TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly on Wednesday announced Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, the nation’s top manufacturer of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings, will build an $80 million manufacturing facility in&nbsp;Maize, according to a media release from the governor's office. This investment is expected to create 50 full-time jobs.&nbsp;

“Our laser-sharp focus on supporting businesses and investing in infrastructure continues to drive economic growth in every corner of the state,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Charlotte Pipe brings a strong, family-oriented culture coupled with good-paying jobs and benefits to central Kansas. My administration looks forward to supporting the company’s success.”&nbsp;

Construction on Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s&nbsp;Maize&nbsp;facility, the company’s seventh plastics plant in the United States, is expected to begin in January 2024 and be completed by early 2025. The expansion received local, county, and state government support.&nbsp;

“We are very excited about the opportunity to expand our operations in the Midwest,”&nbsp;said Hooper Hardison, CEO of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company.&nbsp;“Maize&nbsp;is ideally located in the center of the country to help us better serve our customers. It is also a fast-growing, business-friendly community with an excellent workforce we can draw from to staff our new plant.”&nbsp;

The 134,000-square-foot plant will have premier access to the Kansas &amp; Oklahoma Railroad, aiding in the company’s continued success and swift production of PVC pipes for plumbing and irrigation applications. WATCO, a single-source transportation and supply chain services company, was a pivotal partner in addressing Charlotte Pipe’s rail needs.&nbsp;

“Recruiting and securing expansions like Charlotte Pipe is key to our state’s economic growth,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“Great jobs — like the 50 new jobs being announced today — will help attract and retain skilled workers in our state, allowing more businesses to get the job done here in Kansas.”&nbsp;

Evergy Inc. worked with Charlotte Pipe to develop infrastructure that will yield financial viability and long-term sustainability.&nbsp;

“We extend our sincere appreciation to all government entities and business partners for their due diligence and commitment to make this land purchase and subsequent facility construction a reality. Charlotte Pipe is proud to have served its customers since 1901 and we look forward to continued success in Kansas,”&nbsp;Hardison said.&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly on Wednesday announced Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, the nation’s top manufacturer of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings, will build an $80 million manufacturing facility in&nbsp;Maize, according to a media release from the governor's office. This investment is expected to create 50 full-time jobs.&nbsp;“Our laser-sharp focus on supporting businesses and investing in infrastructure continues to drive economic growth in every corner of the state,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Charlotte Pipe brings a strong, family-oriented culture coupled with good-paying jobs and benefits to central Kansas. My administration looks forward to supporting the company’s success.”&nbsp;Construction on Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s&nbsp;Maize&nbsp;facility, the company’s seventh plastics plant in the United States, is expected to begin in January 2024 and be completed by early 2025. The expansion received local, county, and state government support.&nbsp;“We are very excited about the opportunity to expand our operations in the Midwest,”&nbsp;said Hooper Hardison, CEO of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company.&nbsp;“Maize&nbsp;is ideally located in the center of the country to help us better serve our customers. It is also a fast-growing, business-friendly community with an excellent workforce we can draw from to staff our new plant.”&nbsp;The 134,000-square-foot plant will have premier access to the Kansas &amp; Oklahoma Railroad, aiding in the company’s continued success and swift production of PVC pipes for plumbing and irrigation applications. WATCO, a single-source transportation and supply chain services company, was a pivotal partner in addressing Charlotte Pipe’s rail needs.&nbsp;“Recruiting and securing expansions like Charlotte Pipe is key to our state’s economic growth,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“Great jobs — like the 50 new jobs being announced today — will help attract and retain skilled workers in our state, allowing more businesses to get the job done here in Kansas.”&nbsp;Evergy Inc. worked with Charlotte Pipe to develop infrastructure that will yield financial viability and long-term sustainability.&nbsp;“We extend our sincere appreciation to all government entities and business partners for their due diligence and commitment to make this land purchase and subsequent facility construction a reality. Charlotte Pipe is proud to have served its customers since 1901 and we look forward to continued success in Kansas,”&nbsp;Hardison said.&nbsp;

 $80M manufacturing facility with 50 jobs coming to Kansas

SALINE COUNTY —Two people including a Kansas State Trooper were injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Wednesday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 driven by Robert Roswell, 61, Rock Springs, Wyoming, was west Bound on Interstate 70 two miles west of the Interstate 135 interchange.

The pickup entered the shoulder lane and rear-ended a Kansas Highway Patrol 2021 Dodge Durango driven by Trooper Steven Sneath, 64,&nbsp;Geneseo, who was legally stopped on the westbound shoulder of the interstate performing a motorist assist with the patrol vehicle's emergency lights activated.

EMS transported Roswell and Sneath to Salina Regional Health Center.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Trooper was alert and conscious, according to a social media report from the KHP.

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle was struck while a trooper was assisting a motorist in the westbound lanes on Interstate 70 just east of Halstead Road in Saline County, according to a social media report from the KHP.

The Trooper is alert and conscious, according to the KHP.&nbsp;

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683756414311.png" alt="Photo courtesy KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Two people including a Kansas State Trooper were injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Wednesday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 driven by Robert Roswell, 61, Rock Springs, Wyoming, was west Bound on Interstate 70 two miles west of the Interstate 135 interchange.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683756368548.png" alt="photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The pickup entered the shoulder lane and rear-ended a Kansas Highway Patrol 2021 Dodge Durango driven by Trooper Steven Sneath, 64,&nbsp;Geneseo, who was legally stopped on the westbound shoulder of the interstate performing a motorist assist with the patrol vehicle's emergency lights activated.EMS transported Roswell and Sneath to Salina Regional Health Center.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Trooper was alert and conscious, according to a social media report from the KHP.------------SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle was struck while a trooper was assisting a motorist in the westbound lanes on Interstate 70 just east of Halstead Road in Saline County, according to a social media report from the KHP.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683756368548.png" alt="photo courtesy KHP" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The Trooper is alert and conscious, according to the KHP.&nbsp;Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Trooper hospitalized after his KHP SUV rear-ended on I-70

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A northern Virginia man arrested on terrorism charges has a husband-wife relationship with another American who was dubbed by authorities as an “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-7322a6b74bdbe309e972b2562c607b69">empress of ISIS</a>&nbsp;” for her work to establish an all-female battalion of the Islamic State, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Mohammed Chhipa, 33, of Springfield, Virginia, was arrested last week on charges that he provided support to a terrorist group. Prosecutors allege that he transferred nearly $200,000 in cryptocurrency, with some of that money traced back to the Islamic State, to support Chhipa's stated goal of helping smuggle female ISIS members from detention camps. Other funds remain unaccounted for.

At a detention hearing Wednesday, prosecutors also disclosed a relationship between Chhipa and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-group-middle-east-africa-kansas-sentencing-61f14ecc5c3cd31e230d26837e5c9550">Allison Fluke-Ekren</a>, an American from Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-7322a6b74bdbe309e972b2562c607b69">who is serving a 20-year prison sentence</a>. Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty last year to organizing and leading the Khatiba Nusaybah, a battalion in which roughly 100 women and girls — some as young as 10 — learned how to use automatic weapons and detonate grenades and suicide belts.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Aminoff told the judge that Chhipa considers himself to be married to Fluke-Ekren, although the marriage was apparently conducted online and has no legal status in the U.S. He said Chhipa, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from India, has been trying to adopt Fluke-Ekren's children.

Court documents in Fuke-Ekren's case do not mention Chhipa by name, but also indicate that Fluke-Ekren considered herself to be married to a man she met online. It is not clear that the two have ever met in person.

Whatever the relationship between Chhipa and Fluke-Ekren, the charges against Chhipa appear unrelated to that relationship. Prosecutors say that between November 2019 and July 2022, Chhipa used virtual currency to transfer more than $188,000 to accounts known and unknown. An FBI affidavit states that some money remains unaccounted for but that $18,000 went to wallets known to be used by ISIS women located in Syria, while $61,000 went to cryptocurrency wallets in Turkey. The affidavit states that money intended to arrive in Syria is often routed through Turkey.

The affidavit quotes text messages sent by Chhipa indicating he wanted the money to be used to bribe guards at detention camps where families of Islamic State fighters are still being held.

The affidavit says Chhipa also met with an FBI “controlled persona” — either an undercover agent or a confidential source — and accepted cash from the individual. Chhippa then transferred the money to Bitcoin and sent it directly to a known ISIS member, according to the affidavit.

Chhipa has been under investigation for years. Indeed, prosecutors say he fled to Egypt in August 2019, fearing he would be arrested after his home was raided. He was brought back to the U.S. after authorities contacted Interpol, but he was not charged until Monday. Prosecutors say Chhiipa continued to engage in illegal conduct after he returned to the U.S., even though he know he was drawing authorities' scrutiny.

