KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One of the men charged in a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory celebration shooting that left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-62e69a17b469b854afd7bcc3f548d1fc">one person dead</a>&nbsp;and around two dozen others injured had recently come off probation for pulling out a gun during a dispute over a basketball game.

Lyndell Mays, 23, of Raytown, whose two years of probation ended earlier this month, made a first appearance Wednesday in the Feb. 14 shooting outside Kansas City’s historic Union Station. He was dressed from head to toe in orange, his face bandaged, his hands cuffed and ankles shackled.

Prosecutors announced Tuesday that Mays and another man, Dominic Miller, were charged with second-degree murder and other counts in the shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-62e69a17b469b854afd7bcc3f548d1fc">that brought a horrific end</a>&nbsp;to what had been a gleeful celebration before a crowd that totaled an estimated 1 million people.

In court, Mays told the judge he had spoken to an attorney, although none was in court with him. Asked if he understood the charges, Miller said yes. The minutes-long appearance ended with the judge setting a Feb. 29 hearing to discuss his $1 million bond.

Mays looked out at the journalists in the crowd as he walked out. There were no victims in the courtroom.

Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said during a news conference Tuesday that her office had no previous interactions with Mays or Miller.

But a statement from Belton police said Mays displayed a handgun during a basketball game dispute at a community center, causing people to run for safety out of the gym. According to court documents in the municipal case, Mays was charged with disorderly conduct in April 2021. He entered a guilty plea on Feb. 8, 2022, and was placed on probation for two years.

Miller and Mays, who didn't know each other, were among several people arguing last Wednesday when Mays “pulled his handgun," leading others to do the same, court records show. Online court records do not list attorneys who can comment for the men.

Authorities also detained two juveniles, charging them with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">gun-related and resisting arrest</a>&nbsp;charges.

Officials have said more charges are possible.

The shooting happened despite the presence of more than 800 police officers.

Those injured range in age from 8 to 47 years, according to Police Chief Stacey Graves.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>, a mother of two and the host of a radio show called “Taste of Tejano,” was killed.

Marques Harris, who was wounded in the shooting, told&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/friend-says-chiefs-parade-shooting-suspect-was-only-protecting-him/">WDAF-TV</a>&nbsp;that Miller should not have been charged and that his friend was only trying to protect him.

He said it started with Mays staring down his 15-year-old friend. The teen asked if there was a problem and Mays then started to talk trash, recalled Harris who decided to intervene.

“I pushed my little brother out the way,” Harris said. “As soon as I pushed my little brother out of the way, the dude stepped forward and proceeded to shoot me."

Only then did Miller fire, said Harris, whose mouth is nearly wired shut. He said the bullet struck him in his neck and traveled out of his mouth.

Court documents say ballistics show that the bullet that killed Lopez-Galvan was fired from Miller's firearm. Miller was hospitalized after the shooting and his mugshot was not immediately available.

Lopez-Galvan was wearing a jersey of Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker at the celebration. On Tuesday, the kicker responded to requests on social media seeking help in obtaining a similar jersey for Lopez-Galvan's family, possibly so she could be laid to rest with the shirt.

In a statement, Butker said he and his wife were heartbroken by Lopez-Galvan's killing and called for those responsible to “be brought to justice.”

“Hearing that she was a fan of my outspokenness for our shared Catholic Faith makes this even more personal. I am honored to provide a jersey to the family for her to wear,” Butker said. "While the family is mourning their loss and grappling with their numerous injuries, I will continue to pray for their healing and the repose of Lisa’s soul.”

The shooting occurred in a state with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-938583b1e9aa3b3a45f8a012e7b80fee">few gun regulations</a>&nbsp;and historic tension over how cities handle crime.

Kansas City has long struggled with gun violence, and in 2020 it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-tn-state-wire-mo-state-wire-politics-oh-state-wire-0950ff59635979d7d2d2d3479f4d9c58">among nine cities</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. Justice Department launched crackdowns on violent crime. In 2023, the city set a record with 185 homicides, most of which involved guns.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has joined with mayors across the country to call for new laws to reduce gun violence, including mandating universal background checks.

Advocates for tighter gun restrictions organized a rally in Kansas City on Saturday, near where the shooting took place. Video posted on social media shows dozens of people holding signs and chanting, “Enough is enough!”

It is unlikely that the state government would ever introduce laws to limit gun ownership, but the Missouri House on Monday approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-parade-kansas-city-missouri-celebratory-gunfire-0a1af65ab3e5130ffba0c2713ac1d105">a ban on celebratory gunfire</a>&nbsp;in cities. The measure now goes to the Senate.

The shooting was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-parade-shooting-2a500aff2edea212bf54cf6597b2f4f7">latest at a sports celebration</a>&nbsp;in the United States. A shooting wounded several people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-shooting-nuggets-suspect-ee4869abf1afee855565f1c517bfae1f">last year in Denver</a>&nbsp;after the Nuggets’ NBA championship.

Kansas City’s mayor and security experts say it could be time to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-chiefs-parade-security-48bcd66e5998776a7167a2434dec7fd1">rethink championship celebrations</a>. Lucas said last Thursday that the city would continue to celebrate its victories. Next month’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will go ahead as scheduled.

But he told local television station KMBC that if the Chiefs win another Super Bowl, it might be better to have a smaller party at their home stadium, where security can be managed more easily.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708552633722.png" alt="Mays-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Mays-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One of the men charged in a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory celebration shooting that left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-62e69a17b469b854afd7bcc3f548d1fc">one person dead</a>&nbsp;and around two dozen others injured had recently come off probation for pulling out a gun during a dispute over a basketball game.Lyndell Mays, 23, of Raytown, whose two years of probation ended earlier this month, made a first appearance Wednesday in the Feb. 14 shooting outside Kansas City’s historic Union Station. He was dressed from head to toe in orange, his face bandaged, his hands cuffed and ankles shackled.Prosecutors announced Tuesday that Mays and another man, Dominic Miller, were charged with second-degree murder and other counts in the shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-62e69a17b469b854afd7bcc3f548d1fc">that brought a horrific end</a>&nbsp;to what had been a gleeful celebration before a crowd that totaled an estimated 1 million people.FIRST APPEARANCEIn court, Mays told the judge he had spoken to an attorney, although none was in court with him. Asked if he understood the charges, Miller said yes. The minutes-long appearance ended with the judge setting a Feb. 29 hearing to discuss his $1 million bond.Mays looked out at the journalists in the crowd as he walked out. There were no victims in the courtroom.Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said during a news conference Tuesday that her office had no previous interactions with Mays or Miller.But a statement from Belton police said Mays displayed a handgun during a basketball game dispute at a community center, causing people to run for safety out of the gym. According to court documents in the municipal case, Mays was charged with disorderly conduct in April 2021. He entered a guilty plea on Feb. 8, 2022, and was placed on probation for two years.THE INVESTIGATIONMiller and Mays, who didn't know each other, were among several people arguing last Wednesday when Mays “pulled his handgun," leading others to do the same, court records show. Online court records do not list attorneys who can comment for the men.Authorities also detained two juveniles, charging them with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">gun-related and resisting arrest</a>&nbsp;charges.Officials have said more charges are possible.The shooting happened despite the presence of more than 800 police officers.Those injured range in age from 8 to 47 years, according to Police Chief Stacey Graves.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>, a mother of two and the host of a radio show called “Taste of Tejano,” was killed.FRIEND OF SHOOTERMarques Harris, who was wounded in the shooting, told&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/friend-says-chiefs-parade-shooting-suspect-was-only-protecting-him/">WDAF-TV</a>&nbsp;that Miller should not have been charged and that his friend was only trying to protect him.He said it started with Mays staring down his 15-year-old friend. The teen asked if there was a problem and Mays then started to talk trash, recalled Harris who decided to intervene.“I pushed my little brother out the way,” Harris said. “As soon as I pushed my little brother out of the way, the dude stepped forward and proceeded to shoot me."Only then did Miller fire, said Harris, whose mouth is nearly wired shut. He said the bullet struck him in his neck and traveled out of his mouth.Court documents say ballistics show that the bullet that killed Lopez-Galvan was fired from Miller's firearm. Miller was hospitalized after the shooting and his mugshot was not immediately available.A JERSEY FOR SHOOTING VICTIMLopez-Galvan was wearing a jersey of Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker at the celebration. On Tuesday, the kicker responded to requests on social media seeking help in obtaining a similar jersey for Lopez-Galvan's family, possibly so she could be laid to rest with the shirt.In a statement, Butker said he and his wife were heartbroken by Lopez-Galvan's killing and called for those responsible to “be brought to justice.”“Hearing that she was a fan of my outspokenness for our shared Catholic Faith makes this even more personal. I am honored to provide a jersey to the family for her to wear,” Butker said. "While the family is mourning their loss and grappling with their numerous injuries, I will continue to pray for their healing and the repose of Lisa’s soul.”CITY’S HISTORY AND STATE LAWSThe shooting occurred in a state with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-938583b1e9aa3b3a45f8a012e7b80fee">few gun regulations</a>&nbsp;and historic tension over how cities handle crime.Kansas City has long struggled with gun violence, and in 2020 it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-tn-state-wire-mo-state-wire-politics-oh-state-wire-0950ff59635979d7d2d2d3479f4d9c58">among nine cities</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. Justice Department launched crackdowns on violent crime. In 2023, the city set a record with 185 homicides, most of which involved guns.Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has joined with mayors across the country to call for new laws to reduce gun violence, including mandating universal background checks.Advocates for tighter gun restrictions organized a rally in Kansas City on Saturday, near where the shooting took place. Video posted on social media shows dozens of people holding signs and chanting, “Enough is enough!”It is unlikely that the state government would ever introduce laws to limit gun ownership, but the Missouri House on Monday approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-parade-kansas-city-missouri-celebratory-gunfire-0a1af65ab3e5130ffba0c2713ac1d105">a ban on celebratory gunfire</a>&nbsp;in cities. The measure now goes to the Senate.RETHINKING SPORTS CELEBRATIONS?The shooting was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-parade-shooting-2a500aff2edea212bf54cf6597b2f4f7">latest at a sports celebration</a>&nbsp;in the United States. A shooting wounded several people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-shooting-nuggets-suspect-ee4869abf1afee855565f1c517bfae1f">last year in Denver</a>&nbsp;after the Nuggets’ NBA championship.Kansas City’s mayor and security experts say it could be time to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-chiefs-parade-security-48bcd66e5998776a7167a2434dec7fd1">rethink championship celebrations</a>. Lucas said last Thursday that the city would continue to celebrate its victories. Next month’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will go ahead as scheduled.But he told local television station KMBC that if the Chiefs win another Super Bowl, it might be better to have a smaller party at their home stadium, where security can be managed more easily.___

