WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is reinstating a regulation aimed at reining in the proliferation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">ghost guns</a>, firearms without serial numbers that have been turning up at crime scenes across the nation in increasing numbers.

The court on Tuesday voted 5-4 to put on hold a ruling from a federal judge in Texas that invalidated the Biden administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">regulation of ghost gun kits</a>. The regulation will be in effect while the administration appeals the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans — and potentially the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined with the court's three liberal members to form the majority. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas would have kept the regulation on hold during the appeals process. Neither side provided an explanation.

The Justice Department had told the court that local law enforcement agencies seized more than 19,000 ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in just five years.

"The public-safety interests in reversing the flow of ghost guns to dangerous and otherwise prohibited persons easily outweighs the minor costs that respondents will incur,"&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-supreme-court-only-on-ap-19ad9190f158f5df1ac5d2f569dcdc80">Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar</a>, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, wrote in a court filing.

The new rule was issued last year and changed the definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts, like the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun, so they can be tracked more easily. Those parts must be licensed and include serial numbers. Manufacturers must also run background checks before a sale — as they do with other commercially made firearms. The requirement applies regardless of how the firearm was made, meaning it includes ghost guns made from individual parts or kits or by 3D printers.

The rule does not prohibit people from purchasing a kit or any type of firearm.

U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, in Fort Worth, Texas, struck down the rule in late June, concluding that it exceeded the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' authority. O'Connor wrote that the definition of a firearm in federal law does not cover all the parts of a gun. Congress could change the law, he wrote.

Lawyers for individuals, businesses and advocacy groups challenging the rule told the Supreme Court that O'Connor was right and that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives">the ATF</a>&nbsp;had departed from more than 50 years of regulatory practice in expanding the definition of a firearm.

The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which has long supported regulation of ghost guns, praised the Supreme Court's action. “The challenged rule simply requires that ghost gun kits are regulated like the guns that they are. It will save lives,” David Pucino, the group's deputy chief counsel, said in a statement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is reinstating a regulation aimed at reining in the proliferation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">ghost guns</a>, firearms without serial numbers that have been turning up at crime scenes across the nation in increasing numbers.The court on Tuesday voted 5-4 to put on hold a ruling from a federal judge in Texas that invalidated the Biden administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">regulation of ghost gun kits</a>. The regulation will be in effect while the administration appeals the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans — and potentially the Supreme Court.Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined with the court's three liberal members to form the majority. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas would have kept the regulation on hold during the appeals process. Neither side provided an explanation.The Justice Department had told the court that local law enforcement agencies seized more than 19,000 ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in just five years."The public-safety interests in reversing the flow of ghost guns to dangerous and otherwise prohibited persons easily outweighs the minor costs that respondents will incur,"&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-supreme-court-only-on-ap-19ad9190f158f5df1ac5d2f569dcdc80">Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar</a>, the administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, wrote in a court filing.The new rule was issued last year and changed the definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts, like the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun, so they can be tracked more easily. Those parts must be licensed and include serial numbers. Manufacturers must also run background checks before a sale — as they do with other commercially made firearms. The requirement applies regardless of how the firearm was made, meaning it includes ghost guns made from individual parts or kits or by 3D printers.The rule does not prohibit people from purchasing a kit or any type of firearm.U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, in Fort Worth, Texas, struck down the rule in late June, concluding that it exceeded the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' authority. O'Connor wrote that the definition of a firearm in federal law does not cover all the parts of a gun. Congress could change the law, he wrote.Lawyers for individuals, businesses and advocacy groups challenging the rule told the Supreme Court that O'Connor was right and that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives">the ATF</a>&nbsp;had departed from more than 50 years of regulatory practice in expanding the definition of a firearm.The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which has long supported regulation of ghost guns, praised the Supreme Court's action. “The challenged rule simply requires that ghost gun kits are regulated like the guns that they are. It will save lives,” David Pucino, the group's deputy chief counsel, said in a statement.

Supreme Court allows Biden administration to regulate ghost guns

By&nbsp;ROBIN OPSAHL&nbsp;AND&nbsp;JAY WAAGEMEESTER&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s most recent indictments, his opponents in the campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination railed against the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice at a fundraising event Sunday for U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson.

More than 300 people attended Hinson’s BBQ Bash at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids. It was an opportunity for presidential hopefuls to socialize and take photos with potential caucus-goers — and a chance for them to seek the support of Iowans who voted for Hinson and other Republicans in 2022.

Last year, Hinson said, Iowans helped remove U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi as House speaker – and in 2024, she said, they will help remove President Joe Biden from office.

“Taking our country back starts right here in Iowa, and starts right here today,” Hinson said. “And remember this: Iowa picks presidents.”

Seven of the 2024 GOP candidates spoke at the event. Trump, who was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/01/trump-indicted-in-connection-with-jan-6-attack-on-the-u-s-capitol/">recently indicted on criminal charges</a>&nbsp;tied to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, was not at the event, but was on the minds of many attending.

Linda Devark of Cedar Rapids said Trump remains her top choice as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Devark said she is not concerned about the former president’s indictments, saying the Justice Department’s focus on Trump is meant to draw attention away from the president and his son, Hunter Biden.

“I think it’s interesting that any day that something takes place with Hunter Biden or Joe Biden, by the next day there’s an indictment,” Devark said.

Hinson had expressed similar sentiments on Aug. 1, linking the most recent indictment of Trump to what she called “another Biden scandal,” adding, “We must stop the unAmerican politicization of the judicial system.”

Other Iowans attending Sunday’s event said they’re looking for alternatives to Trump. Rick Ransom, a retired salesman from Benton County said it is too early to make a decision, but Trump’s “baggage” hurts his chances at reclaiming the White House.

“I think his time has passed,” Ransom said. “He’s got too much baggage now. A lot of baggage.”

Ransom said he would vote for Trump if he happens to be the nominee, but until then, it is too early to make a decision.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I want to hear more,” he said, adding that his three preferred candidates are currently Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and South Carolia Sen. Tim Scott.

Don Bayliss of Wellman said Trump has proven himself but said he’s not entirely committed to the former president this far out from the caucuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We know what he can do,” Bayliss said. “He did it for four years.”

Bayliss said he is open to other candidates, with DeSantis, Burgum, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Scott ranking as his next choices for president.

“We’re listening,” Bayliss said. “We got to see what there is, what each candidate has to offer and what they would like to do for our country to put it on its feet again.”

Although Trump was not in attendance, members of his campaign team set up a booth at the event.

Here’s what presidential candidates told the crowd at Hinson’s fundraiser:

DeSantis did not bring up Trump, his top rival for the 2024 Iowa caucuses, instead focusing on his conservative victories in Florida.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and DeSantis bantered in their speeches about the competition among states with GOP governors, with Reynolds pointing to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/best-states-to-retire-2023-iowa-florida-bankrate/">a recent study</a>&nbsp;that found Iowa surpassed Florida as the best state to retire based on metrics like affordability, quality of health care, weather and crime.

DeSantis went through his accomplishments as governor, the crowd cheering when he said Florida “stood up” to Disney, cut taxes and served as a “refuge of sanity” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In Florida, most people that run for office, they overpromise and underdeliver,” DeSantis said. “We made bold promises to the people of Florida, we met every single commitment we made, and in fact, we over-delivered on our promises.”

If elected president, DeSantis said, he would end the “weaponization of government,” adding that he would replace FBI Director Christopher Wray on his first day as president and make changes to the Department of Justice. But, he said, voters need to make sure they don’t “squander” the election.

