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

TOPEKA — Emporia State University has asked a district court judge to review and reverse the reinstatement of five professors fired last year as part of a university-wide restructuring.

The Office of Administrative Hearings ordered the reversal of the terminations of Amanda Miracle, Robert Catlett, Michael Behrens, Lynette Sievert and Dan Colson because the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them.&nbsp;ESU responded with petitions in Lyon County District Court seeking to reverse the OAH orders and rule in favor of the university.

“It was kind of a short-lived victory, I guess, in that we then have to go to district court,” said Sievert, a professor of biological sciences. “They’re appealing the fact that we won.”

In October 2022, ESU and the OAH signed an interagency agreement outlining the appeals assignments and service agreements. Kansas Reflector obtained a copy of the contract, which shows ESU agreed to pay a service bill of $115 per hour for OAH services.

Gwen Larson, spokeswoman for ESU, said the university has not yet received any billing statements from the OAH so she does not know the cost of the hearings. OAH didn’t immediately respond to a Kansas Open Records Act request for related documents.

Four additional professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for decisions on their cases, and two other professors’ terminations were affirmed by OAH.

The university informed some of the professors they were being placed on administrative leave and told them to clear out their offices at the end of the school year.

ESU president Ken Hush went before the Kansas Board of Regents in September 2022 to adopt the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/esubulletin.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/52/75242d50-2f8e-11ed-940c-dbfa9ec4e384/631a1046d2625.pdf.pdf">Framework for Workforce Management</a>, a document allowing the termination of professors on campus regardless of their tenure status. The next day, the university fired 33 faculty members, effective May 16.

“Honestly, I did not think what they did could be done,” Sievert said. “It was such a shock, because I thought tenure actually meant something, not that people could come along and just say, well, we’re going to ignore it for a little while.”

A spokesman for KBOR did not respond to a request for an interview.

As outlined in the framework, the fired faculty members had 30 days to file an appeal to OAH. Once the administrative officer assigned to a professor’s case decided on the appeal, the ruling would be final and neither KBOR nor the university could appeal the case. However, state law allows the university or employee to seek judicial review of the administrative officer’s legal reasoning.

“An appeal under this policy will not stay the effective date of the suspension, dismissal, or termination,” read the last section of the framework. “An employee who wins their appeal will be entitled to reinstatement, back pay and restoration of other lost benefits.”

Larson objected to Kansas Reflector’s use of the word “reinstated” to describe faculty members who won their appeal. Larson said the final decision regarding the status of the professors has not been made, despite the terminations being “reversed” through the appeals decisions.

“We’re not really using the term reinstatement,” Larson said. “I know that that is the easiest description for what it looks like happened with some of those wage decisions, but essentially, what some of those decisions said is that the administrative judge ruled that we did not follow our procedure to terminate these appointments. That does not necessarily give a person their position back.”

If a Lyon County District Court judge upholds the decision made by OAH, the university may file additional legal action. If the judge disagrees with the decision to reverse the termination, the case may be sent back to OAH for reconsideration.

Jess Mack, legal assistant for OAH, said the university filing the petition is standard and all decisions made by the office are subject to appeal.

Four professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for rulings from OAH, months after the appeals began.

Three of the appealing professors decided to drop their appeals and retire. Factors that may have contributed to their decisions include unused sick leave that is not available after being fired, the possibility of teaching as an adjunct professor, eligibility for emeritus status, and financial strain through the continual appeals process.

The OAH officers affirmed the decisions to terminate two professors, Christopher Lovett and Sheryl Lidzy, because the university provided explanations for their dismissals, as required by the framework policy adopted by KBOR. Lovett and Lidzy have been removed from the university directory.

The American Association of University Professors found KBOR members and ESU administrators “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/emporia-state-university-kansas-board-of-regents-members-unfit-to-lead-investigation-finds/">unfit to lead</a>” following a monthslong investigation into the university’s restructuring and firing of tenured professors.

ESU is the only Kansas institution to be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/censure-list">censured by the AAUP</a>&nbsp;and is one of three U.S. institutions censured in 2023.

The investigative report was released May 1, just days after ESU announced its plan to restructure the university into large schools, eliminating departments and department chairs.

Michael Smith, a political science professor and former chairman of the department of social sciences, sociology and criminology, said he was notified via email at 1 p.m. the day grades were due for the spring semester that his duties as chairman of the department would conclude at 5 p.m. that afternoon.

When asked if Smith was the only department chair asked to step down before the end of the fiscal year, Larson said ESU does not comment on personnel-related matters.

Smith said that while he is grateful he is still getting paid as a department chairman through the end of the fiscal year, he doesn’t understand the university’s rush. One of his duties as chairman was to file the assessment report on the previous year that reviews the learning outcomes of the program and uses assessment data in order to determine how well those outcomes were achieved. Based on the findings, recommendations for the following year are offered.

Larson said the reports will still be completed through the restructuring.

The assessment report is critical for the Higher Learning Commission accreditation, Smith said.

Accreditation “validates the quality” of an institution’s academic programs and instruction at all degree levels, according to the HLC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/accreditation-overview.html">website</a>. A degree from an unaccredited institution is not transferable to other institutions.

ESU is scheduled for its 10-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/comprehensive-evaluation.html">comprehensive evaluation</a>&nbsp;to reaffirm accreditation by HLC in 2024-25, said Laura Janota, HLC spokeswoman. The university will host a visit from reviewers in fall 2024.

The AAUP finding ESU administration unfit to lead will be a consideration in the HLC evaluation, said Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, a Kansas AAUP committee officer.

“If the institution loses accreditation, then essentially the degree from ESU would become worthless,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “So right now, in many ways, the AAUP censure is the canary in the coal mine, and the canary has basically died.”

What has happened at ESU was “brutal to teachers,” Barrett-Gonzalez said.

ESU was listed as one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/10-worst-colleges-free-speech-2023?utm_source=FIRE_Update&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Update&amp;fb_subscribed=true">10 worst colleges for free speech</a>&nbsp;in February by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Smith said he has entered the job market and is hoping to find an institution that is not censured by AAUP and values free speech where he can continue working in academia.

