SEDGWICK COUNTY—A law enforcement officer is recovering from injuries in accident that occurred just after 12:30p.m. Saturday in Wichita.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Explorer driven by Officer Christopher Ruhlen, 34,Wichita, was southbound on Main Street passing through the intersection of Main and Kellogg Drive with emergency lights activated.

An eastbound 2018 Ford F150 driven by Ernest Ramirez, 60, Hutchinson,&nbsp; struck the SUV on the passenger side door and quarter panel.

EMS transported both drivers to a local hospital for treatment. Two juveniles were present in the vehicle; juvenile record protected data, according to the KHP.

Wichita police released no additional details on the incident or why Ruhlen had emergency lights activated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691332520774.png" alt="View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A law enforcement officer is recovering from injuries in accident that occurred just after 12:30p.m. Saturday in Wichita.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Explorer driven by Officer Christopher Ruhlen, 34,Wichita, was southbound on Main Street passing through the intersection of Main and Kellogg Drive with emergency lights activated.An eastbound 2018 Ford F150 driven by Ernest Ramirez, 60, Hutchinson,&nbsp; struck the SUV on the passenger side door and quarter panel.EMS transported both drivers to a local hospital for treatment. Two juveniles were present in the vehicle; juvenile record protected data, according to the KHP.Wichita police released no additional details on the incident or why Ruhlen had emergency lights activated.

Kan. officer recovering after 2-vehicle crash during pursuit

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On August 2,&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackson County Sheriff Detectives and Deputies served a search warrant on a residence located at 110 S. Pennsylvania Avenue in Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Deputies arrested 30-year-old Taylor Bryant Day of Holton for the alleged sexual solicitation of a small child.

He is being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of criminal solicitation indecent liberties of a child, child endangerment, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691160957916.png" alt="Day-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Day-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On August 2,&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackson County Sheriff Detectives and Deputies served a search warrant on a residence located at 110 S. Pennsylvania Avenue in Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.Deputies arrested 30-year-old Taylor Bryant Day of Holton for the alleged sexual solicitation of a small child.He is being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of criminal solicitation indecent liberties of a child, child endangerment, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Morse.

Kansas man accused of sexual solicitation of a small child

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after&nbsp;11p.m. August 3, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a red 2003 Dodge Dakota&nbsp;with an expired license plate near SW Topeka Boulevard and SE 45th Street with an expired license plate, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, the deputy located illegal narcotics.

The driver, Crystle T. Moten, 37, of Topeka, had a misdemeanor warrant for her arrest. Moten was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) for her warrant and on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a motor vehicle with an expired tag and no vehicle liability insurance.

The passenger, Jeff D. Pressgrove, 55, of Topeka, was arrested, booked into the SNDOC and on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691331910292.png" alt="Moten photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Moten photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.Just after&nbsp;11p.m. August 3, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a red 2003 Dodge Dakota&nbsp;with an expired license plate near SW Topeka Boulevard and SE 45th Street with an expired license plate, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, the deputy located illegal narcotics.The driver, Crystle T. Moten, 37, of Topeka, had a misdemeanor warrant for her arrest. Moten was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) for her warrant and on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a motor vehicle with an expired tag and no vehicle liability insurance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691332095296.png" alt="Pressgrove-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Pressgrove-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger, Jeff D. Pressgrove, 55, of Topeka, was arrested, booked into the SNDOC and on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wanted Kansas suspect caught transporting meth

By&nbsp;SOFIA RESNICK <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>

Pharmaceutical sciences professor Chris Adkins was perusing news on his computer in December when he came across an item that fascinated him: Anti-abortion groups had sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to force a recall on a commonly used abortion drug.

Adkins teaches future pharmacists at South University School of Pharmacy* in Savannah, Georgia. His early-career research focused on cancer drugs, but mifepristone is among the many drugs he’s familiar with. Adkins understood from the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/10/medication-abortion-up-to-70-days-of-gestation">&nbsp;medical literature</a>&nbsp;that the FDA-approved two-drug abortion regimen has a high safety and efficacy record. So, it surprised him to read<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">&nbsp;plaintiffs arguing</a>&nbsp;this medication is so unsafe it needs to be pulled from the market. But what he still can’t get over is the research U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk cited liberally to order a suspension of mifepristone’s FDA approval earlier this year.

That<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/after-scotus-ruling-disappointed-abortion-foes-vow-keep-attacking-abortion-pill">&nbsp;ultimately blocked</a>&nbsp;April 7 ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA relied on a handful of studies authored by many of the same anti-abortion activists directly involved in suing the FDA. Kacsmaryk leaned hard on a<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928211053965">&nbsp;2021 study</a>&nbsp;that was designed, funded and produced by the research arm of one of the most powerful anti-abortion political groups in the U.S. The judge cited this paper — which looked at Medicaid patients’ visits to the emergency room within 30 days of having an abortion — to justify that a group of anti-abortion doctors and medical groups have legal standing to force the FDA to recall mifepristone.

“Here, the [plaintiff medical] associations’ members have standing because they allege adverse events from chemical abortion drugs can overwhelm the medical system and place ‘enormous pressure and stress’ on doctors during emergencies and complications,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067.137.0_17.pdf#page=7">Kacsmaryk wrote</a>.

But U.S.-based global academic publisher Sage Publishing, which publishes thousands of journals including “Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology,” is now investigating this study and the peer review process it went through after Adkins contacted the journal in April with a pile of red flags. Last week Sage published an “<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928231189400">expression of concern</a>” about the paper.

