DALLAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Wednesday in Dallas County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Belva Skinner, 68, Buffalo, Missouri, was southbound on U.S. 65 one half mile north of Buffalo.

The driver swerved to avoid a branch in the road. The Toyota skidded across the center of the road and struck a northbound 2014 GMC Acadia driven by Melinda J. Walton, 47, Springfield.

Skinner was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to a funeral home in Buffalo. EMS transported Walton and two teen passengers in the GMC to Mercy Springfield. The driver and passengers in the GMC were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

DALLAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Wednesday in Dallas County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Belva Skinner, 68, Buffalo, Missouri, was southbound on U.S. 65 one half mile north of Buffalo.The driver swerved to avoid a branch in the road. The Toyota skidded across the center of the road and struck a northbound 2014 GMC Acadia driven by Melinda J. Walton, 47, Springfield.Skinner was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to a funeral home in Buffalo. EMS transported Walton and two teen passengers in the GMC to Mercy Springfield. The driver and passengers in the GMC were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman dead, 3 injured after car, SUV crash

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after noon Sunday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 75 in southern Jackson County on a 2000 Chevy S-10 pickup truck, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver was suspected of driving without a valid driver’s license. During the course of the vehicle stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 indicated the presence of drugs and or narcotics within the vehicle. A search was done and revealed items of drug contraband inside the vehicle.

The driver, David Douglas Friend, 52, of Meriden, Kansas, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a narcotic, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with no valid license. Friend was booked into the Jackson County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710164560710.png" alt="Friend-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Friend-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after noon Sunday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 75 in southern Jackson County on a 2000 Chevy S-10 pickup truck, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver was suspected of driving without a valid driver’s license. During the course of the vehicle stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 indicated the presence of drugs and or narcotics within the vehicle. A search was done and revealed items of drug contraband inside the vehicle.The driver, David Douglas Friend, 52, of Meriden, Kansas, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a narcotic, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with no valid license. Friend was booked into the Jackson County Jail.

Kan. sheriff's K9 found meth man had for sale

By RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/14/kansas-lawmakers-dig-into-pandemic-relief-spending-report/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —Kansas House lawmakers advanced a wide-ranging bill Tuesday that includes Republican plans to ban trans children from getting gender-affirming medical care amid outcry from worried parents.&nbsp;

The bill is part of a wave of anti-trans legislation pushed by Republican-dominated legislatures throughout the U.S.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/attacks-on-gender-affirming-care-by-state-map">Twenty-two states</a>&nbsp;have similar bans, including Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas and Nebraska.&nbsp;

Several LGBTQ lawmakers urged fellow lawmakers against voting for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb233/">Senate Bill 233</a>. Rep. Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, one of the Statehouse’s few gay lawmakers, said he would continue to fight for the state’s LGBTQ residents.&nbsp;

“Nobody is grooming children to be gay or trans,” Woodard said. “…Please, in your rhetoric, remember that trans people are humans as well. Being trans is not an ideology, which has been referenced in this building. Me loving who I am is not a lifestyle. It is who we are.”&nbsp;

SB 233 bans health care professionals from using surgery or puberty blockers to treat children whose gender identity doesn’t match their sex. It would also ban state employees from helping minors to “social transition,” such as using a trans child’s preferred pronouns. The bill gained initial approval on the House floor, with final action on the bill expected tomorrow.&nbsp;

Similar legislation was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and a veto override attempt failed during the last legislative session, but lawmakers continue to attempt to regulate transgender Kansans’ lives.&nbsp;

The state made news last year when it became the 20th state to pass a transgender student athlete ban into law in April, after lawmakers overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto. The Legislature adopted Senate Bill 180 last year through veto override. That law, which continues to be the subject of litigation, has led to a temporary restraining order blocking Kelly’s administration from making gender marker changes on identity cards and driver’s licenses.

These restrictions go against commonly-accepted medical practices. Gender-affirming care for youths is supported by health care organizations including American Medical Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/2/e2021056082/186992/Gender-Identity-5-Years-After-Social-Transition?autologincheck=redirected%3fnfToken%3d00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000">American Academy of Pediatrics</a>&nbsp;also released a 2022 study showing that 97.5% of trans-identifying youth still identified as trans years later. An adolescent health study found 98% of young people who start gender-affirming care in adolescence continue care as adults.

Author of the bill Rep. Ron Bryce, a Coffeyville Republican and physician registered in Texas, waved aside gender-affirming care practices to push forward the legislation during Tuesday’s debate.&nbsp;

“No matter what reality says, no matter what their body says, if the child says ‘I’m this,’ the affirmative model says we must change reality to meet what’s in the child’s head,” Bryce said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the initial bill hearings in a House legislative committee, transgender Kansans told legislators multiple times how damaging the legislation could be for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.&nbsp;

Committee chairwoman Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, responded by forcing transgender activists out of the hearing, and later held a surprise&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/07/kansas-democrats-blast-gop-physicians-for-pushing-disinformation-in-debate-on-anti-trans-bill/">committee meeting</a>&nbsp;without giving notice to the public to take action on the bill.

Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat and LGBT lawmaker, said banning medical professionals from providing care was unethical. Transgender youth face heightened risk of suicide. The Trevor Project estimated that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth consider suicide every year in the U.S. In a 2023 study, the project found that roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth surveyed had seriously&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/facts-about-lgbtq-youth-suicide/">contemplated suicide</a>.&nbsp;

“For us to say, ‘Well, let’s just wait till they grow out of it.’ Well, you know, let’s just hope they’re still alive, and see if that even happens,” Ruiz said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710359908227.png" alt="Rep. Ron Bryce said gender-affirming care for minors goes against what "reality says." (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ron Bryce said gender-affirming care for minors goes against what "reality says." (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/14/kansas-lawmakers-dig-into-pandemic-relief-spending-report/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —Kansas House lawmakers advanced a wide-ranging bill Tuesday that includes Republican plans to ban trans children from getting gender-affirming medical care amid outcry from worried parents.&nbsp;The bill is part of a wave of anti-trans legislation pushed by Republican-dominated legislatures throughout the U.S.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/attacks-on-gender-affirming-care-by-state-map">Twenty-two states</a>&nbsp;have similar bans, including Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas and Nebraska.&nbsp;Several LGBTQ lawmakers urged fellow lawmakers against voting for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb233/">Senate Bill 233</a>. Rep. Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, one of the Statehouse’s few gay lawmakers, said he would continue to fight for the state’s LGBTQ residents.&nbsp;“Nobody is grooming children to be gay or trans,” Woodard said. “…Please, in your rhetoric, remember that trans people are humans as well. Being trans is not an ideology, which has been referenced in this building. Me loving who I am is not a lifestyle. It is who we are.”&nbsp;SB 233 bans health care professionals from using surgery or puberty blockers to treat children whose gender identity doesn’t match their sex. It would also ban state employees from helping minors to “social transition,” such as using a trans child’s preferred pronouns. The bill gained initial approval on the House floor, with final action on the bill expected tomorrow.&nbsp;Similar legislation was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and a veto override attempt failed during the last legislative session, but lawmakers continue to attempt to regulate transgender Kansans’ lives.&nbsp;The state made news last year when it became the 20th state to pass a transgender student athlete ban into law in April, after lawmakers overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto. The Legislature adopted Senate Bill 180 last year through veto override. That law, which continues to be the subject of litigation, has led to a temporary restraining order blocking Kelly’s administration from making gender marker changes on identity cards and driver’s licenses.These restrictions go against commonly-accepted medical practices. Gender-affirming care for youths is supported by health care organizations including American Medical Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/2/e2021056082/186992/Gender-Identity-5-Years-After-Social-Transition?autologincheck=redirected%3fnfToken%3d00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000">American Academy of Pediatrics</a>&nbsp;also released a 2022 study showing that 97.5% of trans-identifying youth still identified as trans years later. An adolescent health study found 98% of young people who start gender-affirming care in adolescence continue care as adults.Author of the bill Rep. Ron Bryce, a Coffeyville Republican and physician registered in Texas, waved aside gender-affirming care practices to push forward the legislation during Tuesday’s debate.&nbsp;“No matter what reality says, no matter what their body says, if the child says ‘I’m this,’ the affirmative model says we must change reality to meet what’s in the child’s head,” Bryce said.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the initial bill hearings in a House legislative committee, transgender Kansans told legislators multiple times how damaging the legislation could be for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.&nbsp;Committee chairwoman Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, responded by forcing transgender activists out of the hearing, and later held a surprise&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/07/kansas-democrats-blast-gop-physicians-for-pushing-disinformation-in-debate-on-anti-trans-bill/">committee meeting</a>&nbsp;without giving notice to the public to take action on the bill.Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat and LGBT lawmaker, said banning medical professionals from providing care was unethical. Transgender youth face heightened risk of suicide. The Trevor Project estimated that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth consider suicide every year in the U.S. In a 2023 study, the project found that roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth surveyed had seriously&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/facts-about-lgbtq-youth-suicide/">contemplated suicide</a>.&nbsp;“For us to say, ‘Well, let’s just wait till they grow out of it.’ Well, you know, let’s just hope they’re still alive, and see if that even happens,” Ruiz said.&nbsp;

Kan. bill banning affirming care for trans kids headed toward fight with governor

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Dollar Tree will close nearly 1,000 stores and swung to a surprise fourth quarter loss as the discount retailer took a related $1.07 billion goodwill impairment charge.

