WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday struck down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/affirmative-action">affirmative action</a>&nbsp;in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf">Click here to read</a> the opinion&nbsp;

The court's conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have “concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”

Justice Clarence Thomas, the nation's second Black justice who had long called for an end to affirmative action, wrote separately that the decision “sees the universities’ admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.”

Both Thomas and Sotomayor, the two justices who have acknowledged affirmative action played a role in their admissions to college and law school, took the unusual step of reading a summary of their opinions aloud in the courtroom.

In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson — the court’s first Black female justice — called the decision “truly a tragedy for us all.”

Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board, wrote, “With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”

The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.

The Supreme Court had twice upheld&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-admissions-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-harvard-university-95be5363a3245fbf185babe8423426a4">race-conscious college admissions programs</a>&nbsp;in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.

But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined the court. At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which had been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.

Lower courts also had upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.

The college admissions disputes are among several high-profile cases focused on race in America, and were weighed by the conservative-dominated, but most diverse court ever. Among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina.

The justices earlier in June decided a voting rights case in favor of Black voters in Alabama and rejected a race-based challenge to a Native American child protection law.

The affirmative action cases were brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.

The group argued that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and called for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.

Roberts' opinion effectively did so, both Thomas and the dissenters wrote.

The only institutions of higher education explicitly left out of the ruling are the nation's military academies, Roberts wrote, suggesting that national security interests could affect the legal analysis.

Blum’s group had contended that colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors.

The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.

At the eight Ivy League universities, the number of nonwhite students increased by 55% from 2010 to 2021, according to federal data. That group, which includes, Native American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and biracial students, accounted for 35% of students on those campuses in 2021, up from 27% in 2010.

The end of affirmative action in higher education in California, Michigan, Washington state and elsewhere led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0">a steep drop in minority enrollment in the states’ leading public universities</a>.

They are among nine states that already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities. The others are: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.

In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.

A poll last month by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;showed 63% of U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions. A Pew Research Center survey released last week found that half of Americans disapprove of considerations of applicants’ race, while a third approve.

The chief justice and Jackson received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, went to law school there, and Kagan was the first woman to serve as the law school’s dean.

Every U.S. college and university the justices attended, save one, urged the court to preserve race-conscious admissions.

Those schools — Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Notre Dame and Holy Cross — joined briefs in defense of Harvard’s and UNC’s admissions plans.

Only Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s undergraduate alma mater, Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tennessee, was not involved in the cases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1667264915999.jpeg" alt="Activists demonstrate as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a pair of cases on affirmative action in college admissions, in Washington, Oct. 31, 2022. The Supreme Court ruled Thursday, June 29, 2023, that colleges and universities must stop considering race in admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. In a 6-3 decision, the court struck down admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)" />
 <figcaption>Activists demonstrate as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a pair of cases on affirmative action in college admissions, in Washington, Oct. 31, 2022. The Supreme Court ruled Thursday, June 29, 2023, that colleges and universities must stop considering race in admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. In a 6-3 decision, the court struck down admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday struck down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/affirmative-action">affirmative action</a>&nbsp;in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf">Click here to read</a> the opinion&nbsp;The court's conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have “concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.”Justice Clarence Thomas, the nation's second Black justice who had long called for an end to affirmative action, wrote separately that the decision “sees the universities’ admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.”Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.”Both Thomas and Sotomayor, the two justices who have acknowledged affirmative action played a role in their admissions to college and law school, took the unusual step of reading a summary of their opinions aloud in the courtroom.In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson — the court’s first Black female justice — called the decision “truly a tragedy for us all.”Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board, wrote, “With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.The Supreme Court had twice upheld&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-admissions-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-harvard-university-95be5363a3245fbf185babe8423426a4">race-conscious college admissions programs</a>&nbsp;in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined the court. At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which had been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.Lower courts also had upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.The college admissions disputes are among several high-profile cases focused on race in America, and were weighed by the conservative-dominated, but most diverse court ever. Among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina.The justices earlier in June decided a voting rights case in favor of Black voters in Alabama and rejected a race-based challenge to a Native American child protection law.The affirmative action cases were brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.The group argued that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and called for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.Roberts' opinion effectively did so, both Thomas and the dissenters wrote.The only institutions of higher education explicitly left out of the ruling are the nation's military academies, Roberts wrote, suggesting that national security interests could affect the legal analysis.Blum’s group had contended that colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors.The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.At the eight Ivy League universities, the number of nonwhite students increased by 55% from 2010 to 2021, according to federal data. That group, which includes, Native American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and biracial students, accounted for 35% of students on those campuses in 2021, up from 27% in 2010.The end of affirmative action in higher education in California, Michigan, Washington state and elsewhere led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0">a steep drop in minority enrollment in the states’ leading public universities</a>.They are among nine states that already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities. The others are: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.A poll last month by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;showed 63% of U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students’ race should ultimately play a major role in decisions. A Pew Research Center survey released last week found that half of Americans disapprove of considerations of applicants’ race, while a third approve.The chief justice and Jackson received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, went to law school there, and Kagan was the first woman to serve as the law school’s dean.Every U.S. college and university the justices attended, save one, urged the court to preserve race-conscious admissions.Those schools — Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Notre Dame and Holy Cross — joined briefs in defense of Harvard’s and UNC’s admissions plans.Only Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s undergraduate alma mater, Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tennessee, was not involved in the cases.

Read the decision: Supreme Court rejects use of race for college admissions

FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; alleged meth distribution and have made an arrest.

On Tuesday, the Franklin County drug enforcement unit executed a search warrant in the 100 Block of Monroe Street in the city of Pomoma, according to Sheriff Jeff Richards.

Deputies arrested 33-year-old Taylor Larsh on requested charges of possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and not drug tax stamp.

The case will be presented to the Franklin County Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687976763408.png" alt="Larsh-photo Franklin Co." />
 <figcaption>Larsh-photo Franklin Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; alleged meth distribution and have made an arrest.On Tuesday, the Franklin County drug enforcement unit executed a search warrant in the 100 Block of Monroe Street in the city of Pomoma, according to Sheriff Jeff Richards.Deputies arrested 33-year-old Taylor Larsh on requested charges of possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and not drug tax stamp.The case will be presented to the Franklin County Attorney.

Sheriff: Kansas man intended to sell meth

CHICAGO (AP) — President Joe Biden made his pitch Wednesday to a skeptical public that the U.S. economy is thriving under what he now touts as “Bidenomics” -- even as a new poll showed that could be a hard sell as the foundation for his 2024 reelection campaign.

In a major economic speech in Chicago, Biden said his administration's efforts were sparking recovery after Republican policies had crushed America's middle class. But the poll said only one in three U.S. adults approve of his economic leadership.

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall didn't hesitate to comment on&nbsp; Bidenomics.

