TULSA, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma judge ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-superfan-accused-bank-robberies-kansas-city-f7b764389a54a9e0812ac50eceafa033">Kansas City Chiefs superfan</a>&nbsp;known as “ChiefsAholic” who admitted to a series of bank robberies to pay $10.8 million to a bank teller he threatened and assaulted with a gun.

A judge in Tulsa handed down the order last week against Xaviar Michael Bubudar, 29, who was known for attending Chiefs games dressed as a wolf in the NFL team's gear. Former bank teller Payton Garcia alleged Bubudar used a gun to assault her during a robbery of a Bixby, Oklahoma, credit union in December 2022, court records show.

The judge ordered Bubudar to pay Garcia $3.6 million for her injuries and loss of income, and $7.2 million in punitive damages. A message left Tuesday with Bubudar's attorney was not immediately returned.

Garcia's attorney, Frank Frasier, acknowledged that it would be difficult to collect the money for his client, but said the judgment sends an important message.

“I think the judge feels that way,” Frasier told The Associated Press. “She did not come right out and say it during the hearing, but I argued that nobody should be able to profit from this, be it notoriety, clicks, views or likes.”

Frasier said if Bubudar ever sold his story, wrote a book or was somehow able to profit from his story, his client would be able to collect some of the judgment against him.

Bubudar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-fan-bank-robberies-guilty-plea-a2f516d83d504c75f77863ac95e2dc89">pleaded guilty in February</a>&nbsp;to a string of robberies of banks and credit unions in multiple states. He remains imprisoned until his formal sentencing, which is set for July 10 in Kansas City.

Federal prosecutors said Babudar admitted to the robberies and attempted robberies in 2022 and 2023 and to laundering the stolen money through casinos and online gambling.

As part of the plea agreement, Babudar must pay at least $532,675 in restitution. He also must forfeit property — including an autographed painting of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes that was recovered by the FBI.

Before his arrest, Babudar was a well-known figure on social media for his rabid support of the Chiefs and attended several games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs’ clothing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689010403536.png" alt="Babudar from an earlier arrest in Tulsa County" />
 <figcaption>Babudar from an earlier arrest in Tulsa County</figcaption>
 </figure>TULSA, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma judge ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-superfan-accused-bank-robberies-kansas-city-f7b764389a54a9e0812ac50eceafa033">Kansas City Chiefs superfan</a>&nbsp;known as “ChiefsAholic” who admitted to a series of bank robberies to pay $10.8 million to a bank teller he threatened and assaulted with a gun.A judge in Tulsa handed down the order last week against Xaviar Michael Bubudar, 29, who was known for attending Chiefs games dressed as a wolf in the NFL team's gear. Former bank teller Payton Garcia alleged Bubudar used a gun to assault her during a robbery of a Bixby, Oklahoma, credit union in December 2022, court records show.The judge ordered Bubudar to pay Garcia $3.6 million for her injuries and loss of income, and $7.2 million in punitive damages. A message left Tuesday with Bubudar's attorney was not immediately returned.Garcia's attorney, Frank Frasier, acknowledged that it would be difficult to collect the money for his client, but said the judgment sends an important message.“I think the judge feels that way,” Frasier told The Associated Press. “She did not come right out and say it during the hearing, but I argued that nobody should be able to profit from this, be it notoriety, clicks, views or likes.”Frasier said if Bubudar ever sold his story, wrote a book or was somehow able to profit from his story, his client would be able to collect some of the judgment against him.Bubudar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-fan-bank-robberies-guilty-plea-a2f516d83d504c75f77863ac95e2dc89">pleaded guilty in February</a>&nbsp;to a string of robberies of banks and credit unions in multiple states. He remains imprisoned until his formal sentencing, which is set for July 10 in Kansas City.Federal prosecutors said Babudar admitted to the robberies and attempted robberies in 2022 and 2023 and to laundering the stolen money through casinos and online gambling.As part of the plea agreement, Babudar must pay at least $532,675 in restitution. He also must forfeit property — including an autographed painting of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes that was recovered by the FBI.Before his arrest, Babudar was a well-known figure on social media for his rabid support of the Chiefs and attended several games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs’ clothing.

Judge orders Chiefs superfan 'ChiefsAholic' to pay $10M to bank teller

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting that sent a man to the hospital in Manhattan.

Just after 11:30a.m. Monday, officers filed a report for discharge of a firearm in the 1900 block of Hunting Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 61-year-old shot himself while attempting to clean his firearm. He was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573683844307.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting that sent a man to the hospital in Manhattan.Just after 11:30a.m. Monday, officers filed a report for discharge of a firearm in the 1900 block of Hunting Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.A 61-year-old shot himself while attempting to clean his firearm. He was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Police released no additional details.

Kan. man hospitalized after injured while cleaning a firearm

KANSAS CITY— A pedestrian injured in a weekend incident has died.

Just after 10:30.m.&nbsp; April 6, Kansas City East Patrol Officers were dispatched to a three-vehicle collision and pedestrian hit at East 41st Street and Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, according to Captain Jake Becchina.

A pedestrian had just parked his Buick and exited his vehicle. A southbound Chevrolet on Prospect struck the pedestrian and his parked Buick. 

The Chevrolet then struck a stopped Nissan when it appeared the driver was trying to leave the scene. The pedestrian was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the Chevrolet was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Nissan reported minor injuries in the collision but refused medical treatment.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim or additional details.

KANSAS CITY— A pedestrian injured in a weekend incident has died.Just after 10:30.m.&nbsp; April 6, Kansas City East Patrol Officers were dispatched to a three-vehicle collision and pedestrian hit at East 41st Street and Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, according to Captain Jake Becchina.A pedestrian had just parked his Buick and exited his vehicle. A southbound Chevrolet on Prospect struck the pedestrian and his parked Buick. The Chevrolet then struck a stopped Nissan when it appeared the driver was trying to leave the scene. The pedestrian was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.The driver of the Chevrolet was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Nissan reported minor injuries in the collision but refused medical treatment.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim or additional details.

KCPD: Pedestrian injured after struck by vehicle has died

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge sentenced the parents of a Michigan school shooter to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented a “runaway train” — the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killing of four students in 2021</a>.

Jennifer and James Crumbley are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-james-crumbley-d13192e4057ec00836e4ce99c17bd375">the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting</a>. They were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors presented evidence of an unsecured gun at home and indifference toward the teen’s mental health.