Shares tumbled 15% before the opening bell Wednesday.

Dollar Tree plans to close about 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of this year and 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores over the next several years.

Dollar Tree&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a315fcf8a1264ed7bb38ede89611202f">acquired Family Dollar for more than $8 billion</a>&nbsp;almost a decade ago after a bidding war with rival Dollar General, but it has had difficulty absorbing the chain.

“This dramatic cull is the coup de grâce in the rather botched acquisition of the Family Dollar chain, which has caused Dollar Tree nothing but hassle since it was completed back in 2015,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData. “Basically, almost ten years on, Dollar Tree is still sifting through the mess it inherited and has not been able to completely turn around,” Saunders said.

Saunders said in an emailed statement that nearly 12% of current Family Dollar stores will be closing over the next three years.

For the three months ended Feb. 3, Dollar Tree lost $1.71 billion, or $7.85 per share. A year earlier the Chesapeake, Virginia, company earned $452.2 million, or $2.04 per share.

Stripping out certain items, earnings were $2.55 per share, which is still short of the per-share earnings of $2.67 expected on Wall Street, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.

Revenue climbed to $8.64 billion from $7.72 billion, a bit below Wall Street’s estimate of $8.67 billion.

Dollar Tree has been attracting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">consumers</a>&nbsp;that have been stung by inflation as they seek to cut spending. During the quarter, sales at Dollar Tree stores open at least a year climbed 6.3%, with traffic up 7.1%. While more shoppers were heading to stores, they were closely watching how much they spent, with average ticket down 0.7%.

At Family Dollar, sales at stores open at least a year slipped 1.2%. Traffic edged up 0.7%, but average ticket fell 2%.

For fiscal 2024, Dollar Tree anticipates earnings between $6.70 and $7.30 per share. Revenue is expected in a range of $31 billion to $32 billion.

Analysts polled by FactSet expect full-year earnings of $7.04 on revenue of $31.68 billion.

Dollar Tree expects first-quarter earnings of $1.33 to $1.48 per share on revenue in a range of $7.6 billion to $7.9 billion.

Wall Street anticipates first-quarter earnings of $1.70 on revenue of $7.68 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710339881014.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Dollar Tree will close nearly 1,000 stores and swung to a surprise fourth quarter loss as the discount retailer took a related $1.07 billion goodwill impairment charge.Shares tumbled 15% before the opening bell Wednesday.Dollar Tree plans to close about 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of this year and 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores over the next several years.Dollar Tree&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a315fcf8a1264ed7bb38ede89611202f">acquired Family Dollar for more than $8 billion</a>&nbsp;almost a decade ago after a bidding war with rival Dollar General, but it has had difficulty absorbing the chain.“This dramatic cull is the coup de grâce in the rather botched acquisition of the Family Dollar chain, which has caused Dollar Tree nothing but hassle since it was completed back in 2015,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData. “Basically, almost ten years on, Dollar Tree is still sifting through the mess it inherited and has not been able to completely turn around,” Saunders said.Saunders said in an emailed statement that nearly 12% of current Family Dollar stores will be closing over the next three years.For the three months ended Feb. 3, Dollar Tree lost $1.71 billion, or $7.85 per share. A year earlier the Chesapeake, Virginia, company earned $452.2 million, or $2.04 per share.Stripping out certain items, earnings were $2.55 per share, which is still short of the per-share earnings of $2.67 expected on Wall Street, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.Revenue climbed to $8.64 billion from $7.72 billion, a bit below Wall Street’s estimate of $8.67 billion.Dollar Tree has been attracting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">consumers</a>&nbsp;that have been stung by inflation as they seek to cut spending. During the quarter, sales at Dollar Tree stores open at least a year climbed 6.3%, with traffic up 7.1%. While more shoppers were heading to stores, they were closely watching how much they spent, with average ticket down 0.7%.At Family Dollar, sales at stores open at least a year slipped 1.2%. Traffic edged up 0.7%, but average ticket fell 2%.For fiscal 2024, Dollar Tree anticipates earnings between $6.70 and $7.30 per share. Revenue is expected in a range of $31 billion to $32 billion.Analysts polled by FactSet expect full-year earnings of $7.04 on revenue of $31.68 billion.Dollar Tree expects first-quarter earnings of $1.33 to $1.48 per share on revenue in a range of $7.6 billion to $7.9 billion.Wall Street anticipates first-quarter earnings of $1.70 on revenue of $7.68 billion.

Dollar Tree, Family Dollar to close nearly 1,000 stores

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">ANNELISE HANSHAW</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Senate gave initial approval to a 153-page education package with 20 of the chamber’s 34 members in support

Missouri Senate Democrats ended their filibuster Tuesday of a bill that seeks to expand the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program — agreeing to let the legislation come to a vote after Republicans added provisions boosting public school funding and teacher retention efforts.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">The bill</a>&nbsp;receiving first-round approval by a 20-13 vote in the Senate Tuesday evening is the second version to come to the floor this week. The original 12-page bill ballooned to 76 pages before expanding to 153 pages Tuesday after negotiations.

“There are plenty of things (in the bill) that I dislike,” Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Kansas City Democrat, told the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Andrew Koenig.

Koenig, a Republican from Manchester, acknowledged the compromise.&nbsp;

“I know that there are things you wish you could change, and there are things that I wish I could change. At the end of the day, I think we’ve gotten to that right balance,” Arthur said.

Republican Sens. Justin Brown of Rolla, Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Elaine Gannon of DeSoto joined Democrats voting against the bill.

Gannon has spoken against the bill at the committee level and told The Independent that she fears tax-credit scholarships pull money from public schools.

“If you want choice, pay for it. If they’re not happy, there’s other options out there, like charter schools and private schools.” she said.&nbsp;

On the Senate floor Monday evening, she spoke about six counties who removed tax-credit scholarships from their local Republican Party platform.

“These six counties feel if they take public dollars, the government’s going to come in and regulate those parochial schools and private schools,” she said.

Currently only available in charter counties and cities with at least 30,000 residents, the legislation that won initial approval Tuesday would open the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program, MOScholars, statewide.

It would also increase the salary one can make to qualify for the program as low-income from 200% of the amount used to determine reduced lunch to 300%. The income cap, for a family of four, would be $166,500, under this school year’s reduced lunch eligibility.

The bill would additionally increase the amount awarded to those with limited English proficiency, those who qualify for free or reduced lunch and students with individualized education plans.

MOScholars currently has a ceiling of $50 million in tax credits, which it has not reached in its first couple years of the program. The bill seeks to raise the cap to $75 million, with an adjustment tied to the “percent increase or decrease in the amount of state aid distributed to school districts.”

Koenig has launched a campaign for State Treasurer, the office that oversees the MOScholars program.

The bill also would permit charter schools to open in Boone County. Currently, charter schools are only allowed in Kansas City and St. Louis.

Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, who is in his last year in the Senate, spoke in favor of adding a charter in his home county.

“We’re just trying to give another option for Columbia,” Rowden, a Republican from Columbia, said on the Senate floor.

These provisions were in place as Senate Democrats led a filibuster lasting roughly four hours before the chamber adjourned at 8 p.m. Monday. After closed-door negotiations, Koenig’s bill was amended to impact 24 additional sections of state law.

The changes include incentives for school districts in charter counties or cities with 30,000 or more residents to have instruction five days a week, changes to the state formula that funds public schools and boosting the minimum teacher salary to $40,000.

The foundation formula, which currently has a multiplier of student attendance, would shift to enrollment in its place. A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-school-funding-march-2023">study by Bruce Baker</a>&nbsp;commissioned by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/29/missouri-school-boards-request-commission-to-adjust-school-funding-formula-for-inflation/">suggested the switch</a>&nbsp;last year.