(Click below to watch the President's Chicago speech)

That 34% figure is even lower than his overall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-poll-harris-survey-economy-354924a2ed1e4833668a2554f12c7f9f">approval rating of 41%</a>, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Biden's approval figures have barely moved for the past year and a half, a source of concern for a president pursuing a second term on his ability to govern and focus on workers. He wants voters to connect local roads and bridge projects, factory construction and the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy to the millions of dollars in initiatives he signed into law during the first two years of his administration.

“Bidenomics is about the future,” he declared in his Wednesday speech to cheering supporters. “Bidenomics is just another way of saying: Restore the American dream.”

At the same time, he sought to paint previous Republican tax cuts as deeply flawed, saying they helped the rich but failed the middle class for decades as the promised “trickle down” benefits never seemed to come to the less wealthy.

“The trickle down approach failed the middle class,” he said. “It failed America. It blew up the deficit. It increased inequity. And it weakened our infrastructure. It stripped the dignity, pride and hope out of communities, one after another.”

As he was departing Washington on Wednesday, Biden said he believes the U.S. will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-economy-inflation-jobs-unemployment-2ad91e65f4c0c79ebd2518e351934605">avoid the recession</a>&nbsp;that many economic analysts have been expecting. Republican leaders such as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said last year that the high inflation under Biden's watch meant that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speaker.gov/the-biden-recession/">“we are in a recession,"</a>&nbsp;but that is not the case under economic definitions.

GOP officials say their tax cuts have encouraged business investments and profits that have improved pay for workers and bolstered the stock market, while greater government spending would cause prices to keep rising and waste money.

Indeed, the economy has steadily improved over the past year of Biden's term in the White House.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that consumer confidence this month reached the highest level since January 2022.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-inflation-layoffs-economy-federal-reserve-e1ec3c376117935a0d85e466e3a20af4">Unemployment</a>&nbsp;stands near a historic low at 3.7%. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-4c0ea8315ab90c1b832ef6fa67dc0c7a">inflation</a>&nbsp;that has plagued Biden's presidency has fallen to 4% from a peak of 9.1% last June. But prices are still rising significantly faster than the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, a worry for voters and a line of attack for Republican lawmakers and other presidential candidates.

And smoke from Canadian wildfires, evident in Chicago on Wednesday, has added a new cloud for workers and shoppers in the U.S. The White House said it's monitoring the air quality in Chicago but would not cancel the president's scheduled events, which included a campaign reception in addition to the speech on the economy.

The new poll identifies a weakness within Biden's own base. Many of the Democrats he needs to marshal in 2024 are comparatively unenthusiastic about his economic record. Seventy-two percent within his party say they approve of his handling of his job overall, but just 60% say they approve of his handling of the economy.

By comparison, during the depths of the pandemic as unemployment spiked, Republicans approved by overwhelming numbers of then-President Donald Trump's economic leadership. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans now approve of Biden overall or on the economy, a testament to the polarization that defines modern U.S. politics.

Sarah Husted, 40, said she voted in 2020 for Biden, but “I wasn't thrilled with either candidate.”

Living in Lincoln, Nebraska, Husted said that she feels as though inflation is getting worse, especially with regard to utilities and housing. But she largely believes the economic turmoil still reflects the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

“I don’t think that President Biden is helping the situation as much as he could, but I don’t think it’s all his fault,” she said.

That take was shared by other poll respondents interviewed by AP who voted for Biden in 2020. They generally saw him as a president grappling with partisan divisions, global competition and the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

“He’s doing the best he can, but he can’t do anything without Congress,” said Alice Banner, 86, a retired nurse from Baltimore County, Maryland.

Ben Will, 34, noted the solid job growth during Biden's presidency and said the infrastructure spending that Biden signed into law would help with growth.

"He’s doing a fantastic job with the cards that were dealt to him,” said Will, a marketing and advertising director from Reading, Pennsylvania.

Overall, 30% of U.S. adults say they think the national economy is good, up slightly from the 25% who said that last month, when the president and congressional Republicans were in the midst of negotiations over raising the nation’s debt limit and a historic government default was a risk. No more than about a third have called the economy good since 2021.

The administration is making a data-driven argument in addition to Biden's speech. The Treasury Department released an analysis showing that spending on factory-related construction has doubled since 2021 after adjusting for inflation. White House economists issued a report that shows inflation is lower in the U.S. than the rest of industrialized nations in the Group of Seven.

White House aides believe that Biden's speech on Wednesday can generate greater awareness of his policies and increase Democratic voters' appreciation of the economy. While the president's allies acknowledge that many Americans still hold dim views of the economy, they note that the actual economic data was far worse last November, when Democrats mounted a stronger-than-expected showing in the midterm elections.

