SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that critically injured a 43-year-old male in the 700 block of N. Ash on Sunday night.

1130p.m. Sunday, police responded to a shooting at a home in&nbsp;the 700 block of N. Ash, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

 On arrival, they located a 43-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the torso. EMS transported him to an area hospital with critical injuries but he is expected to survive, according to Macy.

Investigators have identified a 31-year-old female suspect who lives at the home with the victim. The suspect had left the scene prior to officers arrival, and investigators are in the process of locating her

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that critically injured a 43-year-old male in the 700 block of N. Ash on Sunday night.1130p.m. Sunday, police responded to a shooting at a home in&nbsp;the 700 block of N. Ash, according to Officer Trevor Macy. On arrival, they located a 43-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the torso. EMS transported him to an area hospital with critical injuries but he is expected to survive, according to Macy.Investigators have identified a 31-year-old female suspect who lives at the home with the victim. The suspect had left the scene prior to officers arrival, and investigators are in the process of locating her

Police work to locate woman who shot man at Kansas home

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An 85-year-old white man who shot a Black teen at his front door in Kansas City, Missouri, last week has been charged with armed assault, the Clay County prosecutor said Monday.

Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said at a news conference that Andrew Lester shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who is recovering at home after being released from the hospital on Sunday.

When asked if anything was said that made Thompson believe that the case was racially motivated, Thompson said nothing like that is indicated in charging documents.

“We understand how frustrating this has been but I can assure the criminal justice system is working and will continue to work,” Thompson said at a news conference.

Yarl was supposed to pick up his two younger brothers last week when he approached the wrong house. Lester came to the door and shot Yarl in the head -- then shot him again.

Community leaders and an attorney for Yarl’s family are demanding justice for the Black teen, who is recovering at home after being released from the hospital on Sunday, and they are questioning whether race played a role in the shooting.

The shooter was taken into custody Thursday but released the next day after consultation with the prosecutor’s office, Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference on Sunday. The firearm used was found at the home, she said.

Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said in a statement Monday that the homeowner should immediately be arrested for what he called a “heinous and hate-filled crime.”

The Missouri Senate held a moment of silence for Yarl on Monday. “We pray for justice,” Democratic Sen. Lauren Arthur said.

The shooting happened Thursday night in a middle class neighborhood in north Kansas City. Yarl was sent to pick up his twin younger brothers. He didn't have a phone with him and went to the wrong block, his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help pay medical bills. By Monday afternoon, $1.4 million had been raised.

Graves said that Yarl's parents asked him to pick up his brothers at a home on 115th Terrace, but he mistakenly went to 115th Street, the Kansas City Star reported.

Spoonmore wrote that Yarl pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell.

“The man in the home opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head,” Spoonmore wrote. When Yarl fell to the ground, “the man shot him again.”

Spoonmore wrote that Yarl approached three different homes "before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.” The AP could not independently confirm this account.

Yarl is a bass clarinetist who earned Missouri All-State Band honorable mention and who plays several instruments in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Kansas City, Spoonmore wrote. A statement from the North Kansas City School District described Yarl as “an excellent student and talented musician.”

Yarl was released from the hospital Sunday and is recovering at home, his father, Paul Yarl, told the Kansas City Star. Spoonmore said Yarl is “doing well physically” but has a lot of trauma to overcome emotionally.

Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the family provided information indicating he was white. He did not elaborate.

By Monday afternoon, the home where the shooting happened had been vandalized. Black spray-paint on the side of the house showed a heart with “16” in the middle. Eggs splattered the front windows and the door.

The shooting has caught the attention of national figures.

Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on Twitter that she and her husband were praying for Yarl.

“Let’s be clear: No child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell," Harris tweeted.

Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., wrote on Twiter that "the man who did this should be charged AND we need to work for the legislative and heart change to prevent these tragedies.”

Graves said investigators will consider whether the suspect was protected by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-florida-homicide-gun-politics-3907568281565b8cc191fcc66aadf318">“Stand Your Ground”</a>&nbsp;laws, which allow for the use of deadly force in self-defense. Missouri is among around 30 states with such laws.

“These laws breed a society of violence and fear while providing cover for those who harm, maim and kill others,” state Rep. Marlene Terry, a St. Louis Democrat who chairs the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus, said in a statement.

A message seeking comment from Republican Gov. Mike Parson, a staunch gun rights supporters, wasn’t immediately returned.

Crump, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile case of Black people being shot, including those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Trayvon-Martin-death-10-years-later-c68f12130b2992d9c1ba31ec1a398cdd">Trayvon Martin</a>, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, called it “asinine” that charges have to wait for an interview with Yarl.

“We all believe that if the roles were reversed and this was a Black citizen who shot a 16-year-old for merely ringing his doorbell, they would have arrested him, and he wouldn’t have slept in his bed that night,” Crump said.

Two days after Yarl was shot, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-shooting-wrong-driveway-new-york-dd45b17e3a806abf11d1aaf5b235fb13">20-year-old woman was killed</a>&nbsp;by a homeowner in Upstate New York Saturday after the car she was in drove to the wrong address. Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy said Kaylin Gillis was in a car with three others looking for a friend’s house.

As the car was turning around, Kevin Monahan came out and fired two shots, one of which struck Gillis. Monahan was charged with second-degree murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Ralph Yarl photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Ralph Yarl photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An 85-year-old white man who shot a Black teen at his front door in Kansas City, Missouri, last week has been charged with armed assault, the Clay County prosecutor said Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Doug and I are praying for Ralph Yarl and his family as he fights for his life. Let&#39;s be clear: No child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell. Every child deserves to be safe. That’s the America we are fighting for.&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1648046091764486151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said at a news conference that Andrew Lester shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who is recovering at home after being released from the hospital on Sunday.When asked if anything was said that made Thompson believe that the case was racially motivated, Thompson said nothing like that is indicated in charging documents.“We understand how frustrating this has been but I can assure the criminal justice system is working and will continue to work,” Thompson said at a news conference.Yarl was supposed to pick up his two younger brothers last week when he approached the wrong house. Lester came to the door and shot Yarl in the head -- then shot him again.Community leaders and an attorney for Yarl’s family are demanding justice for the Black teen, who is recovering at home after being released from the hospital on Sunday, and they are questioning whether race played a role in the shooting.The shooter was taken into custody Thursday but released the next day after consultation with the prosecutor’s office, Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference on Sunday. The firearm used was found at the home, she said.Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said in a statement Monday that the homeowner should immediately be arrested for what he called a “heinous and hate-filled crime.”The Missouri Senate held a moment of silence for Yarl on Monday. “We pray for justice,” Democratic Sen. Lauren Arthur said.The shooting happened Thursday night in a middle class neighborhood in north Kansas City. Yarl was sent to pick up his twin younger brothers. He didn't have a phone with him and went to the wrong block, his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help pay medical bills. By Monday afternoon, $1.4 million had been raised.Graves said that Yarl's parents asked him to pick up his brothers at a home on 115th Terrace, but he mistakenly went to 115th Street, the Kansas City Star reported.Spoonmore wrote that Yarl pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell.“The man in the home opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head,” Spoonmore wrote. When Yarl fell to the ground, “the man shot him again.”Spoonmore wrote that Yarl approached three different homes "before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.” The AP could not independently confirm this account.Yarl is a bass clarinetist who earned Missouri All-State Band honorable mention and who plays several instruments in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Kansas City, Spoonmore wrote. A statement from the North Kansas City School District described Yarl as “an excellent student and talented musician.”Yarl was released from the hospital Sunday and is recovering at home, his father, Paul Yarl, told the Kansas City Star. Spoonmore said Yarl is “doing well physically” but has a lot of trauma to overcome emotionally.Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the family provided information indicating he was white. He did not elaborate.By Monday afternoon, the home where the shooting happened had been vandalized. Black spray-paint on the side of the house showed a heart with “16” in the middle. Eggs splattered the front windows and the door.The shooting has caught the attention of national figures.Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on Twitter that she and her husband were praying for Yarl.“Let’s be clear: No child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell," Harris tweeted.Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., wrote on Twiter that "the man who did this should be charged AND we need to work for the legislative and heart change to prevent these tragedies.”Graves said investigators will consider whether the suspect was protected by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-florida-homicide-gun-politics-3907568281565b8cc191fcc66aadf318">“Stand Your Ground”</a>&nbsp;laws, which allow for the use of deadly force in self-defense. Missouri is among around 30 states with such laws.“These laws breed a society of violence and fear while providing cover for those who harm, maim and kill others,” state Rep. Marlene Terry, a St. Louis Democrat who chairs the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus, said in a statement.A message seeking comment from Republican Gov. Mike Parson, a staunch gun rights supporters, wasn’t immediately returned.Crump, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile case of Black people being shot, including those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Trayvon-Martin-death-10-years-later-c68f12130b2992d9c1ba31ec1a398cdd">Trayvon Martin</a>, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, called it “asinine” that charges have to wait for an interview with Yarl.“We all believe that if the roles were reversed and this was a Black citizen who shot a 16-year-old for merely ringing his doorbell, they would have arrested him, and he wouldn’t have slept in his bed that night,” Crump said.Two days after Yarl was shot, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-shooting-wrong-driveway-new-york-dd45b17e3a806abf11d1aaf5b235fb13">20-year-old woman was killed</a>&nbsp;by a homeowner in Upstate New York Saturday after the car she was in drove to the wrong address. Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy said Kaylin Gillis was in a car with three others looking for a friend’s house.As the car was turning around, Kevin Monahan came out and fired two shots, one of which struck Gillis. Monahan was charged with second-degree murder.