“It is well understood that average daily attendance rates tend to be lower (relative to enrolled, eligible pupils) in districts that are higher in child poverty and in minority concentrations. As such, when state aid is calculated based on average daily attendance, that aid is systematically reduced in higher poverty, higher minority concentration districts,” Baker wrote.

A fiscal note has not been completed for the current version. Koenig said the changes to the state-aid formula, which would be ushered in 10% increments, would cost $70 million for each 10%.

Also added to the bill is the proposed creation of a literacy fund that could receive up to $5 million from the state’s general fund to provide grants for weekly reading programs.

Other additions include a proposal to permit school districts to pay teachers more who fill roles in “hard-to-staff” schools and areas, a boost to the career ladder program and additional pathways to teaching certifications.

One piece of the bill discussed Tuesday would allow people with bachelor’s degrees to complete an 18-hour teacher training program for credentials to teach in Missouri private schools.

Public schools could get more teachers into classrooms through a provision giving bachelor’s degree recipients “subject-area certifications” only for their areas of expertise. The bill also would strike an entrance exam to receive training in education.

Debate ended at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, with Senate leadership promising to send the bill to fiscal oversight in the morning. It needs to be approved by the Senate one more time before being sent to the House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710357419322.png" alt=" Missouri State Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, and Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, kick off a filibuster of a bill that would expand the state's K-12 tax-credit scholarships (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri State Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, and Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, kick off a filibuster of a bill that would expand the state's K-12 tax-credit scholarships (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">ANNELISE HANSHAW</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The Senate gave initial approval to a 153-page education package with 20 of the chamber’s 34 members in support</h2>Missouri Senate Democrats ended their filibuster Tuesday of a bill that seeks to expand the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program — agreeing to let the legislation come to a vote after Republicans added provisions boosting public school funding and teacher retention efforts.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">The bill</a>&nbsp;receiving first-round approval by a 20-13 vote in the Senate Tuesday evening is the second version to come to the floor this week. The original 12-page bill ballooned to 76 pages before expanding to 153 pages Tuesday after negotiations.“There are plenty of things (in the bill) that I dislike,” Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Kansas City Democrat, told the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Andrew Koenig.Koenig, a Republican from Manchester, acknowledged the compromise.&nbsp;“That makes two of us,” he said.“I know that there are things you wish you could change, and there are things that I wish I could change. At the end of the day, I think we’ve gotten to that right balance,” Arthur said.Republican Sens. Justin Brown of Rolla, Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Elaine Gannon of DeSoto joined Democrats voting against the bill.Gannon has spoken against the bill at the committee level and told The Independent that she fears tax-credit scholarships pull money from public schools.“If you want choice, pay for it. If they’re not happy, there’s other options out there, like charter schools and private schools.” she said.&nbsp;On the Senate floor Monday evening, she spoke about six counties who removed tax-credit scholarships from their local Republican Party platform.“These six counties feel if they take public dollars, the government’s going to come in and regulate those parochial schools and private schools,” she said.Currently only available in charter counties and cities with at least 30,000 residents, the legislation that won initial approval Tuesday would open the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program, MOScholars, statewide.It would also increase the salary one can make to qualify for the program as low-income from 200% of the amount used to determine reduced lunch to 300%. The income cap, for a family of four, would be $166,500, under this school year’s reduced lunch eligibility.The bill would additionally increase the amount awarded to those with limited English proficiency, those who qualify for free or reduced lunch and students with individualized education plans.MOScholars currently has a ceiling of $50 million in tax credits, which it has not reached in its first couple years of the program. The bill seeks to raise the cap to $75 million, with an adjustment tied to the “percent increase or decrease in the amount of state aid distributed to school districts.”Koenig has launched a campaign for State Treasurer, the office that oversees the MOScholars program.The bill also would permit charter schools to open in Boone County. Currently, charter schools are only allowed in Kansas City and St. Louis.Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, who is in his last year in the Senate, spoke in favor of adding a charter in his home county.“We’re just trying to give another option for Columbia,” Rowden, a Republican from Columbia, said on the Senate floor.These provisions were in place as Senate Democrats led a filibuster lasting roughly four hours before the chamber adjourned at 8 p.m. Monday. After closed-door negotiations, Koenig’s bill was amended to impact 24 additional sections of state law.The changes include incentives for school districts in charter counties or cities with 30,000 or more residents to have instruction five days a week, changes to the state formula that funds public schools and boosting the minimum teacher salary to $40,000.The foundation formula, which currently has a multiplier of student attendance, would shift to enrollment in its place. A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-school-funding-march-2023">study by Bruce Baker</a>&nbsp;commissioned by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/29/missouri-school-boards-request-commission-to-adjust-school-funding-formula-for-inflation/">suggested the switch</a>&nbsp;last year.“It is well understood that average daily attendance rates tend to be lower (relative to enrolled, eligible pupils) in districts that are higher in child poverty and in minority concentrations. As such, when state aid is calculated based on average daily attendance, that aid is systematically reduced in higher poverty, higher minority concentration districts,” Baker wrote.A fiscal note has not been completed for the current version. Koenig said the changes to the state-aid formula, which would be ushered in 10% increments, would cost $70 million for each 10%.Also added to the bill is the proposed creation of a literacy fund that could receive up to $5 million from the state’s general fund to provide grants for weekly reading programs.Other additions include a proposal to permit school districts to pay teachers more who fill roles in “hard-to-staff” schools and areas, a boost to the career ladder program and additional pathways to teaching certifications.One piece of the bill discussed Tuesday would allow people with bachelor’s degrees to complete an 18-hour teacher training program for credentials to teach in Missouri private schools.Public schools could get more teachers into classrooms through a provision giving bachelor’s degree recipients “subject-area certifications” only for their areas of expertise. The bill also would strike an entrance exam to receive training in education.Debate ended at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, with Senate leadership promising to send the bill to fiscal oversight in the morning. It needs to be approved by the Senate one more time before being sent to the House.

Mo. Senate strikes deal to boost public-school funding in private-school tax-credit bill

MOSCOW (AP) —President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or independence is threatened, issuing another blunt warning to the West just days before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-election-ukraine-war-crackdown-dfd4d290bf6a08192eb53068e08f0783">an election</a>&nbsp;in which he’s all but certain to secure another six-year term.

The Russian leader has repeatedly talked about his readiness to use nuclear weapons since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The most recent such threat came in his state-of-the-nation address last month, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-state-nation-ukraine-war-security-b7f3e66caf093f405f8bbc278d9ca581">warned the West</a>&nbsp;that deepening its involvement in the fighting in Ukraine would risk a nuclear war.

Asked in an interview with Russian state television released early Wednesday if he has ever considered using battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Putin responded that there has been no need for that. He also noted that he doesn’t think that the world is heading for a nuclear war, describing U.S. President Joe Biden as a veteran politician who fully understands the possible dangers of escalation.

Still, the remarks appeared to be a message to the West that he's prepared to use all means to protect his gains in Ukraine.

Putin said that in line with the country’s security doctrine, Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons in case of a threat to “the existence of the Russian state, our sovereignty and independence.”

“All that is written in our strategy, we haven’t changed it,” he said.

In an apparent reference to NATO allies that support Kyiv, he also declared that “the nations that say they have no red lines regarding Russia should realize that Russia won’t have any red lines regarding them either.”

Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, recently lamented that the West too often constrains itself with self-imposed “red lines” regarding Russia. He also welcomed a comment by French President Emmanuel Macron that the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469">Western troops being sent to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;couldn't be ruled out.

In the wake of recent battlefield gains, Putin argued that Ukraine and its Western allies will eventually have to accept a deal to end the war on Russian terms.

“It shouldn't be a break for the enemy to rearm, but a serious talk involving the guarantees of security for the Russian Federation,” he said.

Putin said that a recent spike in Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russia is part of efforts to derail the country's three-day presidential election, which starts Friday and which he's set to win by a landslide, given his near total crackdown on dissent and tight control over Russia's political system.

Russian authorities reported another major attack by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday. The Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 58 drones over six regions. One of the drones hit an oil refinery in the Ryazan region, injuring at least two people and sparking a fire. Another was downed as it was approaching a refinery near St. Petersburg.

Ukraine, meanwhile, reported more Russian attacks early Wednesday.

A Russian strike killed two people and wounded another five in the town of Myrnohrad in the eastern region of Donetsk, about 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) from the front line, according to Gov. Vadym Filashkin. Local rescuers managed to pull a 13-year-old girl out of the rubble of an apartment building.