Ethan Crumbley drew dark images of a gun, a bullet and a wounded man on a math assignment, accompanied by despondent phrases. Staff at Oxford High School did not demand that he go home but were surprised when the Crumbleys didn’t volunteer it during a brief meeting.

Later that day, on Nov. 30, 2021, the 15-year-old pulled a handgun from his backpack and began shooting. Ethan, now 17, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">serving a life sentence for murder and other crimes</a>.

“These convictions are not about poor parenting,” Judge Cheryl Matthews said. "These convictions confirm repeated acts, or lack of acts, that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.

“About repeatedly ignoring things that would make a reasonable person feel the hair on the back of their neck stand up,” the judge said. “Opportunity knocked over and over again — louder and louder — and was ignored. No one answered.”

Defense attorneys asked that the Crumbleys be spared a prison term, noting they have already served nearly 2 1/2 years in jail after failing to meet a $500,000 bond after their arrest.

The Crumbleys will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years in custody and will get credit for the jail time. If parole is denied, they can't be held longer than 15 years.

Before sentencing, family members of the slain students asked the judge for a 10-year term, condemning the parents as failures whose selfishness led to four deaths and a community tragedy.

“The blood of our children is on your hands, too,” said Craig Shilling, wearing a hoodie with the image of son Justin Shilling on his chest.

Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of Madisyn Baldwin, recalled simple things she enjoyed doing for her daughter, such as scheduling an oil change for her car or helping choose senior year classes.

“While you were purchasing a gun for your son and leaving it unlocked, I was helping her finish her college essays,” Beausoleil told the Crumbleys.

Five deputies in the courtroom stood watch over the couple and more lined the walls.

Prosecutors said simple acts by both parents could have stopped the catastrophe.

“Consider the devastating impact of their gross negligence that was foreseeable," prosecutor Karen McDonald told the judge.

She then quoted the grim handwritten lines on Ethan's math paper: “Help me. Blood everywhere. The world is dead.”

“All the while a 9 millimeter (gun) had just been purchased for him and 50 rounds of ammunition,” McDonald said.

The couple had separate trials in Oakland County court, 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Detroit. Jurors saw the teen's violent drawing on his school assignment and heard testimony about the crucial hours before the attack.

Ethan had told a counselor he was sad — a grandmother had died and his only friend suddenly had moved away — but said the drawing only reflected his interest in creating video games.

The Crumbleys attended a meeting at the school that lasted less than 15 minutes. They did not mention that the gun resembled one James Crumbley had purchased just four days earlier — a Sig Sauer 9 mm that Ethan had described on social media as his “beauty.”

His parents didn't take him home, choosing instead to return to work and accepting a list of mental health providers. School staff said Ethan could stay on campus. A counselor, Shawn Hopkins, said he believed it would be safer for the boy than possibly being alone at home.

No one, however, checked Ethan's backpack. He pulled the gun out later that day and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-michigan-77eb45f22f5d9dab802e4378608ca307">killed four students</a>&nbsp;— Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, Shilling and Baldwin — and wounded seven other people.

Before being sentenced, James Crumbley, 47, stood and insisted he did not know his son was deeply troubled.

"My heart is really broken for everybody involved. ... I have cried for you and the loss of your children more times than I can count," he said.

Jennifer Crumbley, 46, began her remarks by expressing her “deepest sorrow” about the shooting. She also said her comment at her trial about not doing anything differently was “completely misunderstood.”

“My son did seem so normal. I didn't have a reason to do anything different,” Jennifer Crumbley said. “With the benefit of hindsight and information I have now, my answer would be drastically different."

She blamed the school for not giving her the “bigger picture” about Ethan: sleeping in class, watching a video of a mass shooting, writing negative thoughts about his family.

“The prosecution has tried to mold us into the type of parents society wants to believe are so horrible only a school or mass shooter could be bred from,” Jennifer Crumbley said. “We were good parents. We were the average family."

During the trials, there was no testimony from specialists about Ethan's state of mind. But the judge, over defense objections, allowed the jury to see excerpts from his journal.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote. “I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help.”

Asked about Ethan reporting hallucinations months before the shooting, Jennifer Crumbley told jurors he was simply “messing around.”