Man charged in shooting of Black KC teen at his front door

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Cindy Powers was driven into bankruptcy by 19 life-saving abdominal operations. Medical debt started stacking up for Lindsey Vance after she crashed her skateboard and had to get nine stitches in her chin. And for Misty Castaneda, open heart surgery for a disease she'd had since birth saddled her with $200,000 in bills.

These are three of an estimated 100 million Americans who have amassed nearly $200 billion in collective medical debt — almost the size of Greece’s economy — according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Now lawmakers in at least a dozen states and the U.S. Congress have pushed legislation to curtail the financial burden that’s pushed many into untenable situations: forgoing needed care for fear of added debt, taking a second mortgage to pay for cancer treatment or slashing grocery budgets to keep up with payments.

Some of the bills would create medical debt relief programs or protect personal property from collections, while others would lower interest rates, keep medical debt from tanking credit scores or require greater transparency in the costs of care.

In Colorado, House lawmakers approved a measure Wednesday that would lower the maximum interest rate for medical debt to 3%, require greater transparency in costs of treatment and prohibit debt collection during an appeals process.

If it became law, Colorado would join Arizona in having one of the lowest medical debt interest rates in the country. North Carolina lawmakers have also started mulling a 5% interest ceiling.

But there are opponents. Colorado Republican state Sen. Janice Rich said she worried that the proposal could “constrain hospitals’ debt collecting ability and hurt their cash flow.”

For patients, medical debt has become a leading cause of personal bankruptcy, with an estimated $88 billion of that debt in collections nationwide, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Roughly 530,000 people reported falling into bankruptcy annually due partly to medical bills and time away from work, according to a 2019 study from the American Journal of Public Health.

Powers’ family ended up owing $250,000 for the 19 life-saving abdominal surgeries. They declared bankruptcy in 2009, then the bank foreclosed on their home.

“Only recently have we begun to pick up the pieces,” said James Powers, Cindy’s husband, during his February testimony in favor of Colorado's bill.

In Pennsylvania and Arizona, lawmakers are considering medical debt relief programs that would use state funds to help eradicate debt for residents. A New Jersey proposal would use federal funds from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-costs-boston-toledo-e423c64c1322bc8e4254b7a70b1da50c">American Rescue Plan Act</a>&nbsp;to achieve the same end.

Bills in Florida and Massachusetts would protect some personal property — such as a car that is needed for work — from medical debt collections and force providers to be more transparent about costs. Florida’s legislation received unanimous approval in House and Senate committees on its way to votes in both chambers.

In Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts and the U.S. Congress lawmakers are contemplating bills that would bar medical debt from being included on consumer reports, thereby protecting debtors' credit scores.

Castaneda, who was born with a congenital heart defect, found herself $200,000 in debt when she was 23 and had to have surgery. The debt tanked her credit score and, she said, forced her to rely on her emotionally abusive husband's credit.

For over a decade Castaneda wanted out of the relationship, but everything they owned was in her husband's name, making it nearly impossible to break away. She finally divorced her husband in 2017.

“I’m trying to play catch-up for the last 20 years,” said Castaneda, 45, a hairstylist from Grand Junction on Colorado's Western Slope.

Medical debt isn't a strong indicator of people's credit-worthiness, said Isabel Cruz, policy director at the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.

While buying a car beyond your means or overspending on vacation can partly be chalked up to poor decision making, medical debt often comes from short, acute-care treatments that are unexpected — leaving patients with hefty bills that exceed their budgets.

For both Colorado bills — to limit interest rates and remove medical debt from consumer reports — a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said the governor will “review these policies with a lens towards saving people money on health care.”

While neither bill garnered stiff political opposition, a spokesperson for the Colorado Hospital Association said the organization is working with sponsors to amend the interest rate bill “to align the legislation with the multitude of existing protections.”

The association did not provide further details.

To Vance, protecting her credit score early could have had a major impact. Vance’s medical debt began at age 19 from the skateboard crash, and then was compounded when she broke her arm soon after. Now 39, she has never been able to qualify for a credit card or car loan. Her in-laws cosigned for her Colorado apartment.

“My credit identity was medical debt,” she said, “and that set the tone for my life.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Cindy Powers was driven into bankruptcy by 19 life-saving abdominal operations. Medical debt started stacking up for Lindsey Vance after she crashed her skateboard and had to get nine stitches in her chin. And for Misty Castaneda, open heart surgery for a disease she'd had since birth saddled her with $200,000 in bills.These are three of an estimated 100 million Americans who have amassed nearly $200 billion in collective medical debt — almost the size of Greece’s economy — according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.Now lawmakers in at least a dozen states and the U.S. Congress have pushed legislation to curtail the financial burden that’s pushed many into untenable situations: forgoing needed care for fear of added debt, taking a second mortgage to pay for cancer treatment or slashing grocery budgets to keep up with payments.Some of the bills would create medical debt relief programs or protect personal property from collections, while others would lower interest rates, keep medical debt from tanking credit scores or require greater transparency in the costs of care.In Colorado, House lawmakers approved a measure Wednesday that would lower the maximum interest rate for medical debt to 3%, require greater transparency in costs of treatment and prohibit debt collection during an appeals process.If it became law, Colorado would join Arizona in having one of the lowest medical debt interest rates in the country. North Carolina lawmakers have also started mulling a 5% interest ceiling.But there are opponents. Colorado Republican state Sen. Janice Rich said she worried that the proposal could “constrain hospitals’ debt collecting ability and hurt their cash flow.”For patients, medical debt has become a leading cause of personal bankruptcy, with an estimated $88 billion of that debt in collections nationwide, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Roughly 530,000 people reported falling into bankruptcy annually due partly to medical bills and time away from work, according to a 2019 study from the American Journal of Public Health.Powers’ family ended up owing $250,000 for the 19 life-saving abdominal surgeries. They declared bankruptcy in 2009, then the bank foreclosed on their home.“Only recently have we begun to pick up the pieces,” said James Powers, Cindy’s husband, during his February testimony in favor of Colorado's bill.In Pennsylvania and Arizona, lawmakers are considering medical debt relief programs that would use state funds to help eradicate debt for residents. A New Jersey proposal would use federal funds from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-costs-boston-toledo-e423c64c1322bc8e4254b7a70b1da50c">American Rescue Plan Act</a>&nbsp;to achieve the same end.Bills in Florida and Massachusetts would protect some personal property — such as a car that is needed for work — from medical debt collections and force providers to be more transparent about costs. Florida’s legislation received unanimous approval in House and Senate committees on its way to votes in both chambers.In Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts and the U.S. Congress lawmakers are contemplating bills that would bar medical debt from being included on consumer reports, thereby protecting debtors' credit scores.Castaneda, who was born with a congenital heart defect, found herself $200,000 in debt when she was 23 and had to have surgery. The debt tanked her credit score and, she said, forced her to rely on her emotionally abusive husband's credit.For over a decade Castaneda wanted out of the relationship, but everything they owned was in her husband's name, making it nearly impossible to break away. She finally divorced her husband in 2017.“I’m trying to play catch-up for the last 20 years,” said Castaneda, 45, a hairstylist from Grand Junction on Colorado's Western Slope.Medical debt isn't a strong indicator of people's credit-worthiness, said Isabel Cruz, policy director at the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.While buying a car beyond your means or overspending on vacation can partly be chalked up to poor decision making, medical debt often comes from short, acute-care treatments that are unexpected — leaving patients with hefty bills that exceed their budgets.For both Colorado bills — to limit interest rates and remove medical debt from consumer reports — a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said the governor will “review these policies with a lens towards saving people money on health care.”While neither bill garnered stiff political opposition, a spokesperson for the Colorado Hospital Association said the organization is working with sponsors to amend the interest rate bill “to align the legislation with the multitude of existing protections.”The association did not provide further details.To Vance, protecting her credit score early could have had a major impact. Vance’s medical debt began at age 19 from the skateboard crash, and then was compounded when she broke her arm soon after. Now 39, she has never been able to qualify for a credit card or car loan. Her in-laws cosigned for her Colorado apartment.“My credit identity was medical debt,” she said, “and that set the tone for my life.”