A five-story building in the northern city of Sumy was struck by a drone launched from Russia overnight, killing two people and wounding eight, according to the regional administration.

In Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown, the death toll from a Russian missile attack the previous night rose to five, Gov. Serhii Lysak said. He said that 43 people were wounded in Kryvyi Rih, including 12 children, the youngest a 2-month-old infant.

“Every day our cities and villages suffer similar attacks. Every day Ukraine loses people because of Russian evil,” Zelenskyy said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) —President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or independence is threatened, issuing another blunt warning to the West just days before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-election-ukraine-war-crackdown-dfd4d290bf6a08192eb53068e08f0783">an election</a>&nbsp;in which he’s all but certain to secure another six-year term.The Russian leader has repeatedly talked about his readiness to use nuclear weapons since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The most recent such threat came in his state-of-the-nation address last month, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-state-nation-ukraine-war-security-b7f3e66caf093f405f8bbc278d9ca581">warned the West</a>&nbsp;that deepening its involvement in the fighting in Ukraine would risk a nuclear war.Asked in an interview with Russian state television released early Wednesday if he has ever considered using battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Putin responded that there has been no need for that. He also noted that he doesn’t think that the world is heading for a nuclear war, describing U.S. President Joe Biden as a veteran politician who fully understands the possible dangers of escalation.Still, the remarks appeared to be a message to the West that he's prepared to use all means to protect his gains in Ukraine.Putin said that in line with the country’s security doctrine, Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons in case of a threat to “the existence of the Russian state, our sovereignty and independence.”“All that is written in our strategy, we haven’t changed it,” he said.In an apparent reference to NATO allies that support Kyiv, he also declared that “the nations that say they have no red lines regarding Russia should realize that Russia won’t have any red lines regarding them either.”Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, recently lamented that the West too often constrains itself with self-imposed “red lines” regarding Russia. He also welcomed a comment by French President Emmanuel Macron that the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469">Western troops being sent to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;couldn't be ruled out.In the wake of recent battlefield gains, Putin argued that Ukraine and its Western allies will eventually have to accept a deal to end the war on Russian terms.“It shouldn't be a break for the enemy to rearm, but a serious talk involving the guarantees of security for the Russian Federation,” he said.Putin said that a recent spike in Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russia is part of efforts to derail the country's three-day presidential election, which starts Friday and which he's set to win by a landslide, given his near total crackdown on dissent and tight control over Russia's political system.Russian authorities reported another major attack by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday. The Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 58 drones over six regions. One of the drones hit an oil refinery in the Ryazan region, injuring at least two people and sparking a fire. Another was downed as it was approaching a refinery near St. Petersburg.Ukraine, meanwhile, reported more Russian attacks early Wednesday.A Russian strike killed two people and wounded another five in the town of Myrnohrad in the eastern region of Donetsk, about 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) from the front line, according to Gov. Vadym Filashkin. Local rescuers managed to pull a 13-year-old girl out of the rubble of an apartment building.A five-story building in the northern city of Sumy was struck by a drone launched from Russia overnight, killing two people and wounding eight, according to the regional administration.In Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown, the death toll from a Russian missile attack the previous night rose to five, Gov. Serhii Lysak said. He said that 43 people were wounded in Kryvyi Rih, including 12 children, the youngest a 2-month-old infant.“Every day our cities and villages suffer similar attacks. Every day Ukraine loses people because of Russian evil,” Zelenskyy said.

Putin warns again that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn't sell, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company's current ownership structure is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">a national security threat</a>.

The bill, passed by a vote of 352-65, now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are unclear.

TikTok, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-biden-bytedance-china-2acbaeb71e8bb0c6341f2bc55ba33e80">more than 150 million American users</a>, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.

The lawmakers contend that ByteDance is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-bytedance-user-data-d257d98125f69ac80f983e6067a84911">beholden to the Chinese government</a>, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the U.S. any time it wants. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.

“We have given TikTok a clear choice,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. “Separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party), and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences. The choice is TikTok's.”

House passage of the bill is only the first step. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and lawmakers in that chamber indicated it would undergo a thorough review. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he'll have to consult with relevant committee chairs to determine the bill's path.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has said if Congress passes the measure, he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99">sign it</a>.

The House vote is poised to open a new front in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-government-and-politics-f0f56ec111d85e5f70fe27bb5002e93f">the long-running feud between lawmakers and the tech industry</a>. Members of Congress have long been critical of tech platforms and their expansive influence, often clashing with executives over industry practices. But by targeting TikTok, lawmakers are singling out a platform popular with millions of people, many of whom skew younger, just months before an election.

Opposition to the bill was also bipartisan. Some Republicans said the U.S. should warn consumers if there are data privacy and propaganda concerns, while some Democrats voiced concerns about the impact a ban would have on its millions of users in the U.S., many of which are entrepreneurs and business owners.

“The answer to authoritarianism is not more authoritarianism,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. “The answer to CCP-style propaganda is not CCP-style oppression. Let us slow down before we blunder down this very steep and slippery slope.”

Ahead of the House vote, a top national security official in the Biden administration held a closed-door briefing Tuesday with lawmakers to discuss TikTok and the national security implications. Lawmakers are balancing those security concerns against a desire not to limit free speech online.

“What we've tried to do here is be very thoughtful and deliberate about the need to force a divestiture of TikTok without granting any authority to the executive branch to regulate content or go after any American company,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher, the bill's author, as he emerged from the briefing.

TikTok has long denied that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. The company has said it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and won’t do so if it is asked. To date, the U.S. government also has not provided any evidence that shows TikTok shared such information with Chinese authorities. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S.

The security briefing seemed to change few minds, instead solidifying the views of both sides.

“We have a national security obligation to prevent America's most strategic adversary from being so involved in our lives,” said Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.

But Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said no information has been shared with him that convinces him TikTok is a national security threat. “My opinion, leaving that briefing, has not changed at all,” he said.

“This idea that we're going to ban, essentially, entrepreneurs, small business owners, the main way how young people actually communicate with each other is to me insane,” Garcia said.

“Not a single thing that we heard in today's classified briefing was unique to TikTok. It was things that happen on every single social media platform,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif.

Republican leaders have moved quickly to bring up the bill after its introduction last week. A House committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bill-support-congress-china-data-f1ec5b720bb68884c6423c62f314dcff">approved</a>&nbsp;the legislation unanimously, on a 50-vote, even after their offices were inundated with calls from TikTok users demanding they drop the effort. Some offices even shut off their phones because of the onslaught.

Lawmakers in both parties are anxious to confront China on a range of issues. The House formed a special committee to focus on China-related issues. And Schumer directed committee chairs to begin working with Republicans on a bipartisan China competition bill.

Senators are expressing an openness to the bill but suggested they don’t want to rush ahead.

“It is not for me a redeeming quality that you’re moving very fast in technology because the history shows you make a lot of mistakes,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

In pushing ahead with the legislation, House Republicans are also creating rare daylight between themselves and former President Donald Trump as he seeks another term in the White House.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-biden-facebook-cnbc-tik-tok-72768a92439de45b38e88cc255504ab5">voiced opposition</a>&nbsp;to the effort. He said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.