At the close of James Crumbley's trial, the prosecutor demonstrated how a cable lock, found in a package at home, could have secured the gun.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge sentenced the parents of a Michigan school shooter to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented a “runaway train” — the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killing of four students in 2021</a>.Jennifer and James Crumbley are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-james-crumbley-d13192e4057ec00836e4ce99c17bd375">the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting</a>. They were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors presented evidence of an unsecured gun at home and indifference toward the teen’s mental health.Ethan Crumbley drew dark images of a gun, a bullet and a wounded man on a math assignment, accompanied by despondent phrases. Staff at Oxford High School did not demand that he go home but were surprised when the Crumbleys didn’t volunteer it during a brief meeting.Later that day, on Nov. 30, 2021, the 15-year-old pulled a handgun from his backpack and began shooting. Ethan, now 17, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">serving a life sentence for murder and other crimes</a>.“These convictions are not about poor parenting,” Judge Cheryl Matthews said. "These convictions confirm repeated acts, or lack of acts, that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.“About repeatedly ignoring things that would make a reasonable person feel the hair on the back of their neck stand up,” the judge said. “Opportunity knocked over and over again — louder and louder — and was ignored. No one answered.”Defense attorneys asked that the Crumbleys be spared a prison term, noting they have already served nearly 2 1/2 years in jail after failing to meet a $500,000 bond after their arrest.The Crumbleys will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years in custody and will get credit for the jail time. If parole is denied, they can't be held longer than 15 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Jennifer Crumbley as shown in her 2021 booking photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Crumbley as shown in her 2021 booking photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>Before sentencing, family members of the slain students asked the judge for a 10-year term, condemning the parents as failures whose selfishness led to four deaths and a community tragedy.“The blood of our children is on your hands, too,” said Craig Shilling, wearing a hoodie with the image of son Justin Shilling on his chest.Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of Madisyn Baldwin, recalled simple things she enjoyed doing for her daughter, such as scheduling an oil change for her car or helping choose senior year classes.“While you were purchasing a gun for your son and leaving it unlocked, I was helping her finish her college essays,” Beausoleil told the Crumbleys.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>Five deputies in the courtroom stood watch over the couple and more lined the walls.Prosecutors said simple acts by both parents could have stopped the catastrophe.“Consider the devastating impact of their gross negligence that was foreseeable," prosecutor Karen McDonald told the judge.She then quoted the grim handwritten lines on Ethan's math paper: “Help me. Blood everywhere. The world is dead.”“All the while a 9 millimeter (gun) had just been purchased for him and 50 rounds of ammunition,” McDonald said.The couple had separate trials in Oakland County court, 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Detroit. Jurors saw the teen's violent drawing on his school assignment and heard testimony about the crucial hours before the attack.Ethan had told a counselor he was sad — a grandmother had died and his only friend suddenly had moved away — but said the drawing only reflected his interest in creating video games.The Crumbleys attended a meeting at the school that lasted less than 15 minutes. They did not mention that the gun resembled one James Crumbley had purchased just four days earlier — a Sig Sauer 9 mm that Ethan had described on social media as his “beauty.”His parents didn't take him home, choosing instead to return to work and accepting a list of mental health providers. School staff said Ethan could stay on campus. A counselor, Shawn Hopkins, said he believed it would be safer for the boy than possibly being alone at home.No one, however, checked Ethan's backpack. He pulled the gun out later that day and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-michigan-77eb45f22f5d9dab802e4378608ca307">killed four students</a>&nbsp;— Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, Shilling and Baldwin — and wounded seven other people.Before being sentenced, James Crumbley, 47, stood and insisted he did not know his son was deeply troubled."My heart is really broken for everybody involved. ... I have cried for you and the loss of your children more times than I can count," he said.Jennifer Crumbley, 46, began her remarks by expressing her “deepest sorrow” about the shooting. She also said her comment at her trial about not doing anything differently was “completely misunderstood.”“My son did seem so normal. I didn't have a reason to do anything different,” Jennifer Crumbley said. “With the benefit of hindsight and information I have now, my answer would be drastically different."She blamed the school for not giving her the “bigger picture” about Ethan: sleeping in class, watching a video of a mass shooting, writing negative thoughts about his family.“The prosecution has tried to mold us into the type of parents society wants to believe are so horrible only a school or mass shooter could be bred from,” Jennifer Crumbley said. “We were good parents. We were the average family."During the trials, there was no testimony from specialists about Ethan's state of mind. But the judge, over defense objections, allowed the jury to see excerpts from his journal.“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote. “I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help.”Asked about Ethan reporting hallucinations months before the shooting, Jennifer Crumbley told jurors he was simply “messing around.”At the close of James Crumbley's trial, the prosecutor demonstrated how a cable lock, found in a package at home, could have secured the gun.

History: Parents of school shooter get years in prison

BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 490 El Dorado school officials are investigating alleged sex crimes.

On April 5, Detectives from the El Dorado Police Department and School Resource Officers with USD 490 investigated a report of a sexually motivated crime with a suspect not affiliated with the school district, according to Deputy Police Chief Jeff Murphy.

The investigation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Patrick A. Jeffers from El Dorado. He is being held on requested charges that include&nbsp;multiple counts of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and Rape.

Police said they are grateful for their partnership with the Sunlight Child Advocacy Center and USD 490 in addressing these particular heinous crimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712595671170.png" alt="Jeffers-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Jeffers-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 490 El Dorado school officials are investigating alleged sex crimes.On April 5, Detectives from the El Dorado Police Department and School Resource Officers with USD 490 investigated a report of a sexually motivated crime with a suspect not affiliated with the school district, according to Deputy Police Chief Jeff Murphy.The investigation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Patrick A. Jeffers from El Dorado. He is being held on requested charges that include&nbsp;multiple counts of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and Rape.Police said they are grateful for their partnership with the Sunlight Child Advocacy Center and USD 490 in addressing these particular heinous crimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. school resource officer investigation led to sex crime arrest

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A mountain goat that escaped from its owner and somehow got stuck under a Kansas City bridge has survived a rocky rescue effort.

Firefighters were called Monday after people spotted the animal hopping around on the pillars that support the bridge, high above the ground below, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287504335.html">reports.</a>

Hoping to lower it down to waiting rescuers, a bystander managed to get a rope around the goat's neck, said Tori Fugate, of the KC Pet Project, a nonprofit that handles animal control for the city and operates shelters.

But Fugate said the goat wound up hanging from its neck, not moving, leaving rescuers worried it had died.

“I don’t know why they were trying to even do the slip lead in the first place,” Fugate said. “I think they were thinking maybe ‘if I slip lead them then I can pull him up,’ but that’s not at all like how usually they would handle a situation like that."

When the goat began to buck, rescuers cut the rope, and a veterinarian sedated it so it could be taken to a shelter for care.

The mountain goat had been adopted recently and had escaped in the nearby area. After receiving an X-ray, it appears the goat suffered no broken bones, she said.

“While he is not out of the woods yet, he appears to be stable and we are cautiously optimistic that he’ll recover," Fugate said.

KANSAS CITY —A goat was discovered to be trapped on the side of a bridge Monday afternoon in the Swope Park area, according to a social media report from the KC Pet Project.

The KC Pet Project Animal Services team worked with the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department to try and get him off the bridge. It appeared he had walked along a ledge to get to the point where he was found.

 Once he was off the bridge, he was transported to the KC Pet Project shelter where he received fluids from the veterinary team and was set up overnight to rest. 