“As part of the investigation, we are looking into Dr. Adkins’ concerns as well as any concerns related to conflict of interest,” Sage spokesperson Camille Gamboa told States Newsroom in an email. The lead author of the paper, James Studnicki, who works for the anti-abortion think tank Charlotte Lozier Institute, is also on the<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/HME">&nbsp;editorial board</a>&nbsp;of “Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology.” Gamboa said that Studnicki, in accordance with his journal’s<a target="_blank" href="https://publicationethics.org/core-practices">&nbsp;ethics guidelines</a>, was “not involved in the decision-making process for this article.”

Adkins dissected this paper the way he used to as a onetime peer reviewer. He told States Newsroom that the authors exaggerated their findings and visually misrepresented them in ways that are “grossly misleading.” And that’s led to legal consequences. Except, he said, their study doesn’t actually show what Kacsmaryk said it does: that medication abortion leads to significantly high rates of complications.

“I can’t prove that there was intent to deceive, but I struggled to find an alternative reason to present your data in such a way that exaggerates the magnitude,” Adkins said. “They’re misrepresenting its conclusions to begin with. That’s my frustration with this whole process.”

For now, mifepristone remains legal (except in the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/see-data-reproductive-rights?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=0df6a929-cf53-4ee2-bb17-92127ecce75d">&nbsp;14 states with total abortion bans</a>). But this high-stakes federal lawsuit is ongoing,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/appeals-court-judges-embrace-anti-abortion-speculation">awaiting a decision</a>&nbsp;from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. And while Sage determines whether this study should have been published in the first place, plaintiffs continue wielding it as one of their best defenses against a safe drug protocol that is now the most common method of terminating a pregnancy (and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/the-latest/what-to-know-about-abortion-and-miscarriages-with-or-without-mifepristone">managing miscarriages</a>) post-Roe v. Wade.

Wading into politically charged science fights is new territory for Adkins. So is advocating for abortion rights, something he says he didn’t believe in when he was growing up in Amarillo, Texas, where the lawsuit was coincidentally filed. He said his views on abortion (and gender and climate science) radically shifted when he left his conservative hometown for graduate school and then became a scientist.

“I have significant concerns about the merits, legality, and use of shoddy studies and personal anecdotes to upend national healthcare policies essential to women’s reproductive health and bodily autonomy,” Adkins told States Newsroom. “To go out and say this drug needs to be, you know, removed from the market, it’s not honestly paying tribute to what the true science really is saying.”

Roe v. Wade was overturned on Adkins’ birthday last year — about a year before he would meet his first child. Living in South Carolina, where laws about pregnancy termination have toggled throughout the year, Adkins has been thinking often about the consequences of ending federal abortion rights. He’s grateful his wife didn’t have any pregnancy complications, but he worries about her reproductive freedom going forward, and that of their weeks-old daughter.

“I now have a daughter that is born in a world where there is no Roe v. Wade, no federal recognition that women have the right of bodily autonomy,” Adkins said. “And just, I don’t know. … I’m going to support her in whatever way I can.”

This lawsuit ultimately hinges on scientific questions: Was the science strong enough to justify the FDA’s approval of abortion drugs more than 20 years ago and then its relaxing of certain restrictions? And does the data predominantly show that medication abortion is safe and effective? Evidence in the affirmative, presented by the FDA’s defense team,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/01/health/abortion-pill-safety.html">&nbsp;outweighs</a>&nbsp;that of plaintiffs in volume and medical journal prestige.

Most drugs approved by the FDA come with some risk of side effects, but mifepristone’s risk level is<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/washington-fda-lawsuit-part-larger-strategy-preserve-abortion-access">&nbsp;significantly lower</a>&nbsp;than many commonly used over-the-counter drugs. In 23 years,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download">&nbsp;28 out of more than 5 million</a>&nbsp;medication-abortion patients have died, but not all necessarily because of mifepristone. Some died of sepsis, ectopic pregnancies, homicide and drug overdoses.

Still, plaintiffs who sued the FDA to revoke mifepristone’s approval&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">rely on studies that have been criticized — and on speculation</a>&nbsp;about a potential spike in future adverse events.

Many U.S. scientists and mainstream national medical institutions like the American Medical Association have asked the courts<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/ama-court-don-t-overturn-fda-approval-mifepristone">&nbsp;not to overturn</a>&nbsp;FDA approval of mifepristone, and have called out the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/judge-s-ruling-mifepristone-has-no-basis-medical-science">&nbsp;misuse of science</a>&nbsp;in the lawsuit. And yet, the conservative federal judges assigned to the case have<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/appeals-court-judges-embrace-anti-abortion-speculation">&nbsp;been nodding along</a>&nbsp;to plaintiffs’ hyperbolic arguments that abortion via medication leads to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">&nbsp;overwhelmed emergency rooms and blood supply shortages</a>.

One study that appears to have convinced Kacsmaryk that mifepristone causes high amounts of severe adverse events was authored by a half-dozen longtime anti-abortion activists. The study, “<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928211053965">A Longitudinal Cohort Study of Emergency Room Utilization Following Mifepristone Chemical and Surgical Abortions, 1999–2015</a>,” was funded by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the influential Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect federal and state anti-abortion lawmakers. The study was published in November 2021, exactly one year before plaintiffs filed in the Amarillo court. Charlotte Lozier filed a “<a target="_blank" href="https://lozierinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CLI-Final-Brief.pdf">friend of the court brief</a>,” citing its research.

All but one of the eight authors are affiliated with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, including principal author James Studnicki, who is the institute’s vice president and director of data analytics. Currently everyone on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/HME">editorial board</a>&nbsp;of “Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology” works for a university except for Studnicki, who until 2016 was a university professor focused on health policy and management for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/INAG/2019/08/27/file_attachments/1273796/77-2%20-%20Exhibit%20B.pdf#page=15">most of his career</a>. Now he works for an anti-abortion think tank and in recent years has served as a paid expert witness that defends anti-abortion laws in federal court.