“I love being chair and would have been happy to continue doing that, or I’d like to be maybe a different kind of administrator,” Smith said. “The glitch there is since I’m strongly opposed to ESU’s new direction, I don’t see any role for me there, and so it becomes a question of looking to do that role at another school.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254914902.png" alt=" Emporia State University is asking a Lyon County District Court judge to review and reverse decisions by state appeals officers to reinstate professors who were fired last fall. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Emporia State University is asking a Lyon County District Court judge to review and reverse decisions by state appeals officers to reinstate professors who were fired last fall. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Emporia State University has asked a district court judge to review and reverse the reinstatement of five professors fired last year as part of a university-wide restructuring.The Office of Administrative Hearings ordered the reversal of the terminations of Amanda Miracle, Robert Catlett, Michael Behrens, Lynette Sievert and Dan Colson because the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them.&nbsp;ESU responded with petitions in Lyon County District Court seeking to reverse the OAH orders and rule in favor of the university.“It was kind of a short-lived victory, I guess, in that we then have to go to district court,” said Sievert, a professor of biological sciences. “They’re appealing the fact that we won.”In October 2022, ESU and the OAH signed an interagency agreement outlining the appeals assignments and service agreements. Kansas Reflector obtained a copy of the contract, which shows ESU agreed to pay a service bill of $115 per hour for OAH services.Gwen Larson, spokeswoman for ESU, said the university has not yet received any billing statements from the OAH so she does not know the cost of the hearings. OAH didn’t immediately respond to a Kansas Open Records Act request for related documents.Four additional professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for decisions on their cases, and two other professors’ terminations were affirmed by OAH.The university informed some of the professors they were being placed on administrative leave and told them to clear out their offices at the end of the school year.<h2>Appealing termination</h2>ESU president Ken Hush went before the Kansas Board of Regents in September 2022 to adopt the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/esubulletin.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/52/75242d50-2f8e-11ed-940c-dbfa9ec4e384/631a1046d2625.pdf.pdf">Framework for Workforce Management</a>, a document allowing the termination of professors on campus regardless of their tenure status. The next day, the university fired 33 faculty members, effective May 16.“Honestly, I did not think what they did could be done,” Sievert said. “It was such a shock, because I thought tenure actually meant something, not that people could come along and just say, well, we’re going to ignore it for a little while.”A spokesman for KBOR did not respond to a request for an interview.As outlined in the framework, the fired faculty members had 30 days to file an appeal to OAH. Once the administrative officer assigned to a professor’s case decided on the appeal, the ruling would be final and neither KBOR nor the university could appeal the case. However, state law allows the university or employee to seek judicial review of the administrative officer’s legal reasoning.“An appeal under this policy will not stay the effective date of the suspension, dismissal, or termination,” read the last section of the framework. “An employee who wins their appeal will be entitled to reinstatement, back pay and restoration of other lost benefits.”Larson objected to Kansas Reflector’s use of the word “reinstated” to describe faculty members who won their appeal. Larson said the final decision regarding the status of the professors has not been made, despite the terminations being “reversed” through the appeals decisions.“We’re not really using the term reinstatement,” Larson said. “I know that that is the easiest description for what it looks like happened with some of those wage decisions, but essentially, what some of those decisions said is that the administrative judge ruled that we did not follow our procedure to terminate these appointments. That does not necessarily give a person their position back.”If a Lyon County District Court judge upholds the decision made by OAH, the university may file additional legal action. If the judge disagrees with the decision to reverse the termination, the case may be sent back to OAH for reconsideration.Jess Mack, legal assistant for OAH, said the university filing the petition is standard and all decisions made by the office are subject to appeal.Four professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for rulings from OAH, months after the appeals began.Three of the appealing professors decided to drop their appeals and retire. Factors that may have contributed to their decisions include unused sick leave that is not available after being fired, the possibility of teaching as an adjunct professor, eligibility for emeritus status, and financial strain through the continual appeals process.The OAH officers affirmed the decisions to terminate two professors, Christopher Lovett and Sheryl Lidzy, because the university provided explanations for their dismissals, as required by the framework policy adopted by KBOR. Lovett and Lidzy have been removed from the university directory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254820369.png" alt="Fired history professor Chris Lovett appears at an April 18, 2023, meeting of the faculty senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Fired history professor Chris Lovett appears at an April 18, 2023, meeting of the faculty senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Unfit to lead’</h2>The American Association of University Professors found KBOR members and ESU administrators “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/emporia-state-university-kansas-board-of-regents-members-unfit-to-lead-investigation-finds/">unfit to lead</a>” following a monthslong investigation into the university’s restructuring and firing of tenured professors.ESU is the only Kansas institution to be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/censure-list">censured by the AAUP</a>&nbsp;and is one of three U.S. institutions censured in 2023.The investigative report was released May 1, just days after ESU announced its plan to restructure the university into large schools, eliminating departments and department chairs.Michael Smith, a political science professor and former chairman of the department of social sciences, sociology and criminology, said he was notified via email at 1 p.m. the day grades were due for the spring semester that his duties as chairman of the department would conclude at 5 p.m. that afternoon.When asked if Smith was the only department chair asked to step down before the end of the fiscal year, Larson said ESU does not comment on personnel-related matters.Smith said that while he is grateful he is still getting paid as a department chairman through the end of the fiscal year, he doesn’t understand the university’s rush. One of his duties as chairman was to file the assessment report on the previous year that reviews the learning outcomes of the program and uses assessment data in order to determine how well those outcomes were achieved. Based on the findings, recommendations for the following year are offered.Larson said the reports will still be completed through the restructuring.The assessment report is critical for the Higher Learning Commission accreditation, Smith said.Accreditation “validates the quality” of an institution’s academic programs and instruction at all degree levels, according to the HLC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/accreditation-overview.html">website</a>. A degree from an unaccredited institution is not transferable to other institutions.ESU is scheduled for its 10-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/comprehensive-evaluation.html">comprehensive evaluation</a>&nbsp;to reaffirm accreditation by HLC in 2024-25, said Laura Janota, HLC spokeswoman. The university will host a visit from reviewers in fall 2024.The AAUP finding ESU administration unfit to lead will be a consideration in the HLC evaluation, said Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, a Kansas AAUP committee officer.“If the institution loses accreditation, then essentially the degree from ESU would become worthless,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “So right now, in many ways, the AAUP censure is the canary in the coal mine, and the canary has basically died.”What has happened at ESU was “brutal to teachers,” Barrett-Gonzalez said.ESU was listed as one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/10-worst-colleges-free-speech-2023?utm_source=FIRE_Update&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Update&amp;fb_subscribed=true">10 worst colleges for free speech</a>&nbsp;in February by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.Smith said he has entered the job market and is hoping to find an institution that is not censured by AAUP and values free speech where he can continue working in academia.“I love being chair and would have been happy to continue doing that, or I’d like to be maybe a different kind of administrator,” Smith said. “The glitch there is since I’m strongly opposed to ESU’s new direction, I don’t see any role for me there, and so it becomes a question of looking to do that role at another school.”

‘Short-lived victory:’ Emporia State takes reinstated professors to court

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused in a fatal shooting last month made her first court appearance in the case Wednesday and is out of jail after meeting the requirements of a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.

La’Niha Banks, 19 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, attempted 1st degree murder, two counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, and four counts of aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Tuesday, police arrested&nbsp; Banks after a 17 day search.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just after 11 pm May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N. in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers located&nbsp; 19-year-old Lationna Johnson &nbsp;with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. 

EMS transported Johnson to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries. She died on May 23, according to Rebolledo. 

The investigation revealed that Johnson was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but the Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.

&nbsp;Attorneys in the case are scheduled to discuss future dates on June 22, according to the. District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686138861430.png" alt="Banks photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Banks photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused in a fatal shooting last month made her first court appearance in the case Wednesday and is out of jail after meeting the requirements of a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.La’Niha Banks, 19 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, attempted 1st degree murder, two counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, and four counts of aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Tuesday, police arrested&nbsp; Banks after a 17 day search.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after 11 pm May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N. in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers located&nbsp; 19-year-old Lationna Johnson &nbsp;with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. EMS transported Johnson to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries. She died on May 23, according to Rebolledo. The investigation revealed that Johnson was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but the Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.&nbsp;Attorneys in the case are scheduled to discuss future dates on June 22, according to the. District Attorney's office.----------

Kan. murder suspect who hid from from police 17 days is out of jail

WASHINGTON (AP) — Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author renowned for her portrayal of the lives of pioneer settlers in the U.S. Heartland, was honored Wednesday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in her likeness in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.

The statue’s creator, Littleton Alston, a professor of sculpture at Creighton University, is the first Black artist to have work represented in the national collection.

Cather, whose works include “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers,” spent her young years in Red Cloud, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1895. She won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel “One of Ours.”

U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, noted that Cather was a trailblazer in the literary world who has earned a lasting place among the great American writers.

And U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said Cather’s fiction “truly feels like it grew from the soil of Nebraska.”

“For decades until her death in 1947, Cather was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home on the open plains of the Heartland,” Fischer said.

“You’re work inspires us, and hopefully this experience can inspire all of us in this room to go home and to do a little bit more than we ever thought we could,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the crowd that Cather’s prose is still celebrated because it gave a voice to pioneers who chose to take a chance for a better life.

“Nebraskans are lucky to call Willa Cather one of their own,” McCarthy said. “But ultimately, her work belongs here because it is American to the core. Her authenticity, emotion, artistry spoke of Americans’ fundamental values. Ultimately, it reminds us that this is a land of opportunity.”

Each state has two statues at the U.S. Capitol, with many in the Statuary Hall. Nebraska’s other statue, of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, was unveiled in 2019.

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic minority leader of the House, said Cather was the first Pulitzer Prize winner and 12th woman recognized in the collection. He said she and Standing Bear captured “the heart and soul of the great state of Nebraska.”