“I’m asking for your support in the January caucuses because I can pledge to you this: I will get the job done,” DeSantis said. “I will not let you down.”

Not only are small-town values the key to a successful White House, Burgum said, they are a driving factor in his campaign.

“When someone tells me that you can’t be from a small town and run for president, it’s just like jumping on my start button, because D.C. needs more small-town values,” Burgum said.

Burgum described America as having two realities, “Two things can happen at the same time that are opposites,” Burgum said.

“You go to communities like this and see neighbors helping neighbors … We need to focus on the best of America, you turn on social media you never hear about the best of America.”

Burgum said the Biden administration “needs a course correction, they are 180 degrees wrong on the economy, energy and on national security.”

America must sell energy to allies instead of purchasing it from enemies, Burgum said, a common line from his stump speech.

Burgum also called for a smaller federal government.

“There’s a huge opportunity to take 10% or 20% of the cost out of the federal government,” Burgum said. “I know how to do that. I’ve done it before.”

Burgum planned to visit the U.S.-Mexico border Monday.

Businessman Perry Johnson, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)Businessman Perry Johnson said he wants to make sure the Republican National Committee is not “corrupt,” calling for all candidates to be included in any polling focused on the 2024 Republican field.

Johnson said “they have done everything to try to get me out of the debate,” but that he now has 40,000 individual donors — meeting the threshold needed to make it onto the Milwaukee debate stage.

“I’m going to have 50,000,” Johnson said. “I just need to make sure they include me in the poll.”

He said other candidates that have not met that threshold should also be included in polling.

Johnson also called for the impeachment of Biden and the pardoning of Trump, who has yet to be convicted of any crimes. The Michigan Republican said that Americans know roughly $10 million went to the Biden family through a “myriad of corporations.”

“They have all these corporations strung together, stealing that money, bribing – who knows what it is,” Johnson said. “But I say let’s investigate it.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur, gathered applause when he said he will “drain the swamp,” if elected.

The youngest candidate in the field called for term limits for “the bureaucracy,” and he also called for term limits for employees of government agencies.

“We will not just reform those agencies, we will get in there and shut them down, that is how we revive our constitutional republic in the United States of America,” Ramaswamy said.

Arguing that America has an identity crisis, Ramaswamy called for a revolution.

“Do you want incremental reform or do you want revolution?” he asked the crowd. He said he “stands on the side of the American Revolution, those 1776 ideals that set this county in motion.”

“We are so starved for purpose and meaning and identity at a time in our national history with the things that used to fill that hunger — faith, patriotism, hard work, family, these things have disappeared,” Ramaswamy said. “And that leaves a black hole or moral vacuum in its wake. And when you have a black hole that runs that deep, that is when the poison fills the void. Wokeism, transgenderism, climateism, COVIDism, globalism, depression, anxiety, fentanyl, suicide. These are symptoms of a deeper void of purpose and meaning in our country.”

Ramaswamy also criticized affirmative action, saying it “has been a cancer on our national soul.”

Larry Elder, who ran for California governor against Gov. Gavin Newsom in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election, brought up his former rival’s agreement to debate DeSantis – one of Elder’s current rivals for the nomination.

“Wouldn’t it have been nice if somebody had pressured him to debate me during the recall election when it mattered?” Elder asked.

In June, Newsom told Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would be willing to debate DeSantis. The Florida governor&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/03/ron-desantis-gavin-newsom-debate/">agreed to the debate</a>&nbsp;when speaking with Hannity, who would moderate, earlier in August.

Both governors have proposed several dates to hold the debate, but have not agreed on proposed rules, such as whether to have a live audience or to give opening remarks.

Elder asked Iowans to donate to his campaign so he can get on the August debate stage, saying he was the only candidate to speak about issues such as the “epidemic of fatherlessness” and to call for a U.S. constitutional amendment that would tie federal spending to a percentage of the country’s GDP.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson took the stage to share his criticisms of Biden and outline his goal of restoring the rule of law.

“Biden has diminished respect for rule of law in this country,” Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said he supported rule of law during periods of unrest after the murder of George Floyd by bringing in the National Guard and the state police.

“I’ve met challenges in our country, as governor, we had protests all across the country after the George Floyd murder,” Hutchinson said. “And whatever we have those protests, many of them turned violent. In Little Rock, Arkansas there was no exception. I saw violence in the street, buildings being burned, the Capitol being threatened and I said enough is enough.”

The former governor also thanked the Iowa Legislature for passing a 6-week abortion ban and acknowleged the challenges he faces in his campaign.

“I know that this is an uphill battle, because there’s one candidate in the race that has got, like, 50% of the vote,” he said referring to Trump.

China represents the biggest threat to the U.S. “since Pearl Harbor,” former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said.

China has been “planning war with the United States for years,” she told the crowd, pointing to Chinese companies buying land in the U.S. She cited fentanyl trafficking and intellectual property theft as proof that China is the biggest national security threat that America faces.

“Don’t think for a second China doesn’t know what they’re doing,” Haley said.

If elected president, Haley said, she would take steps such as denying China access to certain U.S.-developed technology, preventing foreign interests from lobbying members of Congress and stopping “favoritism with defense projects” to make sure the country is prepared for potential conflict with China.

She said Americans are “totally distracted” from the threat of China by issues now being discussed in the 2024 presidential campaign.

“We’re talking about a bunch of other things that don’t even matter,” Haley said. “All of these issues are big issues. But if we don’t have national security, none of it matters.”