Family members who attended Wednesday's hearing did not comment, but passed out a written statement supporting him. The statement described Chhipa “as tirelessly working for the betterment of women and children” and said he "has been targeted by false allegations.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Anderson ruled at the conclusion of Wednesday's hearing that Chhipa should remain jailed while he awaits trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643715398750.png" alt="Ekren photo Alexandria Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ekren photo Alexandria Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A northern Virginia man arrested on terrorism charges has a husband-wife relationship with another American who was dubbed by authorities as an “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-7322a6b74bdbe309e972b2562c607b69">empress of ISIS</a>&nbsp;” for her work to establish an all-female battalion of the Islamic State, prosecutors said Wednesday.Mohammed Chhipa, 33, of Springfield, Virginia, was arrested last week on charges that he provided support to a terrorist group. Prosecutors allege that he transferred nearly $200,000 in cryptocurrency, with some of that money traced back to the Islamic State, to support Chhipa's stated goal of helping smuggle female ISIS members from detention camps. Other funds remain unaccounted for.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683763131263.png" alt="Mohammed Chhipa -photo Alexandria Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Mohammed Chhipa -photo Alexandria Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>At a detention hearing Wednesday, prosecutors also disclosed a relationship between Chhipa and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-group-middle-east-africa-kansas-sentencing-61f14ecc5c3cd31e230d26837e5c9550">Allison Fluke-Ekren</a>, an American from Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-7322a6b74bdbe309e972b2562c607b69">who is serving a 20-year prison sentence</a>. Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty last year to organizing and leading the Khatiba Nusaybah, a battalion in which roughly 100 women and girls — some as young as 10 — learned how to use automatic weapons and detonate grenades and suicide belts.Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Aminoff told the judge that Chhipa considers himself to be married to Fluke-Ekren, although the marriage was apparently conducted online and has no legal status in the U.S. He said Chhipa, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from India, has been trying to adopt Fluke-Ekren's children.Court documents in Fuke-Ekren's case do not mention Chhipa by name, but also indicate that Fluke-Ekren considered herself to be married to a man she met online. It is not clear that the two have ever met in person.Whatever the relationship between Chhipa and Fluke-Ekren, the charges against Chhipa appear unrelated to that relationship. Prosecutors say that between November 2019 and July 2022, Chhipa used virtual currency to transfer more than $188,000 to accounts known and unknown. An FBI affidavit states that some money remains unaccounted for but that $18,000 went to wallets known to be used by ISIS women located in Syria, while $61,000 went to cryptocurrency wallets in Turkey. The affidavit states that money intended to arrive in Syria is often routed through Turkey.The affidavit quotes text messages sent by Chhipa indicating he wanted the money to be used to bribe guards at detention camps where families of Islamic State fighters are still being held.The affidavit says Chhipa also met with an FBI “controlled persona” — either an undercover agent or a confidential source — and accepted cash from the individual. Chhippa then transferred the money to Bitcoin and sent it directly to a known ISIS member, according to the affidavit.Chhipa has been under investigation for years. Indeed, prosecutors say he fled to Egypt in August 2019, fearing he would be arrested after his home was raided. He was brought back to the U.S. after authorities contacted Interpol, but he was not charged until Monday. Prosecutors say Chhiipa continued to engage in illegal conduct after he returned to the U.S., even though he know he was drawing authorities' scrutiny.Family members who attended Wednesday's hearing did not comment, but passed out a written statement supporting him. The statement described Chhipa “as tirelessly working for the betterment of women and children” and said he "has been targeted by false allegations.U.S. Magistrate Judge John Anderson ruled at the conclusion of Wednesday's hearing that Chhipa should remain jailed while he awaits trial.

Prosecutors link terror defendant, ISIS leader from Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp;serious injury collision in the area on Kellogg at Interstate 235.

Just before 2a.m. May 7, police responded to the report of an injury collision involving an overturned Jeep, according to officer Kristopher Gupilan.

Officers arrived to find two occupants in the Jeep with severe but non-life threatening injuries. Both of these occupants were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Near the Jeep was an unoccupied Dodge Challenger. Witnesses reported seeing this vehicle driving on Kellogg at speeds estimated to be above 100-MPH. 

It was determined that the Dodge rear-ended the Jeep causing the collision. One of the witnesses saw the driver of the Dodge leave the scene on foot. 

A short time later officers responded to an unknown EMS call at a hotel on W. Kellogg. They contacted 28-year-old Rakim Dean and determined he was the driver of the Dodge. 

He was uninjured.Detectives from the WPD Traffic Unit collected the data from the Dodge’s Event Data Recorder and determined Rakim was driving at 136 MPH prior to the crash. 

The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office and Rakim Dean was charged with two counts of aggravated battery, leaving the scene of serious injury collision, and speeding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683587506402.png" alt="Dean photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Dean photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp;serious injury collision in the area on Kellogg at Interstate 235.Just before 2a.m. May 7, police responded to the report of an injury collision involving an overturned Jeep, according to officer Kristopher Gupilan.Officers arrived to find two occupants in the Jeep with severe but non-life threatening injuries. Both of these occupants were transported to a local hospital for treatment.Near the Jeep was an unoccupied Dodge Challenger. Witnesses reported seeing this vehicle driving on Kellogg at speeds estimated to be above 100-MPH. It was determined that the Dodge rear-ended the Jeep causing the collision. One of the witnesses saw the driver of the Dodge leave the scene on foot. A short time later officers responded to an unknown EMS call at a hotel on W. Kellogg. They contacted 28-year-old Rakim Dean and determined he was the driver of the Dodge. He was uninjured.Detectives from the WPD Traffic Unit collected the data from the Dodge’s Event Data Recorder and determined Rakim was driving at 136 MPH prior to the crash. The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office and Rakim Dean was charged with two counts of aggravated battery, leaving the scene of serious injury collision, and speeding.

Police: Car was traveling 136mph prior to Kansas crash

Bill on Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk sidesteps $72 million special education request

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The school funding bill forwarded by the Kansas Legislature to Gov. Laura Kelly — noteworthy for what it excluded as well as what it included — contained an unexpected budget twist that potentially blindsided as many as 100 public school districts with declining enrollment.

Kansas Department of Education officials tunneling into details of Senate Bill 113, which officially landed Monday on Kelly’s desk, said the revised formula for how student enrollment was used to determine a district’s basic funding would be detrimental to more than one-third of the state’s public school districts. The policy was altered at close of the 2023 session without typical public hearings, debates or explanations.

Currently, Kansas public school districts have the option of relying on student headcount from the prior year or second preceding year when calculating foundational state aid. Under the bill passed on the session’s final day April 28, districts would be restricted to using the current year or prior year’s enrollment for determining funding from the state. Enrollment would be multiplied by base aid per pupil of $5,088 a year.

This change would be a financial bonus to districts with growing student populations. It amounted to a loss for districts experiencing year after year of falling enrollment. Inability to rely on the second prior year to calculate state funding would harm budgets of an estimated 100 school districts. The most severely damaged would be districts in rural parts of the state, said Randy Watson, commissioner at the state Department of Education.

“You have a handful of districts that are growing. You have a lot of others that are declining,” Watson said in a Tuesday interview. “What I think is panicking them is that it happened so late and they already went through their budget process as if they had it and now they don’t. Some of our smallest rural communities, they’re losing a lot of money.”

The surprise losses in dozens of low-enrollment districts could range from $100,000 to $400,000 or more in the upcoming school year, he said.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb113_02_0428.pdf">The bill passed the Kansas Senate</a>&nbsp;on a vote of 23-16 and in the House by a margin of 83-37 with large GOP majorities and a sprinkling of Democratic support. The governor, after receiving a bill, has 10 days to sign or veto the legislation, or allow it to become state law without a signature. The measure passed both chambers with less than two-thirds majorities necessary to override a veto.

Complicating this K-12 budgeting issue were decisions by House and Senate GOP leadership to adjourn “sine die,” which meant lawmakers would skip the traditional one-day ceremonial conclusion of the annual session. The maneuver eliminated a window of opportunity for the Legislature to consider overriding a school-funding bill veto by Kelly or to draft an alternative education appropriations bill.

If the governor vetoed Senate Bill 113, a special session of the Legislature would have to be called to address state spending for benefit of 500,000 students in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Melanie Haas, chair of the Kansas State Board of Education, said the Legislature complicated their work by pulling together the school funding bill in the hurly-burly closing hours of the session. Key decisions were made in a conference committee meeting of three senators and three representatives who sat down at a statehouse table to craft a deal. The 125 representatives and 40 senators, not participants in that dialogue, couldn’t amend the bundled bill.