“Her stories are the stories of people who risked everything,” Jeffries said. “She captured in such a powerful way the story of America and our country’s exceptionalism.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author renowned for her portrayal of the lives of pioneer settlers in the U.S. Heartland, was honored Wednesday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in her likeness in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.(click below to watch the ceremony)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/icmwM9y618o?start=511" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The statue’s creator, Littleton Alston, a professor of sculpture at Creighton University, is the first Black artist to have work represented in the national collection.Cather, whose works include “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers,” spent her young years in Red Cloud, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1895. She won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel “One of Ours.”U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, noted that Cather was a trailblazer in the literary world who has earned a lasting place among the great American writers.And U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said Cather’s fiction “truly feels like it grew from the soil of Nebraska.”“For decades until her death in 1947, Cather was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home on the open plains of the Heartland,” Fischer said.Officials also recognized Alston.“You’re work inspires us, and hopefully this experience can inspire all of us in this room to go home and to do a little bit more than we ever thought we could,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the crowd that Cather’s prose is still celebrated because it gave a voice to pioneers who chose to take a chance for a better life.“Nebraskans are lucky to call Willa Cather one of their own,” McCarthy said. “But ultimately, her work belongs here because it is American to the core. Her authenticity, emotion, artistry spoke of Americans’ fundamental values. Ultimately, it reminds us that this is a land of opportunity.”Each state has two statues at the U.S. Capitol, with many in the Statuary Hall. Nebraska’s other statue, of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, was unveiled in 2019.U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic minority leader of the House, said Cather was the first Pulitzer Prize winner and 12th woman recognized in the collection. He said she and Standing Bear captured “the heart and soul of the great state of Nebraska.”“Her stories are the stories of people who risked everything,” Jeffries said. “She captured in such a powerful way the story of America and our country’s exceptionalism.”___

🎥 Statue of noted author Willa Cather unveiled in US Capitol

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two top Republican state officials argued Wednesday over how much it would cost Missouri to restore the right to abortion, with the state attorney general insisting that the figure should account for lost revenue that wouldn't be collected from people who otherwise would be born.

The issue came up during a trial over a proposed ballot measure that would let voters decide in 2024 whether to amend the state constitution to guarantee abortion rights.

Abortions were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">almost completely banned</a>&nbsp;in Missouri following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. There are exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for cases of rape or incest.

Supporters are trying to put a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-voters-election-0d2fdde552c2478b283937a6fab78cfc">proposed amendment</a>&nbsp;before voters next year that would protect abortion rights and pregnant women, as well as access to birth control.

But the effort stalled in April because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">a spat</a>&nbsp;between Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick and newly appointed Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argues that the cost could be far greater than what his Republican peer estimated.

ACLU of Missouri lawyer Tony Rothert told Beetem on Wednesday that his clients at the abortion rights campaign are stuck in limbo because the two officeholders are at an impasse, and that the campaign can't begin collecting voter signatures without an official fiscal note.

“If we sit around and wait indefinitely, then that defeats the right of initiative,” Rothert said.

Fitzpatrick's office in March found that the proposal would have no known impact on state funds and an estimated cost of at least $51,000 annually in reduced local tax revenues, although “opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.”

Bailey contends that the cost would be closer to between $12.5 billion and $51 billion because of potential violations of federal Medicaid laws and lost tax revenue from fewer citizens — people who would be born if abortion weren't an option — and he directed Fitzpatrick to change the cost estimate to reflect that.

But Fitzpatrick refused, arguing that a multibillion-dollar projection for the initiative petition is inaccurate, despite Fitzpatrick's personal opposition to abortion.

“As much as I would prefer to be able to say this IP would result in a loss to the state of Missouri of $12.5 billion in federal funds, it wouldn’t,” Fitzpatrick wrote in an April 21 letter to Bailey. “To submit a fiscal note summary that I know contains inaccurate information would violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.”

In the past, Missouri auditors have analyzed potential costs of ballot measures and attorneys general have approved those estimates without issue.

Lawyers for Fitzpatrick argued on Wednesday that the attorney general does not have the authority to second-guess the auditor's financial expertise and that allowing the attorney general to demand changes could theoretically result in “a never-ending cycle" of revisions.

The attorney general’s office argued that Bailey’s role goes beyond approving whatever price tag the auditor calculates.

“There's no rubber-stamping involved,” said Jason Lewis, of the attorney general's office. “Otherwise, why have the process at all?”

Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem is not expected to rule on the case until June 14 at the earliest.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two top Republican state officials argued Wednesday over how much it would cost Missouri to restore the right to abortion, with the state attorney general insisting that the figure should account for lost revenue that wouldn't be collected from people who otherwise would be born.The issue came up during a trial over a proposed ballot measure that would let voters decide in 2024 whether to amend the state constitution to guarantee abortion rights.Abortions were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">almost completely banned</a>&nbsp;in Missouri following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. There are exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for cases of rape or incest.Supporters are trying to put a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-voters-election-0d2fdde552c2478b283937a6fab78cfc">proposed amendment</a>&nbsp;before voters next year that would protect abortion rights and pregnant women, as well as access to birth control.But the effort stalled in April because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">a spat</a>&nbsp;between Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick and newly appointed Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argues that the cost could be far greater than what his Republican peer estimated.ACLU of Missouri lawyer Tony Rothert told Beetem on Wednesday that his clients at the abortion rights campaign are stuck in limbo because the two officeholders are at an impasse, and that the campaign can't begin collecting voter signatures without an official fiscal note.“If we sit around and wait indefinitely, then that defeats the right of initiative,” Rothert said.Fitzpatrick's office in March found that the proposal would have no known impact on state funds and an estimated cost of at least $51,000 annually in reduced local tax revenues, although “opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.”Bailey contends that the cost would be closer to between $12.5 billion and $51 billion because of potential violations of federal Medicaid laws and lost tax revenue from fewer citizens — people who would be born if abortion weren't an option — and he directed Fitzpatrick to change the cost estimate to reflect that.But Fitzpatrick refused, arguing that a multibillion-dollar projection for the initiative petition is inaccurate, despite Fitzpatrick's personal opposition to abortion.“As much as I would prefer to be able to say this IP would result in a loss to the state of Missouri of $12.5 billion in federal funds, it wouldn’t,” Fitzpatrick wrote in an April 21 letter to Bailey. “To submit a fiscal note summary that I know contains inaccurate information would violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.”In the past, Missouri auditors have analyzed potential costs of ballot measures and attorneys general have approved those estimates without issue.Lawyers for Fitzpatrick argued on Wednesday that the attorney general does not have the authority to second-guess the auditor's financial expertise and that allowing the attorney general to demand changes could theoretically result in “a never-ending cycle" of revisions.The attorney general’s office argued that Bailey’s role goes beyond approving whatever price tag the auditor calculates.“There's no rubber-stamping involved,” said Jason Lewis, of the attorney general's office. “Otherwise, why have the process at all?”Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem is not expected to rule on the case until June 14 at the earliest.

Judge weighs GOP dispute over estimated cost of allowing abortions

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;unveiled new initiatives Thursday to protect LGBTQ+ communities but hastily postponed a big Pride Month celebration on the White House lawn with thousands of guests from around the country because of poor air quality from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-canada-quebec-3291016eaa4905177c90feae02a139c5">the Canadian wildfires</a>.

The event, which will now be held on Saturday, was intended to be a high-profile show of support at a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community feel under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.

The Biden administration announced initiatives designed to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attack, help young people with mental health issues and homelessness, and counter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a">book bans</a>, though the effects may be limited. Biden was to discuss them at the event, which the White House had said would be the largest Pride Month celebration ever held there.

Thousands of guests had been invited from around the country for an evening filled with food, games and other activities on the South Lawn. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music, and singer Betty Who was on tap to perform.

But the nation’s capital by late morning Thursday was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that everyone limit their exposure to the hazardous smoke wafting south from Canada. District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday, and the National Zoo also closed.