Biden aides say they are encouraged by data showing Americans’ views can be changed by a consistent message reinforced on multiple fronts, which is what the president and his Cabinet are setting out to do by touring the U.S. over the next three weeks. Their hope is that repetition of Biden’s accomplishments, coupled with a contrast to GOP proposals to undo those initiatives, will stick with voters for 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687982189464.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — President Joe Biden made his pitch Wednesday to a skeptical public that the U.S. economy is thriving under what he now touts as “Bidenomics” -- even as a new poll showed that could be a hard sell as the foundation for his 2024 reelection campaign.In a major economic speech in Chicago, Biden said his administration's efforts were sparking recovery after Republican policies had crushed America's middle class. But the poll said only one in three U.S. adults approve of his economic leadership.Kansas Senator Roger Marshall didn't hesitate to comment on&nbsp; Bidenomics.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is the reality, Mr. President: Real wages are down⬇️ Americans&#39; savings are slashed⬇️ Economic confidence is down⬇️ Inflation is sky high ⬆️ Credit card debt is soaring⬆️ Interest rates are through the roof⬆️ No matter how you spin it, &#39;Bidenomics&#39; does not work.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1674138094289801236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>(Click below to watch the President's Chicago speech)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F660788902570893%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=360" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>That 34% figure is even lower than his overall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-poll-harris-survey-economy-354924a2ed1e4833668a2554f12c7f9f">approval rating of 41%</a>, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.Biden's approval figures have barely moved for the past year and a half, a source of concern for a president pursuing a second term on his ability to govern and focus on workers. He wants voters to connect local roads and bridge projects, factory construction and the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy to the millions of dollars in initiatives he signed into law during the first two years of his administration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is Bidenomics, folks. <a href="https://t.co/nmATaelkw4">pic.twitter.com/nmATaelkw4</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1674076443607719943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Bidenomics is about the future,” he declared in his Wednesday speech to cheering supporters. “Bidenomics is just another way of saying: Restore the American dream.”At the same time, he sought to paint previous Republican tax cuts as deeply flawed, saying they helped the rich but failed the middle class for decades as the promised “trickle down” benefits never seemed to come to the less wealthy.“The trickle down approach failed the middle class,” he said. “It failed America. It blew up the deficit. It increased inequity. And it weakened our infrastructure. It stripped the dignity, pride and hope out of communities, one after another.”As he was departing Washington on Wednesday, Biden said he believes the U.S. will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-economy-inflation-jobs-unemployment-2ad91e65f4c0c79ebd2518e351934605">avoid the recession</a>&nbsp;that many economic analysts have been expecting. Republican leaders such as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said last year that the high inflation under Biden's watch meant that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speaker.gov/the-biden-recession/">“we are in a recession,"</a>&nbsp;but that is not the case under economic definitions.GOP officials say their tax cuts have encouraged business investments and profits that have improved pay for workers and bolstered the stock market, while greater government spending would cause prices to keep rising and waste money.Indeed, the economy has steadily improved over the past year of Biden's term in the White House.The Conference Board said Tuesday that consumer confidence this month reached the highest level since January 2022.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-inflation-layoffs-economy-federal-reserve-e1ec3c376117935a0d85e466e3a20af4">Unemployment</a>&nbsp;stands near a historic low at 3.7%. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-4c0ea8315ab90c1b832ef6fa67dc0c7a">inflation</a>&nbsp;that has plagued Biden's presidency has fallen to 4% from a peak of 9.1% last June. But prices are still rising significantly faster than the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, a worry for voters and a line of attack for Republican lawmakers and other presidential candidates.And smoke from Canadian wildfires, evident in Chicago on Wednesday, has added a new cloud for workers and shoppers in the U.S. The White House said it's monitoring the air quality in Chicago but would not cancel the president's scheduled events, which included a campaign reception in addition to the speech on the economy.The new poll identifies a weakness within Biden's own base. Many of the Democrats he needs to marshal in 2024 are comparatively unenthusiastic about his economic record. Seventy-two percent within his party say they approve of his handling of his job overall, but just 60% say they approve of his handling of the economy.By comparison, during the depths of the pandemic as unemployment spiked, Republicans approved by overwhelming numbers of then-President Donald Trump's economic leadership. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans now approve of Biden overall or on the economy, a testament to the polarization that defines modern U.S. politics.Sarah Husted, 40, said she voted in 2020 for Biden, but “I wasn't thrilled with either candidate.”Living in Lincoln, Nebraska, Husted said that she feels as though inflation is getting worse, especially with regard to utilities and housing. But she largely believes the economic turmoil still reflects the disruptions caused by the pandemic.“I don’t think that President Biden is helping the situation as much as he could, but I don’t think it’s all his fault,” she said.That take was shared by other poll respondents interviewed by AP who voted for Biden in 2020. They generally saw him as a president grappling with partisan divisions, global competition and the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.“He’s doing the best he can, but he can’t do anything without Congress,” said Alice Banner, 86, a retired nurse from Baltimore County, Maryland.Ben Will, 34, noted the solid job growth during Biden's presidency and said the infrastructure spending that Biden signed into law would help with growth."He’s doing a fantastic job with the cards that were dealt to him,” said Will, a marketing and advertising director from Reading, Pennsylvania.Overall, 30% of U.S. adults say they think the national economy is good, up slightly from the 25% who said that last month, when the president and congressional Republicans were in the midst of negotiations over raising the nation’s debt limit and a historic government default was a risk. No more than about a third have called the economy good since 2021.The administration is making a data-driven argument in addition to Biden's speech. The Treasury Department released an analysis showing that spending on factory-related construction has doubled since 2021 after adjusting for inflation. White House economists issued a report that shows inflation is lower in the U.S. than the rest of industrialized nations in the Group of Seven.White House aides believe that Biden's speech on Wednesday can generate greater awareness of his policies and increase Democratic voters' appreciation of the economy. While the president's allies acknowledge that many Americans still hold dim views of the economy, they note that the actual economic data was far worse last November, when Democrats mounted a stronger-than-expected showing in the midterm elections.Biden aides say they are encouraged by data showing Americans’ views can be changed by a consistent message reinforced on multiple fronts, which is what the president and his Cabinet are setting out to do by touring the U.S. over the next three weeks. Their hope is that repetition of Biden’s accomplishments, coupled with a contrast to GOP proposals to undo those initiatives, will stick with voters for 2024.

🎥 Kansas U.S. Senator critical of Bidenomics

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force was in Hays Wednesday to discuss how Kansas can better meet children's and family's needs.

Child care funding and oversight are very fragmented in the Kansas government. The task force has been directed to evaluate if child care needs to be under the oversight of a single agency in Kansas in order to reduce duplication and bureaucratic complexity for families and providers.&nbsp;

The listening session in Hays was one of a series across the state of Kansas. The board room at Rockwell Administration Center was filled to capacity Wednesday with about 40 people broken into eight groups.

Each group was asked to discuss three questions: • What are the challenges, gaps or barriers your community has faced? • What services and programs are working and are bright spots? • How would you evaluate the state's efficiency in providing support to you and your community?

Participants expressed concern about a gap between what child care providers charge and what some families can pay.&nbsp; Families should be paying no more than 7 percent of their income for child care, according to a staff member from Child Care Aware.

Jennifer Hecker, an Ellis County Child Care Task Force member, said although cost is a challenge for many families, wages for child care providers remain low. This has resulted in child care workers leaving the profession in droves, she said.

Child care providers have been able to receive pandemic sustainability funding, but that is now ending.

Brett Schmidt, owner of Learning Cross Child Care in Hays, said he is concerned as that pandemic funding disappears, communities like Hays will see a sharp decrease in providers.

Mason Ruder is a Hays city commissioner and his wife runs a child care home. During the pandemic, all providers participating in the Children and Adult Care Food Program received the same level of funding.&nbsp;

With the end of the pandemic, that funding has gone back to a tiered system. Tori Ruder, Ruder's wife, is now receiving less food funding even though food prices have increased significantly.

Infant care is not sustainable in for-profit models, Schmidt said. This has led to extreme shortages in most communities in the state. The state requires small staff-to-infant ratios, which drive up costs.

The going rate for care for an infant is $1,000 per month.&nbsp;

Group members also expressed concerns about a lack of care for children with disabilities or mental health issues. Care is also lacking for parents who do shift work.

The inability to find quality child care spills over into the workforce, participants said.

When a child care home closes because of illness, a worker may have to take a leave of absence to care for a child. Workers who can't find or afford child care, including potential paraprofessional educators, nurses and teachers have to remove themselves from the workforce to take care of their children, a participant said.

The participants pointed out some bright spots in the child care system. Some of these included intergenerational child care programs, the Ellis County Child Care Task Force, cooperative programs with businesses to provide child care and new professional development opportunities for child care providers.

The participants gave the facilitators multiple suggestions on how state oversight could be improved.