This approach eliminated opportunities for thoughtful discussion that ought to accompany changes in the method of calculating Kansas school aid, Haas said.

“That’s the pitfall of not having an opportunity for outside comment when they don’t discuss it in committee,” she said.

Craig Neuenswander, deputy commissioner for fiscal and administrative services at the state Department of Education, said the 5% increase in the basic per-pupil appropriations to public school districts wouldn’t be enough to keep all districts from a decline in state aid during the upcoming school year.

He scheduled a conference call with Kansas district administrators this week to begin preparing those public schools for the reversal of fortune.

To chagrin of political conservatives and champions of private schools, the bill excluded state taxpayer investment in some variation of school vouchers.

“The state board position on it is that public funds should go to public entities,” Watson said.

The bill continued to make available $10 million annually in state income tax credits for donors contributing to student scholarships at accredited private schools or, starting this year, schools working in “good faith” to become accredited. No clear definition of good faith was provided, but the value of the tax credit was sweetened and scholarship eligibility broadened to include families with higher incomes.

Haas said the state Board of Education was disappointed the final version of the K-12 budget excluded an appropriation of $72 million that would have reduced the burden on local school districts compelled to cover costs of special education programs. The state Board of Education and the governor recommended a five-year initiative with steady increases in special education spending, which would stop the practice of siphoning dollars otherwise available to education of all students.

“It kind of feels like there’s not a plan and a path forward,” Haas said. “That’s frustrating for special ed and that’s frustrating for districts who have to come up with those funds out of their general budgets.”

The Legislature did create in the bill a task force to draft recommendations for amending the formula on special education spending. Seven of 11 members of the task force would be appointed by legislators, three chosen by the state Department of Education and one selected by the state Board of Education.

“This may be a cynical approach,” said state Board of Education vice president Jim Porter, a Fredonia resident and former teacher, principal and superintendent. “The majority are appointed by people who have consistently refused to allow additional funding of special education.”

To the relief of many, it included an increase of 5% in foundational public school funding necessary to comply with an inflation index adjustment endorsed by the Kansas Supreme Court, which had ruled the state’s previous school finance system violated the Kansas Constitution.

The bill gave the Legislature first right of refusal on purchase of school buildings earmarked to be sold by districts. If the Legislature received notice of a closure while in session, lawmakers would have 45 days to pass a resolution declaring the Legislature’s intent. If the Legislature was out of session, the 45-day clock wouldn’t start until lawmakers convened in January.

A vote of the Legislature to buy the property would initiate a 180-day clock during which a state agency could complete the purchase. The Legislative Coordinating Council could extend that negotiating period by 60 days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683752182824.png" alt=" Kansas State Board of Education member Danny Zeck of Atchison listen as state Department of Education members outline details of Senate Bill 113, a K-12 education funding and policy bill on the desk of Gov. Laura Kelly. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas State Board of Education member Danny Zeck of Atchison listen as state Department of Education members outline details of Senate Bill 113, a K-12 education funding and policy bill on the desk of Gov. Laura Kelly. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bill on Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk sidesteps $72 million special education request</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The school funding bill forwarded by the Kansas Legislature to Gov. Laura Kelly — noteworthy for what it excluded as well as what it included — contained an unexpected budget twist that potentially blindsided as many as 100 public school districts with declining enrollment.Kansas Department of Education officials tunneling into details of Senate Bill 113, which officially landed Monday on Kelly’s desk, said the revised formula for how student enrollment was used to determine a district’s basic funding would be detrimental to more than one-third of the state’s public school districts. The policy was altered at close of the 2023 session without typical public hearings, debates or explanations.Currently, Kansas public school districts have the option of relying on student headcount from the prior year or second preceding year when calculating foundational state aid. Under the bill passed on the session’s final day April 28, districts would be restricted to using the current year or prior year’s enrollment for determining funding from the state. Enrollment would be multiplied by base aid per pupil of $5,088 a year.This change would be a financial bonus to districts with growing student populations. It amounted to a loss for districts experiencing year after year of falling enrollment. Inability to rely on the second prior year to calculate state funding would harm budgets of an estimated 100 school districts. The most severely damaged would be districts in rural parts of the state, said Randy Watson, commissioner at the state Department of Education.“You have a handful of districts that are growing. You have a lot of others that are declining,” Watson said in a Tuesday interview. “What I think is panicking them is that it happened so late and they already went through their budget process as if they had it and now they don’t. Some of our smallest rural communities, they’re losing a lot of money.”The surprise losses in dozens of low-enrollment districts could range from $100,000 to $400,000 or more in the upcoming school year, he said.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb113_02_0428.pdf">The bill passed the Kansas Senate</a>&nbsp;on a vote of 23-16 and in the House by a margin of 83-37 with large GOP majorities and a sprinkling of Democratic support. The governor, after receiving a bill, has 10 days to sign or veto the legislation, or allow it to become state law without a signature. The measure passed both chambers with less than two-thirds majorities necessary to override a veto.<h2>‘That’s the pitfall’</h2>Complicating this K-12 budgeting issue were decisions by House and Senate GOP leadership to adjourn “sine die,” which meant lawmakers would skip the traditional one-day ceremonial conclusion of the annual session. The maneuver eliminated a window of opportunity for the Legislature to consider overriding a school-funding bill veto by Kelly or to draft an alternative education appropriations bill.If the governor vetoed Senate Bill 113, a special session of the Legislature would have to be called to address state spending for benefit of 500,000 students in the 2023-2024 academic year.Melanie Haas, chair of the Kansas State Board of Education, said the Legislature complicated their work by pulling together the school funding bill in the hurly-burly closing hours of the session. Key decisions were made in a conference committee meeting of three senators and three representatives who sat down at a statehouse table to craft a deal. The 125 representatives and 40 senators, not participants in that dialogue, couldn’t amend the bundled bill.This approach eliminated opportunities for thoughtful discussion that ought to accompany changes in the method of calculating Kansas school aid, Haas said.“That’s the pitfall of not having an opportunity for outside comment when they don’t discuss it in committee,” she said.Craig Neuenswander, deputy commissioner for fiscal and administrative services at the state Department of Education, said the 5% increase in the basic per-pupil appropriations to public school districts wouldn’t be enough to keep all districts from a decline in state aid during the upcoming school year.He scheduled a conference call with Kansas district administrators this week to begin preparing those public schools for the reversal of fortune.<h2>K-12 policy package</h2>To chagrin of political conservatives and champions of private schools, the bill excluded state taxpayer investment in some variation of school vouchers.“The state board position on it is that public funds should go to public entities,” Watson said.The bill continued to make available $10 million annually in state income tax credits for donors contributing to student scholarships at accredited private schools or, starting this year, schools working in “good faith” to become accredited. No clear definition of good faith was provided, but the value of the tax credit was sweetened and scholarship eligibility broadened to include families with higher incomes.Haas said the state Board of Education was disappointed the final version of the K-12 budget excluded an appropriation of $72 million that would have reduced the burden on local school districts compelled to cover costs of special education programs. The state Board of Education and the governor recommended a five-year initiative with steady increases in special education spending, which would stop the practice of siphoning dollars otherwise available to education of all students.“It kind of feels like there’s not a plan and a path forward,” Haas said. “That’s frustrating for special ed and that’s frustrating for districts who have to come up with those funds out of their general budgets.”The Legislature did create in the bill a task force to draft recommendations for amending the formula on special education spending. Seven of 11 members of the task force would be appointed by legislators, three chosen by the state Department of Education and one selected by the state Board of Education.“This may be a cynical approach,” said state Board of Education vice president Jim Porter, a Fredonia resident and former teacher, principal and superintendent. “The majority are appointed by people who have consistently refused to allow additional funding of special education.”To the relief of many, it included an increase of 5% in foundational public school funding necessary to comply with an inflation index adjustment endorsed by the Kansas Supreme Court, which had ruled the state’s previous school finance system violated the Kansas Constitution.The bill gave the Legislature first right of refusal on purchase of school buildings earmarked to be sold by districts. If the Legislature received notice of a closure while in session, lawmakers would have 45 days to pass a resolution declaring the Legislature’s intent. If the Legislature was out of session, the 45-day clock wouldn’t start until lawmakers convened in January.A vote of the Legislature to buy the property would initiate a 180-day clock during which a state agency could complete the purchase. The Legislative Coordinating Council could extend that negotiating period by 60 days.