"We’re hopeful he’ll make a full recovery. The Pet Project team sent a huge thank you to the KC Fire Department team for their heroic efforts and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department for all of their help on this case and to their animal services officers and veterinary team for their incredible work rescuing this guy from a scary situation.&nbsp; Authorities did not know where or how the goat wound up on the bridge.&nbsp; If you are missing a goat, contact the KC Pet. Project.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712666097053.png" alt="Photo KC Pet Project" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Pet Project</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A mountain goat that escaped from its owner and somehow got stuck under a Kansas City bridge has survived a rocky rescue effort.Firefighters were called Monday after people spotted the animal hopping around on the pillars that support the bridge, high above the ground below, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287504335.html">reports.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Something you don&#39;t see every day! Just when you think you have done it all in the fire service, you rescue a goat on a bridge. <a href="https://twitter.com/KCMOFireDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KCMOFireDept</a> <a href="https://t.co/0vhcnCQ5mF">pic.twitter.com/0vhcnCQ5mF</a>&mdash; KCFD (@KCMOFireDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCMOFireDept/status/1777735596082946282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hoping to lower it down to waiting rescuers, a bystander managed to get a rope around the goat's neck, said Tori Fugate, of the KC Pet Project, a nonprofit that handles animal control for the city and operates shelters.But Fugate said the goat wound up hanging from its neck, not moving, leaving rescuers worried it had died.“I don’t know why they were trying to even do the slip lead in the first place,” Fugate said. “I think they were thinking maybe ‘if I slip lead them then I can pull him up,’ but that’s not at all like how usually they would handle a situation like that."When the goat began to buck, rescuers cut the rope, and a veterinarian sedated it so it could be taken to a shelter for care.The mountain goat had been adopted recently and had escaped in the nearby area. After receiving an X-ray, it appears the goat suffered no broken bones, she said.“While he is not out of the woods yet, he appears to be stable and we are cautiously optimistic that he’ll recover," Fugate said.----------------------KANSAS CITY —A goat was discovered to be trapped on the side of a bridge Monday afternoon in the Swope Park area, according to a social media report from the KC Pet Project.The KC Pet Project Animal Services team worked with the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department to try and get him off the bridge. It appeared he had walked along a ledge to get to the point where he was found. Once he was off the bridge, he was transported to the KC Pet Project shelter where he received fluids from the veterinary team and was set up overnight to rest. "We’re hopeful he’ll make a full recovery. The Pet Project team sent a huge thank you to the KC Fire Department team for their heroic efforts and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department for all of their help on this case and to their animal services officers and veterinary team for their incredible work rescuing this guy from a scary situation.&nbsp; Authorities did not know where or how the goat wound up on the bridge.&nbsp; If you are missing a goat, contact the KC Pet. Project.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mountain goat rescued from overpass ledge in Kansas City

TOPEKA — President Joe Biden on Monday announced new steps to help more than 30 million people from student loan debt.

On social media, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach criticized the plan and posted a recent interview he did to explain why he's against Biden's effort.

&nbsp;Young voters have been impatient for Biden to follow through on his campaign promise to slash debt after the U.S. Supreme Court foiled his initial plan last year. The new plan is smaller and would expand federal student loan relief to new categories of borrowers.

Biden said he wanted to “give everybody a fair shot” and the “freedom to chase their dreams” as he lamented the rising cost of higher education.

“Even when they work hard and pay their student loans, their debt increases and not diminishes," he said. "Too many people feel the strain and stress, wondering if they can get married, have their first child, start a family, because even if they get by, they still have this crushing, crushing debt.”

Republicans said Biden's plan shifts the financial burden of college tuition onto taxpayers who didn't take out loans to attend school, and Kobach accused him of trying to twist the law “beyond recognition.”

Biden's new plan would expand federal student loan relief to five new categories of borrowers through the Higher Education Act, which administration officials believe puts it on a stronger legal footing than the sweeping proposal that was killed by a 6-3 court majority last year.

The plan is smaller and more targeted than Biden's original plan, which would have canceled up to $20,000 in loans for more than 40 million borrowers. The new plan would cancel some or all federal student loans for more than 30 million Americans, the White House said. The Education Department plans to issue a formal proposal in the coming months, with plans to start implementing parts of the plan as early as this fall.

The plan’s widest-reaching benefit would cancel up to $20,000 in interest for borrowers who have seen their balance grow beyond its original amount due to what Biden described as “runaway” interest. That part of the plan would forgive at least some unpaid interest for an estimated 25 million borrowers, with 23 million getting all their interest erased, according to the White House.

An additional 2 million borrowers would automatically have their loans canceled because they’re eligible but have not applied for other forgiveness programs, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Borrowers who have been repaying their undergraduate student loans for at least 20 years would be eligible to have any remaining debt canceled, along with those repaying graduate school loans for 25 years or more.

The plan would forgive debt for those who were in college programs deemed to have “low financial value.” It’s meant to help those who were in programs that ended up becoming ineligible to receive federal student aid or programs found to have cheated students.

TOPEKA — President Joe Biden on Monday announced new steps to help more than 30 million people from student loan debt.On social media, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach criticized the plan and posted a recent interview he did to explain why he's against Biden's effort.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Biden didn&#39;t have authority to forgive student loans in his first attempt. We are suing over his second attempt and now he&#39;s announcing a 3rd attempt. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenStudentLoanScheme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenStudentLoanScheme</a> <a href="https://t.co/AaRPvpETvo">pic.twitter.com/AaRPvpETvo</a>&mdash; Kansas AG&#39;s Office (@KSAGOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSAGOffice/status/1777424140997202113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Young voters have been impatient for Biden to follow through on his campaign promise to slash debt after the U.S. Supreme Court foiled his initial plan last year. The new plan is smaller and would expand federal student loan relief to new categories of borrowers.Biden said he wanted to “give everybody a fair shot” and the “freedom to chase their dreams” as he lamented the rising cost of higher education.“Even when they work hard and pay their student loans, their debt increases and not diminishes," he said. "Too many people feel the strain and stress, wondering if they can get married, have their first child, start a family, because even if they get by, they still have this crushing, crushing debt.”Republicans said Biden's plan shifts the financial burden of college tuition onto taxpayers who didn't take out loans to attend school, and Kobach accused him of trying to twist the law “beyond recognition.”Biden's new plan would expand federal student loan relief to five new categories of borrowers through the Higher Education Act, which administration officials believe puts it on a stronger legal footing than the sweeping proposal that was killed by a 6-3 court majority last year.The plan is smaller and more targeted than Biden's original plan, which would have canceled up to $20,000 in loans for more than 40 million borrowers. The new plan would cancel some or all federal student loans for more than 30 million Americans, the White House said. The Education Department plans to issue a formal proposal in the coming months, with plans to start implementing parts of the plan as early as this fall.The plan’s widest-reaching benefit would cancel up to $20,000 in interest for borrowers who have seen their balance grow beyond its original amount due to what Biden described as “runaway” interest. That part of the plan would forgive at least some unpaid interest for an estimated 25 million borrowers, with 23 million getting all their interest erased, according to the White House.An additional 2 million borrowers would automatically have their loans canceled because they’re eligible but have not applied for other forgiveness programs, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness.Borrowers who have been repaying their undergraduate student loans for at least 20 years would be eligible to have any remaining debt canceled, along with those repaying graduate school loans for 25 years or more.The plan would forgive debt for those who were in college programs deemed to have “low financial value.” It’s meant to help those who were in programs that ended up becoming ineligible to receive federal student aid or programs found to have cheated students.