States confront medical debt that's bankrupting millions

GREELEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7a.m. Monday in Greeley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Pontiac Montana driven by Mary Alice Murray, 60, Scott City, was westbound on Kansas 96 just east of Kansas 27.

The van traveled off the roadway to the right, began to rotate in a clockwise manner and the driver was ejected. The van came to rest facing northeast in the ditch.

EMS transported Murray to the Greeley County Hospital in Tribune where she was pronounced deceased. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

GREELEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7a.m. Monday in Greeley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Pontiac Montana driven by Mary Alice Murray, 60, Scott City, was westbound on Kansas 96 just east of Kansas 27.The van traveled off the roadway to the right, began to rotate in a clockwise manner and the driver was ejected. The van came to rest facing northeast in the ditch.EMS transported Murray to the Greeley County Hospital in Tribune where she was pronounced deceased. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dead after ejected in van crash

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 — Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill unanimously passed by the Kansas Legislature to remove the statute of limitations on criminal prosecution and extend opportunity to file lawsuits related to allegations of childhood abuse.

A coalition of women joined with legislators to keep the bill alive during the 2023 session when it appeared on the verge of falling by the wayside. The statutory changes were placed in a rewrite of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly9rc2xlZ2lzbGF0dXJlLm9yZy9saS9iMjAyM18yNC9tZWFzdXJlcy9oYjIxMjcvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDQxNy43NTI5MDQwMSJ9.bJhTdkKEzuTH4nFCLl15eq2lRnPi34oz_IDR7sm35Rw/s/1303160910/br/159237330987-l">House Bill 2127,&nbsp;</a>which then passed the Senate 40-0 in March and the House 120-0 in April.

“This bill would not be possible without the tireless work of survivors across the state who fought for their voices to be heard. I thank them for their bravery,” Kelly said Monday in a statement.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, said it was important to remove in Kansas law the statute of limitations on prosecuting alleged childhood sexual abuse. Going forward, the statute would treat these cases in the same manner as allegations of murder or terrorism.

In terms of lawsuits seeking financial damages, the legal standard in Kansas would allow filing of cases within 13 years of a victim turning 18 years of age or within three years after criminal conviction of an offender.

“It has been a tough and long-fought battle,” Holscher said. “This is breakthrough legislation that will keep our children and communities safer.”

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2016_02_0000.pdf">Kelly also signed House Bill 2016</a>&nbsp;to provide a pathway for businesses to address potential Americans for Disabilities Act flaws with access to company websites. The idea of the bill was to deter “abusive” lawsuits filed against businesses by out-of-state law firms seeking financial settlements of purported problems with ADA accessibility to those sites. Critics contended the initial version of the bill would have undermined legitimate suits.

Kelly signed a compromise bill enabling Attorney General Kris Kobach to file countersuits challenging legitimacy of cases brought against Kansas businesses. Kansas businesses would have 90 days to correct information presented or absent from websites.

The reform wouldn’t prevent a person from asserting a right to equal access to public accommodations guaranteed by the ADA, said Rep. Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican and attorney.

Kelly formally signed the ADA and child abuse bills Friday, but didn’t release that information until Monday in a statement outlining her signing of three relatively minor bills.

Kelly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2160_02_0000.pdf">approved House Bill 2160</a>, which was developed to make it easier for cotton producers to haul large loads to market. Concerns about adoption of state law out of compliance with federal safety standards and risking $17 million in federal funding were resolved during development of the bill.

She welcomed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2326_02_0000.pdf">House Bill 2326</a>&nbsp;to extend the life of the state’s scrap metal law. Given the flurry of catalytic converter thefts, the bill included a prohibition on scrap metal dealers from buying vehicle exhaust devices from anyone other than an authorized seller. The intent was to deter trafficking of catalytic converters with defaced identification marks.

The governor also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2323_01_0000.pdf">House Bill 2323</a>&nbsp;to regulate property transfer agreements of fire districts in Johnson County when district property was annexed by a city.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677614820776.png" alt="The Kansas House and Senate unanimously passed the bill-file photo from State of the State addresss" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas House and Senate unanimously passed the bill-file photo from State of the State addresss</figcaption>
 </figure>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 — Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill unanimously passed by the Kansas Legislature to remove the statute of limitations on criminal prosecution and extend opportunity to file lawsuits related to allegations of childhood abuse.A coalition of women joined with legislators to keep the bill alive during the 2023 session when it appeared on the verge of falling by the wayside. The statutory changes were placed in a rewrite of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly9rc2xlZ2lzbGF0dXJlLm9yZy9saS9iMjAyM18yNC9tZWFzdXJlcy9oYjIxMjcvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDQxNy43NTI5MDQwMSJ9.bJhTdkKEzuTH4nFCLl15eq2lRnPi34oz_IDR7sm35Rw/s/1303160910/br/159237330987-l">House Bill 2127,&nbsp;</a>which then passed the Senate 40-0 in March and the House 120-0 in April.“This bill would not be possible without the tireless work of survivors across the state who fought for their voices to be heard. I thank them for their bravery,” Kelly said Monday in a statement.Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, said it was important to remove in Kansas law the statute of limitations on prosecuting alleged childhood sexual abuse. Going forward, the statute would treat these cases in the same manner as allegations of murder or terrorism.In terms of lawsuits seeking financial damages, the legal standard in Kansas would allow filing of cases within 13 years of a victim turning 18 years of age or within three years after criminal conviction of an offender.“It has been a tough and long-fought battle,” Holscher said. “This is breakthrough legislation that will keep our children and communities safer.”Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2016_02_0000.pdf">Kelly also signed House Bill 2016</a>&nbsp;to provide a pathway for businesses to address potential Americans for Disabilities Act flaws with access to company websites. The idea of the bill was to deter “abusive” lawsuits filed against businesses by out-of-state law firms seeking financial settlements of purported problems with ADA accessibility to those sites. Critics contended the initial version of the bill would have undermined legitimate suits.Kelly signed a compromise bill enabling Attorney General Kris Kobach to file countersuits challenging legitimacy of cases brought against Kansas businesses. Kansas businesses would have 90 days to correct information presented or absent from websites.The reform wouldn’t prevent a person from asserting a right to equal access to public accommodations guaranteed by the ADA, said Rep. Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican and attorney.Kelly formally signed the ADA and child abuse bills Friday, but didn’t release that information until Monday in a statement outlining her signing of three relatively minor bills.Kelly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2160_02_0000.pdf">approved House Bill 2160</a>, which was developed to make it easier for cotton producers to haul large loads to market. Concerns about adoption of state law out of compliance with federal safety standards and risking $17 million in federal funding were resolved during development of the bill.She welcomed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2326_02_0000.pdf">House Bill 2326</a>&nbsp;to extend the life of the state’s scrap metal law. Given the flurry of catalytic converter thefts, the bill included a prohibition on scrap metal dealers from buying vehicle exhaust devices from anyone other than an authorized seller. The intent was to deter trafficking of catalytic converters with defaced identification marks.The governor also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2323_01_0000.pdf">House Bill 2323</a>&nbsp;to regulate property transfer agreements of fire districts in Johnson County when district property was annexed by a city.