Provision of Kan. K-12 funding bill slices state aid to about 100 public school districts

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Tuesday and U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Shelley Moore Capito to help prevent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system outages, according to a statement from the Senator's office. The&nbsp;NOTAM Improvement Act&nbsp;would require the FAA to strengthen the resiliency and cybersecurity of the NOTAM system, which alerts pilots of safety and location hazards on flight routes. This bill follows a recent NOTAM system outage in January that grounded flights nationwide. “The FAA has a responsibility to make certain air travel in our country is as safe and efficient as possible,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I am pleased by the swift passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to quickly pass this in the House. The complete failure of the FAA’s NOTAM system stranded millions of Americans and was a warning of the need to strengthen and modernize our air travel system. This bill is an important first step to accomplish those goals.” The task force created by the&nbsp;NOTAM Improvement Act&nbsp;would be composed of representatives from air carriers, airports and airline pilots, aircraft dispatchers and FAA personnel unions, as well as aviation safety and cybersecurity experts. In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=2EE3818C-74BA-46CC-9E0D-1B36A4B9E9E8" target="_blank">Sens. Moran and Klobuchar spoke with FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen</a>&nbsp;following the NOTAM system failure to discuss his agency’s efforts to identify the factors behind the system outage that grounded all flights nationwide and to prevent similar breakdowns from happening again.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672191058148.png" alt="In January,&nbsp;Sens. Moran and Klobuchar spoke with FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen&nbsp;following the NOTAM system failure-photo courtesy KMGH" />
 <figcaption>In January,&nbsp;Sens. Moran and Klobuchar spoke with FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen&nbsp;following the NOTAM system failure-photo courtesy KMGH</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON –&nbsp;The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Tuesday and U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Shelley Moore Capito to help prevent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system outages, according to a statement from the Senator's office. The&nbsp;NOTAM Improvement Act&nbsp;would require the FAA to strengthen the resiliency and cybersecurity of the NOTAM system, which alerts pilots of safety and location hazards on flight routes. This bill follows a recent NOTAM system outage in January that grounded flights nationwide. “The FAA has a responsibility to make certain air travel in our country is as safe and efficient as possible,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I am pleased by the swift passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to quickly pass this in the House. The complete failure of the FAA’s NOTAM system stranded millions of Americans and was a warning of the need to strengthen and modernize our air travel system. This bill is an important first step to accomplish those goals.” The task force created by the&nbsp;NOTAM Improvement Act&nbsp;would be composed of representatives from air carriers, airports and airline pilots, aircraft dispatchers and FAA personnel unions, as well as aviation safety and cybersecurity experts. In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=2EE3818C-74BA-46CC-9E0D-1B36A4B9E9E8" target="_blank">Sens. Moran and Klobuchar spoke with FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen</a>&nbsp;following the NOTAM system failure to discuss his agency’s efforts to identify the factors behind the system outage that grounded all flights nationwide and to prevent similar breakdowns from happening again.

Unanimous: Senate OKs Moran’s bill to prevent FAA system outages

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden predicted Tuesday that the U.S.-Mexico border would be “chaotic for a while" when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">pandemic-related restrictions end</a>, as 550 active-duty troops began arriving and migrants weighed whether or when to cross.

The restrictions have been in place since 2020, and allowed U.S. officials to quickly return migrants over the border. They are ending later this week and the U.S. is putting into place a set of new policies that will clamp down on illegal crossings while offering migrants a legal path to the United States if they apply online through a government app, have a sponsor and pass background checks.

Biden said his administration was working to make the change orderly. “But it remains to be seen," he told reporters. "It's going to be chaotic for a while.”

Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spoke for roughly an hour Tuesday to discuss the border. Mexico shares a 1,951-mile border with the United States, so the nation is key to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-biden-mexico-a0b8f4730521d90fd5ea305e2f2cbc5e">the success of any plans</a>&nbsp;by the United States to control immigration at the southern border.

Migrants are already arriving. About 100 people — mostly from Colombia — came across the border before dawn Tuesday and walked nearly two hours through remote, boulder-strewn mountains east of San Diego to a sandy plateau where Border Patrol agents watched over them.

Andres Barra, 39, left Colombia on Friday, flew to Tijuana, Mexico, and paid a smuggler $300 to guide him to a mountain peak near the agents, to whom they surrendered. He fled Colombia because frequent robbery and extortion made it difficult to live.

He said he wanted to enter the United States while the restrictions were still in effect, because he heard it would be more difficult after Thursday.

“It won’t be so easy anymore,” he said.

Agents in the U.S. Border Patrol’s relatively quiet El Centro, California, sector stopped about 260 migrants a day over a four- or five-day period through Sunday, up from about 90 a day the previous week, said Gregory Bovino, the sector chief. On Monday, agents found migrants from 22 countries.

In the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, groups handed out fliers Tuesday that explained in English and Haitian Creole how to register for the CBP One app that the U.S. has been using to allow migrants to schedule an appointment to try to gain admittance to the U.S.

Standing in Reynosa’s central square Tuesday, Phanord Renel of Haiti said he would not risk deportation to cross. “We don’t want to go back there (Haiti) because the situation is very complicated there,” he said. “If we can’t cross, we have to put up with it here, maybe the government will do something for us, but cross illegally — no.”

U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum. However, the U.S. has used Title 42 of a public health law to expel migrants with no chance at asylum 2.8 million times since March 2020 on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The Biden administration has said it is ready to deal with whatever happens after Title 42's use ends, although it has also repeatedly criticized Congress for not making changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">the country's immigration system.</a>

“We believe we have a robust process to deal with what is going to occur after Title 42 lifts. Again, we’re using the tools that are available to us because Congress refuses to do their job as it relates to the border," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.

The movement of troops is part of efforts to beef up security along the southern border, but they will mainly be used to help monitor and watch the border, or do data entry and support, and are “not there in any way to be interacting with migrants,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. The goal is to free up U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to do law enforcement activities.

At least some of the active-duty troops will be used near El Paso, Texas, he said, while adding that CBP will decide where forces will go. More than 900 additional soldiers, Marines and airmen will follow around the end of May.

Roughly 2,500 National Guard members are already spread across all sectors of the border, providing an array of support to CBP, including monitoring, detection and air transportation. Separately, Texas National Guard troops are also working along the border under state authority.

Even with the COVID-19 asylum restrictions still in place, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border. The Biden administration's plan is meant to crack down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.

Some migrants have been spurred by false information from smugglers or widespread rumors about what the changes will mean for their chances of being able to remain in the U.S.

“It’s a very complicated legal system and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to communicate the realities of our clients,” Daniel Berlin, of the International Rescue Committee, said. ”While we try to communicate the most accurate and up to date information that we have, smugglers and traffickers and other bad actors are communicating false information.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-sanctuary-chicago-texas-99857b2b34e52fba556497dda263537d">Effects have also been felt far from the southern border.</a>&nbsp;In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued an emergency declaration in response to a tenfold increase in the number of asylum-seekers arriving in the city in need of temporary shelter and other help.