Kan. AG vows to sue Biden over new student loan relief plan

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a incident that injured a Kansas City Police officer. 

Just after 10p.m. Monday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near 46th and Benton in Kansas City, according to Officer Jake Becchina. Officers were conducting an initial investigation regarding potential impairment on the part of the male driver.

 Additional officers responded to the scene to assist. The officers were in the process of placing the suspect into custody at which time the interaction escalated.

The suspect was able to access a firearm and discharge it, striking one of the officers. Additional officers were able to get the suspect into custody and gain control of the firearm. The injured officer was transported to the hospital with what is preliminarily thought to be non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect remains in custody at this time and appeared uninjured as a result of the interaction.

&nbsp;Crime Scene Investigators are processing the scene to gather all available evidence. Police released no additional details early Tuesday.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a incident that injured a Kansas City Police officer. Just after 10p.m. Monday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near 46th and Benton in Kansas City, according to Officer Jake Becchina. Officers were conducting an initial investigation regarding potential impairment on the part of the male driver. Additional officers responded to the scene to assist. The officers were in the process of placing the suspect into custody at which time the interaction escalated.The suspect was able to access a firearm and discharge it, striking one of the officers. Additional officers were able to get the suspect into custody and gain control of the firearm. The injured officer was transported to the hospital with what is preliminarily thought to be non-life threatening injuries.The suspect remains in custody at this time and appeared uninjured as a result of the interaction.&nbsp;Crime Scene Investigators are processing the scene to gather all available evidence. Police released no additional details early Tuesday.

Kansas City Police officer shot during traffic stop

GEARY COUNTY —Fire destroyed a house in the 13000 block of Lower McDowell Creek Road and three nearby vehicles in rural Geary County Monday evening. The man and woman who lived at the home and one dog got out. One animal died.

Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges said the house was totally engulfed when firefighters arrived on the scene. The names of the residents have not been released pending completion of the investigation into the cause of the blaze. There will be a representative from the State Fire Marshal's Office called in to assist with the investigation on Tuesday. A damage estimate is not yet available.

Geary County sent 19 firefighters to battle the blaze, Grandview Plaza sent a water tanker, Riley County provided help with four vehicles to support water needs and J6 Ranch also provided water support. The Red Cross was contacted to provide support to the family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712631312603.jpeg" alt="Photos - Garry Berges, Geary County Rural Fire Department&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photos - Garry Berges, Geary County Rural Fire Department&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey Terrill, JC PostGEARY COUNTY —Fire destroyed a house in the 13000 block of Lower McDowell Creek Road and three nearby vehicles in rural Geary County Monday evening. The man and woman who lived at the home and one dog got out. One animal died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712631337698.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges said the house was totally engulfed when firefighters arrived on the scene. The names of the residents have not been released pending completion of the investigation into the cause of the blaze. There will be a representative from the State Fire Marshal's Office called in to assist with the investigation on Tuesday. A damage estimate is not yet available.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712631371835.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Geary County sent 19 firefighters to battle the blaze, Grandview Plaza sent a water tanker, Riley County provided help with four vehicles to support water needs and J6 Ranch also provided water support. The Red Cross was contacted to provide support to the family.

Fire destroys rural Kansas home and vehicles

JERUSALEM —U.S. forces continue to face&nbsp; terrorist obstacles in the Red Sea.

Between approximately 12:15 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. Monday, United States forces successfully engaged and destroyed an air defense system with two missiles ready to launch, a ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, and one unmanned aerial system launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists from Yemen over the Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.

Separately, at approximately 8:00 a.m. on April 7, an anti-ship ballistic missile was launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden where a coalition ship was escorting M/V Hope Island, a Marshall Islands Flagged, U.K. owned, Italian operated cargo ship. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.

This was the fifth observed missile launch against this coalition ship and M/V Hope Island.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has escalated his pledge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-rafah-israel-hamas-war-photo-gallery-2a93ded7d44b9720d941f7e53c5bf45e">to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah</a>, which is filled with around 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom are displaced from other parts of the Gaza Strip.

“It will happen. There is a date,” Netanyahu said in a video statement Monday, without elaborating.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has said a ground operation into Rafah would be a mistake and has demanded to see a credible plan to protect civilians. Netanyahu spoke as Israeli negotiators are in Cairo discussing international efforts to broker a cease-fire deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Israeli troops withdrew Sunday from Khan Younis, another city in southern Gaza, ending a key phase of the war. Defense officials say they're regrouping ahead of a push into Rafah. Palestinians who visited Khan Younis on Monday said the city is now unlivable, offering them little immediate chance to return. Many have been sheltering in Rafah.

The Palestinian death toll from the war has passed 33,200, with nearly 76,000 wounded, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The ministry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its tally, but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.

The war began Oct. 7 when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. forces continue to face&nbsp; terrorist obstacles in the Red Sea.Between approximately 12:15 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. Monday, United States forces successfully engaged and destroyed an air defense system with two missiles ready to launch, a ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, and one unmanned aerial system launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists from Yemen over the Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.Separately, at approximately 8:00 a.m. on April 7, an anti-ship ballistic missile was launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden where a coalition ship was escorting M/V Hope Island, a Marshall Islands Flagged, U.K. owned, Italian operated cargo ship. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.This was the fifth observed missile launch against this coalition ship and M/V Hope Island.Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has escalated his pledge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-rafah-israel-hamas-war-photo-gallery-2a93ded7d44b9720d941f7e53c5bf45e">to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah</a>, which is filled with around 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom are displaced from other parts of the Gaza Strip.“It will happen. There is a date,” Netanyahu said in a video statement Monday, without elaborating.The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has said a ground operation into Rafah would be a mistake and has demanded to see a credible plan to protect civilians. Netanyahu spoke as Israeli negotiators are in Cairo discussing international efforts to broker a cease-fire deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.Israeli troops withdrew Sunday from Khan Younis, another city in southern Gaza, ending a key phase of the war. Defense officials say they're regrouping ahead of a push into Rafah. Palestinians who visited Khan Younis on Monday said the city is now unlivable, offering them little immediate chance to return. Many have been sheltering in Rafah.The Palestinian death toll from the war has passed 33,200, with nearly 76,000 wounded, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The ministry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its tally, but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.The war began Oct. 7 when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

U.S. forces destroy a terrorist air defense system

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting near a school in Kansas City.

Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to 11500 block of Food Lane on a shooting call. Officers located a male shooting victim with a non-life threatening gunshot wound outside a residence there, according to Officer Jake Becchina.

He told officers he was inside of a residence when he was shot.

Because of the proximity to the nearby&nbsp;Ingels Elementary School and out of an abundance of caution officers notified the school and advised them to initiate a lockdown.

Officers took a subject of interest into custody for further investigation. Officers also called for an operation 100 to bring additionally trained officers and negotiators to ensure this was completed a safely as possible considering the location.

Officers eventually made entry into the residence and there were no additional subjects of interest located inside, according to Becchina.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect or possible charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712612451859.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting near a school in Kansas City.Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to 11500 block of Food Lane on a shooting call. Officers located a male shooting victim with a non-life threatening gunshot wound outside a residence there, according to Officer Jake Becchina.He told officers he was inside of a residence when he was shot.Because of the proximity to the nearby&nbsp;Ingels Elementary School and out of an abundance of caution officers notified the school and advised them to initiate a lockdown.Officers took a subject of interest into custody for further investigation. Officers also called for an operation 100 to bring additionally trained officers and negotiators to ensure this was completed a safely as possible considering the location.Officers eventually made entry into the residence and there were no additional subjects of interest located inside, according to Becchina.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect or possible charges.

Suspect in custody after shooting near KC elementary school

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity</a>, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.

The Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.

From a pope who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">made outreach to the LGBTQ+ community</a>&nbsp;a hallmark of his papacy, the document was received as a setback, albeit predictable, by trans Catholics. But its message was also consistent with the Argentine Jesuit's long-standing belief that while trans people should be welcomed in the church, so-called “gender ideologies” should not.

In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of “gender theory,” or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to "make oneself God.”

“It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception,” the document said.

It distinguished between gender-affirming surgeries, which it rejected, and “genital abnormalities” that are present at birth or that develop later. Those abnormalities can be “resolved” with the help of health care professionals, it said.

Advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics immediately criticized the document as outdated, harmful and contrary to the stated goal of recognizing the “infinite dignity” of all of God's children. They warned it could have real-world effects on trans people, fueling anti-trans violence and discrimination.

“While it lays out a wonderful rationale for why each human being, regardless of condition in life, must be respected, honored, and loved, it does not apply this principle to gender-diverse people,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics.

Nicolete Burbach, lead expert in social and environmental justice at the London Jesuit Centre, said the document showed the Vatican continues to fail to engage with queer and feminist approaches to the body “which it simply dismisses as supposedly subjecting both the body and human dignity itself to human whims.”

“I think the main difficulty faced by the document is that it attempts to affirm the church’s authentic commitment to human dignity in the face of a troubling history on the part of the church itself around attacks on that dignity,” said Burbach, a trans Catholic theologian who researches transness and the Catholic Church.

The document’s existence, rumored since 2019, was confirmed in recent weeks by the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, a close Francis confidant.

Fernández had cast the document as something of a nod to conservatives after he authored a more explosive document&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">approving blessings for same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;that sparked criticism from conservative bishops around the world, especially in Africa.

And yet, in an apparent attempt at balance, the document takes pointed aim at countries — including many in Africa — that criminalize homosexuality. It echoed Francis' assertion in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“being homosexual is not a crime</a>."

The new document denounces “as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.”

The White House said President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, was “pleased” to see that the declaration “furthers the Vatican’s call to ensure that LGBTQ+ (individuals) are protected from violence and imprisonment around the world,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

On the specifics involving gender theory, Jean-Pierre stressed that it was not Biden’s role to “litigate internal church policy.”

Asked how its negative take on trans people squared with Francis’ message of welcome, Fernández said the welcome remained but that the pope fervently believed that the idea that gender was fluid “rather than helping to recognize dignity, impoverishes the vision” of a man and woman coming together to create new life.

The document is something of a repackaging of previously articulated Vatican positions, read now through the prism of human dignity. It restates well-known Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and euthanasia, and adds to the list some of Francis’ main concerns as pope: the threats to human dignity posed by poverty, war, human trafficking, the death penalty and forced migration.

In a newly articulated position, it says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy violates both the dignity of the surrogate mother and the child</a>.

While much attention about surrogacy has focused on possible exploitation of poor women as surrogates, the Vatican asserts that the child "has the right to have a fully human (and not artificially induced) origin and to receive the gift of a life that manifests both the dignity of the giver and that of the receiver.”

“Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a ‘right to a child’ that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life,” it said.

The Vatican had previously published its most articulated position on gender in 2019, when the Congregation for Catholic Education&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cb94b41d1d8046ddbde697dbba5022fc">rejected the idea that people can choose</a>&nbsp;or change their genders and insisted on the complementarity of biologically male and female sex organs to create new life.

The new document from the more authoritative Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith quotes from that 2019 education document, but tempers the tone. Significantly, it doesn’t repeat Vatican doctrine that homosexual people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual actions are “intrinsically disordered.”

In a news conference to introduce the document, Fernández acknowledged that the “intrinsically disordered” language was very strong. He suggested there might be a better way, "with other words," to express the church's vision of sex between husband and wife to create new life.

Francis has ministered to trans Catholics, including trans sex workers, and insisted that the Catholic Church must welcome all children of God.

But he has also denounced “gender theory” as the “worst danger” facing humanity today, an “ugly ideology” that threatens to cancel out God-given differences between man and woman. He has blasted in particular what he calls the “ideological colonization” of the West in the developing world, where development aid is sometimes conditioned on adopting Western ideas about gender.

Transgender activists immediately called the document “hurtful” and devoid of the voices and experiences of real trans people, especially in the distinction it makes between gender-affirming surgeries and surgeries on intersex people.

“The suggestion that gender-affirming health care — which has saved the lives of so many wonderful trans people and enabled them to live in harmony with their bodies, their communities and (God) — might risk or diminish trans people's dignity is not only hurtful but dangerously ignorant,” said Mara Klein, a nonbinary, transgender activist who has participated in Germany’s church reform project.

Klein said the Vatican “hypocrisy” was furthered by the document's approval of surgery on intersex people, “which if performed without consent especially on minors often cause immense physical and psychological harm.”

