SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Sedgwick County.

Just after 10p.m. Monday, police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1600 Block of North Wood in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford . 

The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived. The officers left the call, but when the suspect returned to his residence, his wife called the police to return.

&nbsp;A struggle between the officers and the suspect ensued, resulting in the suspect being shot.

Police released no additional details early Tuesday. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office is in charge of the investigation.

&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715696376634.png" alt="Police on the scene the shooting investigation." />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene the shooting investigation.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Sedgwick County.Just after 10p.m. Monday, police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1600 Block of North Wood in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford . The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived. The officers left the call, but when the suspect returned to his residence, his wife called the police to return.&nbsp;A struggle between the officers and the suspect ensued, resulting in the suspect being shot.Police released no additional details early Tuesday. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office is in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Police shot man during domestic disturbance call at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-electric-vehicles-imports-3d1f4ef984b18bb6e86274e65bcfdf2e">plans to slap new tariffs</a>&nbsp;on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment — an election year move that's likely to increase friction between the world's two largest economies.

The tariffs come in the middle of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">a heated campaign</a>&nbsp;between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his Republican predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, in which both candidates are vying to show who's tougher on China.

The tariffs are unlikely to have much of an inflationary impact because of how they’re structured. Administration officials said they think the tariffs won't escalate tensions with China, yet they expect China will explore ways to respond to the new taxes on its products. It's uncertain what the long-term impact on prices could be if the tariffs contribute to a wider trade dispute.

The tariffs are to be phased in over the next three years, with those that take effect in 2024 covering EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel and aluminum and more. There are currently very few EVs from China in the U.S., but officials worry low-priced models made possible by Chinese government subsidies could soon start flooding the U.S. market.

Chinese firms can&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-byd-auto-seagull-auto-ev-cae20c92432b74e95c234d93ec1df400">sell EVs for as little as $12,000</a>. Their solar cell plants and steel and aluminum mills have enough capacity to meet much of the world's demand, with Chinese officials arguing their production keeps prices low and would aid a transition to the green economy.

Lael Brainard, director of the White House National Economic Council, said the tariffs will raise the cost of select Chinese goods and help thwart Beijing's efforts to dominate the market for emerging technologies in ways that pose risks to U.S. national security and economic stability.

“China is simply too big to play by its own rules,” Brainard told reporters on a Monday call previewing the announcement.

Administration officials have stressed the decision on tariffs was made independently of November's presidential election. But Brainard noted in her remarks the tariffs would help workers in Pennsylvania and Michigan, two of the battleground states that will decide who wins the election.

Under the findings of a four-year review on trade with China, the tax rate on imported Chinese EVs will rise to 102.5% this year, up from total levels of 27.5%. The review was undertaken under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the government to retaliate against trade practices deemed unfair or in violation of global standards.

Under the 301 guidelines, the tariff rate is to double to 50% on solar cell imports this year. Tariffs on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products will climb to 25% this year. Computer chip tariffs will double to 50% by 2025.

For lithium-ion EV batteries, tariffs will rise from 7.5% to 25% this year. But for non-EV batteries of the same type, the tariff increase will be implemented in 2026. There are also higher tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes, critical minerals and medical products.

The new tariffs, at least initially, are largely symbolic since they will apply to only about $18 billion in imports. A new analysis by Oxford Economics estimates the tariffs will have a barely noticeable impact on inflation by pushing up inflation by just 0.01%.

The Chinese foreign ministry lashed out over the U.S. move. A ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said the U.S. is, under the banner of overcapacity, suppressing the advanced industries of other countries, carrying out protectionism with the excuse of free competition, and trampling on the principles of a market economy and international economic and trade rules.

“It’s a naked act of bullying,” Wang said.

He said China’s rapid growth in new-energy areas such as EVs, lithium batteries and photovoltaics is based on technological innovation, complete supply chain, sufficient market competition, and not so-called “subsidies.”

The Chinese economy has been slowed by the collapse of the country’s real estate market and past coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, prompting Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to jumpstart growth by ramping up production of EVs and other products, making more than the Chinese market can absorb.

This strategy further exacerbates tensions with a U.S. government that claims it's determined to strengthen its own manufacturing to compete with China, yet avoid a larger conflict.

“China’s factory-led recovery and weak consumption growth, which are translating into excess capacity and an aggressive search for foreign markets, in tandem with the looming U.S. election season add up to a perfect recipe for escalating U.S. trade fractions with China,’’ said Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University.

The Europeans are worried, too. The EU launched an investigation last fall into Chinese subsidies and could impose an import tax on Chinese EVs.

After Xi’s visit to France last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that government-subsidized Chinese EVs and steel “are flooding the European market" and said, "The world cannot absorb China’s surplus production.’’

Biden's Democratic administration views China with subsidies of its own manufacturing as trying to globally control the EV and clean-energy sectors, whereas it says its own industrial support is geared toward ensuring domestic supplies to help meet U.S. demand.

“We do not seek to have global domination of manufacturing in these sectors, but we believe because these are strategic industries and for the sake of resilience of our supply chains, that we want to make sure that we have healthy and active firms,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

The tensions go far beyond a trade dispute to deeper questions about who leads the world economy as a seemingly indispensable nation. China's policies could make the world more dependent on its factories, possibly giving it greater leverage in geopolitics. At the same time, the United States says it's seeking for countries to operate by the same standards so competition can be fair.

China maintains the tariffs are in violation of the global trade rules the United States originally helped establish through the World Trade Organization. It accuses the U.S. of continuing to politicize trade issues and on Friday said the new tariffs compound the problems caused by tariffs the Trump administration previously put on Chinese goods, which Biden has kept.

Those issues are at the heart of November’s presidential election, with a bitterly divided electorate seemingly united by the idea of getting tough with China. Biden and Trump have overlapping but different strategies.

Biden sees targeted tariffs as needed to defend key industries and workers, while Trump has threatened broad 10% tariffs against all imports from rivals and allies alike.

Biden has staked his presidential legacy on the U.S. pulling ahead of China with its own government investments in factories to make EVs, computer chips and other advanced technologies.

“We’ve created $866 billion in private-sector investment nationwide — almost a trillion dollars — historic amounts in such a short time,” Biden said last week in Wisconsin. “And that’s literally creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.”

Trump tells his supporters America is falling further behind China by not betting on oil to keep powering the economy, despite its climate change risks. The ex-president may believe tariffs can change Chinese behavior, but he believes the U.S. will be reliant on China for EV components and solar cells.