Kansas governor signs sexual abuse reform bill 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A sixteen-year-old boy was supposed to pick up his two younger brothers last week when he rang the doorbell of the wrong Kansas City, Missouri, house. A man came to the door and shot Ralph Yarl in the head -- then shot him again after he fell to the ground.

Yarl stumbled to one house, then another, and then a third before anyone helped the Black teen, who was released from the hospital Sunday and is recovering at home. Now community leaders, Democratic lawmakers and an attorney for Yarl’s family are demanding justice and questioning whether race played a role in the shooting.

Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said his office is working with police to quickly review the case and determine if the homeowner should be charged. He did not address whether race was a factor in the shooting; the Kansas City police chief said that, so far, race does not appear to be a factor.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the family

“We understand how frustrating this has been, but we can assure the public that the system is working,” Thompson said in a statement. “As with any serious case submitted to our office, we will approach this case in an objective and impartial manner.”

At a news conference on Sunday, Police Chief Stacey Graves said the shooter was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold but released after consultation with the prosecutor’s office. The firearm used was found at the home, she said.

“The state of Missouri, specifically the Kansas City metropolitan area, remains one of the most unsafe locations for Black people in the country,” Howard said.

The shooting happened Thursday night in a middle class neighborhood in north Kansas City. Yarl was sent to pick up his twin younger brothers. He didn't have a phone with him and went to the wrong block, his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help pay medical bills. By Monday afternoon, $1.4 million had been raised from 37,000 donations.

Spoonmore wrote that Yarl ran to three different homes "before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.”

Yarl is a bass clarinetist who earned Missouri All-State Band honorable mention and who plays several instruments in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Kansas City, Spoonmore wrote.

A statement from the North Kansas City School District described Yarl as “an excellent student and talented musician. He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college level courses. While he loves science and hopes to pursue that career path, his passion is music.”

Crump told The Associated Press that Yarl is “like the child you would want to call your own.”

“He is our miracle,” she said. “We have heard these types of stories many times, and unfortunately, most Black boys are not alive to get another chance."

Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though Crump said the family provided information indicating he was white. He did not elaborate. Information that officials have now does not point to race as a factor in the shooting, according to Graves, but that remains under investigation.

By Monday afternoon, the home where the shooting happened had been vandalized. Black spray-paint on the side of the house showed a heart with “16” in the middle. Another showed what appeared to be Yarl's initials with “16” below the letters. Eggs splattered the front windows and the door.

“Let’s be for justice, which is a continuum,” Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., wrote on Twiter. "That means the man who did this should be charged AND we need to work for the legislative and heart change to prevent these tragedies.”

“His name is #RalphYarl and I'm sick and tired of this feeling ... my heart completely broke when I learned this precious 16-year-old, who accidentally rang the door of the wrong address in an attempt to pick up his siblings, was shot in the head,” actress Halle Berry tweeted.

Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said Missouri's lenient gun laws have created an us-versus-them mentality and "too often, Black lives suffer the most from this fear-driven, shoot-first culture.”

Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement. Crump, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Trayvon-Martin-death-10-years-later-c68f12130b2992d9c1ba31ec1a398cdd">Trayvon Martin</a>, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, called it “asinine” that charges have to wait for an interview with Yarl.

Prosecutions of shootings cases in which the defendants claimed self-defense have seen mixed results.

Martin was walking home from a convenience store in February 2012 in Sanford, Florida, when he was killed by George Zimmerman, who claimed self-defense and was later acquitted during a jury trial. Martin’s death helped lead to the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

In Michigan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-crime-shootings-michigan-detroit-4495fe92a5c152ab707f74bcc6cb2f04">Ted Wafer</a>&nbsp;is serving a 17-year prison sentence in the 2013 death of Renisha McBride in suburban Detroit. The 19-year-old Black woman was on the porch of Wafer's home when he shot her. Wafer is white. Prosecutors speculated that McBride, who was drunk and had crashed her car hours earlier, might have been confused when she arrived on Wafer’s porch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681755199173.png" alt="Protests Sunday in support of Ralph Yarl -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Protests Sunday in support of Ralph Yarl -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A sixteen-year-old boy was supposed to pick up his two younger brothers last week when he rang the doorbell of the wrong Kansas City, Missouri, house. A man came to the door and shot Ralph Yarl in the head -- then shot him again after he fell to the ground.Yarl stumbled to one house, then another, and then a third before anyone helped the Black teen, who was released from the hospital Sunday and is recovering at home. Now community leaders, Democratic lawmakers and an attorney for Yarl’s family are demanding justice and questioning whether race played a role in the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Yarl-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Yarl-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said his office is working with police to quickly review the case and determine if the homeowner should be charged. He did not address whether race was a factor in the shooting; the Kansas City police chief said that, so far, race does not appear to be a factor.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the family“We understand how frustrating this has been, but we can assure the public that the system is working,” Thompson said in a statement. “As with any serious case submitted to our office, we will approach this case in an objective and impartial manner.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Chief Graves spoke with media regarding updates in the case involving the juvenile who was shot Thursday night. <a href="https://t.co/ZTHPbwWcto">pic.twitter.com/ZTHPbwWcto</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1647716769073860608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At a news conference on Sunday, Police Chief Stacey Graves said the shooter was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold but released after consultation with the prosecutor’s office. The firearm used was found at the home, she said.Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said in a statement Monday that the homeowner should immediately be arrested for what he called a “heinous and hate-filled crime.”“The state of Missouri, specifically the Kansas City metropolitan area, remains one of the most unsafe locations for Black people in the country,” Howard said.The shooting happened Thursday night in a middle class neighborhood in north Kansas City. Yarl was sent to pick up his twin younger brothers. He didn't have a phone with him and went to the wrong block, his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help pay medical bills. By Monday afternoon, $1.4 million had been raised from 37,000 donations.Spoonmore wrote that Yarl pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell.“The man in the home opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head,” Spoonmore wrote. When Yarl fell to the ground, “the man shot him again.”Spoonmore wrote that Yarl ran to three different homes "before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.”Yarl is a bass clarinetist who earned Missouri All-State Band honorable mention and who plays several instruments in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Kansas City, Spoonmore wrote.A statement from the North Kansas City School District described Yarl as “an excellent student and talented musician. He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college level courses. While he loves science and hopes to pursue that career path, his passion is music.”Crump told The Associated Press that Yarl is “like the child you would want to call your own.”Yarl was released from the hospital Sunday and is recovering at home, his father, Paul Yarl, told the Kansas City Star. Spoonmore said Yarl is “doing well physically” but has a lot of trauma to overcome emotionally.“He is our miracle,” she said. “We have heard these types of stories many times, and unfortunately, most Black boys are not alive to get another chance."Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though Crump said the family provided information indicating he was white. He did not elaborate. Information that officials have now does not point to race as a factor in the shooting, according to Graves, but that remains under investigation.By Monday afternoon, the home where the shooting happened had been vandalized. Black spray-paint on the side of the house showed a heart with “16” in the middle. Another showed what appeared to be Yarl's initials with “16” below the letters. Eggs splattered the front windows and the door.The shooting has caught the attention of national figures.“Let’s be for justice, which is a continuum,” Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., wrote on Twiter. "That means the man who did this should be charged AND we need to work for the legislative and heart change to prevent these tragedies.”“His name is #RalphYarl and I'm sick and tired of this feeling ... my heart completely broke when I learned this precious 16-year-old, who accidentally rang the door of the wrong address in an attempt to pick up his siblings, was shot in the head,” actress Halle Berry tweeted.Graves said investigators will consider whether the suspect was protected by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-florida-homicide-gun-politics-3907568281565b8cc191fcc66aadf318">“Stand Your Ground”</a>&nbsp;laws, which allow for the use of deadly force in self-defense. Missouri is among around 30 states with such laws.“These laws breed a society of violence and fear while providing cover for those who harm, maim and kill others,” state Rep. Marlene Terry, a St. Louis Democrat who chairs the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus, said in a statement.Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said Missouri's lenient gun laws have created an us-versus-them mentality and "too often, Black lives suffer the most from this fear-driven, shoot-first culture.”A message seeking comment from Republican Gov. Mike Parson, a staunch gun rights supporters, wasn’t immediately returned.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Like many, I am heartbroken and angered by the recent shooting of a child in our community who simply came to a doorstep to pick up his younger siblings. This never should have happened.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1647735414898270208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement. Crump, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Trayvon-Martin-death-10-years-later-c68f12130b2992d9c1ba31ec1a398cdd">Trayvon Martin</a>, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, called it “asinine” that charges have to wait for an interview with Yarl.“We all believe that if the roles were reversed and this was a Black citizen who shot a 16-year-old for merely ringing his doorbell, they would have arrested him, and he wouldn’t have slept in his bed that night,” Crump said.Prosecutions of shootings cases in which the defendants claimed self-defense have seen mixed results.Martin was walking home from a convenience store in February 2012 in Sanford, Florida, when he was killed by George Zimmerman, who claimed self-defense and was later acquitted during a jury trial. Martin’s death helped lead to the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.In Michigan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-crime-shootings-michigan-detroit-4495fe92a5c152ab707f74bcc6cb2f04">Ted Wafer</a>&nbsp;is serving a 17-year prison sentence in the 2013 death of Renisha McBride in suburban Detroit. The 19-year-old Black woman was on the porch of Wafer's home when he shot her. Wafer is white. Prosecutors speculated that McBride, who was drunk and had crashed her car hours earlier, might have been confused when she arrived on Wafer’s porch.------------