The document comes at a time of some backlash against transgender people, including in the United States where Republican-led state legislatures are considering a new round of bills&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting medical care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;— and in some cases, adults.

“On top of the rising hostility towards our communities, we are faced with a church that does not listen and refuses to see the beauty of creation that can be found in our biographies,” Klein said in an email.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711361555231.png" alt="File photo Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity</a>, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.The Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.From a pope who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">made outreach to the LGBTQ+ community</a>&nbsp;a hallmark of his papacy, the document was received as a setback, albeit predictable, by trans Catholics. But its message was also consistent with the Argentine Jesuit's long-standing belief that while trans people should be welcomed in the church, so-called “gender ideologies” should not.In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of “gender theory,” or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to "make oneself God.”“It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception,” the document said.It distinguished between gender-affirming surgeries, which it rejected, and “genital abnormalities” that are present at birth or that develop later. Those abnormalities can be “resolved” with the help of health care professionals, it said.Advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics immediately criticized the document as outdated, harmful and contrary to the stated goal of recognizing the “infinite dignity” of all of God's children. They warned it could have real-world effects on trans people, fueling anti-trans violence and discrimination.“While it lays out a wonderful rationale for why each human being, regardless of condition in life, must be respected, honored, and loved, it does not apply this principle to gender-diverse people,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics.Nicolete Burbach, lead expert in social and environmental justice at the London Jesuit Centre, said the document showed the Vatican continues to fail to engage with queer and feminist approaches to the body “which it simply dismisses as supposedly subjecting both the body and human dignity itself to human whims.”“I think the main difficulty faced by the document is that it attempts to affirm the church’s authentic commitment to human dignity in the face of a troubling history on the part of the church itself around attacks on that dignity,” said Burbach, a trans Catholic theologian who researches transness and the Catholic Church.The document’s existence, rumored since 2019, was confirmed in recent weeks by the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, a close Francis confidant.Fernández had cast the document as something of a nod to conservatives after he authored a more explosive document&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">approving blessings for same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;that sparked criticism from conservative bishops around the world, especially in Africa.And yet, in an apparent attempt at balance, the document takes pointed aim at countries — including many in Africa — that criminalize homosexuality. It echoed Francis' assertion in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“being homosexual is not a crime</a>."The new document denounces “as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.”The White House said President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, was “pleased” to see that the declaration “furthers the Vatican’s call to ensure that LGBTQ+ (individuals) are protected from violence and imprisonment around the world,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.On the specifics involving gender theory, Jean-Pierre stressed that it was not Biden’s role to “litigate internal church policy.”Asked how its negative take on trans people squared with Francis’ message of welcome, Fernández said the welcome remained but that the pope fervently believed that the idea that gender was fluid “rather than helping to recognize dignity, impoverishes the vision” of a man and woman coming together to create new life.The document is something of a repackaging of previously articulated Vatican positions, read now through the prism of human dignity. It restates well-known Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and euthanasia, and adds to the list some of Francis’ main concerns as pope: the threats to human dignity posed by poverty, war, human trafficking, the death penalty and forced migration.In a newly articulated position, it says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy violates both the dignity of the surrogate mother and the child</a>.While much attention about surrogacy has focused on possible exploitation of poor women as surrogates, the Vatican asserts that the child "has the right to have a fully human (and not artificially induced) origin and to receive the gift of a life that manifests both the dignity of the giver and that of the receiver.”“Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a ‘right to a child’ that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life,” it said.The Vatican had previously published its most articulated position on gender in 2019, when the Congregation for Catholic Education&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cb94b41d1d8046ddbde697dbba5022fc">rejected the idea that people can choose</a>&nbsp;or change their genders and insisted on the complementarity of biologically male and female sex organs to create new life.The new document from the more authoritative Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith quotes from that 2019 education document, but tempers the tone. Significantly, it doesn’t repeat Vatican doctrine that homosexual people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual actions are “intrinsically disordered.”In a news conference to introduce the document, Fernández acknowledged that the “intrinsically disordered” language was very strong. He suggested there might be a better way, "with other words," to express the church's vision of sex between husband and wife to create new life.Francis has ministered to trans Catholics, including trans sex workers, and insisted that the Catholic Church must welcome all children of God.But he has also denounced “gender theory” as the “worst danger” facing humanity today, an “ugly ideology” that threatens to cancel out God-given differences between man and woman. He has blasted in particular what he calls the “ideological colonization” of the West in the developing world, where development aid is sometimes conditioned on adopting Western ideas about gender.Transgender activists immediately called the document “hurtful” and devoid of the voices and experiences of real trans people, especially in the distinction it makes between gender-affirming surgeries and surgeries on intersex people.“The suggestion that gender-affirming health care — which has saved the lives of so many wonderful trans people and enabled them to live in harmony with their bodies, their communities and (God) — might risk or diminish trans people's dignity is not only hurtful but dangerously ignorant,” said Mara Klein, a nonbinary, transgender activist who has participated in Germany’s church reform project.Klein said the Vatican “hypocrisy” was furthered by the document's approval of surgery on intersex people, “which if performed without consent especially on minors often cause immense physical and psychological harm.”The document comes at a time of some backlash against transgender people, including in the United States where Republican-led state legislatures are considering a new round of bills&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting medical care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;— and in some cases, adults.“On top of the rising hostility towards our communities, we are faced with a church that does not listen and refuses to see the beauty of creation that can be found in our biographies,” Klein said in an email.___

Vatican blasts gender-affirming surgery, surrogacy and gender theory 

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations involving a violent attack on his girlfriend.

On April 3, Sheriff’s deputies were requested to meet with a Finney County woman who had injuries from an altercation with her boyfriend the day prior, according to a media release.

Deputies found the woman to have significant injuries and medical care was requested. Deputies learned that the incident had occurred over multiple days which involved the woman being shot at with a gun, battered, held against her will and raped.