Kansas City Chiefs rally shooting suspect appears in court

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue investigating the homicide of a 1-year-old identified as Taidyn Anderson of Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesperson Andrew Ford.

Just after 7p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at an apartment in the 2500 block of S. Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders located three shooting victims, two 24-year-old women and Anderson all from Wichita. All three were transported to a local area hospital for their injuries.

The two women had critical but non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.&nbsp; The 1-year-old was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

In addition to the three victims, the apartment was occupied by a 24-year-old man, a 5-year-old girl and a 10-month old&nbsp; girl, all of Wichita, during the time of the shooting.&nbsp; They were not injured by the gunfire.

The police investigation has revealed that the suspect fired multiple rounds from a handgun into the apartment striking the victims. The circumstances leading up to the shooting are still under investigation and detectives are diligently following up on promising leads for the arrest of the suspect.

At this time, based on the evidence known, police believe this was a targeted incident.

“I am deeply saddened and outraged by the violent and heinous crime that has occurred in our community, said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. "The killing of a 1-year-old child is an unspeakable tragedy that has left us all shaken. This senseless act of violence strikes at the core of our community's values. Our children should be cherished and protected, not subjected to such senseless acts."

The Wichita Police Department urges anyone with information on this case and who has not spoken with investigators, to please call the WPD Investigators at 316- 268-4407, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708454643255.png" alt="Police at the scene of the deadly shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the deadly shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue investigating the homicide of a 1-year-old identified as Taidyn Anderson of Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesperson Andrew Ford.Just after 7p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at an apartment in the 2500 block of S. Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders located three shooting victims, two 24-year-old women and Anderson all from Wichita. All three were transported to a local area hospital for their injuries.The two women had critical but non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.&nbsp; The 1-year-old was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;In addition to the three victims, the apartment was occupied by a 24-year-old man, a 5-year-old girl and a 10-month old&nbsp; girl, all of Wichita, during the time of the shooting.&nbsp; They were not injured by the gunfire.The police investigation has revealed that the suspect fired multiple rounds from a handgun into the apartment striking the victims. The circumstances leading up to the shooting are still under investigation and detectives are diligently following up on promising leads for the arrest of the suspect.At this time, based on the evidence known, police believe this was a targeted incident.“I am deeply saddened and outraged by the violent and heinous crime that has occurred in our community, said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. "The killing of a 1-year-old child is an unspeakable tragedy that has left us all shaken. This senseless act of violence strikes at the core of our community's values. Our children should be cherished and protected, not subjected to such senseless acts."The Wichita Police Department urges anyone with information on this case and who has not spoken with investigators, to please call the WPD Investigators at 316- 268-4407, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police ID toddler who died after shooting into Kansas apartment

CULVER CITY, Calif. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that his administration was automatically canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers, putting the spotlight on his debt cancellation efforts as he ramps up his reelection campaign.

Biden, who is in the midst of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-california-los-angeles-san-francisco-fundraisers-87ae7fe3a8c742d53d034322d450462d">three-day campaign swing through California</a>, made the announcement as part of a new repayment plan that offers a faster path to forgiveness.

The president was expected to speak about his administration's student loan relief efforts from a local library before he went on to campaign-related events Wednesday.

The administration began sending email notifications on Wednesday to some of the borrowers who will benefit from what the White House has called the SAVE program. The cancellations were originally scheduled to start in July, but last month the administration said it would be ready almost six months ahead of schedule, in February.

“Starting today, the first round of folks who are enrolled in our SAVE student loan repayment plan who have paid their loans for 10 years and borrowed $12,000 or less will have their debt cancelled,” Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/POTUS/status/1760314432037539937?s=20">posted on social media</a>&nbsp;Wednesday. “That’s 150,000 Americans and counting. And we’re pushing to relieve more."

The first round of forgiveness from the SAVE plan will clear $1.2 billion in loans. The borrowers will get emails with a message from Biden notifying them that “all or a portion of your federal student loans will be forgiven because you qualify for early loan forgiveness under my Administration’s SAVE Plan.”

The president is expected to highlight the SAVE plan during a speech in Culver City, California, before heading to San Francisco later Wednesday for more campaign fundraising.

Biden in the email writes he has heard from “countless people who have told me that relieving the burden of their student loan debt will allow them to support themselves and their families, buy their first home, start a small business, and move forward with life plans they’ve put on hold.”

More than 7.5 million people have enrolled in the new repayment plan.

The president, during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-california-los-angeles-san-francisco-fundraisers-87ae7fe3a8c742d53d034322d450462d">a campaign fundraiser in Beverly Hills</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night, highlighted his efforts to help middle-class Americans and warned that a win in November by former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, could lead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-2024-election-61c3edcd3780ce94be3bd8d65f100f23">to a nationwide abortion ban</a>, more Republican efforts to undo the health insurance program started in the Biden administration and policies that would disproportionately help the wealthy.

He asked his supporters to help win a second term so that he could “finish the job" in enacting an agenda that benefits American workers.

Borrowers are eligible for cancellation if they are enrolled in the SAVE plan, originally borrowed $12,000 or less to attend college and have made at least 10 years of payments. Those who took out more than $12,000 will be eligible for cancellation but on a longer timeline. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond $12,000, it adds an additional year of payments on top of 10 years.

The maximum repayment period is capped at 20 years for those with only undergraduate loans and 25 years for those with any graduate school loans.

"With today’s announcement, we are once again sending a clear message to borrowers who had low balances: If you’ve been paying for a decade, you’ve done your part, and you deserve relief,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.

Biden announced the new repayment plan last year alongside a separate plan to cancel up to $20,000 in loans for millions of Americans. The Supreme Court struck down his plan for widespread forgiveness, but the repayment plan has so far escaped that level of legal scrutiny. Unlike his proposal for mass cancellation — which had never been done before — the repayment plan is a twist on existing income-based plans created by Congress more than a decade ago.

During a quick stop at a local restaurant, CJ’s Cafe, before his speech Wednesday, Biden greeted customers, offering handshakes and hugs and posing for selfies — and he ordered a breakfast burrito.

WASHINGTON — President Biden announced the approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers currently enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, according to a statement on the White House web site.

The Biden-Harris Administration has now approved nearly $138 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 3.9 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive actions. The borrowers receiving relief are the first to benefit from a SAVE plan policy that provides debt forgiveness to borrowers who have been in repayment after as little as 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in student loans. Originally planned for July, the Biden-Harris Administration implemented this provision of SAVE and is providing relief to borrowers nearly six months ahead of schedule.

From Day One of his Administration, President Biden vowed to fix the student loan system and make sure higher education is a pathway to the middle class – not a barrier to opportunity. Already, the President has cancelled more student debt than any President in history – delivering lifechanging relief to students and families – and has created the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever: the SAVE plan. 