🎥 Black teen shot by KC homeowner is out of the hospital

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday upheld former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's second-degree murder conviction in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">killing of George Floyd</a>, and his 22 1/2-year sentence remains in place.

Chauvin's attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-legal-proceedings-minnesota-minneapolis-c048e42279647ce6e28258df06028d8a">had asked the appeals court</a>&nbsp;to throw out the ex-officer’s convictions for a long list of reasons, including the massive pretrial publicity. He also argued that legal and procedural errors deprived Chauvin of a fair trial. But the three-judge panel sided with prosecutors who said Chauvin got a fair trial and just sentence.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-minneapolis-police-reform-d109eb0d3094119ddbcb560676467f19">Floyd died on May 25, 2020</a>, after Chauvin, who is white, used his knee to pin the Black man’s neck to the ground for 9 1/2 minutes. A bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.” Floyd’s death touched off protests around the world, some of which turned violent, and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism.

“Police officers undoubtedly have a challenging, difficult, and sometimes dangerous job. However, no one is above the law," Appeals Judge Peter Reyes wrote for the panel. "When they commit a crime, they must be held accountable just as those individuals that they lawfully apprehend. The law only permits police officers to use reasonable force when effecting a lawful arrest. Chauvin crossed that line here when he used unreasonable force on Floyd.”

Chauvin’s attorney, William Mohrman, argued on appeal that the trial judge should have moved the case out of Minneapolis because of extensive pretrial publicity and unprecedented security precautions due to fears of violence.

“The primary issue on this appeal is whether a criminal defendant can get a fair trial consistent with constitutional requirements in a courthouse surrounded by concrete block, barbed wire, two armored personnel carriers, and a squad of National Guard troops, all of which or whom are there for one purpose: in the event that the jury acquits the defendant,” Mohrman said in oral arguments in January.

But Neal Katyal, a special attorney for the state, argued that Chauvin got “one of the most transparent and thorough trials in our nation’s history."

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 1/2 years after jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin later pleaded guilty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-george-floyd-minneapolis-race-and-ethnicity-st-paul-a8b12b1e3e0fedc1270c659e3428134e">to a separate federal civil rights charge</a>&nbsp;and was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, which he is now serving in Arizona concurrent with his state sentence.

“Judge Cahill managed this trial with enormous care, and even if Chauvin could identify some minor fault, any error is harmless,” Katyal said. “The evidence of Chauvin’s guilt was captured on video for the world to see.”

Mohrman argued that the pretrial publicity was the most extensive of any trial in Minnesota history, and that the judge should have moved the trial and sequestered the jury. He said the publicity and the riots, the city’s $27 million settlement with Floyd’s family announced during jury selection, the unrest over a police killing of a Black man in a Minneapolis suburb during jury selection, and the sealing off of the courthouse, were just some of the factors prejudicing Chauvin’s chance of a fair trial.

His appeal also focused on one juror who participated in a civil rights event commemorating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, a few months after Floyd’s death. Only after the trial did the juror reveal that he had been there.

But the appeals court ruled that Cahill did not abuse his discretion in deciding those issues.