This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/06/gop-presidential-candidates-rally-at-iowa-fundraiser/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691516540473.png" alt=" Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption> Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;ROBIN OPSAHL&nbsp;AND&nbsp;JAY WAAGEMEESTER&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s most recent indictments, his opponents in the campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination railed against the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice at a fundraising event Sunday for U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson.More than 300 people attended Hinson’s BBQ Bash at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids. It was an opportunity for presidential hopefuls to socialize and take photos with potential caucus-goers — and a chance for them to seek the support of Iowans who voted for Hinson and other Republicans in 2022.Last year, Hinson said, Iowans helped remove U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi as House speaker – and in 2024, she said, they will help remove President Joe Biden from office.“Taking our country back starts right here in Iowa, and starts right here today,” Hinson said. “And remember this: Iowa picks presidents.”Seven of the 2024 GOP candidates spoke at the event. Trump, who was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/01/trump-indicted-in-connection-with-jan-6-attack-on-the-u-s-capitol/">recently indicted on criminal charges</a>&nbsp;tied to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, was not at the event, but was on the minds of many attending.Linda Devark of Cedar Rapids said Trump remains her top choice as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Devark said she is not concerned about the former president’s indictments, saying the Justice Department’s focus on Trump is meant to draw attention away from the president and his son, Hunter Biden.“I think it’s interesting that any day that something takes place with Hunter Biden or Joe Biden, by the next day there’s an indictment,” Devark said.Hinson had expressed similar sentiments on Aug. 1, linking the most recent indictment of Trump to what she called “another Biden scandal,” adding, “We must stop the unAmerican politicization of the judicial system.”Other Iowans attending Sunday’s event said they’re looking for alternatives to Trump. Rick Ransom, a retired salesman from Benton County said it is too early to make a decision, but Trump’s “baggage” hurts his chances at reclaiming the White House.“I think his time has passed,” Ransom said. “He’s got too much baggage now. A lot of baggage.”Ransom said he would vote for Trump if he happens to be the nominee, but until then, it is too early to make a decision.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I want to hear more,” he said, adding that his three preferred candidates are currently Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and South Carolia Sen. Tim Scott.Don Bayliss of Wellman said Trump has proven himself but said he’s not entirely committed to the former president this far out from the caucuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We know what he can do,” Bayliss said. “He did it for four years.”Bayliss said he is open to other candidates, with DeSantis, Burgum, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Scott ranking as his next choices for president.“We’re listening,” Bayliss said. “We got to see what there is, what each candidate has to offer and what they would like to do for our country to put it on its feet again.”Although Trump was not in attendance, members of his campaign team set up a booth at the event.Here’s what presidential candidates told the crowd at Hinson’s fundraiser:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691516631574.png" alt="Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</h2>DeSantis did not bring up Trump, his top rival for the 2024 Iowa caucuses, instead focusing on his conservative victories in Florida.Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and DeSantis bantered in their speeches about the competition among states with GOP governors, with Reynolds pointing to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/best-states-to-retire-2023-iowa-florida-bankrate/">a recent study</a>&nbsp;that found Iowa surpassed Florida as the best state to retire based on metrics like affordability, quality of health care, weather and crime.DeSantis went through his accomplishments as governor, the crowd cheering when he said Florida “stood up” to Disney, cut taxes and served as a “refuge of sanity” during the COVID-19 pandemic.“In Florida, most people that run for office, they overpromise and underdeliver,” DeSantis said. “We made bold promises to the people of Florida, we met every single commitment we made, and in fact, we over-delivered on our promises.”If elected president, DeSantis said, he would end the “weaponization of government,” adding that he would replace FBI Director Christopher Wray on his first day as president and make changes to the Department of Justice. But, he said, voters need to make sure they don’t “squander” the election.“I’m asking for your support in the January caucuses because I can pledge to you this: I will get the job done,” DeSantis said. “I will not let you down.”<h2>North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum</h2>Not only are small-town values the key to a successful White House, Burgum said, they are a driving factor in his campaign.“When someone tells me that you can’t be from a small town and run for president, it’s just like jumping on my start button, because D.C. needs more small-town values,” Burgum said.Burgum described America as having two realities, “Two things can happen at the same time that are opposites,” Burgum said.“You go to communities like this and see neighbors helping neighbors … We need to focus on the best of America, you turn on social media you never hear about the best of America.”Burgum said the Biden administration “needs a course correction, they are 180 degrees wrong on the economy, energy and on national security.”America must sell energy to allies instead of purchasing it from enemies, Burgum said, a common line from his stump speech.Burgum also called for a smaller federal government.“There’s a huge opportunity to take 10% or 20% of the cost out of the federal government,” Burgum said. “I know how to do that. I’ve done it before.”Burgum planned to visit the U.S.-Mexico border Monday.<h2>Perry Johnson</h2>Businessman Perry Johnson, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch)Businessman Perry Johnson said he wants to make sure the Republican National Committee is not “corrupt,” calling for all candidates to be included in any polling focused on the 2024 Republican field.Johnson said “they have done everything to try to get me out of the debate,” but that he now has 40,000 individual donors — meeting the threshold needed to make it onto the Milwaukee debate stage.“I’m going to have 50,000,” Johnson said. “I just need to make sure they include me in the poll.”He said other candidates that have not met that threshold should also be included in polling.Johnson also called for the impeachment of Biden and the pardoning of Trump, who has yet to be convicted of any crimes. The Michigan Republican said that Americans know roughly $10 million went to the Biden family through a “myriad of corporations.”“They have all these corporations strung together, stealing that money, bribing – who knows what it is,” Johnson said. “But I say let’s investigate it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691516686376.png" alt="Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids Sunday, August 6. (Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Vivek Ramaswamy</h2>Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur, gathered applause when he said he will “drain the swamp,” if elected.The youngest candidate in the field called for term limits for “the bureaucracy,” and he also called for term limits for employees of government agencies.“We will not just reform those agencies, we will get in there and shut them down, that is how we revive our constitutional republic in the United States of America,” Ramaswamy said.Arguing that America has an identity crisis, Ramaswamy called for a revolution.“Do you want incremental reform or do you want revolution?” he asked the crowd. He said he “stands on the side of the American Revolution, those 1776 ideals that set this county in motion.”“We are so starved for purpose and meaning and identity at a time in our national history with the things that used to fill that hunger — faith, patriotism, hard work, family, these things have disappeared,” Ramaswamy said. “And that leaves a black hole or moral vacuum in its wake. And when you have a black hole that runs that deep, that is when the poison fills the void. Wokeism, transgenderism, climateism, COVIDism, globalism, depression, anxiety, fentanyl, suicide. These are symptoms of a deeper void of purpose and meaning in our country.”Ramaswamy also criticized affirmative action, saying it “has been a cancer on our national soul.”<h2>Larry Elder</h2>Larry Elder, who ran for California governor against Gov. Gavin Newsom in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election, brought up his former rival’s agreement to debate DeSantis – one of Elder’s current rivals for the nomination.“Wouldn’t it have been nice if somebody had pressured him to debate me during the recall election when it mattered?” Elder asked.In June, Newsom told Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would be willing to debate DeSantis. The Florida governor&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/03/ron-desantis-gavin-newsom-debate/">agreed to the debate</a>&nbsp;when speaking with Hannity, who would moderate, earlier in August.Both governors have proposed several dates to hold the debate, but have not agreed on proposed rules, such as whether to have a live audience or to give opening remarks.Elder asked Iowans to donate to his campaign so he can get on the August debate stage, saying he was the only candidate to speak about issues such as the “epidemic of fatherlessness” and to call for a U.S. constitutional amendment that would tie federal spending to a percentage of the country’s GDP.<h2>Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson</h2>Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson took the stage to share his criticisms of Biden and outline his goal of restoring the rule of law.“Biden has diminished respect for rule of law in this country,” Hutchinson said.Hutchinson said he supported rule of law during periods of unrest after the murder of George Floyd by bringing in the National Guard and the state police.“I’ve met challenges in our country, as governor, we had protests all across the country after the George Floyd murder,” Hutchinson said. “And whatever we have those protests, many of them turned violent. In Little Rock, Arkansas there was no exception. I saw violence in the street, buildings being burned, the Capitol being threatened and I said enough is enough.”The former governor also thanked the Iowa Legislature for passing a 6-week abortion ban and acknowleged the challenges he faces in his campaign.“I know that this is an uphill battle, because there’s one candidate in the race that has got, like, 50% of the vote,” he said referring to Trump.<h2>Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley</h2>China represents the biggest threat to the U.S. “since Pearl Harbor,” former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said.China has been “planning war with the United States for years,” she told the crowd, pointing to Chinese companies buying land in the U.S. She cited fentanyl trafficking and intellectual property theft as proof that China is the biggest national security threat that America faces.“Don’t think for a second China doesn’t know what they’re doing,” Haley said.If elected president, Haley said, she would take steps such as denying China access to certain U.S.-developed technology, preventing foreign interests from lobbying members of Congress and stopping “favoritism with defense projects” to make sure the country is prepared for potential conflict with China.She said Americans are “totally distracted” from the threat of China by issues now being discussed in the 2024 presidential campaign.“We’re talking about a bunch of other things that don’t even matter,” Haley said. “All of these issues are big issues. But if we don’t have national security, none of it matters.”This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/06/gop-presidential-candidates-rally-at-iowa-fundraiser/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.

GOP presidential candidates rally at Iowa fundraiser

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On Monday, officials in Wabaunsee County were alerted to possible exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.

Deputies responded to a residence in the 300 Block of Elm Street in Alta Vista and made contact with 57-year-old Kenneth Scott Seidens of Alta Vista.