Participants said opening a new child care center or home was a lengthy process that required approval of multiple officials.

They said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment website is difficult to navigate.

Although some participants said the background check system had become easier, but others said it historically had been a slow and expensive process.&nbsp;

One participant said she needed three different background checks for her job.

One of the facilitators said because different certifications have different requirements, they can't use the same background checks for each certification.

Kyle Carlin, director of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, said each funding source has different requirements. This results in more administrative costs for the entities that receive the funding.

Sarah Wasinger, facilitator for the Ellis County Child Care Task Force, said applications for state funding have had short turnaround times. She also expressed frustration that the criteria for the programs have been changed in the middle of the application process.

Hecker also added grant funds are often based on population, which means rural areas of the state are left out.

"We can't compete body-wise," she said. "I would hope that they could look a square mileage."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687990159785.jpeg" alt="Participants from across the region met in Hays on Wednesday to discuss child care. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Participants from across the region met in Hays on Wednesday to discuss child care. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force was in Hays Wednesday to discuss how Kansas can better meet children's and family's needs.Child care funding and oversight are very fragmented in the Kansas government. The task force has been directed to evaluate if child care needs to be under the oversight of a single agency in Kansas in order to reduce duplication and bureaucratic complexity for families and providers.&nbsp;The listening session in Hays was one of a series across the state of Kansas. The board room at Rockwell Administration Center was filled to capacity Wednesday with about 40 people broken into eight groups.Each group was asked to discuss three questions: • What are the challenges, gaps or barriers your community has faced? • What services and programs are working and are bright spots? • How would you evaluate the state's efficiency in providing support to you and your community?Participants expressed concern about a gap between what child care providers charge and what some families can pay.&nbsp; Families should be paying no more than 7 percent of their income for child care, according to a staff member from Child Care Aware.Jennifer Hecker, an Ellis County Child Care Task Force member, said although cost is a challenge for many families, wages for child care providers remain low. This has resulted in child care workers leaving the profession in droves, she said.Child care providers have been able to receive pandemic sustainability funding, but that is now ending.Brett Schmidt, owner of Learning Cross Child Care in Hays, said he is concerned as that pandemic funding disappears, communities like Hays will see a sharp decrease in providers.Mason Ruder is a Hays city commissioner and his wife runs a child care home. During the pandemic, all providers participating in the Children and Adult Care Food Program received the same level of funding.&nbsp;With the end of the pandemic, that funding has gone back to a tiered system. Tori Ruder, Ruder's wife, is now receiving less food funding even though food prices have increased significantly.Infant care is not sustainable in for-profit models, Schmidt said. This has led to extreme shortages in most communities in the state. The state requires small staff-to-infant ratios, which drive up costs.The going rate for care for an infant is $1,000 per month.&nbsp;Group members also expressed concerns about a lack of care for children with disabilities or mental health issues. Care is also lacking for parents who do shift work.The inability to find quality child care spills over into the workforce, participants said.When a child care home closes because of illness, a worker may have to take a leave of absence to care for a child. Workers who can't find or afford child care, including potential paraprofessional educators, nurses and teachers have to remove themselves from the workforce to take care of their children, a participant said.The participants pointed out some bright spots in the child care system. Some of these included intergenerational child care programs, the Ellis County Child Care Task Force, cooperative programs with businesses to provide child care and new professional development opportunities for child care providers.The participants gave the facilitators multiple suggestions on how state oversight could be improved.Participants said opening a new child care center or home was a lengthy process that required approval of multiple officials.They said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment website is difficult to navigate.Although some participants said the background check system had become easier, but others said it historically had been a slow and expensive process.&nbsp;One participant said she needed three different background checks for her job.One of the facilitators said because different certifications have different requirements, they can't use the same background checks for each certification.Kyle Carlin, director of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, said each funding source has different requirements. This results in more administrative costs for the entities that receive the funding.Sarah Wasinger, facilitator for the Ellis County Child Care Task Force, said applications for state funding have had short turnaround times. She also expressed frustration that the criteria for the programs have been changed in the middle of the application process.Hecker also added grant funds are often based on population, which means rural areas of the state are left out."We can't compete body-wise," she said. "I would hope that they could look a square mileage."

Child care listening tour participants say state oversight cumbersome

JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

Just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday., a deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a Chrysler Sebring for a traffic infraction near 102nd and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the course of the traffic stop, the deputy discovered substances and items believed to be fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.

 The driver, Kasandra Oleva Marie Alexander, 28, of Atchison was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of distribution of opiates opium narcotics or stimulants, possession of opium, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving under the influence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687958868877.png" alt="Alexander-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday., a deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a Chrysler Sebring for a traffic infraction near 102nd and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the course of the traffic stop, the deputy discovered substances and items believed to be fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. The driver, Kasandra Oleva Marie Alexander, 28, of Atchison was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of distribution of opiates opium narcotics or stimulants, possession of opium, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving under the influence.

Sheriff: Kansas woman was transporting fentanyl 

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Thursday in Jackson County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; vehicle was southbound at Gregory and Blue Ridge Blvd. and struck a pedestrian identified as 36-year-old Kyle S. Clark of Grandview who was in the road.&nbsp; The vehicle then fled the scene.&nbsp;

Clark was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the medical examiner's office.&nbsp; Authorities released not additional details early Thursday.

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Thursday in Jackson County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; vehicle was southbound at Gregory and Blue Ridge Blvd. and struck a pedestrian identified as 36-year-old Kyle S. Clark of Grandview who was in the road.&nbsp; The vehicle then fled the scene.&nbsp;Clark was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the medical examiner's office.&nbsp; Authorities released not additional details early Thursday.

Patrol: Man dead in Kansas City-area hit and run

Bond has been set for a man charged in the shooting death of a man outside of a Hays bar early Sunday morning.

40-year-old Keith A. Ostrom of Hays, was arrested outside of the Horseshoe Bar in the 1000 block of East Eighth Street in Hays.

Ostrom was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of&nbsp;63-year-old Larry D. Braun, Ellis County resident. Braun was taken Sunday to Hays Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.

Ostrom's bond has been set at $200,000. As of Wednesday morning, he remained in custody at the Ellis County Detention Center.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said the case is still under investigation but has been referred to the Ellis County Attorney.

Law enforcement officials have released no further details what may have led to the shooting.

No further court dates had been set as of Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687978043263.jpeg" alt="Keith Ostrom. Photo courtesy of Ellis County Sheriff's Department" />
 <figcaption>Keith Ostrom. Photo courtesy of Ellis County Sheriff's Department</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostBond has been set for a man charged in the shooting death of a man outside of a Hays bar early Sunday morning.40-year-old Keith A. Ostrom of Hays, was arrested outside of the Horseshoe Bar in the 1000 block of East Eighth Street in Hays.Ostrom was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of&nbsp;63-year-old Larry D. Braun, Ellis County resident. Braun was taken Sunday to Hays Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.Ostrom's bond has been set at $200,000. As of Wednesday morning, he remained in custody at the Ellis County Detention Center.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said the case is still under investigation but has been referred to the Ellis County Attorney.Law enforcement officials have released no further details what may have led to the shooting.No further court dates had been set as of Wednesday.