The White House initially resisted altering its plans for the celebration, saying there were no changes, even as the air quality steadily worsened along the East Coast on Wednesday and into Thursday.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Wednesday that Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions. She said LGBTQ+ people need to know Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.

Just a few days into June's Pride Month, the campaign said it acted in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far — more than double last year’s number.

Kelley Robinson, the campaign's president, called for a “swift and powerful” response by people in power, including in government, business and education.

"This is a full-out crisis for our communities that demands a concerted response," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think this is kind of a national call to action and a call to arms to stand up and fight back.”

Biden, a Democrat, announced that the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Justice and Health and Human Services departments, will partner with LGBTQ+ community organizations to provide safety resources and training to help thwart violent attacks.

Separately, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide resources to help LGBTQ+ young people with mental health needs, support in foster care and homelessness.

To confront a spike in book bans, the Department of Education's civil rights office will appoint a new coordinator to work with schools to address that threat. The White House said banning books erodes democracy, deprives students of material needed for learning and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQ+ youth feel because books about them are often the ones that are prohibited.

The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. He has appointed many to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and throughout the federal government. He signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>&nbsp;and continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.

Polls show public support for the rights of people who are gay and lesbian has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, with about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in polling by Gallup saying that marriages between same-sex adults should be legally valid and that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable.

But attitudes toward transgender people are complex: In polls conducted in 2022 by KFF and the Washington Post and by the Pew Research Center, majorities said they support laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in areas such as housing, jobs and schools.

At the same time, both polls found that a majority of Americans think that whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by sex assigned at birth, and many also support restrictive policies aimed at people who are transgender, for example preventing transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams matching their gender identity, along with restrictions on access to medical treatment like puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender teens and children.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has invited thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday in a high-profile show of support at a time when the community feels under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.

Biden announced new initiatives to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attacks, help youths with mental health resources and homelessness and counter book bans, though the impacts may be limited.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think that having a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions.

She said LGBTQ+ people need to know that Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”

The White House was closely monitoring air quality due to hazardous smoke from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-air-quality-8af805b127ba4d4f5933463cf8fdc746">Canadian wildfires</a>&nbsp;to determine whether to proceed with plans for a Thursday night picnic featuring food, games, face painting and photos. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music; singer Betty Who was on tap to perform. The nation's capital was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that all people limit their exposure to smoke, and District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.

Hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-transgender-rights-rainbow-flag-gay-pride-bbab91ca858e13b3aca88afbbef35843">bills have been proposed</a>&nbsp;restricting the rights of transgender people, including limiting their access to certain forms of health care, and LGBTQ+ advocates say they’ve seen a record number of such measures&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/restrictions-targeting-transgender-people-legislative-updates-df66b5a86be47b03dd5a50449d239275">in statehouses</a>.

The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals, including appointing them to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and across the federal government.

After the Supreme Court last year overturned a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, Biden signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>. He continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.

The Log Cabin Republicans, which represents LGBTQ+ conservatives, criticized the Human Rights Campaign's declaration of a “state of emergency” as a “PR stunt so ignorantly detached” from the community's progress over the past decade.

Charles Moran, the group's president, noted the gay marriage legislation Biden signed, increased public support for equal rights for LGBTQ+ Americans and their higher visibility across society and accused the campaign of “destructively redefining” support for these individuals around trans surgeries for minors, biological men competing in women’s sports, and sex and gender identity lessons in kindergarten.

“While these issues can be emotional and complex, they in no way pose an unprecedented ‘state of emergency’ to the LGBT community, which has persevered through far worse,” Moran said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656015992947.png" alt="President Biden during a White House Pride Month reception in June of 2022-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a White House Pride Month reception in June of 2022-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;unveiled new initiatives Thursday to protect LGBTQ+ communities but hastily postponed a big Pride Month celebration on the White House lawn with thousands of guests from around the country because of poor air quality from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-canada-quebec-3291016eaa4905177c90feae02a139c5">the Canadian wildfires</a>.The event, which will now be held on Saturday, was intended to be a high-profile show of support at a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community feel under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.The Biden administration announced initiatives designed to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attack, help young people with mental health issues and homelessness, and counter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a">book bans</a>, though the effects may be limited. Biden was to discuss them at the event, which the White House had said would be the largest Pride Month celebration ever held there.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671017343149.png" alt="In December the White House lit up&nbsp; rainbow to celebrate Biden's signature on a gay marriage bill- White House&nbsp; photo" />
 <figcaption>In December the White House lit up&nbsp; rainbow to celebrate Biden's signature on a gay marriage bill- White House&nbsp; photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Thousands of guests had been invited from around the country for an evening filled with food, games and other activities on the South Lawn. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music, and singer Betty Who was on tap to perform.But the nation’s capital by late morning Thursday was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that everyone limit their exposure to the hazardous smoke wafting south from Canada. District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday, and the National Zoo also closed.The White House initially resisted altering its plans for the celebration, saying there were no changes, even as the air quality steadily worsened along the East Coast on Wednesday and into Thursday.Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Wednesday that Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions. She said LGBTQ+ people need to know Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.Just a few days into June's Pride Month, the campaign said it acted in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far — more than double last year’s number.Kelley Robinson, the campaign's president, called for a “swift and powerful” response by people in power, including in government, business and education."This is a full-out crisis for our communities that demands a concerted response," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think this is kind of a national call to action and a call to arms to stand up and fight back.”Biden, a Democrat, announced that the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Justice and Health and Human Services departments, will partner with LGBTQ+ community organizations to provide safety resources and training to help thwart violent attacks.Separately, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide resources to help LGBTQ+ young people with mental health needs, support in foster care and homelessness.To confront a spike in book bans, the Department of Education's civil rights office will appoint a new coordinator to work with schools to address that threat. The White House said banning books erodes democracy, deprives students of material needed for learning and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQ+ youth feel because books about them are often the ones that are prohibited.The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. He has appointed many to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and throughout the federal government. He signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>&nbsp;and continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.Polls show public support for the rights of people who are gay and lesbian has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, with about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in polling by Gallup saying that marriages between same-sex adults should be legally valid and that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable.But attitudes toward transgender people are complex: In polls conducted in 2022 by KFF and the Washington Post and by the Pew Research Center, majorities said they support laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in areas such as housing, jobs and schools.At the same time, both polls found that a majority of Americans think that whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by sex assigned at birth, and many also support restrictive policies aimed at people who are transgender, for example preventing transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams matching their gender identity, along with restrictions on access to medical treatment like puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender teens and children.___WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has invited thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday in a high-profile show of support at a time when the community feels under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.Biden announced new initiatives to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attacks, help youths with mental health resources and homelessness and counter book bans, though the impacts may be limited.Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think that having a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions.She said LGBTQ+ people need to know that Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”The White House was closely monitoring air quality due to hazardous smoke from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-air-quality-8af805b127ba4d4f5933463cf8fdc746">Canadian wildfires</a>&nbsp;to determine whether to proceed with plans for a Thursday night picnic featuring food, games, face painting and photos. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music; singer Betty Who was on tap to perform. The nation's capital was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that all people limit their exposure to smoke, and District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday.The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.Just a few days into June's Pride Month, the campaign said it acted in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far — more than double last year’s number.Kelley Robinson, the campaign's president, called for a “swift and powerful” response by people in power, including in government, business and education."This is a full-out crisis for our communities that demands a concerted response," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think this is kind of a national call to action and a call to arms to stand up and fight back.”Biden, a Democrat, announced that the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Justice and Health and Human Services departments, will partner with LGBTQ+ community organizations to provide safety resources and training to help thwart violent attacks.Separately, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide resources to help LGBTQ+ young people with mental health needs, support in foster care and homelessness.To confront a spike in book bans, the Department of Education's civil rights office will appoint a new coordinator to work with schools to address that threat. The White House said banning books erodes democracy, deprives students of material needed for learning and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQ+ youth feel because books about them are often the ones that are prohibited.Hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-transgender-rights-rainbow-flag-gay-pride-bbab91ca858e13b3aca88afbbef35843">bills have been proposed</a>&nbsp;restricting the rights of transgender people, including limiting their access to certain forms of health care, and LGBTQ+ advocates say they’ve seen a record number of such measures&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/restrictions-targeting-transgender-people-legislative-updates-df66b5a86be47b03dd5a50449d239275">in statehouses</a>.The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals, including appointing them to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and across the federal government.After the Supreme Court last year overturned a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, Biden signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>. He continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.Polls show public support for the rights of people who are gay and lesbian has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, with about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in polling by Gallup saying that marriages between same-sex adults should be legally valid and that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable.But attitudes toward transgender people are complex: In polls conducted in 2022 by KFF and the Washington Post and by the Pew Research Center, majorities said they support laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in areas such as housing, jobs and schools.At the same time, both polls found that a majority of Americans think that whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by sex assigned at birth, and many also support restrictive policies aimed at people who are transgender, for example preventing transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams matching their gender identity, along with restrictions on access to medical treatment like puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender teens and children.The Log Cabin Republicans, which represents LGBTQ+ conservatives, criticized the Human Rights Campaign's declaration of a “state of emergency” as a “PR stunt so ignorantly detached” from the community's progress over the past decade.Charles Moran, the group's president, noted the gay marriage legislation Biden signed, increased public support for equal rights for LGBTQ+ Americans and their higher visibility across society and accused the campaign of “destructively redefining” support for these individuals around trans surgeries for minors, biological men competing in women’s sports, and sex and gender identity lessons in kindergarten.“While these issues can be emotional and complex, they in no way pose an unprecedented ‘state of emergency’ to the LGBT community, which has persevered through far worse,” Moran said.___