Dr. Donna Harrison, another co-author, was until recently the CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one of the plaintiff medical groups suing the FDA over mifepristone. Another author is longtime anti-abortion activist David Reardon, who has a record of criticized research that tries to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/magazine/21abortion.t.html">directly link abortion to depression and suicide</a>.

The Studnicki et al. 2021 longitudinal study looked at people who had a surgical or medication abortion between 1999 and 2015. The researchers used data from 17 states that allow state Medicaid funding of abortion, and identified more than 400,000 abortion patients. Of those they found that more than one-quarter visited an emergency department within 30 days of having the abortion. Over the 16 years, they found that there were progressively more emergency room visits following a medication abortion than a surgical procedure. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lozierinstitute.org/public-health-threat-chemical-abortion-leads-to-significantly-higher-rate-of-er-visits/">authors claim</a>&nbsp;that between 2002 and 2015, there was a 500% increase in emergency room visits from people who had had a medication abortion within 30 days.

Following the study’s release in 2021, Studnicki penned an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/fdas-dangerous-unscientific-abortion-decision-opinion-1659296">opinion piece in Newsweek</a>, calling the study’s findings “clear and alarming.” “Post-abortion emergency room visits are increasing following any type of abortion, but visits following a chemical abortion are growing faster,” Studnicki wrote.

But Adkins and other researchers told States Newsroom that some of these findings are missing important context, and that the study’s major flaws are related to methodology and in how they communicate their findings:

Studnicki did not respond to a request for comment. He continues to defend the study, and recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/04/13/abortion-pill-safety/">told the Washington Post</a>&nbsp;that abortion rights groups are discounting ER visits as serious matters and underplaying potential complications from abortions involving mifepristone. He blames academic and media bias for the criticism the Charlotte Lozier Institute’s work has received.

“We have a very biased media,” Studnicki&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYwEC_CMW60">said on the Canadian podcast Pro-Life Guys</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. “Our media outlets are largely pro-abortion in their ideological posture. And we fight against that every day. But we’re just going to keep pounding on the rock basically.”

Adkins argues there is bias within Charlotte Lozier’s science and within the conservative courts hearing the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA lawsuit. Federal Judge Kacsmaryk used this paper (and a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35633832/">follow-up 2022 analysis</a>&nbsp;published in the same journal, by the same researchers) to argue that mifepristone leads to high complication rates. This summer the Charlotte Lozier team produced yet&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dovepress.com/getfile.php?fileID=90478">another study</a>&nbsp;using Medicaid data, this time published in the International Journal of Women’s Health, which concludes that a first pregnancy abortion compared with birth is associated with “significantly higher subsequent mental health services utilization.”

“The fact that, you know, the judge really gives a lot of credit to a very niche, a very small pocket of doctors that don’t fully represent consensus, that’s one of my big problems,” Adkins said.

In his April 7 ruling, Kacsmaryk also echoed plaintiffs’ arguments that the FDA has been undercounting adverse events related to mifepristone and<a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067.137.0_17.pdf#page=47">&nbsp;cited the other big finding</a>&nbsp;in the Studnicki paper, which is that some patients who have taken abortion drugs but come to the emergency room for observation or treatment are miscoded as miscarriage patients.

“Consequently, the treating physician may not know the adverse event is due to mifepristone,” Kacsmaryk wrote. “Studies support this conclusion by finding over sixty percent of women and girls’ emergency room visits after chemical abortions are miscoded as ‘miscarriages’ rather than adverse effects to mifepristone. Simply put, FDA’s data are incomplete and potentially misleading, as are the statistics touted by mifepristone advocates.”

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145.183.2_1.pdf">ultimately blocked April ruling</a>&nbsp;to temporarily reinstate old restrictions on medication abortion, referenced many of the same studies as Kascmaryk to justify the plaintiff doctors’ position, writing: “the risk of severe bleeding with chemical abortion is five times higher than from surgical abortion.”

Adkins said he believes that how the Charlotte Lozier team presented their data visually lends for judges to be misled about the significance of the paper’s findings. For example,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23333928211053965">Figure 3</a>&nbsp;showed about 800 emergency room visits in 2015 within 30 days of a medication abortion, out of more than 5,000 abortion-related visits, but the authors inexplicably used two different y axes to plot these numbers, making it possible to conclude that medication-abortion-related visits were numbered in the thousands.

“Scientific communication is something I deeply value, and I think this is an example of one way that misuse of science through improper communication can influence how public policy manifests itself, through a result of dishonest science,” Adkins said. “It really makes the likelihood of someone misreading that and then, for instance, Kacsmaryk coming back and saying the alleged adverse events from chemical abortion drugs can overwhelm the medical system. Well, maybe he didn’t scrutinize these figures if he read this paper. That’s a highly plausible outcome here because he’s basically thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, look at these numbers. They’re skyrocketing.’ When they’re really kind of not.”

For now, Adkins impatiently awaits the results of Sage’s probe into this study. A few months ago, he wrote a letter to Georgia U.S. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, one of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1620916653830868992">the few</a>&nbsp;licensed pharmacists in Congress, who joined other Republicans in supporting the plaintiffs’ lawsuit against the FDA. Carter is outspokenly anti-abortion, but Adkins tried to appeal to the congressman’s inner pharmacist.

“All practicing US pharmacists publicly recite an oath which affirms pharmacists’ embracement and advocacy for ‘changes that improve patient care,’” Adkins wrote in the letter, which he says the congressman never answered. “The case rendered in Amarillo only deteriorates patient care and sows unnecessary distrust of scientific and medical institutions in the United States.”

