WASHINGTON (AP) —A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a">Biden administration proposal</a>&nbsp;to forbid outright bans on transgender athletes sparked outrage from conservative leaders while also angering trans rights activists who note schools could still prevent some athletes from participating on teams that align with their gender identity.

The Kansas Legislature last week overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes in girls' sports.

Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-us-department-educations-proposed-change-its-title-ix-regulations-students-eligibility-athletic-teams">proposed rule</a>, which still faces a lengthy approval process, establishes that blanket bans, like those that have been approved in at least 20 states, would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix">violate Title IX</a>, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972. But schools that receive federal funding could still adopt policies that limit transgender students' participation, particularly in more competitive high school and college sports.

Under the proposal, it would be much more difficult for schools to ban, for example, a transgender girl in elementary school from playing on a girls basketball team. But it would also leave room for schools to develop policies that prohibit trans athletes from playing on more competitive teams if those policies are designed to ensure fairness or prevent sports-related injuries.

Imara Jones, a trans woman who created “The Anti-Trans Hate Machine” podcast, blasted the proposal, saying President Joe Biden is attempting to “straddle the fence” on a human rights issue ahead of an election year by giving legal recourse to schools that bar some trans athletes from competition.

“The Biden Administration framed their proposal as a ban on blanket discrimination against trans athletes," Jones said. “But actually, it provides guidelines for how schools and universities can ban trans athletes legally.”

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, also offered pointed criticism,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1644123142015660032">saying in a tweet</a>&nbsp;that the plan was “indefensible and embarrassing.”

Erin Reed, a prominent trans activist and researcher, said the proposal “alarmingly” echoes right-wing talking points, which argue that trans participation could increase injuries and take away scholarship opportunities from female athletes who are cisgender, meaning their gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. She worries school boards and lawmakers will use it to justify bans.

Extensive research is virtually nonexistent when it comes to determining whether adolescent trans girls have a clear athletic advantage over cisgender girls.

“I can’t read this any other way than a betrayal,” Reed&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ErinInTheMorn/status/1644088489703620608?s=20">said in a tweet</a>. “This entire document is worse than doing nothing.”

The U.S. Department of Education declined to comment Friday on criticisms from trans rights advocates.

Sean Ebony Coleman, founder of the LGBTQ+ center Destination Tomorrow in New York, said policymakers — particularly on a national level — need to rule out any option for trans people to be further ostracized.

“While it hypothetically prevents across-the-board bans, it offers enough gray area for discrete gender policing and demonization to occur, specifically on a local level,” Coleman said.

Still, some transgender athletes welcomed the proposal as an important first step toward protecting trans kids' access to sports.

“I would love to see protections expanded to include elite and collegiate sports, but this seems like a good start,” said Iszac Henig, a trans man and competitive swimmer at Yale University. “Trans athletes should have the ability to compete on the team of their choice if their athletic skills allow it.”

Some LGBTQ+ organizations, such as the nonprofit GLBTQ Legal Advocates &amp; Defenders,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.glad.org/post/glad-comment-on-doe-proposed-rule-on-transgender-student-inclusion-in-sports/">applauded the proposal</a>&nbsp;for allowing schools to adopt what it considers “reasonable policies for inclusion of transgender athletes that take into account differences between sports and across levels of competition.”

Doriane Coleman, a law professor at Duke University, said the proposal allows schools to “still choose to have male and female sports teams" and makes sense compared with the “one-size-fits-all approach” found in some states.

A way that the federal government, states and advocacy groups can avoid “piecemeal litigation” is by making clear “there is a body of evidence to support generalizable sex-specific eligibility standards for each sport at each level of development,” Coleman said.

The proposal was assailed by many Republican leaders who said they were ready to fight the plan in court.

“South Dakota will not allow this to stand,” Gov. Kristi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KristiNoem/status/1644113018450526209">tweeted</a>. “We will lead. We will defend our laws.”

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued a statement suggesting the state might also try to challenge the federal rule. Alabama lawmakers in 2021 approved legislation that bans trans women and girls from participating on female sports team in K-12 schools. It was also one of 20 states that filed a lawsuit in 2021 seeking to halt directives that extend federal sex discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ people.

“I have made myself abundantly clear to the Biden Administration that he will NOT impose his radical policies on Alabama athletes. He will NOT destroy athletic competition for our young women &amp; girls. In Alabama our law protects girls’ sports. Stay tuned!” Marshall said in a statement.

Selina Soule, a former high school track player in Connecticut, who joined others&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danbury-us-news-ap-top-news-hartford-sports-general-8fd300537131153cc44e0cf2ade3244b">in suing</a>&nbsp;over the state’s policy allowing two transgender girls to compete against them, denounced the proposal.

“I never stood a chance when I competed with them,” she said of trans girls. "Women deserve fair competition.”

The public will have 30 days to comment on the proposal after it is published in the Federal Register. After that, the Education Department will review the comments and decide whether any changes are needed before issuing a final rule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680642960114.png" alt=" Ian Benalcázar delivers a speech March 31 at the Kansas Statehouse as part of the March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Ian Benalcázar delivers a speech March 31 at the Kansas Statehouse as part of the March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a">Biden administration proposal</a>&nbsp;to forbid outright bans on transgender athletes sparked outrage from conservative leaders while also angering trans rights activists who note schools could still prevent some athletes from participating on teams that align with their gender identity.The Kansas Legislature last week overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes in girls' sports.Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-us-department-educations-proposed-change-its-title-ix-regulations-students-eligibility-athletic-teams">proposed rule</a>, which still faces a lengthy approval process, establishes that blanket bans, like those that have been approved in at least 20 states, would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix">violate Title IX</a>, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972. But schools that receive federal funding could still adopt policies that limit transgender students' participation, particularly in more competitive high school and college sports.Under the proposal, it would be much more difficult for schools to ban, for example, a transgender girl in elementary school from playing on a girls basketball team. But it would also leave room for schools to develop policies that prohibit trans athletes from playing on more competitive teams if those policies are designed to ensure fairness or prevent sports-related injuries.Imara Jones, a trans woman who created “The Anti-Trans Hate Machine” podcast, blasted the proposal, saying President Joe Biden is attempting to “straddle the fence” on a human rights issue ahead of an election year by giving legal recourse to schools that bar some trans athletes from competition.“The Biden Administration framed their proposal as a ban on blanket discrimination against trans athletes," Jones said. “But actually, it provides guidelines for how schools and universities can ban trans athletes legally.”U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, also offered pointed criticism,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1644123142015660032">saying in a tweet</a>&nbsp;that the plan was “indefensible and embarrassing.”Erin Reed, a prominent trans activist and researcher, said the proposal “alarmingly” echoes right-wing talking points, which argue that trans participation could increase injuries and take away scholarship opportunities from female athletes who are cisgender, meaning their gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. She worries school boards and lawmakers will use it to justify bans.Extensive research is virtually nonexistent when it comes to determining whether adolescent trans girls have a clear athletic advantage over cisgender girls.“I can’t read this any other way than a betrayal,” Reed&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ErinInTheMorn/status/1644088489703620608?s=20">said in a tweet</a>. “This entire document is worse than doing nothing.”The U.S. Department of Education declined to comment Friday on criticisms from trans rights advocates.Sean Ebony Coleman, founder of the LGBTQ+ center Destination Tomorrow in New York, said policymakers — particularly on a national level — need to rule out any option for trans people to be further ostracized.“While it hypothetically prevents across-the-board bans, it offers enough gray area for discrete gender policing and demonization to occur, specifically on a local level,” Coleman said.Still, some transgender athletes welcomed the proposal as an important first step toward protecting trans kids' access to sports.“I would love to see protections expanded to include elite and collegiate sports, but this seems like a good start,” said Iszac Henig, a trans man and competitive swimmer at Yale University. “Trans athletes should have the ability to compete on the team of their choice if their athletic skills allow it.”Some LGBTQ+ organizations, such as the nonprofit GLBTQ Legal Advocates &amp; Defenders,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.glad.org/post/glad-comment-on-doe-proposed-rule-on-transgender-student-inclusion-in-sports/">applauded the proposal</a>&nbsp;for allowing schools to adopt what it considers “reasonable policies for inclusion of transgender athletes that take into account differences between sports and across levels of competition.”Doriane Coleman, a law professor at Duke University, said the proposal allows schools to “still choose to have male and female sports teams" and makes sense compared with the “one-size-fits-all approach” found in some states.A way that the federal government, states and advocacy groups can avoid “piecemeal litigation” is by making clear “there is a body of evidence to support generalizable sex-specific eligibility standards for each sport at each level of development,” Coleman said.The proposal was assailed by many Republican leaders who said they were ready to fight the plan in court.“South Dakota will not allow this to stand,” Gov. Kristi Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KristiNoem/status/1644113018450526209">tweeted</a>. “We will lead. We will defend our laws.”Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued a statement suggesting the state might also try to challenge the federal rule. Alabama lawmakers in 2021 approved legislation that bans trans women and girls from participating on female sports team in K-12 schools. It was also one of 20 states that filed a lawsuit in 2021 seeking to halt directives that extend federal sex discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ people.“I have made myself abundantly clear to the Biden Administration that he will NOT impose his radical policies on Alabama athletes. He will NOT destroy athletic competition for our young women &amp; girls. In Alabama our law protects girls’ sports. Stay tuned!” Marshall said in a statement.Selina Soule, a former high school track player in Connecticut, who joined others&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danbury-us-news-ap-top-news-hartford-sports-general-8fd300537131153cc44e0cf2ade3244b">in suing</a>&nbsp;over the state’s policy allowing two transgender girls to compete against them, denounced the proposal.“I never stood a chance when I competed with them,” she said of trans girls. "Women deserve fair competition.”The public will have 30 days to comment on the proposal after it is published in the Federal Register. After that, the Education Department will review the comments and decide whether any changes are needed before issuing a final rule.___

Transgender advocates, opponents rip Biden sports plan 

GRAY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident during a pursuit by law enforcement just before 9p.m. Sunday in Gray County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Nissan Murano driven by 18-year-0ld Tanner Godwin was fleeing from law enforcement from Meade County on Kansas 23.

The driver tried to turn off onto KK Road. The vehicle turned wide and traveled off the road into a ditch and came to rest in a dry containment pond.

EMS transported Godwin to the Meade District Hospital.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details including where Godwin is from.

GRAY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident during a pursuit by law enforcement just before 9p.m. Sunday in Gray County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Nissan Murano driven by 18-year-0ld Tanner Godwin was fleeing from law enforcement from Meade County on Kansas 23.The driver tried to turn off onto KK Road. The vehicle turned wide and traveled off the road into a ditch and came to rest in a dry containment pond.EMS transported Godwin to the Meade District Hospital.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details including where Godwin is from.

Teen hospitalized after Kan. police chase, crash into containment pond 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stolen vehicle and have made two arrests.

An April 7, Patrol Deputies were dispatched to 1818 County Road 3700, Coffeyville, Kansas in reference to a vehicle being parked at the residence which matched a report of a stolen vehicle, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

 When deputies arrived they observed a black 2008 Chevy Suburban sitting at the residence and white male attempt to exit the driver’s side of the vehicle.

 Deputies immediately took the man identified as 27-year-old Chance Lawyer of&nbsp;Bartlesville, Oklahoma into custody.&nbsp;

 Deputies located a second subject in the passenger seat of the vehicle who was identified as 44-year-old Charles Miles of Bartlesville, Oklahoma and took him into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Police confirmed that was the stolen vehicle from Coffeyville. Miles is being held without bond. He was released from prison in January and has previous convictions for robbery, theft, burglary and drugs, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.

This case will be sent over to the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office for review and proper charging.  All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681081838096.png" alt="Miles has previous convictions for robbery, theft, burglary and drugs, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Miles has previous convictions for robbery, theft, burglary and drugs, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stolen vehicle and have made two arrests.An April 7, Patrol Deputies were dispatched to 1818 County Road 3700, Coffeyville, Kansas in reference to a vehicle being parked at the residence which matched a report of a stolen vehicle, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. When deputies arrived they observed a black 2008 Chevy Suburban sitting at the residence and white male attempt to exit the driver’s side of the vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681082095411.png" alt="Lawyer is no longer in custody-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Lawyer is no longer in custody-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Deputies immediately took the man identified as 27-year-old Chance Lawyer of&nbsp;Bartlesville, Oklahoma into custody.&nbsp; Deputies located a second subject in the passenger seat of the vehicle who was identified as 44-year-old Charles Miles of Bartlesville, Oklahoma and took him into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Police confirmed that was the stolen vehicle from Coffeyville. Miles is being held without bond. He was released from prison in January and has previous convictions for robbery, theft, burglary and drugs, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.This case will be sent over to the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office for review and proper charging. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law.

Kansas man released from prison in January caught in stolen car

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 4:30p.m. Friday, a Sheriff’s Office K9 unit conducted a traffic stop at 2nd and Main in Carbondale, Kansas for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells 

During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics. The driver of the vehicle, Marie E. Bagby, 60, of Carbondale, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681049873155.png" alt="Bagby-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Bagby-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 4:30p.m. Friday, a Sheriff’s Office K9 unit conducted a traffic stop at 2nd and Main in Carbondale, Kansas for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics. The driver of the vehicle, Marie E. Bagby, 60, of Carbondale, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff's K9 unit discovered Kan. woman was transporting meth

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/epa-estimates-more-than-54000-lead-pipes-remain-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>

More than 54,000 lead service pipes carry drinking water to Kansas families, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/Final_DWINSA%20Public%20Factsheet%204.4.23.pdf">new estimate from the Environmental Protection Agency</a>.

New lead water pipes have been banned
 for more than 30 years. But the EPA estimates that 9.2 million American
 households still get their water through aging lead pipes.

About 0.6% of those are in Kansas, ranking the state 26th in the country for its number of lead service lines. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-661-million-drinking-water-infrastructure">EPA announced Tuesday</a> the state would get $66.1 million to update its water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Over the next 20 years, the EPA estimates the U.S. will need $625 billion to update water infrastructure.

The EPA’s regional administrator, 
Meghan McCollister, said in a news release that the funds would go to 
“ensure that Kansans have access to clean drinking water.”

“Kansas’ investments through this 
fund will aid in securing needed resources to address critical 
infrastructure needs, threats to drinking water systems such as lead 
pipes, and emerging contaminants such as (forever chemicals).”

The funding allotment prioritized states according to need, something the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/epa-announces-change-funding-lead-pipe-replacement-new-distribution-will-be-based">Natural Resources Defense Council applauded</a>. The environmental organization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/bio/cyndi-roper/lead-pipe-funding-shortchanges-states-most-lead-water-pipes">published a report last year</a> saying the states that most needed funds to replace lead service lines were getting shortchanged.

“EPA’s changes will ensure a fairer 
and more equitable distribution of funding dollars to replace the 
nation’s millions of lead pipes,” said Cyndi Roper, one of the authors 
of last year’s analysis. “It’s good news for communities with the 
highest need that will now have access to more funding to get lead pipes
 out of the ground.”

The EPA banned new lead service lines
 —&nbsp;the pipes that carry water from water mains into people’s homes — in 
1986 in an effort to combat lead poisoning.

<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">Lead is a neurotoxin</a>
 that, even at low levels, can harm children’s developing brains. 
Exposure to lead through water accounts for 20% of a child’s overall 
exposure, on average. For fetuses and formula-fed infants, leaded water 
is the No. 1 source of exposure.

President Joe Biden’s administration has pledged to remove the country’s lead service lines. But <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/20/time-bomb-lead-pipes-set-to-be-removed-but-first-water-utilities-have-to-find-them/">for now, little is known about where they are</a>.

The EPA’s new estimates are 
projections based on a survey that water utilities filled out in 2021. 
But not every utility was required to fill out the survey. And some that
 did respond reported not knowing what their service lines are made of.

The EPA estimated Kansas has 54,107 lead service lines while the NRDC estimated in 2021 the state had more than 160,000.

Water utilities treat their water to 
be noncorrosive so that lead won’t leach from the service line into 
people’s drinking water.

But a change in the water chemistry 
or construction that shakes up a pipe can cause it to start leaching the
 toxin into drinking water.

That’s what happened in Flint, Michigan, the most prominent case of lead-contaminated water in recent years.&nbsp;

But the issue isn’t unique to that 
high-profile situation. A pediatrician who helped uncover the Flint 
water crisis said it wasn’t the first, worst or last.&nbsp;

Something similar happened in 
Trenton, Missouri, where the water utility switched chemicals used to 
disinfect the water and the lead levels spiked. Trenton, like many other
 water utilities, doesn’t know where its lead service lines are.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680803328088.png" alt="A piece of lead pipe removed from Jerry Land’s yard in Olathe shows a layer of lining inside the pipe that indicates the city’s water supply provided a thin film that prevented the pipe from leeching lead into the home’s water. President Joe Biden's administration is prioritizing lead pipe removal more than 30 years after new ones were banned. (Carlos Moreno/KCUR)." />
 <figcaption>A piece of lead pipe removed from Jerry Land’s yard in Olathe shows a layer of lining inside the pipe that indicates the city’s water supply provided a thin film that prevented the pipe from leeching lead into the home’s water. President Joe Biden's administration is prioritizing lead pipe removal more than 30 years after new ones were banned. (Carlos Moreno/KCUR).</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/epa-estimates-more-than-54000-lead-pipes-remain-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>More than 54,000 lead service pipes carry drinking water to Kansas families, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/Final_DWINSA%20Public%20Factsheet%204.4.23.pdf">new estimate from the Environmental Protection Agency</a>.New lead water pipes have been banned
 for more than 30 years. But the EPA estimates that 9.2 million American
 households still get their water through aging lead pipes.About 0.6% of those are in Kansas, ranking the state 26th in the country for its number of lead service lines. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-661-million-drinking-water-infrastructure">EPA announced Tuesday</a> the state would get $66.1 million to update its water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.Over the next 20 years, the EPA estimates the U.S. will need $625 billion to update water infrastructure.The EPA’s regional administrator, 
Meghan McCollister, said in a news release that the funds would go to 
“ensure that Kansans have access to clean drinking water.”“Kansas’ investments through this 
fund will aid in securing needed resources to address critical 
infrastructure needs, threats to drinking water systems such as lead 
pipes, and emerging contaminants such as (forever chemicals).”The funding allotment prioritized states according to need, something the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/epa-announces-change-funding-lead-pipe-replacement-new-distribution-will-be-based">Natural Resources Defense Council applauded</a>. The environmental organization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/bio/cyndi-roper/lead-pipe-funding-shortchanges-states-most-lead-water-pipes">published a report last year</a> saying the states that most needed funds to replace lead service lines were getting shortchanged.“EPA’s changes will ensure a fairer 
and more equitable distribution of funding dollars to replace the 
nation’s millions of lead pipes,” said Cyndi Roper, one of the authors 
of last year’s analysis. “It’s good news for communities with the 
highest need that will now have access to more funding to get lead pipes
 out of the ground.”The EPA banned new lead service lines
 —&nbsp;the pipes that carry water from water mains into people’s homes — in 
1986 in an effort to combat lead poisoning.<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/11/known-to-be-toxic-for-a-century-lead-still-poisons-thousands-of-midwestern-kids/">Lead is a neurotoxin</a>
 that, even at low levels, can harm children’s developing brains. 
Exposure to lead through water accounts for 20% of a child’s overall 
exposure, on average. For fetuses and formula-fed infants, leaded water 
is the No. 1 source of exposure.President Joe Biden’s administration has pledged to remove the country’s lead service lines. But <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/20/time-bomb-lead-pipes-set-to-be-removed-but-first-water-utilities-have-to-find-them/">for now, little is known about where they are</a>.The EPA’s new estimates are 
projections based on a survey that water utilities filled out in 2021. 
But not every utility was required to fill out the survey. And some that
 did respond reported not knowing what their service lines are made of.The EPA estimated Kansas has 54,107 lead service lines while the NRDC estimated in 2021 the state had more than 160,000.Water utilities treat their water to 
be noncorrosive so that lead won’t leach from the service line into 
people’s drinking water.But a change in the water chemistry 
or construction that shakes up a pipe can cause it to start leaching the
 toxin into drinking water.That’s what happened in Flint, Michigan, the most prominent case of lead-contaminated water in recent years.&nbsp;But the issue isn’t unique to that 
high-profile situation. A pediatrician who helped uncover the Flint 
water crisis said it wasn’t the first, worst or last.&nbsp;Something similar happened in 
Trenton, Missouri, where the water utility switched chemicals used to 
disinfect the water and the lead levels spiked. Trenton, like many other
 water utilities, doesn’t know where its lead service lines are.

EPA: More than 54,000 lead pipes remain in Kansas

By SAMANTHA HORTON <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-06/kansas-could-remove-thousands-of-people-from-medicaid-rolls-heres-what-to-do-if-youre-on-kancare">Kansas News Service</a>

More than 500,000 Kansans face a review over the next year to see if 
they still qualify for Medicaid — the first check on eligibility since 
the pandemic prompted a temporary change in rules three years ago.

That
 same federal declaration of a public health emergency effectively added
 tens of thousands to the state’s KanCare Medicaid program — people who 
could now lose that government health insurance — by temporarily barring
 states from stripping away the coverage.

KanCare enrollment rose by about 130,000 people during the pandemic.

The pruning of Kansas Medicaid rolls started last month when the 
state sent out letters to the first round of people up for renewal. This
 month, those 33,000 households will be reviewed to see if they still 
qualify.

Experts and health care advocates suggest all Kansans on 
Medicaid update their addresses and prepare needed documents, such as 
proof of income.

Even with the right documentation, tens of 
thousands of people currently in the KanCare program may no longer 
qualify for Medicaid. That means looking for coverage elsewhere — like 
through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

For starters, make sure the state has your current address.

“Folks
 could lose coverage, even if they are still technically eligible,” said
 Kate Gramlich, a project manager for health insurance enrollment group 
Cover Kansas. “They would still lose coverage if they do not submit, 
like, their renewal paperwork with the information.”

She said 
homeless people can use the address of a friend, a relative or a trusted
 individual in the community who agrees to let you use their address.

“The
 next crucial step is to actually watch your mail at that address and 
you will receive paperwork that is specific to your individual household
 situation,” Gramlich said.

That paperwork should walk through the steps to verify Medicaid eligibility.

Cover
 Kansas focuses on helping people with open enrollment for ACA 
marketplace insurance. But the group’s navigators — trained to walk 
people through the marketplace enrollment — can also help with the 
Medicaid renewal process.

“Navigators are already such a kind of a trusted source of information,” Gramlich said. “We are trained to be unbiased.”

El
 Centro Inc., a non-profit serving the Hispanic community in the Kansas 
City area, shares renewal guidance in Spanish. It sets up tables outside
 grocery stores and shares information at weekly classes.

Justin 
Gust, El Centro’s director of community health, said otherwise 
relatively simple paperwork can prove daunting for self-employed people 
or day laborers.

“It’s harder to track,” he said. “That data isn’t available.”

Some people might still be filing taxes, one way to show proof of income.

“We’re,
 like, in the heart of tax season, for example. And so if you’re 
self-employed, they do rely on a copy of your taxes as proof of income,”
 Gust said. “So some people are, like, ‘I haven’t filed just yet.’”

Alternative
 forms can be filled out. Gust said they can be lengthy and confusing. 
That’s where El Centro, Connect Kansas and other organizations across 
the state can help.

Called the “Helper Network,” the groups regularly meet with state officials about Medicaid enrollment renewal.

“The ultimate goal … is to … avoid any sort of procedural disenrollment,” Gramlich said.

Some folks might temporarily lose Medicaid coverage because they miss deadlines or lack all the needed paperwork.

Gramlich
 recommends calling a navigator with any questions or for assistance 
going through the paperwork even if you’re denied coverage at first.

“It
 would be a real person who they’d be able to talk to, and they can let 
them know, you know, what the best next steps are,” Gramlich said. “Or 
they can connect them with an in-person navigator.”

However, some people going through the renewal process won’t qualify to stay on Medicaid.

For those who are no longer eligible for Medicaid, the ACA marketplace might offer more affordable options than in the past.

“More
 people are qualified to receive tax assistance and cost-sharing 
benefits than they had been at the beginning of the pandemic,” Gramlich 
said. “So the situation is going to be different and, hopefully, more 
accessible to more people than it was in 2020 when this whole thing 
started.”

For people unable to afford policies sold on the ACA 
marketplace and no longer eligible for Medicaid, community health 
centers can be an option. They charge for care on a sliding scale based 
on income.

“And the paperwork is incredibly easy to fill out,” 
said Elizabeth Keever, Heartland Health Community Health Center chief 
development officer.

The center located in Lawrence, Kansas, has 
seen its caseload more than double since the start of the pandemic. The 
center also offers help getting insurance through both Medicaid or the 
ACA marketplace.

Keever said the renewal process will lead to 
further health inequities for Black and Latino families, who 
statistically already have less access to quality care.

“It’s 
really unfortunate,” she said, “to be faced with an opportunity where 
people are finally seeking those health care services that they were 
putting off during the pandemic and now just to lose their potential 
coverage.”

Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KanCare"KanCare.ks.gov 1-800-792-4884

El Centro 913-677-0100 ask for “Health Navigation”

Heartland Community Health Center, A Compass Project 785-841-7297 ext. 219 compass@heartlandhealth.org

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680809458048.png" alt="Photo illustration by Samantha Horton / The Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo illustration by Samantha Horton / The Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAMANTHA HORTON <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-06/kansas-could-remove-thousands-of-people-from-medicaid-rolls-heres-what-to-do-if-youre-on-kancare">Kansas News Service</a>More than 500,000 Kansans face a review over the next year to see if 
they still qualify for Medicaid — the first check on eligibility since 
the pandemic prompted a temporary change in rules three years ago.That
 same federal declaration of a public health emergency effectively added
 tens of thousands to the state’s KanCare Medicaid program — people who 
could now lose that government health insurance — by temporarily barring
 states from stripping away the coverage.KanCare enrollment rose by about 130,000 people during the pandemic.The pruning of Kansas Medicaid rolls started last month when the 
state sent out letters to the first round of people up for renewal. This
 month, those 33,000 households will be reviewed to see if they still 
qualify.Experts and health care advocates suggest all Kansans on 
Medicaid update their addresses and prepare needed documents, such as 
proof of income.Even with the right documentation, tens of 
thousands of people currently in the KanCare program may no longer 
qualify for Medicaid. That means looking for coverage elsewhere — like 
through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.Preparing paperworkFor starters, make sure the state has your current address.“Folks
 could lose coverage, even if they are still technically eligible,” said
 Kate Gramlich, a project manager for health insurance enrollment group 
Cover Kansas. “They would still lose coverage if they do not submit, 
like, their renewal paperwork with the information.”She said 
homeless people can use the address of a friend, a relative or a trusted
 individual in the community who agrees to let you use their address.“The
 next crucial step is to actually watch your mail at that address and 
you will receive paperwork that is specific to your individual household
 situation,” Gramlich said.That paperwork should walk through the steps to verify Medicaid eligibility.Cover
 Kansas focuses on helping people with open enrollment for ACA 
marketplace insurance. But the group’s navigators — trained to walk 
people through the marketplace enrollment — can also help with the 
Medicaid renewal process.“Navigators are already such a kind of a trusted source of information,” Gramlich said. “We are trained to be unbiased.”El
 Centro Inc., a non-profit serving the Hispanic community in the Kansas 
City area, shares renewal guidance in Spanish. It sets up tables outside
 grocery stores and shares information at weekly classes.Justin 
Gust, El Centro’s director of community health, said otherwise 
relatively simple paperwork can prove daunting for self-employed people 
or day laborers.“It’s harder to track,” he said. “That data isn’t available.”Some people might still be filing taxes, one way to show proof of income.“We’re,
 like, in the heart of tax season, for example. And so if you’re 
self-employed, they do rely on a copy of your taxes as proof of income,”
 Gust said. “So some people are, like, ‘I haven’t filed just yet.’”Alternative
 forms can be filled out. Gust said they can be lengthy and confusing. 
That’s where El Centro, Connect Kansas and other organizations across 
the state can help.Called the “Helper Network,” the groups regularly meet with state officials about Medicaid enrollment renewal.“The ultimate goal … is to … avoid any sort of procedural disenrollment,” Gramlich said.Renewal DeniedSome folks might temporarily lose Medicaid coverage because they miss deadlines or lack all the needed paperwork.Gramlich
 recommends calling a navigator with any questions or for assistance 
going through the paperwork even if you’re denied coverage at first.“It
 would be a real person who they’d be able to talk to, and they can let 
them know, you know, what the best next steps are,” Gramlich said. “Or 
they can connect them with an in-person navigator.”However, some people going through the renewal process won’t qualify to stay on Medicaid.For those who are no longer eligible for Medicaid, the ACA marketplace might offer more affordable options than in the past.“More
 people are qualified to receive tax assistance and cost-sharing 
benefits than they had been at the beginning of the pandemic,” Gramlich 
said. “So the situation is going to be different and, hopefully, more 
accessible to more people than it was in 2020 when this whole thing 
started.”For people unable to afford policies sold on the ACA 
marketplace and no longer eligible for Medicaid, community health 
centers can be an option. They charge for care on a sliding scale based 
on income.“And the paperwork is incredibly easy to fill out,” 
said Elizabeth Keever, Heartland Health Community Health Center chief 
development officer.The center located in Lawrence, Kansas, has 
seen its caseload more than double since the start of the pandemic. The 
center also offers help getting insurance through both Medicaid or the 
ACA marketplace.Keever said the renewal process will lead to 
further health inequities for Black and Latino families, who 
statistically already have less access to quality care.“It’s 
really unfortunate,” she said, “to be faced with an opportunity where 
people are finally seeking those health care services that they were 
putting off during the pandemic and now just to lose their potential 
coverage.”Resources to reach out to:Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KanCare"KanCare.ks.gov 1-800-792-4884Connect Kansas 866-826-8375El Centro 913-677-0100 ask for “Health Navigation”Heartland Community Health Center, A Compass Project 785-841-7297 ext. 219 compass@heartlandhealth.org

With Medicaid threat looming, what to do if you're on KanCare

By ANNE CHRISTIANSEN-BULLERS KU Medical Center

Tour through the new Kansas City International Airport (KCI), and you might notice the expansive floor plan, the transparent jetway boarding bridges and the designated passenger pickup area. But less immediately apparent is the work of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/research/alzheimers-disease-research-center.html">University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center</a>&nbsp;(KU ADRC) and other local advocates to make the airport dementia-friendly.

Michelle Niedens, LSCSW, director of The Cognitive Care Network at the KU ADRC, joined with the advocacy team of Dementia Friendly Kansas City. Together they helped guide architects and designers to consider the needs of travelers with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, as well as their caregivers.

“When I heard that we’re going to have a new airport in Kansas City, I thought, ‘How wonderful would it be, at the beginning of this major endeavor where we could create an impact, to create something helpful and new, rather than having to retrofit a facility later?’” Niedens said.

Working with her in the planning process were Deborah Shouse and Ron Zoglin, co-founders of the advocacy group Dementia Friendly Kansas City. Before the airport project, they had worked with Niedens on numerous other projects seeking to make public spaces more dementia-friendly.

The group consulted with Dementia-Friendly Airports Working Group, based in Roseville, Minnesota, and an international dementia-friendly travel group, based in the United Kingdom, to gain insight into dementia-friendly design features at airports around the world.

“Even though the airport designers were trying to be inclusionary, dementia wasn’t necessarily on their list,” Shouse explained. “But they welcomed us and listened carefully as we described the needs of travelers living with dementia and their care partners.”

Justin Meyer, deputy director of aviation for marketing and air service development at KCI, gave Niedens, Shouse and Zoglin a tour of the airport before it opened on Feb. 28. “We sought to make sure this new airport terminal met all travelers where they are and was designed with the highest levels of accessibility and inclusivity in mind,” Meyer said.

Finding a restroom after a long flight can be important for any traveler, but it’s especially pressing for individuals easily overwhelmed by their surroundings, including those living with dementia. The uncertainty over being at the correct gate for departure can also be heightened. “Signage was really important to us,” Niedens said. There are also multiple information desks at the airport, not just in a central location as travelers arrive.

Family restrooms, conveniently located near same-sex restrooms, allow care partners to accompany their loved one into the restroom. Some are equipped with adult-sized changing tables. “That was something our care partners really wanted, so they have a full-size table that comes down from the wall,” Shouse said.

In the other restrooms, stalls are larger than the standard in the former terminal. “What they’ve done with the bathrooms is amazing,” Zoglin said. “It’s floor-to-ceiling privacy, and red and green lights outside of each stall let you know if it’s available or not available.”

The airport’s quiet room is finished in earthy green and wood tones to calm overwhelmed travelers. Even the dull finish on the floor, distinctive from the high-gloss tile of the rest of the facility, was picked to accommodate visual spatial changes that can occur in dementia. The finish and other key details came directly out of input provided by the dementia-friendly group.

“Sometimes the overstimulation is not just [a problem for] the person with the disease, but for the people traveling with them,” Niedens explained. “It can be tricky to travel, and what we really wanted to do is to extend the travel window for those in middle-stage (dementia) to stay connected, to visit their families, so supporting caregiving was also key.”

In addition to making traditional aspects of the airport more welcoming and convenient for people living with dementia, Niedens and her colleagues at Dementia Friendly Kansas City also recommended a simulation center in the new airport. The airport’s Kansas City Air Travel Experience provides a simulation of the air travel process from check-in to deplaning.

Appointments to experience the simulator are required, but a boarding pass is not required to enter. “Users are guided through every step of the air travel experience inside a section of an actual Airbus 321 fuselage,” the airport’s website attests.

“The simulator is almost more about the care partner’s anxiety than the person with the disease,” Niedens said. “It’s about managing that anxiety: ‘Can I manage this? Can I get this person in and out of the bathroom on a flight?’ The best way to handle that stress is to practice first,” she said, noting that the simulator is helpful to people with all different types of challenges, from dementia to autism and anxiety.

Overall, Niedens said, working with Kansas City officials, architects, designers and other advocates was “a beautiful partnership” that she believes now makes KCI one of the most dementia-friendly airports in the country. “It allowed the KU ADRC to advance our philosophy that ‘it’s not about can’t.’ We work around barriers that allow people to continue to have positive experiences and a great quality of life.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680879981616.jpeg" alt="Michelle Niedens of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center joined Deborah Shouse and Ron Zoglin of Dementia Friendly Kansas City to tour the new dementia-friendly Kansas City International Airport. (Photos courtesy Ron Zoglin, Michelle Niedens and Justin Meyer)" />
 <figcaption>Michelle Niedens of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center joined Deborah Shouse and Ron Zoglin of Dementia Friendly Kansas City to tour the new dementia-friendly Kansas City International Airport. (Photos courtesy Ron Zoglin, Michelle Niedens and Justin Meyer)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANNE CHRISTIANSEN-BULLERS KU Medical CenterTour through the new Kansas City International Airport (KCI), and you might notice the expansive floor plan, the transparent jetway boarding bridges and the designated passenger pickup area. But less immediately apparent is the work of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/research/alzheimers-disease-research-center.html">University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center</a>&nbsp;(KU ADRC) and other local advocates to make the airport dementia-friendly.Michelle Niedens, LSCSW, director of The Cognitive Care Network at the KU ADRC, joined with the advocacy team of Dementia Friendly Kansas City. Together they helped guide architects and designers to consider the needs of travelers with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, as well as their caregivers.“When I heard that we’re going to have a new airport in Kansas City, I thought, ‘How wonderful would it be, at the beginning of this major endeavor where we could create an impact, to create something helpful and new, rather than having to retrofit a facility later?’” Niedens said.Working with her in the planning process were Deborah Shouse and Ron Zoglin, co-founders of the advocacy group Dementia Friendly Kansas City. Before the airport project, they had worked with Niedens on numerous other projects seeking to make public spaces more dementia-friendly.The group consulted with Dementia-Friendly Airports Working Group, based in Roseville, Minnesota, and an international dementia-friendly travel group, based in the United Kingdom, to gain insight into dementia-friendly design features at airports around the world.“Even though the airport designers were trying to be inclusionary, dementia wasn’t necessarily on their list,” Shouse explained. “But they welcomed us and listened carefully as we described the needs of travelers living with dementia and their care partners.”Justin Meyer, deputy director of aviation for marketing and air service development at KCI, gave Niedens, Shouse and Zoglin a tour of the airport before it opened on Feb. 28. “We sought to make sure this new airport terminal met all travelers where they are and was designed with the highest levels of accessibility and inclusivity in mind,” Meyer said.<h2>Signage and specialized spaces</h2>Finding a restroom after a long flight can be important for any traveler, but it’s especially pressing for individuals easily overwhelmed by their surroundings, including those living with dementia. The uncertainty over being at the correct gate for departure can also be heightened. “Signage was really important to us,” Niedens said. There are also multiple information desks at the airport, not just in a central location as travelers arrive.Family restrooms, conveniently located near same-sex restrooms, allow care partners to accompany their loved one into the restroom. Some are equipped with adult-sized changing tables. “That was something our care partners really wanted, so they have a full-size table that comes down from the wall,” Shouse said.In the other restrooms, stalls are larger than the standard in the former terminal. “What they’ve done with the bathrooms is amazing,” Zoglin said. “It’s floor-to-ceiling privacy, and red and green lights outside of each stall let you know if it’s available or not available.”The airport’s quiet room is finished in earthy green and wood tones to calm overwhelmed travelers. Even the dull finish on the floor, distinctive from the high-gloss tile of the rest of the facility, was picked to accommodate visual spatial changes that can occur in dementia. The finish and other key details came directly out of input provided by the dementia-friendly group.“Sometimes the overstimulation is not just [a problem for] the person with the disease, but for the people traveling with them,” Niedens explained. “It can be tricky to travel, and what we really wanted to do is to extend the travel window for those in middle-stage (dementia) to stay connected, to visit their families, so supporting caregiving was also key.”<h2>Simulation center</h2>In addition to making traditional aspects of the airport more welcoming and convenient for people living with dementia, Niedens and her colleagues at Dementia Friendly Kansas City also recommended a simulation center in the new airport. The airport’s Kansas City Air Travel Experience provides a simulation of the air travel process from check-in to deplaning.Appointments to experience the simulator are required, but a boarding pass is not required to enter. “Users are guided through every step of the air travel experience inside a section of an actual Airbus 321 fuselage,” the airport’s website attests.“The simulator is almost more about the care partner’s anxiety than the person with the disease,” Niedens said. “It’s about managing that anxiety: ‘Can I manage this? Can I get this person in and out of the bathroom on a flight?’ The best way to handle that stress is to practice first,” she said, noting that the simulator is helpful to people with all different types of challenges, from dementia to autism and anxiety.Overall, Niedens said, working with Kansas City officials, architects, designers and other advocates was “a beautiful partnership” that she believes now makes KCI one of the most dementia-friendly airports in the country. “It allowed the KU ADRC to advance our philosophy that ‘it’s not about can’t.’ We work around barriers that allow people to continue to have positive experiences and a great quality of life.”

New Kansas City airport incorporates dementia-friendly features 

BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children and often escaped accountability, according to a long-awaited <a href="https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/news%20documents/OAG_redacted_Report_on_Child_Sexual_Abuse.pdf">state report</a> released Wednesday that revealed the scope of abuse spanning 80 years and accused church leaders of decades of coverups.

<a href="https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/news%20documents/OAG_redacted_Report_on_Child_Sexual_Abuse.pdf">CLICK Here to read </a>the full report from the attorney general

The report paints a damning picture of the archdiocese, which is the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the country and spans much of Maryland. Some parishes, schools and congregations had more than one abuser at the same time — including St. Mark Parish in Catonsville, which had 11 abusers living and working there between 1964 and 2004. One deacon admitted to molesting over 100 children. Another priest was allowed to feign hepatitis treatment and make other excuses to avoid facing abuse allegations.

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office released the findings of their yearslong investigation during Holy Week — considered the most sacred time of year in Christianity ahead of Easter Sunday — and said the number of victims is likely far higher. The report was redacted to protect confidential grand jury materials, meaning the identities of some accused clergy were removed.

“The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy,” the report said. “The sheer number of abusers and victims, the depravity of the abusers’ conduct, and the frequency with which known abusers were given the opportunity to continue preying upon children are astonishing.”

Disclosure of the redacted findings marks a significant development in an ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maryland-baltimore-religion-3dd3cd21726aeed307dc32073f0af3b2">legal battle over their release</a>&nbsp;and adds to growing evidence from parishes across the country as numerous similar revelations have rocked the Catholic Church in recent years.

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, in a statement posted online, apologized to the victims and said the report “details a reprehensible time in the history of this Archdiocese, a time that will not be covered up, ignored or forgotten.”

“It is difficult for most to imagine that such evil acts could have actually occurred,” Lori said. “For victim-survivors everywhere, they know the hard truth: These evil acts did occur.”

Also on Wednesday, the state legislature passed a bill to end a statute of limitations on abuse-related civil lawsuits, sending it to Gov. Wes Moore, who has said he supports it. The Baltimore archdiocese says it has paid more than $13.2 million for care and compensation for 301 abuse victims since the 1980s, including $6.8 million toward 105 voluntary settlements.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who took office in January, said the investigation shows "pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse.” State investigators began their work in 2019; they reviewed over 100,000 pages of documents dating back to the 1940s and interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses.

Victims said the report was a long-overdue public reckoning with shameful accusations the church has been facing for decades.

Jean Hargadon Wehner said she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d5ab28a56bd544c9924db6686c0b52bf">abused in Baltimore as a teen</a>&nbsp;by A. Joseph Maskell, a priest who served as her Catholic high school’s counselor and chaplain. She said she reported her abuse to church officials in the early ’90s, when her memories of the trauma finally surfaced about two decades after she was repeatedly raped.

“I expected them to do the right thing in 1992,” she told reporters Wednesday. “I’m still angry.”

Maskell abused at least 39 victims, according to the report. He denied the allegations before his death in 2001 and was never criminally charged. The Associated Press typically doesn’t name victims of abuse, but Wehner has spoken publicly to draw attention to the issue.

Kurt Rupprecht, who also experienced abuse as a child, said he was in his late 40s when he pieced together his traumatic memories. He said the realization brought him some relief because it explained decades of self-destructive behavior and mental health challenges, but also left him overwhelmed with anger and disbelief.

Rupprecht said his abuser was assigned to the Diocese of Wilmington, which covers some counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

“We’re here to speak the truth and never stop,” he said after the news conference. “We deal with this every day. It is our life sentence.”

The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, noted the report lists more names of abusers than have been released publicly by archdiocese officials. The organization called on the archbishop to explain the discrepancies.

Other investigations involving the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, which both include parts of Maryland, are ongoing.

ARCHDIOCESE TOOK STEPS TO PROTECT THE ACCUSED

The Baltimore report says church leaders were focused on keeping abuse hidden, not on protecting victims or stopping abuse. In some situations, victims ended up reporting abuse to priests who were abusive themselves. And when law enforcement did become aware of abuse allegations, police and prosecutors were often deferential and “uninterested in probing what church leaders knew and when,” according to the report.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-maryland-baltimore-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-3ff478115fb428133834c82676b892c0">nearly 500-page document</a>&nbsp;includes numerous instances of leaders taking steps to protect accused clergy, including allowing them to retire with financial support rather than be ousted, letting them remain in the ministry and failing to report alleged abuse to law enforcement.

In 1964, for instance, Father Laurence Brett admitted to sexually abusing a teenager at a Catholic university in Connecticut.

He was sent to New Mexico under the guise of hepatitis treatment and then to Sacramento, where another teenage boy reported being abused by Brett, the report said. He was later assigned to Baltimore, where he served as chaplain at a Catholic high school for boys and abused over 20 victims.

After several students accused him of abuse in 1973, Brett was allowed to resign, saying he had to care for a sick aunt. School officials didn’t report the abuse to authorities and dozens more victims later came forward. He never faced criminal charges and died in 2010.

The report largely focuses on the years before 2002, when an investigation by the Boston Globe into abuse and coverup in the Archdiocese of Boston led to an explosion of revelations nationwide. The nation’s Catholic bishops, for the first time, then agreed on reforms including a lifetime ban from ministry for any priest who commits even a single incident of abuse. While new national policies significantly improved the internal handling of reported abuse in the Baltimore archdiocese after 2002, significant flaws remained, according to the report.

Only one person has been indicted through the investigation: Neil Adleberg, 74, who was arrested last year and charged with rape and other counts. The case remains ongoing. Officials said he coached wrestling at a Catholic high school in the ’70s, then returned to the role for the 2014-2015 school year. The alleged abuse occurred in 2013 and 2014 but the victim was not a student of the school, officials said.

COURT TO CONSIDER RELEASING MORE NAMES IN THE FUTURE

Lawyers for the state asked a court for permission to release the report and a Baltimore Circuit Court judge ruled last month that a redacted version should be made public. The court ordered the removal the names and titles of 37 people accused of wrongdoing — whose names came out during confidential grand jury proceedings — but will consider releasing a more complete version in the future.

Lawmakers' passage of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clergy-sex-abuse-lawsuits-maryland-441d3b679404b5725199b5c2ee9a3803">bill to end the state’s statute of limitations</a>&nbsp;Wednesday came after similar proposals failed in recent years. Currently, victims of child sex abuse in Maryland can’t sue after they turn 38. The bill would eliminate the age limit and allow for retroactive lawsuits.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has long faced scrutiny over its handling of abuse allegations.

In 2002, Cardinal William Keeler, who served as Baltimore archbishop for nearly two decades, released a list of 57 priests accused of sexual abuse, earning himself a reputation for transparency at a time when the nationwide scope of wrongdoing remained largely unexposed. That changed, however, when a Pennsylvania grand jury accused Keeler of covering up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg in the 1980s.

BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children and often escaped accountability, according to a long-awaited <a href="https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/news%20documents/OAG_redacted_Report_on_Child_Sexual_Abuse.pdf">state report</a> released Wednesday that revealed the scope of abuse spanning 80 years and accused church leaders of decades of coverups.<a href="https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/news%20documents/OAG_redacted_Report_on_Child_Sexual_Abuse.pdf">CLICK Here to read </a>the full report from the attorney generalThe report paints a damning picture of the archdiocese, which is the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the country and spans much of Maryland. Some parishes, schools and congregations had more than one abuser at the same time — including St. Mark Parish in Catonsville, which had 11 abusers living and working there between 1964 and 2004. One deacon admitted to molesting over 100 children. Another priest was allowed to feign hepatitis treatment and make other excuses to avoid facing abuse allegations.The Maryland Attorney General’s Office released the findings of their yearslong investigation during Holy Week — considered the most sacred time of year in Christianity ahead of Easter Sunday — and said the number of victims is likely far higher. The report was redacted to protect confidential grand jury materials, meaning the identities of some accused clergy were removed.“The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy,” the report said. “The sheer number of abusers and victims, the depravity of the abusers’ conduct, and the frequency with which known abusers were given the opportunity to continue preying upon children are astonishing.”Disclosure of the redacted findings marks a significant development in an ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maryland-baltimore-religion-3dd3cd21726aeed307dc32073f0af3b2">legal battle over their release</a>&nbsp;and adds to growing evidence from parishes across the country as numerous similar revelations have rocked the Catholic Church in recent years.Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, in a statement posted online, apologized to the victims and said the report “details a reprehensible time in the history of this Archdiocese, a time that will not be covered up, ignored or forgotten.”“It is difficult for most to imagine that such evil acts could have actually occurred,” Lori said. “For victim-survivors everywhere, they know the hard truth: These evil acts did occur.”Also on Wednesday, the state legislature passed a bill to end a statute of limitations on abuse-related civil lawsuits, sending it to Gov. Wes Moore, who has said he supports it. The Baltimore archdiocese says it has paid more than $13.2 million for care and compensation for 301 abuse victims since the 1980s, including $6.8 million toward 105 voluntary settlements.Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who took office in January, said the investigation shows "pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse.” State investigators began their work in 2019; they reviewed over 100,000 pages of documents dating back to the 1940s and interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses.ABUSE RECALLED AS A ‘LIFE SENTENCE’Victims said the report was a long-overdue public reckoning with shameful accusations the church has been facing for decades.Jean Hargadon Wehner said she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d5ab28a56bd544c9924db6686c0b52bf">abused in Baltimore as a teen</a>&nbsp;by A. Joseph Maskell, a priest who served as her Catholic high school’s counselor and chaplain. She said she reported her abuse to church officials in the early ’90s, when her memories of the trauma finally surfaced about two decades after she was repeatedly raped.“I expected them to do the right thing in 1992,” she told reporters Wednesday. “I’m still angry.”Maskell abused at least 39 victims, according to the report. He denied the allegations before his death in 2001 and was never criminally charged. The Associated Press typically doesn’t name victims of abuse, but Wehner has spoken publicly to draw attention to the issue.Kurt Rupprecht, who also experienced abuse as a child, said he was in his late 40s when he pieced together his traumatic memories. He said the realization brought him some relief because it explained decades of self-destructive behavior and mental health challenges, but also left him overwhelmed with anger and disbelief.Rupprecht said his abuser was assigned to the Diocese of Wilmington, which covers some counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.“We’re here to speak the truth and never stop,” he said after the news conference. “We deal with this every day. It is our life sentence.”The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, noted the report lists more names of abusers than have been released publicly by archdiocese officials. The organization called on the archbishop to explain the discrepancies.Other investigations involving the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, which both include parts of Maryland, are ongoing.ARCHDIOCESE TOOK STEPS TO PROTECT THE ACCUSEDThe Baltimore report says church leaders were focused on keeping abuse hidden, not on protecting victims or stopping abuse. In some situations, victims ended up reporting abuse to priests who were abusive themselves. And when law enforcement did become aware of abuse allegations, police and prosecutors were often deferential and “uninterested in probing what church leaders knew and when,” according to the report.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-maryland-baltimore-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-3ff478115fb428133834c82676b892c0">nearly 500-page document</a>&nbsp;includes numerous instances of leaders taking steps to protect accused clergy, including allowing them to retire with financial support rather than be ousted, letting them remain in the ministry and failing to report alleged abuse to law enforcement.In 1964, for instance, Father Laurence Brett admitted to sexually abusing a teenager at a Catholic university in Connecticut.He was sent to New Mexico under the guise of hepatitis treatment and then to Sacramento, where another teenage boy reported being abused by Brett, the report said. He was later assigned to Baltimore, where he served as chaplain at a Catholic high school for boys and abused over 20 victims.After several students accused him of abuse in 1973, Brett was allowed to resign, saying he had to care for a sick aunt. School officials didn’t report the abuse to authorities and dozens more victims later came forward. He never faced criminal charges and died in 2010.The report largely focuses on the years before 2002, when an investigation by the Boston Globe into abuse and coverup in the Archdiocese of Boston led to an explosion of revelations nationwide. The nation’s Catholic bishops, for the first time, then agreed on reforms including a lifetime ban from ministry for any priest who commits even a single incident of abuse. While new national policies significantly improved the internal handling of reported abuse in the Baltimore archdiocese after 2002, significant flaws remained, according to the report.Only one person has been indicted through the investigation: Neil Adleberg, 74, who was arrested last year and charged with rape and other counts. The case remains ongoing. Officials said he coached wrestling at a Catholic high school in the ’70s, then returned to the role for the 2014-2015 school year. The alleged abuse occurred in 2013 and 2014 but the victim was not a student of the school, officials said.COURT TO CONSIDER RELEASING MORE NAMES IN THE FUTURELawyers for the state asked a court for permission to release the report and a Baltimore Circuit Court judge ruled last month that a redacted version should be made public. The court ordered the removal the names and titles of 37 people accused of wrongdoing — whose names came out during confidential grand jury proceedings — but will consider releasing a more complete version in the future.Lawmakers' passage of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clergy-sex-abuse-lawsuits-maryland-441d3b679404b5725199b5c2ee9a3803">bill to end the state’s statute of limitations</a>&nbsp;Wednesday came after similar proposals failed in recent years. Currently, victims of child sex abuse in Maryland can’t sue after they turn 38. The bill would eliminate the age limit and allow for retroactive lawsuits.The Archdiocese of Baltimore has long faced scrutiny over its handling of abuse allegations.In 2002, Cardinal William Keeler, who served as Baltimore archbishop for nearly two decades, released a list of 57 priests accused of sexual abuse, earning himself a reputation for transparency at a time when the nationwide scope of wrongdoing remained largely unexposed. That changed, however, when a Pennsylvania grand jury accused Keeler of covering up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg in the 1980s.___