Pride Month: Biden unveils updated LGBTQ+ initiatives 

BARRY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after several inmates escaped the Barry County jail in Cassville June 1, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Two correctional officers were assaulted during the escape. At least three of the escapees have been captured. Deputies, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshal's service continue to search for 34-year-old Mario Che-Tiul who is considered armed and dangerous.

He was being held on a $100,000 bond on requested charges of child molestation, incest, kidnapping and assault and was also being held for officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685726414366.png" alt="Mario Che-Tiul-photo Barry Co." />
 <figcaption>Mario Che-Tiul-photo Barry Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARRY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after several inmates escaped the Barry County jail in Cassville June 1, according to the Sheriff's Department.Two correctional officers were assaulted during the escape. At least three of the escapees have been captured. Deputies, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshal's service continue to search for 34-year-old Mario Che-Tiul who is considered armed and dangerous.He was being held on a $100,000 bond on requested charges of child molestation, incest, kidnapping and assault and was also being held for officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to online jail records.

Man accused of sex crimes still missing after escape from jail

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

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner of Kansas denounced the decision of manufacturers to stop installing AM radio systems in new vehicles, arguing millions of people rely on that format for weather, agriculture and emergency information as well as conservative news and talk shows.

LaTurner, a Republican who serves the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, introduced a two-page nonbinding resolution with U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican, to amplify criticism of manufacturers that made the decision or were contemplating removal of AM radio technology from new vehicles, especially electric cars.

“Millions of Americans across the country rely on AM radio for crucial information or as an alternative to mainstream media outlets,” LaTurner said. “Not only is AM radio vital to the freedom of expression and ideas, but it also provides weather updates, crop reports, and emergency alerts to rural communities across America that can’t access cellular or broadband networks.”

Alford, the 4th District congressman in Missouri and a former television news anchor in the Kansas City market, said commercial radio on the AM dial was a vital communications tool.

“This isn’t a dying medium,” he said. “It’s a vibrant network that connects diverse communities across our nation. As members of Congress, it is our duty to protect this resource at all costs.”

Volvo, BMW, Tesla, Volkswagen and Mazda were among companies that moved to drop AM radio from new electric cars in wake of consternation with the irritating buzz of electromagnetic interference with audio from AM stations.

In May, bills were introduced in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to step into the marketplace with a rule requiring automakers to install AM radio in vehicles without assessing customers a special payment, fee or surcharge.

That legislation also would mandate the Government Accountability Office determine whether alternative communication systems could replicate effectiveness of AM radio in alerting the public to local, state and federal emergencies.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey and sponsor of the federal AM for Every Vehicle Act, said if Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk could buy Twitter and run SpaceX rocket company it shouldn’t be a problem for him to include AM radio in Tesla vehicles.

“The importance of AM radio during large-scale emergencies cannot be underestimated,” Gottheimer said. “When the cell phone runs out, the internet gets cut off or the television doesn’t work because of no electricity or power to your house, you can still turn on your AM radio.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686074395960.png" alt=" U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Kansas Republican, introduced a nonbinding resolution supporting an effort to convince vehicle manufacturers to continue installing AM radio technology at the factory. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Kansas Republican, introduced a nonbinding resolution supporting an effort to convince vehicle manufacturers to continue installing AM radio technology at the factory. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner of Kansas denounced the decision of manufacturers to stop installing AM radio systems in new vehicles, arguing millions of people rely on that format for weather, agriculture and emergency information as well as conservative news and talk shows.LaTurner, a Republican who serves the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, introduced a two-page nonbinding resolution with U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican, to amplify criticism of manufacturers that made the decision or were contemplating removal of AM radio technology from new vehicles, especially electric cars.“Millions of Americans across the country rely on AM radio for crucial information or as an alternative to mainstream media outlets,” LaTurner said. “Not only is AM radio vital to the freedom of expression and ideas, but it also provides weather updates, crop reports, and emergency alerts to rural communities across America that can’t access cellular or broadband networks.”Alford, the 4th District congressman in Missouri and a former television news anchor in the Kansas City market, said commercial radio on the AM dial was a vital communications tool.“This isn’t a dying medium,” he said. “It’s a vibrant network that connects diverse communities across our nation. As members of Congress, it is our duty to protect this resource at all costs.”Volvo, BMW, Tesla, Volkswagen and Mazda were among companies that moved to drop AM radio from new electric cars in wake of consternation with the irritating buzz of electromagnetic interference with audio from AM stations.In May, bills were introduced in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to step into the marketplace with a rule requiring automakers to install AM radio in vehicles without assessing customers a special payment, fee or surcharge.That legislation also would mandate the Government Accountability Office determine whether alternative communication systems could replicate effectiveness of AM radio in alerting the public to local, state and federal emergencies.U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey and sponsor of the federal AM for Every Vehicle Act, said if Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk could buy Twitter and run SpaceX rocket company it shouldn’t be a problem for him to include AM radio in Tesla vehicles.“The importance of AM radio during large-scale emergencies cannot be underestimated,” Gottheimer said. “When the cell phone runs out, the internet gets cut off or the television doesn’t work because of no electricity or power to your house, you can still turn on your AM radio.”

Kan. Rep. turns up volume on opposition to elimination of AM radio from new vehicles

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday vetoed legislation that would have canceled his plan to forgive student debt.

The measure had been pushed by Republicans, but it garnered a handful of Democratic votes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-cancellation-debt-college-biden-veto-df3b377dd651153cbc7d5e04bfb7094f">in the Senate</a>&nbsp;as well. Kansas Senators voted to end Biden's plan.

Despite the veto, Biden’s plan still isn’t secure. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-hearing-2128da75fc27ff3bcc0c3804ebd98aa7">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;will have the final say on the issue. A decision from the court is expected this summer.

“It is a shame for working families across the country that lawmakers continue to pursue this unprecedented attempt to deny critical relief to millions of their own constituents,” Biden said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/06/07/message-to-the-house-of-representatives-presidents-veto-of-h-j-res-45/">in a statement</a>&nbsp;when announcing his veto.

If enacted, Biden’s plan would forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 per year.