The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Kyle Deger of Garden City. Deputies found Deger, arrested and booked him into the Finney County Jail requested charges, Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree (Domestic Violence), Aggravated Battery (Domestic Violence), Rape, Aggravated Kidnapping (Domestic Violence), Aggravated Endangering a Child and&nbsp;&nbsp;Possession of Methamphetamine

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712368557453.png" alt="Deger photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Deger photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations involving a violent attack on his girlfriend.On April 3, Sheriff’s deputies were requested to meet with a Finney County woman who had injuries from an altercation with her boyfriend the day prior, according to a media release.Deputies found the woman to have significant injuries and medical care was requested. Deputies learned that the incident had occurred over multiple days which involved the woman being shot at with a gun, battered, held against her will and raped.The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Kyle Deger of Garden City. Deputies found Deger, arrested and booked him into the Finney County Jail requested charges, Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree (Domestic Violence), Aggravated Battery (Domestic Violence), Rape, Aggravated Kidnapping (Domestic Violence), Aggravated Endangering a Child and&nbsp;&nbsp;Possession of Methamphetamine

SW Kansas man accused of violent sex assault on girlfriend

OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

Just before 4p.m. April 4, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office executed narcotics search warrant at 29265 S. Berryton Road, near Melvern, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

Deputies took 33-year-old Kayla A. Leitner of the address, into custody and transported her to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712351632513.png" alt="Leitner-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Leitner-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just before 4p.m. April 4, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office executed narcotics search warrant at 29265 S. Berryton Road, near Melvern, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.Deputies took 33-year-old Kayla A. Leitner of the address, into custody and transported her to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Woman caught with meth at rural Kansas home

MADISON, Wisc. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;said Monday that college graduates would see “life-changing” relief from his new plan to ease debt burdens for more than 30 million borrowers, the latest attempt by the Democratic president to make good on a campaign promise that could buoy his standing with young voters.

(Click below to watch the President's statement)

Biden detailed the initiative, which has been in the works for months, during a trip to Wisconsin, one of a handful of battleground states that could decide the outcome of Biden's likely rematch with Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

Biden's trip comes less than a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/primaries-wisconsin-connecticut-new-york-rhode-island-70c6d0bfb946af5ff4c2d5c435625f91">primary voting in Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;that highlighted political weaknesses for Biden as he prepares for the general election.

More than 48,000 Democratic voters chose “uninstructed” instead of Biden, more than double his narrow margin of victory in the state in 2020.

Trump also saw a significant number of defections during the state's primary, with nearly 119,000 Republicans voting for a different candidate than their party's presumptive nominee.

But Biden's results, which echoed similar protest votes in states like Michigan and Minnesota, have rattled Democrats who are eager to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-2024-election-nominee-polling-f80f8d7193e7901768b1bf67378c442a">solidify the coalition</a>&nbsp;that catapulted him into the White House in the first place.

A critical fracture has been the war in the Middle East. Young voters are more likely to disapprove of Biden's enduring support for Israel's military operation in Gaza, which has caused heavy casualties among Palestinian civilians.

Some have also been impatient with Biden's attempts to wipe away student loan debt. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa">U.S. Supreme Court last year foiled</a>&nbsp;his first attempt to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in loans, a decision that Biden called a “mistake.”

Since then, the White House has pursued debt relief through other targeted initiatives, including those for public service workers and low-income borrowers. Administration officials said they have canceled $144 billion in student loans for almost 4 million Americans.

At the same time, the Department of Education has been working on a more expansive plan to replace Biden's original effort. Although the new federal rule has not yet been issued, Monday's announcement was an opportunity to energize young voters whose support Biden will need to defeat Trump in November.

Republicans said Biden's plan shifts the financial burden of college tuition onto taxpayers who didn't take out loans to attend school.

“This is an unfair ploy to buy votes before an election and does absolutely nothing to address the high cost of education that puts young people right back into debt," said Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs a committee on education and other issues.

Biden will make the announcement on Monday in Madison, the state’s liberal capital and home of the University of Wisconsin’s flagship campus. The president is scheduled to speak at a nearby technical college.

Nearly 15% of Democrats in Dane County, home to Madison, voted “uninstructed.” That is nearly double the statewide total of 8%.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, who represents Madison, said he was struck that concerns about Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza were top of mind among voters at five town halls over the past two weeks in more rural parts of his district.

“I was surprised to see the intensity on the issue of Gaza coming not from a student voice out of Madison, but older voters in more rural parts of the district,” Pocan said.

Pocan said the number of “uninstructed” votes shows the concern in Wisconsin and that Biden needs to address it. He said he planned to talk directly with Biden about it on Monday.

“I just want to make sure he knows that if we’re going to have a problem, that could be the problem in Wisconsin,” Pocan said.

Biden's new debt plan would expand federal student loan relief to new categories of borrowers through the Higher Education Act, which administration officials believe puts it on a stronger legal footing than the sweeping proposal that was killed by a 6-3 court majority last year.

The plan is expected to be smaller and more targeted than Biden's original plan, which would have canceled up to $20,000 in loans for more than 40 million borrowers. The new plan would cancel some or all federal student loans for more than 30 million Americans, the White House said. The Education Department plans to issue a formal proposal in the coming months, with plans to start implementing parts of the plan as early as this fall.

“President Biden will use every tool available to cancel student loan debt for as many borrowers as possible, no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stand in his way,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a call with reporters.

Details the White House released on Monday largely mirror a plan drafted by the Education Department. It lays out five categories of borrowers who would be eligible to get at least some of their federal student loans canceled if the rule is approved.

The plan’s widest-reaching benefit would cancel up to $20,000 in interest for borrowers who have seen their balance grow beyond its original amount because of unpaid interest. Borrowers could get the entirety of their interest erased, with no limit, if they are enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan and have annual incomes of less than $120,000 or couples making less than $240,000.

That part of the plan would forgive at least some unpaid interest for an estimated 25 million borrowers, with 23 million getting all their interest erased, according to the White House.

Borrowers who have been repaying their undergraduate student loans for at least 20 years would be eligible to have any remaining debt canceled, along with those repaying their graduate school loans for 25 years or more.

The plan would forgive debt for those who were in college programs deemed to have “low financial value.” It’s meant to help those who were in programs that ended up losing eligibility to receive federal student aid or programs found to have cheated students.

A final category would cancel debt for borrowers facing hardships that prevent them from repaying their student loans, either because they’re at high risk of defaulting or are burdened with medical debt or child care expenses, among other criteria.

Cardona said in a call with reporters that the relief that would be provided under the new plan would be "on top of the $146 billion in student loan debt relief for 4 million Americans that we’ve already approved, more than any other administration in our country’s history.”

Hearings to craft the rule wrapped up in February, and the draft is under review. The Education Department will issue a formal proposal and open it to public comment before it can be finalized.

The White House web site released specifics Monday morning.

The plans if finalized as proposed, would deliver some amount of relief to: