DALLAS (AP) — Boeing said Friday that it is in preliminary talks to buy Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for Boeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spirit-aerosystems-boeing-737-fuselage-28bceec61cef878005b965a016fa8787">737 Max jetliners</a>, including the one that suffered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetliner-blowout-737-max-9-united-alaska-2f74f52bbad7fca26aa11786bd44c356">door-panel blowout</a>&nbsp;on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

Boeing used to own Spirit, and it said that bringing the supplier back into the Boeing fold would improve plane quality and safety, which has come under increasing scrutiny by regulators, Congress and airlines.

Buying Spirit back would reverse a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing key work on its passenger planes. That approach has been criticized as problems at Spirit have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-supplier-slow-production-737-max-2525b4c5a27a7332b80b3016645918db">disrupted production</a>&nbsp;and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners including 737s and 787s.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">Concerns about quality</a>&nbsp;came to a head after the Jan. 5 blowout of a panel on an Alaska 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet over Oregon.

Days after the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-faa-panel-blowout-monitoring-06b098e57a8c65bdb0ba377f99290d32">increased oversight</a>&nbsp;of Boeing and Spirit. This week, the FAA gave Boeing 90 days to submit a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-boeing-deadline-safety-plan-18f607ad102e6bbe6200671273ff990c">plan to improve quality</a>&nbsp;and address safety concerns raised by a panel of experts who spent a year studying the company.

Boeing CEO David Calhoun has long defended the outsourcing strategy, but his tone changed after the blowout. On Jan. 31, as Boeing reported a fourth-quarter loss, Calhoun said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-results-safety-airlines-max-d1becb66c3423034ed0586808a4b4eae">outsourcing probably went too far</a>.

In a statement Friday, the company said, “We believe that the reintegration of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems’ manufacturing operations would further strengthen aviation safety, improve quality and serve the interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders."

A deal would give Boeing more control over its production chain, but fixing Spirit would present Boeing with new challenges while regulators are pressuring the company to improve its own work. And it could add to Boeing’s debt load, already at $52 billion.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/workers-strike-boeing-spirit-aerosystems-ff29cb8e49c79b88d832eccd8ce088a3">Spirit AeroSystems</a>&nbsp;also confirmed the talks, while cautioning that it could not make any promises about closing a deal or its terms.

Shares of Spirit rose more than 15% after media reports that the two companies were talking about a sale.

Boeing spun off Spirit in 2005. In recent years, quality problems have mounted at Spirit, including fuselage panels that didn't fit together precisely enough and holes that were improperly drilled.

Spirit — which is not related to Spirit Airlines —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spirit-aerosystems-announces-leadership-transition-301944352.html">removed its CEO</a>&nbsp;in October and replaced him with Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who served as acting defense secretary in the Trump administration.

Things seemed to be going more smoothly until the Alaska Airlines incident. Investigators said a panel used in place of an extra emergency door had been removed at a Boeing factory to let Spirit workers fix damaged rivets, and bolts that help hold the panel in place&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-emergency-landing-report-alaska-airlines-8543c90b68b4d932a700cf57ff8f1b8e">were missing</a>&nbsp;after the repair job. It is not clear who removed the bolts and failed to put them back.

Two weeks later, during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-safety-accident-alaska-airlines-8bd216f6c80e5070ec8cd397efd456fd">tour of the Spirit factory</a>&nbsp;in Wichita, Kansas, Calhoun and Shanahan pledged to work together to improve manufacturing quality. “We will restore confidence," Shanahan vowed.

About 70% of Spirit AeroSystems' revenue last year came from work done for Boeing, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/ixviewer/ix.html?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001364885/000162828024006331/spr-20231231.htm">Spirit's latest annual report</a>. That is up from 60% two years earlier. Most of the company's other revenue comes from making parts for Airbus, Boeing’s European rival.

The talks between Boeing and Spirit were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said Spirit hired bankers to consider strategic options and had held preliminary discussions about a sale to Boeing. Spirit also is looking into selling operations in Ireland that make parts for Airbus, the newspaper reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580497975886.jpeg" alt="Fire photo -Spirit AeroSystems&nbsp; photo by Max. Elaine Thompson/AP/NPR" />
 <figcaption>Fire photo -Spirit AeroSystems&nbsp; photo by Max. Elaine Thompson/AP/NPR</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Boeing said Friday that it is in preliminary talks to buy Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for Boeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spirit-aerosystems-boeing-737-fuselage-28bceec61cef878005b965a016fa8787">737 Max jetliners</a>, including the one that suffered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetliner-blowout-737-max-9-united-alaska-2f74f52bbad7fca26aa11786bd44c356">door-panel blowout</a>&nbsp;on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.Boeing used to own Spirit, and it said that bringing the supplier back into the Boeing fold would improve plane quality and safety, which has come under increasing scrutiny by regulators, Congress and airlines.Buying Spirit back would reverse a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing key work on its passenger planes. That approach has been criticized as problems at Spirit have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-supplier-slow-production-737-max-2525b4c5a27a7332b80b3016645918db">disrupted production</a>&nbsp;and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners including 737s and 787s.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">Concerns about quality</a>&nbsp;came to a head after the Jan. 5 blowout of a panel on an Alaska 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet over Oregon.Days after the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-faa-panel-blowout-monitoring-06b098e57a8c65bdb0ba377f99290d32">increased oversight</a>&nbsp;of Boeing and Spirit. This week, the FAA gave Boeing 90 days to submit a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-boeing-deadline-safety-plan-18f607ad102e6bbe6200671273ff990c">plan to improve quality</a>&nbsp;and address safety concerns raised by a panel of experts who spent a year studying the company.Boeing CEO David Calhoun has long defended the outsourcing strategy, but his tone changed after the blowout. On Jan. 31, as Boeing reported a fourth-quarter loss, Calhoun said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-results-safety-airlines-max-d1becb66c3423034ed0586808a4b4eae">outsourcing probably went too far</a>.In a statement Friday, the company said, “We believe that the reintegration of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems’ manufacturing operations would further strengthen aviation safety, improve quality and serve the interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders."A deal would give Boeing more control over its production chain, but fixing Spirit would present Boeing with new challenges while regulators are pressuring the company to improve its own work. And it could add to Boeing’s debt load, already at $52 billion.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/workers-strike-boeing-spirit-aerosystems-ff29cb8e49c79b88d832eccd8ce088a3">Spirit AeroSystems</a>&nbsp;also confirmed the talks, while cautioning that it could not make any promises about closing a deal or its terms.Shares of Spirit rose more than 15% after media reports that the two companies were talking about a sale.Boeing spun off Spirit in 2005. In recent years, quality problems have mounted at Spirit, including fuselage panels that didn't fit together precisely enough and holes that were improperly drilled.Spirit — which is not related to Spirit Airlines —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spirit-aerosystems-announces-leadership-transition-301944352.html">removed its CEO</a>&nbsp;in October and replaced him with Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who served as acting defense secretary in the Trump administration.Things seemed to be going more smoothly until the Alaska Airlines incident. Investigators said a panel used in place of an extra emergency door had been removed at a Boeing factory to let Spirit workers fix damaged rivets, and bolts that help hold the panel in place&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-emergency-landing-report-alaska-airlines-8543c90b68b4d932a700cf57ff8f1b8e">were missing</a>&nbsp;after the repair job. It is not clear who removed the bolts and failed to put them back.Two weeks later, during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-safety-accident-alaska-airlines-8bd216f6c80e5070ec8cd397efd456fd">tour of the Spirit factory</a>&nbsp;in Wichita, Kansas, Calhoun and Shanahan pledged to work together to improve manufacturing quality. “We will restore confidence," Shanahan vowed.About 70% of Spirit AeroSystems' revenue last year came from work done for Boeing, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/ixviewer/ix.html?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001364885/000162828024006331/spr-20231231.htm">Spirit's latest annual report</a>. That is up from 60% two years earlier. Most of the company's other revenue comes from making parts for Airbus, Boeing’s European rival.The talks between Boeing and Spirit were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said Spirit hired bankers to consider strategic options and had held preliminary discussions about a sale to Boeing. Spirit also is looking into selling operations in Ireland that make parts for Airbus, the newspaper reported.