*Chris Adkins said his opinions are his own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of South University.

Study cited by judge in abortion-pill case under investigation

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A shooting early Sunday at a Kansas convenience store left a suspect dead and a police officer shot and hospitalized, Lenexa police said.

Leading up to the shooting, Lenexa police said they were searching for a reportedly stolen car. When officers found the vehicle, police said the driver struck a patrol car and fled.

Lenexa police chased the vehicle on Interstate 35 until two suspects got out and ran to a QuikTrip convenience store in Mission, Kansas.

Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect was shot and killed, and an officer was shot and hospitalized. Another suspect was arrested.

Lenexa police have not yet identified either of the suspects or the injured officer.

A Johnson County law enforcement team that is charged with reviewing officer-involved shootings is investigating.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691356366635.png" alt="A Johnson County law enforcement team that is charged with reviewing officer-involved shootings is investigating.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>A Johnson County law enforcement team that is charged with reviewing officer-involved shootings is investigating.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A shooting early Sunday at a Kansas convenience store left a suspect dead and a police officer shot and hospitalized, Lenexa police said.Leading up to the shooting, Lenexa police said they were searching for a reportedly stolen car. When officers found the vehicle, police said the driver struck a patrol car and fled.Lenexa police chased the vehicle on Interstate 35 until two suspects got out and ran to a QuikTrip convenience store in Mission, Kansas.Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect was shot and killed, and an officer was shot and hospitalized. Another suspect was arrested.Lenexa police have not yet identified either of the suspects or the injured officer.A Johnson County law enforcement team that is charged with reviewing officer-involved shootings is investigating.

Suspect killed, Kansas officer hospitalized after gunfight

By Paul Hamel <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Drivers on Nebraska roads are putting the pedal to the metal and getting pinched for it.

In July, troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol stopped 118 people for speeding at 100 mph or more — the most since July 2020.

Another 505 tickets were written for lead-footed driving of between 90 and 99 mph in July.

The Patrol reported that in 2023, 85 drivers per month, on average, have been ticketed for traveling above 100 mph and 421 per month for speeds between 90 and 99 mph.

The peak in tickets came during a national “Speed Catches Up with You” campaign, from July 10-31, to deter speeding.

“The statistics are clear: Speeding plays a factor in a large percentage of serious injury or fatal crashes,” said Col. John Bolduc, the Patrol’s superintendent.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2258">in a 2022 study in Virginia,</a>&nbsp;blamed the COVID-19 pandemic — and the emptier roads that resulted — for a 50% increase in excessive speeding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691327548724.png" alt="Traffic flows along Interstate 80 east of exit 432. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Traffic flows along Interstate 80 east of exit 432. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Paul Hamel <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Drivers on Nebraska roads are putting the pedal to the metal and getting pinched for it.In July, troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol stopped 118 people for speeding at 100 mph or more — the most since July 2020.Another 505 tickets were written for lead-footed driving of between 90 and 99 mph in July.The Patrol reported that in 2023, 85 drivers per month, on average, have been ticketed for traveling above 100 mph and 421 per month for speeds between 90 and 99 mph.The peak in tickets came during a national “Speed Catches Up with You” campaign, from July 10-31, to deter speeding.“The statistics are clear: Speeding plays a factor in a large percentage of serious injury or fatal crashes,” said Col. John Bolduc, the Patrol’s superintendent.The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2258">in a 2022 study in Virginia,</a>&nbsp;blamed the COVID-19 pandemic — and the emptier roads that resulted — for a 50% increase in excessive speeding.

Lead-footed driving over 100 mph leads to peak in State Patrol tickets

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Justice Department has asked a federal judge overseeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-a79f2d3683c7591058635c9b3d870070">criminal case against former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in Washington to step in after he released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.

Prosecutors on Friday requested that U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issue a protective order concerning evidence in the case, a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/explain-charges-trump-indictment-jan-6-investigation-7efd7577e41f0cbf9c697fa4613f93a3">trying to overturn his 2020 election loss</a>&nbsp;and block the peaceful transition of power. The order, different from a “gag order,” would limit what information Trump and his legal team could share publicly about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;

Chutkan on Saturday gave Trump’s legal team until 5 p.m. Monday to respond to the government’s request. Trump's legal team, which has indicated he would look to slow the case down despite prosecutors’ pledge of a speedy trial, then filed a request to extend the response deadline to Thursday and to hold a hearing on the matter, saying it needed more time for discussion.

Chutkan swiftly denied that extension request Saturday evening, reaffirming that Trump must abide by Monday's deadline.

Protective orders are common in criminal cases, but prosecutors said it's “particularly important in this case” because Trump has posted on social media about "witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him."

Prosecutors pointed specifically to a post on Trump's Truth Social platform from earlier Friday in which Trump wrote, in all capital letters, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”

Prosecutors said they are ready to hand over a "substantial" amount of evidence — “much of which includes sensitive and confidential information” — to Trump's legal team.

They told the judge that if Trump were to begin posting about grand jury transcripts or other evidence provided by the Justice Department, it could have a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case.”

Prosecutors' proposed protective 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 would include grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.

A Trump spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the former president's post “is the definition of political speech,” and was made in response to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”

Chutkan, a former assistant public defender nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-only-on-ap-donald-trump-government-and-politics-sentencing-de394dd56b3251aac5a50014f4d6afa7">one of the toughest punishers of rioters</a>&nbsp;who stormed the Capitol in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, fueled by Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election.