The appeals court declined to address whether it was legally permissible to convict Chauvin of third-degree murder. The defense said a 2021 Minnesota Supreme Court decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-shootings-police-minnesota-minneapolis-2d406f6b94f00eb48ecedbc958000026">in a different police killing</a>&nbsp;case that clarified the definition of that crime meant the law no longer fit the facts of Floyd's killing. But the appeals court noted that the trial judge never formally adjudicated that conviction nor did he sentence Chauvin on that count.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619012623324.png" alt="Derek Chauvin's booking photo following the verdict- Minnesota Dpt. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Derek Chauvin's booking photo following the verdict- Minnesota Dpt. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday upheld former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's second-degree murder conviction in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">killing of George Floyd</a>, and his 22 1/2-year sentence remains in place.Chauvin's attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-legal-proceedings-minnesota-minneapolis-c048e42279647ce6e28258df06028d8a">had asked the appeals court</a>&nbsp;to throw out the ex-officer’s convictions for a long list of reasons, including the massive pretrial publicity. He also argued that legal and procedural errors deprived Chauvin of a fair trial. But the three-judge panel sided with prosecutors who said Chauvin got a fair trial and just sentence.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-minneapolis-police-reform-d109eb0d3094119ddbcb560676467f19">Floyd died on May 25, 2020</a>, after Chauvin, who is white, used his knee to pin the Black man’s neck to the ground for 9 1/2 minutes. A bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.” Floyd’s death touched off protests around the world, some of which turned violent, and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism.“Police officers undoubtedly have a challenging, difficult, and sometimes dangerous job. However, no one is above the law," Appeals Judge Peter Reyes wrote for the panel. "When they commit a crime, they must be held accountable just as those individuals that they lawfully apprehend. The law only permits police officers to use reasonable force when effecting a lawful arrest. Chauvin crossed that line here when he used unreasonable force on Floyd.”Chauvin’s attorney, William Mohrman, argued on appeal that the trial judge should have moved the case out of Minneapolis because of extensive pretrial publicity and unprecedented security precautions due to fears of violence.“The primary issue on this appeal is whether a criminal defendant can get a fair trial consistent with constitutional requirements in a courthouse surrounded by concrete block, barbed wire, two armored personnel carriers, and a squad of National Guard troops, all of which or whom are there for one purpose: in the event that the jury acquits the defendant,” Mohrman said in oral arguments in January.But Neal Katyal, a special attorney for the state, argued that Chauvin got “one of the most transparent and thorough trials in our nation’s history."Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 1/2 years after jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin later pleaded guilty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-george-floyd-minneapolis-race-and-ethnicity-st-paul-a8b12b1e3e0fedc1270c659e3428134e">to a separate federal civil rights charge</a>&nbsp;and was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, which he is now serving in Arizona concurrent with his state sentence.“Judge Cahill managed this trial with enormous care, and even if Chauvin could identify some minor fault, any error is harmless,” Katyal said. “The evidence of Chauvin’s guilt was captured on video for the world to see.”Mohrman argued that the pretrial publicity was the most extensive of any trial in Minnesota history, and that the judge should have moved the trial and sequestered the jury. He said the publicity and the riots, the city’s $27 million settlement with Floyd’s family announced during jury selection, the unrest over a police killing of a Black man in a Minneapolis suburb during jury selection, and the sealing off of the courthouse, were just some of the factors prejudicing Chauvin’s chance of a fair trial.His appeal also focused on one juror who participated in a civil rights event commemorating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, a few months after Floyd’s death. Only after the trial did the juror reveal that he had been there.But the appeals court ruled that Cahill did not abuse his discretion in deciding those issues.The appeals court declined to address whether it was legally permissible to convict Chauvin of third-degree murder. The defense said a 2021 Minnesota Supreme Court decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-shootings-police-minnesota-minneapolis-2d406f6b94f00eb48ecedbc958000026">in a different police killing</a>&nbsp;case that clarified the definition of that crime meant the law no longer fit the facts of Floyd's killing. But the appeals court noted that the trial judge never formally adjudicated that conviction nor did he sentence Chauvin on that count.

Chauvin murder conviction upheld in George Floyd killing

LANE COUNTY— In recent years, there have been numerous reports of people discovering folded one dollar bills that contain illegal and potentially dangerous drugs, according to a statement from the Lane County Sheriff.

"While using folded money or paper to transport drugs has long been a common practice, the emergence of substances like Fentanyl has made it exceptionally hazardous."

On Sunday, a citizen contacted the on-duty Deputy to report that they had found a folded one dollar bill in their yard. 

Upon unfolding it, a white substance spilled out. The bill was confiscated and field tested positive for Methamphetamine. Further field tests for Opiates and Fentanyl were negative.

The Sheriff's department reminded, "it is important to remain vigilant about potential hazards in your surroundings."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726532415.png" alt="Photo Lane County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Lane County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LANE COUNTY— In recent years, there have been numerous reports of people discovering folded one dollar bills that contain illegal and potentially dangerous drugs, according to a statement from the Lane County Sheriff."While using folded money or paper to transport drugs has long been a common practice, the emergence of substances like Fentanyl has made it exceptionally hazardous."On Sunday, a citizen contacted the on-duty Deputy to report that they had found a folded one dollar bill in their yard. Upon unfolding it, a white substance spilled out. The bill was confiscated and field tested positive for Methamphetamine. Further field tests for Opiates and Fentanyl were negative.The Sheriff's department reminded, "it is important to remain vigilant about potential hazards in your surroundings."

Kansas sheriff warns: Don’t pick up folded dollar bills

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris this weekend urged Americans to take action during “a critical point in our nation’s history” as thousands of protesters demonstrated across the country against new limits to abortion rights making their way through the courts.

Saturday’s nationwide rallies were sparked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-ff152a443d8439e8fa5d9376070822b2">U.S. Supreme Court’s actions</a>&nbsp;the day before, when the high court intervened to delay rule changes that would have limited the way the abortion drug mifepristone could be used and dispensed. The limits were paused while the court reviews the case more thoroughly.

Harris made a surprise stop in Los Angeles at one of the rallies, where she called the latest upheaval over abortion rights a further incursion by conservatives into myriad “fundamental rights” many Americans thought they had.

“And so this is a moment that history will show required each of us — based on our collective love of our country — to stand up, and fight for, and protect our ideals. That’s what this moment is,” she said Saturday, speaking to several hundred demonstrators from the steps of City Hall. “When you attack the rights of women in America, you are attacking America.”

Some of the protesters voiced their anger at the steps of the nation's high court, which took Friday's action at the request of the federal Justice Department. The agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c">asked the high court</a>&nbsp;to lift restrictions on mifepristone imposed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">an appellate court</a>&nbsp;in Texas earlier in the week. The decision by the appellate court reduced the window of time when the drug could be used and prevented the drug from being dispensed by mail.

Critics of the Texas and appellate court decisions, including pharmaceutical companies, viewed the courts’ actions as a dangerous intrusion into the authority of the FDA, which regulates how medications are sold and used in the United States.

Demonstrators in New York City stood behind a sign with a four-letter expletive directed at Texas, where a federal judge set off the latest salvo in the battle over abortion. They held signs urging the government to defend medication abortions.

But the crowd was modest, attracting a little more than 100 people outside the picturesque public library along Fifth Avenue.

Still, the demonstrators attracted looks from passersby along the busy thoroughfare, some briefly joining the group to lend their voices.

“It can be hard to get people out, because people are being bombarded with all kinds of assaults on their bodies and people are tired and poor,” said Viva Ruiz, who said she helped organize the rally.

“The news cycle is so fast that when one thing happens something terrible happens the next day. So it’s hard to sustain the momentum or the energy for people to be on the streets,” Ruiz said.

With few exceptions, many of the rallies — organized under the banner of a group calling itself “Bigger than Roe” — were held in smaller cities.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">last year's reversal</a>&nbsp;of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized the right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-states-lawsuits-ac6dc09c0dd66a146d3ddfde061fc1a6">more than a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have effectively outlawed abortion, while additional states have moved to further tighten abortion laws.

On Thursday, the GOP-dominated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-desantis-07c1543fe28b6c09e777bec58de7640f">Florida Legislature</a>&nbsp;moved to became the latest state to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

Restrictions on the delivery and use of mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen to end a pregnancy, would be a further blow to abortion rights advocates. The other drug, misoprostol, can be used on its own, but doing so is less effective than using both drugs in combination.

When mifepristone was initially approved, the FDA limited its use to up to seven weeks of pregnancy. It also required three in-person office visits: the first to administer mifepristone, the next to administer the second drug, misoprostol, and the third to address any complications.

If the appeals court’s action stands, those would again be the terms under which mifepristone could be dispensed.

States that support abortion rights, including California and New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-states-stockpiling-abortion-pills-mifepristone-bab172f4037eb73fe90142ba28c23cc0">have begun stockpiling</a>&nbsp;misoprostol to assure their states have adequate supplies. Washington state is among those stockpiling a supply of mifepristone or its generic form. And Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the administration is dedicating $1 million to help providers contracted with the Department of Public Health buy additional quantities of mifepristone.