“Joe Biden’s economic plan is to make China rich and America poor,” he said at a rally this month in Wisconsin.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715692137883.png" alt="White House file photo" />
 <figcaption>White House file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-electric-vehicles-imports-3d1f4ef984b18bb6e86274e65bcfdf2e">plans to slap new tariffs</a>&nbsp;on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment — an election year move that's likely to increase friction between the world's two largest economies.The tariffs come in the middle of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">a heated campaign</a>&nbsp;between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his Republican predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, in which both candidates are vying to show who's tougher on China.The tariffs are unlikely to have much of an inflationary impact because of how they’re structured. Administration officials said they think the tariffs won't escalate tensions with China, yet they expect China will explore ways to respond to the new taxes on its products. It's uncertain what the long-term impact on prices could be if the tariffs contribute to a wider trade dispute.The tariffs are to be phased in over the next three years, with those that take effect in 2024 covering EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel and aluminum and more. There are currently very few EVs from China in the U.S., but officials worry low-priced models made possible by Chinese government subsidies could soon start flooding the U.S. market.Chinese firms can&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-byd-auto-seagull-auto-ev-cae20c92432b74e95c234d93ec1df400">sell EVs for as little as $12,000</a>. Their solar cell plants and steel and aluminum mills have enough capacity to meet much of the world's demand, with Chinese officials arguing their production keeps prices low and would aid a transition to the green economy.Lael Brainard, director of the White House National Economic Council, said the tariffs will raise the cost of select Chinese goods and help thwart Beijing's efforts to dominate the market for emerging technologies in ways that pose risks to U.S. national security and economic stability.“China is simply too big to play by its own rules,” Brainard told reporters on a Monday call previewing the announcement.Administration officials have stressed the decision on tariffs was made independently of November's presidential election. But Brainard noted in her remarks the tariffs would help workers in Pennsylvania and Michigan, two of the battleground states that will decide who wins the election.Under the findings of a four-year review on trade with China, the tax rate on imported Chinese EVs will rise to 102.5% this year, up from total levels of 27.5%. The review was undertaken under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the government to retaliate against trade practices deemed unfair or in violation of global standards.Under the 301 guidelines, the tariff rate is to double to 50% on solar cell imports this year. Tariffs on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products will climb to 25% this year. Computer chip tariffs will double to 50% by 2025.For lithium-ion EV batteries, tariffs will rise from 7.5% to 25% this year. But for non-EV batteries of the same type, the tariff increase will be implemented in 2026. There are also higher tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes, critical minerals and medical products.The new tariffs, at least initially, are largely symbolic since they will apply to only about $18 billion in imports. A new analysis by Oxford Economics estimates the tariffs will have a barely noticeable impact on inflation by pushing up inflation by just 0.01%.The Chinese foreign ministry lashed out over the U.S. move. A ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said the U.S. is, under the banner of overcapacity, suppressing the advanced industries of other countries, carrying out protectionism with the excuse of free competition, and trampling on the principles of a market economy and international economic and trade rules.“It’s a naked act of bullying,” Wang said.He said China’s rapid growth in new-energy areas such as EVs, lithium batteries and photovoltaics is based on technological innovation, complete supply chain, sufficient market competition, and not so-called “subsidies.”The Chinese economy has been slowed by the collapse of the country’s real estate market and past coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, prompting Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to jumpstart growth by ramping up production of EVs and other products, making more than the Chinese market can absorb.This strategy further exacerbates tensions with a U.S. government that claims it's determined to strengthen its own manufacturing to compete with China, yet avoid a larger conflict.“China’s factory-led recovery and weak consumption growth, which are translating into excess capacity and an aggressive search for foreign markets, in tandem with the looming U.S. election season add up to a perfect recipe for escalating U.S. trade fractions with China,’’ said Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University.The Europeans are worried, too. The EU launched an investigation last fall into Chinese subsidies and could impose an import tax on Chinese EVs.After Xi’s visit to France last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that government-subsidized Chinese EVs and steel “are flooding the European market" and said, "The world cannot absorb China’s surplus production.’’Biden's Democratic administration views China with subsidies of its own manufacturing as trying to globally control the EV and clean-energy sectors, whereas it says its own industrial support is geared toward ensuring domestic supplies to help meet U.S. demand.“We do not seek to have global domination of manufacturing in these sectors, but we believe because these are strategic industries and for the sake of resilience of our supply chains, that we want to make sure that we have healthy and active firms,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.The tensions go far beyond a trade dispute to deeper questions about who leads the world economy as a seemingly indispensable nation. China's policies could make the world more dependent on its factories, possibly giving it greater leverage in geopolitics. At the same time, the United States says it's seeking for countries to operate by the same standards so competition can be fair.China maintains the tariffs are in violation of the global trade rules the United States originally helped establish through the World Trade Organization. It accuses the U.S. of continuing to politicize trade issues and on Friday said the new tariffs compound the problems caused by tariffs the Trump administration previously put on Chinese goods, which Biden has kept.Those issues are at the heart of November’s presidential election, with a bitterly divided electorate seemingly united by the idea of getting tough with China. Biden and Trump have overlapping but different strategies.Biden sees targeted tariffs as needed to defend key industries and workers, while Trump has threatened broad 10% tariffs against all imports from rivals and allies alike.Biden has staked his presidential legacy on the U.S. pulling ahead of China with its own government investments in factories to make EVs, computer chips and other advanced technologies.“We’ve created $866 billion in private-sector investment nationwide — almost a trillion dollars — historic amounts in such a short time,” Biden said last week in Wisconsin. “And that’s literally creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.”Trump tells his supporters America is falling further behind China by not betting on oil to keep powering the economy, despite its climate change risks. The ex-president may believe tariffs can change Chinese behavior, but he believes the U.S. will be reliant on China for EV components and solar cells.“Joe Biden’s economic plan is to make China rich and America poor,” he said at a rally this month in Wisconsin.

China accuses US of bullying as Biden hikes tariffs on many goods

KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minnesota —An open water and land search continues for missing kayaker 39-year-old Shane White of Overland Park Kansas on Nest Lake in northern Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, according to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff.

At 11:30p.m. Saturday, deputies learned that White&nbsp; had left alone in a kayak from his vacation rental on the south side of Nest Lake and failed to return.  An open water and shoreline search began shortly after deputies arrived and White's kayak was located by deputies at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

The Sheriff's Office requested that property owners in the vicinity check shorelines and outbuildings for White who is described as 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and is wearing black shorts and a black t-shirt. 

The Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the MN DNR, the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, New London Fire Department, New London Ambulance, Spicer Fire Department, Spicer First Responders, Sunburg Fire Department, the MN State Patrol and the Kandiyohi County Water Rescue and Recovery Team.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office at 320-235-1260.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715689605369.png" alt="Shane White-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Shane White-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minnesota —An open water and land search continues for missing kayaker 39-year-old Shane White of Overland Park Kansas on Nest Lake in northern Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, according to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff.At 11:30p.m. Saturday, deputies learned that White&nbsp; had left alone in a kayak from his vacation rental on the south side of Nest Lake and failed to return. An open water and shoreline search began shortly after deputies arrived and White's kayak was located by deputies at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.The Sheriff's Office requested that property owners in the vicinity check shorelines and outbuildings for White who is described as 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and is wearing black shorts and a black t-shirt. The Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the MN DNR, the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, New London Fire Department, New London Ambulance, Spicer Fire Department, Spicer First Responders, Sunburg Fire Department, the MN State Patrol and the Kandiyohi County Water Rescue and Recovery Team.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office at 320-235-1260.

Kayaker from Kansas still missing in Minnesota 

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are looking to speak with 48-year-old Marcus Knight of Lawrence, as a person of interest in regards to an incident in an undeveloped area north of Burcham Park, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Just before 7 a.m. on April 28, deputies responded to a report of a robbery in the area and found a dog had been shot. The dog later died from the injuries. 

Anyone with information about Knight's location is asked to call the Sheriff's Office, 785-841-0007, or Crime Stoppers, 785-843-TIPS (8477).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715627908804.png" alt="Knight-photo Douglas Co." />
 <figcaption>Knight-photo Douglas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are looking to speak with 48-year-old Marcus Knight of Lawrence, as a person of interest in regards to an incident in an undeveloped area north of Burcham Park, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Just before 7 a.m. on April 28, deputies responded to a report of a robbery in the area and found a dog had been shot. The dog later died from the injuries. Anyone with information about Knight's location is asked to call the Sheriff's Office, 785-841-0007, or Crime Stoppers, 785-843-TIPS (8477).

Sheriff: Suspect wanted after dog shot in rural Kan. park has died

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend shooting and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 5p.m. May 11, officers were dispatched to a call involving a weapon at Walmart, 18631 W. Kellogg in Goddard, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office. 