Student loan payments were paused at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-repayment-a6560bab75419007049cba34a30d6657">they will resume</a>&nbsp;in August for anyone whose debt is not wiped out by Biden’s plan.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday vetoed legislation that would have canceled his plan to forgive student debt.The measure had been pushed by Republicans, but it garnered a handful of Democratic votes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-cancellation-debt-college-biden-veto-df3b377dd651153cbc7d5e04bfb7094f">in the Senate</a>&nbsp;as well. Kansas Senators voted to end Biden's plan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congressional Republicans led an effort to pass a bill blocking my Administration’s plan to provide up to $20,000 in student debt relief to working and middle class Americans. I won’t back down on helping hardworking folks. That’s why I’m vetoing this bill. <a href="https://t.co/ZeYEm4LOjz">pic.twitter.com/ZeYEm4LOjz</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1666567992929394689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Despite the veto, Biden’s plan still isn’t secure. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-hearing-2128da75fc27ff3bcc0c3804ebd98aa7">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;will have the final say on the issue. A decision from the court is expected this summer.“It is a shame for working families across the country that lawmakers continue to pursue this unprecedented attempt to deny critical relief to millions of their own constituents,” Biden said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/06/07/message-to-the-house-of-representatives-presidents-veto-of-h-j-res-45/">in a statement</a>&nbsp;when announcing his veto.If enacted, Biden’s plan would forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 per year.Student loan payments were paused at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-repayment-a6560bab75419007049cba34a30d6657">they will resume</a>&nbsp;in August for anyone whose debt is not wiped out by Biden’s plan.

🎥 Supreme Court will have final say on student debt loan relief plan

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died. He was 93.

Robertson's death Thursday was announced by his broadcasting network. No cause was given.

Robertson’s enterprises also included Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach; the American Center for Law and Justice, which defends the First Amendment rights of religious people; and Operation Blessing, an international humanitarian organization.

For more than a half-century, Robertson was a familiar presence in American living rooms, known for his “700 Club” television show, and in later years, his televised pronouncements of God’s judgment, blaming natural disasters on everything from homosexuality to the teaching of evolution.

The money poured in as he solicited donations, his influence soared, and he brought a huge following with him when he moved directly into politics by seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 1988.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-evangelical-abortion-iowa-0707607982651226d6859733637a453e">Robertson pioneered the now-common strategy</a>&nbsp;of courting Iowa’s network of evangelical Christian churches, and finished in second place in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush.

His masterstroke was insisting that three million followers across the U.S. sign petitions before he would decide to run, Robertson biographer Jeffrey K. Hadden said. The tactic gave him an army.

″He asked people to pledge that they’d work for him, pray for him and give him money,” Hadden, a University of Virginia sociologist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3265228b1b14e865922bd51ac0bf1bc9">told The Associated Press in 1988</a>. ″Political historians may view it as one of the most ingenious things a candidate ever did.″

Robertson later endorsed Bush, who won the presidency. Pursuit of Iowa’s evangelicals is now a ritual for Republican hopefuls, including those currently seeking the White House in 2024.

Robertson started the Christian Coalition in Chesapeake in 1989, saying it would further his campaign’s ideals. The coalition became a major political force in the 1990s, mobilizing conservative voters through grass-roots activities.

By the time of his resignation as the coalition's president in 2001 — Robertson said he wanted to concentrate on ministerial work — his impact on both religion and politics in the U.S. was “enormous,” according to John C. Green, an emeritus political science professor at The University of Akron.

Many followed the path Robertson cut in religious broadcasting,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pat-robertson-700-club-steps-down-as-host-cf058279cc326ce21e089fef05357382#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI%20will%20no%20longer%20be,to%20thank%20all%20of%20you.%E2%80%9D">Green told the AP in 2021</a>. In American politics, Robertson helped “cement the alliance between conservative Christians and the Republican Party.”

Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson was born March 22, 1930, in Lexington, Virginia, to Absalom Willis Robertson and Gladys Churchill Robertson. His father served for 36 years as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Virginia.

After graduating from Washington and Lee University, he served as assistant adjutant of the 1st Marine Division in Korea.

He received a law degree from Yale University Law School, but failed the bar exam and chose not to pursue a law career.

Robertson met his wife, Adelia “Dede” Elmer, at Yale in 1952. He was a Southern Baptist, she was a Catholic, earning a master’s in nursing. Eighteen months later, they ran off to be married by a justice of the peace, knowing neither family would approve.

Robertson was interested in politics until he found religion, Dede Robertson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-television-united-states-virginia-norfolk-b345bab8c17c66e7836ff7db3488ebd7#:~:text=NORFOLK%2C%20Va.,Robertson%20was%2094.">told the AP in 1987</a>. He stunned her by pouring out their liquor, tearing a nude print off the wall and declaring he had found the Lord.

They moved into a commune in New York City’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood because Robertson said God told him to sell all his possessions and minister to the poor. She was tempted to return home to Ohio, “but I realized that was not what the Lord would have me do ... I had promised to stay, so I did,” she told the AP.

Robertson received a master’s in divinity from New York Theological Seminary in 1959, then drove south with his family to buy a bankrupt UHF television station in Portsmouth, Va. He said he had just $70 in his pocket, but soon found investors, and CBN went on the air on Oct. 1, 1961. Established as a tax-exempt religious nonprofit, CBN brought in hundreds of millions, disclosing $321 million in “ministry support” in 2022 alone.

One of Robertson’s innovations was to use the secular talk-show format on the network’s flagship show, the “700 Club,” which grew out of a telethon when Robertson asked 700 viewers for monthly $10 contributions. It was more suited to television than traditional revival meetings or church services, and gained a huge audience.

“Here’s a well-educated person having sophisticated conversations with a wide variety of guests on a wide variety of topics,” said Green, the University of Akron political science professor. “It was with a religious inflection to be sure. But it was an approach that took up everyday concerns.”

His guests eventually included several U.S. presidents — Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump.

At times, his on-air pronouncements drew criticism.

He claimed that the terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11, 2001 were caused by God, angered by the federal courts, pornography, abortion rights and church-state separation. Talking again about 9-11 on his TV show a year later, Robertson described Islam as a violent religion that wants to “dominate” and “destroy,” prompting President George W. Bush to distance himself and say Islam is a peaceful and respectful religion.

He called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2005. Later that year, he warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town not to be surprised if disaster struck them because they voted out school board members who favored teaching “intelligent design” over evolution. And in 1998, he said Orlando, Florida, should beware of hurricanes after allowing the annual Gay Days event.

In 2014, he angered Kenyans when he warned that towels in Kenya could transmit AIDS. CBN issued a correction, saying Robertson “misspoke about the possibility of getting AIDS through towels.”

Robertson also could be unpredictable: In 2010, he called for ending mandatory prison sentences for marijuana possession convictions. Two years later, he said on the “700 Club” that marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol because the government’s war on drugs had failed.

Robertson condemned Democrats caught up in sex scandals, saying for example that President Bill Clinton turned the White House into a playpen for sexual freedom. But he helped solidify evangelical support for Donald Trump, dismissing the candidate's sexually predatory comments about women as an attempt “to look like he’s macho.”

After Trump took office, Robertson interviewed the president at the White House. And CBN welcomed Trump advisers, such as Kellyanne Conway, as guests.

But after President Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2020, Robertson said Trump was living in an “alternate reality” and should “move on,” news outlets reported.

Robertson’s son, Gordon, succeeded him in December 2007 as chief executive of CBN, which is now based in Virginia Beach. Robertson remained chairman of the network and continued to appear on the “700 Club.”

Robertson stepped down as host of the show after half a century in 2021, with his son Gordon taking over the weekday show.

Robertson also was founder and chairman of International Family Entertainment Inc., parent of The Family Channel basic cable TV network. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought IFE in 1997.

Regent University, where classes began in Virginia Beach in 1978, now has more than 30,000 alumni, CBN said in a statement.

Robertson wrote 15 books, including “The Turning Tide” and “The New World Order.”