Evidence on scene led deputies to arrest him on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated sexual battery, aggravated criminal sodomy and contributing to a child's misconduct. Deputies booked Seidens into jail just after 12:30a.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records.

The child was made safe, according to the sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691498388155.png" alt="Seidens-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Seidens-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On Monday, officials in Wabaunsee County were alerted to possible exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.Deputies responded to a residence in the 300 Block of Elm Street in Alta Vista and made contact with 57-year-old Kenneth Scott Seidens of Alta Vista.Evidence on scene led deputies to arrest him on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated sexual battery, aggravated criminal sodomy and contributing to a child's misconduct. Deputies booked Seidens into jail just after 12:30a.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records.The child was made safe, according to the sheriff's office.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of chid sex crimes

Manhattan—Kansas State University President Richard Linton released a personal update on his health Tuesday.

I owe it to you all —&nbsp;my K-State family&nbsp;— to share some personal and difficult news as we prepare to launch forward. This past week, I was diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer, which will require me to pursue daily treatments in Kansas City with the KU Cancer Center for the next few months. This is obviously not how I envisioned starting the fall semester, but it is necessary that I take these steps at this time, as this cancer is treatable and curable. I need to be at my best for this institution — you deserve that from me, and in consultation with my medical team, I also know this is what is best for me and my family.

I will stay engaged with the university and the great work we’re doing, but I also recognize I won’t be able to be present in the way you’ve known me to be, as much of my work will have to take place remotely from Kansas City. I am grateful to the Kansas Board of Regents for supporting the decision to appoint another university leader to partner with me in a special capacity during this time. 

Dr. Marshall Stewart, senior vice president and chief of staff, will represent me at important university events and meetings and collaborate with me on decision making. Dr. Stewart and I are completely aligned in how we lead this university, and we will continue to ensure we’re aligned through regular communication. Place your trust in him as you have with me — he will ensure we continue our planned path forward together.

I am also grateful to the medical professionals who have been and will continue to guide me on this journey. From my local physician to the team at the KU Cancer Center, I know I am incredibly well taken care of.

And of course, I am eternally grateful for the love of my family — Sally, Lily and Chris. Their support always has and always will lift me up every day. I know the energy generated from the support of my entire Wildcat family will also do the same.&nbsp;

As I look to the future, I want you to know that I look to it with optimism — that is the K-State way, and this community has instilled that in me. K-Staters don’t shy away from difficult situations or moments of uncertainty. We face them head on and fight for the greatest outcome. That is what I do for you every day, and that is what I will continue to do for you as I embark on this journey.

Thank you for your support, and thank you in advance for affording that same support to Dr. Stewart. I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again: The future of Kansas State University is bright, and I look forward to realizing our great vision for the future together.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687440596492.jpeg" alt="Dr. Richard Linton-Photo Courtesy Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Richard Linton-Photo Courtesy Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>Manhattan—Kansas State University President Richard Linton released a personal update on his health Tuesday.Dear K-State Community,I owe it to you all —&nbsp;my K-State family&nbsp;— to share some personal and difficult news as we prepare to launch forward. This past week, I was diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer, which will require me to pursue daily treatments in Kansas City with the KU Cancer Center for the next few months. This is obviously not how I envisioned starting the fall semester, but it is necessary that I take these steps at this time, as this cancer is treatable and curable. I need to be at my best for this institution — you deserve that from me, and in consultation with my medical team, I also know this is what is best for me and my family.I will stay engaged with the university and the great work we’re doing, but I also recognize I won’t be able to be present in the way you’ve known me to be, as much of my work will have to take place remotely from Kansas City. I am grateful to the Kansas Board of Regents for supporting the decision to appoint another university leader to partner with me in a special capacity during this time. Dr. Marshall Stewart, senior vice president and chief of staff, will represent me at important university events and meetings and collaborate with me on decision making. Dr. Stewart and I are completely aligned in how we lead this university, and we will continue to ensure we’re aligned through regular communication. Place your trust in him as you have with me — he will ensure we continue our planned path forward together.I am also grateful to the medical professionals who have been and will continue to guide me on this journey. From my local physician to the team at the KU Cancer Center, I know I am incredibly well taken care of.And of course, I am eternally grateful for the love of my family — Sally, Lily and Chris. Their support always has and always will lift me up every day. I know the energy generated from the support of my entire Wildcat family will also do the same.&nbsp;As I look to the future, I want you to know that I look to it with optimism — that is the K-State way, and this community has instilled that in me. K-Staters don’t shy away from difficult situations or moments of uncertainty. We face them head on and fight for the greatest outcome. That is what I do for you every day, and that is what I will continue to do for you as I embark on this journey.Thank you for your support, and thank you in advance for affording that same support to Dr. Stewart. I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again: The future of Kansas State University is bright, and I look forward to realizing our great vision for the future together.

K-State president shares news of cancer diagnosis

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly weekend shooting have identified the man who died as 19-year-old Philip C. Bagby Jr. of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 1500 block of N. 5th Street in Kansas City, according to a&nbsp; media release.

First responders discovered Bagby and a juvenile who had both been struck by gunfire. Both victims were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Once at the hospital, Bagby was pronounced deceased. The juvenile remains in stable condition, according to police.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.There is nothing further to report at this time.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly weekend shooting have identified the man who died as 19-year-old Philip C. Bagby Jr. of Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 1500 block of N. 5th Street in Kansas City, according to a&nbsp; media release.First responders discovered Bagby and a juvenile who had both been struck by gunfire. Both victims were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Once at the hospital, Bagby was pronounced deceased. The juvenile remains in stable condition, according to police.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.There is nothing further to report at this time.

Police ID Kansas man who died in weekend shooting

By&nbsp; JOHN HANNA and&nbsp;&nbsp;SAM METZ&nbsp;

TOPEKA (AP) — State courts in Kansas and Utah are set to hear arguments Tuesday in legal challenges to new laws on abortion as judges tussle with legislatures over how to regulate the medical procedure and its providers after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Those and other state courts have become key venues in the fight over abortion since last year, when the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">reversed the constitutional right to abortion</a>&nbsp;and made the rules governing it a matter of state laws.

In Utah, the state Supreme Court is expected to weigh a lower court's decision to put a law banning most abortions on hold more than a year ago.

In Kansas, providers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">asking a district court judge to block</a>&nbsp;a new restriction on how they dispense abortion medications as well as older rules governing what doctors must tell patients and a required 24-hour wait between the first in-person consultation and the procedure.

In both states, the impact of the overturning of Roe remains unsettled as GOP-controlled legislatures push to tighten laws surrounding abortion and the doctors and clinics who provide them wage fierce court battles.

Utah is one of at least five states in which laws restricting abortion have been put on hold amid litigation. The state's Planned Parenthood affiliate sued last year over a 2020 “trigger law" — passed by state lawmakers — that banned abortion with exceptions for maternal health threats or rape and incest reported to the police.

Since a judge put that law on hold last summer, another law — a 2019 ban on abortion after 18 weeks of pregnancy — took effect in Utah. Lawmakers subsequently passed additional legislation striking licensing provisions for abortion clinics from state code in an effort to phase them out and make it more difficult for courts to put laws on hold that sponsors described as a response to the trigger law.

While Judge Andrew Stone&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-abortion-clinic-ban-b568ddfab7c9bd2c9fdbf9a36e03668f">takes more time</a>&nbsp;to weigh the merits of last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-clinic-utah-roe-v-wade-9a7ae89da6040ed886891d7b07854368">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, the state Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments about the extent of his court's power to keep it on hold. If the law is allowed to take effect, Utah could join 15 states enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Judges have struck down only a few such bans in the year since Roe's overturning, including in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-south-carolina-state-government-6cd1469dbb550c70b64a30f183be203c">permanently blocking a ban in South Carolina</a>&nbsp;on abortions after cardiac activity can be detected and, in Arizona, preventing the enforcement of a ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-health-arizona-196bc22e414051e780018f88564788f3">against doctors</a>&nbsp;that pre-dated Roe v. Wade.