First responders located an 18-year-old in a vehicle&nbsp;suffering from a gunshot wound, in the Walmart parking lot.&nbsp; EMS transported the teen to the hospital in serious condition. He has since been upgraded to stable condition.&nbsp;

Suspect <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748186">Ruben Contreras, 47</a>, of Wichita, remained on the scene when law enforcement arrived and was taken into custody.

Contreras was transported to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation to be interviewed. He was later booked into Sedgwick County Detention Facility for attempted 2nd&nbsp;degree murder.

This case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for review of charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715641692899.png" alt="Contreras-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Contreras-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend shooting and have a suspect in custody.Just before 5p.m. May 11, officers were dispatched to a call involving a weapon at Walmart, 18631 W. Kellogg in Goddard, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office. First responders located an 18-year-old in a vehicle&nbsp;suffering from a gunshot wound, in the Walmart parking lot.&nbsp; EMS transported the teen to the hospital in serious condition. He has since been upgraded to stable condition.&nbsp;Suspect <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748186">Ruben Contreras, 47</a>, of Wichita, remained on the scene when law enforcement arrived and was taken into custody. Contreras was transported to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation to be interviewed. He was later booked into Sedgwick County Detention Facility for attempted 2nd&nbsp;degree murder.This case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for review of charges.

Kansas man jailed for shooting teen in Walmart parking lot

MCDONALD COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Monday in McDonald County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1985 Chevy Corvette driven by Dane R. Paulson, 25, Anderson, was northbound on Highway 59 in Ginger Blue.&nbsp;

The car traveled off the right side of the road and struck a tree.

Paulson and a passenger Hevenlee R. Williams, 27, Anderson, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the county coroner's office.&nbsp; They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

MCDONALD COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Monday in McDonald County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1985 Chevy Corvette driven by Dane R. Paulson, 25, Anderson, was northbound on Highway 59 in Ginger Blue.&nbsp;The car traveled off the right side of the road and struck a tree.Paulson and a passenger Hevenlee R. Williams, 27, Anderson, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the county coroner's office.&nbsp; They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Missouri man and woman killed after car strikes a tree

WICHITA — A ransomware attack on the Ascension health system operating in Kansas and 18 other states across the U.S. forced some of its 140 hospitals to divert ambulances, caused patients to postpone medical tests and blocked online access to patient records.

&nbsp;Ascension, with the support of leading cybersecurity experts, worked around the clock over the weekend and on Monday to respond to the ransomware incident, according to an Ascension spokesperson.

The hospital system is focused on restoring systems safely and is making progress, however, it will take time to return to normal operations. 

"All Ascension Via Christi hospitals, physician offices, and care sites across Kansas remain open and operational.&nbsp;Despite the challenges posed by the recent ransomware incident, patient safety continues to be our utmost priority. Our dedicated doctors, nurses, and care teams are demonstrating incredible thoughtfulness and resilience as we use manual and paper based systems during the ongoing disruption to normal systems."

"We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unexpected situation. Rest assured, our commitment to the health and safety of our community remains our highest priority."

Can I go to my doctor’s appointment?

Ascension Via Christi Medical Partners doctor’s offices and care sites are operating with normal business hours, and all scheduled appointments are proceeding as planned.

Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays. To help expedite processes, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles. In the event that appointments need to be rescheduled, an Ascension associate will contact patients directly.

Ascension Rx retail pharmacies in Kansas&nbsp;cannot fill your prescription at this time.&nbsp;If a prescription was filled prior to May 8, 2024, and is awaiting pickup, that is available for the patient. If a patient needs a refill, they need to contact their prescriber and get a new prescription sent to a pharmacy outside of Ascension Rx.

Is Via Christi Immediate Care on Murdock open?

At this time, the Via Christi Immediate Care on Murdock is fully operating. Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation and care at certain centers, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays.

Are Ascension’s emergency rooms open?

All Via Christi emergency rooms remain open.&nbsp;If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911, and local emergency services will transport you to the most appropriate hospital emergency room.

Patients with upcoming scheduled elective surgeries should plan to arrive as planned unless otherwise notified. Should any rescheduling be necessary, a member of our care team will contact you directly.

Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays. To help expedite processes, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles.

Will I be able to get my diagnostic imaging, other tests, and treatments?Imaging, testing, and treatment are being offered at this time. Patients may experience delays, we are grateful for your patience. Should any rescheduling be necessary, a member of our care team will contact you directly.

"Commitment to Quality Care:Our care teams are well versed on dynamic situations and are appropriately trained to maintain high quality care during downtime. Our leadership, physicians, care teams, and associates are working to ensure patient care continues with minimal to no interruption. We appreciate our community's patience and understanding."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715251297400.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA — A ransomware attack on the Ascension health system operating in Kansas and 18 other states across the U.S. forced some of its 140 hospitals to divert ambulances, caused patients to postpone medical tests and blocked online access to patient records.&nbsp;Ascension, with the support of leading cybersecurity experts, worked around the clock over the weekend and on Monday to respond to the ransomware incident, according to an Ascension spokesperson.The hospital system is focused on restoring systems safely and is making progress, however, it will take time to return to normal operations. "All Ascension Via Christi hospitals, physician offices, and care sites across Kansas remain open and operational.&nbsp;Despite the challenges posed by the recent ransomware incident, patient safety continues to be our utmost priority. Our dedicated doctors, nurses, and care teams are demonstrating incredible thoughtfulness and resilience as we use manual and paper based systems during the ongoing disruption to normal systems.""We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unexpected situation. Rest assured, our commitment to the health and safety of our community remains our highest priority."Can I go to my doctor’s appointment?Ascension Via Christi Medical Partners doctor’s offices and care sites are operating with normal business hours, and all scheduled appointments are proceeding as planned.Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays. To help expedite processes, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles. In the event that appointments need to be rescheduled, an Ascension associate will contact patients directly.Can I get my prescription filled?Ascension Rx retail pharmacies in Kansas&nbsp;cannot fill your prescription at this time.&nbsp;If a prescription was filled prior to May 8, 2024, and is awaiting pickup, that is available for the patient. If a patient needs a refill, they need to contact their prescriber and get a new prescription sent to a pharmacy outside of Ascension Rx.Is Via Christi Immediate Care on Murdock open?At this time, the Via Christi Immediate Care on Murdock is fully operating. Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation and care at certain centers, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays.Are Ascension’s emergency rooms open?All Via Christi emergency rooms remain open.&nbsp;If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911, and local emergency services will transport you to the most appropriate hospital emergency room.Can I still have my surgery?Patients with upcoming scheduled elective surgeries should plan to arrive as planned unless otherwise notified. Should any rescheduling be necessary, a member of our care team will contact you directly.Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays. To help expedite processes, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles.Will I be able to get my diagnostic imaging, other tests, and treatments?Imaging, testing, and treatment are being offered at this time. Patients may experience delays, we are grateful for your patience. Should any rescheduling be necessary, a member of our care team will contact you directly."Commitment to Quality Care:Our care teams are well versed on dynamic situations and are appropriately trained to maintain high quality care during downtime. Our leadership, physicians, care teams, and associates are working to ensure patient care continues with minimal to no interruption. We appreciate our community's patience and understanding."

Ascension hospitals continue ransomware attack recovery 

JERUSALEM—U.S. forces faced another series of attacks in the Red Sea Monday.

Just before 6p.m., USS Mason (DDG 87) successfully engaged and destroyed one inbound anti-ship ballistic missile launched by Iranian-backed Houthis from Yemen over the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Central Command.