His wife Dede, who was a founding board member of CBN,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-television-united-states-virginia-norfolk-b345bab8c17c66e7836ff7db3488ebd7#:~:text=NORFOLK%2C%20Va.,Robertson%20was%2094.">died last year at the age of 94</a>. The couple had four children, 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, CBN said in a statement.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died. He was 93.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">With great sadness, we announce that Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson has gone home to be with his Lord and Savior today, June 8, 2023. Thank you for your prayers for the Robertson family and the ministry of CBN at this time. For more details on Pat’s life and legacy, visit… <a href="https://t.co/vxbvrNxEG8">pic.twitter.com/vxbvrNxEG8</a>&mdash; CBN News (@CBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBNNews/status/1666776042969653249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Robertson's death Thursday was announced by his broadcasting network. No cause was given.Robertson’s enterprises also included Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach; the American Center for Law and Justice, which defends the First Amendment rights of religious people; and Operation Blessing, an international humanitarian organization.For more than a half-century, Robertson was a familiar presence in American living rooms, known for his “700 Club” television show, and in later years, his televised pronouncements of God’s judgment, blaming natural disasters on everything from homosexuality to the teaching of evolution.The money poured in as he solicited donations, his influence soared, and he brought a huge following with him when he moved directly into politics by seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 1988.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-evangelical-abortion-iowa-0707607982651226d6859733637a453e">Robertson pioneered the now-common strategy</a>&nbsp;of courting Iowa’s network of evangelical Christian churches, and finished in second place in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush.His masterstroke was insisting that three million followers across the U.S. sign petitions before he would decide to run, Robertson biographer Jeffrey K. Hadden said. The tactic gave him an army.″He asked people to pledge that they’d work for him, pray for him and give him money,” Hadden, a University of Virginia sociologist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3265228b1b14e865922bd51ac0bf1bc9">told The Associated Press in 1988</a>. ″Political historians may view it as one of the most ingenious things a candidate ever did.″Robertson later endorsed Bush, who won the presidency. Pursuit of Iowa’s evangelicals is now a ritual for Republican hopefuls, including those currently seeking the White House in 2024.Robertson started the Christian Coalition in Chesapeake in 1989, saying it would further his campaign’s ideals. The coalition became a major political force in the 1990s, mobilizing conservative voters through grass-roots activities.By the time of his resignation as the coalition's president in 2001 — Robertson said he wanted to concentrate on ministerial work — his impact on both religion and politics in the U.S. was “enormous,” according to John C. Green, an emeritus political science professor at The University of Akron.Many followed the path Robertson cut in religious broadcasting,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pat-robertson-700-club-steps-down-as-host-cf058279cc326ce21e089fef05357382#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI%20will%20no%20longer%20be,to%20thank%20all%20of%20you.%E2%80%9D">Green told the AP in 2021</a>. In American politics, Robertson helped “cement the alliance between conservative Christians and the Republican Party.”Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson was born March 22, 1930, in Lexington, Virginia, to Absalom Willis Robertson and Gladys Churchill Robertson. His father served for 36 years as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Virginia.After graduating from Washington and Lee University, he served as assistant adjutant of the 1st Marine Division in Korea.He received a law degree from Yale University Law School, but failed the bar exam and chose not to pursue a law career.Robertson met his wife, Adelia “Dede” Elmer, at Yale in 1952. He was a Southern Baptist, she was a Catholic, earning a master’s in nursing. Eighteen months later, they ran off to be married by a justice of the peace, knowing neither family would approve.Robertson was interested in politics until he found religion, Dede Robertson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-television-united-states-virginia-norfolk-b345bab8c17c66e7836ff7db3488ebd7#:~:text=NORFOLK%2C%20Va.,Robertson%20was%2094.">told the AP in 1987</a>. He stunned her by pouring out their liquor, tearing a nude print off the wall and declaring he had found the Lord.They moved into a commune in New York City’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood because Robertson said God told him to sell all his possessions and minister to the poor. She was tempted to return home to Ohio, “but I realized that was not what the Lord would have me do ... I had promised to stay, so I did,” she told the AP.Robertson received a master’s in divinity from New York Theological Seminary in 1959, then drove south with his family to buy a bankrupt UHF television station in Portsmouth, Va. He said he had just $70 in his pocket, but soon found investors, and CBN went on the air on Oct. 1, 1961. Established as a tax-exempt religious nonprofit, CBN brought in hundreds of millions, disclosing $321 million in “ministry support” in 2022 alone.One of Robertson’s innovations was to use the secular talk-show format on the network’s flagship show, the “700 Club,” which grew out of a telethon when Robertson asked 700 viewers for monthly $10 contributions. It was more suited to television than traditional revival meetings or church services, and gained a huge audience.“Here’s a well-educated person having sophisticated conversations with a wide variety of guests on a wide variety of topics,” said Green, the University of Akron political science professor. “It was with a religious inflection to be sure. But it was an approach that took up everyday concerns.”His guests eventually included several U.S. presidents — Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump.At times, his on-air pronouncements drew criticism.He claimed that the terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11, 2001 were caused by God, angered by the federal courts, pornography, abortion rights and church-state separation. Talking again about 9-11 on his TV show a year later, Robertson described Islam as a violent religion that wants to “dominate” and “destroy,” prompting President George W. Bush to distance himself and say Islam is a peaceful and respectful religion.He called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2005. Later that year, he warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town not to be surprised if disaster struck them because they voted out school board members who favored teaching “intelligent design” over evolution. And in 1998, he said Orlando, Florida, should beware of hurricanes after allowing the annual Gay Days event.In 2014, he angered Kenyans when he warned that towels in Kenya could transmit AIDS. CBN issued a correction, saying Robertson “misspoke about the possibility of getting AIDS through towels.”Robertson also could be unpredictable: In 2010, he called for ending mandatory prison sentences for marijuana possession convictions. Two years later, he said on the “700 Club” that marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol because the government’s war on drugs had failed.Robertson condemned Democrats caught up in sex scandals, saying for example that President Bill Clinton turned the White House into a playpen for sexual freedom. But he helped solidify evangelical support for Donald Trump, dismissing the candidate's sexually predatory comments about women as an attempt “to look like he’s macho.”After Trump took office, Robertson interviewed the president at the White House. And CBN welcomed Trump advisers, such as Kellyanne Conway, as guests.But after President Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2020, Robertson said Trump was living in an “alternate reality” and should “move on,” news outlets reported.Robertson’s son, Gordon, succeeded him in December 2007 as chief executive of CBN, which is now based in Virginia Beach. Robertson remained chairman of the network and continued to appear on the “700 Club.”Robertson stepped down as host of the show after half a century in 2021, with his son Gordon taking over the weekday show.Robertson also was founder and chairman of International Family Entertainment Inc., parent of The Family Channel basic cable TV network. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought IFE in 1997.Regent University, where classes began in Virginia Beach in 1978, now has more than 30,000 alumni, CBN said in a statement.Robertson wrote 15 books, including “The Turning Tide” and “The New World Order.”His wife Dede, who was a founding board member of CBN,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-television-united-states-virginia-norfolk-b345bab8c17c66e7836ff7db3488ebd7#:~:text=NORFOLK%2C%20Va.,Robertson%20was%2094.">died last year at the age of 94</a>. The couple had four children, 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, CBN said in a statement.

Pat Robertson, broadcaster, former presidential candidate has died

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in a small plane crash just before 3p.m. Wednesday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1978 Cessna piloted by 51-year-old Charles Peniston of Chillicothe crashed in a hay field.

Peniston drove himself to the hospital, according to a media release from the Livingston County Sheriff. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the crash, according to the sheriff's office.

Chillicothe is located approximately 90 minutes north of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686220236596.png" alt="Photos by Deputy Jennifer Plummer Livingston Co. Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Photos by Deputy Jennifer Plummer Livingston Co. Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in a small plane crash just before 3p.m. Wednesday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1978 Cessna piloted by 51-year-old Charles Peniston of Chillicothe crashed in a hay field.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686220457484.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Peniston drove himself to the hospital, according to a media release from the Livingston County Sheriff. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the crash, according to the sheriff's office.Chillicothe is located approximately 90 minutes north of Kansas City.

Pilot drove himself to hospital after small plane crash 

By Nadia Marji, Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks

SHAWNEE&nbsp;– Kansas is known far and wide for its storied history of big buffalo, but one “buffalo” in particular will be remembered for entirely different reasons – a smallmouth buffalo, that is.