While Republicans in Congress and their allies try to block President Biden every step of the way, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, and is leaving no stone unturned in the fight to give more borrowers breathing room on their student loans.

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, starting today, the Administration will be cancelling debt for borrowers who are enrolled in the SAVE plan, have been in repayment for at least 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in loans for college. For every additional $1,000 a borrower initially borrowed, they will receive relief after an additional year of payments. For example, a borrower enrolled in SAVE who took out $14,000 or less in federal loans to earn an associate’s degree in biotechnology would receive full debt relief starting this week if they have been in repayment for 12 years. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) identified nearly 153,000 borrowers who are enrolled in SAVE plan who will have their debt cancelled starting this week, and those borrowers will receive an email today from President Biden informing them of their imminent relief. Next week, the Department of Education will also be reaching out directly to borrowers who are eligible for early relief but not currently enrolled in the SAVE Plan to encourage them to enroll as soon as possible.This shortened time to forgiveness will particularly help community college and other borrowers with smaller loans and put many on track to being free of student debt faster than ever before. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, 85 percent of future community college borrowers will be debt free within 10 years. The Department will continue to regularly identify and discharge other borrowers eligible for relief under this provision on SAVE.Over four million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment under the SAVE PlanLast year, President Biden launched the SAVE plan – the most affordable repayment plan ever. Under the SAVE plan, monthly payments are based on a borrower’s income and family size, not their loan balance. The SAVE plan ensures that if borrowers are making their monthly payments, their balances cannot grow because of unpaid interest. And, starting in July, undergraduate loan payments will be cut in half, capping a borrower’s loan payment at 5% of their discretionary income. Already, 7.5 million borrowers are enrolled in the SAVE Plan, and 4.3 million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment. &nbsp;

Today, the White House Council of Economic Advisers released an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2024/02/21/issue-brief-the-benefits-of-save/">issue brief</a>&nbsp;highlighting how low and middle-income borrowers enrolled in SAVE could see significant saving in terms of interest saved over time and principal forgiven as a result of SAVE’s early forgiveness provisions.

President Biden’s Administration has approved student debt relief for nearly 3.9 million Americans through various actions

Today’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s track record of taking historic action to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers. Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved debt cancellation for nearly 3.9 million Americans, totaling almost $138 billion in debt relief through various actions. This relief has given borrowers critical breathing room in their daily lives, allowing them to afford other expenses, buy homes, start businesses, or pursue dreams they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt. President Biden remains committed to providing debt relief to as many borrowers as possible, and won’t stop fighting to deliver relief to more Americans.

The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken historic steps to improve the student loan program and make higher education more affordable for more Americans, including:

It’s easy to enroll in SAVE. Borrowers should<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan"> click here to</a> learn more.

CULVER CITY, Calif. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that his administration was automatically canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers, putting the spotlight on his debt cancellation efforts as he ramps up his reelection campaign.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;Tens of millions of people in debt were literally about to be cancelled, their debts. But my MAGA Republicans friends in the Congress, elected officials and special interests stepped in and sued us and the Supreme Court blocked it. But that didn&#39;t stop me.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ruDBNZtb6C">pic.twitter.com/ruDBNZtb6C</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1760420879874286044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden, who is in the midst of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-california-los-angeles-san-francisco-fundraisers-87ae7fe3a8c742d53d034322d450462d">three-day campaign swing through California</a>, made the announcement as part of a new repayment plan that offers a faster path to forgiveness.The president was expected to speak about his administration's student loan relief efforts from a local library before he went on to campaign-related events Wednesday.The administration began sending email notifications on Wednesday to some of the borrowers who will benefit from what the White House has called the SAVE program. The cancellations were originally scheduled to start in July, but last month the administration said it would be ready almost six months ahead of schedule, in February.“Starting today, the first round of folks who are enrolled in our SAVE student loan repayment plan who have paid their loans for 10 years and borrowed $12,000 or less will have their debt cancelled,” Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/POTUS/status/1760314432037539937?s=20">posted on social media</a>&nbsp;Wednesday. “That’s 150,000 Americans and counting. And we’re pushing to relieve more."The first round of forgiveness from the SAVE plan will clear $1.2 billion in loans. The borrowers will get emails with a message from Biden notifying them that “all or a portion of your federal student loans will be forgiven because you qualify for early loan forgiveness under my Administration’s SAVE Plan.”The president is expected to highlight the SAVE plan during a speech in Culver City, California, before heading to San Francisco later Wednesday for more campaign fundraising.Biden in the email writes he has heard from “countless people who have told me that relieving the burden of their student loan debt will allow them to support themselves and their families, buy their first home, start a small business, and move forward with life plans they’ve put on hold.”More than 7.5 million people have enrolled in the new repayment plan.The president, during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-california-los-angeles-san-francisco-fundraisers-87ae7fe3a8c742d53d034322d450462d">a campaign fundraiser in Beverly Hills</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night, highlighted his efforts to help middle-class Americans and warned that a win in November by former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, could lead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-2024-election-61c3edcd3780ce94be3bd8d65f100f23">to a nationwide abortion ban</a>, more Republican efforts to undo the health insurance program started in the Biden administration and policies that would disproportionately help the wealthy.He asked his supporters to help win a second term so that he could “finish the job" in enacting an agenda that benefits American workers.Borrowers are eligible for cancellation if they are enrolled in the SAVE plan, originally borrowed $12,000 or less to attend college and have made at least 10 years of payments. Those who took out more than $12,000 will be eligible for cancellation but on a longer timeline. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond $12,000, it adds an additional year of payments on top of 10 years.The maximum repayment period is capped at 20 years for those with only undergraduate loans and 25 years for those with any graduate school loans."With today’s announcement, we are once again sending a clear message to borrowers who had low balances: If you’ve been paying for a decade, you’ve done your part, and you deserve relief,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.Biden announced the new repayment plan last year alongside a separate plan to cancel up to $20,000 in loans for millions of Americans. The Supreme Court struck down his plan for widespread forgiveness, but the repayment plan has so far escaped that level of legal scrutiny. Unlike his proposal for mass cancellation — which had never been done before — the repayment plan is a twist on existing income-based plans created by Congress more than a decade ago.During a quick stop at a local restaurant, CJ’s Cafe, before his speech Wednesday, Biden greeted customers, offering handshakes and hugs and posing for selfies — and he ordered a breakfast burrito.___WASHINGTON — President Biden announced the approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers currently enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, according to a statement on the White House web site.The Biden-Harris Administration has now approved nearly $138 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 3.9 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive actions. The borrowers receiving relief are the first to benefit from a SAVE plan policy that provides debt forgiveness to borrowers who have been in repayment after as little as 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in student loans. Originally planned for July, the Biden-Harris Administration implemented this provision of SAVE and is providing relief to borrowers nearly six months ahead of schedule.From Day One of his Administration, President Biden vowed to fix the student loan system and make sure higher education is a pathway to the middle class – not a barrier to opportunity. Already, the President has cancelled more student debt than any President in history – delivering lifechanging relief to students and families – and has created the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever: the SAVE plan. While Republicans in Congress and their allies try to block President Biden every step of the way, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, and is leaving no stone unturned in the fight to give more borrowers breathing room on their student loans.Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, starting today, the Administration will be cancelling debt for borrowers who are enrolled in the SAVE plan, have been in repayment for at least 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in loans for college. For every additional $1,000 a borrower initially borrowed, they will receive relief after an additional year of payments. For example, a borrower enrolled in SAVE who took out $14,000 or less in federal loans to earn an associate’s degree in biotechnology would receive full debt relief starting this week if they have been in repayment for 12 years. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) identified nearly 153,000 borrowers who are enrolled in SAVE plan who will have their debt cancelled starting this week, and those borrowers will receive an email today from President Biden informing them of their imminent relief. Next week, the Department of Education will also be reaching out directly to borrowers who are eligible for early relief but not currently enrolled in the SAVE Plan to encourage them to enroll as soon as possible.This shortened time to forgiveness will particularly help community college and other borrowers with smaller loans and put many on track to being free of student debt faster than ever before. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, 85 percent of future community college borrowers will be debt free within 10 years. The Department will continue to regularly identify and discharge other borrowers eligible for relief under this provision on SAVE.Over four million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment under the SAVE PlanLast year, President Biden launched the SAVE plan – the most affordable repayment plan ever. Under the SAVE plan, monthly payments are based on a borrower’s income and family size, not their loan balance. The SAVE plan ensures that if borrowers are making their monthly payments, their balances cannot grow because of unpaid interest. And, starting in July, undergraduate loan payments will be cut in half, capping a borrower’s loan payment at 5% of their discretionary income. Already, 7.5 million borrowers are enrolled in the SAVE Plan, and 4.3 million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment. &nbsp;Today, the White House Council of Economic Advisers released an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2024/02/21/issue-brief-the-benefits-of-save/">issue brief</a>&nbsp;highlighting how low and middle-income borrowers enrolled in SAVE could see significant saving in terms of interest saved over time and principal forgiven as a result of SAVE’s early forgiveness provisions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708527351931.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>President Biden’s Administration has approved student debt relief for nearly 3.9 million Americans through various actionsToday’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s track record of taking historic action to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers. Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved debt cancellation for nearly 3.9 million Americans, totaling almost $138 billion in debt relief through various actions. This relief has given borrowers critical breathing room in their daily lives, allowing them to afford other expenses, buy homes, start businesses, or pursue dreams they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt. President Biden remains committed to providing debt relief to as many borrowers as possible, and won’t stop fighting to deliver relief to more Americans.The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken historic steps to improve the student loan program and make higher education more affordable for more Americans, including:<ul>
 <li>Achieving the&nbsp;largest increases in Pell Grants&nbsp;in over a decade to help families who earn less than $60,000 a year achieve their higher-education goals.</li><li>Fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program&nbsp;so that borrowers who go into public service get the debt relief they’re entitled to under the law. Before President Biden took office, only 7,000 people ever received debt relief through PSLF. After fixing the program, the Biden-Harris Administration has now cancelled student loan debt for nearly 800,000 public service workers.</li><li>Cancelling student loan debt for more than 930,000 borrowers&nbsp;who have been in repayment for over 20 years but never got the relief they earned because of administrative failures with Income-Driven Repayment Plans.</li><li>Pursuing an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible&nbsp;in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down the Administration’s original debt relief plan. Last week, the Department of Education released proposed regulatory text to cancel student debt for borrowers who are experiencing hardship paying back their student loans, and late last year released proposals to cancel student debt for borrowers who: owe more than they borrowed, first entered repayment 20 or 25 years ago, attended low quality programs, and who would be eligible for loan forgiveness through income-driven repayment programs like SAVE but have not applied.</li><li>Holding colleges accountable&nbsp;for leaving students with unaffordable debts.</li>
 </ul>It’s easy to enroll in SAVE. Borrowers should<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan"> click here to</a> learn more.