Like in Arizona, the June 2022 Supreme Court decision has put longstanding laws under new scrutiny. The waiting period and other requirements that Judge K. Christopher Jayaram will consider Tuesday in his courtroom in the Kansas City area have been in place for more than a quarter century.

But Kansas has become an outlier on abortion among states with Republican-controlled Legislatures because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;by the state Supreme Court declaring access a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution. Voters in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed</a>&nbsp;that abortion rights would remain protected — after anti-abortion groups warned that many of the state’s existing restrictions could fall.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">The new law,</a>&nbsp;which took effect July 1, requires providers to tell patients that a medication abortion can be stopped once it is started with a regimen that major medical groups call unproven and potentially dangerous. The state and the providers mutually agreed that the new law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-medication-reversal-waiting-period-5e0fbd27fdd1e2937ea68b7dc1fbeec0">wouldn’t be enforced</a>&nbsp;at least until the state court could decide the matter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678911159638.png" alt="Lindsay London holds protest sign in front of federal court building in support of access to abortion medication outside&nbsp; (AP Photo/David Erickson)" />
 <figcaption>Lindsay London holds protest sign in front of federal court building in support of access to abortion medication outside&nbsp; (AP Photo/David Erickson)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp; JOHN HANNA and&nbsp;&nbsp;SAM METZ&nbsp;TOPEKA (AP) — State courts in Kansas and Utah are set to hear arguments Tuesday in legal challenges to new laws on abortion as judges tussle with legislatures over how to regulate the medical procedure and its providers after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.Those and other state courts have become key venues in the fight over abortion since last year, when the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">reversed the constitutional right to abortion</a>&nbsp;and made the rules governing it a matter of state laws.In Utah, the state Supreme Court is expected to weigh a lower court's decision to put a law banning most abortions on hold more than a year ago.In Kansas, providers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">asking a district court judge to block</a>&nbsp;a new restriction on how they dispense abortion medications as well as older rules governing what doctors must tell patients and a required 24-hour wait between the first in-person consultation and the procedure.In both states, the impact of the overturning of Roe remains unsettled as GOP-controlled legislatures push to tighten laws surrounding abortion and the doctors and clinics who provide them wage fierce court battles.Utah is one of at least five states in which laws restricting abortion have been put on hold amid litigation. The state's Planned Parenthood affiliate sued last year over a 2020 “trigger law" — passed by state lawmakers — that banned abortion with exceptions for maternal health threats or rape and incest reported to the police.Since a judge put that law on hold last summer, another law — a 2019 ban on abortion after 18 weeks of pregnancy — took effect in Utah. Lawmakers subsequently passed additional legislation striking licensing provisions for abortion clinics from state code in an effort to phase them out and make it more difficult for courts to put laws on hold that sponsors described as a response to the trigger law.While Judge Andrew Stone&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-abortion-clinic-ban-b568ddfab7c9bd2c9fdbf9a36e03668f">takes more time</a>&nbsp;to weigh the merits of last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-clinic-utah-roe-v-wade-9a7ae89da6040ed886891d7b07854368">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, the state Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments about the extent of his court's power to keep it on hold. If the law is allowed to take effect, Utah could join 15 states enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.Judges have struck down only a few such bans in the year since Roe's overturning, including in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-south-carolina-state-government-6cd1469dbb550c70b64a30f183be203c">permanently blocking a ban in South Carolina</a>&nbsp;on abortions after cardiac activity can be detected and, in Arizona, preventing the enforcement of a ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-health-arizona-196bc22e414051e780018f88564788f3">against doctors</a>&nbsp;that pre-dated Roe v. Wade.Like in Arizona, the June 2022 Supreme Court decision has put longstanding laws under new scrutiny. The waiting period and other requirements that Judge K. Christopher Jayaram will consider Tuesday in his courtroom in the Kansas City area have been in place for more than a quarter century.But Kansas has become an outlier on abortion among states with Republican-controlled Legislatures because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;by the state Supreme Court declaring access a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution. Voters in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed</a>&nbsp;that abortion rights would remain protected — after anti-abortion groups warned that many of the state’s existing restrictions could fall.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">The new law,</a>&nbsp;which took effect July 1, requires providers to tell patients that a medication abortion can be stopped once it is started with a regimen that major medical groups call unproven and potentially dangerous. The state and the providers mutually agreed that the new law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-medication-reversal-waiting-period-5e0fbd27fdd1e2937ea68b7dc1fbeec0">wouldn’t be enforced</a>&nbsp;at least until the state court could decide the matter.

Kansas court to hear challenge on new laws regulating abortion 

JOHNSON COUNTY — Fairway Police Officer 29-year-old Jonah Oswald died Monday as a result of injuries sustained in the Sunday shooting with a car theft suspect from Tennessee, according to a statement from

 Officer Oswald was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department, according to a statement from the department.

Fairway Chief J.P. Thurlo issued the following statement about Officer Oswald's death.

“I am heartbroken at the tragic loss of Officer Jonah Oswald, who made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out his oath to serve and protect. Officer Oswald was an integral part of our team and made significant contributions to our department and to the Fairway community. We will remember him as a warm-hearted individual whose hard work and passion touched the lives of many."

"On behalf of the entire Fairway Police Department, and the City of Fairway, I extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Officer Oswald’s family and friends. We recognize that their loss is immeasurable, and our thoughts and prayers are with them."

"Officer Oswald leaves behind a wife and two young children. The Oswald family has asked for privacy at this time and is appreciative of the support being shown to them."

Just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a stolen vehicle call at the QuikTrip at 95th Street and Interstate 35, according to a media release from Lenexa Police.

 Officers located that car and the suspect in the stolen vehicle struck one of Lenexa police department's patrol vehicles and drove away.

Police pursued the suspect northbound on Interstate 35 until the suspects left the vehicle and ran to a QuikTrip in the 4700 Block of Lamar Avenue in Mission.

Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect later identified as 40-year-old&nbsp;Shannon Wayne Marshall of Ashland City, Tennessee was shot and killed and&nbsp; Fairway Kansas police officer Jonah Oswald was shot and hospitalized. 

The other suspect was arrested and later identified as 32-year-old Andrea Cothran of Portland Tennesee.

Cothran, a registered sex offender, is being held in Johnson County on&nbsp; requested charges of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, according to online jail records.

She is listed on the Tennessee sex offender registry for a July 2019 conviction for solicitation to commit sexual exploitation of a minor.  She has three previous convictions for child abuse and a probation violation for drugs, according to the Tennessee offender registry. She was scheduled for a court appearance in the case at 1:30p.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records.