Chicago officials have warned for several weeks that its shelters can't accommodate the larger number of migrants arriving daily since late April. Migrants have been sheltering inside city police stations or airports because city-run shelters are full.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden predicted Tuesday that the U.S.-Mexico border would be “chaotic for a while" when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">pandemic-related restrictions end</a>, as 550 active-duty troops began arriving and migrants weighed whether or when to cross.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Title 42 might as well already be rolled back. Our Border Patrol Agents are managing countless droves of migrants attempting to enter the United States. Congress must act and ensure BP has the resources they need to combat this crisis. <a href="https://t.co/NJOtqwZRk1">pic.twitter.com/NJOtqwZRk1</a>&mdash; Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTonyGonzales/status/1654179879074635776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The restrictions have been in place since 2020, and allowed U.S. officials to quickly return migrants over the border. They are ending later this week and the U.S. is putting into place a set of new policies that will clamp down on illegal crossings while offering migrants a legal path to the United States if they apply online through a government app, have a sponsor and pass background checks.Biden said his administration was working to make the change orderly. “But it remains to be seen," he told reporters. "It's going to be chaotic for a while.”Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spoke for roughly an hour Tuesday to discuss the border. Mexico shares a 1,951-mile border with the United States, so the nation is key to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-biden-mexico-a0b8f4730521d90fd5ea305e2f2cbc5e">the success of any plans</a>&nbsp;by the United States to control immigration at the southern border.Migrants are already arriving. About 100 people — mostly from Colombia — came across the border before dawn Tuesday and walked nearly two hours through remote, boulder-strewn mountains east of San Diego to a sandy plateau where Border Patrol agents watched over them.Andres Barra, 39, left Colombia on Friday, flew to Tijuana, Mexico, and paid a smuggler $300 to guide him to a mountain peak near the agents, to whom they surrendered. He fled Colombia because frequent robbery and extortion made it difficult to live.He said he wanted to enter the United States while the restrictions were still in effect, because he heard it would be more difficult after Thursday.“It won’t be so easy anymore,” he said.Agents in the U.S. Border Patrol’s relatively quiet El Centro, California, sector stopped about 260 migrants a day over a four- or five-day period through Sunday, up from about 90 a day the previous week, said Gregory Bovino, the sector chief. On Monday, agents found migrants from 22 countries.In the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, groups handed out fliers Tuesday that explained in English and Haitian Creole how to register for the CBP One app that the U.S. has been using to allow migrants to schedule an appointment to try to gain admittance to the U.S.Standing in Reynosa’s central square Tuesday, Phanord Renel of Haiti said he would not risk deportation to cross. “We don’t want to go back there (Haiti) because the situation is very complicated there,” he said. “If we can’t cross, we have to put up with it here, maybe the government will do something for us, but cross illegally — no.”U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum. However, the U.S. has used Title 42 of a public health law to expel migrants with no chance at asylum 2.8 million times since March 2020 on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.The Biden administration has said it is ready to deal with whatever happens after Title 42's use ends, although it has also repeatedly criticized Congress for not making changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">the country's immigration system.</a>“We believe we have a robust process to deal with what is going to occur after Title 42 lifts. Again, we’re using the tools that are available to us because Congress refuses to do their job as it relates to the border," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.The movement of troops is part of efforts to beef up security along the southern border, but they will mainly be used to help monitor and watch the border, or do data entry and support, and are “not there in any way to be interacting with migrants,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. The goal is to free up U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to do law enforcement activities.At least some of the active-duty troops will be used near El Paso, Texas, he said, while adding that CBP will decide where forces will go. More than 900 additional soldiers, Marines and airmen will follow around the end of May.Roughly 2,500 National Guard members are already spread across all sectors of the border, providing an array of support to CBP, including monitoring, detection and air transportation. Separately, Texas National Guard troops are also working along the border under state authority.Even with the COVID-19 asylum restrictions still in place, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border. The Biden administration's plan is meant to crack down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.Some migrants have been spurred by false information from smugglers or widespread rumors about what the changes will mean for their chances of being able to remain in the U.S.“It’s a very complicated legal system and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to communicate the realities of our clients,” Daniel Berlin, of the International Rescue Committee, said. ”While we try to communicate the most accurate and up to date information that we have, smugglers and traffickers and other bad actors are communicating false information.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-sanctuary-chicago-texas-99857b2b34e52fba556497dda263537d">Effects have also been felt far from the southern border.</a>&nbsp;In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued an emergency declaration in response to a tenfold increase in the number of asylum-seekers arriving in the city in need of temporary shelter and other help.Chicago officials have warned for several weeks that its shelters can't accommodate the larger number of migrants arriving daily since late April. Migrants have been sheltering inside city police stations or airports because city-run shelters are full.___

Biden: US-Mexico border will be 'chaotic for a while'

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 485&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from May 3, to May 10, for a total of 945,923 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 483 cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;18 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on May 3, for a total of 10,214 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 485&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from May 3, to May 10, for a total of 945,923 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 483 cases the previous week.On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;18 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on May 3, for a total of 10,214 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683741234646.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE reports increase in COVID cases, 18 new deaths

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging financial fraud at the heart of a political campaign built on dubious boasts about his personal wealth and business success.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the 13 count indictment

Santos, the New York Republican whose biography began to unravel after his election last fall, is accused of duping donors, stealing campaign funds, lying to Congress and cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve. Santos, 34, was released on a $500,000 bond following his arraignment Wednesday at a Long Island federal courthouse, about five hours after he surrendered to authorities. Santos told reporters he would not resign.

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-santos">George Santos</a>, the New York Republican infamous for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-lies-congress-new-york-republicans-9e4fd69b75894addb5bd2d4d5e8171ff">fabricating his life story</a>, has been indicted on charges that he duped donors, stole from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn't deserve, prosecutors said Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a> the 13 count indictment

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23809076-george-santos-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors say overlapped with Santos' fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman — a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.

Santos surrendered on Wednesday and was taken to a federal courthouse on Long Island, where he was expected to make an initial court appearance on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.

Among the allegations, prosecutors say Santos induced supporters to donate to a company under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, they say, he used the money for personal expenses, including to buy designer clothes and to pay his credit cards and car payments.

Santos also is accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and applying for and receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed as regional director of an investment firm that the government shut down in 2021 over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.

The indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself."

Reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Santos said he was unaware of the charges.

Santos has defied calls to resign — some from fellow Republicans — as details of his fictitous resume came to light, though he did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-congress-house-committees-6e46e2badad39fb190d38105a800236f">decline his committee assignments</a>. He has given no indication that he plans to step aside because of his indictment. In the past, members of Congress in both parties have remained in office while facing charges.

Santos, 34, was elected to Congress last fall after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-business-bb455cc02b70e5366b9c5e347da8ad38">a campaign built partly on falsehoods</a>. He told people he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a substantial real estate portfolio who had been a star volleyball player in college, among other things.

In reality, Santos didn't work at the big financial firms he claimed had employed him, didn't go to college and struggled financially before his run for public office. He claimed he fueled his run largely with self-made riches, earned from brokering deals on expensive toys for wealthy clients, but the indictment alleges those boasts were also exaggerated.

In regulatory filings, Santos claimed he loaned his campaign and related political action committees more than $750,000, but it was unclear how he would have come into that kind of wealth so quickly after years in which he struggled to pay his rent and faced multiple eviction proceedings.

In a financial disclosure form, Santos reported making $750,000 a year from a family company, the Devolder Organization, but the charges unsealed Wednesday allege that Santos never received that sum, nor the $1 million and $5 million in dividends he listed as coming from the firm.

Santos has described the Devolder Organization as a broker for sales of luxury items like yachts and aircraft. The business was incorporated in Florida shortly after Santos stopped working as a salesman for Harbor City Capital, the company accused by federal authorities of operating an illegal Ponzi scheme.

In November 2021, Santos formed Redstone Strategies, a Florida company that federal prosecutors say he used to dupe donors into financing his lifestyle. According to the indictment, Santos told an associate to solicit contributions to the company and gave the person contact information for potential donors.

Emails to prospective donors falsely claimed that the company was formed “exclusively” to aid Santos’ election bid and that there would be no limits on how much they could contribute, the indictment said. Santos falsely claimed that the money would be spent on television ads and other campaign expenses, it said.

Last October, a month before his election, Santos transferred about $74,000 from company coffers to bank accounts he maintained, the indictment said. He also transferred money to some of his associates, it said.

Many of Santos' fellow New York Republicans called on him to resign after his fabricated life story was revealed. Some renewed those calls after news of his indictment.

"Sooner or later, whether he chooses to or not, both the truth and justice will be delivered to him,” said U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican representing parts of upstate New York.

House Republican leaders were more circumspect, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying, “I think in America, you’re innocent till proven guilty," and Majority Leader Steve Scalise saying, “In America there’s a presumption of innocence."

Santos has faced criminal investigations before.

When he was 19, he was the subject of a criminal investigation in Brazil over allegations he used stolen checks to buy items at a clothing shop. Brazilian authorities said they have reopened the case.

In 2017, Santos was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-george-santos-pennsylvania-theft-business-e6d41c89261061f4775c7073c6ec14e8">charged with theft</a>&nbsp;in Pennsylvania after authorities said he used thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks to buy puppies from dog breeders. That case was dismissed after Santos claimed his checkbook had been stolen, and that someone else had taken the dogs.