Boeing in talks to buy Kan. based Spirit AeroSystems, key supplier on the 737 Max

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday shortened the prison sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a 5-year-old girl.

<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MOGOV/2024/03/01/file_attachments/2800812/February%202024%20Pardons%20and%20Commutations.pdf">Click here to see</a> the full list from the governor's office.

Parson's commutation converted the remainder of Reid's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-sports-football-ce0454049635803df51fc892aaff9dc4?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">three-year prison sentence</a>&nbsp;to house arrest, subject to several conditions. Reid had been sentenced in November 2022 after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. He is the son of Chiefs Coach Andy Reid.

A Parson spokesman said the governor considered several factors when making this decision.

“Reid had completed his alcohol abuse treatment program and has served more prison time than most individuals convicted of similar offenses,” Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett said.

Reid's house arrest will continue until Oct. 31, 2025, with requirements for weekly meetings with a parole officer and peer support sponsor and attendance at behavioral counseling. He also will be required to work at least 30 hours a week and complete 10 hours a month of community service, among other things.

Chiefs spokespeople did not immediately respond to phone and email messages Friday seeking comment about the commutation from the team or Andy Reid.

Prosecutors said Reid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph</a>&nbsp;(135 kph) in a 65 mph zone when his Dodge truck hit the cars on an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021.

A girl inside one of the cars, Ariel Young, suffered a traumatic brain injury. A total of six people, including Reid, were injured. One of the vehicles he hit had stalled because of a dead battery, and the second was owned by Ariel’s mother, who had arrived to help.

Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113% two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667349166252.png" alt="Reid photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Reid photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday shortened the prison sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a 5-year-old girl.<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MOGOV/2024/03/01/file_attachments/2800812/February%202024%20Pardons%20and%20Commutations.pdf">Click here to see</a> the full list from the governor's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709333157469.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Parson's commutation converted the remainder of Reid's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-sports-football-ce0454049635803df51fc892aaff9dc4?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">three-year prison sentence</a>&nbsp;to house arrest, subject to several conditions. Reid had been sentenced in November 2022 after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. He is the son of Chiefs Coach Andy Reid.A Parson spokesman said the governor considered several factors when making this decision.“Reid had completed his alcohol abuse treatment program and has served more prison time than most individuals convicted of similar offenses,” Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett said.Reid's house arrest will continue until Oct. 31, 2025, with requirements for weekly meetings with a parole officer and peer support sponsor and attendance at behavioral counseling. He also will be required to work at least 30 hours a week and complete 10 hours a month of community service, among other things.Chiefs spokespeople did not immediately respond to phone and email messages Friday seeking comment about the commutation from the team or Andy Reid.Prosecutors said Reid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kansas-football-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-d43b085c56ac1d0ec8445f30faa6a4d0">was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph</a>&nbsp;(135 kph) in a 65 mph zone when his Dodge truck hit the cars on an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021.A girl inside one of the cars, Ariel Young, suffered a traumatic brain injury. A total of six people, including Reid, were injured. One of the vehicles he hit had stalled because of a dead battery, and the second was owned by Ariel’s mother, who had arrived to help.Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113% two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08%.

Gov. shortens DWI prison sentence of former Chiefs assistant Britt Reid

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking for help to identify the suspects who were involved.

On February 22, an innocent man was leaving a gas station in the 4500 Block of Cleveland Avenue and was asked for a dollar and gave it, according to KCPD Police Captain Jake Becchina. He was then shot and robbed.&nbsp;

When the man lays on the ground injured,&nbsp; one of three suspects goes through his pockets, looking for valuables.Towards the end of the security camera video, the suspects are seen inside the store.

If you can identify any of the suspects, please contact the Robbery Unit at 816-234-5230 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit <a href="http://www.kccrimestoppers.com/?fbclid=IwAR3jBKi9xmmPxyTMzwAGF9rJjR4df96hINP36fA9YgeTOZOxr6nD7zxlDoo" target="_blank">www.kccrimestoppers.com/</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709326640151.png" alt="Image KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Image KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking for help to identify the suspects who were involved.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkcpolice%2Fvideos%2F924786385626652%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" 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>On February 22, an innocent man was leaving a gas station in the 4500 Block of Cleveland Avenue and was asked for a dollar and gave it, according to KCPD Police Captain Jake Becchina. He was then shot and robbed.&nbsp;When the man lays on the ground injured,&nbsp; one of three suspects goes through his pockets, looking for valuables.Towards the end of the security camera video, the suspects are seen inside the store.If you can identify any of the suspects, please contact the Robbery Unit at 816-234-5230 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. You can also visit <a href="http://www.kccrimestoppers.com/?fbclid=IwAR3jBKi9xmmPxyTMzwAGF9rJjR4df96hINP36fA9YgeTOZOxr6nD7zxlDoo" target="_blank">www.kccrimestoppers.com/</a>

🎥 Police ask for help to ID suspects in violent KC armed robbery

KANSAS CITY — Multiple felonies have been filed against a Kansas City area man who fatally shot an Independence police officer and a 16th Circuit Court process server on Thursday, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2360/LDAcree-Redacted-Documents">Click here to read the full</a> charging documents

Larry D. Acree, 69, faces two counts of Murder in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree for wounding a police officer and three additional counts of Armed Criminal Action charges. Acree remains hospitalized in intensive care and will be moved to the Jackson County Detention Center as soon as he is able, according to Baker. He faces a $2 million bond.

According to court record filed Friday, the process server identified as&nbsp;Drexel Mack had gone to a residence on North Elsea Smith Road in rural Jackson County to evict any person on the property.

On Feb. 23, a “Notice to Vacate” sign was posted at the property, according to the probable cause affidavit. It stemmed from court actions that began one year earlier. Acree “didn't have any right to be there," Baker said.

On Thursday, Mack and another process service arrived at the address to physically evict Acree. Both of the process servers removed a padlock from the gated drive, the statement said.

The two process servers then approached the front of the home, where they knocked and announced their presence. No one answered, so the property maintenance contractor drilled out the lock on the front door, the statement said. They then entered the home and were fired upon. Mack was struck and fell to the floor just inside the front door, court records said.

The other process server ran and sought help, court records said. Independence police then rushed to the home, where three officers entered the home and tried to retrieve Mack. They then came under additional gunfire, court records said.

Allen was struck in the head, and a second officer was struck in the torso, court records said.

Officers then returned fire, and the suspect was taken into custody. The wounded were taken to nearby Centerpoint Medical Hospital, where Mack and Allen were pronounced dead.

The officer struck in the torso underwent surgery and is expected to survive. That officer also sustained additional injuries to the arms and face.

The home where the eviction notice was being served had been sold recently and had delinquent taxes dating to at least 2019, records show.

Acree also had been ordered to pay a roofing company, with $32,155 due as of Aug. 1, according to court records. Records from later that month in the case signaled that a property sale was in the works.