🎥Biden: Didn't let MAGA friends stop me from canceling student debt

SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing says the head of its 737 jetliner program is leaving the company immediately, paving the way for the aircraft maker to appoint new leadership at the troubled division.

The company said Wednesday that Ed Clark had been with Boeing for 18 years.

Katie Ringgold will succeed him as vice president and general manager of the 737 program, and the company's Renton, Washington site.

The shakeup comes weeks after the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Boeing — under pressure from airlines to produce large numbers of planes — is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-administrator-boeing-safety-oversight-8b8433b3c6c9bcb31980f7a979ce3326">not paying enough attention to safety</a>.

In January, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">emergency door panel blew off</a>&nbsp;a Boeing 737 Max 9 over Oregon.

Boeing also named Elizabeth Lund to the new position of senior vice president for BCA Quality, where she will lead quality control and quality assurance efforts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705012450283.png" alt="This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing says the head of its 737 jetliner program is leaving the company immediately, paving the way for the aircraft maker to appoint new leadership at the troubled division.The company said Wednesday that Ed Clark had been with Boeing for 18 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580497975886.jpeg" alt="File photo-Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, makes a large part of the fuselages on Boeing Max jets. Elaine Thompson/AP/NPR" />
 <figcaption>File photo-Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, makes a large part of the fuselages on Boeing Max jets. Elaine Thompson/AP/NPR</figcaption>
 </figure>Katie Ringgold will succeed him as vice president and general manager of the 737 program, and the company's Renton, Washington site.The shakeup comes weeks after the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Boeing — under pressure from airlines to produce large numbers of planes — is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-administrator-boeing-safety-oversight-8b8433b3c6c9bcb31980f7a979ce3326">not paying enough attention to safety</a>.In January, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">emergency door panel blew off</a>&nbsp;a Boeing 737 Max 9 over Oregon.Boeing also named Elizabeth Lund to the new position of senior vice president for BCA Quality, where she will lead quality control and quality assurance efforts.

Boeing ousts head of 737 jet program after latest serious incident 

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

Action didn’t stop as lawmakers endorse plates for Royals, Sporting KC, Current

TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas Senate thought it was such a super idea to issue a special license plate for the Kansas City Chiefs, they kept piling on.

Before the dust settled Wednesday on the Senate floor, distinctive plates for the Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City, Kansas City Current and Sedgwick County Zoo had been included in Senate Bill 359. The bill was approved 36-2 and forwarded to the Kansas House.

Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican, said she was asked by a friend who worked for the Chiefs to introduce a bill authorizing a special license plate for the NFL franchise in Kansas City, Missouri. The process began long before quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and their teammates defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.

“Being a lifelong Chiefs fan and seeing the unity of the community, of the state and the region that the Chiefs bring, of course, I said, ‘Yes,'” Warren said.

The measure pulled together by the Senate Transportation Committee’s bill would designate the Hunt Family Foundation as recipient of revenue from Kansans acquiring a Chiefs license plate for use on passenger cars and trucks.

The committee altered Warren’s game plan by including a plate tied to the professional soccer club Sporting Kansas City, with proceeds going to the Kansas City Soccer Foundation for the Victory Project. The committee also endorsed a distinctive plate supporting the Sedgwick County Zoo.

Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican, said during Senate debate on the bill that he’d been a Chiefs fan all his life and would likely acquire one of the new plates for his own vehicle. But he didn’t want to leave out the other occupant of Truman Sports Complex. He offered an amendment authorizing a plate honoring the Kansas City Royals, which was accepted by the Senate.

“Right now there are a lot of Chiefs fans,” Olson said, “but at the right periods it seems like there is a lot of Royals fans, too.”

Sen. John Doll, the Garden City Republican, said he wasn’t keen on showering Missouri with cross-border affection.

“Supporting one Missouri team hurts. Supporting two really hurts,” he said. “Hopefully, next year we can do some tags for New Mexico and Colorado and Wisconsin — all of them.”

Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, secured approval of an amendment creating a license plate for the Kansas City Current, part of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Under terms of the bill, supporters of each license plate must secure commitments for a minimum of 250 plates and sponsors must pay up to $5,000 for development costs. The license plates couldn’t be transferred from one person to another, but permission could be granted by the Kansas Department of Revenue to transfer a plate from a leased to a purchased vehicle.

During Senate consideration of the bill, members didn’t focus attention on the Feb. 14 shooting at the Super Bowl parade and rally for the Chiefs that left one person dead and two dozen wounded. The injured ranged in age from 8 to 47, police said.

On Tuesday, Gov. Laura Kelly directed flags in Kansas be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset Saturday in honor of Elizabeth “Lisa” Lopez-Galvan of Johnson County, who was killed outside the city’s historic Union Station when shots were fired into the crowd.

“Kansans and the entire Kansas City community are mourning the loss of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a DJ and mother of two from Shawnee. I’m grieving for her family and for all the victims and their loved ones,” Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708541290426.png" alt=" Sen. Kellie Warren, a Johnson County Republican, started with a bill creating a distinctive Kansas license plate honoring the Kansas City Chiefs. Before the Senate got through with the bill, it also honored the Royals, Current, Sporting KC an a zoo. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Kellie Warren, a Johnson County Republican, started with a bill creating a distinctive Kansas license plate honoring the Kansas City Chiefs. Before the Senate got through with the bill, it also honored the Royals, Current, Sporting KC an a zoo. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Action didn’t stop as lawmakers endorse plates for Royals, Sporting KC, Current</h2>TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas Senate thought it was such a super idea to issue a special license plate for the Kansas City Chiefs, they kept piling on.Before the dust settled Wednesday on the Senate floor, distinctive plates for the Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City, Kansas City Current and Sedgwick County Zoo had been included in Senate Bill 359. The bill was approved 36-2 and forwarded to the Kansas House.Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican, said she was asked by a friend who worked for the Chiefs to introduce a bill authorizing a special license plate for the NFL franchise in Kansas City, Missouri. The process began long before quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and their teammates defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.“Being a lifelong Chiefs fan and seeing the unity of the community, of the state and the region that the Chiefs bring, of course, I said, ‘Yes,'” Warren said.The measure pulled together by the Senate Transportation Committee’s bill would designate the Hunt Family Foundation as recipient of revenue from Kansans acquiring a Chiefs license plate for use on passenger cars and trucks.The committee altered Warren’s game plan by including a plate tied to the professional soccer club Sporting Kansas City, with proceeds going to the Kansas City Soccer Foundation for the Victory Project. The committee also endorsed a distinctive plate supporting the Sedgwick County Zoo.Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican, said during Senate debate on the bill that he’d been a Chiefs fan all his life and would likely acquire one of the new plates for his own vehicle. But he didn’t want to leave out the other occupant of Truman Sports Complex. He offered an amendment authorizing a plate honoring the Kansas City Royals, which was accepted by the Senate.“Right now there are a lot of Chiefs fans,” Olson said, “but at the right periods it seems like there is a lot of Royals fans, too.”Sen. John Doll, the Garden City Republican, said he wasn’t keen on showering Missouri with cross-border affection.“Supporting one Missouri team hurts. Supporting two really hurts,” he said. “Hopefully, next year we can do some tags for New Mexico and Colorado and Wisconsin — all of them.”Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, secured approval of an amendment creating a license plate for the Kansas City Current, part of the National Women’s Soccer League.Under terms of the bill, supporters of each license plate must secure commitments for a minimum of 250 plates and sponsors must pay up to $5,000 for development costs. The license plates couldn’t be transferred from one person to another, but permission could be granted by the Kansas Department of Revenue to transfer a plate from a leased to a purchased vehicle.During Senate consideration of the bill, members didn’t focus attention on the Feb. 14 shooting at the Super Bowl parade and rally for the Chiefs that left one person dead and two dozen wounded. The injured ranged in age from 8 to 47, police said.On Tuesday, Gov. Laura Kelly directed flags in Kansas be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset Saturday in honor of Elizabeth “Lisa” Lopez-Galvan of Johnson County, who was killed outside the city’s historic Union Station when shots were fired into the crowd.“Kansans and the entire Kansas City community are mourning the loss of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a DJ and mother of two from Shawnee. I’m grieving for her family and for all the victims and their loved ones,” Kelly said.