Read the new report of 'staggering' Catholic Church child sex abuse

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Local law enforcement and the FBI are investigating a pair of ATM burglaries in Topeka.

Just after 4a.m. March 30, police responded to Community National Bank, 5431 SW 29th Street and just after 3a.m. Friday, police responded to Core First Bank and Trust, 2021 SE 29th Street both in Topeka after reports of ATM burglaries, according to police spokesperson Rachel Nichols.

Investigators believe the burglaries are connected and are working to find two vehicles involved. Police released security camera images of the suspect vehicles.

 Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to contact police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680295603072.png" alt="One of the ATMs involved in the burglaries -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>One of the ATMs involved in the burglaries -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Local law enforcement and the FBI are investigating a pair of ATM burglaries in Topeka.Just after 4a.m. March 30, police responded to Community National Bank, 5431 SW 29th Street and just after 3a.m. Friday, police responded to Core First Bank and Trust, 2021 SE 29th Street both in Topeka after reports of ATM burglaries, according to police spokesperson Rachel Nichols.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680295630388.png" alt="Security camera images Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680295953834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators believe the burglaries are connected and are working to find two vehicles involved. Police released security camera images of the suspect vehicles. Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to contact police.

FBI still working to locate suspect in Kan. ATM burglaries

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers passed a tax cut package in the early Friday morning hours that fuses a flat tax rate for individual income with an accelerated reduction in the state sales tax on food, corporate tax breaks and residential property tax relief.

The policies assembled into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb169/">Senate Bill 169</a>&nbsp;add up to $1.3 billion in decreased state tax collections over the next three years, with more than half of the cost associated with the flat tax. The bill eliminates the sales tax on food at the start of next year.

“To me, it’s always a priority to get it back to taxpayers instead of growing government, and that’s that this bill does, and it does it very nicely,” said Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee. “It considers everybody, from low income tax to everybody.”

Legislators worked past 4 a.m. to finalize a long list of last-minute deals before taking a three-week break. They will return at the end of April to attempt an override of any legislation vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly, and to put the final touches on state spending and other policy ideas.

The Democratic governor has indicated she would veto an expensive flat tax plan. Lawmakers have debated various proposals this year that would replace a three-tier system — depending on income level, Kansans currently pay 3.1%, 5.25% or 5.7% — with a single rate. The new deal installs a 5.15% rate to all income after $6,150 for an individual or $12,300 for a married couple.

The Department of Revenue estimated the new rate would cost the state about $330 million annually.

House Minority Leader Vic Miller, a Topeka Democrat, said he previously voted in favor of a tax plan that contained a 5.25% flat tax, even though the governor asked him not to.

“I thought it was likely to be the best deal we were going to get, and I think I’m right,” Miller said.

The earlier plan also included more property tax relief and other measurers that were changed during negotiations between the House and Senate.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the lowering of the proposed flat tax rate adds up to $80 million in annual revenue.

“That $80 million difference? All of that additional cost goes to higher income,” Sawyer said. “Every single penny of that goes to higher income taxpayers.”

Sawyer said other changes in the bill also benefit the wealthiest Kansans.

Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Taxation Committee, said Sawyer’s analysis was accurate.

“I’m not going to try to get up here and persuade you differently,” Smith said. “… If you study the numbers, if you look at the way that plays out, it does benefit primarily the upper incomes.”

The House passed the bill on an 85-35 vote that fell along party lines. The Senate, which debated the bill after 2 a.m., passed the package on a 24-13 vote with two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition and three Republicans absent. The totals indicate veto-proof support from the GOP supermajority.

Under the tax package, revenues are projected to decline by $302.7 million in the fiscal year that starts in July. The following fiscal year, the revenue loss is $569.3 million, followed by $480.8 million in fiscal year 2026.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, said the bill “hearkens back to the good ol’ Sam days,” a reference to former Gov. Sam Brownback and the so-called “tax experiment” the Legislature passed in 2012. The policy cratered state revenues before it was largely overturned in 2017.

As Holland put it, “it was a very bad scene.”

Holland objected to creating a flat tax rate where “the vast majority” of savings go to people making more than $100,000 per year. And he objected to a claim by Tyson that putting money back into people’s pockets would actually generate more tax dollars.

“This is the same bill of goods that was sold during 2012 when we went down the Brownback path,” Holland said. “As much as people wanted to talk about the expected multiplier effect of additional dollars rolling through the economy, it never did.”

Tyson dusted off&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2018/03/25/report-refutes-brownback-claim-that-rural-recession-caused-budget-woes/12917779007/">a debunked narrative</a>&nbsp;that blamed the failure of Brownback’s tax cuts on an economic downturn.

“It was the perfect storm,” Tyson said. “You had tax cuts, you had increased spending, and then we took a hit in oil and gas, aviation, and agriculture. So that sound byte is not reality. It is a major red herring. This is a very thoughtful process.”

Among other provisions, the bill accelerates the elimination of the state sales tax on food by wiping it out entirely on Jan. 1, 2024, instead of gradually phasing out the tax a year later.

Another provision accelerates planned reductions in the corporate income tax rate from 4% to 3%. Those reductions were attached to legislation authorizing economic development deals for Panasonic to build an electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto and Integra Technologies to expand computer chip manufacturing in the Wichita area. The change is projected to reduce state revenues by about $40 million annually.

Banks and other financial institutions would get a tax cut amounting to about $7 million annually.

The bill also increases the amount of residential property value exempt from the state 20 mill levy from $40,000 to $60,000. The mill levy is used to help fund K-12 public schools.

The increased exemption amounts to a $40 million annual property tax cut.

The standard deduction for individual income taxes would increase through an inflation adjustment every year. The change will reduce state revenues by $15 million in fiscal year 2025 and $25 million the following year.

An exemption on Social Security benefits will increase from $75,000 to $100,000 in income, reducing state revenues by about $22 million annually. The exemption will increase by $5,000 every year.