The sale was completed on Aug. 14 for $260,000, with a judgment of $27,733.47 subtracted from the total, records show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258563931.png" alt="Independence Officer Cody Allen was 35.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Independence Officer Cody Allen was 35.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Multiple felonies have been filed against a Kansas City area man who fatally shot an Independence police officer and a 16th Circuit Court process server on Thursday, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2360/LDAcree-Redacted-Documents">Click here to read the full</a> charging documents<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709313405919.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Larry D. Acree, 69, faces two counts of Murder in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree for wounding a police officer and three additional counts of Armed Criminal Action charges. Acree remains hospitalized in intensive care and will be moved to the Jackson County Detention Center as soon as he is able, according to Baker. He faces a $2 million bond.According to court record filed Friday, the process server identified as&nbsp;Drexel Mack had gone to a residence on North Elsea Smith Road in rural Jackson County to evict any person on the property.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709244242928.png" alt="An ariel view of the property following the deadly shooting -courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>An ariel view of the property following the deadly shooting -courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>On Feb. 23, a “Notice to Vacate” sign was posted at the property, according to the probable cause affidavit. It stemmed from court actions that began one year earlier. Acree “didn't have any right to be there," Baker said.On Thursday, Mack and another process service arrived at the address to physically evict Acree. Both of the process servers removed a padlock from the gated drive, the statement said.The two process servers then approached the front of the home, where they knocked and announced their presence. No one answered, so the property maintenance contractor drilled out the lock on the front door, the statement said. They then entered the home and were fired upon. Mack was struck and fell to the floor just inside the front door, court records said.The other process server ran and sought help, court records said. Independence police then rushed to the home, where three officers entered the home and tried to retrieve Mack. They then came under additional gunfire, court records said.Allen was struck in the head, and a second officer was struck in the torso, court records said.Officers then returned fire, and the suspect was taken into custody. The wounded were taken to nearby Centerpoint Medical Hospital, where Mack and Allen were pronounced dead.The officer struck in the torso underwent surgery and is expected to survive. That officer also sustained additional injuries to the arms and face.The home where the eviction notice was being served had been sold recently and had delinquent taxes dating to at least 2019, records show.Acree also had been ordered to pay a roofing company, with $32,155 due as of Aug. 1, according to court records. Records from later that month in the case signaled that a property sale was in the works.The sale was completed on Aug. 14 for $260,000, with a judgment of $27,733.47 subtracted from the total, records show.-The AP contributed to this report

Prosecutor IDs suspect, files charges in death of officer, process server

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to stay in isolation for five days, U.S. health officials announced Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/guidance/respiratory-virus-guidance.html">changed its longstanding guidance</a>, saying that people can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it's been a day since they've had a fever.

The change comes at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#demographicsovertime">COVID-19 is no longer the public health menace</a>&nbsp;it once was. It dropped from being the nation's third leading cause of death early in the pandemic to 10th last year.

Most people have some degree of immunity to the coronavirus from past vaccinations or from infections. And many people are not following the five-day isolation guidance anyway, some experts say.

“Our goal here is to continue to protect those at risk for severe illness while also reassuring folks that these recommendation are simple, clear, easy to understand, and can be followed,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, the CDC’s director,

However, some experts worry that the change may increase the risk of infection for older people and others who are more vulnerable to getting seriously ill.

COVID-19 is not causing as many hospitalizations and deaths as it did in the first years of the pandemic. The change is an effort to streamline recommendations so they are similar to longstanding recommendations for flu and other respiratory viruses. Many people with a runny nose, cough or other symptoms aren't testing to distinguish whether it's COVID-19, flu, or something else, officials say.

It may not be as stringent, but the guidance emphasizes that all people with respiratory symptoms should stay home while they are sick, said Dr. David Margolius, the head of Cleveland's health department.

People are likely still contagious when they test positive, and that hasn’t changed, said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health.

“What has changed is how much COVID is harming us as a population,” Nuzzo said.

Officials noted that some other countries and California and Oregon have eased isolation guidance in a manner similar to CDC’s latest change — and did not see an increases in cases.

If you have symptoms, stay home until your symptoms are mild and improving and it’s been a day since you've had a fever. But then you can remain cautious by wearing a mask and keeping a distance from others.

However, the CDC guidance for workers at nursing homes and other health care facilities is staying the same. That includes a recommendation that medical personnel stay home at least seven days after symptoms first appear, and that they test negative within two days of returning to work.

The agency is emphasizing that everyone should still try to prevent infections in the first place, by getting vaccinated, washing their hands, and taking steps to bring in more outdoor fresh air.

Yes, and even some who understand the rationale for the change have concerns.

“My biggest worry in all of this is that employers will take this change in guidance to require employees to come back to work ... before they are ready to, before they feel well enough, and before they are not likely to pose harm to their co-workers,” Nuzzo said.

COVID-19 remains especially dangerous to older people and those with other medical conditions. There are still more than&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklyhospitaladmissions_select_00">20,000 hospitalizations</a>&nbsp;and more than&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_select_00">2,000 deaths</a>&nbsp;each week due to the coronavirus, according to the CDC. Those 65 and older have the highest hospitalization and death rates.

This week, the CDC said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-over-65-84bd91f6c51db7bbb334bd18a07e4f3b">seniors should get another dose</a>&nbsp;of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

IS THIS THE FIRST CHANGE FOR ISOLATION GUIDELINES?

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to stay in isolation for five days, U.S. health officials announced Friday.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/guidance/respiratory-virus-guidance.html">changed its longstanding guidance</a>, saying that people can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it's been a day since they've had a fever.The change comes at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#demographicsovertime">COVID-19 is no longer the public health menace</a>&nbsp;it once was. It dropped from being the nation's third leading cause of death early in the pandemic to 10th last year.Most people have some degree of immunity to the coronavirus from past vaccinations or from infections. And many people are not following the five-day isolation guidance anyway, some experts say.“Our goal here is to continue to protect those at risk for severe illness while also reassuring folks that these recommendation are simple, clear, easy to understand, and can be followed,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, the CDC’s director,However, some experts worry that the change may increase the risk of infection for older people and others who are more vulnerable to getting seriously ill.WHY ARE THE GUIDELINES CHANGING?COVID-19 is not causing as many hospitalizations and deaths as it did in the first years of the pandemic. The change is an effort to streamline recommendations so they are similar to longstanding recommendations for flu and other respiratory viruses. Many people with a runny nose, cough or other symptoms aren't testing to distinguish whether it's COVID-19, flu, or something else, officials say.It may not be as stringent, but the guidance emphasizes that all people with respiratory symptoms should stay home while they are sick, said Dr. David Margolius, the head of Cleveland's health department.People are likely still contagious when they test positive, and that hasn’t changed, said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health.“What has changed is how much COVID is harming us as a population,” Nuzzo said.Officials noted that some other countries and California and Oregon have eased isolation guidance in a manner similar to CDC’s latest change — and did not see an increases in cases.WHAT ARE THE NEW GUIDELINES?If you have symptoms, stay home until your symptoms are mild and improving and it’s been a day since you've had a fever. But then you can remain cautious by wearing a mask and keeping a distance from others.However, the CDC guidance for workers at nursing homes and other health care facilities is staying the same. That includes a recommendation that medical personnel stay home at least seven days after symptoms first appear, and that they test negative within two days of returning to work.The agency is emphasizing that everyone should still try to prevent infections in the first place, by getting vaccinated, washing their hands, and taking steps to bring in more outdoor fresh air.IS THERE OPPOSITION TO THIS CHANGE?Yes, and even some who understand the rationale for the change have concerns.“My biggest worry in all of this is that employers will take this change in guidance to require employees to come back to work ... before they are ready to, before they feel well enough, and before they are not likely to pose harm to their co-workers,” Nuzzo said.COVID-19 remains especially dangerous to older people and those with other medical conditions. There are still more than&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklyhospitaladmissions_select_00">20,000 hospitalizations</a>&nbsp;and more than&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_select_00">2,000 deaths</a>&nbsp;each week due to the coronavirus, according to the CDC. Those 65 and older have the highest hospitalization and death rates.This week, the CDC said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-over-65-84bd91f6c51db7bbb334bd18a07e4f3b">seniors should get another dose</a>&nbsp;of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.IS THIS THE FIRST CHANGE FOR ISOLATION GUIDELINES?

U.S. health officials drop 5-day isolation time for COVID-19

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

TOPEKA — A committee in the Kansas House found bipartisan support for the idea of earmarking $450 million to lowering the unfunded liability of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System.

On Thursday, about 24 hours after the initial vote, a majority on the House Appropriations Committee reversed course. The decision had something to do with the idea of maintaining a hefty cash balance that could be devoted to tax reform or spending priorities. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a $1.6 billion tax bill, but Republicans in the House and Senate were expected to pull together an alternative within the next few weeks.

Representatives initially drawn to the KPERS idea said reconsideration was in order.

“Yesterday afternoon, you could say I had an epiphany,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican. “It’s best to leave this money on the sidelines until we do have a tax plan.”

GOP Rep. Bill Sutton of Gardner confessed to second thoughts: “I’d agree what we did yesterday wasn’t the best direction.”

KPERS has $9.6 billion in unfunded liabilities, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t sufficient cash to meet obligations to retirees for years. The retirement system holds $27 billion in assets. The unfunded liability represented the gap between the trust fund’s assets and future benefit payments, and was a number useful in long-term planning.

The Democratic governor had proposed the Legislature use $450 million of the state’s multibillion-dollar budget surplus to pay off bond debt acquired by KPERS when the system borrowed to invest in the market under a scheme to generate supplemental revenue and chip away at the unfunded liability. A GOP-led House subcommittee didn’t like her idea of eradicating KPERS debt tied to relatively low interest rates.

“We just didn’t feel like it was something that needed to be done,” said Rep. Kyle Hoffman, R-Coldwater.

In the alternative, Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Wichita, did convince the full appropriations committee Wednesday to apply $450 million to the unfunded liability. Good business sense was abandoned Thursday in favor of sitting on a stockpile of cash that could be part of a mega-tax bill, he said.

“A tax plan that will push us over the edge,” Helgerson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709319254597.png" alt="Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Wichita, failed to convince colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee to stick with a plan to use $450 million from the state’s budget surplus to reduce the unfunded liability of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Wichita, failed to convince colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee to stick with a plan to use $450 million from the state’s budget surplus to reduce the unfunded liability of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A committee in the Kansas House found bipartisan support for the idea of earmarking $450 million to lowering the unfunded liability of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System.On Thursday, about 24 hours after the initial vote, a majority on the House Appropriations Committee reversed course. The decision had something to do with the idea of maintaining a hefty cash balance that could be devoted to tax reform or spending priorities. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a $1.6 billion tax bill, but Republicans in the House and Senate were expected to pull together an alternative within the next few weeks.Representatives initially drawn to the KPERS idea said reconsideration was in order.“Yesterday afternoon, you could say I had an epiphany,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican. “It’s best to leave this money on the sidelines until we do have a tax plan.”GOP Rep. Bill Sutton of Gardner confessed to second thoughts: “I’d agree what we did yesterday wasn’t the best direction.”KPERS has $9.6 billion in unfunded liabilities, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t sufficient cash to meet obligations to retirees for years. The retirement system holds $27 billion in assets. The unfunded liability represented the gap between the trust fund’s assets and future benefit payments, and was a number useful in long-term planning.The Democratic governor had proposed the Legislature use $450 million of the state’s multibillion-dollar budget surplus to pay off bond debt acquired by KPERS when the system borrowed to invest in the market under a scheme to generate supplemental revenue and chip away at the unfunded liability. A GOP-led House subcommittee didn’t like her idea of eradicating KPERS debt tied to relatively low interest rates.“We just didn’t feel like it was something that needed to be done,” said Rep. Kyle Hoffman, R-Coldwater.In the alternative, Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Wichita, did convince the full appropriations committee Wednesday to apply $450 million to the unfunded liability. Good business sense was abandoned Thursday in favor of sitting on a stockpile of cash that could be part of a mega-tax bill, he said.“A tax plan that will push us over the edge,” Helgerson said.

House committee gets cold feet on plan to buy down $450 million in KPERS’ bonds

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally taking minors into Kansas to obtain abortions without parental consent, basing the allegation on a video from a conservative group that has promoted false claims on other issues.

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's lawsuit accuses Kansas City, Missouri-based Planned Parenthood Great Plains of violating Missouri law, which makes it illegal to “intentionally cause, aid, or assist a minor to obtain an abortion” without consent from a parent or guardian. The lawsuit filed in state district court in Columbia, Missouri, asks the court to stop Planned Parenthood from engaging in the conduct it alleges.

Bailey's lawsuit provides no evidence of the actions alleged outside of a hidden camera video from a conservative group, Project Veritas. The video is of a conversation between Planned Parenthood employees and someone impersonating someone seeking an abortion for a fictitious 13-year-old.

Project Veritas is known for conducting such hidden camera stings. Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-pennsylvania-postmaster-ballots-2020-project-veritas-327d470d18ec40792ffe4ead61feeb92">it acknowledged</a>&nbsp;that claims it made in a video alleging ballot mishandling at a Pennsylvania post office in 2020 were untrue as it settled a lawsuit against the group by a postmaster. In 2021, a Project Veritas video fueled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-social-media-b0c5633662b18765458d7abfe9203708">a false claim</a>&nbsp;online that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains President and CEO Emily Wales said the lawsuit is based on false information. She said in a statement that Planned Parenthood does not provide any form of transportation for patients. Besides, she said, Kansas law requires minor patients seeking abortion services to have parental consent or to show an order from a Kansas judge authorizing it.

“We will continue following state and federal laws and proudly providing Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state with a total abortion ban,” Wales said.

Project Veritas did not immediately respond Thursday to a telephone message or email seeking comment.

Missouri is among several conservative-led states that adopted restrictive abortion laws in 2022, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision</a>&nbsp;establishing the nationwide right to abortion. State law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">prohibits almost all abortions</a>, except in cases of “medical emergencies.”

GOP lawmakers and state officials have long been at odds with Planned Parenthood. The Republican-led Missouri House on Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-medicaid-planned-parenthood-abortion-e7e22d27dd201e32afed756653277aa0">bar Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood. Weeks earlier, the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56">thwarted a previous attempt</a>&nbsp;to end that funding.

Bailey said in a statement it is time to “eradicate Planned Parenthood once and for all."

Bailey's lawsuit, based on the Project Vertias video, alleges that Planned Parenthood employees said they could take the girl to a Kansas clinic without parental knowledge, using a doctor’s note written by someone at Planned Parenthood to get the girl out of school.

“This is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri. What they conceal and conspire to do in the dark of night has now been uncovered,” Bailey said.

Bailey did not say whether he planned to file criminal charges against Planned Parenthood over the conduct the lawsuit alleges. His spokesperson said the office's investigation is ongoing but did not immediately respond to a question about whether criminal charges could be coming.

But Wales said the Project Veritas video “is heavily doctored and edited.” She called the lawsuit “a press release dressed up as legal action from an unelected attorney general.”

The lawsuit also asks the court to prohibit Planned Parenthood from referring minors for abortions, providing doctor's notes for minors, paying for lodging for out-of-state abortions for minors, or coordinating with others for any of those activities.

Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade told reporters that she believes that Bailey's action “falls in the bucket again of another lawsuit just to try to get some headlines in an election year.”