Kan. Senate tackles challenge of bill authorizing license plate honoring KC Chiefs

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The man captured after his abduction of a 6-year-old Kansas girl is going to prison.

Last week, Judge Eric Williams sentenced 35-year-old Benjamin Brady to 4-years and 8-months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In Nov. 22022, police responded to the 2300 block of N. Amidon in Wichita for an auto theft, kidnapping in a liquor store parking lot, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

A 35-year-old man reported that while he had gone into the store, an unknown man, later identified as Brady, stole his&nbsp;gold/tan Lexus Rx330 with his 6-year-old daughter still inside.

Officers immediately began checking the area for the vehicle and the juvenile and&nbsp; utilized Flock cameras and other License Plate Reader (LPR) technology and learned that the vehicle had entered the Kansas Turnpike headed South.

Neighboring counties, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department were notified of the circumstances and the vehicle's last known location.

Troopers with Oklahoma Highway Patrol were able to stop the car approximately 22 miles south of the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and recover the girl.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brady, was taken into custody by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and booked into the Kay County, Oklahoma jail.

Brady pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and felony theft.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669067284425.png" alt="Brady photo Ssedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Brady photo Ssedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — The man captured after his abduction of a 6-year-old Kansas girl is going to prison.Last week, Judge Eric Williams sentenced 35-year-old Benjamin Brady to 4-years and 8-months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In Nov. 22022, police responded to the 2300 block of N. Amidon in Wichita for an auto theft, kidnapping in a liquor store parking lot, according to Officer Trevor Macy.A 35-year-old man reported that while he had gone into the store, an unknown man, later identified as Brady, stole his&nbsp;gold/tan Lexus Rx330 with his 6-year-old daughter still inside.Officers immediately began checking the area for the vehicle and the juvenile and&nbsp; utilized Flock cameras and other License Plate Reader (LPR) technology and learned that the vehicle had entered the Kansas Turnpike headed South.Neighboring counties, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department were notified of the circumstances and the vehicle's last known location.Troopers with Oklahoma Highway Patrol were able to stop the car approximately 22 miles south of the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and recover the girl.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brady, was taken into custody by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and booked into the Kay County, Oklahoma jail.Brady pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and felony theft.&nbsp;

Kan. man who stole SUV with 6-year-old inside is going to prison

KANSAS CITY —A week after the deadly shooting following the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade and rally, police are still looking for possible victims.

Anyone who was injured or knows someone injured at the Union Station rally after shots were fired should call the Kansas City Police Department at 816-234-5043.

At a press conference Tuesday Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker explained that serious injuries, such as broken bone from a fall that occurred when people fled from gunfire, are the type that police would like to know about. If you have questions, please call KCPD talk to a detective.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707941847128.png" alt="Image from AP video of the public fleeing the shooting at rally&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from AP video of the public fleeing the shooting at rally&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A week after the deadly shooting following the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade and rally, police are still looking for possible victims.Anyone who was injured or knows someone injured at the Union Station rally after shots were fired should call the Kansas City Police Department at 816-234-5043.At a press conference Tuesday Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker explained that serious injuries, such as broken bone from a fall that occurred when people fled from gunfire, are the type that police would like to know about. If you have questions, please call KCPD talk to a detective.

KCPD still looking for anyone trampled or injured fleeing parade shooting

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7a.m. Wednesday in Johnson County.

The two-vehicle crash occurred in the 7200 block of eastbound Interstate 435 Highway, according to officer John Lacy.&nbsp;  One of the vehicles left the roadway and rolled. The unrestrained driver was ejected from the vehicle. 

EMS transported the driver to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. 

The Overland Park Police Traffic Safety Unit is in charge of the investigation. Police released no additional details.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7a.m. Wednesday in Johnson County.The two-vehicle crash occurred in the 7200 block of eastbound Interstate 435 Highway, according to officer John Lacy.&nbsp; One of the vehicles left the roadway and rolled. The unrestrained driver was ejected from the vehicle. EMS transported the driver to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. The Overland Park Police Traffic Safety Unit is in charge of the investigation. Police released no additional details.

Man dies after ejected in 2-vehicle Kansas crash

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a January murder in Wichita.&nbsp; According to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, police will present their case Wednesday against a second suspect identified as 27-year-old Robert Howland in the death of 35-year-old LaDonte Ostrander.&nbsp; 

On January 22, Yancy Hermosillo, 27, was charged with 2nd degree murder in the&nbsp; shooting, according to the District Attorney's office.

On Jan. 16, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the 1000 block of S. Market, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; 

In the 900 block of S. Market Street, first responders discovered Ostrander with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. Sedgwick County EMS transported him in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

&nbsp;On January 18, police arrested Hermosillo, a<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415">ccording to online arrest</a>&nbsp;records.

Just after 2a.m. January 20, police arrested 27-year-old Robert Howland in the 1300 block of S. Santa Fe in Wichita in connection with the death of Ostrander.

Hermosillo <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=230072">remains jailed on bond</a>s totaling over 10 million dollars, according to online jail records.

Hermosillo has previous felony convictions for domestic battery, criminal threat,&nbsp; and aggravated interference with parental custody, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705588462988.png" alt="Hermosillo-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hermosillo-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a January murder in Wichita.&nbsp; According to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, police will present their case Wednesday against a second suspect identified as 27-year-old Robert Howland in the death of 35-year-old LaDonte Ostrander.&nbsp; On January 22, Yancy Hermosillo, 27, was charged with 2nd degree murder in the&nbsp; shooting, according to the District Attorney's office.On Jan. 16, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the 1000 block of S. Market, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; In the 900 block of S. Market Street, first responders discovered Ostrander with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. Sedgwick County EMS transported him in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705851796859.png" alt="Howland-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Howland-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;On January 18, police arrested Hermosillo, a<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415">ccording to online arrest</a>&nbsp;records. Just after 2a.m. January 20, police arrested 27-year-old Robert Howland in the 1300 block of S. Santa Fe in Wichita in connection with the death of Ostrander.Hermosillo <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=230072">remains jailed on bond</a>s totaling over 10 million dollars, according to online jail records.Hermosillo has previous felony convictions for domestic battery, criminal threat,&nbsp; and aggravated interference with parental custody, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

Police to present case against 2nd suspect in Kansas murder

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A%20special,criminal%20charges%20were%20not%20warranted.">avoided criminal charges around his handling of classified documents</a>&nbsp;in part because of his answers during a lengthy interview with the special counsel investigating him. But the sit-down also opened Biden up to fresh scrutiny over his age and memory, and now the public release of a transcript of that discussion is being sought by both Biden allies and critics seeking political advantage.

(click below to watch Biden answer questions about his memory)

The five-hour interview over two days, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-robert-hur-special-counsel-biden-d715ffd26adc75f2ba740d1960936a09">special counsel Robert Hur</a>, helped establish that Biden didn’t intend to retain most of the sensitive records from his vice presidency that were found at his home and personal office. But Hur’s report also repeatedly impugned Biden’s memory in a deeply personal way, suggesting, for example, the president couldn’t remember when his own son had died.