The House also passed by 76-43 vote an additional tax package contained in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb8/">Senate Bill 8</a>, which bundles numerous pieces of legislation dealing with property, sales and income taxes. Those changes would total about $80 million a year in revenue loss for the state. The Senate didn’t take action on the bill before adjourning around 4:20 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/P4060100-1024x576.jpg" alt="- House Minority Leader Vic Miller leads a meeting April 6, 2023, of House Democrats to review legislation they would vote on. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- House Minority Leader Vic Miller leads a meeting April 6, 2023, of House Democrats to review legislation they would vote on. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers passed a tax cut package in the early Friday morning hours that fuses a flat tax rate for individual income with an accelerated reduction in the state sales tax on food, corporate tax breaks and residential property tax relief.The policies assembled into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb169/">Senate Bill 169</a>&nbsp;add up to $1.3 billion in decreased state tax collections over the next three years, with more than half of the cost associated with the flat tax. The bill eliminates the sales tax on food at the start of next year.“To me, it’s always a priority to get it back to taxpayers instead of growing government, and that’s that this bill does, and it does it very nicely,” said Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee. “It considers everybody, from low income tax to everybody.”Legislators worked past 4 a.m. to finalize a long list of last-minute deals before taking a three-week break. They will return at the end of April to attempt an override of any legislation vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly, and to put the final touches on state spending and other policy ideas.The Democratic governor has indicated she would veto an expensive flat tax plan. Lawmakers have debated various proposals this year that would replace a three-tier system — depending on income level, Kansans currently pay 3.1%, 5.25% or 5.7% — with a single rate. The new deal installs a 5.15% rate to all income after $6,150 for an individual or $12,300 for a married couple.The Department of Revenue estimated the new rate would cost the state about $330 million annually.House Minority Leader Vic Miller, a Topeka Democrat, said he previously voted in favor of a tax plan that contained a 5.25% flat tax, even though the governor asked him not to.“I thought it was likely to be the best deal we were going to get, and I think I’m right,” Miller said.The earlier plan also included more property tax relief and other measurers that were changed during negotiations between the House and Senate.Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the lowering of the proposed flat tax rate adds up to $80 million in annual revenue.“That $80 million difference? All of that additional cost goes to higher income,” Sawyer said. “Every single penny of that goes to higher income taxpayers.”Sawyer said other changes in the bill also benefit the wealthiest Kansans.Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Taxation Committee, said Sawyer’s analysis was accurate.“I’m not going to try to get up here and persuade you differently,” Smith said. “… If you study the numbers, if you look at the way that plays out, it does benefit primarily the upper incomes.”The House passed the bill on an 85-35 vote that fell along party lines. The Senate, which debated the bill after 2 a.m., passed the package on a 24-13 vote with two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition and three Republicans absent. The totals indicate veto-proof support from the GOP supermajority.Under the tax package, revenues are projected to decline by $302.7 million in the fiscal year that starts in July. The following fiscal year, the revenue loss is $569.3 million, followed by $480.8 million in fiscal year 2026.Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, said the bill “hearkens back to the good ol’ Sam days,” a reference to former Gov. Sam Brownback and the so-called “tax experiment” the Legislature passed in 2012. The policy cratered state revenues before it was largely overturned in 2017.As Holland put it, “it was a very bad scene.”Holland objected to creating a flat tax rate where “the vast majority” of savings go to people making more than $100,000 per year. And he objected to a claim by Tyson that putting money back into people’s pockets would actually generate more tax dollars.“This is the same bill of goods that was sold during 2012 when we went down the Brownback path,” Holland said. “As much as people wanted to talk about the expected multiplier effect of additional dollars rolling through the economy, it never did.”Tyson dusted off&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2018/03/25/report-refutes-brownback-claim-that-rural-recession-caused-budget-woes/12917779007/">a debunked narrative</a>&nbsp;that blamed the failure of Brownback’s tax cuts on an economic downturn.“It was the perfect storm,” Tyson said. “You had tax cuts, you had increased spending, and then we took a hit in oil and gas, aviation, and agriculture. So that sound byte is not reality. It is a major red herring. This is a very thoughtful process.”Among other provisions, the bill accelerates the elimination of the state sales tax on food by wiping it out entirely on Jan. 1, 2024, instead of gradually phasing out the tax a year later.Another provision accelerates planned reductions in the corporate income tax rate from 4% to 3%. Those reductions were attached to legislation authorizing economic development deals for Panasonic to build an electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto and Integra Technologies to expand computer chip manufacturing in the Wichita area. The change is projected to reduce state revenues by about $40 million annually.Banks and other financial institutions would get a tax cut amounting to about $7 million annually.The bill also increases the amount of residential property value exempt from the state 20 mill levy from $40,000 to $60,000. The mill levy is used to help fund K-12 public schools.The increased exemption amounts to a $40 million annual property tax cut.The standard deduction for individual income taxes would increase through an inflation adjustment every year. The change will reduce state revenues by $15 million in fiscal year 2025 and $25 million the following year.An exemption on Social Security benefits will increase from $75,000 to $100,000 in income, reducing state revenues by about $22 million annually. The exemption will increase by $5,000 every year.The House also passed by 76-43 vote an additional tax package contained in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb8/">Senate Bill 8</a>, which bundles numerous pieces of legislation dealing with property, sales and income taxes. Those changes would total about $80 million a year in revenue loss for the state. The Senate didn’t take action on the bill before adjourning around 4:20 a.m.

Kan. Legislature packages new flat tax rate with quicker end to food tax

WASHINGTON (AP) — Access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty Friday following conflicting court rulings over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone that has been widely available for more than 20 years. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone in a decision that overruled decades of scientific approval.&nbsp;

President Biden criticized&nbsp;Kacsmaryk's decision. In a statement from the White House, Biden said, "a single federal district judge in Texas ruled that a prescription medication that has been available for more than 22 years, approved by the FDA and used safely and effectively by millions of women here and around the world, should no longer be approved in the United States."

"The Court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs. If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks." "The prescription medication in question in this case is used for medication abortion, and medication abortion accounts for over half the abortions in America.&nbsp; The lawsuit, and this ruling, is another unprecedented step in taking away basic freedoms from women and putting their health at risk.&nbsp; This does not just affect women in Texas – if it stands, it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication, regardless of whether abortion is legal in a state.&nbsp; It is the next big step toward the national ban on abortion that Republican elected officials have vowed to make law in America." "My Administration will fight this ruling.&nbsp; The Department of Justice has already filed an appeal and will seek an immediate stay of the decision.&nbsp; But let’s be clear – the only way to stop those who are committed to taking away women’s rights and freedoms in every state is to elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring Roe versus Wade."&nbsp;

"I will continue to lead the fight to protect a woman’s right to an abortion, and to make her own decisions about her own health.&nbsp; That is our commitment."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="Boxes of the drug mifepristone.&nbsp;About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve the abortion pill. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed, File)" />
 <figcaption>Boxes of the drug mifepristone.&nbsp;About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve the abortion pill. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty Friday following conflicting court rulings over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone that has been widely available for more than 20 years. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone in a decision that overruled decades of scientific approval.&nbsp;President Biden criticized&nbsp;Kacsmaryk's decision. In a statement from the White House, Biden said, "a single federal district judge in Texas ruled that a prescription medication that has been available for more than 22 years, approved by the FDA and used safely and effectively by millions of women here and around the world, should no longer be approved in the United States.""The Court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs. If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks." "The prescription medication in question in this case is used for medication abortion, and medication abortion accounts for over half the abortions in America.&nbsp; The lawsuit, and this ruling, is another unprecedented step in taking away basic freedoms from women and putting their health at risk.&nbsp; This does not just affect women in Texas – if it stands, it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication, regardless of whether abortion is legal in a state.&nbsp; It is the next big step toward the national ban on abortion that Republican elected officials have vowed to make law in America." "My Administration will fight this ruling.&nbsp; The Department of Justice has already filed an appeal and will seek an immediate stay of the decision.&nbsp; But let’s be clear – the only way to stop those who are committed to taking away women’s rights and freedoms in every state is to elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring Roe versus Wade."&nbsp; "I will continue to lead the fight to protect a woman’s right to an abortion, and to make her own decisions about her own health.&nbsp; That is our commitment."Vice President Kamala Harris issued a similar statement, "Each person in our nation should have the right to access safe and effective medication which has been approved by the FDA. In the face of attacks on a woman’s right to access an abortion, our Administration will continue to fight to protect reproductive freedom and the ability of all Americans to make health care decisions with their doctors free from political interference." Kacsmaryk's decision in Texas came at nearly the same time that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice, an Obama appointee, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-abortion-pills-lawsuit-fda-1857d1a4fd356c61ad76e00621e93b44">ordered the opposite</a>&nbsp;and directed U.S. authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the drug in at least 17 states where Democrats sued in an effort to protect availability.