Additionally, US forces destroyed one drone launched by Iranian-backed Houthis from Yemen over the Red Sea and earlier in the day forces successfully destroyed a drone an Iranian-backed Houthi controlled area of Yemen.&nbsp;&nbsp;


There were no injuries or damages reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;&nbsp;White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that the U.S. administration has expressed concerns to Israeli officials about becoming “mired in a counterinsurgency campaign that never ends” as Israel's War Cabinet remains focused on carrying out a major operation the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The comments from a top adviser to President Joe Biden came a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned that Israel could be left “holding the bag” on an enduring insurgency in post-war Gaza.

“Look, we have painful experience in counterinsurgency campaigns fighting terrorists in urban environments, in populated areas,” said Sullivan, referring to long U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “And we know that it is not as simple as executing a military operation and calling it a day.”

Sullivan added that, “One of the risks of engaging in any kind of counterinsurgency campaign is the ability of the terrorist group to attract more recruits and more followers as time goes on.”

Sullivan said he spoke to his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts on Sunday about redoubling diplomatic efforts on a hostage-for-truce negotiations, and that U.S. officials would have further conversations with the Israelis in the coming days about how Israel can refine its plan to go after Hamas militants in Rafah while lessening the risk to Palestinian civilians.

He also pushed back against growing criticism from around the globe — as well as American critics of Israel’s prosecution of the war — who say Israeli forces are committing a genocide against the Palestinians.

Egypt, a key U.S. ally, said it would join South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

“I can’t say that it’s helpful to the discussions between Egypt and Israel to try to sort through assistance and access issues,” Sullivan said of the move announced Sunday by Cairo, which along with Qatar is a mediator in the cease-fire talks.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">top United Nations court has concluded</a>&nbsp;there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza — a charge Israel strongly denies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709685344452.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM—U.S. forces faced another series of attacks in the Red Sea Monday.Just before 6p.m., USS Mason (DDG 87) successfully engaged and destroyed one inbound anti-ship ballistic missile launched by Iranian-backed Houthis from Yemen over the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Central Command.Additionally, US forces destroyed one drone launched by Iranian-backed Houthis from Yemen over the Red Sea and earlier in the day forces successfully destroyed a drone an Iranian-backed Houthi controlled area of Yemen.&nbsp;&nbsp;
There were no injuries or damages reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels.&nbsp;
&nbsp;Meanwhile,&nbsp;&nbsp;White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that the U.S. administration has expressed concerns to Israeli officials about becoming “mired in a counterinsurgency campaign that never ends” as Israel's War Cabinet remains focused on carrying out a major operation the southern Gaza city of Rafah.The comments from a top adviser to President Joe Biden came a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned that Israel could be left “holding the bag” on an enduring insurgency in post-war Gaza.“Look, we have painful experience in counterinsurgency campaigns fighting terrorists in urban environments, in populated areas,” said Sullivan, referring to long U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “And we know that it is not as simple as executing a military operation and calling it a day.”Sullivan added that, “One of the risks of engaging in any kind of counterinsurgency campaign is the ability of the terrorist group to attract more recruits and more followers as time goes on.”Sullivan said he spoke to his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts on Sunday about redoubling diplomatic efforts on a hostage-for-truce negotiations, and that U.S. officials would have further conversations with the Israelis in the coming days about how Israel can refine its plan to go after Hamas militants in Rafah while lessening the risk to Palestinian civilians.He also pushed back against growing criticism from around the globe — as well as American critics of Israel’s prosecution of the war — who say Israeli forces are committing a genocide against the Palestinians.Egypt, a key U.S. ally, said it would join South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention.“I can’t say that it’s helpful to the discussions between Egypt and Israel to try to sort through assistance and access issues,” Sullivan said of the move announced Sunday by Cairo, which along with Qatar is a mediator in the cease-fire talks.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">top United Nations court has concluded</a>&nbsp;there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza — a charge Israel strongly denies.

U.S. forces face another  ballistic missile threat in the Red Sea

SUMNER COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office is currently working with the Sumner County Sheriff's Office to recover human remains in the area of 300 North River Road in Belle Plaine, Kansas.

The remains are in the same vicinity as those recovered on May 10,&nbsp;358 N. River Road and are believed to be connected to an ongoing homicide investigation in Sedgwick County, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

The victims of the homicide were last seen at a residence in the 9500 block South Hydraulic on January 1, 2024.

Investigators are working to confirm&nbsp; the identities of the remains and notify families.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715647370274.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office is currently working with the Sumner County Sheriff's Office to recover human remains in the area of 300 North River Road in Belle Plaine, Kansas.The remains are in the same vicinity as those recovered on May 10,&nbsp;358 N. River Road and are believed to be connected to an ongoing homicide investigation in Sedgwick County, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.The victims of the homicide were last seen at a residence in the 9500 block South Hydraulic on January 1, 2024.Investigators are working to confirm&nbsp; the identities of the remains and notify families.

Homicide: More human remains found in rural Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman is in jail <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748143">on a $250,000 bond </a>for a crash that killed her 4-year-old daughter.

On Thursday, law enforcement booked 33-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748143">Britnee Costello</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;Douglas, into the Sedgwick County jail on requested charges of Aggravated battery-DUI and involuntary manslaughter. She was charged on Friday, according to the district attorney's office.

In February of 2023, a vehicle driven by Costello was westbound in the 20,000 Block of MacArthur with children in the vehicle, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

A Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Deputy and several citizens pulled Costello&nbsp; and the two children from the burning vehicle.

EMS transported Costello, a 4-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy to a local hospital where the girl later died, according to Gibbs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715467052341.png" alt="Costello-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Costello-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman is in jail <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748143">on a $250,000 bond </a>for a crash that killed her 4-year-old daughter.On Thursday, law enforcement booked 33-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748143">Britnee Costello</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;Douglas, into the Sedgwick County jail on requested charges of Aggravated battery-DUI and involuntary manslaughter. She was charged on Friday, according to the district attorney's office.In February of 2023, a vehicle driven by Costello was westbound in the 20,000 Block of MacArthur with children in the vehicle, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.A Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Deputy and several citizens pulled Costello&nbsp; and the two children from the burning vehicle.EMS transported Costello, a 4-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy to a local hospital where the girl later died, according to Gibbs.

Woman charged in Kan. crash that killed 4-year-old daughter

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Advocates for victims of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-education-af080895d108aa6dc0db533c60be2ebc">abuse at Missouri boarding schools</a>&nbsp;on Monday urged the state's attorney general to launch an investigation, work with local prosecutors and take other steps aimed at stemming the tide of abuse.

Three Christian boarding schools in southern Missouri have shut down since 2020 amid wide-ranging abuse allegations levied by current and former students. Several people affiliated with those schools are facing criminal charges. Advocates who worry that more abuse is going unpunished gathered Monday outside Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's St. Louis office to demand action.

“This is a structural problem,” said David Clohessy, a longtime advocate for abused children and former leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “These are facilities that are remote, independent, private, sometimes for-profit, largely under the radar with little or no scrutiny, state oversight, monitoring or supervision. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

A spokeswoman for Bailey said in an email that the attorney general's office does not have jurisdiction to prosecute criminal cases, except when appointed as special prosecutor by the governor or a court.

“As a former prosecutor, Attorney General Bailey takes crime very seriously,” spokeswoman Madeline Sieren said, adding that Bailey “has taken substantive action to combat human trafficking where the law allows.”

Amanda Householder, now 33, is among the former students who claimed she was abused. Her story was different than most, though: Her parents, Boyd and Stephanie Householder, owned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-fe24ade3e378bfb53796a0af7cd71deb">Circle of Hope Girls Ranch</a>&nbsp;in remote southern Missouri until it closed in 2020 after investigators removed about two dozen girls.

Boyd and Stephanie Householder are scheduled to go to trial in November on a combined 100 charges accusing them of abusing girls at Circle of Hope. Boyd Householder, 74, was charged with 22 counts of having sexual contact, including sexual intercourse, with one girl who was younger than 17 at the time.