Federal authorities have separately been looking into complaints about Santos' work raising money for a group that purported to help neglected and abused pets. One New Jersey veteran accused Santos of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-jersey-george-santos-surgery-f72a4d8a505783d7c558c8cbf4b6d55a">failing to deliver $3,000</a>&nbsp;he had raised to help his pet dog get a needed surgery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683736676254.png" alt="United State's Attorney's office" />
 <figcaption>United State's Attorney's office</figcaption>
 </figure>CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging financial fraud at the heart of a political campaign built on dubious boasts about his personal wealth and business success.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the 13 count indictmentSantos, the New York Republican whose biography began to unravel after his election last fall, is accused of duping donors, stealing campaign funds, lying to Congress and cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve. Santos, 34, was released on a $500,000 bond following his arraignment Wednesday at a Long Island federal courthouse, about five hours after he surrendered to authorities. Santos told reporters he would not resign.----------CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-santos">George Santos</a>, the New York Republican infamous for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-lies-congress-new-york-republicans-9e4fd69b75894addb5bd2d4d5e8171ff">fabricating his life story</a>, has been indicted on charges that he duped donors, stole from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn't deserve, prosecutors said Wednesday.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a> the 13 count indictment<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23809076-george-santos-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors say overlapped with Santos' fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman — a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.Santos surrendered on Wednesday and was taken to a federal courthouse on Long Island, where he was expected to make an initial court appearance on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.Among the allegations, prosecutors say Santos induced supporters to donate to a company under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, they say, he used the money for personal expenses, including to buy designer clothes and to pay his credit cards and car payments.Santos also is accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and applying for and receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed as regional director of an investment firm that the government shut down in 2021 over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.The indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself."Reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Santos said he was unaware of the charges.Santos has defied calls to resign — some from fellow Republicans — as details of his fictitous resume came to light, though he did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-congress-house-committees-6e46e2badad39fb190d38105a800236f">decline his committee assignments</a>. He has given no indication that he plans to step aside because of his indictment. In the past, members of Congress in both parties have remained in office while facing charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673636785376.png" alt="Rep. Santos -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Santos -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Santos, 34, was elected to Congress last fall after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-business-bb455cc02b70e5366b9c5e347da8ad38">a campaign built partly on falsehoods</a>. He told people he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a substantial real estate portfolio who had been a star volleyball player in college, among other things.In reality, Santos didn't work at the big financial firms he claimed had employed him, didn't go to college and struggled financially before his run for public office. He claimed he fueled his run largely with self-made riches, earned from brokering deals on expensive toys for wealthy clients, but the indictment alleges those boasts were also exaggerated.In regulatory filings, Santos claimed he loaned his campaign and related political action committees more than $750,000, but it was unclear how he would have come into that kind of wealth so quickly after years in which he struggled to pay his rent and faced multiple eviction proceedings.In a financial disclosure form, Santos reported making $750,000 a year from a family company, the Devolder Organization, but the charges unsealed Wednesday allege that Santos never received that sum, nor the $1 million and $5 million in dividends he listed as coming from the firm.Santos has described the Devolder Organization as a broker for sales of luxury items like yachts and aircraft. The business was incorporated in Florida shortly after Santos stopped working as a salesman for Harbor City Capital, the company accused by federal authorities of operating an illegal Ponzi scheme.In November 2021, Santos formed Redstone Strategies, a Florida company that federal prosecutors say he used to dupe donors into financing his lifestyle. According to the indictment, Santos told an associate to solicit contributions to the company and gave the person contact information for potential donors.Emails to prospective donors falsely claimed that the company was formed “exclusively” to aid Santos’ election bid and that there would be no limits on how much they could contribute, the indictment said. Santos falsely claimed that the money would be spent on television ads and other campaign expenses, it said.Last October, a month before his election, Santos transferred about $74,000 from company coffers to bank accounts he maintained, the indictment said. He also transferred money to some of his associates, it said.Many of Santos' fellow New York Republicans called on him to resign after his fabricated life story was revealed. Some renewed those calls after news of his indictment."Sooner or later, whether he chooses to or not, both the truth and justice will be delivered to him,” said U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican representing parts of upstate New York.House Republican leaders were more circumspect, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying, “I think in America, you’re innocent till proven guilty," and Majority Leader Steve Scalise saying, “In America there’s a presumption of innocence."Santos has faced criminal investigations before.When he was 19, he was the subject of a criminal investigation in Brazil over allegations he used stolen checks to buy items at a clothing shop. Brazilian authorities said they have reopened the case.In 2017, Santos was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-george-santos-pennsylvania-theft-business-e6d41c89261061f4775c7073c6ec14e8">charged with theft</a>&nbsp;in Pennsylvania after authorities said he used thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks to buy puppies from dog breeders. That case was dismissed after Santos claimed his checkbook had been stolen, and that someone else had taken the dogs.Federal authorities have separately been looking into complaints about Santos' work raising money for a group that purported to help neglected and abused pets. One New Jersey veteran accused Santos of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-jersey-george-santos-surgery-f72a4d8a505783d7c558c8cbf4b6d55a">failing to deliver $3,000</a>&nbsp;he had raised to help his pet dog get a needed surgery.___

GOP congressman surrenders; read the indictment of fraud, theft

WASHINGTON (AP) — Women should start getting every-other-year mammograms at age 40 instead of waiting until 50, according to a draft recommendation from a federal task force.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has long said women can choose to start breast cancer screening as young as 40, with a stronger recommendation that they get the X-ray exams every two years from age 50 through 74.

Tuesday’s update -– if the draft proposal is finalized -– would mark a shift in the influential panel’s guidelines although it's not likely to end confusion. Other health groups differ over when and how often to screen.

“This new recommendation will help save lives and prevent more women from dying due to breast cancer,” said former task force chair Dr. Carol Mangione.

The task force noted that Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, making mammograms at 40 an especially important step -– but also urged more research to better understand and combat the disparity.

The task force also noted that nearly half of all women have dense breasts, which means mammograms may not work as well, and called for more research into whether additional types of testing would help.

The draft recommendation applies to women at average risk of breast cancer but not those at very high risk due to certain genetic or other factors. It is open for public comment through June 5, after which the task force will decide whether to finalize it.

While cancer deaths have been declining for years, breast cancer remains the second leading cancer killer of U.S. woman, behind lung cancer.

Health organizations have long had different screening recommendations, seeking to balance catching breast cancer early while avoiding too many false alarms, when the X-rays spot non-cancerous blips.

The American Cancer Society says women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year -– but can choose to start at 40 and then at 55, can choose to switch to every other year.

The American College of Radiology recommends annual mammograms starting at 40 for women at average risk of breast cancer -– but urges that young women get assessed for risk factors that require even earlier screening.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Women should start getting every-other-year mammograms at age 40 instead of waiting until 50, according to a draft recommendation from a federal task force.The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has long said women can choose to start breast cancer screening as young as 40, with a stronger recommendation that they get the X-ray exams every two years from age 50 through 74.Tuesday’s update -– if the draft proposal is finalized -– would mark a shift in the influential panel’s guidelines although it's not likely to end confusion. Other health groups differ over when and how often to screen.“This new recommendation will help save lives and prevent more women from dying due to breast cancer,” said former task force chair Dr. Carol Mangione.The task force noted that Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, making mammograms at 40 an especially important step -– but also urged more research to better understand and combat the disparity.The task force also noted that nearly half of all women have dense breasts, which means mammograms may not work as well, and called for more research into whether additional types of testing would help.The draft recommendation applies to women at average risk of breast cancer but not those at very high risk due to certain genetic or other factors. It is open for public comment through June 5, after which the task force will decide whether to finalize it.While cancer deaths have been declining for years, breast cancer remains the second leading cancer killer of U.S. woman, behind lung cancer.Health organizations have long had different screening recommendations, seeking to balance catching breast cancer early while avoiding too many false alarms, when the X-rays spot non-cancerous blips.The American Cancer Society says women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year -– but can choose to start at 40 and then at 55, can choose to switch to every other year.The American College of Radiology recommends annual mammograms starting at 40 for women at average risk of breast cancer -– but urges that young women get assessed for risk factors that require even earlier screening.

Start mammograms at 40, not 50, a US health panel recommends

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City Council committee will consider a resolution on Wednesday that would designate the city as a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, even as the state's attorney general is proposing a new restrictions on the procedures for adults and children.

The resolution, which was proposed by LGTBQ advocates in Kansas City, says the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone receive gender-affirming care such as as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.

It also says if the state passes a law or resolution that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions in such cases, Kansas City personnel will make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”

The resolution comes as a judge is considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-missouri-4def2189dac9979a00d298efb3baf12a">a proposed emergency rule</a>&nbsp;from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.

If the council's Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee passes the resolution it could go before the Kansas City Council on Thursday.

Council member Andrea Bough, who co-sponsored the resolution with Mayor Quinton Lucas and councilman Eric Bunch, said that Bailey's proposed rule is part of a larger effort by Republican-controlled legislatures in Missouri and across the country to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ residents,</a>&nbsp;particularly transgender people.

Bough said members of the city’s LGBTQ Commission reached out to supporters in city government for some type of response to several anti-LGBTQ proposals in this year’s Missouri Legislature.

“There comes a time when you have to speak up and say to our LGTBQ residents, especially children, who are wondering if their city and state are accepting of them, we have to stand up right now and say, ‘Yes, you are welcome in Kansas City, we will protect you.’”

Justice Horn, chair of the LGBTQ Commission, said the resolution is one of many steps needed to help transgender, non-binary and other LBGTQ residents of the Kansas City metro areas.

“We don't know if these state laws are going to be signed, if the attorney general's order is going to be approved,” Horn said. “We didn't want (the state) to come after us, we want to be proactive and do what we can to protect the community. The basic message is that folks need to know we are going to do everything we can to ensure they have access to care."