More than 5.6 million women in the U.S. had used mifepristone as of June 2022, according to the FDA. In that period, the agency received 4,200 reports of complications in women, or less than one-tenth of 1% of women who took the drug.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris this weekend urged Americans to take action during “a critical point in our nation’s history” as thousands of protesters demonstrated across the country against new limits to abortion rights making their way through the courts.Saturday’s nationwide rallies were sparked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-ff152a443d8439e8fa5d9376070822b2">U.S. Supreme Court’s actions</a>&nbsp;the day before, when the high court intervened to delay rule changes that would have limited the way the abortion drug mifepristone could be used and dispensed. The limits were paused while the court reviews the case more thoroughly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We march today to keep abortion safe and legal — and to protect a women’s right to choose. Honored to have <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> in Los Angeles standing with us for the fight of our lives. <a href="https://t.co/i4YOj4q1uz">pic.twitter.com/i4YOj4q1uz</a>&mdash; Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorOfLA/status/1647395820487192578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Harris made a surprise stop in Los Angeles at one of the rallies, where she called the latest upheaval over abortion rights a further incursion by conservatives into myriad “fundamental rights” many Americans thought they had.“And so this is a moment that history will show required each of us — based on our collective love of our country — to stand up, and fight for, and protect our ideals. That’s what this moment is,” she said Saturday, speaking to several hundred demonstrators from the steps of City Hall. “When you attack the rights of women in America, you are attacking America.”Some of the protesters voiced their anger at the steps of the nation's high court, which took Friday's action at the request of the federal Justice Department. The agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c">asked the high court</a>&nbsp;to lift restrictions on mifepristone imposed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">an appellate court</a>&nbsp;in Texas earlier in the week. The decision by the appellate court reduced the window of time when the drug could be used and prevented the drug from being dispensed by mail.Critics of the Texas and appellate court decisions, including pharmaceutical companies, viewed the courts’ actions as a dangerous intrusion into the authority of the FDA, which regulates how medications are sold and used in the United States.Demonstrators in New York City stood behind a sign with a four-letter expletive directed at Texas, where a federal judge set off the latest salvo in the battle over abortion. They held signs urging the government to defend medication abortions.But the crowd was modest, attracting a little more than 100 people outside the picturesque public library along Fifth Avenue.Still, the demonstrators attracted looks from passersby along the busy thoroughfare, some briefly joining the group to lend their voices.“It can be hard to get people out, because people are being bombarded with all kinds of assaults on their bodies and people are tired and poor,” said Viva Ruiz, who said she helped organize the rally.“The news cycle is so fast that when one thing happens something terrible happens the next day. So it’s hard to sustain the momentum or the energy for people to be on the streets,” Ruiz said.With few exceptions, many of the rallies — organized under the banner of a group calling itself “Bigger than Roe” — were held in smaller cities.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">last year's reversal</a>&nbsp;of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized the right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-states-lawsuits-ac6dc09c0dd66a146d3ddfde061fc1a6">more than a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have effectively outlawed abortion, while additional states have moved to further tighten abortion laws.On Thursday, the GOP-dominated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-desantis-07c1543fe28b6c09e777bec58de7640f">Florida Legislature</a>&nbsp;moved to became the latest state to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.Restrictions on the delivery and use of mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen to end a pregnancy, would be a further blow to abortion rights advocates. The other drug, misoprostol, can be used on its own, but doing so is less effective than using both drugs in combination.When mifepristone was initially approved, the FDA limited its use to up to seven weeks of pregnancy. It also required three in-person office visits: the first to administer mifepristone, the next to administer the second drug, misoprostol, and the third to address any complications.If the appeals court’s action stands, those would again be the terms under which mifepristone could be dispensed.States that support abortion rights, including California and New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-states-stockpiling-abortion-pills-mifepristone-bab172f4037eb73fe90142ba28c23cc0">have begun stockpiling</a>&nbsp;misoprostol to assure their states have adequate supplies. Washington state is among those stockpiling a supply of mifepristone or its generic form. And Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the administration is dedicating $1 million to help providers contracted with the Department of Public Health buy additional quantities of mifepristone.More than 5.6 million women in the U.S. had used mifepristone as of June 2022, according to the FDA. In that period, the agency received 4,200 reports of complications in women, or less than one-tenth of 1% of women who took the drug.

Vice President rallies as high court eyes abortion pill rules

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident during a law enforcement pursuit just before 2:30a.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Wichita Police 2019 Dodge Charger driven by Officer Nathaniel A. Denshaw, 32, Wichita, was westbound on Kellogg at Greenwich engaged in a pursuit.

The driver failed to yield at a stop light and struck a northbound 2017 Ford Fusion driven by Brianna N. Coon, 22, Augusta.

EMS transported officer, Coon, and a passenger in the Ford identified as Cameron A. Tadayon, 22, Wichita, to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase or additional information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident during a law enforcement pursuit just before 2:30a.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Wichita Police 2019 Dodge Charger driven by Officer Nathaniel A. Denshaw, 32, Wichita, was westbound on Kellogg at Greenwich engaged in a pursuit.The driver failed to yield at a stop light and struck a northbound 2017 Ford Fusion driven by Brianna N. Coon, 22, Augusta.EMS transported officer, Coon, and a passenger in the Ford identified as Cameron A. Tadayon, 22, Wichita, to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase or additional information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Crash during pursuit injures Kansas officer, 2 others

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a Black teenager who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers includes questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City said.

Police are quickly preparing evidence for prosecutors in Thursday's shooting, Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday at a news conference at police headquarters.

“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article274380535.html">reported</a>&nbsp;the 16-year-old, whom family members have identified online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after he was shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend's house. Police said he went to the wrong house and was shot there.

Officials would not confirm the number of times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had a life-threatening injury. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.

Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information that officials have now does not point to the shooting being racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect also remains under investigation.

Investigators also will consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.

Yarl was meant to pick up his brothers from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He ended up ringing the doorbell at a home on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.

A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran from the property, but he had to ask at three different homes before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.

Kansas City police officers said they responded around 10 p.m.

Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold. While searching the scene for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.

Missouri law allows a person to be held up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. In order to arrest someone, law enforcement needs a formal victim statement, forensic evidence and other information for a case file to be completed, Graves said.

Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement.

Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police department attended Sunday’s protest in the neighborhood where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.

“This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," Lucas said.

Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has retained his Florida-based law firm.

“You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification," Crump said. “This guy should be charged.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">Crump has represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Crump said the homeowner initially shot the teen in the head and then a second time after the boy fell to the ground. The family also has retained Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in 2019.

Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.

“It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play,” he said.

Even though Yarl "is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe she started to raise money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Yarl-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Yarl-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a Black teenager who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers includes questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Chief Graves spoke with media regarding updates in the case involving the juvenile who was shot Thursday night. <a href="https://t.co/ZTHPbwWcto">pic.twitter.com/ZTHPbwWcto</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1647716769073860608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police are quickly preparing evidence for prosecutors in Thursday's shooting, Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday at a news conference at police headquarters.“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the familyThe Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article274380535.html">reported</a>&nbsp;the 16-year-old, whom family members have identified online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after he was shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend's house. Police said he went to the wrong house and was shot there.Officials would not confirm the number of times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had a life-threatening injury. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Like many, I am heartbroken and angered by the recent shooting of a child in our community who simply came to a doorstep to pick up his younger siblings. This never should have happened.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1647735414898270208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information that officials have now does not point to the shooting being racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect also remains under investigation.Investigators also will consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.Yarl was meant to pick up his brothers from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He ended up ringing the doorbell at a home on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran from the property, but he had to ask at three different homes before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.Kansas City police officers said they responded around 10 p.m.Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold. While searching the scene for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.Missouri law allows a person to be held up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. In order to arrest someone, law enforcement needs a formal victim statement, forensic evidence and other information for a case file to be completed, Graves said.Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement.Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police department attended Sunday’s protest in the neighborhood where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.“This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," Lucas said.Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has retained his Florida-based law firm.“You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification," Crump said. “This guy should be charged.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">Crump has represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.Crump said the homeowner initially shot the teen in the head and then a second time after the boy fell to the ground. The family also has retained Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in 2019.Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.“It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play,” he said.Even though Yarl "is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe she started to raise money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.----------

🎥Homeowner shoots, injures Black teen who went to wrong house

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The death toll from Russian missile strikes on eastern Ukraine's city of Sloviansk rose to 11 as rescue crews tried to reach people trapped in the rubble of an apartment building, Ukrainian authorities said.