Also, 16 former residents said the Householders frequently restrained them with handcuffs, whipped them with belts, taped their mouths shut and struck or punched them for minor offenses such as singing.

Messages were left with attorneys for the Householders. Phones listed as those of the couple have been disconnected.

Amanda Householder sued her parents, accusing them of beating her and forcing her to impose harsh punishments on other girls at Circle of Hope. She announced Monday that the lawsuit was settled but declined to discuss details.

Amanda Householder said she is forming a new nonprofit aimed at helping those victimized at boarding and reform schools.

“We have to be the voices for kids that are going through what we went through years ago,” Householder said.

Other Missouri facilities operating as Christian boarding schools also have come under intense scrutiny in recent years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-stockton-missouri-education-6d4bc69348f4349249e49b3ec7c29172">Agape Boarding School</a>&nbsp;in Stockton closed in 2023 after abuse allegations. In 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-missouri-springfield-89eb20fc1edcba8cf5963abdc69e48c8">Agape’s longtime doctor</a>&nbsp;was charged with child sex crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-child-abuse-kansas-missouri-a97fcf244d041a1468945b10af5f5f76">five employees were charged</a>&nbsp;with low-level abuse counts.

In March,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-education-af080895d108aa6dc0db533c60be2ebc">ABM Ministries’ Lighthouse Christian Academy</a>&nbsp;in Piedmont shut down after kidnapping charges were filed against the husband-and-wife owners, who were accused of locking a student in a room. A teacher also was charged with abuse for allegedly injuring a 15-year-old boy while boxing.

For decades, Missouri had among the most lax boarding school regulations of any state in the nation. A 1982 state law gave religious boarding schools free rein and the state no way to monitor how kids were educated. Even the state Health Department had no oversight, including for schools that claimed to address mental health, behavioral and addiction issues.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-michael-brown-0377a84c0cdf657eb2173f90cedb0c30">new law was adopted in 2021</a>&nbsp;after extensive reporting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article247902155.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;found that several faith-based boarding schools, including Agape, relocated to Missouri after being investigated or shut down for abuse or neglect elsewhere.

The new law sets minimum health and safety requirements for boarding schools, which still don’t have to be licensed. It mandates background checks for employees; requires adequate food, clothing and medical care for students; and says parents must be allowed access to their children at any time without prior notice.

Several students have run away from southern Missouri boarding schools in recent years, often claiming abuse. Two 15-year-olds went missing Saturday at a boarding school near Ava but were found safe Monday at a nearby cabin. Messages were left with the sheriff. A school official said it isn't yet clear what prompted the boys to leave.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632608030678.png" alt="Agape Ranch in southwest Missouri- Google image" />
 <figcaption>Agape Ranch in southwest Missouri- Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Advocates for victims of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-education-af080895d108aa6dc0db533c60be2ebc">abuse at Missouri boarding schools</a>&nbsp;on Monday urged the state's attorney general to launch an investigation, work with local prosecutors and take other steps aimed at stemming the tide of abuse.Three Christian boarding schools in southern Missouri have shut down since 2020 amid wide-ranging abuse allegations levied by current and former students. Several people affiliated with those schools are facing criminal charges. Advocates who worry that more abuse is going unpunished gathered Monday outside Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's St. Louis office to demand action.“This is a structural problem,” said David Clohessy, a longtime advocate for abused children and former leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “These are facilities that are remote, independent, private, sometimes for-profit, largely under the radar with little or no scrutiny, state oversight, monitoring or supervision. It’s a recipe for disaster.”A spokeswoman for Bailey said in an email that the attorney general's office does not have jurisdiction to prosecute criminal cases, except when appointed as special prosecutor by the governor or a court.“As a former prosecutor, Attorney General Bailey takes crime very seriously,” spokeswoman Madeline Sieren said, adding that Bailey “has taken substantive action to combat human trafficking where the law allows.”Amanda Householder, now 33, is among the former students who claimed she was abused. Her story was different than most, though: Her parents, Boyd and Stephanie Householder, owned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-fe24ade3e378bfb53796a0af7cd71deb">Circle of Hope Girls Ranch</a>&nbsp;in remote southern Missouri until it closed in 2020 after investigators removed about two dozen girls.Boyd and Stephanie Householder are scheduled to go to trial in November on a combined 100 charges accusing them of abusing girls at Circle of Hope. Boyd Householder, 74, was charged with 22 counts of having sexual contact, including sexual intercourse, with one girl who was younger than 17 at the time.Also, 16 former residents said the Householders frequently restrained them with handcuffs, whipped them with belts, taped their mouths shut and struck or punched them for minor offenses such as singing.Messages were left with attorneys for the Householders. Phones listed as those of the couple have been disconnected.Amanda Householder sued her parents, accusing them of beating her and forcing her to impose harsh punishments on other girls at Circle of Hope. She announced Monday that the lawsuit was settled but declined to discuss details.Amanda Householder said she is forming a new nonprofit aimed at helping those victimized at boarding and reform schools.“We have to be the voices for kids that are going through what we went through years ago,” Householder said.Other Missouri facilities operating as Christian boarding schools also have come under intense scrutiny in recent years.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-stockton-missouri-education-6d4bc69348f4349249e49b3ec7c29172">Agape Boarding School</a>&nbsp;in Stockton closed in 2023 after abuse allegations. In 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-missouri-springfield-89eb20fc1edcba8cf5963abdc69e48c8">Agape’s longtime doctor</a>&nbsp;was charged with child sex crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-child-abuse-kansas-missouri-a97fcf244d041a1468945b10af5f5f76">five employees were charged</a>&nbsp;with low-level abuse counts.In March,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-education-af080895d108aa6dc0db533c60be2ebc">ABM Ministries’ Lighthouse Christian Academy</a>&nbsp;in Piedmont shut down after kidnapping charges were filed against the husband-and-wife owners, who were accused of locking a student in a room. A teacher also was charged with abuse for allegedly injuring a 15-year-old boy while boxing.For decades, Missouri had among the most lax boarding school regulations of any state in the nation. A 1982 state law gave religious boarding schools free rein and the state no way to monitor how kids were educated. Even the state Health Department had no oversight, including for schools that claimed to address mental health, behavioral and addiction issues.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-michael-brown-0377a84c0cdf657eb2173f90cedb0c30">new law was adopted in 2021</a>&nbsp;after extensive reporting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article247902155.html">The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;found that several faith-based boarding schools, including Agape, relocated to Missouri after being investigated or shut down for abuse or neglect elsewhere.The new law sets minimum health and safety requirements for boarding schools, which still don’t have to be licensed. It mandates background checks for employees; requires adequate food, clothing and medical care for students; and says parents must be allowed access to their children at any time without prior notice.Several students have run away from southern Missouri boarding schools in recent years, often claiming abuse. Two 15-year-olds went missing Saturday at a boarding school near Ava but were found safe Monday at a nearby cabin. Messages were left with the sheriff. A school official said it isn't yet clear what prompted the boys to leave.

Abuse victim advocates pushing Mo. AG to investigate Christian boarding schools

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before midnight Sunday in Sedgwick County.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office reported a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle driven by Remone Fareed Halabi, 16, Haysville, was westbound in the 6800 Block of West 55th Street South.

The motorcycle struck a 2013 Nissan 370z driven by a 26-year-old man as the car began a left turn into a driveway.&nbsp; As the Nissan was turning, Halabi attempted to pass the Nissan and struck the drivers side of the car.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-remones-family-in-tragic-times?cdn-cache=0">Click here to visit an</a> online fundraiser for the family.

When deputies arrived, a bystander was administering CPR to Halibi.&nbsp; EMS arrived on scene and began to administer lifesaving treatment, however, Halabi was pronounced deceased on scene.