The indictment unsealed this past week accuses Republican Trump of brazenly conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes intended to overturn his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden as his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-losing-election-lawsuits-36d113484ac0946fa5f0614deb7de15e">legal challenges floundered in court.</a>

The indictment chronicles how Trump and his allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a “bedrock function of the U.S. government,” repeatedly lied about the results in the two months after he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence</a>, and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.

Trump faces charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.

It's the third criminal case brought this year against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the early front-runner</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it’s the first case to try to hold Trump responsible for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">efforts to remain in power</a>&nbsp;during the chaotic weeks between his election loss and the attack by his supporters on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.</a>

Smith has also charged Trump in Florida federal court with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and thwarting government efforts to get them back.

The magistrate judge in that case agreed to a protective order in June that prohibits Trump and his legal team from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to them by prosecutors without prior approval. Prosecutors are seeking another protective order in that case with more rules about the defense team's handling of classified evidence.

After his court appearance on Thursday in the Washington case, Trump characterized the prosecution as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign. His legal team has described it as an attack on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.

On Saturday night to more than 1,000 attendees at the South Carolina Republican Party's 56th annual Silver Elephant Gala, Trump kept up his attacks on Smith, sticking to his usual caricature of the prosecutor as “deranged" for pursuing charges against him.

Smith has said prosecutors will seek a “speedy trial" against Trump in the election case. Judge Chutkan has ordered the government to file a brief by Thursday proposing a trial date. The first court hearing in front of Chutkan is scheduled for Aug. 28.

Trump is already scheduled to stand trial in March in the New York case stemming from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign</a>&nbsp;and in May in the classified documents case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091392217.png" alt="Former Presiden Donald Trump as he arrives Thursday in Washington for the arraignment-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former Presiden Donald Trump as he arrives Thursday in Washington for the arraignment-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Justice Department has asked a federal judge overseeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-a79f2d3683c7591058635c9b3d870070">criminal case against former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in Washington to step in after he released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691329048946.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors on Friday requested that U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issue a protective order concerning evidence in the case, a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/explain-charges-trump-indictment-jan-6-investigation-7efd7577e41f0cbf9c697fa4613f93a3">trying to overturn his 2020 election loss</a>&nbsp;and block the peaceful transition of power. The order, different from a “gag order,” would limit what information Trump and his legal team could share publicly about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;Chutkan on Saturday gave Trump’s legal team until 5 p.m. Monday to respond to the government’s request. Trump's legal team, which has indicated he would look to slow the case down despite prosecutors’ pledge of a speedy trial, then filed a request to extend the response deadline to Thursday and to hold a hearing on the matter, saying it needed more time for discussion.Chutkan swiftly denied that extension request Saturday evening, reaffirming that Trump must abide by Monday's deadline.Protective orders are common in criminal cases, but prosecutors said it's “particularly important in this case” because Trump has posted on social media about "witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him."Prosecutors pointed specifically to a post on Trump's Truth Social platform from earlier Friday in which Trump wrote, in all capital letters, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”Prosecutors said they are ready to hand over a "substantial" amount of evidence — “much of which includes sensitive and confidential information” — to Trump's legal team.They told the judge that if Trump were to begin posting about grand jury transcripts or other evidence provided by the Justice Department, it could have a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case.”Prosecutors' proposed protective 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 would include grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.A Trump spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the former president's post “is the definition of political speech,” and was made in response to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”Chutkan, a former assistant public defender nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-only-on-ap-donald-trump-government-and-politics-sentencing-de394dd56b3251aac5a50014f4d6afa7">one of the toughest punishers of rioters</a>&nbsp;who stormed the Capitol in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, fueled by Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election.The indictment unsealed this past week accuses Republican Trump of brazenly conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes intended to overturn his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden as his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-losing-election-lawsuits-36d113484ac0946fa5f0614deb7de15e">legal challenges floundered in court.</a>The indictment chronicles how Trump and his allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a “bedrock function of the U.S. government,” repeatedly lied about the results in the two months after he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence</a>, and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.Trump faces charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.It's the third criminal case brought this year against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the early front-runner</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it’s the first case to try to hold Trump responsible for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">efforts to remain in power</a>&nbsp;during the chaotic weeks between his election loss and the attack by his supporters on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.</a>Smith has also charged Trump in Florida federal court with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and thwarting government efforts to get them back.The magistrate judge in that case agreed to a protective order in June that prohibits Trump and his legal team from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to them by prosecutors without prior approval. Prosecutors are seeking another protective order in that case with more rules about the defense team's handling of classified evidence.After his court appearance on Thursday in the Washington case, Trump characterized the prosecution as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign. His legal team has described it as an attack on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.On Saturday night to more than 1,000 attendees at the South Carolina Republican Party's 56th annual Silver Elephant Gala, Trump kept up his attacks on Smith, sticking to his usual caricature of the prosecutor as “deranged" for pursuing charges against him.Smith has said prosecutors will seek a “speedy trial" against Trump in the election case. Judge Chutkan has ordered the government to file a brief by Thursday proposing a trial date. The first court hearing in front of Chutkan is scheduled for Aug. 28.Trump is already scheduled to stand trial in March in the New York case stemming from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign</a>&nbsp;and in May in the classified documents case.____

Prosecutors ask judge to issue protective order after Trump post appearing to promise revenge

CLAY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged burglary and asking the public for help identifying suspects.

On Friday, police received a report of an aggravated burglary and attempted robbery in the 700 block of Liberty Street. in Clay Center, according to a media release. The suspects fled before officers arrived. They are described as&nbsp;two black males between the ages of 15 and 20 years old. They 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and&nbsp; had shoulder-length dreadlocks.

One suspect was wearing an orange hoodie, camouflaged pants, one black shoe and one white shoe.

The other suspect was wearing a white or light gray zip-up jacket with a hood, blue jeans with two medium-sized holes on both pant legs and black shoes. He also had some of the ends of his dreadlocks dyed white. 

No weapons were reported to have been used.&nbsp; Anyone has knowledge or knows the identity of either suspect, please notify the Clay Center Police Department at 785-632-2121, and do not contact either of the suspects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691322563658.png" alt="Security camera images Clay Center Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Clay Center Police</figcaption>
 </figure>CLAY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged burglary and asking the public for help identifying suspects.On Friday, police received a report of an aggravated burglary and attempted robbery in the 700 block of Liberty Street. in Clay Center, according to a media release. The suspects fled before officers arrived. They are described as&nbsp;two black males between the ages of 15 and 20 years old. They 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and&nbsp; had shoulder-length dreadlocks.One suspect was wearing an orange hoodie, camouflaged pants, one black shoe and one white shoe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691323645822.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The other suspect was wearing a white or light gray zip-up jacket with a hood, blue jeans with two medium-sized holes on both pant legs and black shoes. He also had some of the ends of his dreadlocks dyed white. No weapons were reported to have been used.&nbsp; Anyone has knowledge or knows the identity of either suspect, please notify the Clay Center Police Department at 785-632-2121, and do not contact either of the suspects.

Police ask for help to ID Kansas burglary suspects 

Maternal health advocate says prospective parents worry about child care, birth complications

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp; Kansas documented the state’s lowest-ever recorded birth rate for the 2022 year, according to a preliminary report.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29633/Preliminary-Birth-Report-2022-PDF">annual report</a>&nbsp;shows the number of births in the state dropped slightly from 2021. Last year’s report&nbsp;documented 34,697 births in 2021, with a birth rate of 11.8 per 1,000 people. The preliminary 2022 report recorded 34,376 births across the state, with a birth rate of 11.7 per 1,000 people.

Seven counties accounted for about 60% of the state’s births for the year: Douglas, Geary, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte.

Unmarried mothers made up 36% of all births with 12,370 reported. The rate of births to teenagers between the ages of 15-19 remained at 4.7%, unchanged from the previous year’s rate. Most births were recorded for mothers between the ages of 25-29, with 10,579 births. The next most prolific age bracket was mothers between 30-34, with 9,799 births.

The 2022 birth rate is the lowest rate recorded since the state began keeping vital records in a centralized system in 1911. The state has recorded declining birth rates since 2008, reflecting a national downward trend.

Brenda Bandy,&nbsp;executive director of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, said she frequently heard from young women who were concerned about childbirth complications in recent months, a concern that she hadn’t encountered before in her 20 years of work in the field.

“I can tell you for the first time, I am hearing people are afraid of childbirth,” Bandy said. “And I have never heard that before. They appear to be perfectly healthy, young women that are contemplating having birth and they’re actually worried about their safety. And I think the national conversation about maternal mortality, moms dying in childbirth, the complications, many of them are very public.”

“It gets the public’s attention,” Bandy added. “I’m hearing this from women of all races, but predominantly women of color.”

Women across the U.S. face a heightened risk of dying from pregnancy or pregnancy-related complications in recent years, a study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Mass General Brigham found.

Researchers in the study conducted a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2806661">state-by-state analysis of maternal deaths</a>&nbsp;rates for 1999-2019 and found Kansas experienced some of the nation’s largest spikes in terms of American Indian and Alaska Native populations, and had consistently high risk levels for Black mothers.

The study also found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/13/racial-disparities-in-infant-mortalities-persist-despite-record-low-rates-in-kansas/">Black mothers in the state</a>&nbsp;had higher death rates than the surrounding states in many of the years studied. In 2019, Black women were more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes in Kansas as in Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado.

Bandy said child care and parental leave also were important factors for potential parents. Kansas currently faces a child care shortage.

“We don’t make it easy to be a parent, especially a parent with a newborn,” Bandy said. “If you survive childbirth, then having to manage and navigate that return to work when maybe you don’t have any paid leave.”

Kansas follows a national trend of declining birth rates as<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr028.pdf">&nbsp;access to contraception improved, more women entered the workforce and concerns rose over high costs of childrearing amid inflation. The COVID-19 pandemic also has been an ongoing factor.</a>

A preliminary&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr028.pdf">analysis of 2022 birth records</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found the country’s 2022 birth rate remained below pre-pandemic levels, though the numbers were roughly equivalent to 2021 figures.

Overall, there were 3,661,220 recorded U.S. births in 2022, a “nonsignificant decline” from 2021’s 3,664,292 recorded births, with a general fertility rate of 56.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

Sarah Hayford,&nbsp;a professor of sociology at Ohio State University who studies national birth rate trends, said U.S. birth rates had been declining since the great recession of 2008.

Hayford said economic instability was a factor in the low rates.