Ukraine's air force said the country would soon have weapons with which to try to prevent attacks like the one on Friday. The delivery of the Patriot air defense system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-b90ce5a55b1f6b820d03da96612b3796">promised by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was expected in Ukraine sometime after Easter, Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.

The primarily Orthodox Christian country observed Easter on Sunday. Speaking Saturday on Ukrainian state TV, Ihnat declined to give a precise timeline for the arrival of the defensive missile system but said the public would know “as soon as the first Russian aircraft is shot down.”

A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-patriot-missiles-fort-sill-8afb4a17cae52cb19428c5a5adcacb7f">completed their training</a>&nbsp;last month at Fort Sill, a U.S. Army post in Oklahoma, and returned to Europe to learn more about using the defensive missile system to track and shoot down enemy aircraft.

Officials said at the time that the Ukrainians would then go back to their country with a Patriot missile battery, which typically includes six mobile launchers, a mobile radar, a power generator and an engagement control center.

Germany and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-politics-netherlands-government-united-states-03128d7faeb04340cc8a1421cf6ae42e">the Netherlands</a>&nbsp;also have pledged to provide a Patriot system each to Ukraine. In addition, a SAMP/T anti-missile system pledged by France and Italy “should enter Ukraine in the near future,” Ihnat said this week.

The Ukrainian military is looking to beef up its ability to intercept missiles as it prepares for an expected spring counter-offensive to retake Russian-occupied areas of the country. Although more than a year of fighting has depleted weapons supplies on both sides, Russian forces have intensified their 8 1/2-month campaign to seize the city of Bakhmut, the focus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-bakhmut-3036cdd95c89ae2df31ded0ba80bb7c8">the war's longest battle</a>&nbsp;so far.

Bakhmut and Sloviansk are located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) apart in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province.

Rescue teams in Sloviansk recovered the bodies of two people from under the rubble of a house hit in Friday's missile strikes, according to the State Emergency Service. They also searched Saturday for five people who remained in the wreckage of the apartment building, as well as the residents of three units who were reported missing, Vadym Liakh, the head of the local government, said.

Separately, a 48-year-old woman and her 28-year-old daughter died Saturday after Russian forces shelled a neighborhood of the city of Kherson, the regional administration said on Telegram. The southern port city was occupied by Russian forces in the early months of the war, but Ukrainian forces regained control of it in November, one of the most notable battlefield defeats for Moscow.

A new law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-draft-mobilization-conscription-notices-bf18ad64dd08c9d11aab2e222cabfee9">signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Friday that allows military offices to send draft notices electronically instead of delivering them in person is part of Russia’s preparation for a protracted war in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Saturday morning assessment.

According to British intelligence, a “unified registry of individuals eligible for military service” will be digitally linked to other government services, allowing Russian authorities to “punish draft-dodgers by automatically limiting employment rights and restricting foreign travel.”

Since the law does not come into force until later in the year, the U.K. Defense Ministry said the e-notices do not automatically point to a “major new wave of enforced mobilization” but rather form part of a “longer-term approach to provide personnel as Russia anticipates a lengthy conflict in Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, 52,000 young Russian men already have received draft orders as part of the country's regular spring call-up, and 21,000 of them qualified for military service, Col. Andrey Biryukov, who is in charge of mobilization, said Saturday.

Biryukov addressed concerns that the new electronic conscription law presaged a broader mobilization of reservists, like one Putin ordered in September.

“I’d like to stress that all army deferrals for citizens will still be valid. And e-draft orders will not be mailed in bulk,” Biryukov said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673396092973.png" alt="-Ukrainian troops trained at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill Army base operating and maintaining the Patriot missile defense system-Photo U.S. Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>-Ukrainian troops trained at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill Army base operating and maintaining the Patriot missile defense system-Photo U.S. Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The death toll from Russian missile strikes on eastern Ukraine's city of Sloviansk rose to 11 as rescue crews tried to reach people trapped in the rubble of an apartment building, Ukrainian authorities said.Ukraine's air force said the country would soon have weapons with which to try to prevent attacks like the one on Friday. The delivery of the Patriot air defense system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-b90ce5a55b1f6b820d03da96612b3796">promised by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was expected in Ukraine sometime after Easter, Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.The primarily Orthodox Christian country observed Easter on Sunday. Speaking Saturday on Ukrainian state TV, Ihnat declined to give a precise timeline for the arrival of the defensive missile system but said the public would know “as soon as the first Russian aircraft is shot down.”A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-patriot-missiles-fort-sill-8afb4a17cae52cb19428c5a5adcacb7f">completed their training</a>&nbsp;last month at Fort Sill, a U.S. Army post in Oklahoma, and returned to Europe to learn more about using the defensive missile system to track and shoot down enemy aircraft.Officials said at the time that the Ukrainians would then go back to their country with a Patriot missile battery, which typically includes six mobile launchers, a mobile radar, a power generator and an engagement control center.Germany and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-politics-netherlands-government-united-states-03128d7faeb04340cc8a1421cf6ae42e">the Netherlands</a>&nbsp;also have pledged to provide a Patriot system each to Ukraine. In addition, a SAMP/T anti-missile system pledged by France and Italy “should enter Ukraine in the near future,” Ihnat said this week.The Ukrainian military is looking to beef up its ability to intercept missiles as it prepares for an expected spring counter-offensive to retake Russian-occupied areas of the country. Although more than a year of fighting has depleted weapons supplies on both sides, Russian forces have intensified their 8 1/2-month campaign to seize the city of Bakhmut, the focus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-bakhmut-3036cdd95c89ae2df31ded0ba80bb7c8">the war's longest battle</a>&nbsp;so far.Bakhmut and Sloviansk are located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) apart in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province.Rescue teams in Sloviansk recovered the bodies of two people from under the rubble of a house hit in Friday's missile strikes, according to the State Emergency Service. They also searched Saturday for five people who remained in the wreckage of the apartment building, as well as the residents of three units who were reported missing, Vadym Liakh, the head of the local government, said.Separately, a 48-year-old woman and her 28-year-old daughter died Saturday after Russian forces shelled a neighborhood of the city of Kherson, the regional administration said on Telegram. The southern port city was occupied by Russian forces in the early months of the war, but Ukrainian forces regained control of it in November, one of the most notable battlefield defeats for Moscow.A new law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-draft-mobilization-conscription-notices-bf18ad64dd08c9d11aab2e222cabfee9">signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Friday that allows military offices to send draft notices electronically instead of delivering them in person is part of Russia’s preparation for a protracted war in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Saturday morning assessment.According to British intelligence, a “unified registry of individuals eligible for military service” will be digitally linked to other government services, allowing Russian authorities to “punish draft-dodgers by automatically limiting employment rights and restricting foreign travel.”Since the law does not come into force until later in the year, the U.K. Defense Ministry said the e-notices do not automatically point to a “major new wave of enforced mobilization” but rather form part of a “longer-term approach to provide personnel as Russia anticipates a lengthy conflict in Ukraine.”Meanwhile, 52,000 young Russian men already have received draft orders as part of the country's regular spring call-up, and 21,000 of them qualified for military service, Col. Andrey Biryukov, who is in charge of mobilization, said Saturday.Biryukov addressed concerns that the new electronic conscription law presaged a broader mobilization of reservists, like one Putin ordered in September.“I’d like to stress that all army deferrals for citizens will still be valid. And e-draft orders will not be mailed in bulk,” Biryukov said.

Ukraine anxious for US missile system after latest Russian strike

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 8p.m. Saturday in Atchison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681652399050.png" alt="photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 8p.m. Saturday in Atchison.According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, a Toyota Tacoma driven by Bryan Barraza, 23, Atchison, turned westbound into the 1400 Block of Country Club Road.The pickup left the roadway on the south side and struck a residence. EMS transported Barraza was to a hospital for treatment of injuries. The accident remains under investigation.