The resolution also says city personnel will not arrest or detain anyone sought by another jurisdiction for seeking gender-affirming care, respond to requests for information from other jurisdictions, or collect any civil penalties in such cases.

Horn and Bough noted that Kansas City's police force is controlled by a state-appointed Board of Police Commissioners and any possible criminal charges in gender-affirming cases would be filed by the county prosecutor rather than city prosecutors — both of which could make enforcing the resolution problematic.

“To some extent, we recognize that it may have some limitations. ... It's a statement of our policy and our goals and will hopefully send a message to those within our jurisdiction how we hope others will act as well,” Bough said.

Bailey sought to impose his rule on April 27, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-missouri-attorney-general-ef30b41658d95b7206535c5fd67513ae">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;on behalf of transgender people. St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo initially granted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-transgender-health-care-ruling-705afa8c4e8a6d4445629c3f2694053f">a temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;and scheduled a hearing for May 11. That hearing was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-missouri-lawsuit-fb59ee86b950c0f6ca2f54368f3e4aea">later delayed</a>&nbsp;until July 20.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683722152227.png" alt="Justice Horn, chair of the LGBTQ Commission-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Justice Horn, chair of the LGBTQ Commission-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City Council committee will consider a resolution on Wednesday that would designate the city as a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, even as the state's attorney general is proposing a new restrictions on the procedures for adults and children.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Starting this morning virtually meeting with folks from the Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic around the Biden Administration’s proposed Title IX policy with other current and former LGBTQ+ athletes. After that, I’ll be heading to city hall for today’s public hearing!&mdash; Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JusticeHorn_/status/1656264902330437632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The resolution, which was proposed by LGTBQ advocates in Kansas City, says the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone receive gender-affirming care such as as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.It also says if the state passes a law or resolution that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions in such cases, Kansas City personnel will make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”The resolution comes as a judge is considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-missouri-4def2189dac9979a00d298efb3baf12a">a proposed emergency rule</a>&nbsp;from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.If the council's Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee passes the resolution it could go before the Kansas City Council on Thursday.Council member Andrea Bough, who co-sponsored the resolution with Mayor Quinton Lucas and councilman Eric Bunch, said that Bailey's proposed rule is part of a larger effort by Republican-controlled legislatures in Missouri and across the country to pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ residents,</a>&nbsp;particularly transgender people.Bough said members of the city’s LGBTQ Commission reached out to supporters in city government for some type of response to several anti-LGBTQ proposals in this year’s Missouri Legislature.“There comes a time when you have to speak up and say to our LGTBQ residents, especially children, who are wondering if their city and state are accepting of them, we have to stand up right now and say, ‘Yes, you are welcome in Kansas City, we will protect you.’”Justice Horn, chair of the LGBTQ Commission, said the resolution is one of many steps needed to help transgender, non-binary and other LBGTQ residents of the Kansas City metro areas.“We don't know if these state laws are going to be signed, if the attorney general's order is going to be approved,” Horn said. “We didn't want (the state) to come after us, we want to be proactive and do what we can to protect the community. The basic message is that folks need to know we are going to do everything we can to ensure they have access to care."The resolution also says city personnel will not arrest or detain anyone sought by another jurisdiction for seeking gender-affirming care, respond to requests for information from other jurisdictions, or collect any civil penalties in such cases.Horn and Bough noted that Kansas City's police force is controlled by a state-appointed Board of Police Commissioners and any possible criminal charges in gender-affirming cases would be filed by the county prosecutor rather than city prosecutors — both of which could make enforcing the resolution problematic.“To some extent, we recognize that it may have some limitations. ... It's a statement of our policy and our goals and will hopefully send a message to those within our jurisdiction how we hope others will act as well,” Bough said.Bailey sought to impose his rule on April 27, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-missouri-attorney-general-ef30b41658d95b7206535c5fd67513ae">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;on behalf of transgender people. St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo initially granted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-transgender-health-care-ruling-705afa8c4e8a6d4445629c3f2694053f">a temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;and scheduled a hearing for May 11. That hearing was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-missouri-lawsuit-fb59ee86b950c0f6ca2f54368f3e4aea">later delayed</a>&nbsp;until July 20.

Kansas City considers becoming LGBTQ sanctuary city

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism at a Topeka church

Just after 3p.m. On May 2, police were dispatched to In Gods House Church, 1616 NE Seward Avenue in Topeka, in response to vandalism to a bus, according to a media relase.

The bus displayed disturbing messages of hate.

Police notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) due to the type of vandalism displayed. As a result of the investigation, police identified a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;as suspects.

On Tuesday, police sent the case to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office for charging consideration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683668480056.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism at a Topeka churchJust after 3p.m. On May 2, police were dispatched to In Gods House Church, 1616 NE Seward Avenue in Topeka, in response to vandalism to a bus, according to a media relase.The bus displayed disturbing messages of hate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683668454422.png" alt="Broken windows in the bus -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Broken windows in the bus -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Police notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) due to the type of vandalism displayed. As a result of the investigation, police identified a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;as suspects.On Tuesday, police sent the case to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office for charging consideration.

Police contact FBI due to vandalism to Kansas church bus

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and congressional leaders confronted each other on the debt limit impasse Tuesday, ending their meeting with no breakthrough but agreeing to meet again this week to try to avert the looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">risk of an unprecedented government default</a>.

Speaking at the White House, Biden described the talks as “productive” even though House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said after the high-stakes Oval Office meeting that he “didn’t see any new movement” toward resolving the stalemate.

Lawmakers and their staffs were to continue discussions as soon as Tuesday evening on the annual federal budget at Biden’s encouragement. Biden and the congressional leaders are to meet again on Friday.

After the hour-long discussion in the Oval Office, Biden said he was “absolutely certain” that the country could avert a default, declaring that failure to meet America's obligations “is not an option.”

Still, time is short. The government is bumping up against its legal limit for borrowing and will not be able to pay all of its bills as soon as June 1 if Congress doesn’t agree to raise the debt ceiling. That failure would send the country into default with wide-reaching economic impacts at home and around the world.

Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations — while affirming his willingness to hold talks on the budget only after default is no longer a threat.

“I told congressional leaders that I’m prepared to begin a separate discussion about my budget, spending priorities, but not under the threat of default,” Biden said.

Outside the White House, McCarthy said, “I asked the president this simple question, Does he not believe there’s any place we could find savings."

As the president welcomed McCarthy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, he had quipped to reporters, “We’re going to get started, solve all the world’s problems.”

Biden described the meeting's tone as “very measured and low key,” adding, “occasionally there would be a little bit of an assertion that maybe was a little over the top from the speaker.”

He especially took issue with McCarthy's branding as a lie the Democrats' assertion that the Republicans' budget restraints would hurt veterans.

Still, Biden added, “I trust Kevin will try to do what he says.”

There seemed to be at least a bit of daylight between McConnell, who has let his House counterpart take the lead in negotiations and backed him up ahead of the White House meeting, and McCarthy.

The Senate leader categorically said, “The United States is not going to default. It never has and it never will." The speaker, though, simply said, “I’ve done everything in my power to make sure we will not default.”

Democrats said there is room to “come together” on spending cuts as part of the budget process, but quickly jumped on McCarthy's refusal to rule out the possibility of default, with Schumer saying the Republican is “greatly endangering America.”

“To use the risk of default, with all the dangers that has for the American people as a hostage and say it’s my way or no way, are mostly my way or no way, is dangerous," Schumer said.

McCarthy said Biden had directed their staffs to continue discussions, and that the leaders themselves would convene again in person on Friday at the White House.

While Biden ruled out default, he also all but dismissed trying to unilaterally prevent it, saying that he didn't believe invoking the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says the validity of the federal debt shall not be questioned, was a solution to the current impasse.

White House lawyers will pursue the idea further, he added, but "the problem is it would have to be litigated.”

Before the White House meeting, both McCarthy and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted it would be simple to avert default — if only the other side capitulated.

The chasm between these opposite postures had fomented uncertainty that is roiling financial markets and threatens to turn into a tidal wave that swamps the country’s economy. Default, officials say, would have sweeping impacts, threatening to disrupt Social Security payments to retirees, destabilize global markets and tilt the nation into a potentially debilitating recession.

Last month, House Republicans passed a sweeping bill to slash spending, an opening offer in negotiations. But that legislation has no chance in the Democratic Senate and the White House has threatened to veto it. Republicans hope that bill would achieve $4.5 trillion in deficit savings through cuts in spending, eliminating tax breaks for investing in clean energy, and reversing Biden’s plans to reduce the burdens of student loan debt.