The transcript, if released, could provide a fuller picture of the conversation.

The White House has the ultimate say over whether to make public the transcript or audio recording of the interview or to claim executive privilege and keep the interview private. There's precedent for documents related to White House investigations to ultimately become public — but also to be withheld.

A transcript of President Bill Clinton’s 1998 grand jury appearance related to allegations of a sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky was included as part of Independent Counsel Ken Starr’s massive report, which was delivered to the House and subsequently released to the public by Congress following a vote.

The Starr team debated extensively how much to disclose in the report, mindful of the graphic and sensitive nature of the findings, said Robert Bittman, who served as a Starr deputy during the investigation. Recognizing that it was ultimately up to the House to decide what to public public, the team gave “all the information (to Congress) that we had so they can make their own decisions.”

President George W. Bush, on the other hand, invoked executive privilege to block Congress from seeing the FBI report of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney and other records related to the administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity in 2003. The move angered Congress.

Bittman said he did not think it was “necessarily a good thing” for investigative reports to be made public. But now that the Hur report has been disclosed, he said, it would be helpful to release the transcript of Biden’s interview “so that people can judge for themselves about whether Hur’s opinions about what President Biden said and what he remembered and what he didn’t remember is justified.”

“If you see that the White House objects to it, it probably suggests that the transcripts are not good for the White House,” Bittman said, “and if they support release of it, then I suspect that that suggests the transcripts are good for the White House or President Biden.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-transition-archives-classified-documents-0962248067aa95ae129287c4b400f999">The White House</a>&nbsp;is weighing whether or not to release it.

Biden's interview text and the audio recording are classified, because they include a discussion of highly sensitive documents. Any potential release could happen either by a decision of the White House or through the Justice Department working to comply with congressional oversight requests. Both would follow nearly identical procedures.

Once a decision to pursue release of the interview was made, the sensitive parts of the document would be sent to the intelligence community to assess what could be declassified and what would need to be redacted. A further review would be warranted to determine if anything discussed about the security of the president’s home might impact protective measures.

Finally, the White House would need to weigh in, with the advice of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, on whether to recommend that Biden invoke executive privilege over what others had cleared for publication.

Though Biden didn’t invoke executive privilege over the full report, the transcript could well be a different story. Among the documents found in Biden’s home were records of deliberations over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b76f5d92b38d429c877564ad9ff9661a">a potential U.S. troop surge during the Afghanistan war</a>&nbsp;and other conversations within the White House — an area that presidents are particularly loath to have publicly discussed.

The interview with Biden was conducted over two days last October, right after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel.</a>

Hur and his deputy, Marc Krickbaum, a former Trump-appointed U.S. attorney from Iowa, asked all of the questions. Biden was joined by White House Counsel Ed Siskel, the counsel’s office investigations leader Richard Sauber and the president's personal lawyer Bob Bauer. Several other individuals from both sides were in the room as well, according to a person familiar with the interviews who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss them.

Separately, House Republicans have reached out to Hur and his representatives on the possibility of Hur testifying before Congress, and he has expressed a willingness to do so, according to two people who were not authorized to speak publicly about the request and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Republicans and Democrats alike are interested in more complete details about what went into the report. Biden and his allies say a full transcript would show the president is mentally sharp and will prove that Hur cherry-picked moments solely to make him seem feeble. Biden’s attorneys raised their concerns to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who nonetheless decided to keep the report as is and made it public.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-classified-documents-election-9a519ea3f9ec514187d10e758c6535ac">Bauer, speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation” over the weekend,</a>&nbsp;offered an anecdote that didn’t make it into the report but that would be in a transcript. He said Hur acknowledged that sometimes he asked imprecise questions — ones that Biden picked apart.

“Now, everybody in the room recognized that was the case, that showed the president was listening carefully and understood precisely what was wrong with those questions," Bauer said. "I didn’t come away from the special counsel’s failure to ask precise questions and think to myself, ‘he has mental acuity problems,’ I just thought he was asking bad questions.”

Republicans, meanwhile, have also requested that the audio of the interviews be made public and want to know more on why Hur chose not to prosecute Biden, particularly when they noted in their report that some evidence showed he held onto and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ghostwriter-mark-zwonitzer-classified-documents-case-8ad6e560c2eb54e25db149a2d01ad545">shared with a ghostwriter</a>&nbsp;highly classified information.

Hur said in his report that he did find evidence that Biden had willfully mishandled classified records but not enough evidence for a criminal prosecution like the one against former President Donald Trump.

Trump, in addition to being charged with intentionally hoarding top-secret documents after he left office, is also accused of obstructing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-maralago-cd3b59e50d33eea942772186111c240e">FBI efforts to get them back and of asking staff to conceal evidence from investigators.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-trump-special-counsel-b5589ea8f066ede51c8138665f108f7a">Biden and his team, by contrast, alerted law enforcement officials</a>&nbsp;after locating classified records, willingly handed over documents to the government and cooperated with investigators by allowing the FBI to search his properties for any additional files.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707440990814.png" alt="File- President Biden answered questions last week about his age and memory- White House image" />
 <figcaption>File- President Biden answered questions last week about his age and memory- White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A%20special,criminal%20charges%20were%20not%20warranted.">avoided criminal charges around his handling of classified documents</a>&nbsp;in part because of his answers during a lengthy interview with the special counsel investigating him. But the sit-down also opened Biden up to fresh scrutiny over his age and memory, and now the public release of a transcript of that discussion is being sought by both Biden allies and critics seeking political advantage.(click below to watch Biden answer questions about his memory)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F690627529895091%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=243" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707478982378.png" alt="From the Special Counsel Report" />
 <figcaption>From the Special Counsel Report</figcaption>
 </figure>The five-hour interview over two days, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-robert-hur-special-counsel-biden-d715ffd26adc75f2ba740d1960936a09">special counsel Robert Hur</a>, helped establish that Biden didn’t intend to retain most of the sensitive records from his vice presidency that were found at his home and personal office. But Hur’s report also repeatedly impugned Biden’s memory in a deeply personal way, suggesting, for example, the president couldn’t remember when his own son had died.The transcript, if released, could provide a fuller picture of the conversation.The White House has the ultimate say over whether to make public the transcript or audio recording of the interview or to claim executive privilege and keep the interview private. There's precedent for documents related to White House investigations to ultimately become public — but also to be withheld.A transcript of President Bill Clinton’s 1998 grand jury appearance related to allegations of a sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky was included as part of Independent Counsel Ken Starr’s massive report, which was delivered to the House and subsequently released to the public by Congress following a vote.The Starr team debated extensively how much to disclose in the report, mindful of the graphic and sensitive nature of the findings, said Robert Bittman, who served as a Starr deputy during the investigation. Recognizing that it was ultimately up to the House to decide what to public public, the team gave “all the information (to Congress) that we had so they can make their own decisions.”President George W. Bush, on the other hand, invoked executive privilege to block Congress from seeing the FBI report of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney and other records related to the administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity in 2003. The move angered Congress.Bittman said he did not think it was “necessarily a good thing” for investigative reports to be made public. But now that the Hur report has been disclosed, he said, it would be helpful to release the transcript of Biden’s interview “so that people can judge for themselves about whether Hur’s opinions about what President Biden said and what he remembered and what he didn’t remember is justified.”“If you see that the White House objects to it, it probably suggests that the transcripts are not good for the White House,” Bittman said, “and if they support release of it, then I suspect that that suggests the transcripts are good for the White House or President Biden.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-transition-archives-classified-documents-0962248067aa95ae129287c4b400f999">The White House</a>&nbsp;is weighing whether or not to release it.Biden's interview text and the audio recording are classified, because they include a discussion of highly sensitive documents. Any potential release could happen either by a decision of the White House or through the Justice Department working to comply with congressional oversight requests. Both would follow nearly identical procedures.Once a decision to pursue release of the interview was made, the sensitive parts of the document would be sent to the intelligence community to assess what could be declassified and what would need to be redacted. A further review would be warranted to determine if anything discussed about the security of the president’s home might impact protective measures.Finally, the White House would need to weigh in, with the advice of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, on whether to recommend that Biden invoke executive privilege over what others had cleared for publication.Though Biden didn’t invoke executive privilege over the full report, the transcript could well be a different story. Among the documents found in Biden’s home were records of deliberations over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b76f5d92b38d429c877564ad9ff9661a">a potential U.S. troop surge during the Afghanistan war</a>&nbsp;and other conversations within the White House — an area that presidents are particularly loath to have publicly discussed.The interview with Biden was conducted over two days last October, right after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel.</a>Hur and his deputy, Marc Krickbaum, a former Trump-appointed U.S. attorney from Iowa, asked all of the questions. Biden was joined by White House Counsel Ed Siskel, the counsel’s office investigations leader Richard Sauber and the president's personal lawyer Bob Bauer. Several other individuals from both sides were in the room as well, according to a person familiar with the interviews who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss them.Separately, House Republicans have reached out to Hur and his representatives on the possibility of Hur testifying before Congress, and he has expressed a willingness to do so, according to two people who were not authorized to speak publicly about the request and spoke on condition of anonymity.Republicans and Democrats alike are interested in more complete details about what went into the report. Biden and his allies say a full transcript would show the president is mentally sharp and will prove that Hur cherry-picked moments solely to make him seem feeble. Biden’s attorneys raised their concerns to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who nonetheless decided to keep the report as is and made it public.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-classified-documents-election-9a519ea3f9ec514187d10e758c6535ac">Bauer, speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation” over the weekend,</a>&nbsp;offered an anecdote that didn’t make it into the report but that would be in a transcript. He said Hur acknowledged that sometimes he asked imprecise questions — ones that Biden picked apart.“Now, everybody in the room recognized that was the case, that showed the president was listening carefully and understood precisely what was wrong with those questions," Bauer said. "I didn’t come away from the special counsel’s failure to ask precise questions and think to myself, ‘he has mental acuity problems,’ I just thought he was asking bad questions.”Republicans, meanwhile, have also requested that the audio of the interviews be made public and want to know more on why Hur chose not to prosecute Biden, particularly when they noted in their report that some evidence showed he held onto and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ghostwriter-mark-zwonitzer-classified-documents-case-8ad6e560c2eb54e25db149a2d01ad545">shared with a ghostwriter</a>&nbsp;highly classified information.Hur said in his report that he did find evidence that Biden had willfully mishandled classified records but not enough evidence for a criminal prosecution like the one against former President Donald Trump.Trump, in addition to being charged with intentionally hoarding top-secret documents after he left office, is also accused of obstructing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-maralago-cd3b59e50d33eea942772186111c240e">FBI efforts to get them back and of asking staff to conceal evidence from investigators.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-trump-special-counsel-b5589ea8f066ede51c8138665f108f7a">Biden and his team, by contrast, alerted law enforcement officials</a>&nbsp;after locating classified records, willingly handed over documents to the government and cooperated with investigators by allowing the FBI to search his properties for any additional files.