“Everybody who studied these issues kind of thought that after the recession was over, birth rates would go back up and sort of come back to more the levels that they have been,” Hayford said. “And we’ve just never seen that rebound from after the Great Recession and birth rates have continued to decline.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687826476734.png" alt="Women across the U.S. face a heightened risk of dying from pregnancy or pregnancy-related complications in recent years" />
 <figcaption>Women across the U.S. face a heightened risk of dying from pregnancy or pregnancy-related complications in recent years</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Maternal health advocate says prospective parents worry about child care, birth complications</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp; Kansas documented the state’s lowest-ever recorded birth rate for the 2022 year, according to a preliminary report.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29633/Preliminary-Birth-Report-2022-PDF">annual report</a>&nbsp;shows the number of births in the state dropped slightly from 2021. Last year’s report&nbsp;documented 34,697 births in 2021, with a birth rate of 11.8 per 1,000 people. The preliminary 2022 report recorded 34,376 births across the state, with a birth rate of 11.7 per 1,000 people.Seven counties accounted for about 60% of the state’s births for the year: Douglas, Geary, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte.Unmarried mothers made up 36% of all births with 12,370 reported. The rate of births to teenagers between the ages of 15-19 remained at 4.7%, unchanged from the previous year’s rate. Most births were recorded for mothers between the ages of 25-29, with 10,579 births. The next most prolific age bracket was mothers between 30-34, with 9,799 births.The 2022 birth rate is the lowest rate recorded since the state began keeping vital records in a centralized system in 1911. The state has recorded declining birth rates since 2008, reflecting a national downward trend.Brenda Bandy,&nbsp;executive director of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, said she frequently heard from young women who were concerned about childbirth complications in recent months, a concern that she hadn’t encountered before in her 20 years of work in the field.“I can tell you for the first time, I am hearing people are afraid of childbirth,” Bandy said. “And I have never heard that before. They appear to be perfectly healthy, young women that are contemplating having birth and they’re actually worried about their safety. And I think the national conversation about maternal mortality, moms dying in childbirth, the complications, many of them are very public.”“It gets the public’s attention,” Bandy added. “I’m hearing this from women of all races, but predominantly women of color.”Women across the U.S. face a heightened risk of dying from pregnancy or pregnancy-related complications in recent years, a study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Mass General Brigham found.Researchers in the study conducted a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2806661">state-by-state analysis of maternal deaths</a>&nbsp;rates for 1999-2019 and found Kansas experienced some of the nation’s largest spikes in terms of American Indian and Alaska Native populations, and had consistently high risk levels for Black mothers.The study also found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/05/13/racial-disparities-in-infant-mortalities-persist-despite-record-low-rates-in-kansas/">Black mothers in the state</a>&nbsp;had higher death rates than the surrounding states in many of the years studied. In 2019, Black women were more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes in Kansas as in Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado.Bandy said child care and parental leave also were important factors for potential parents. Kansas currently faces a child care shortage.“We don’t make it easy to be a parent, especially a parent with a newborn,” Bandy said. “If you survive childbirth, then having to manage and navigate that return to work when maybe you don’t have any paid leave.”Kansas follows a national trend of declining birth rates as<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr028.pdf">&nbsp;access to contraception improved, more women entered the workforce and concerns rose over high costs of childrearing amid inflation. The COVID-19 pandemic also has been an ongoing factor.</a>A preliminary&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr028.pdf">analysis of 2022 birth records</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found the country’s 2022 birth rate remained below pre-pandemic levels, though the numbers were roughly equivalent to 2021 figures.Overall, there were 3,661,220 recorded U.S. births in 2022, a “nonsignificant decline” from 2021’s 3,664,292 recorded births, with a general fertility rate of 56.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.Sarah Hayford,&nbsp;a professor of sociology at Ohio State University who studies national birth rate trends, said U.S. birth rates had been declining since the great recession of 2008.Hayford said economic instability was a factor in the low rates.“Everybody who studied these issues kind of thought that after the recession was over, birth rates would go back up and sort of come back to more the levels that they have been,” Hayford said. “And we’ve just never seen that rebound from after the Great Recession and birth rates have continued to decline.”

Kansas birth rate hits all-time low as women contemplate health, finances

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas bar where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wichita-kansas-nonfatal-shooting-10-victims-52a54e67b7c6510a9a6534b15d6a5b21">nine people were wounded by gunfire</a>&nbsp;last month has permanently closed.

An attorney for City Nightz told the Wichita Eagle that the club owner felt he had no choice but to close because of all the negative publicity and because police blaming the bar for the shooting.

“The city has basically made it so burdensome to stay open, they can’t stay open,” attorney Charley O’Hara said. “He feels like he was singled out and blamed for a lot of things that happen all over the city and they don’t blame other people.”

The city suspended City Nightz's liquor license for 30 days after the shooting, and the year-old club never reopened.

Nine people were shot July 2 and two others trampled in the chaos afterward. No one died. Police have said that the seven men and two women who were shot ranged in age from 22 to 34.

Several people have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-nightclub-shooting-arrest-2daef0671fcdc7991282e30df699cb4a">arrested</a>. A St. Louis-area man was arrested July 3, but prosecutors later determined he fired his gun to defend himself after shots were fired by others.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas bar where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wichita-kansas-nonfatal-shooting-10-victims-52a54e67b7c6510a9a6534b15d6a5b21">nine people were wounded by gunfire</a>&nbsp;last month has permanently closed.An attorney for City Nightz told the Wichita Eagle that the club owner felt he had no choice but to close because of all the negative publicity and because police blaming the bar for the shooting.“The city has basically made it so burdensome to stay open, they can’t stay open,” attorney Charley O’Hara said. “He feels like he was singled out and blamed for a lot of things that happen all over the city and they don’t blame other people.”The city suspended City Nightz's liquor license for 30 days after the shooting, and the year-old club never reopened.Nine people were shot July 2 and two others trampled in the chaos afterward. No one died. Police have said that the seven men and two women who were shot ranged in age from 22 to 34.Several people have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-nightclub-shooting-arrest-2daef0671fcdc7991282e30df699cb4a">arrested</a>. A St. Louis-area man was arrested July 3, but prosecutors later determined he fired his gun to defend himself after shots were fired by others.

 Kansas bar where gunfire wounded 9 will not reopen

KANSAS CITY —A judge sentenced a Kansas City-area man to 24 years in prison after he was convicted by a jury of sexual assaults involving a child, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Jeremy S. Callihan, 36, Raytown, was sentenced to 20 years for a conviction of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree and four years for a conviction of Sexual Misconduct with a Child under 15. The judge set those sentences to run consecutively for a total of 24 years.