Suspect in deadly NW Kan. shooting remains jailed on $200K bond

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden in recent weeks has started using a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine at night to help with sleep apnea, the White House said Wednesday. The revelation comes after indents from the mask were visible on the president’s face as he departed the White House.

The president has disclosed since 2008 a history with sleep apnea, a potentially serious but common condition in which breathing can stop and start in the night. Biden used the machine Tuesday night, White House officials said. The imprint lines on his face were apparent when he left Wednesday morning for a speech in Chicago.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sleep-apnea-machines-recall-1c0b269dbda55fb6f42c3b33939abdaa" target="_blank">A CPAP machine</a>&nbsp;is a motorized device that pumps air through a mask to open a sleeper’s airway. About 5 million Americans have tried them.

While his history with the condition has long been disclosed, it didn’t come up during his most recent physical in February. When he was vice president, doctors noted Biden had an irregular heartbeat probably linked to apnea.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-2024-campaign-oldest-president-voters-92d4f3daee6e12cb1cd6f119c7f6053a" target="_blank">80-year-old president</a>&nbsp;is running for reelection and is the oldest person ever to hold the nation’s highest office.

Roughly 30 million people in the U.S. are thought to have the condition, though only about 6 million are diagnosed with it, according to the American Medical Association.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5b1533185f4d4372bc56452c161e6aa7" target="_blank">In people with the condition</a>, throat and tongue muscles relax and block the airway during sleep, caused by obesity, aging or facial structure.

They stop breathing, sometimes for up to a minute and hundreds of times each night, then awake with loud gasping and snoring. That prevents them from getting deep, restorative sleep. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to dangerous drowsiness and increased heart attack risk. The problem is more common in men than women.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687995753754.png" alt="The revelation comes after indents from the mask were visible on the president’s face as he departed the White House Wednesday- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The revelation comes after indents from the mask were visible on the president’s face as he departed the White House Wednesday- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden in recent weeks has started using a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine at night to help with sleep apnea, the White House said Wednesday. The revelation comes after indents from the mask were visible on the president’s face as he departed the White House.The president has disclosed since 2008 a history with sleep apnea, a potentially serious but common condition in which breathing can stop and start in the night. Biden used the machine Tuesday night, White House officials said. The imprint lines on his face were apparent when he left Wednesday morning for a speech in Chicago.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sleep-apnea-machines-recall-1c0b269dbda55fb6f42c3b33939abdaa" target="_blank">A CPAP machine</a>&nbsp;is a motorized device that pumps air through a mask to open a sleeper’s airway. About 5 million Americans have tried them.While his history with the condition has long been disclosed, it didn’t come up during his most recent physical in February. When he was vice president, doctors noted Biden had an irregular heartbeat probably linked to apnea.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-2024-campaign-oldest-president-voters-92d4f3daee6e12cb1cd6f119c7f6053a" target="_blank">80-year-old president</a>&nbsp;is running for reelection and is the oldest person ever to hold the nation’s highest office.Roughly 30 million people in the U.S. are thought to have the condition, though only about 6 million are diagnosed with it, according to the American Medical Association.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5b1533185f4d4372bc56452c161e6aa7" target="_blank">In people with the condition</a>, throat and tongue muscles relax and block the airway during sleep, caused by obesity, aging or facial structure.They stop breathing, sometimes for up to a minute and hundreds of times each night, then awake with loud gasping and snoring. That prevents them from getting deep, restorative sleep. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to dangerous drowsiness and increased heart attack risk. The problem is more common in men than women.

Imprint lines on Biden's face prompt White House health disclosure

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in his daughter's murder made his first court appearance Wednesday.

51-year-old Thomas Gatewood of Wichita was charged with&nbsp;with 1st Degree Murder, Abuse of a Child,  Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness/ Victim, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On May 8, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of N. Oliver in Wichita after report of an&nbsp;unresponsive 8-year-old girl, according to Officer&nbsp; Kris Gupilan. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

The&nbsp;Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit and Homicide detectives investigated the incident and presented a case to the District Attorney’s office.

On Tuesday, a warrant was issued for Gatewood's arrest for the murder of his 8-year-old daughter. 

Wichita Police Officers utilized FLOCK technology and Thomas was quickly located and taken into custody within hours of the warrant being issued.

Gatewood being held on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court July 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687976261144.png" alt="Gatewood-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Gatewood-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in his daughter's murder made his first court appearance Wednesday.51-year-old Thomas Gatewood of Wichita was charged with&nbsp;with 1st Degree Murder, Abuse of a Child, Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness/ Victim, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On May 8, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of N. Oliver in Wichita after report of an&nbsp;unresponsive 8-year-old girl, according to Officer&nbsp; Kris Gupilan. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene. The&nbsp;Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit and Homicide detectives investigated the incident and presented a case to the District Attorney’s office.On Tuesday, a warrant was issued for Gatewood's arrest for the murder of his 8-year-old daughter. Wichita Police Officers utilized FLOCK technology and Thomas was quickly located and taken into custody within hours of the warrant being issued.Gatewood being held on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court July 12.

Kansas man charged in 8-year-old daughter's murder

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Human remains have likely been recovered from the wreckage of the submersible that imploded on a voyage to view the wreckage of the Titanic, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.

The announcement came hours after the announcement that debris from the Titan, collected from the seafloor more than 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) below the surface of the North Atlantic, had arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland. Twisted chunks of the submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.

Recovering and scrutinizing the wreckage is a key part of the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-implosion-90b9c54c3887c99099170a5afded15bc">why the Titan imploded</a>&nbsp;last week, killing all five people on board. The multiday search and eventual recovery of debris from the 22-foot (6.7-meter) vessel captured the world's attention.

"There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again,” Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement released late Wednesday afternoon.

The “presumed remains” will be brought to the United States, where medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis, and the Coast Guard has convened an investigation of the implosion at the highest level, Neubauer said, noting that the Marine Board of Investigation will analyze and test evidence, including pieces of debris, at a port in the U.S.

He said the evidence will provide “critical insights" into the cause of the implosion.

Debris from the Titan, which is believed to have imploded on June 18 as it made its descent, was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation, in conjunction with several other government agencies in the U.S. and Canada.

Authorities have not disclosed details of the debris recovery, which could have followed several approaches, according to Carl Hartsfield, who directs a lab at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution that designs and operates autonomous underwater vehicles and has been serving as a consultant to the Coast Guard.