&nbsp;A Johnson County law enforcement team is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691459277146.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY — Fairway Police Officer 29-year-old Jonah Oswald died Monday as a result of injuries sustained in the Sunday shooting with a car theft suspect from Tennessee, according to a statement from Officer Oswald was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department, according to a statement from the department.Fairway Chief J.P. Thurlo issued the following statement about Officer Oswald's death.“I am heartbroken at the tragic loss of Officer Jonah Oswald, who made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out his oath to serve and protect. Officer Oswald was an integral part of our team and made significant contributions to our department and to the Fairway community. We will remember him as a warm-hearted individual whose hard work and passion touched the lives of many.""On behalf of the entire Fairway Police Department, and the City of Fairway, I extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Officer Oswald’s family and friends. We recognize that their loss is immeasurable, and our thoughts and prayers are with them.""Officer Oswald leaves behind a wife and two young children. The Oswald family has asked for privacy at this time and is appreciative of the support being shown to them."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691356366635.png" alt="Police on the scene near the shooting&nbsp; on Sunday-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene near the shooting&nbsp; on Sunday-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a stolen vehicle call at the QuikTrip at 95th Street and Interstate 35, according to a media release from Lenexa Police. Officers located that car and the suspect in the stolen vehicle struck one of Lenexa police department's patrol vehicles and drove away.Police pursued the suspect northbound on Interstate 35 until the suspects left the vehicle and ran to a QuikTrip in the 4700 Block of Lamar Avenue in Mission.Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect later identified as 40-year-old&nbsp;Shannon Wayne Marshall of Ashland City, Tennessee was shot and killed and&nbsp; Fairway Kansas police officer Jonah Oswald was shot and hospitalized. The other suspect was arrested and later identified as 32-year-old Andrea Cothran of Portland Tennesee.Cothran, a registered sex offender, is being held in Johnson County on&nbsp; requested charges of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, according to online jail records.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691373333169.png" alt="Cothran is listed on the Tennessee sex offender registry for a July 2019 conviction for solicitation to commit sexual exploitation of a minor.&nbsp; She has three previous convictions for child abuse and a probation violation for drugs, according to the Tennessee offender registry." />
 <figcaption>Cothran is listed on the Tennessee sex offender registry for a July 2019 conviction for solicitation to commit sexual exploitation of a minor.&nbsp; She has three previous convictions for child abuse and a probation violation for drugs, according to the Tennessee offender registry.</figcaption>
 </figure>She is listed on the Tennessee sex offender registry for a July 2019 conviction for solicitation to commit sexual exploitation of a minor. She has three previous convictions for child abuse and a probation violation for drugs, according to the Tennessee offender registry. She was scheduled for a court appearance in the case at 1:30p.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records.&nbsp;A Johnson County law enforcement team is investigating the officer-involved shooting.---------------------

Kansas officer injured in exchange of gunfire has died

WASHINGTON (AP) —Donald Trump’s legal team told a judge overseeing the election conspiracy case against him on Monday that prosecutors'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-capitol-riot-indictment-protective-order-71cd642e876c47fff4e1283c15f8ca01">proposed protective order</a>&nbsp;aimed at preventing the public disclosure of evidence is too broad and would restrict his First Amendment rights.

Lawyers for the early 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner said the judge should impose a more limited order that would bar the public release only of materials deemed “sensitive" — such as grand jury documents — rather than all evidence handed over by the government in the case accusing Trump of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Prosecutors have said a protective order — not unusual in criminal cases — is particularly important in Trump's case because of his penchant for using social media. They have expressed concern that Trump could improperly share sensitive case information online that could have a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses.”

In their filing Friday seeking the order, prosecutors included a screenshot of a post from Trump’s Truth Social platform that same day in which he wrote, in all capital letters, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”

Trump’s lawyers said that citing that post to claim there’s a danger Trump might publish grand jury information was “a provocative claim when searching for headlines, perhaps, but one that falters under minimal scrutiny.”

The former president’s legal team said his post was “generalized political speech” and had nothing to do with the case. A Trump spokesperson said last week that the post was in response to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”

Trump's lawyers, who have characterized the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith as an attack on his right to free speech, told the judge that the need to protect sensitive information about the case “does not require a blanket gag order over all documents produced by the government.”

“In a trial about First Amendment rights, the government seeks to restrict First Amendment rights,” Trump's lawyers wrote. “Worse, it does so against its administration’s primary political opponent, during an election season in which the administration, prominent party members and media allies have campaigned on the indictment and proliferated its false allegations.”

Trump's lawyers accused President Joe Biden of trying to capitalize on the indictment in posting what they called a “thinly veiled reference” to Trump's prosecution just hours before Trump's court appearance last week. They included a screenshot in their court filing of a tweet from from Biden's campaign account, which included a video of the president drinking from a mug emblazoned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-fundraising-2024-reelection-campaign-democrats-5b8d97914118bb4ad6ccce5fece43ee4">“Dark Brandon”</a>&nbsp;— a meme featuring Biden with lasers for eyes — and the caption: "A cup of Joe never tasted better."

The defense filing was in response to the request Friday from Smith's team for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-capitol-riot-indictment-protective-order-71cd642e876c47fff4e1283c15f8ca01">protective order</a>, which would impose rules on what Trump and his defense team can do with evidence shared with them by the government as they prepare for trial in the case unsealed last week.

Trump’s lawyers on Saturday had asked for an extra three days to respond to prosecutors’ request for the protective order, saying they needed more time for discussion. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">Judge Tanya Chutkan,</a>&nbsp;who was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama, swiftly denied that request.

Prosecutors said that they are ready to hand over a substantial amount of evidence to Trump’s legal team and that much of it includes sensitive and confidential information.

The prosecutors’ proposed order seeks to prevent Trump and his lawyers from disclosing materials provided by the government to anyone other than people on his legal team, possible witnesses, the witnesses’ lawyers or others approved by the court. It would put stricter limits on “sensitive materials,” which prosecutors said would include grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case, as well as another prosecution brought by Smith that accuses him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-classified-documents-indictment-c15a5f36e4e83417805718d81a035441">hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

He has has characterized all the cases against him as an effort to take down his 2024 campaign. His legal team has indicated that it will argue that he had relied on the advice of attorneys around him in 2020 and that Trump had a right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.

Trump pleaded not guilty last week to four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory. The charges could lead to a lengthy prison sentence in the event of a conviction, with the most serious counts calling for up to 20 years.

It’s the third criminal case brought this year against the the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it’s the first case to try to hold him responsible for his efforts to remain in power during the chaotic weeks between his election loss and the attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Smith also charged Trump in June with dozens of felony counts alleging the former president illegally kept classified records after he left the White House and obstructed government efforts to get them back. A new indictment recently unsealed in that case accuses Trump of scheming with Mar-a-Lago staffers to try to delete security footage sought by investigators.

Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart in that case imposed a similar protective order in June that prohibits Trump and his legal team from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to them by prosecutors without prior approval.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Donald Trump’s legal team told a judge overseeing the election conspiracy case against him on Monday that prosecutors'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-capitol-riot-indictment-protective-order-71cd642e876c47fff4e1283c15f8ca01">proposed protective order</a>&nbsp;aimed at preventing the public disclosure of evidence is too broad and would restrict his First Amendment rights.Lawyers for the early 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner said the judge should impose a more limited order that would bar the public release only of materials deemed “sensitive" — such as grand jury documents — rather than all evidence handed over by the government in the case accusing Trump of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691447857769.png" alt="On August 3, Donald Trump’s signed acknowledgment of conditions for his release and penalties for violating them-image CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>On August 3, Donald Trump’s signed acknowledgment of conditions for his release and penalties for violating them-image CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors have said a protective order — not unusual in criminal cases — is particularly important in Trump's case because of his penchant for using social media. They have expressed concern that Trump could improperly share sensitive case information online that could have a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses.”In their filing Friday seeking the order, prosecutors included a screenshot of a post from Trump’s Truth Social platform that same day in which he wrote, in all capital letters, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”Trump’s lawyers said that citing that post to claim there’s a danger Trump might publish grand jury information was “a provocative claim when searching for headlines, perhaps, but one that falters under minimal scrutiny.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691329048946.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The former president’s legal team said his post was “generalized political speech” and had nothing to do with the case. A Trump spokesperson said last week that the post was in response to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”Trump's lawyers, who have characterized the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith as an attack on his right to free speech, told the judge that the need to protect sensitive information about the case “does not require a blanket gag order over all documents produced by the government.”“In a trial about First Amendment rights, the government seeks to restrict First Amendment rights,” Trump's lawyers wrote. “Worse, it does so against its administration’s primary political opponent, during an election season in which the administration, prominent party members and media allies have campaigned on the indictment and proliferated its false allegations.”Trump's lawyers accused President Joe Biden of trying to capitalize on the indictment in posting what they called a “thinly veiled reference” to Trump's prosecution just hours before Trump's court appearance last week. They included a screenshot in their court filing of a tweet from from Biden's campaign account, which included a video of the president drinking from a mug emblazoned with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-fundraising-2024-reelection-campaign-democrats-5b8d97914118bb4ad6ccce5fece43ee4">“Dark Brandon”</a>&nbsp;— a meme featuring Biden with lasers for eyes — and the caption: "A cup of Joe never tasted better."The defense filing was in response to the request Friday from Smith's team for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-capitol-riot-indictment-protective-order-71cd642e876c47fff4e1283c15f8ca01">protective order</a>, which would impose rules on what Trump and his defense team can do with evidence shared with them by the government as they prepare for trial in the case unsealed last week.Trump’s lawyers on Saturday had asked for an extra three days to respond to prosecutors’ request for the protective order, saying they needed more time for discussion. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">Judge Tanya Chutkan,</a>&nbsp;who was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama, swiftly denied that request.Prosecutors said that they are ready to hand over a substantial amount of evidence to Trump’s legal team and that much of it includes sensitive and confidential information.The prosecutors’ proposed order seeks to prevent Trump and his lawyers from disclosing materials provided by the government to anyone other than people on his legal team, possible witnesses, the witnesses’ lawyers or others approved by the court. It would put stricter limits on “sensitive materials,” which prosecutors said would include grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case, as well as another prosecution brought by Smith that accuses him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-classified-documents-indictment-c15a5f36e4e83417805718d81a035441">hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.He has has characterized all the cases against him as an effort to take down his 2024 campaign. His legal team has indicated that it will argue that he had relied on the advice of attorneys around him in 2020 and that Trump had a right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.Trump pleaded not guilty last week to four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory. The charges could lead to a lengthy prison sentence in the event of a conviction, with the most serious counts calling for up to 20 years.It’s the third criminal case brought this year against the the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it’s the first case to try to hold him responsible for his efforts to remain in power during the chaotic weeks between his election loss and the attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.Smith also charged Trump in June with dozens of felony counts alleging the former president illegally kept classified records after he left the White House and obstructed government efforts to get them back. A new indictment recently unsealed in that case accuses Trump of scheming with Mar-a-Lago staffers to try to delete security footage sought by investigators.Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart in that case imposed a similar protective order in June that prohibits Trump and his legal team from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to them by prosecutors without prior approval.

Trump's legal team offer more lax rules for a proposed protective order 

Des Moines (AP) —Lottery players will have another shot Tuesday night at a massive Mega Millions prize that ranks as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-10-us-lottery-jackpots-b24950a388d0a0f6544d2276956ff220">third-largest jackpot</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.

The estimated $1.55 billion prize has been gradually building for months thanks to 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game’s top prize was April 18.

Each drawing without a winner pushes the prize closer to the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot that someone in California won last year.

Mega Millions jackpot winners are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">so rare thanks to odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 302.6 million.

The $1.55 billion payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot would be an estimated $757.2 million.

The money would be subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

Mega Millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">is played in 45 states</a>, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Des Moines (AP) —Lottery players will have another shot Tuesday night at a massive Mega Millions prize that ranks as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-10-us-lottery-jackpots-b24950a388d0a0f6544d2276956ff220">third-largest jackpot</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.The estimated $1.55 billion prize has been gradually building for months thanks to 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game’s top prize was April 18.Each drawing without a winner pushes the prize closer to the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot that someone in California won last year.Mega Millions jackpot winners are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">so rare thanks to odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 302.6 million.The $1.55 billion payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot would be an estimated $757.2 million.The money would be subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.Mega Millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">is played in 45 states</a>, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

$1.55 billion Mega Millions jackpot is the 3rd largest in US history

UNION, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, nearly four decades after a woman was strangled with her body dumped in the woods.

Kirby R. King, now in his late 60s,&nbsp;<a href="https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/man-pleads-guilty-to-strangling-and-dumping-body-of-missouri-woman-3-decades-ago/">pleaded guilty in June</a>&nbsp;to involuntary manslaughter and felonious restraint in the 1987 death of 22-year-old Karla Jane Delcour. He was sentenced Thursday.

Investigators believe Delcour was killed at a home in the eastern Missouri town of Union on June 21, 1987. Her body was found about four days later near neighboring St. Clair, where she was living. Her wrists and neck were bound by a cord.

King was questioned in 1987 but not charged.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case in 2018 and King was arrested in 2019, initially charged with second-degree murder. Investigators have not said what new evidence led to his arrest and conviction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686080026775.png" alt="King photo Franklin Co." />
 <figcaption>King photo Franklin Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>UNION, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, nearly four decades after a woman was strangled with her body dumped in the woods.Kirby R. King, now in his late 60s,&nbsp;<a href="https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/man-pleads-guilty-to-strangling-and-dumping-body-of-missouri-woman-3-decades-ago/">pleaded guilty in June</a>&nbsp;to involuntary manslaughter and felonious restraint in the 1987 death of 22-year-old Karla Jane Delcour. He was sentenced Thursday.Investigators believe Delcour was killed at a home in the eastern Missouri town of Union on June 21, 1987. Her body was found about four days later near neighboring St. Clair, where she was living. Her wrists and neck were bound by a cord.King was questioned in 1987 but not charged.The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case in 2018 and King was arrested in 2019, initially charged with second-degree murder. Investigators have not said what new evidence led to his arrest and conviction.

Man sentenced for killing that went unsolved for decades

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a highway shooting Sunday night that left a teen dead and a man injured.

Just after 11:p.m. Sunday, police found a car stopped on northbound U.S. 71 just south 22nd Street and found two shooting victims, according to KCPD.

EMS transported&nbsp; 15-year-old Diego Almeda to a hospital where he died from his injuries.The man was shot and listed in critical condition.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a highway shooting Sunday night that left a teen dead and a man injured.Just after 11:p.m. Sunday, police found a car stopped on northbound U.S. 71 just south 22nd Street and found two shooting victims, according to KCPD.EMS transported&nbsp; 15-year-old Diego Almeda to a hospital where he died from his injuries.The man was shot and listed in critical condition.Anyone with information has been asked to contact police at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

15-year-old wounded in KC highway shooting has died

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teens for violent robberies.

Just after 5:00 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the 1000 block of NE Atchison in Topeka on a report of a man yelling for help, according to Police Lt. Ron Ekis.

First responders located him and determined that he was a victim of Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Robbery.&nbsp; The victim have police a vehicle and suspect description.

Just after 5:30 a.m., officers responded to a similar call in the 2300 block of SE California in Topeka and located a second victim who gave a similar account of having been victimized, as well as similar suspect and vehicle descriptions.

Just before 6a.m. police located a vehicle matching the description of the suspects, and conducted a traffic stop near SE 10th and SE Swygart. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and officers located evidence related to the crimes.