🎥Will the White House release transcript of Biden's special counsel interview?

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged road-rage incident and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 8a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a road rage incident in the area of College Blvd. and Cody Street in Overland, according to Officer John Lacy.

The victim reported the original road rage incident took place at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Interstate 35 Highway.   The victim reported the road rage incident to dispatch and followed the suspect vehicle.  At College Blvd. and Nieman the male suspect driver fired several rounds at the victim’s vehicle, according to police.

 The suspect then sped off and then crashed at College Blvd. and Cody Street.

Police took the adult male suspect into custody.  There were no injuries. 

    If you witnessed this incident or have any further information please contact the Overland Park Police Department at 913-895-6300 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.   Officer John Lacy #653Overland Park Police Public Information Officer

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged road-rage incident and have a suspect in custody.Just after 8a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a road rage incident in the area of College Blvd. and Cody Street in Overland, according to Officer John Lacy.The victim reported the original road rage incident took place at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Interstate 35 Highway. The victim reported the road rage incident to dispatch and followed the suspect vehicle. At College Blvd. and Nieman the male suspect driver fired several rounds at the victim’s vehicle, according to police. The suspect then sped off and then crashed at College Blvd. and Cody Street.Police took the adult male suspect into custody. There were no injuries. If you witnessed this incident or have any further information please contact the Overland Park Police Department at 913-895-6300 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Officer John Lacy #653Overland Park Police Public Information Officer

Suspect arrested for Kansas road rage shooting 

KANSAS CITY —The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office will hold at least two more counseling sessions this week, the first on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at CPC (Child Protection Center) from 3 to 6 p.m., according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jan Peters Baker.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor's office also maintains a hotline number for persons who want to call and talk to someone. The hotline number is 816-881-1540.

CPC is located at 2940 Main Street in Kansas City. Mental health professionals and advocates will be available for persons who come to CPC. The center specializes in helping children.

A second event is being organized for Saturday, Feb. 24, at a location on Kansas City's westside. Check the Post for additional details on this event when it becomes available.

The prosecutor's office initiated these counseling sessions last week in the wake of the shootings at Union Station following the rally and parade. Since then, numerous churches, non-profit service providers and staff from the prosecutor's office have joined to help to bring counseling and some comfort to persons impacted emotionally by the tragic violence at the public event. The prosecutor's office extends its gratitude to all who have helped make these sessions valuable.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708018810884.jpeg" alt="Emergency medical technicians walk around the scene after the shooting following the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Emergency medical technicians walk around the scene after the shooting following the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office will hold at least two more counseling sessions this week, the first on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at CPC (Child Protection Center) from 3 to 6 p.m., according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jan Peters Baker.Meanwhile, the prosecutor's office also maintains a hotline number for persons who want to call and talk to someone. The hotline number is 816-881-1540.CPC is located at 2940 Main Street in Kansas City. Mental health professionals and advocates will be available for persons who come to CPC. The center specializes in helping children.A second event is being organized for Saturday, Feb. 24, at a location on Kansas City's westside. Check the Post for additional details on this event when it becomes available.The prosecutor's office initiated these counseling sessions last week in the wake of the shootings at Union Station following the rally and parade. Since then, numerous churches, non-profit service providers and staff from the prosecutor's office have joined to help to bring counseling and some comfort to persons impacted emotionally by the tragic violence at the public event. The prosecutor's office extends its gratitude to all who have helped make these sessions valuable.&nbsp;

More counseling services offered following KC rally shooting

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 457 are investigating a criminal threat at Garden City High School.

Just after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Garden City High School received a phone call from an unknown individual indicating there was a bomb inside theschool. Out of an abundance of caution, all students and staff were immediately evacuated and law enforcement was notified.

The Garden City Police Department, Finney County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Finney County Emergency Management, Garden City Fire Department, and Finney County Emergency Medical Services responded accordingly and searched the school to ensure the safety of students and employees.

After a thorough investigation by law enforcement, no threats to the students, staff, or school were discovered, and Garden City

High School was released at its normal dismissal time. The scene was cleared around 3:30 p.m., and no explosives were located.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708478304551.png" alt="photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 457 are investigating a criminal threat at Garden City High School.Just after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Garden City High School received a phone call from an unknown individual indicating there was a bomb inside theschool. Out of an abundance of caution, all students and staff were immediately evacuated and law enforcement was notified.The Garden City Police Department, Finney County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Finney County Emergency Management, Garden City Fire Department, and Finney County Emergency Medical Services responded accordingly and searched the school to ensure the safety of students and employees.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE (3:30 P.M.): No threats to the students, staff, or school were discovered, and the scene is clear. A formal media release is forthcoming.&mdash; Garden City (KS) Police Department (@GCPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/GCPD/status/1760054600327938087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE (2:45 P.M.): Garden City High School will dismiss at its normal time. First Responders remain on scene continuing their investigation and are directing traffic at dismissal time. We will provide updates when available.&mdash; Garden City (KS) Police Department (@GCPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/GCPD/status/1760042888644182094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE (1:50 P.M.): First Responders are investigating a possible criminal threat at Garden City High School. The high school continues to keep students and staff out of the building. Please avoid the area as the investigation continues. We will provide updates when available.&mdash; Garden City (KS) Police Department (@GCPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/GCPD/status/1760029869524566200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgckschools%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0DV9uoPEPVVPiz38Nc6NGjC7S7t6CumWHDpqhSJwsLJUNgMkY2hu8cqGtcy1WMjLxl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="189" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>After a thorough investigation by law enforcement, no threats to the students, staff, or school were discovered, and Garden CityHigh School was released at its normal dismissal time. The scene was cleared around 3:30 p.m., and no explosives were located.

Bomb threat forced evacuation at Kansas high school

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Despite a month of U.S.-led airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;remain capable of launching significant attacks. This week, they seriously damaged a ship in a crucial strait and downed an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars.

The continued assaults by the Houthis on shipping through the crucial Red Sea corridor — the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;underscore the challenges in trying to stop the guerrilla-style attacks they have used to hold onto Yemen's capital and much of the war-ravaged country's north since 2014.

The campaign has boosted the rebels' standing in the Arab world,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-middle-east-sanaa-houthis-religion-5e62561f8070441412ed52d222c950e3">despite their human rights abuses</a>&nbsp;in a yearslong stalemated war with several of America's allies in the region. Analysts warn that the longer the Houthis' attacks go on, the greater the risk that disruptions to international shipping will begin to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-attacks-shipping-inflation-124d5445bec8ce6864112e3095646308">weigh on the global economy</a>.