“If the pieces are small, you can collect them together and put them in a basket or some kind of collection device," Hartsfield said Monday. Bigger pieces could be retrieved with a remote-operated vehicle, or ROV, such as the one brought to the wreckage site by the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic to search the ocean floor. For extremely big pieces a heavy lift can be used to pull the pieces up with a tow line, he said. Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.

Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said on Wednesday that it is “still on mission” and cannot comment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">on the investigation</a>, said company spokesperson Jeff Mahoney.

“They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation,” Mahoney said.

Analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan, and there could be electronic data recorded by the submersible’s instruments, Hartsfield said.

"So the question is, is there any data available? And I really don’t know the answer to that question,” he said Monday.

OceanGate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-titanic-submersible-passengers-6616175a166cda894a83d7ebe21a6aa4">killed in the implosion</a>&nbsp;along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The OceanGate company in Everett, Washington, closed when the Titan was found. The Titan’s mother ship, the Polar Prince, is based in Canada.

The operator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-tourist-sub-passengers-cost-ee2a6358b36e48326b3977090fd9311b">charged passengers $250,000</a>&nbsp;each to participate in the voyage. The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard also wants to use the investigation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titan-submersible-investigation-91bde867ef100c769f1dbe293f2b3020">improve safety of submersibles.</a>

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it has likely recovered human remains from the wreckage of the Titan submersible and is bringing the evidence back to the United States. The submersible imploded last week, killing all five people on board. The vessel was on a voyage see the wreck of the Titanic.

The return of the Titan debris to port in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on Wednesday is a key piece of the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-implosion-90b9c54c3887c99099170a5afded15bc">why the submersible imploded</a>. Twisted chunks of the 22-foot submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.

The U.S. Coast Guard said late Wednesday it had recovered debris and evidence from the sea floor and that included what it described as presumed human remains.

“I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,” U.S. Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement. “The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the TITAN and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.”

The Canadian ship Horizon Arctic carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to search the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck for pieces of the submersible. Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said on Wednesday that it has completed offshore operations.

Pelagic Research Services' team is “still on mission” and cannot comment on the ongoing Titan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">investigation</a>, which involves several government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, said Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company.

“They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones,” Mahoney said.

Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor, the Coast Guard said last week. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded during its June 18 descent. Officials announced on June 22 that the submersible had imploded and all five people on board were dead.

The Coast Guard has convened a Marine Board of Investigation into the implosion. That is the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard.

One of the experts the Coast Guard consulted with during the search said analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan. And there could be electronic data, said Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

“Certainly all the instruments on any deep sea vehicle, they record data. They pass up data. So the question is, is there any data available? And I really don’t know the answer to that question,” he said Monday.

Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.

Ocean Gate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush was k&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-titanic-submersible-passengers-6616175a166cda894a83d7ebe21a6aa4">illed in the implosion</a>&nbsp;along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

Representatives for the National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which are both involved in the investigation, also declined to comment. The National Transportation Safety Board has said the Coast Guard has declared the loss of the Titan submersible to be a “major marine casualty” and the Coast Guard will lead the investigation.

“We are not able to provide any additional information at this time as the investigation is ongoing,” said Liam MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization, the U.N.’s maritime agency, has said any investigative reports from the disaster would be submitted for review. Member states of the IMO can also propose changes such as stronger regulations of submersibles.

Currently, the IMO has voluntary safety guidelines for tourist submersibles which include requirements they be inspected, have emergency response plans, and have a certified pilot on board among other requirements. Any safety proposals would not likely be considered by the IMO until its next Maritime Safety Committee which begins in May 2024.

OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The OceanGate company in Everett, Washington closed when the Titan was found. Meanwhile, the Titan’s mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687279790385.png" alt="Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet underwater and roughly 1,600 feet&nbsp; from the Titanic on the ocean floor-photo courtesy Oceangate" />
 <figcaption>Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet underwater and roughly 1,600 feet&nbsp; from the Titanic on the ocean floor-photo courtesy Oceangate</figcaption>
 </figure>PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Human remains have likely been recovered from the wreckage of the submersible that imploded on a voyage to view the wreckage of the Titanic, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.The announcement came hours after the announcement that debris from the Titan, collected from the seafloor more than 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) below the surface of the North Atlantic, had arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland. Twisted chunks of the submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.Recovering and scrutinizing the wreckage is a key part of the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-implosion-90b9c54c3887c99099170a5afded15bc">why the Titan imploded</a>&nbsp;last week, killing all five people on board. The multiday search and eventual recovery of debris from the 22-foot (6.7-meter) vessel captured the world's attention."There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again,” Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement released late Wednesday afternoon.The “presumed remains” will be brought to the United States, where medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis, and the Coast Guard has convened an investigation of the implosion at the highest level, Neubauer said, noting that the Marine Board of Investigation will analyze and test evidence, including pieces of debris, at a port in the U.S.He said the evidence will provide “critical insights" into the cause of the implosion.Debris from the Titan, which is believed to have imploded on June 18 as it made its descent, was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation, in conjunction with several other government agencies in the U.S. and Canada.Authorities have not disclosed details of the debris recovery, which could have followed several approaches, according to Carl Hartsfield, who directs a lab at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution that designs and operates autonomous underwater vehicles and has been serving as a consultant to the Coast Guard.“If the pieces are small, you can collect them together and put them in a basket or some kind of collection device," Hartsfield said Monday. Bigger pieces could be retrieved with a remote-operated vehicle, or ROV, such as the one brought to the wreckage site by the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic to search the ocean floor. For extremely big pieces a heavy lift can be used to pull the pieces up with a tow line, he said. Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said on Wednesday that it is “still on mission” and cannot comment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">on the investigation</a>, said company spokesperson Jeff Mahoney.“They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation,” Mahoney said.Analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan, and there could be electronic data recorded by the submersible’s instruments, Hartsfield said."So the question is, is there any data available? And I really don’t know the answer to that question,” he said Monday.OceanGate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-titanic-submersible-passengers-6616175a166cda894a83d7ebe21a6aa4">killed in the implosion</a>&nbsp;along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The OceanGate company in Everett, Washington, closed when the Titan was found. The Titan’s mother ship, the Polar Prince, is based in Canada.The operator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-tourist-sub-passengers-cost-ee2a6358b36e48326b3977090fd9311b">charged passengers $250,000</a>&nbsp;each to participate in the voyage. The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard also wants to use the investigation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titan-submersible-investigation-91bde867ef100c769f1dbe293f2b3020">improve safety of submersibles.</a>----------------PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it has likely recovered human remains from the wreckage of the Titan submersible and is bringing the evidence back to the United States. The submersible imploded last week, killing all five people on board. The vessel was on a voyage see the wreck of the Titanic.The return of the Titan debris to port in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on Wednesday is a key piece of the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-implosion-90b9c54c3887c99099170a5afded15bc">why the submersible imploded</a>. Twisted chunks of the 22-foot submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.The U.S. Coast Guard said late Wednesday it had recovered debris and evidence from the sea floor and that included what it described as presumed human remains.“I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,” U.S. Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement. “The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the TITAN and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.”The Canadian ship Horizon Arctic carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to search the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck for pieces of the submersible. Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said on Wednesday that it has completed offshore operations.Pelagic Research Services' team is “still on mission” and cannot comment on the ongoing Titan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">investigation</a>, which involves several government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, said Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company.“They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones,” Mahoney said.Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor, the Coast Guard said last week. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded during its June 18 descent. Officials announced on June 22 that the submersible had imploded and all five people on board were dead.The Coast Guard has convened a Marine Board of Investigation into the implosion. That is the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard.One of the experts the Coast Guard consulted with during the search said analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan. And there could be electronic data, said Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.“Certainly all the instruments on any deep sea vehicle, they record data. They pass up data. So the question is, is there any data available? And I really don’t know the answer to that question,” he said Monday.Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.Ocean Gate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush was k&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-titanic-submersible-passengers-6616175a166cda894a83d7ebe21a6aa4">illed in the implosion</a>&nbsp;along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.Representatives for the National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which are both involved in the investigation, also declined to comment. The National Transportation Safety Board has said the Coast Guard has declared the loss of the Titan submersible to be a “major marine casualty” and the Coast Guard will lead the investigation.“We are not able to provide any additional information at this time as the investigation is ongoing,” said Liam MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization, the U.N.’s maritime agency, has said any investigative reports from the disaster would be submitted for review. Member states of the IMO can also propose changes such as stronger regulations of submersibles.Currently, the IMO has voluntary safety guidelines for tourist submersibles which include requirements they be inspected, have emergency response plans, and have a certified pilot on board among other requirements. Any safety proposals would not likely be considered by the IMO until its next Maritime Safety Committee which begins in May 2024.OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The OceanGate company in Everett, Washington closed when the Titan was found. Meanwhile, the Titan’s mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada.The operator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-tourist-sub-passengers-cost-ee2a6358b36e48326b3977090fd9311b">charged passengers $250,000</a>&nbsp;each to participate in the voyage. The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard also wants to use the investigation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titan-submersible-investigation-91bde867ef100c769f1dbe293f2b3020">improve safety of submersibles.</a>