As a result of the investigation, police&nbsp; booked a 16-year-old juvenile&nbsp; into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault X 2, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Juvenile in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of Marijuana.

Enrique Bocardo, 18, of Topeka, was also&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Assault and Possession of Marijuana

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691410549890.png" alt="Bocardo-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Bocardo-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teens for violent robberies.Just after 5:00 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the 1000 block of NE Atchison in Topeka on a report of a man yelling for help, according to Police Lt. Ron Ekis.First responders located him and determined that he was a victim of Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Robbery.&nbsp; The victim have police a vehicle and suspect description.Just after 5:30 a.m., officers responded to a similar call in the 2300 block of SE California in Topeka and located a second victim who gave a similar account of having been victimized, as well as similar suspect and vehicle descriptions.Just before 6a.m. police located a vehicle matching the description of the suspects, and conducted a traffic stop near SE 10th and SE Swygart. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and officers located evidence related to the crimes.As a result of the investigation, police&nbsp; booked a 16-year-old juvenile&nbsp; into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault X 2, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Juvenile in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of Marijuana.Enrique Bocardo, 18, of Topeka, was also&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Assault and Possession of Marijuana

2 Kansas teens accused of violent armed robberies 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Trucking company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellow-corp-trucking-company-bankruptcy-d489652b6acd63dbb046047da9e2a074">Yellow Corp. has declared bankruptcy</a>&nbsp;after years of financial struggles and growing debt, marking a significant shift for the U.S. transportation industry and shippers nationwide.

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which was filed Sunday, comes just three years after Yellow received $700 million in pandemic-era loans from the federal government. While a Chapter 11 filing is used to restructure debt while operations continue, Yellow, like other trucking companies in recent years, will liquidate and the U.S. will join other creditors unlikely to recover funds extended to the company.

Yellow fell into severe financial stress after a long stretch of poor management and strategic decisions dating back decades.

In 2019 two trucking companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0becf88c3ed43c075e6d1216648551e">Celadon</a>&nbsp;and New England Motor Freight, file for bankruptcy protection and liquidated.

Former Yellow customers and shippers may face higher prices as they take their business to competitors, including FedEx or ABF Freight, experts say — noting Yellow historically offered the cheapest price points in the industry.

“It is with profound disappointment that Yellow announces that it is closing after nearly 100 years in business,” CEO Darren Hawkins said in a news release late Sunday. “For generations, Yellow provided hundreds of thousands of Americans with solid, good-paying jobs and fulfilling careers.”

Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The Nashville, Tennessee-based company had 30,000 employees across the country.

The Teamsters, which represented Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, said last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellow-trucking-bankruptcy-teamsters-freight-378048eb09cb8d497ff5fcec359c45b2">the company gave legal notice for a bankruptcy filing and shut down operations</a>&nbsp;in late July following layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees.

Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien called the news “unfortunate but not surprising” in a July 31 statement — pointing to the financial chaos at Yellow. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry,” he said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trucker-yellow-prepares-to-file-for-bankruptcy-as-customers-flee-281151a6">Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/yellow-executive-tells-sales-employees-company-will-file-bankruptcy-on-july-31">FreightWaves</a>&nbsp;reported in late July that the bankruptcy was coming — noting that customers had already started to leave the carrier in large numbers and that the company had stopped freight pickups.

Those reports arrived just days after Yellow averted a strike from the Teamsters amid heated contract negotiations. A pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, avoiding a planned walkout — and giving Yellow "30 days to pay its bills,” notably a total of $50 million owed to the Central States Health and Welfare Fund. A Yellow spokesperson said Tuesday that the company previously request a short-term deferral of the pension contributions plus interest, but the funds denied that request.

Yellow blamed the nine-month talks for the demise of the company, saying it was unable to institute a new business plan to modernize operations and make it more competitive during that time.

The company said it has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware for permission to make payments, including for employee wages and benefits, taxes and certain vendors essential to its businesses.

Yellow has racked up hefty bills over the years. As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.

In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. The Teamsters supported the $700 million loan when it was first announced.

A congressional probe recently concluded that the Treasury and Defense departments “made missteps” in the decision and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”

As of June 30, Yellow had paid $67 million in cash interest on the loan, which is due in 2024, the company said.

The financial chaos at Yellow “is probably two decades in the making,” Stifel research director Bruce Chan said ahead of the filing late last month, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690827382488.jpeg" alt="Yellow Corp. trucks are seen at a YRC Freight terminal Friday, July 28, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Yellow Corp. trucks are seen at a YRC Freight terminal Friday, July 28, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Trucking company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellow-corp-trucking-company-bankruptcy-d489652b6acd63dbb046047da9e2a074">Yellow Corp. has declared bankruptcy</a>&nbsp;after years of financial struggles and growing debt, marking a significant shift for the U.S. transportation industry and shippers nationwide.The Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which was filed Sunday, comes just three years after Yellow received $700 million in pandemic-era loans from the federal government. While a Chapter 11 filing is used to restructure debt while operations continue, Yellow, like other trucking companies in recent years, will liquidate and the U.S. will join other creditors unlikely to recover funds extended to the company.Yellow fell into severe financial stress after a long stretch of poor management and strategic decisions dating back decades.In 2019 two trucking companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0becf88c3ed43c075e6d1216648551e">Celadon</a>&nbsp;and New England Motor Freight, file for bankruptcy protection and liquidated.Former Yellow customers and shippers may face higher prices as they take their business to competitors, including FedEx or ABF Freight, experts say — noting Yellow historically offered the cheapest price points in the industry.“It is with profound disappointment that Yellow announces that it is closing after nearly 100 years in business,” CEO Darren Hawkins said in a news release late Sunday. “For generations, Yellow provided hundreds of thousands of Americans with solid, good-paying jobs and fulfilling careers.”Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The Nashville, Tennessee-based company had 30,000 employees across the country.The Teamsters, which represented Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, said last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellow-trucking-bankruptcy-teamsters-freight-378048eb09cb8d497ff5fcec359c45b2">the company gave legal notice for a bankruptcy filing and shut down operations</a>&nbsp;in late July following layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees.Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien called the news “unfortunate but not surprising” in a July 31 statement — pointing to the financial chaos at Yellow. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry,” he said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trucker-yellow-prepares-to-file-for-bankruptcy-as-customers-flee-281151a6">Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/yellow-executive-tells-sales-employees-company-will-file-bankruptcy-on-july-31">FreightWaves</a>&nbsp;reported in late July that the bankruptcy was coming — noting that customers had already started to leave the carrier in large numbers and that the company had stopped freight pickups.Those reports arrived just days after Yellow averted a strike from the Teamsters amid heated contract negotiations. A pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, avoiding a planned walkout — and giving Yellow "30 days to pay its bills,” notably a total of $50 million owed to the Central States Health and Welfare Fund. A Yellow spokesperson said Tuesday that the company previously request a short-term deferral of the pension contributions plus interest, but the funds denied that request.Yellow blamed the nine-month talks for the demise of the company, saying it was unable to institute a new business plan to modernize operations and make it more competitive during that time.The company said it has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware for permission to make payments, including for employee wages and benefits, taxes and certain vendors essential to its businesses.Yellow has racked up hefty bills over the years. As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. The Teamsters supported the $700 million loan when it was first announced.A congressional probe recently concluded that the Treasury and Defense departments “made missteps” in the decision and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”As of June 30, Yellow had paid $67 million in cash interest on the loan, which is due in 2024, the company said.The financial chaos at Yellow “is probably two decades in the making,” Stifel research director Bruce Chan said ahead of the filing late last month, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”