Bailey was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Parson after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-91f950681a72abe1ea6bc20f45bf42ec#:~:text=(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Republican%20Missouri%20Attorney,for%20control%20of%20the%20Senate.">Eric Schmitt</a>&nbsp;was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2022. Bailey is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-missouri-ad410ff9ea2f278ba0058d56bf27f8b2">running for election</a>&nbsp;to the post this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709305902379.png" alt="The Planned Parenthood office at&nbsp;6013 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The Planned Parenthood office at&nbsp;6013 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER and JOHN HANNA&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally taking minors into Kansas to obtain abortions without parental consent, basing the allegation on a video from a conservative group that has promoted false claims on other issues.Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's lawsuit accuses Kansas City, Missouri-based Planned Parenthood Great Plains of violating Missouri law, which makes it illegal to “intentionally cause, aid, or assist a minor to obtain an abortion” without consent from a parent or guardian. The lawsuit filed in state district court in Columbia, Missouri, asks the court to stop Planned Parenthood from engaging in the conduct it alleges.Bailey's lawsuit provides no evidence of the actions alleged outside of a hidden camera video from a conservative group, Project Veritas. The video is of a conversation between Planned Parenthood employees and someone impersonating someone seeking an abortion for a fictitious 13-year-old.Project Veritas is known for conducting such hidden camera stings. Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-pennsylvania-postmaster-ballots-2020-project-veritas-327d470d18ec40792ffe4ead61feeb92">it acknowledged</a>&nbsp;that claims it made in a video alleging ballot mishandling at a Pennsylvania post office in 2020 were untrue as it settled a lawsuit against the group by a postmaster. In 2021, a Project Veritas video fueled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-social-media-b0c5633662b18765458d7abfe9203708">a false claim</a>&nbsp;online that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.Planned Parenthood Great Plains President and CEO Emily Wales said the lawsuit is based on false information. She said in a statement that Planned Parenthood does not provide any form of transportation for patients. Besides, she said, Kansas law requires minor patients seeking abortion services to have parental consent or to show an order from a Kansas judge authorizing it.“We will continue following state and federal laws and proudly providing Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state with a total abortion ban,” Wales said.Project Veritas did not immediately respond Thursday to a telephone message or email seeking comment.Missouri is among several conservative-led states that adopted restrictive abortion laws in 2022, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision</a>&nbsp;establishing the nationwide right to abortion. State law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">prohibits almost all abortions</a>, except in cases of “medical emergencies.”GOP lawmakers and state officials have long been at odds with Planned Parenthood. The Republican-led Missouri House on Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-medicaid-planned-parenthood-abortion-e7e22d27dd201e32afed756653277aa0">bar Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood. Weeks earlier, the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56">thwarted a previous attempt</a>&nbsp;to end that funding.Bailey said in a statement it is time to “eradicate Planned Parenthood once and for all."Bailey's lawsuit, based on the Project Vertias video, alleges that Planned Parenthood employees said they could take the girl to a Kansas clinic without parental knowledge, using a doctor’s note written by someone at Planned Parenthood to get the girl out of school.“This is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri. What they conceal and conspire to do in the dark of night has now been uncovered,” Bailey said.Bailey did not say whether he planned to file criminal charges against Planned Parenthood over the conduct the lawsuit alleges. His spokesperson said the office's investigation is ongoing but did not immediately respond to a question about whether criminal charges could be coming.But Wales said the Project Veritas video “is heavily doctored and edited.” She called the lawsuit “a press release dressed up as legal action from an unelected attorney general.”The lawsuit also asks the court to prohibit Planned Parenthood from referring minors for abortions, providing doctor's notes for minors, paying for lodging for out-of-state abortions for minors, or coordinating with others for any of those activities.Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade told reporters that she believes that Bailey's action “falls in the bucket again of another lawsuit just to try to get some headlines in an election year.”Bailey was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Parson after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-91f950681a72abe1ea6bc20f45bf42ec#:~:text=(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Republican%20Missouri%20Attorney,for%20control%20of%20the%20Senate.">Eric Schmitt</a>&nbsp;was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2022. Bailey is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-missouri-ad410ff9ea2f278ba0058d56bf27f8b2">running for election</a>&nbsp;to the post this year.

Missouri suing Planned Parenthood based on a sting video

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a

Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of vehicle thefts on February 23 and 24, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

The first incident occurred on February 23, when deputies were alerted to the theft of a black 2012 Hyundai Elantra from south Brookside Avenue in rural Independence. 

In addition to the vehicle, other items were reported stolen. Despite initial challenges, deputies continued their efforts to recover the stolen property.

A breakthrough came on February 24, when a diligent employee at Ralph Mitchell Park discovered some of the stolen items near the Lone Chief cabin. 

Later that day, the owner of the stolen vehicle located the it at the Apple Tree Inn, prompting a joint response from the Independence Kansas Police Department and deputies.

 The vehicle was successfully processed and returned to its rightful owner. However, on the same day, another vehicle theft was reported on South Cement Street. 

Deputies responded and learned the stolen Silver 2006 Chrysler 300 went into Independence City limits. Later deputies located the Chrysler 300 traveling south on County Road 3900. 

 The deputies attempted to stop the vehicle.  The driver failed to stop and continued fleeing from the deputies.  The deputies gave chase for a few miles when the vehicle stopped on South Second Street, south of Independence. 

 The suspect bailed out of the vehicle and ran. Deputies gave chase&nbsp; and were able to successfully apprehend the suspect identified as Andy Ochoa. 

Further investigation revealed Ochoa was in possession of stolen property, including a handgun that was reported stolen out of the City of Independence. 

 Deputies also located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and suspected fentanyl. 

 Ochoa was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections where he was booked on multiple requested charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709124552856.png" alt="Ochoa-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Ochoa-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after aSheriff's deputies responded to reports of vehicle thefts on February 23 and 24, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.The first incident occurred on February 23, when deputies were alerted to the theft of a black 2012 Hyundai Elantra from south Brookside Avenue in rural Independence. In addition to the vehicle, other items were reported stolen. Despite initial challenges, deputies continued their efforts to recover the stolen property.A breakthrough came on February 24, when a diligent employee at Ralph Mitchell Park discovered some of the stolen items near the Lone Chief cabin. Later that day, the owner of the stolen vehicle located the it at the Apple Tree Inn, prompting a joint response from the Independence Kansas Police Department and deputies. The vehicle was successfully processed and returned to its rightful owner. However, on the same day, another vehicle theft was reported on South Cement Street. Deputies responded and learned the stolen Silver 2006 Chrysler 300 went into Independence City limits. Later deputies located the Chrysler 300 traveling south on County Road 3900. The deputies attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver failed to stop and continued fleeing from the deputies. The deputies gave chase for a few miles when the vehicle stopped on South Second Street, south of Independence. The suspect bailed out of the vehicle and ran. Deputies gave chase&nbsp; and were able to successfully apprehend the suspect identified as Andy Ochoa. Further investigation revealed Ochoa was in possession of stolen property, including a handgun that was reported stolen out of the City of Independence. Deputies also located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and suspected fentanyl. Ochoa was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections where he was booked on multiple requested charges.

Sheriff: Kan. stolen car suspect had stolen handgun, fentanyl

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Three hundred miles apart, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and likely Republican challenger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas Thursday, dueling trips underscoring how important immigration has become for the 2024 election and how much each man wants to use it to his advantage.

Each chose an optimal location to make his points, their schedules remarkably similar. They each got a briefing on operations and issues, walked along the border and gave remarks that overlapped. But that's where the comparisons ended.

Biden, who sought to spotlight how Republicans tanked a bipartisan border security deal on Trump's orders, went to the Rio Grande Valley city of Brownsville. For nine years, this was the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, but they have dropped sharply in recent months.

The president walked a quiet stretch of the border along the Rio Grande, and received a lengthy operations briefing from Homeland Security agents who talked to him bluntly about what more they needed.

“I want the American people to know what we're trying to get done," he said to officials there. "We can't afford not to do this."

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533927-1/donald-trump-visits-us-southern-border">Click here to watch </a>Trump's comments from the border

Trump, meanwhile, continued his dialed-up attacks on migrants arriving to the border, deriding them as “terrorists” and criminals after harnessing rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue migrants are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hitler-poison-blood-history-f8c3ff512edd120252596a4743324352">poisoning the blood of America</a>.

“This is a Joe Biden invasion," Trump said.

Trump was in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-border-brownsville-eagle-pass-texas-32920274b7dcf5464b0fea30e004bade">Eagle Pass, roughly 325 miles</a>&nbsp;northwest of Brownsville, in the corridor that's currently seeing the largest number of crossings. He went to a local park that has become a Republican symbol of defiance against the federal immigration enforcement practices it mocks.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas National Guard soldiers gave him a tour, showing off razor wire they put up on Abbott's orders and in defiance of a U.S. Supreme Court order.

The number of people who are illegally crossing the U.S. border has been rising for years for complicated reasons that include climate change, war and unrest in other nations, the economy, and cartels that see migration as a cash cow.

The administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-congress-government-and-politics-a6b7a3f19297e9d6675fd625634dd41f">approach has been to pair crackdowns at the border</a>&nbsp;with increasing legal pathways for migrants designed to steer people into arriving by plane with sponsors, not illegally on foot to the border.

Arrests for illegal crossings fell by half in January, but there were record highs in December. The numbers of migrants flowing across the U.S-Mexico border have far outpaced the capacity of an immigration system that has not been substantially updated in decades. Trump and Republicans claim Biden is refusing to act, but absent law change from Congress, any major policies are likely to be challenged or held up in court.

Among those voters, worries about the nation’s broken immigration system are rising on both sides of the political divide, which could be especially problematic for Biden.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-top-issues-poll-foreign-policy-israel-d89db59deb07f53382cc9292b49f4d1c">According to an AP-NORC poll in January</a>, the share of voters concerned about immigration rose to 35% from 27% last year. Fifty-five percent of Republicans say the government needs to focus on immigration in 2024, while 22% of Democrats listed immigration as a priority. That’s up from 45% and 14%, respectively, from December 2022.

Trump landed to cheers from a crowd gathered at the small airport who held signs that read: “Trump 2024.” Some yelled, “Way to go, Trump.” He chatted with supporters for a few minutes before getting into his waiting SUV.

From Air Force One, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dismissed claims the president's visit was political, and noted how badly his department that manages the U.S.-Mexico border needed extra funding that would have been contained in the collapsed bill.

“This visit is focused on the work that we do, not the rhetoric of others,” he said. “This is focused on operational needs, operational challenges and the significant impact that legislation would have in enhancing our border security.”

In a symbol of the political divide, the Republican-controlled House voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">impeach Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;over the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats say the charges amount to a policy dispute, not the “high crimes and misdemeanors” laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution.

Since the president was last at the border&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-mexico-el-paso-2e30ea26bbc55c7af509a6e60ad3d33c">a year ago</a>, the debate over immigration in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e">has shifted</a>&nbsp;further to the right. Democrats have become increasingly eager to embrace border restrictions now that migrants are sleeping in police stations and airplane hangars in major cities.

During bipartisan talks on an immigration deal that would have toughened access for migrants, Biden himself said he'd be willing to “shut down the border” right now, should the deal pass.

The talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5">looked promising for a while.</a>&nbsp;But Trump, who didn't want to give Biden a political win on one of his signature campaign issues, persuaded Republicans to kill the deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declared it dead on arrival.

Biden vowed to make sure everyone knew why.

“Every day, between now and November, the American people are gonna know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” Biden said this month, referring to the former president's Make America Great Again slogan.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-razor-wire-park-50e0964fab96708954bd773b791f02da">was also to be interviewed by Fox News' Sean Hannity from Shelby Park</a>, an expanse along the Rio Grande owned by the city of Eagle Pass.

Trump has laid out updated immigration proposals that would mark a dramatic escalation of the approach he used in office and that drew alarms from civil rights activists and numerous court challenges.

Some of those include reviving and expanding his controversial travel ban, imposing "ideological screening” for migrants, terminating all work permits and cutting off funding for shelter and transportation for people who are in the country illegally. Trump also is likely to bring up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-riley-immigrants-crime-63181cbc7a89fe9fe28b1d0cf84c8b9a">the killing of a 22-year-old nursing</a>&nbsp;student in Georgia. The suspect is a Venezuelan migrant.

“Biden is preposterously trying to blame me and Congressional Republicans for the national security and public safety disaster he has created,” Trump wrote in an op-ed in the British newspaper The Daily Mail. “He created this catastrophe. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709241939951.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Three hundred miles apart, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and likely Republican challenger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas Thursday, dueling trips underscoring how important immigration has become for the 2024 election and how much each man wants to use it to his advantage.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden to Donald Trump: &quot;Join me or I&#39;ll join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. We can do it together....So, instead of playing politics, why don&#39;t we just get together and get it done.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gYLRxoXoOJ">pic.twitter.com/gYLRxoXoOJ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1763340505700503929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Each chose an optimal location to make his points, their schedules remarkably similar. They each got a briefing on operations and issues, walked along the border and gave remarks that overlapped. But that's where the comparisons ended.Biden, who sought to spotlight how Republicans tanked a bipartisan border security deal on Trump's orders, went to the Rio Grande Valley city of Brownsville. For nine years, this was the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, but they have dropped sharply in recent months.The president walked a quiet stretch of the border along the Rio Grande, and received a lengthy operations briefing from Homeland Security agents who talked to him bluntly about what more they needed.“I want the American people to know what we're trying to get done," he said to officials there. "We can't afford not to do this."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709251999416.png" alt="Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Trump-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Trump-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533927-1/donald-trump-visits-us-southern-border">Click here to watch </a>Trump's comments from the borderTrump, meanwhile, continued his dialed-up attacks on migrants arriving to the border, deriding them as “terrorists” and criminals after harnessing rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue migrants are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hitler-poison-blood-history-f8c3ff512edd120252596a4743324352">poisoning the blood of America</a>.“This is a Joe Biden invasion," Trump said.Trump was in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-border-brownsville-eagle-pass-texas-32920274b7dcf5464b0fea30e004bade">Eagle Pass, roughly 325 miles</a>&nbsp;northwest of Brownsville, in the corridor that's currently seeing the largest number of crossings. He went to a local park that has become a Republican symbol of defiance against the federal immigration enforcement practices it mocks.Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas National Guard soldiers gave him a tour, showing off razor wire they put up on Abbott's orders and in defiance of a U.S. Supreme Court order.“This is like a war,” Trump said.The number of people who are illegally crossing the U.S. border has been rising for years for complicated reasons that include climate change, war and unrest in other nations, the economy, and cartels that see migration as a cash cow.The administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-congress-government-and-politics-a6b7a3f19297e9d6675fd625634dd41f">approach has been to pair crackdowns at the border</a>&nbsp;with increasing legal pathways for migrants designed to steer people into arriving by plane with sponsors, not illegally on foot to the border.Arrests for illegal crossings fell by half in January, but there were record highs in December. The numbers of migrants flowing across the U.S-Mexico border have far outpaced the capacity of an immigration system that has not been substantially updated in decades. Trump and Republicans claim Biden is refusing to act, but absent law change from Congress, any major policies are likely to be challenged or held up in court.Among those voters, worries about the nation’s broken immigration system are rising on both sides of the political divide, which could be especially problematic for Biden.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-top-issues-poll-foreign-policy-israel-d89db59deb07f53382cc9292b49f4d1c">According to an AP-NORC poll in January</a>, the share of voters concerned about immigration rose to 35% from 27% last year. Fifty-five percent of Republicans say the government needs to focus on immigration in 2024, while 22% of Democrats listed immigration as a priority. That’s up from 45% and 14%, respectively, from December 2022.Trump landed to cheers from a crowd gathered at the small airport who held signs that read: “Trump 2024.” Some yelled, “Way to go, Trump.” He chatted with supporters for a few minutes before getting into his waiting SUV.From Air Force One, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dismissed claims the president's visit was political, and noted how badly his department that manages the U.S.-Mexico border needed extra funding that would have been contained in the collapsed bill.“This visit is focused on the work that we do, not the rhetoric of others,” he said. “This is focused on operational needs, operational challenges and the significant impact that legislation would have in enhancing our border security.”In a symbol of the political divide, the Republican-controlled House voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">impeach Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;over the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats say the charges amount to a policy dispute, not the “high crimes and misdemeanors” laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution.Since the president was last at the border&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-mexico-el-paso-2e30ea26bbc55c7af509a6e60ad3d33c">a year ago</a>, the debate over immigration in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e">has shifted</a>&nbsp;further to the right. Democrats have become increasingly eager to embrace border restrictions now that migrants are sleeping in police stations and airplane hangars in major cities.During bipartisan talks on an immigration deal that would have toughened access for migrants, Biden himself said he'd be willing to “shut down the border” right now, should the deal pass.The talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5">looked promising for a while.</a>&nbsp;But Trump, who didn't want to give Biden a political win on one of his signature campaign issues, persuaded Republicans to kill the deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declared it dead on arrival.Biden vowed to make sure everyone knew why.“Every day, between now and November, the American people are gonna know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” Biden said this month, referring to the former president's Make America Great Again slogan.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-razor-wire-park-50e0964fab96708954bd773b791f02da">was also to be interviewed by Fox News' Sean Hannity from Shelby Park</a>, an expanse along the Rio Grande owned by the city of Eagle Pass.Trump has laid out updated immigration proposals that would mark a dramatic escalation of the approach he used in office and that drew alarms from civil rights activists and numerous court challenges.Some of those include reviving and expanding his controversial travel ban, imposing "ideological screening” for migrants, terminating all work permits and cutting off funding for shelter and transportation for people who are in the country illegally. Trump also is likely to bring up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-riley-immigrants-crime-63181cbc7a89fe9fe28b1d0cf84c8b9a">the killing of a 22-year-old nursing</a>&nbsp;student in Georgia. The suspect is a Venezuelan migrant.“Biden is preposterously trying to blame me and Congressional Republicans for the national security and public safety disaster he has created,” Trump wrote in an op-ed in the British newspaper The Daily Mail. “He created this catastrophe. "