As president, Trump attempted to ban TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">through an executive order</a>&nbsp;that called “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China)” a threat to “the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States.” The courts, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked the action</a>&nbsp;after TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn't sell, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company's current ownership structure is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">a national security threat</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">If the Chinese Communist Party was able to mobilize an army of misinformed kids to call Congress in just a few hours, what would be possible in the event of a real crisis? Notice how they said call your government not our . . . read between the lines. <a href="https://t.co/QywP0Nex9S">pic.twitter.com/QywP0Nex9S</a>&mdash; Blaine Luetkemeyer (@RepBlaine) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBlaine/status/1767273405001212246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The bill, passed by a vote of 352-65, now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are unclear.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Chinese Communist Party uses TikTok to collect keystrokes and data from over 170 million Americans—a clear threat to our national security. Our bill is simple: Cut ties with the CCP or face restrictions in the U.S. markets. The ball is in TikTok’s court. <a href="https://t.co/Q2hpyiZeBu">pic.twitter.com/Q2hpyiZeBu</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1767920036176404829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>TikTok, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-biden-bytedance-china-2acbaeb71e8bb0c6341f2bc55ba33e80">more than 150 million American users</a>, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.The lawmakers contend that ByteDance is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-bytedance-user-data-d257d98125f69ac80f983e6067a84911">beholden to the Chinese government</a>, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the U.S. any time it wants. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.“We have given TikTok a clear choice,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. “Separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party), and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences. The choice is TikTok's.”House passage of the bill is only the first step. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and lawmakers in that chamber indicated it would undergo a thorough review. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he'll have to consult with relevant committee chairs to determine the bill's path.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has said if Congress passes the measure, he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99">sign it</a>.The House vote is poised to open a new front in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-government-and-politics-f0f56ec111d85e5f70fe27bb5002e93f">the long-running feud between lawmakers and the tech industry</a>. Members of Congress have long been critical of tech platforms and their expansive influence, often clashing with executives over industry practices. But by targeting TikTok, lawmakers are singling out a platform popular with millions of people, many of whom skew younger, just months before an election.Opposition to the bill was also bipartisan. Some Republicans said the U.S. should warn consumers if there are data privacy and propaganda concerns, while some Democrats voiced concerns about the impact a ban would have on its millions of users in the U.S., many of which are entrepreneurs and business owners.“The answer to authoritarianism is not more authoritarianism,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. “The answer to CCP-style propaganda is not CCP-style oppression. Let us slow down before we blunder down this very steep and slippery slope.”Ahead of the House vote, a top national security official in the Biden administration held a closed-door briefing Tuesday with lawmakers to discuss TikTok and the national security implications. Lawmakers are balancing those security concerns against a desire not to limit free speech online.“What we've tried to do here is be very thoughtful and deliberate about the need to force a divestiture of TikTok without granting any authority to the executive branch to regulate content or go after any American company,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher, the bill's author, as he emerged from the briefing.TikTok has long denied that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. The company has said it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and won’t do so if it is asked. To date, the U.S. government also has not provided any evidence that shows TikTok shared such information with Chinese authorities. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S.The security briefing seemed to change few minds, instead solidifying the views of both sides.“We have a national security obligation to prevent America's most strategic adversary from being so involved in our lives,” said Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.But Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said no information has been shared with him that convinces him TikTok is a national security threat. “My opinion, leaving that briefing, has not changed at all,” he said.“This idea that we're going to ban, essentially, entrepreneurs, small business owners, the main way how young people actually communicate with each other is to me insane,” Garcia said.“Not a single thing that we heard in today's classified briefing was unique to TikTok. It was things that happen on every single social media platform,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif.Republican leaders have moved quickly to bring up the bill after its introduction last week. A House committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bill-support-congress-china-data-f1ec5b720bb68884c6423c62f314dcff">approved</a>&nbsp;the legislation unanimously, on a 50-vote, even after their offices were inundated with calls from TikTok users demanding they drop the effort. Some offices even shut off their phones because of the onslaught.Lawmakers in both parties are anxious to confront China on a range of issues. The House formed a special committee to focus on China-related issues. And Schumer directed committee chairs to begin working with Republicans on a bipartisan China competition bill.Senators are expressing an openness to the bill but suggested they don’t want to rush ahead.“It is not for me a redeeming quality that you’re moving very fast in technology because the history shows you make a lot of mistakes,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.In pushing ahead with the legislation, House Republicans are also creating rare daylight between themselves and former President Donald Trump as he seeks another term in the White House.Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-biden-facebook-cnbc-tik-tok-72768a92439de45b38e88cc255504ab5">voiced opposition</a>&nbsp;to the effort. He said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.As president, Trump attempted to ban TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">through an executive order</a>&nbsp;that called “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China)” a threat to “the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States.” The courts, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked the action</a>&nbsp;after TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.

Mo. lawmaker leads effort as House passes TikTok ban bill

NASHVILLE —Law enforcement authorities continue to work to locate missing 22-year-old Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student, according to a statement from Nashville Metro Police.

Strain was last seen Friday night by friends at a Broadway bar in&nbsp;Nashville. On Monday, police released a security camera video that shows Strain wearing a 2-tone shirt crossing 1st Avenue North to Gay Street (right to left), at 9:47 p.m. on Friday.&nbsp;

&nbsp;He is described as 6-foot-5&nbsp; with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair.&nbsp; If you have information about him, please call 615-742-7463.

University of Missouri officials said in a statement that they were alerted over the weekend that Strain was missing after traveling to Nashville to attend a private event and that they have been in touch with family and authorities.

Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, drove to Nashville from Springfield, Missouri, after they learned he disappeared while on a fraternity trip, news outlets reported.

“I just need to know where my son is,” Michelle Whiteid said. “We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him.”

After the bus ride from Columbia, Strain and some of his fraternity brothers went out, according to Chris Whiteid. Strain was asked to leave a bar, and they got separated, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710335346952.png" alt="Riley Strain- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Riley Strain- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE —Law enforcement authorities continue to work to locate missing 22-year-old Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student, according to a statement from Nashville Metro Police.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Detectives today continue to pursue tips &amp; investigative leads concerning missing person Riley Strain, 22. Strain, wearing a 2-tone shirt, is seen in this video crossing 1st Ave N to Gay St (right to left), at 9:47 p.m. Fri. Have info about him? Plz 📞 615-742-7463. <a href="https://t.co/fE86dlqeOC">pic.twitter.com/fE86dlqeOC</a>&mdash; Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1767578348249559347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Strain was last seen Friday night by friends at a Broadway bar in&nbsp;Nashville. On Monday, police released a security camera video that shows Strain wearing a 2-tone shirt crossing 1st Avenue North to Gay Street (right to left), at 9:47 p.m. on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is described as 6-foot-5&nbsp; with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair.&nbsp; If you have information about him, please call 615-742-7463.University of Missouri officials said in a statement that they were alerted over the weekend that Strain was missing after traveling to Nashville to attend a private event and that they have been in touch with family and authorities.Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, drove to Nashville from Springfield, Missouri, after they learned he disappeared while on a fraternity trip, news outlets reported.“I just need to know where my son is,” Michelle Whiteid said. “We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him.”After the bus ride from Columbia, Strain and some of his fraternity brothers went out, according to Chris Whiteid. Strain was asked to leave a bar, and they got separated, he said.

🎥Police: Video shows missing Univ. of Missouri student Riley Strain 

TOPEKA — Eleven youths died in the state’s often-scrutinized foster care system during 2023, according to records from the state Department for Children and Families.

The&nbsp;department released the records through a Kansas Open Records Act request filed by Kansas Reflector following demands for accountability in the wake of the death of a 5-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and died last year after living in a homeless camp.

Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said the department works to provide safety and resources for children in the system.&nbsp;Howard also is urging the Legislature to change the law to allow for more information to be made public in cases of abuse and neglect.

“Unfortunately we do have some youth, just like youth who aren’t in care, who might take their own life,” Howard said. “We take that very seriously and that focus, but we also have natural deaths that occur.”&nbsp;

Across the state, 9,308 youths were held in foster care in 2023. Of the 11 deaths, six were listed as unintentional injury and three deaths were listed as natural.&nbsp;Beside the two suicides, one youth died from fentanyl exposure, another was in a car accident, and a third drowned. One 17-year-old was found dead from gunshot wounds after he went on the run. In five of these cases, health conditions such as pneumonia were listed.

“If we see trends or things we need to address, we’ll do that,” Howard said during a Kansas Reflector interview. “I think sometimes the things we’ve seen that are health-related unfortunately have to do with children who have very, very serious disabilities and come into our care in very fragile circumstances. So obviously, if we see anything that would indicate that we needed to be doing something differently in terms of health care, we would address that.”

Howard said all deaths were investigated&nbsp;thoroughly by the department and by the state attorney general through the annual child death review report. A board of health professionals, law enforcement officers, educators and attorneys examines each child death in Kansas to create the report.&nbsp;

Between 2019 to 2021, 392 out of 1,074 child fatalities reviewed by the board had history with DCF’s child protective services, according to the annual death review report, with situations like being held in state custody, having siblings removed from the home, or having open child protective services cases. Of the 32 child homicides in 2021, twenty-three of those families had been involved with child protective services before death.&nbsp;

Adina Morse, child welfare advocate with Kansas Appleseed, emphasized the importance of offering adequate mental health support and other services for youth in care.&nbsp;

“It is a tragedy when any child dies,” Morse said. “A commitment within the foster care system to ensure access to timely physical and mental health supports and placement stability for children, as well as support for biological families to prevent breaking up the family in the first place, can only help reduce these tragedies.”

DCF most recently came under fire in October when the case of Zoey Felix, the&nbsp;Topeka 5-year-old girl who died of sexual assault,&nbsp;became widely publicized. The state’s child welfare agency received nine reports asking it to look into her case before her death.