Halabi was wearing a helmet.&nbsp; The accident is currently being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office,&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715690369540.png" alt="Remone Halabi photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Remone Halabi photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before midnight Sunday in Sedgwick County.The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office reported a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle driven by Remone Fareed Halabi, 16, Haysville, was westbound in the 6800 Block of West 55th Street South.The motorcycle struck a 2013 Nissan 370z driven by a 26-year-old man as the car began a left turn into a driveway.&nbsp; As the Nissan was turning, Halabi attempted to pass the Nissan and struck the drivers side of the car.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-remones-family-in-tragic-times?cdn-cache=0">Click here to visit an</a> online fundraiser for the family.When deputies arrived, a bystander was administering CPR to Halibi.&nbsp; EMS arrived on scene and began to administer lifesaving treatment, however, Halabi was pronounced deceased on scene.Halabi was wearing a helmet.&nbsp; The accident is currently being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office,&nbsp;

16-year-old Kansas boy dies in motorcycle, car crash

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Kansas City and have identified the victim as 17-year-old&nbsp; Jesus Mendoza, according to&nbsp;KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just after&nbsp; 1a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of Truman and Hardesty Avenue on a reported car prowler, according to Gonzalez.

First responders located a teen later identified as Mendoza suffering from an apparent gunshot wound and unresponsive in a nearby business parking lot. EMS arrived and declared Mendoza deceased. An additional adult male victim was located suffering from apparent, gunshot trauma. 

EMS transported him to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The preliminary investigation is believed there was an interaction between several people that led to gunfire. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded gather evidence and collect witness statements. A department social worker has also responded to the scene to begin assisting with resources for those affected by this incident. Detectives are actively working on identifying a person of interest

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715608119577.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Kansas City and have identified the victim as 17-year-old&nbsp; Jesus Mendoza, according to&nbsp;KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just after&nbsp; 1a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of Truman and Hardesty Avenue on a reported car prowler, according to Gonzalez.First responders located a teen later identified as Mendoza suffering from an apparent gunshot wound and unresponsive in a nearby business parking lot. EMS arrived and declared Mendoza deceased. An additional adult male victim was located suffering from apparent, gunshot trauma. EMS transported him to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The preliminary investigation is believed there was an interaction between several people that led to gunfire. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded gather evidence and collect witness statements. A department social worker has also responded to the scene to begin assisting with resources for those affected by this incident. Detectives are actively working on identifying a person of interest

KCPD: Teen dead, 1 hospitalized after gunfight in parking lot

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could soon offer up to $5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.

The AI software must be patented, “designated as qualified anti-terrorism technology,” in compliance with certain security industry standards, already in use in at least 30 states and capable of detecting “three broad firearm classifications with a minimum of 300 subclassifications” and “at least 2,000 permutations,” among other things.

Only one company currently meets all those criteria: the same organization that touted them to Kansas lawmakers crafting the state budget. That company, ZeroEyes, is a rapidly growing firm founded by military veterans after the fatal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/parkland-florida-school-shooting">shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School</a>&nbsp;in Florida.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb387/">The legislation</a>&nbsp;pending before Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly highlights two things. After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbine-anniversary-survivors-trauma-f27755b01ce9593bc2ac9b59deef91a5">numerous high-profile shootings</a>, school security has become a multibillion-dollar industry. And in state capitols, some companies are successfully persuading policymakers to write their particular corporate solutions into state law.

ZeroEyes also appears to be the only firm qualified for state firearms detection programs under laws enacted last year in Michigan and Utah, bills passed earlier this year in Florida and Iowa and legislation proposed in Colorado, Louisiana and Wisconsin.

On Friday, Missouri became the latest state to pass legislation geared toward ZeroEyes, offering $2.5 million in matching grants for schools to buy firearms detection software designated as “qualified anti-terrorism technology.”

“We’re not paying legislators to write us into their bills," ZeroEyes co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer Sam Alaimo said. But "if they’re doing that, it means I think they’re doing their homework, and they’re making sure they’re getting a vetted technology.”

ZeroEyes uses artificial intelligence with surveillance cameras to identify visible guns, then flashes an alert to an operations center staffed around the clock by former law enforcement officers and military veterans. If verified as a legitimate threat by ZeroEyes personnel, an alert is sent to school officials and local authorities.

The goal is to "get that gun before that trigger’s squeezed, or before that gun gets to the door,” Alaimo said.

Few question the technology. But some do question the legislative tactics.

The super-specific Kansas bill — particularly the requirement that a company have its product in at least 30 states — is “probably the most egregious thing that I have ever read” in legislation, said Jason Stoddard, director of school safety and security for Charles County Public Schools in Maryland.

Stoddard is chairperson of the newly launched National Council of School Safety Directors, which formed to set standards for school safety officials and push back against vendors who are increasingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-digital-maps-53d7529be615ab15360b2e6a40b043d3">pitching particular products to lawmakers</a>.

When states allot millions of dollars for certain products, it often leaves less money for other important school safety efforts, such as electronic door locks, shatter-resistant windows, communication systems and security staff, he said.

“The artificial-intelligence-driven weapons detection is absolutely wonderful," Stoddard said. "But it’s probably not the priority that 95% of the schools in the United States need right now.”

The technology also can be costly, which is why some states are establishing grant programs. In Florida, legislation to implement ZeroEyes technology in schools in just two counties cost a total of about $929,000.

ZeroEyes is not the only company using surveillance systems with artificial intelligence to spot guns. One competitor, Omnilert, pivoted from emergency alert systems to firearms detection several years ago and also offers around-the-clock monitoring centers to quickly review AI-detected guns and pass alerts onto local officials.

But Omnilert does not yet have a patent for its technology. And it has not yet been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an anti-terrorism technology under a 2002 federal law providing liability protections for companies. It has applied for both.

Though Omnilert is in hundreds of schools, its products aren't in 30 states, said Mark Franken, Omnilert's vice president of marketing. But he said that shouldn't disqualify his company from state grants.

Franken has contacted the Kansas governor's office in hopes she will line-item veto the specific criteria, which he said "create a kind of anti-competitive environment.”

In Iowa, legislation requiring schools to install firearms detection software was amended to give companies providing the technology until July 1, 2025, to receive federal designation as an anti-terrorism technology. But Democratic state Rep. Ross Wilburn said that designation was originally intended as an incentive for companies to develop technology.

“It was not put in place to provide, promote any type of advantage to one particular company or another,” Wilburn said during House debate.

In Kansas, ZeroEyes' chief strategy officer presented an overview of its technology in February to the House K-12 Education Budget Committee. It included a live demonstration of its AI gun detection and numerous actual surveillance photos spotting guns at schools, parking lots and transit stations. The presentation also noted authorities arrested about a dozen people last year directly as a result of ZeroEyes alerts.

Kansas state Rep. Adam Thomas, a Republican, initially proposed to specifically name ZeroEyes in the funding legislation. The final version removed the company's name but kept the criteria that essentially limits it to ZeroEyes.

House K-12 Budget Committee Chair Kristey Williams, a Republican, vigorously defended that provision. She argued during a negotiating meeting with senators that because of student safety, the state couldn't afford the delays of a standard bidding process. She also touted the company’s technology as unique.

”We do not feel that there was another alternative,” Williams said last month.

The $5 million appropriation won't cover every school, but Thomas said the amount could later increase once people see how well ZeroEyes technology works.

“I’m hopeful that it does exactly what we saw it do and prevents gun violence in the schools," Thomas told The Associated Press, "and we can eventually get it in every school.”