US Coast Guard: Human remains found in wreckage of Titanic sub

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Hundreds of thousands of summer travelers suffered through another day of delayed and canceled flights Wednesday, a troubling glimpse into what could happen over the long July 4 holiday weekend as airlines struggle to keep up with surging numbers of passengers.

By early evening on the East Coast, nearly 5,800 U.S. flights had been delayed and 1,000 more were canceled, according to FlightAware.

United Airlines, which depends on the airport in Newark, New Jersey, canceled the most flights among U.S. airlines for a fifth straight day.

“We’re beginning to see improvement across our operation,” United said in a statement Wednesday night. “As our operation improves in the days ahead, we will be on track to restore our operation for the holiday weekend.”

The worst disruptions continued to be along the East Coast, which has been pummeled by thunderstorms this week. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily held up Boston-bound flights on Wednesday. It stopped flights to all three major airports in the New York City area and two near Washington, D.C., at times Tuesday.

Huge crowds, bad weather, inability of some airline crews to reach their scheduling offices — even a Delta jet that made a belly landing in Charlotte, North Carolina — all contributed to the mess.

And it could be just the storm before the storm: The FAA predicted that Thursday would be the heaviest travel day over the July 4 holiday period. On top of that, some airline planes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buttigieg-airlines-5g-wireless-service-d24dbc4a1295538d51ee7da345cb6303">may be unable to fly in bad weather</a>&nbsp;starting this weekend because of possible interference with 5G wireless service.

Travel has picked up steadily every year since bottoming out during the pandemic. For the past week, about 2.6 million people a day on average have been flying in the United States, about 2% more than in the same period during pre-pandemic 2019, according to Transportation Security Administration figures.

The number of air travelers could set a pandemic-era record over the holiday weekend. The FAA expects Thursday to be the busiest, with more than 52,500 total flights.

People whose travel plans were disrupted took to social media to vent against the airlines. Some swore they would never fly again on whichever airline had done them wrong.

Tia Hudson was back at Newark Liberty International Airport for the fourth straight day, trying to catch a United Airlines flight home to Louisiana.

“My flight has been canceled like five times now. I slept at the airport two nights, I booked two hotels, I spent over $700 since I’ve been here and they said they’re not going to reimburse me because it’s weather-related,” she said. “It’s not weather-related. It’s a shortage of pilots and attendants.”

Hudson missed her mother’s wedding and caused her mother to skip her own honeymoon to pick up Tia at the airport near Dallas – only for the flight to be canceled.

“I just want to get away from this airport, but they say nobody is leaving until Saturday,” she said.

At Logan Airport in Boston, pharmaceutical company manager Rui Loureiro had to scrap plans to spend the rest of the week meeting clients on the West Coast when his flight to San Francisco was canceled. United told him the soonest he could get on another flight was Friday, and didn't offer to pay for a hotel room. He plans to fly home to Portugal instead – or at least give it a try.

“I am a little bit stressed, disappointed,” Loureiro said. “People were waiting for me. We had things arranged to do. Now I have to go back and rebook everything and come again another time.”

By early Wednesday evening, Chicago-based United had canceled more than 550 flights — one-fifth of its schedule — and 1,200 others were late. The airline vowed to reduce cancellations — and added it reduced the backlog of stranded bags in Newark by 30% since Tuesday. New York-based JetBlue canceled nearly one in 10 flights.

If large numbers of passengers are stranded or delayed this weekend, expect federal officials and the airlines to blame each other for the mess.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, has been beating up on the airlines for more than a year. He has accused them of failing to live up to reasonable standards of customer service and suggested that they are scheduling more flights than they can handle.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby blamed a shortage of federal air traffic controllers for massive disruptions last weekend at its Newark hub.

“We estimate that over 150,000 customers on United alone were impacted this weekend because of FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic,” Kirby wrote in a memo to employees on Monday night.

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents United's cabin crews, said United was contributing to the situation. The union said employees were waiting three hours or longer when calling a crew-scheduling center for assignments because of “limited telephone lines and personnel.”

However, the FAA signaled earlier this year that it could struggle to keep flights moving in New York, the busiest airspace in the nation. Facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers at a key facility on Long Island, the FAA persuaded airlines to trim their summer schedules to avoid overloading the system.

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, where American and Southwest are based, took the airlines’ side in a series of tweets about delays at the New York City area's three big airports.