Lawmakers and concerned members of the public&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/06/topeka-childs-murder-reignites-debate-on-how-kansas-protects-children-from-abuse-and-neglect/">pressed Howard for answers</a>&nbsp;about agency action, but a man was charged with rape and capital murder before DCF could release information, due to statute limiting information release.&nbsp;

Current law stipulates information can be accessed via KORA requests after the agency’s investigation ends, as long as the investigation rules the death was caused because of abuse or neglect. Within seven business days of a KORA request, DCF is required to provide records on the age and sex of the child, date of the fatality and a summary of child welfare reports, as well as department-recommended services provided.

Howard asked lawmakers to amend that law and require DCF to publicly release certain information on a child fatality once criminal charges are filed. Encapsulated as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2628/">House Bill 2628</a>, the bill passed the House 119-0 and was sent to the Senate for further action.&nbsp;

“The inability to provide that basic data, I think, leads to a lot of speculation,” Howard said during a Monday Senate committee hearing on the bill.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696769820568.png" alt="&nbsp;Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard emphasized transparency within the system during a Monday bill hearing. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard emphasized transparency within the system during a Monday bill hearing. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — Eleven youths died in the state’s often-scrutinized foster care system during 2023, according to records from the state Department for Children and Families.The&nbsp;department released the records through a Kansas Open Records Act request filed by Kansas Reflector following demands for accountability in the wake of the death of a 5-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and died last year after living in a homeless camp.Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said the department works to provide safety and resources for children in the system.&nbsp;Howard also is urging the Legislature to change the law to allow for more information to be made public in cases of abuse and neglect.“Unfortunately we do have some youth, just like youth who aren’t in care, who might take their own life,” Howard said. “We take that very seriously and that focus, but we also have natural deaths that occur.”&nbsp;Across the state, 9,308 youths were held in foster care in 2023. Of the 11 deaths, six were listed as unintentional injury and three deaths were listed as natural.&nbsp;Beside the two suicides, one youth died from fentanyl exposure, another was in a car accident, and a third drowned. One 17-year-old was found dead from gunshot wounds after he went on the run. In five of these cases, health conditions such as pneumonia were listed.“If we see trends or things we need to address, we’ll do that,” Howard said during a Kansas Reflector interview. “I think sometimes the things we’ve seen that are health-related unfortunately have to do with children who have very, very serious disabilities and come into our care in very fragile circumstances. So obviously, if we see anything that would indicate that we needed to be doing something differently in terms of health care, we would address that.”Howard said all deaths were investigated&nbsp;thoroughly by the department and by the state attorney general through the annual child death review report. A board of health professionals, law enforcement officers, educators and attorneys examines each child death in Kansas to create the report.&nbsp;Between 2019 to 2021, 392 out of 1,074 child fatalities reviewed by the board had history with DCF’s child protective services, according to the annual death review report, with situations like being held in state custody, having siblings removed from the home, or having open child protective services cases. Of the 32 child homicides in 2021, twenty-three of those families had been involved with child protective services before death.&nbsp;Adina Morse, child welfare advocate with Kansas Appleseed, emphasized the importance of offering adequate mental health support and other services for youth in care.&nbsp;“It is a tragedy when any child dies,” Morse said. “A commitment within the foster care system to ensure access to timely physical and mental health supports and placement stability for children, as well as support for biological families to prevent breaking up the family in the first place, can only help reduce these tragedies.”DCF most recently came under fire in October when the case of Zoey Felix, the&nbsp;Topeka 5-year-old girl who died of sexual assault,&nbsp;became widely publicized. The state’s child welfare agency received nine reports asking it to look into her case before her death.Lawmakers and concerned members of the public&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/06/topeka-childs-murder-reignites-debate-on-how-kansas-protects-children-from-abuse-and-neglect/">pressed Howard for answers</a>&nbsp;about agency action, but a man was charged with rape and capital murder before DCF could release information, due to statute limiting information release.&nbsp;Current law stipulates information can be accessed via KORA requests after the agency’s investigation ends, as long as the investigation rules the death was caused because of abuse or neglect. Within seven business days of a KORA request, DCF is required to provide records on the age and sex of the child, date of the fatality and a summary of child welfare reports, as well as department-recommended services provided.Howard asked lawmakers to amend that law and require DCF to publicly release certain information on a child fatality once criminal charges are filed. Encapsulated as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2628/">House Bill 2628</a>, the bill passed the House 119-0 and was sent to the Senate for further action.&nbsp;“The inability to provide that basic data, I think, leads to a lot of speculation,” Howard said during a Monday Senate committee hearing on the bill.&nbsp;

In 2023, 11 kids died in Kansas foster care. DCF secretary calls for transparency in criminal cases

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have officially secured the requisite numbers of delegates to be considered their parties' presumptive nominees.

It was a foreseeable outcome. Biden faced token opposition in the Democratic primary. Several high-profile Republicans ran against Trump but didn't come close to knocking him off course in his third straight Republican bid.

Here is a look at what that means, what's changed, and what still needs to happen before Biden and Trump can drop “presumptive” and just be their parties' official standard-bearers:

‘Presumptive nominee:’ What does it mean?

The Associated Press only uses the “presumptive nominee” designation once a candidate has captured the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">delegates needed</a>&nbsp;to win a majority vote at the national party convention this summer. For Republicans, that number this year is 1.215. On the Democratic side of things, it's 1,968.

The marker essentially ends the presidential primary season, though both Biden and Trump have been largely focusing their energies on each other for months already.

Do the political parties function any differently?

Generally, the national Democratic and Republican parties start coordinating directly with their presumptive nominees once their status is clear, although there have been some exceptions.

Last week, the Republican National Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-whatley-legal-fees-53402f8e8ac845db3cf4ab82c882ea74">ushered in new leadership</a>&nbsp;handpicked by Trump, in the form of a new chairman, co-chair and party chief of staff. Trump's installed leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-staffing-cuts-46bc8afcc152aecfd471161a59b74005">then moved to fire dozens of RNC staff</a>.

After Trump won both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — but still faced GOP opponents — an RNC member who is a longtime Trump ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-trump-presumptive-nominee-haley-2024-campaign-74c529ab8d3804622276f8e197cd3a5c">floated a resolution</a>&nbsp;that would have allowed the party to consider him its “presumptive nominee” and allowed some of that coordination earlier.

Trump actually spoke out against the measure — although he said it likely would have succeeded — which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-haley-rnc-republican-mcdaniel-99230edb3e2f5c41dc7ceb11a8a0ba6a">ultimately withdrawn</a>.

As for the Democratic National Committee, Biden is the de facto leader of the party, although any official leadership changes have to go through structured channels. During the 2020 campaign, the DNC shuffled its leadership and entered into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dedbc5ec18de9e503c56f0a7de45fba7">joint fundraising agreement</a>&nbsp;with Biden in April, even though the candidate didn’t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb261be1a4ca285b9422b2f6b93d8d75">clinch the Democratic nomination</a>&nbsp;until June.

When do presumptive nominees become official?

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presidential-candidates-2024-301db5ce310cafc97025682b39ceac6e">A presidential candidate</a>&nbsp;doesn’t officially become the Republican or Democratic nominee until winning the vote on the floor of the nominating convention, which takes place this summer. Delegates' casting of votes is mostly a ceremonial procedure, but it hasn’t always been this way.

Decades ago, presidential candidates might have run in primaries and caucuses, but the eventual nominees weren’t known until delegates and party bosses hashed things out themselves at the conventions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;clinched their parties' presidential nominations Tuesday with decisive victories in a slate of low-profile primaries, setting up a general election rematch that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-campaign-democrats-republicans-440088966619e68dbf89f745788bb372">many voters do not want</a>.

The outcome of contests across Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state was never in doubt. Neither Biden, a Democrat, nor Trump, a Republican, faced major opposition. But the magnitude of their wins gave each man the delegate majority he needed to claim his party's nomination at the summertime national conventions.

Not even halfway through the presidential primary calendar, Tuesday marked a crystalizing moment for a nation uneasy with its choices in 2024.

There is no longer any doubt that the fall election will feature a rematch between two flawed and unpopular presidents. At 81, Biden is already the oldest president in U.S. history, while the 77-year-old Trump is facing decades in prison as a defendant in four criminal cases. Their rematch — the first featuring two U.S. presidents since 1912 — will almost certainly deepen the nation’s searing political and cultural divides over the eight-month grind that lies ahead.

In a statement, Biden celebrated the nomination while casting Trump as a serious threat to democracy.

Trump, Biden said, “is running a campaign of resentment, revenge, and retribution that threatens the very idea of America.”