By DAVID A. LIEB and JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could soon offer up to $5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.The AI software must be patented, “designated as qualified anti-terrorism technology,” in compliance with certain security industry standards, already in use in at least 30 states and capable of detecting “three broad firearm classifications with a minimum of 300 subclassifications” and “at least 2,000 permutations,” among other things.Only one company currently meets all those criteria: the same organization that touted them to Kansas lawmakers crafting the state budget. That company, ZeroEyes, is a rapidly growing firm founded by military veterans after the fatal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/parkland-florida-school-shooting">shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School</a>&nbsp;in Florida.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb387/">The legislation</a>&nbsp;pending before Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly highlights two things. After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbine-anniversary-survivors-trauma-f27755b01ce9593bc2ac9b59deef91a5">numerous high-profile shootings</a>, school security has become a multibillion-dollar industry. And in state capitols, some companies are successfully persuading policymakers to write their particular corporate solutions into state law.ZeroEyes also appears to be the only firm qualified for state firearms detection programs under laws enacted last year in Michigan and Utah, bills passed earlier this year in Florida and Iowa and legislation proposed in Colorado, Louisiana and Wisconsin.On Friday, Missouri became the latest state to pass legislation geared toward ZeroEyes, offering $2.5 million in matching grants for schools to buy firearms detection software designated as “qualified anti-terrorism technology.”“We’re not paying legislators to write us into their bills," ZeroEyes co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer Sam Alaimo said. But "if they’re doing that, it means I think they’re doing their homework, and they’re making sure they’re getting a vetted technology.”ZeroEyes uses artificial intelligence with surveillance cameras to identify visible guns, then flashes an alert to an operations center staffed around the clock by former law enforcement officers and military veterans. If verified as a legitimate threat by ZeroEyes personnel, an alert is sent to school officials and local authorities.The goal is to "get that gun before that trigger’s squeezed, or before that gun gets to the door,” Alaimo said.Few question the technology. But some do question the legislative tactics.The super-specific Kansas bill — particularly the requirement that a company have its product in at least 30 states — is “probably the most egregious thing that I have ever read” in legislation, said Jason Stoddard, director of school safety and security for Charles County Public Schools in Maryland.Stoddard is chairperson of the newly launched National Council of School Safety Directors, which formed to set standards for school safety officials and push back against vendors who are increasingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-digital-maps-53d7529be615ab15360b2e6a40b043d3">pitching particular products to lawmakers</a>.When states allot millions of dollars for certain products, it often leaves less money for other important school safety efforts, such as electronic door locks, shatter-resistant windows, communication systems and security staff, he said.“The artificial-intelligence-driven weapons detection is absolutely wonderful," Stoddard said. "But it’s probably not the priority that 95% of the schools in the United States need right now.”The technology also can be costly, which is why some states are establishing grant programs. In Florida, legislation to implement ZeroEyes technology in schools in just two counties cost a total of about $929,000.ZeroEyes is not the only company using surveillance systems with artificial intelligence to spot guns. One competitor, Omnilert, pivoted from emergency alert systems to firearms detection several years ago and also offers around-the-clock monitoring centers to quickly review AI-detected guns and pass alerts onto local officials.But Omnilert does not yet have a patent for its technology. And it has not yet been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an anti-terrorism technology under a 2002 federal law providing liability protections for companies. It has applied for both.Though Omnilert is in hundreds of schools, its products aren't in 30 states, said Mark Franken, Omnilert's vice president of marketing. But he said that shouldn't disqualify his company from state grants.Franken has contacted the Kansas governor's office in hopes she will line-item veto the specific criteria, which he said "create a kind of anti-competitive environment.”In Iowa, legislation requiring schools to install firearms detection software was amended to give companies providing the technology until July 1, 2025, to receive federal designation as an anti-terrorism technology. But Democratic state Rep. Ross Wilburn said that designation was originally intended as an incentive for companies to develop technology.“It was not put in place to provide, promote any type of advantage to one particular company or another,” Wilburn said during House debate.In Kansas, ZeroEyes' chief strategy officer presented an overview of its technology in February to the House K-12 Education Budget Committee. It included a live demonstration of its AI gun detection and numerous actual surveillance photos spotting guns at schools, parking lots and transit stations. The presentation also noted authorities arrested about a dozen people last year directly as a result of ZeroEyes alerts.Kansas state Rep. Adam Thomas, a Republican, initially proposed to specifically name ZeroEyes in the funding legislation. The final version removed the company's name but kept the criteria that essentially limits it to ZeroEyes.House K-12 Budget Committee Chair Kristey Williams, a Republican, vigorously defended that provision. She argued during a negotiating meeting with senators that because of student safety, the state couldn't afford the delays of a standard bidding process. She also touted the company’s technology as unique.”We do not feel that there was another alternative,” Williams said last month.The $5 million appropriation won't cover every school, but Thomas said the amount could later increase once people see how well ZeroEyes technology works.“I’m hopeful that it does exactly what we saw it do and prevents gun violence in the schools," Thomas told The Associated Press, "and we can eventually get it in every school.”___

Schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns as companies press lawmakers for state funds

Law allows driving to work, church and school, changes fine payment options

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Wichita Democratic Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau said the bill overhauling Kansas law on unpaid traffic fines signed by the governor would reduce suspension of driving privileges and allow people to drive to work on restricted licenses as they attempted to make necessary payments.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb500/">Senate Bill 500</a>, signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly, had many moving parts and took years to refine, but was endorsed 120-0 by the House and 36-1 in the Senate.

“This bill will help those Kansans continue to take care of their responsibilities and contribute to their communities while they work their way through the legal system,” Faust-Goudeau said.

Sen. Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican, said he took pleasure in working to bring GOP majorities together with Democrats to “promote solutions for Kansans caught in a loop of mistakes and bad decisions.”

“I’m proud to give eligible drivers a new chance at responsible citizenship,” he said.

Kelly said when announcing signing of the legislation Friday that it was important to reduce red tape for Kansans overwhelmed by hefty fines that blocked reinstatement of a Kansas license.

Under the new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025, state courts could restrict individuals’ licenses, rather than suspend them, while offenders kept their job, remained in school and attended church services as they continued to make payments on fees owed.

The statute would limit license reinstatement surcharges to a single fee of $100. Existing law imposed separate $100 reinstatement fees for each charge associated with failure to comply with a traffic citation.

The remodeled law would allow a person who committed the misdemeanor crime of failing to comply with a traffic citation to petition the court to reduce or waive payment of court costs. Current law mandated individuals who failed to comply had to pay fees in full within 30 days. If they didn’t, driving privileges were suspended. The new law would instead require an offender to pay the amount ordered by the court.

Courts would have to consider alternative solutions, including alcohol or drug treatment as well as community service, instead of restriction or suspension of driving privileges. The law would prohibit courts and the Kansas Department of Revenue from considering any conviction for a failure to comply older than five years when making determinations on suspension or restriction of driving privileges.

Rep. Ford Carr, D-Wichita, said the legislation was a tribute to the late Wichita Rep. Gail Finney, who passed away in 2022. She was an advocate for reforming laws that had a disproportionate influence on people with modest incomes and people of color.

“Senate Bill 500, for me, is more than just a great bill for Kansans. It’s more than just the right thing to do. It also serves as a reminder of Gail Finney’s powerful legacy in which my footsteps are entrenched, and that good work continues in her absence,” Ford said.

Meanwhile, the governor also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2047/">House Bill 2047</a>&nbsp;to reestablish prohibitions on flying drones or aircraft over livestock facilities, field crops and research stations to document allegations of animal mistreatment or environmental damage. The legislation responded to federal court decisions undermining the Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act. The so-called ag-gag statute in Kansas was the oldest law criminalizing undercover videotaping of abusive conduct on agriculture properties.