🎥Biden invites Trump to work together during dueling border visits

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Missouri, authorities said.

A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said.

Just after 7:30pm tactical response officers concluded their operations at the location of the shooting on Elsea Smith Road, according to KCPD Captian Jake Becchina. 

Officers carefully searched the property to ensure the safety of the investigators and the surrounding community. No additional people were located inside the residence and the scene was secured and released to Missouri Highway Patrol criminal investigators. KCPD crime Scene investigators are assisting with the processing as well.

Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center that two of his police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of Drexel Mack, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.

Mack, or another civil process server also at the home, had called 911 saying Mack had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.

“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own," Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35.

The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said. A third officer also “took gunshot rounds” and had minor injuries, the police chief said.

Dustman called Allen a hero and described the police department as a “broken family,” over Allen's death.

“He always had a smile,” Dustman said.

A man suspected in the shooting was in custody and sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during an earlier news conference.

Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what exactly happened before the shootings began.

Mack, who was in his early 40s, had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.

“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”

More than a dozen officers lined up outside the hospital late Thursday afternoon to escort the bodies of the slain to the medical examiner’s office. People hugged and consoled each other after the procession left.

Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around a large, isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an investigation.

Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258406014.png" alt="Photo from above the crime scene courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo from above the crime scene courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Missouri, authorities said.A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said.Just after 7:30pm tactical response officers concluded their operations at the location of the shooting on Elsea Smith Road, according to KCPD Captian Jake Becchina. Officers carefully searched the property to ensure the safety of the investigators and the surrounding community. No additional people were located inside the residence and the scene was secured and released to Missouri Highway Patrol criminal investigators. KCPD crime Scene investigators are assisting with the processing as well.Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center that two of his police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of Drexel Mack, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.Mack, or another civil process server also at the home, had called 911 saying Mack had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258563931.png" alt="Independence Officer Cody Allen courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Independence Officer Cody Allen courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own," Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35.The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said. A third officer also “took gunshot rounds” and had minor injuries, the police chief said.Dustman called Allen a hero and described the police department as a “broken family,” over Allen's death.“He always had a smile,” Dustman said.A man suspected in the shooting was in custody and sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during an earlier news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what exactly happened before the shootings began.Mack, who was in his early 40s, had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”More than a dozen officers lined up outside the hospital late Thursday afternoon to escort the bodies of the slain to the medical examiner’s office. People hugged and consoled each other after the procession left.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around a large, isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an investigation.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.

KCPD clears scene of deadly officer shooting; no one else found in house

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed another short-term spending measure Thursday that would keep one set of federal agencies operating through March 8 and another set through March 22, avoiding a shutdown for parts of the federal government that would otherwise kick in Saturday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The short-term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-biden-ukraine-05afe588d798717a74b93af0e2a82e6c">extension</a>&nbsp;is the fourth in recent months, and many lawmakers expect it to be the last for the current fiscal year. House Speaker Mike Johnson said negotiators had completed six of the annual spending bills that fund federal agencies and had “almost final agreement on the others.”

“We'll get the job done,” Johnson said as he exited a closed-door meeting with Republican colleagues.

The House acted first Thursday. The vote to approve the extension was 320-99. It easily cleared the two-thirds majority needed for passage. Democrats overwhelmingly voted to avert a partial shutdown. But the vote was much more divided with Republicans, 113 in support and 97 against.

The Senate then took up the bill and approved it during an evening vote of 77-13. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joined Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Senators Marsha Blackburn,&nbsp;Mike Braun,&nbsp;Ted Budd, Mike Crapo,&nbsp;Ted Cruz, Ron Johnson,&nbsp;Mike Lee,&nbsp; Rick Scott,&nbsp; Tommy Turberville and J.D. Vance to vote against the measure.&nbsp;

“When we pass this bill, we will have, thank God, avoided a shutdown with all its harmful effects on the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said moments before the vote.

Biden called Thursday night's vote “good news for the American people” but added, “I want to be clear: this is a short-term fix — not a long-term solution.”

Next week, the House and Senate are expected to take up a package of six spending bills and get them to the president before March 8. Then, lawmakers would work to fund the rest of the government by the new March 22 deadline.

At the end of the process, Congress is expected to have approved more than $1.6 trillion in spending for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. That amount is roughly in line with the previous fiscal year and is what former Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated with the White House last year before eight disgruntled Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats a few months later and voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">oust him</a>&nbsp;from the position.

Some of the House's most conservative members wanted deeper cuts for non-defense programs than that agreement allowed through its spending caps. They also sought an array of policy changes that Democrats opposed. They were hoping the prospect of a shutdown could leverage more concessions.

“Last I checked, the Republicans actually have a majority in the House of Representatives, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at our checkbook because we are all too willing to continue the policy choices of Joe Biden and the spending levels of Nancy Pelosi,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

But Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., countered before the vote that shutdowns are damaging and encouraged lawmakers to vote for the short-term extension.

“I want the American people to know, Mr. Speaker, that this negotiation has been difficult, but to close the government down at a time like this would hurt people who should not be hurt,” Fleischmann said.

The split within the GOP conference on spending and their tiny House majority bogged down the efforts to get the bills passed on a timely basis. With the Senate also struggling to complete work on all 12 appropriations bills, lawmakers have resorted to a series of short-term measures to keep the government funded.

Republican leadership said that the broader funding legislation being teed up for votes in March would lead to spending cuts for many nondefense agencies. By dividing the spending bill up into chunks, they are hoping to avoid an omnibus bill — a massive, all-encompassing bill that lawmakers generally had little time to digest or understand before voting on it. Republicans vowed there would be no omnibus this time.

“When you take away Defense and Veterans Affairs, the rest of the agencies are going to be seeing spending cuts in many cases," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. “There are also some policy changes that we pushed through the House that will be in the final product. Of course, some of those are still being negotiated.”

The temporary extension funds the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior and others through March 8. It funds the Pentagon, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and the State Department through March 22.

While congressional leaders have said they've reached final agreement on what will be in the first package of spending bills voted on next week, there's still room for an impasse on the second package to be voted on later in the month.

“We are working in a divided government. That means to get anything done, we have to work together, in good faith to reach reasonable outcomes," said Sen. Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The renewed focus on this year's spending bills doesn't include the separate, $95.3 billion aid package that the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-5fdcf8cb1964681dcce0f4fe7b9a0f86">approved</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan earlier this month, with much of that money being spent in the U.S. to replenish America's military arsenal. The bill also contained about $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and other war zones.

In his statement Thursday, Biden said, “It is time for House Republicans to put our national security first and move with urgency to get this bipartisan bill to my desk.”