He continued, “I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party — and our country — in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”

Trump, in a video posted on social media, celebrated what he called “a great day of victory.”

“But now we have to get back to work because we have the worst president in the history of our country,” Trump said of Biden. “So, we're not going to take time to celebrate. We'll celebrate in eight months when the election is over."

Both candidates dominated Tuesday's primaries in swing-state Georgia, deep-red Mississippi and Democratic-leaning Washington. Trump also won Hawaii's Republican caucus.

Despite their tough talk, the road ahead will not be easy for either presumptive nominee.

Trump is facing 91 felony counts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;involving his handling of classified documents and his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, among other alleged crimes. He’s also facing increasingly pointed questions about his policy plans and relationships with some of the world's most dangerous dictators. Trump met privately on Friday with Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-orban-hungary-conservatives-autocrats-biden-97d6998f747d3543f2f1df069b0f9165">Viktor Orbán</a>, who has rolled back democracy in his country.

Biden, who would be 86 years old at the end of his next term, is working to assure a skeptical electorate that he’s still physically and mentally able to thrive in the world’s most important job. Voters in both parties are unhappy with his handling of immigration and inflation.

And he's dealing with additional dissension within his party’s progressive base, furious that he hasn’t done more to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;in Gaza. Activists and religious leaders in Washington encouraged Democrats to vote “uncommitted” to signal their outrage.

In Seattle, 26-year-old voter Bella Rivera said they hoped their “uncommitted” vote would would serve as a wakeup call for the Democratic party.

“If you really want our votes, if you want to win this election, you’re going to have to show a little bit more either support of Palestinian liberation — that’s something that’s very important to us — and ceasing funds to Israel,” said Rivera, a preschool teacher who uses they/them pronouns.

Almost 3,000 miles away in Georgia, retiree Donna Graham said she would have preferred another Republican nominee over Trump, but she said there's no way she'd ever vote for Biden in the general election.

“He wasn’t my first choice, but he’s the next best thing,” Graham said of Trump. “It’s sad that it’s the same old matchup as four years ago."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710295653190.png" alt="File photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>File photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have officially secured the requisite numbers of delegates to be considered their parties' presumptive nominees.It was a foreseeable outcome. Biden faced token opposition in the Democratic primary. Several high-profile Republicans ran against Trump but didn't come close to knocking him off course in his third straight Republican bid.Here is a look at what that means, what's changed, and what still needs to happen before Biden and Trump can drop “presumptive” and just be their parties' official standard-bearers:‘Presumptive nominee:’ What does it mean?The Associated Press only uses the “presumptive nominee” designation once a candidate has captured the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">delegates needed</a>&nbsp;to win a majority vote at the national party convention this summer. For Republicans, that number this year is 1.215. On the Democratic side of things, it's 1,968.The marker essentially ends the presidential primary season, though both Biden and Trump have been largely focusing their energies on each other for months already.Do the political parties function any differently?Sort of.Generally, the national Democratic and Republican parties start coordinating directly with their presumptive nominees once their status is clear, although there have been some exceptions.Last week, the Republican National Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-whatley-legal-fees-53402f8e8ac845db3cf4ab82c882ea74">ushered in new leadership</a>&nbsp;handpicked by Trump, in the form of a new chairman, co-chair and party chief of staff. Trump's installed leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-staffing-cuts-46bc8afcc152aecfd471161a59b74005">then moved to fire dozens of RNC staff</a>.After Trump won both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — but still faced GOP opponents — an RNC member who is a longtime Trump ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-trump-presumptive-nominee-haley-2024-campaign-74c529ab8d3804622276f8e197cd3a5c">floated a resolution</a>&nbsp;that would have allowed the party to consider him its “presumptive nominee” and allowed some of that coordination earlier.Trump actually spoke out against the measure — although he said it likely would have succeeded — which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-haley-rnc-republican-mcdaniel-99230edb3e2f5c41dc7ceb11a8a0ba6a">ultimately withdrawn</a>.As for the Democratic National Committee, Biden is the de facto leader of the party, although any official leadership changes have to go through structured channels. During the 2020 campaign, the DNC shuffled its leadership and entered into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dedbc5ec18de9e503c56f0a7de45fba7">joint fundraising agreement</a>&nbsp;with Biden in April, even though the candidate didn’t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb261be1a4ca285b9422b2f6b93d8d75">clinch the Democratic nomination</a>&nbsp;until June.When do presumptive nominees become official?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presidential-candidates-2024-301db5ce310cafc97025682b39ceac6e">A presidential candidate</a>&nbsp;doesn’t officially become the Republican or Democratic nominee until winning the vote on the floor of the nominating convention, which takes place this summer. Delegates' casting of votes is mostly a ceremonial procedure, but it hasn’t always been this way.Decades ago, presidential candidates might have run in primaries and caucuses, but the eventual nominees weren’t known until delegates and party bosses hashed things out themselves at the conventions.----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;clinched their parties' presidential nominations Tuesday with decisive victories in a slate of low-profile primaries, setting up a general election rematch that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-campaign-democrats-republicans-440088966619e68dbf89f745788bb372">many voters do not want</a>.The outcome of contests across Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state was never in doubt. Neither Biden, a Democrat, nor Trump, a Republican, faced major opposition. But the magnitude of their wins gave each man the delegate majority he needed to claim his party's nomination at the summertime national conventions.Not even halfway through the presidential primary calendar, Tuesday marked a crystalizing moment for a nation uneasy with its choices in 2024.There is no longer any doubt that the fall election will feature a rematch between two flawed and unpopular presidents. At 81, Biden is already the oldest president in U.S. history, while the 77-year-old Trump is facing decades in prison as a defendant in four criminal cases. Their rematch — the first featuring two U.S. presidents since 1912 — will almost certainly deepen the nation’s searing political and cultural divides over the eight-month grind that lies ahead.In a statement, Biden celebrated the nomination while casting Trump as a serious threat to democracy.Trump, Biden said, “is running a campaign of resentment, revenge, and retribution that threatens the very idea of America.”He continued, “I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party — and our country — in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”Trump, in a video posted on social media, celebrated what he called “a great day of victory.”“But now we have to get back to work because we have the worst president in the history of our country,” Trump said of Biden. “So, we're not going to take time to celebrate. We'll celebrate in eight months when the election is over."Both candidates dominated Tuesday's primaries in swing-state Georgia, deep-red Mississippi and Democratic-leaning Washington. Trump also won Hawaii's Republican caucus.Despite their tough talk, the road ahead will not be easy for either presumptive nominee.Trump is facing 91 felony counts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;involving his handling of classified documents and his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, among other alleged crimes. He’s also facing increasingly pointed questions about his policy plans and relationships with some of the world's most dangerous dictators. Trump met privately on Friday with Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-orban-hungary-conservatives-autocrats-biden-97d6998f747d3543f2f1df069b0f9165">Viktor Orbán</a>, who has rolled back democracy in his country.Biden, who would be 86 years old at the end of his next term, is working to assure a skeptical electorate that he’s still physically and mentally able to thrive in the world’s most important job. Voters in both parties are unhappy with his handling of immigration and inflation.And he's dealing with additional dissension within his party’s progressive base, furious that he hasn’t done more to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;in Gaza. Activists and religious leaders in Washington encouraged Democrats to vote “uncommitted” to signal their outrage.In Seattle, 26-year-old voter Bella Rivera said they hoped their “uncommitted” vote would would serve as a wakeup call for the Democratic party.“If you really want our votes, if you want to win this election, you’re going to have to show a little bit more either support of Palestinian liberation — that’s something that’s very important to us — and ceasing funds to Israel,” said Rivera, a preschool teacher who uses they/them pronouns.Almost 3,000 miles away in Georgia, retiree Donna Graham said she would have preferred another Republican nominee over Trump, but she said there's no way she'd ever vote for Biden in the general election.“He wasn’t my first choice, but he’s the next best thing,” Graham said of Trump. “It’s sad that it’s the same old matchup as four years ago."___

Election rematch: Biden and Trump clinch nominations

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement and school district officials are investigating after a gun was found in a student's back pack at Park Hill South High School,&nbsp;4500 River Park Drive, Riverside, Missouri, on Tuesday, according to a statement from the school district.

There was no threat to the school, according to principal Dr. Kerrie Herren. "During this time, our law enforcement partners and team continued to work through our safety protocols and also secured a student during this process, Herren wrote in message to school disctrict families.