On Monday, both the Houthis and Western officials acknowledged one of the most serious attacks on shipping launched by the rebels. The Houthis targeted the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, and one struck the vessel, the U.S. military's Central Command said.

The Rubymar, which reported problems with its propulsion in November, apparently became inoperable, forcing her crew to abandon the vessel.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed on Monday night that the Rubymar sank. However, satellite images from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Rubymar still afloat at 2 p.m. local time Tuesday just north of the Bab el-Mandeb. A large oil slick trailed the vessel.

The Rubymar attack marked one of a few direct, serious hits by the Houthi rebels on shipping. In late January, another direct hit set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-war-attacks-f36fc8911e069a5b4dbc4d9e67f31e50">a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ablaze</a>&nbsp;for hours.

Meanwhile, the Houthis early Tuesday released footage of what they described as a surface-to-air missile bringing down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Hodeida, a Yemeni port city they hold on the Red Sea. The footage included a video of men dragging pieces of debris from the water onto a beach.

Images of the debris, which included writing in English and what seemed to be electrical equipment, appeared to correspond to known pieces of the Reaper, usually used in attack missions and surveillance flights. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told journalists in a briefing the Houthis shot down the drone.

In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, also shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.

Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost at least four drones to shootdowns by the rebels — in 2017, 2019 and this year.

Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier full of grain bound for Aden, Yemen, carrying grain from Argentina. Central Command said the carrier “has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years” as the country remains on the edge of famine amid the war there.

The rebels separately claimed an attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Navis Fortuna, a ship that had been broadcasting its destination as Italy with an “all Chinese” crew to avoid being targeted. Private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel sustained minor damage in a drone attack.

The U.S. shot down 10 bomb-carrying Houthi drones, as well as a cruise missile heading toward the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Laboon over the last day, Central Command said Tuesday. The U.S. military also conducted strikes targeting a Houthi surface-to-air missile launcher and a drone prior to its launch.

The Houthis acknowledged the drone attacks and claimed other assaults not immediately acknowledged by the West.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe. Those vessels have included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">at least one with cargo for Iran</a>, the Houthis' main benefactor.

The European Union has launched its own campaign to protect shipping, with member France saying on Tuesday that it shot down two Houthi drones overnight in the Red Sea.

So far, no U.S. sailor or pilot has been wounded by the Houthis since America launched its airstrikes targeting the rebels in January. However, the U.S. continues to lose drones worth tens of millions of dollars and fire million-dollar cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who are using far cheaper weapons that experts believe largely have been supplied by Iran.

Based on U.S. military statements, American and allied forces have destroyed at least 73 missiles of different types before they were launched, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one underwater explosive drone over their monthlong campaign, according to an AP tally. Those figures don't include the initial Jan. 11 joint U.S.-U.K. strikes that began the campaign. The American military also has shot down dozens of missiles and drones already airborne since November.

The Houthis haven't offered much information regarding their losses, though they've acknowledged at least 22 of their fighters have been killed in the American-led strikes. Insurgent forces including the Houthis and allied tribes in Yemen number around 20,000 fighters, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. They can operate in small units away from military bases, making targeting them more difficult.

The Houthis may view the costs as balanced by their sudden fame within an Arab world enraged by the killing of women and civilians by Israel in Gaza.

In the past, others — including the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden — have used the Palestinians' plight to justify their “actions and garner support,” wrote Fatima Abo Alasrar, a scholar at the Washington-based Middle East Institute.

“It legitimizes the Houthis’ actions in the eyes of those who sympathize with the Palestinian cause, distracts from the more immediate issues associated with the Yemen conflict and the failures of Houthi governance, and potentially broadens the base of their support beyond Yemen’s borders,” Alasrar added.

If the Houthi attacks continue, it could force the U.S. to intensify and widen its counterattacks across an already volatile Mideast.

“Without a cease-fire in Gaza, the Houthis could be tempted to further escalate against U.S. interests in the Red Sea and in the region,” wrote Eleonora Ardemagni, a fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701652753204.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Despite a month of U.S.-led airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;remain capable of launching significant attacks. This week, they seriously damaged a ship in a crucial strait and downed an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars.The continued assaults by the Houthis on shipping through the crucial Red Sea corridor — the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;underscore the challenges in trying to stop the guerrilla-style attacks they have used to hold onto Yemen's capital and much of the war-ravaged country's north since 2014.The campaign has boosted the rebels' standing in the Arab world,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-middle-east-sanaa-houthis-religion-5e62561f8070441412ed52d222c950e3">despite their human rights abuses</a>&nbsp;in a yearslong stalemated war with several of America's allies in the region. Analysts warn that the longer the Houthis' attacks go on, the greater the risk that disruptions to international shipping will begin to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-attacks-shipping-inflation-124d5445bec8ce6864112e3095646308">weigh on the global economy</a>.On Monday, both the Houthis and Western officials acknowledged one of the most serious attacks on shipping launched by the rebels. The Houthis targeted the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, and one struck the vessel, the U.S. military's Central Command said.The Rubymar, which reported problems with its propulsion in November, apparently became inoperable, forcing her crew to abandon the vessel.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed on Monday night that the Rubymar sank. However, satellite images from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Rubymar still afloat at 2 p.m. local time Tuesday just north of the Bab el-Mandeb. A large oil slick trailed the vessel.The Rubymar attack marked one of a few direct, serious hits by the Houthi rebels on shipping. In late January, another direct hit set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-war-attacks-f36fc8911e069a5b4dbc4d9e67f31e50">a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ablaze</a>&nbsp;for hours.Meanwhile, the Houthis early Tuesday released footage of what they described as a surface-to-air missile bringing down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Hodeida, a Yemeni port city they hold on the Red Sea. The footage included a video of men dragging pieces of debris from the water onto a beach.Images of the debris, which included writing in English and what seemed to be electrical equipment, appeared to correspond to known pieces of the Reaper, usually used in attack missions and surveillance flights. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told journalists in a briefing the Houthis shot down the drone.In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, also shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost at least four drones to shootdowns by the rebels — in 2017, 2019 and this year.Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier full of grain bound for Aden, Yemen, carrying grain from Argentina. Central Command said the carrier “has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years” as the country remains on the edge of famine amid the war there.The rebels separately claimed an attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Navis Fortuna, a ship that had been broadcasting its destination as Italy with an “all Chinese” crew to avoid being targeted. Private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel sustained minor damage in a drone attack.The U.S. shot down 10 bomb-carrying Houthi drones, as well as a cruise missile heading toward the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Laboon over the last day, Central Command said Tuesday. The U.S. military also conducted strikes targeting a Houthi surface-to-air missile launcher and a drone prior to its launch.The Houthis acknowledged the drone attacks and claimed other assaults not immediately acknowledged by the West.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe. Those vessels have included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">at least one with cargo for Iran</a>, the Houthis' main benefactor.The European Union has launched its own campaign to protect shipping, with member France saying on Tuesday that it shot down two Houthi drones overnight in the Red Sea.So far, no U.S. sailor or pilot has been wounded by the Houthis since America launched its airstrikes targeting the rebels in January. However, the U.S. continues to lose drones worth tens of millions of dollars and fire million-dollar cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who are using far cheaper weapons that experts believe largely have been supplied by Iran.Based on U.S. military statements, American and allied forces have destroyed at least 73 missiles of different types before they were launched, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one underwater explosive drone over their monthlong campaign, according to an AP tally. Those figures don't include the initial Jan. 11 joint U.S.-U.K. strikes that began the campaign. The American military also has shot down dozens of missiles and drones already airborne since November.The Houthis haven't offered much information regarding their losses, though they've acknowledged at least 22 of their fighters have been killed in the American-led strikes. Insurgent forces including the Houthis and allied tribes in Yemen number around 20,000 fighters, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. They can operate in small units away from military bases, making targeting them more difficult.The Houthis may view the costs as balanced by their sudden fame within an Arab world enraged by the killing of women and civilians by Israel in Gaza.In the past, others — including the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden — have used the Palestinians' plight to justify their “actions and garner support,” wrote Fatima Abo Alasrar, a scholar at the Washington-based Middle East Institute.“It legitimizes the Houthis’ actions in the eyes of those who sympathize with the Palestinian cause, distracts from the more immediate issues associated with the Yemen conflict and the failures of Houthi governance, and potentially broadens the base of their support beyond Yemen’s borders,” Alasrar added.If the Houthi attacks continue, it could force the U.S. to intensify and widen its counterattacks across an already volatile Mideast.“Without a cease-fire in Gaza, the Houthis could be tempted to further escalate against U.S. interests in the Red Sea and in the region,” wrote Eleonora Ardemagni, a fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.For Washington, “deterrence options” are getting narrower, she added.