Biden had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">summoned</a>&nbsp;congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday, during which he and others urged Johnson to also move forward with the aid package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the U.S. can't afford to wait months to provide more military assistance to Ukraine, which is running short of the arms and ammunition necessary to repel Russia's military invasion.

“We’ve got a lot of priorities before us, but we have to get the government funded and secure our border and then we’ll address everything else," Johnson told reporters upon exiting his meeting with GOP colleagues.

Democrats urged quicker action on Ukraine as the temporary spending bill was debated.

“Without swift action, the legacy of this Congress will be the destruction of Ukraine, the appeasement of a dictator, and the abandonment of starving children and ailing families,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed another short-term spending measure Thursday that would keep one set of federal agencies operating through March 8 and another set through March 22, avoiding a shutdown for parts of the federal government that would otherwise kick in Saturday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are over $34T in debt, and still, there have been no meaningful efforts taken by Congress to reverse course. This is irresponsible and highlights how out of touch D.C. is with hardworking Americans. Where I&#39;m from when ends don&#39;t meet, we hunker down, shrink spending and…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1763377190475895126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The short-term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-biden-ukraine-05afe588d798717a74b93af0e2a82e6c">extension</a>&nbsp;is the fourth in recent months, and many lawmakers expect it to be the last for the current fiscal year. House Speaker Mike Johnson said negotiators had completed six of the annual spending bills that fund federal agencies and had “almost final agreement on the others.”“We'll get the job done,” Johnson said as he exited a closed-door meeting with Republican colleagues.The House acted first Thursday. The vote to approve the extension was 320-99. It easily cleared the two-thirds majority needed for passage. Democrats overwhelmingly voted to avert a partial shutdown. But the vote was much more divided with Republicans, 113 in support and 97 against.The Senate then took up the bill and approved it during an evening vote of 77-13. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joined Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Senators Marsha Blackburn,&nbsp;Mike Braun,&nbsp;Ted Budd, Mike Crapo,&nbsp;Ted Cruz, Ron Johnson,&nbsp;Mike Lee,&nbsp; Rick Scott,&nbsp; Tommy Turberville and J.D. Vance to vote against the measure.&nbsp;“When we pass this bill, we will have, thank God, avoided a shutdown with all its harmful effects on the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said moments before the vote.Biden called Thursday night's vote “good news for the American people” but added, “I want to be clear: this is a short-term fix — not a long-term solution.”Next week, the House and Senate are expected to take up a package of six spending bills and get them to the president before March 8. Then, lawmakers would work to fund the rest of the government by the new March 22 deadline.At the end of the process, Congress is expected to have approved more than $1.6 trillion in spending for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. That amount is roughly in line with the previous fiscal year and is what former Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated with the White House last year before eight disgruntled Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats a few months later and voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">oust him</a>&nbsp;from the position.Some of the House's most conservative members wanted deeper cuts for non-defense programs than that agreement allowed through its spending caps. They also sought an array of policy changes that Democrats opposed. They were hoping the prospect of a shutdown could leverage more concessions.“Last I checked, the Republicans actually have a majority in the House of Representatives, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at our checkbook because we are all too willing to continue the policy choices of Joe Biden and the spending levels of Nancy Pelosi,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.But Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., countered before the vote that shutdowns are damaging and encouraged lawmakers to vote for the short-term extension.“I want the American people to know, Mr. Speaker, that this negotiation has been difficult, but to close the government down at a time like this would hurt people who should not be hurt,” Fleischmann said.The split within the GOP conference on spending and their tiny House majority bogged down the efforts to get the bills passed on a timely basis. With the Senate also struggling to complete work on all 12 appropriations bills, lawmakers have resorted to a series of short-term measures to keep the government funded.Republican leadership said that the broader funding legislation being teed up for votes in March would lead to spending cuts for many nondefense agencies. By dividing the spending bill up into chunks, they are hoping to avoid an omnibus bill — a massive, all-encompassing bill that lawmakers generally had little time to digest or understand before voting on it. Republicans vowed there would be no omnibus this time.“When you take away Defense and Veterans Affairs, the rest of the agencies are going to be seeing spending cuts in many cases," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. “There are also some policy changes that we pushed through the House that will be in the final product. Of course, some of those are still being negotiated.”The temporary extension funds the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior and others through March 8. It funds the Pentagon, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and the State Department through March 22.While congressional leaders have said they've reached final agreement on what will be in the first package of spending bills voted on next week, there's still room for an impasse on the second package to be voted on later in the month.“We are working in a divided government. That means to get anything done, we have to work together, in good faith to reach reasonable outcomes," said Sen. Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.The renewed focus on this year's spending bills doesn't include the separate, $95.3 billion aid package that the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-5fdcf8cb1964681dcce0f4fe7b9a0f86">approved</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan earlier this month, with much of that money being spent in the U.S. to replenish America's military arsenal. The bill also contained about $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and other war zones.In his statement Thursday, Biden said, “It is time for House Republicans to put our national security first and move with urgency to get this bipartisan bill to my desk.”Biden had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">summoned</a>&nbsp;congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday, during which he and others urged Johnson to also move forward with the aid package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the U.S. can't afford to wait months to provide more military assistance to Ukraine, which is running short of the arms and ammunition necessary to repel Russia's military invasion.“We’ve got a lot of priorities before us, but we have to get the government funded and secure our border and then we’ll address everything else," Johnson told reporters upon exiting his meeting with GOP colleagues.Democrats urged quicker action on Ukraine as the temporary spending bill was debated.“Without swift action, the legacy of this Congress will be the destruction of Ukraine, the appeasement of a dictator, and the abandonment of starving children and ailing families,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

Mo. Senators No: Congress OKs short-term extension to avoid shutdown

Mack had called 911 saying he had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.

The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said.

Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what led to the shooting.

Mack had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258563931.png" alt="-Independence Police Officer Cody Allen -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>-Independence Police Officer Cody Allen -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Missouri, authorities said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709244314466.png" alt="Law enforcement near the crime scene in rural Jackson Co.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement near the crime scene in rural Jackson Co.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said.Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center that two of his police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of Drexel Mack, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.Mack had called 911 saying he had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own," Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35.The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We continue to receive updates on the situation this afternoon in Independence, in which police officers have been shot and injured. <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperGHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSHPTrooperGHQ</a> is assisting. Teresa and I are praying for the <a href="https://twitter.com/IndepMoPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndepMoPolice</a> officers involved and all who work to protect us.&mdash; Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/status/1763306137519030284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My heart breaks for the Independence Police Department and all the family and friends of their officer who succumbed to injuries from a shooting earlier today. I am praying for all others impacted today and all of the women and men of law enforcement in the Kansas City area.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1763312000065519700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dustman called Allen a hero and described the police department as a “broken family,” over Allen's death.“He always had a smile,” Dustman said.A man suspected in the shooting was in custody and sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during an earlier news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what led to the shooting.Mack had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”More than a dozen officers lined up outside the hospital late Thursday afternoon to escort the bodies of the slain to the medical examiner’s office. People hugged and consoled each other after the procession left.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.------------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said at a news conference.A male suspect sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during a separate news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.----------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Two police officers and a court employee were shot and wounded Thursday at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during a news conference the two officers were critically injured and were transported to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.The 16th Judicial Court of Missouri said a court process server also was shot and critically injured by someone inside the home while serving an eviction notice.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”A male suspect sustained minor injuries, Kansas City police Capt. Jake Becchina said at the news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”-----------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Two police officers and a court employee were shot and wounded Thursday while serving an eviction at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.The 16th Judicial Court of Missouri said a court process server also was shot by someone inside the home while serving an eviction notice.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”--------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence in the area.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”-----------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence in the area.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.--------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence.Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Police will provide updates as more information becomes available.----------------KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities were at a residence near Elsea Smith Road and Bundschu Road in Independence on Thursday, according to a social media report from police. There were reports of shots fired around that residence. Two officers have been transported with gunshot wounds.&nbsp;One person was arrested, according to&nbsp; Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.