In 2018, the&nbsp;Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit challenging on First Amendment grounds Kansas’ quarter-century-old law thwarting covert investigations into the treatment of animals and workers at feedlots, slaughterhouses and in crop production zones. Three years ago, the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals agreed with ALDF’s legal claim and a lower federal court’s decision to strike down provisions of Kansas’ law.

“There are some places that people just shouldn’t go without permission,” said Republican Rep. Lisa Moser, a Wheaton rancher.

The Senate adopted 34-2 the bill designed to discourage environmental whistleblowers, while the House concurred 108-12.

Kelly also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2530/">House Bill 2530</a>, which was the controversial measure stripping the governor of authority to appoint the seven members of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission. Rural legislators unhappy with the commission’s discussion about ending the bait feeding of deer on private property joined with Topeka GOP Rep. Ken Corbet, who owns and operates the hunting business known as Ravenwood Lodge, to limit governors to four appointments.

The law requires the current commission to be dissolved June 30 and for a new commission to take over July 1. The governor would fill four seats, while the others would be the jurisdiction of the Kansas Senate president, Kansas House speaker and the Kansas attorney general.

The new commission would select a chairperson to serve two years in that role. Currently, the governor decides who served as chair and there was no term limit.

Sen. Virgil Peck, a Havana Republican, said the legislation was necessary because the state needed a “good, solid” commission that appreciated the provision in the Kansas Constitution that guaranteed the right to hunt, fish and trap game. He was among legislators concerned that too many park-oriented people were on the commission.

The wildlife commission bill was approved 78-45 in the House and by the minimum required, 21-18, in the Senate.

Under a separate bill signed by Kelly, parental consent would be required before a school could provide a minor with health care services.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715619037808.png" alt="Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, D-Wichita, praised signing into law by Gov. Laura Kelly a bipartisan bill overhauling the state’s method of dealing with traffic citations, payment of fees and preserving driving privileges. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, D-Wichita, praised signing into law by Gov. Laura Kelly a bipartisan bill overhauling the state’s method of dealing with traffic citations, payment of fees and preserving driving privileges. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Law allows driving to work, church and school, changes fine payment options</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Wichita Democratic Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau said the bill overhauling Kansas law on unpaid traffic fines signed by the governor would reduce suspension of driving privileges and allow people to drive to work on restricted licenses as they attempted to make necessary payments.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb500/">Senate Bill 500</a>, signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly, had many moving parts and took years to refine, but was endorsed 120-0 by the House and 36-1 in the Senate.“This bill will help those Kansans continue to take care of their responsibilities and contribute to their communities while they work their way through the legal system,” Faust-Goudeau said.Sen. Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican, said he took pleasure in working to bring GOP majorities together with Democrats to “promote solutions for Kansans caught in a loop of mistakes and bad decisions.”“I’m proud to give eligible drivers a new chance at responsible citizenship,” he said.Kelly said when announcing signing of the legislation Friday that it was important to reduce red tape for Kansans overwhelmed by hefty fines that blocked reinstatement of a Kansas license.<h2>Reform fine print</h2>Under the new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025, state courts could restrict individuals’ licenses, rather than suspend them, while offenders kept their job, remained in school and attended church services as they continued to make payments on fees owed.The statute would limit license reinstatement surcharges to a single fee of $100. Existing law imposed separate $100 reinstatement fees for each charge associated with failure to comply with a traffic citation.The remodeled law would allow a person who committed the misdemeanor crime of failing to comply with a traffic citation to petition the court to reduce or waive payment of court costs. Current law mandated individuals who failed to comply had to pay fees in full within 30 days. If they didn’t, driving privileges were suspended. The new law would instead require an offender to pay the amount ordered by the court.Courts would have to consider alternative solutions, including alcohol or drug treatment as well as community service, instead of restriction or suspension of driving privileges. The law would prohibit courts and the Kansas Department of Revenue from considering any conviction for a failure to comply older than five years when making determinations on suspension or restriction of driving privileges.Rep. Ford Carr, D-Wichita, said the legislation was a tribute to the late Wichita Rep. Gail Finney, who passed away in 2022. She was an advocate for reforming laws that had a disproportionate influence on people with modest incomes and people of color.“Senate Bill 500, for me, is more than just a great bill for Kansans. It’s more than just the right thing to do. It also serves as a reminder of Gail Finney’s powerful legacy in which my footsteps are entrenched, and that good work continues in her absence,” Ford said.<h2>Ag-gag, wildlife</h2>Meanwhile, the governor also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2047/">House Bill 2047</a>&nbsp;to reestablish prohibitions on flying drones or aircraft over livestock facilities, field crops and research stations to document allegations of animal mistreatment or environmental damage. The legislation responded to federal court decisions undermining the Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act. The so-called ag-gag statute in Kansas was the oldest law criminalizing undercover videotaping of abusive conduct on agriculture properties.In 2018, the&nbsp;Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit challenging on First Amendment grounds Kansas’ quarter-century-old law thwarting covert investigations into the treatment of animals and workers at feedlots, slaughterhouses and in crop production zones. Three years ago, the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals agreed with ALDF’s legal claim and a lower federal court’s decision to strike down provisions of Kansas’ law.“There are some places that people just shouldn’t go without permission,” said Republican Rep. Lisa Moser, a Wheaton rancher.The Senate adopted 34-2 the bill designed to discourage environmental whistleblowers, while the House concurred 108-12.Kelly also signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2530/">House Bill 2530</a>, which was the controversial measure stripping the governor of authority to appoint the seven members of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission. Rural legislators unhappy with the commission’s discussion about ending the bait feeding of deer on private property joined with Topeka GOP Rep. Ken Corbet, who owns and operates the hunting business known as Ravenwood Lodge, to limit governors to four appointments.The law requires the current commission to be dissolved June 30 and for a new commission to take over July 1. The governor would fill four seats, while the others would be the jurisdiction of the Kansas Senate president, Kansas House speaker and the Kansas attorney general.The new commission would select a chairperson to serve two years in that role. Currently, the governor decides who served as chair and there was no term limit.Sen. Virgil Peck, a Havana Republican, said the legislation was necessary because the state needed a “good, solid” commission that appreciated the provision in the Kansas Constitution that guaranteed the right to hunt, fish and trap game. He was among legislators concerned that too many park-oriented people were on the commission.The wildlife commission bill was approved 78-45 in the House and by the minimum required, 21-18, in the Senate.<h2>Other new laws</h2>Under a separate bill signed by Kelly, parental consent would be required before a school could provide a minor with health care services.For example, a school nurse couldn’t without a parent’s consent dispense or administer prescription or nonprescription drugs to a minor student. Nor could that school nurse conduct ongoing behavioral health treatment or administer a medical test with the minor’s blood or other fluid.The big-stick portion of the bill — passed 111-0 in the House and 26-10 in the Senate — says violation of the law would lead to disciplinary action by the health care providers professional licensing agency.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb287/">Senate Bill 287</a>‘s school nurse reform was bundled with a measure prohibiting medical facilities from isolating patients receiving end-of-life care from visits by relatives, as routinely occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also included a provision allowing first responders, scientists or technicians, including school nurses, to distribute emergency opioid antagonists such as Narcan. It also permitted EMS staff to&nbsp;distribute nonprescription, over-the-counter medications.Kelly signed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb420/">Senate Bill 420</a>&nbsp;to create opportunities for juvenile offenders to leave a correctional facility to take part in workforce and educational skills programs.She signed into law&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2531/">House Bill 2531</a>&nbsp;to establish the Kansas Purple Alert Plan, which would be an alert system for missing people with an intellectual disability. It would operate in a manner consistent with programs such as the Amber alert for missing children and the Silver alert for elderly individuals.