presidents, their spouses, some other lawmakers and major security events, has protocols in place that allow for leeway to adjust security needs in the moment. That includes adding additional agents around the candidates, or beefing up behind-the-scenes operations and additional advance teams who travel ahead to scope out sites and test for vulnerabilities.They're constantly monitoring possible threats. Authorities this week arrested a Florida man they say made comments about wanting to kill Biden. The man’s comments, both online and in person at a mental health facility, were made before Saturday’s assassination attempt of Trump, according to court papers.Federal law provides Secret Service protection to former presidents and their spouses for life. The security posture around ex-presidents varies depending on threat levels and exposure, generally being toughest in the immediate aftermath of their leaving office and getting lower-profile — but never going away — as the years go on.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-second-term-prosecute-media-b892fd6f3ce721016eb1176e82aa51c3">is the first modern ex-president to seek another term</a>, and because of his high visibility, his protective detail has always been larger than some of his peers. That protective bubble had only grown tighter in recent months as he became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. All major party nominees are granted enhanced security details with counterassault and countersniper teams similar to the president.Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday said Biden had also ordered protection for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-rfk-baf2281a888d736a50d78a3ae4188521">Kennedy, whose campaign had been</a>&nbsp;urging the president to provide him with Secret Service protection for months, and has sent multiple requests after various&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-candidate-rfk-intruder-california-arrest-243a04db152b10c12632b2ec89f74a2a">incidents</a>.Kennedy’s uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, were both assassinated.<h2>How stepped up security impacts candidates</h2>For Trump, a stricter security protocol could hamper his interactions. He often signs autographs, shakes hands and poses for selfies on airplane tarmacs and at events.In many cities he visits, the campaign assembles supporters in public spaces like restaurants and fast food joints. The images and video of his reception and interactions -- circulated online by his campaign staffers and conservative media -- have been fundamental to his 2024 campaign.But those events can get rowdy. While he was in New York during his criminal hush money trial, Trump aides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-56fd4f4bb7562772c701a2acab76e9fd">arranged a series of visits</a>&nbsp;to a local bodega, a local firehouse and a construction site.Before his arrival at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harlem-trial-bodega-909f0abee3f1951a2ffdabc8072d61a7">the bodega in Harlem</a>, thousands of supporters and onlookers gathered behind metal barricades for blocks to watch his motorcade arrive and cheer. But some were frustrated by the visit, including people being dropped off at a bus stop just in front of the store, and others trying to enter their apartments after work.At one point, an individual who lived in the building started shouting from a window that was just above the entrance where Trump would eventually stand and give remarks to the cameras and answer reporters' questions.Biden, too, will often linger long after his events have ended, talking to people. At a campaign rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, last week, he spent nearly an hour in the sun shaking hands, taking selfies and talking to people up close. Earlier in Philadelphia, he was surrounded by churchgoers as they crowded into the pews hoping to speak with him as his agents monitored the crowds and pushed people further back in some cases.Biden often talks about how hard it is to interact with the public given security concerns.“I love the Secret Service,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-election-abc-debate-age-trump-25a863ba1ca3d6d01d8cc69a61274321">Biden said at a campaign office in Philadelphia last week</a>. “But I’m not able to do what I used to do.” He said he’d often be riding in a vehicle and get out to talk to people but “realistically, I can’t do that anymore. It’s just too dangerous what’s going on out there.”<h2>The Iran threats</h2>Details of the Iran threat were first reported by CNN.Iran’s mission to the United Nations called the accusations “unsubstantiated and malicious.”In a statement obtained by The Associated Press late Tuesday, the mission said that while it sees Trump as a “criminal” who should be punished in court for ordering Soleimani’s assassination, “Iran has chosen the legal path to bring him to justice.”Other former high-level Trump administration officials also receive protection following Soleimani's assassination. Since taking office, the Biden administration has repeatedly extended 24/7 protection to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top Iran aide, Brian Hook, due to credible threats on their lives from Iran.The last time the protection was extended by the State Department was on June 21, according to congressional notifications seen by the AP. As of March 2022, the State Department was paying more than $2 million per month to provide 24-hour security to Pompeo and Hook, though the agency has stopped reporting the cost figures to Congress.