Topeka resident, Thayne Miller, has just set the new Kansas state record for the largest smallmouth buffalo caught in Kansas. The behemoth fish, which weighed in at 64.75 pounds, measured 45.25 inches long and had a total girth or circumference of 35 inches. Miller unearthed the record-size fish from Clinton Reservoir, five miles west of Lawrence on K-10 Highway, using bowfishing equipment.

The previous Kansas state record for a smallmouth buffalo was set in 1979 by Scott Butler of Lawrence when he reeled in a 51-pound, 41-inch-long smallmouth buffalo from a private farm pond in Douglas County.

Trophy catches such as these end up as a Kansas State Record if:

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vRmlzaGluZy9TdGF0ZS1SZWNvcmQtRmlzaCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA2MDcuNzc5MDc5MzEifQ.Fr6msjEzdyfj4rLDgWDXWXZ3vfbmzsRxKUQd1pdAy7g/s/1303160919/br/204452484140-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to see a complete list of current Kansas state record fish.

Caught a big fish but not quite a state record? Apply for a “Master Angler Award” and be recognized for your catch if it exceeds the measurements listed&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vRmlzaGluZy9TcGVjaWFsLUZpc2hpbmctUHJvZ3JhbXMtZm9yLVlvdS9NYXN0ZXItQW5nbGVyLUF3YXJkLVByb2dyYW0iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNjA3Ljc3OTA3OTMxIn0.wXmmKqwbNh2Pad5mZgpkeNpAOw1IPN2M_-OQgxorSFs/s/1303160919/br/204452484140-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

By Nadia Marji, Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and ParksSHAWNEE&nbsp;– Kansas is known far and wide for its storied history of big buffalo, but one “buffalo” in particular will be remembered for entirely different reasons – a smallmouth buffalo, that is.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">👀WHOA! Kansas Resident Reels in 64-pound Fish <a href="https://t.co/oNDKN51qp2">https://t.co/oNDKN51qp2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kdwpt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kdwpt</a> <a href="https://t.co/7ehaLsc05f">pic.twitter.com/7ehaLsc05f</a>&mdash; Kansas Department of Wildlife &amp; Parks (@TheKDWP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheKDWP/status/1666543370615881729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Topeka resident, Thayne Miller, has just set the new Kansas state record for the largest smallmouth buffalo caught in Kansas. The behemoth fish, which weighed in at 64.75 pounds, measured 45.25 inches long and had a total girth or circumference of 35 inches. Miller unearthed the record-size fish from Clinton Reservoir, five miles west of Lawrence on K-10 Highway, using bowfishing equipment.The previous Kansas state record for a smallmouth buffalo was set in 1979 by Scott Butler of Lawrence when he reeled in a 51-pound, 41-inch-long smallmouth buffalo from a private farm pond in Douglas County.Trophy catches such as these end up as a Kansas State Record if:<ul>
 <li>The fish is caught by a licensed angler using legal means</li><li>The fish is identified by a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor</li><li>The fish is weighed on a certified scale prior to being frozen</li><li>The fish is photographed, in color, and a state record application is filled out</li><li>The mandatory 30-day waiting period has passed.</li>
 </ul>Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vRmlzaGluZy9TdGF0ZS1SZWNvcmQtRmlzaCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA2MDcuNzc5MDc5MzEifQ.Fr6msjEzdyfj4rLDgWDXWXZ3vfbmzsRxKUQd1pdAy7g/s/1303160919/br/204452484140-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to see a complete list of current Kansas state record fish.Caught a big fish but not quite a state record? Apply for a “Master Angler Award” and be recognized for your catch if it exceeds the measurements listed&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vRmlzaGluZy9TcGVjaWFsLUZpc2hpbmctUHJvZ3JhbXMtZm9yLVlvdS9NYXN0ZXItQW5nbGVyLUF3YXJkLVByb2dyYW0iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNjA3Ljc3OTA3OTMxIn0.wXmmKqwbNh2Pad5mZgpkeNpAOw1IPN2M_-OQgxorSFs/s/1303160919/br/204452484140-l" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

 Kansas man reels in state record 64-pound fish 

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Department of Commerce will award $2 million through the Community Development Block Grant – COVID Resiliency (CDBG-CVR) program to enable cities and counties to address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic when no other funds are available, according to a media release from the agency.

This is a competitive CDBG grant with an application window that closes July 31, 2023.

For more information on the CDBG-CVR program and to access the application, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmthbnNhc2NvbW1lcmNlLmdvdi9jZGJnL2NvdmlkLXJlc2lsaWVuY3ktY3ZyLyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA2MDcuNzc4ODgzODEifQ.ZhdW4ZSwHwsNayk5t17ucGaODVGw5qKu9nJKYKMg5Rs/s/1303160919/br/204422851600-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

Funding for the program was made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Kansas should utilize CDBG-CV funds to modernize facilities owned and operated by small businesses that provide vital services and goods. Funds will be prioritized for for-profit businesses that have a majority ownership by a socially or economically disadvantaged person or persons as defined in 15 CFR 1400.0.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they were hit hard by the pandemic,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We are pleased to receive this funding that will help support more Kansas businesses and enable them to continue serving their communities.”

Eligible activities for the CDBG-CVR program include COVID resiliency improvements for businesses such as:

Eligible businesses must have at least 51% of their employees meet the low- to moderate-income (LMI) standards. Like other CDBG grants, cities and counties will apply for the funds on behalf of eligible businesses and then make the funds available, administering the program locally. Non-LMI communities can still qualify for this funding if not an entitlement community. The LMI requirement is determined by the business and not the city.

The Kansas Department of Commerce provides CDBG funds to non-entitlement communities across the state, while entitlement communities receive CDBG funding directly from the federal government. Entitlement communities in Kansas include Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita, and all of Johnson County. Cities and counties are also ineligible if they have a current balance in in their CDBG Local Revolving Loan Funds account.

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 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Department of Commerce will award $2 million through the Community Development Block Grant – COVID Resiliency (CDBG-CVR) program to enable cities and counties to address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic when no other funds are available, according to a media release from the agency.This is a competitive CDBG grant with an application window that closes July 31, 2023.For more information on the CDBG-CVR program and to access the application, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmthbnNhc2NvbW1lcmNlLmdvdi9jZGJnL2NvdmlkLXJlc2lsaWVuY3ktY3ZyLyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA2MDcuNzc4ODgzODEifQ.ZhdW4ZSwHwsNayk5t17ucGaODVGw5qKu9nJKYKMg5Rs/s/1303160919/br/204422851600-l" target="_blank">here</a>.Funding for the program was made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Kansas should utilize CDBG-CV funds to modernize facilities owned and operated by small businesses that provide vital services and goods. Funds will be prioritized for for-profit businesses that have a majority ownership by a socially or economically disadvantaged person or persons as defined in 15 CFR 1400.0.“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they were hit hard by the pandemic,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We are pleased to receive this funding that will help support more Kansas businesses and enable them to continue serving their communities.”Eligible activities for the CDBG-CVR program include COVID resiliency improvements for businesses such as:<ul>
 <li>Upgrades to remain open and prevent future closures due to community illnesses and public health emergencies</li><li>Technology, hardware, and software upgrades</li><li>E-commerce updates</li><li>Professional development and training</li><li>Other updates that can be directly related to resiliency improvements</li>
 </ul>Eligible businesses must have at least 51% of their employees meet the low- to moderate-income (LMI) standards. Like other CDBG grants, cities and counties will apply for the funds on behalf of eligible businesses and then make the funds available, administering the program locally. Non-LMI communities can still qualify for this funding if not an entitlement community. The LMI requirement is determined by the business and not the city.The Kansas Department of Commerce provides CDBG funds to non-entitlement communities across the state, while entitlement communities receive CDBG funding directly from the federal government. Entitlement communities in Kansas include Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita, and all of Johnson County. Cities and counties are also ineligible if they have a current balance in in their CDBG Local Revolving Loan Funds account.