"The student was removed from school, and we will be following guidance in partnership with our law enforcement partners in continuing our investigation. We want to reiterate that our process worked, and our team worked through appropriate steps to ensure that safety was the priority for all."

"We are well aware that this information may cause unease given the context of other incidents in our larger Kansas City community over the past month. We commit to sharing information and resources as we continue to learn more in this investigation. Our counselors, social workers and administration will be available throughout this week to help support students."

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement and school district officials are investigating after a gun was found in a student's back pack at Park Hill South High School,&nbsp;4500 River Park Drive, Riverside, Missouri, on Tuesday, according to a statement from the school district.There was no threat to the school, according to principal Dr. Kerrie Herren. "During this time, our law enforcement partners and team continued to work through our safety protocols and also secured a student during this process, Herren wrote in message to school disctrict families."The student was removed from school, and we will be following guidance in partnership with our law enforcement partners in continuing our investigation. We want to reiterate that our process worked, and our team worked through appropriate steps to ensure that safety was the priority for all.""We are well aware that this information may cause unease given the context of other incidents in our larger Kansas City community over the past month. We commit to sharing information and resources as we continue to learn more in this investigation. Our counselors, social workers and administration will be available throughout this week to help support students."

Student brought gun to Kansas City area high school

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities continue investigating the cause of a fire at a former golf clubhouse in Johnson County, Kansas are offering a reward for information.

Just before 6a.m. January 15, crews responded to a building fire in 105th Block of Antioch, according to a media release. First arriving crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from the two-story former clubhouse of the Brookridge Country Club.

Due to the heavy fire and extreme weather conditions, a second alarm was called. It took crews over an hour to bring the fire under control. There was nobody in the building and no injuries reported. The building sustained significant fire damage, according to the release.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities continue investigating the cause of a fire at a former golf clubhouse in Johnson County, Kansas are offering a reward for information.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We&#39;re looking for some help. <a href="https://t.co/RajTO6P7dX">pic.twitter.com/RajTO6P7dX</a>&mdash; Overland Park Fire (@OverlandParkFD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandParkFD/status/1753112255460409378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just before 6a.m. January 15, crews responded to a building fire in 105th Block of Antioch, according to a media release. First arriving crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from the two-story former clubhouse of the Brookridge Country Club.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705338373023.png" alt="Photo Overland Park fire" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park fire</figcaption>
 </figure>Due to the heavy fire and extreme weather conditions, a second alarm was called. It took crews over an hour to bring the fire under control. There was nobody in the building and no injuries reported. The building sustained significant fire damage, according to the release.

Reward still offered for info on fire at former golf clubhouse in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will rush about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts, even though the military remains deeply overdrawn and needs at least $10 billion to replenish all the weapons it has pulled from its stocks to help Kyiv in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-2e827b4cae4698b3f6b80a421447fab8">desperate fight</a>&nbsp;against Russia, the White House announced Tuesday. The U.S. will also provide a $2 billion loan to Poland.

It's the Pentagon's first announced security package for Ukraine since December, when it acknowledged it was out of replenishment funds. It wasn't until recent days that officials publicly acknowledged they weren't just out of money to buy replacement weapons, they are $10 billion overdrawn.

The announcement comes as Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons have stalled in the House because of Republican opposition. U.S. officials have insisted for months that the United States wouldn’t be able to resume weapons deliveries until Congress provided the additional replenishment funds, which are part of the stalled supplemental spending bill.

The replenishment funds have allowed the Pentagon to pull existing munitions, air defense systems and other weapons from its reserve inventories under presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, to send to Ukraine and then sign contracts to order replacements, which are needed to maintain U.S. military readiness.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710267271851.png" alt="Soldiers in an M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams tank assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division fires conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire exercise at Trzebien, Poland, Feb. 12, 2024. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo By:Army Spc. Bernabe Lopez III" />
 <figcaption>Soldiers in an M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams tank assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division fires conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire exercise at Trzebien, Poland, Feb. 12, 2024. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo By:Army Spc. Bernabe Lopez III</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will rush about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts, even though the military remains deeply overdrawn and needs at least $10 billion to replenish all the weapons it has pulled from its stocks to help Kyiv in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-2e827b4cae4698b3f6b80a421447fab8">desperate fight</a>&nbsp;against Russia, the White House announced Tuesday. The U.S. will also provide a $2 billion loan to Poland.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">National Security Adviser <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSullivan46?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JakeSullivan46</a> announces $2 billion loan to Poland and $300 million in weapons and equipment to Ukraine amid Russia&#39;s war. He says the new aid to Ukraine is not meant to replace the supplemental bill. <a href="https://t.co/J2tMq5S7AI">pic.twitter.com/J2tMq5S7AI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1767619413652488492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It's the Pentagon's first announced security package for Ukraine since December, when it acknowledged it was out of replenishment funds. It wasn't until recent days that officials publicly acknowledged they weren't just out of money to buy replacement weapons, they are $10 billion overdrawn.The announcement comes as Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons have stalled in the House because of Republican opposition. U.S. officials have insisted for months that the United States wouldn’t be able to resume weapons deliveries until Congress provided the additional replenishment funds, which are part of the stalled supplemental spending bill.The replenishment funds have allowed the Pentagon to pull existing munitions, air defense systems and other weapons from its reserve inventories under presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, to send to Ukraine and then sign contracts to order replacements, which are needed to maintain U.S. military readiness.“When Russian troops advance and its guns fire, Ukraine does not have enough ammunition to fire back,” said national security adviser Jake Sullivan in announcing the $300 million in additional aid.The Pentagon also has had a separate Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI, which has allowed it to fund longer-term contracts with industry to produce new weapons for Ukraine.Senior defense officials who briefed reporters said the Pentagon was able to get cost savings in some of those longer-term contracts of roughly $300 million and, given the battlefield situation, decided to use those savings to send more weapons. The officials said the cost savings basically offset the new package and keep the replenishment spending underwater at $10 billion.One of the officials said the package represented a “one time shot” — unless Congress passes the supplemental spending bill, which includes roughly $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine, or more cost savings are found. It is expected to include anti-aircraft missiles, artillery rounds and armor systems, the official said.“This is not a sustainable way to support Ukraine,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, calling it a “one time good deal" that officials can't plan on occurring again.The aid announcement came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-us-ukraine-biden-white-house-66b04d8c3917be6fe5b9ea5e016f7f5b">Polish leaders were in Washington</a>&nbsp;to press the U.S. to break its impasse over funds for Ukraine at a critical moment in the war. Polish President Andrzej Duda met Tuesday with President Joe Biden after meeting with Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate earlier in the day.House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to bring the $95 billion package, which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, to the floor. Seeking to put pressure on the Republican speaker, House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-israel-taiwan-5cc94d69691ed8f26d6e4ff614cf12fc">Democrats have launched a long-shot effort</a>&nbsp;to force a vote through a discharge petition. The seldom-successful procedure would require support from a majority of lawmakers, or 218 members, to move the aid package to a vote.Ukraine's situation has become more dire, with units on the front line&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-resupply-aid-republicans-53db93c5db8ab249503e93b558da5bd8">rationing munitions</a>&nbsp;as they face a vastly better supplied Russian force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly implored Congress for help, but House Republican leadership has not been willing to bring the Ukraine aid to the floor for a vote, saying any aid must first address border security needs.Pentagon officials said Monday during budget briefings that they were counting on the supplemental to cover the $10 billion replenishment hole.“If we don’t get the $10 billion we would have to find other means,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said. “Right now we’re very much focused on the need for that supplemental.”This is the second time in less than nine months that the Pentagon has “found” money to use for additional weapons shipments to Ukraine. Last June, defense officials said they had overestimated the value of the weapons the U.S. had sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years.At the time, Pentagon officials said a review found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. The discovery resulted in a surplus that the department used for presidential drawdown packages until the end of December.The United States has committed more than $44.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including more than $44.2 billion since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.The Pentagon is $10 billion overdrawn in the replenishment account in part due to inflationary pressures, and in part because the new systems the Pentagon is seeking to replace the old systems with cost more, such as the upcoming Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, which the Army is buying to replace the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS.The vast majority of those munitions have come from Army stockpiles due to the nature of the conventional land war in Ukraine.The months without further shipments of U.S. support have hurt operations, and Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka last month, where outnumbered defenders had withheld a Russian assault for four months.CIA Director William Burns told Congress that entire Ukrainian units have told him in recent days of being down to their last few dozen artillery shells and other ammunition. Burns called the retreat from Avdiivka a failure of ammunition resupply, not a failure of Ukrainian will.___