Referring to the House bill, McCarthy said, “We both said default is not an option — but only one of us took action.”

Already looking past the meeting, Biden on Wednesday is to go to Westchester County, New York, where he plans to deliver a speech on how proposed spending cuts approved by House Republicans could hurt teachers, older adults needing food aid and veterans seeking health care.

It's part of a broader campaign by Biden to try to paint the Republican cuts as draconian. Aides believe that message both strengthens his position in talks with the GOP and boosts his nascent 2024 reelection effort. His Wednesday visit will be to a congressional district won by Biden in 2020 but now represented by a Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler.

Because the House Republican bill does not specifically spell out which federal programs would be cut, Democrats have gone on offense warning of steep hits to popular programs. The Democratic-aligned group House Majority Forward announced a $1 million campaign Tuesday amplifying such cuts, while the House Republicans' campaign committee countered with its own effort portraying Democrats as “addicted to spending.”

McCarthy rejected as he said his caucus would take steps to increase funding for veterans despite their overall proposal. “First of all, cutting the veterans is a lie,” he said.

While calling for a “clean” increase to the debt limit, Biden has said he is open to discussion about how to reduce the federal deficit. His budget plan would trim deficits by nearly $3 trillion over a decade, mainly through tax increases on the wealthy and changes such as letting the government negotiate over prescription drug prices.

In response to McCarthy’s demand to claw back some unspent funds from his sweeping COVID-19 relief package, Biden said he would “take a hard look” at doing so independent of the talks to raise the debt limit.

“We don’t need it all, but the question is what obligations were there made, commitments, made, money not dispersed, etc.,” Biden said, adding: “It’s on the table.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683679819499.png" alt="Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and congressional leaders confronted each other on the debt limit impasse Tuesday, ending their meeting with no breakthrough but agreeing to meet again this week to try to avert the looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">risk of an unprecedented government default</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Join me as I deliver remarks following a meeting with Congressional leaders about preventing a first-ever government default. <a href="https://t.co/FTjvRnl7oa">https://t.co/FTjvRnl7oa</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1656066178886803457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking at the White House, Biden described the talks as “productive” even though House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said after the high-stakes Oval Office meeting that he “didn’t see any new movement” toward resolving the stalemate.Lawmakers and their staffs were to continue discussions as soon as Tuesday evening on the annual federal budget at Biden’s encouragement. Biden and the congressional leaders are to meet again on Friday.After the hour-long discussion in the Oval Office, Biden said he was “absolutely certain” that the country could avert a default, declaring that failure to meet America's obligations “is not an option.”Still, time is short. The government is bumping up against its legal limit for borrowing and will not be able to pay all of its bills as soon as June 1 if Congress doesn’t agree to raise the debt ceiling. That failure would send the country into default with wide-reaching economic impacts at home and around the world.Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations — while affirming his willingness to hold talks on the budget only after default is no longer a threat.“I told congressional leaders that I’m prepared to begin a separate discussion about my budget, spending priorities, but not under the threat of default,” Biden said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our national debt crisis is too important to play politics. That’s why House Republicans voted to avoid default and responsibly raise the debt limit. Our founders designed our government for negotiation. So let’s get this done. <a href="https://t.co/eVmNSLYg5E">pic.twitter.com/eVmNSLYg5E</a>&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1656082747482415104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Outside the White House, McCarthy said, “I asked the president this simple question, Does he not believe there’s any place we could find savings."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just finished meeting at the White House. My position is clear and reasonable—House Republicans have done their job to avoid a default and responsibly raise the debt limit. Democrats must now do the same. <a href="https://t.co/AkR3DoagD9">https://t.co/AkR3DoagD9</a>&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1656044330099044352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the president welcomed McCarthy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, he had quipped to reporters, “We’re going to get started, solve all the world’s problems.”Biden described the meeting's tone as “very measured and low key,” adding, “occasionally there would be a little bit of an assertion that maybe was a little over the top from the speaker.”He especially took issue with McCarthy's branding as a lie the Democrats' assertion that the Republicans' budget restraints would hurt veterans.Still, Biden added, “I trust Kevin will try to do what he says.”There seemed to be at least a bit of daylight between McConnell, who has let his House counterpart take the lead in negotiations and backed him up ahead of the White House meeting, and McCarthy.The Senate leader categorically said, “The United States is not going to default. It never has and it never will." The speaker, though, simply said, “I’ve done everything in my power to make sure we will not default.”Democrats said there is room to “come together” on spending cuts as part of the budget process, but quickly jumped on McCarthy's refusal to rule out the possibility of default, with Schumer saying the Republican is “greatly endangering America.”“To use the risk of default, with all the dangers that has for the American people as a hostage and say it’s my way or no way, are mostly my way or no way, is dangerous," Schumer said.McCarthy said Biden had directed their staffs to continue discussions, and that the leaders themselves would convene again in person on Friday at the White House.While Biden ruled out default, he also all but dismissed trying to unilaterally prevent it, saying that he didn't believe invoking the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says the validity of the federal debt shall not be questioned, was a solution to the current impasse.White House lawyers will pursue the idea further, he added, but "the problem is it would have to be litigated.”Before the White House meeting, both McCarthy and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted it would be simple to avert default — if only the other side capitulated.The chasm between these opposite postures had fomented uncertainty that is roiling financial markets and threatens to turn into a tidal wave that swamps the country’s economy. Default, officials say, would have sweeping impacts, threatening to disrupt Social Security payments to retirees, destabilize global markets and tilt the nation into a potentially debilitating recession.Last month, House Republicans passed a sweeping bill to slash spending, an opening offer in negotiations. But that legislation has no chance in the Democratic Senate and the White House has threatened to veto it. Republicans hope that bill would achieve $4.5 trillion in deficit savings through cuts in spending, eliminating tax breaks for investing in clean energy, and reversing Biden’s plans to reduce the burdens of student loan debt.Referring to the House bill, McCarthy said, “We both said default is not an option — but only one of us took action.”Already looking past the meeting, Biden on Wednesday is to go to Westchester County, New York, where he plans to deliver a speech on how proposed spending cuts approved by House Republicans could hurt teachers, older adults needing food aid and veterans seeking health care.It's part of a broader campaign by Biden to try to paint the Republican cuts as draconian. Aides believe that message both strengthens his position in talks with the GOP and boosts his nascent 2024 reelection effort. His Wednesday visit will be to a congressional district won by Biden in 2020 but now represented by a Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler.Because the House Republican bill does not specifically spell out which federal programs would be cut, Democrats have gone on offense warning of steep hits to popular programs. The Democratic-aligned group House Majority Forward announced a $1 million campaign Tuesday amplifying such cuts, while the House Republicans' campaign committee countered with its own effort portraying Democrats as “addicted to spending.”McCarthy rejected as he said his caucus would take steps to increase funding for veterans despite their overall proposal. “First of all, cutting the veterans is a lie,” he said.While calling for a “clean” increase to the debt limit, Biden has said he is open to discussion about how to reduce the federal deficit. His budget plan would trim deficits by nearly $3 trillion over a decade, mainly through tax increases on the wealthy and changes such as letting the government negotiate over prescription drug prices.In response to McCarthy’s demand to claw back some unspent funds from his sweeping COVID-19 relief package, Biden said he would “take a hard look” at doing so independent of the talks to raise the debt limit.“We don’t need it all, but the question is what obligations were there made, commitments, made, money not dispersed, etc.,” Biden said, adding: “It’s on the table.”Biden added the debt limit should be raised for “more than a year, so that we can move things along.” The House GOP bill raised the possibility of another showdown over the government’s borrowing authority in the heat of a presidential election next year.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-gdp-economy-inflation-interest-rates-growth-b6276997368000bdd2bb12bdcf34f3b8">the financial markets</a>&nbsp;have started to show some jitters, the business community has thus far largely avoided backing either side in the showdown and instead called for a deal to be struck.“Securing a bipartisan path forward to raise the debt ceiling could not be more urgent,” said Josh Bolten, the head of the Business Roundtable, a group that represents CEOs. “The cost of a default, or even the threat of a default, is simply too high.”The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggested its own priorities for a swift deal Tuesday, saying "there are no two better places to start than permitting reform and an agreement on spending caps.”Biden's refusal to negotiate on the debt limit is informed by his first-hand experience in 2011, when he was Barack Obama's vice president and the administration made painful concessions to Republicans in an effort to avoid default. Biden has told aides it's an experience he refuses to repeat, not just for himself, but for future presidents.Notably, though, the administration has not ruled out a short-term increase in the debt limit that would align the deadline to increase federal borrowing authority with the talks on government spending that must be resolved by Sept. 30.