“Staffing at FAA’s air traffic facilities in NY is at 54%,” Cruz tweeted. “Yet (the Transportation Department) is blaming weather for delays. Nonsense.”

A Transportation Department spokesperson said the agency is working with airlines to fix things, but the combination of high traffic and bad weather reduces the rate at which planes can take off and land safely, leading to delays and canceled flights.

The FAA is training about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a">3,000 new air traffic controllers</a>, but most of them won’t be ready anytime soon. Last week, the Transportation Department’s inspector general said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/39530">a report</a>&nbsp;that the FAA has made only “limited efforts” to adequately staff critical air traffic control centers and lacks a plan to tackle the problem.

Last week, Buttigieg issued a new warning to airlines, telling them that planes that aren't outfitted with new radio altimeters — devices that measure the height of a plane above the ground — won’t be allowed to operate in limited visibility starting this Saturday because of potential interference from new 5G wireless service.

American, United, Southwest, Alaska and Frontier say all of their planes have been retrofitted, but Delta Air Lines still has about 190 planes waiting to be updated because its supplier doesn't have enough altimeters. Delta said it will schedule those planes to avoid landing where the weather might be bad to limit disruptions.

Smaller airlines that operate regional flights could also be affected by the radio interference issue, as could flights operated to the United States by foreign carriers.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Hundreds of thousands of summer travelers suffered through another day of delayed and canceled flights Wednesday, a troubling glimpse into what could happen over the long July 4 holiday weekend as airlines struggle to keep up with surging numbers of passengers.By early evening on the East Coast, nearly 5,800 U.S. flights had been delayed and 1,000 more were canceled, according to FlightAware.United Airlines, which depends on the airport in Newark, New Jersey, canceled the most flights among U.S. airlines for a fifth straight day.“We’re beginning to see improvement across our operation,” United said in a statement Wednesday night. “As our operation improves in the days ahead, we will be on track to restore our operation for the holiday weekend.”The worst disruptions continued to be along the East Coast, which has been pummeled by thunderstorms this week. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily held up Boston-bound flights on Wednesday. It stopped flights to all three major airports in the New York City area and two near Washington, D.C., at times Tuesday.Huge crowds, bad weather, inability of some airline crews to reach their scheduling offices — even a Delta jet that made a belly landing in Charlotte, North Carolina — all contributed to the mess.And it could be just the storm before the storm: The FAA predicted that Thursday would be the heaviest travel day over the July 4 holiday period. On top of that, some airline planes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buttigieg-airlines-5g-wireless-service-d24dbc4a1295538d51ee7da345cb6303">may be unable to fly in bad weather</a>&nbsp;starting this weekend because of possible interference with 5G wireless service.Travel has picked up steadily every year since bottoming out during the pandemic. For the past week, about 2.6 million people a day on average have been flying in the United States, about 2% more than in the same period during pre-pandemic 2019, according to Transportation Security Administration figures.The number of air travelers could set a pandemic-era record over the holiday weekend. The FAA expects Thursday to be the busiest, with more than 52,500 total flights.People whose travel plans were disrupted took to social media to vent against the airlines. Some swore they would never fly again on whichever airline had done them wrong.Tia Hudson was back at Newark Liberty International Airport for the fourth straight day, trying to catch a United Airlines flight home to Louisiana.“My flight has been canceled like five times now. I slept at the airport two nights, I booked two hotels, I spent over $700 since I’ve been here and they said they’re not going to reimburse me because it’s weather-related,” she said. “It’s not weather-related. It’s a shortage of pilots and attendants.”Hudson missed her mother’s wedding and caused her mother to skip her own honeymoon to pick up Tia at the airport near Dallas – only for the flight to be canceled.On top of that, Hudson's bags were lost.“I just want to get away from this airport, but they say nobody is leaving until Saturday,” she said.At Logan Airport in Boston, pharmaceutical company manager Rui Loureiro had to scrap plans to spend the rest of the week meeting clients on the West Coast when his flight to San Francisco was canceled. United told him the soonest he could get on another flight was Friday, and didn't offer to pay for a hotel room. He plans to fly home to Portugal instead – or at least give it a try.“I am a little bit stressed, disappointed,” Loureiro said. “People were waiting for me. We had things arranged to do. Now I have to go back and rebook everything and come again another time.”By early Wednesday evening, Chicago-based United had canceled more than 550 flights — one-fifth of its schedule — and 1,200 others were late. The airline vowed to reduce cancellations — and added it reduced the backlog of stranded bags in Newark by 30% since Tuesday. New York-based JetBlue canceled nearly one in 10 flights.If large numbers of passengers are stranded or delayed this weekend, expect federal officials and the airlines to blame each other for the mess.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, has been beating up on the airlines for more than a year. He has accused them of failing to live up to reasonable standards of customer service and suggested that they are scheduling more flights than they can handle.The airlines are punching back.United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby blamed a shortage of federal air traffic controllers for massive disruptions last weekend at its Newark hub.“We estimate that over 150,000 customers on United alone were impacted this weekend because of FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic,” Kirby wrote in a memo to employees on Monday night.The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents United's cabin crews, said United was contributing to the situation. The union said employees were waiting three hours or longer when calling a crew-scheduling center for assignments because of “limited telephone lines and personnel.”However, the FAA signaled earlier this year that it could struggle to keep flights moving in New York, the busiest airspace in the nation. Facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers at a key facility on Long Island, the FAA persuaded airlines to trim their summer schedules to avoid overloading the system.Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, where American and Southwest are based, took the airlines’ side in a series of tweets about delays at the New York City area's three big airports.“Staffing at FAA’s air traffic facilities in NY is at 54%,” Cruz tweeted. “Yet (the Transportation Department) is blaming weather for delays. Nonsense.”A Transportation Department spokesperson said the agency is working with airlines to fix things, but the combination of high traffic and bad weather reduces the rate at which planes can take off and land safely, leading to delays and canceled flights.The FAA is training about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a">3,000 new air traffic controllers</a>, but most of them won’t be ready anytime soon. Last week, the Transportation Department’s inspector general said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/39530">a report</a>&nbsp;that the FAA has made only “limited efforts” to adequately staff critical air traffic control centers and lacks a plan to tackle the problem.Last week, Buttigieg issued a new warning to airlines, telling them that planes that aren't outfitted with new radio altimeters — devices that measure the height of a plane above the ground — won’t be allowed to operate in limited visibility starting this Saturday because of potential interference from new 5G wireless service.American, United, Southwest, Alaska and Frontier say all of their planes have been retrofitted, but Delta Air Lines still has about 190 planes waiting to be updated because its supplier doesn't have enough altimeters. Delta said it will schedule those planes to avoid landing where the weather might be bad to limit disruptions.Smaller airlines that operate regional flights could also be affected by the radio interference issue, as could flights operated to the United States by foreign carriers.