A Jackson County jury convicted Callihan in March, following a trial. The jury recommended a sentence of 24 years.

According to court records, in October 2019 Raytown Police were alerted to allegations of the Callihan having sexual contact with a child in a Raytown residence. Detectives investigated and observed a forensic interview of the victim at the Child Protection Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691070534496.png" alt="Callihan-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Callihan-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge sentenced a Kansas City-area man to 24 years in prison after he was convicted by a jury of sexual assaults involving a child, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Jeremy S. Callihan, 36, Raytown, was sentenced to 20 years for a conviction of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree and four years for a conviction of Sexual Misconduct with a Child under 15. The judge set those sentences to run consecutively for a total of 24 years.A Jackson County jury convicted Callihan in March, following a trial. The jury recommended a sentence of 24 years.According to court records, in October 2019 Raytown Police were alerted to allegations of the Callihan having sexual contact with a child in a Raytown residence. Detectives investigated and observed a forensic interview of the victim at the Child Protection Center.

KC-area man sentenced for sexual assault involving a child

CAMDEN COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Saturday in Camden County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1986 Honda motorcycle driven by Robert D. Eaton, 28, Camdenton, was southbound on MO 7 just north of Devanna Drive.

The motorcycle traveled off the right side of the road, became airborne, struck a telephone pole, overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp;

Eaton was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Allee Home Howe Funeral Home. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, BECAME AIRBORNE, STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AND OVERTURNED. DRIVER 1 WAS EJECTED. PRONOUNCED AT THE SCENE AT 1521 HOURS BY DR WILLIAM CRAVENS. ASSISTED BY CPL M R PARKER ( 816). THIS IS TROOP F'S 26'S FATALITY FOR 2023 AND THE FIRST FOR AUGUST

CAMDEN COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Saturday in Camden County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1986 Honda motorcycle driven by Robert D. Eaton, 28, Camdenton, was southbound on MO 7 just north of Devanna Drive.The motorcycle traveled off the right side of the road, became airborne, struck a telephone pole, overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp;Eaton was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Allee Home Howe Funeral Home. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, BECAME AIRBORNE, STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AND OVERTURNED. DRIVER 1 WAS EJECTED. PRONOUNCED AT THE SCENE AT 1521 HOURS BY DR WILLIAM CRAVENS. ASSISTED BY CPL M R PARKER ( 816). THIS IS TROOP F'S 26'S FATALITY FOR 2023 AND THE FIRST FOR AUGUST

Missouri man dies after motorcycle strikes telephone pole

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of business burglaries and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;

On July 31, police were dispatched to Killer Custom Wraps,&nbsp;631 NW Tyler Court in Topeka, in reference to a burglary to the business, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

Upon arrival it was found that multiple business adjacent to Killer Custom Wraps had been burglarized as well. 

The Topeka Police Department received information from the public that a vehicle believed to be involved with the burglary had been seen in the North Topeka Area. 

On August 1, police located the vehicle in question in the 1300 Block of NW Jackson Street and took one individual into custody believed to be involved in the burglary.

After further investigation, Topeka Police Department Detectives served a search warrant at the location. and recovered items related to the burglary, as well as narcotics and paraphernalia.

As a result of the investigation police arrested 43-year-old Fredrick C. Lowe, of Topeka on requested charges of Burglary, Possession of stolen property,&nbsp;Possession of Marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He remains jailed on a $5,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1690973214726.png" alt="Lowe-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lowe-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of business burglaries and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;On July 31, police were dispatched to Killer Custom Wraps,&nbsp;631 NW Tyler Court in Topeka, in reference to a burglary to the business, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.Upon arrival it was found that multiple business adjacent to Killer Custom Wraps had been burglarized as well. The Topeka Police Department received information from the public that a vehicle believed to be involved with the burglary had been seen in the North Topeka Area. On August 1, police located the vehicle in question in the 1300 Block of NW Jackson Street and took one individual into custody believed to be involved in the burglary.After further investigation, Topeka Police Department Detectives served a search warrant at the location. and recovered items related to the burglary, as well as narcotics and paraphernalia.As a result of the investigation police arrested 43-year-old Fredrick C. Lowe, of Topeka on requested charges of Burglary, Possession of stolen property,&nbsp;Possession of Marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He remains jailed on a $5,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Man accused in series of Kansas business burglaries

&nbsp;HARPER COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 7a.m. Saturday in Harper County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford F150 driven by James N. Robb, 81, Danville, was southbound on NE 80th Avenue just north of Danville, Kansas.&nbsp;

The pickup traveled through a railroad crossing arm that was down and struck the&nbsp; side of an eastbound train.&nbsp; After impact the pickup entered the east ditch and overturned.

Robb was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Prairie Rose Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

&nbsp;HARPER COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 7a.m. Saturday in Harper County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford F150 driven by James N. Robb, 81, Danville, was southbound on NE 80th Avenue just north of Danville, Kansas.&nbsp;The pickup traveled through a railroad crossing arm that was down and struck the&nbsp; side of an eastbound train.&nbsp; After impact the pickup entered the east ditch and overturned.Robb was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Prairie Rose Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup crash into train 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug allegations.

On Wednesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at a home in the 400 Block SE 27th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell

As a result of the investigation, officers took 58-year-old Roland Broadnax; 57-year-old Peter Evans and 66-year-old Johnnie Sanders to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

&nbsp;Broadnax and Sanders are being being held on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Evans was accused of&nbsp;Possession of drug paraphernalia. Sanders also faces a marijuana possession charge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691070107515.png" alt="Broadnax-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Broadnax-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug allegations.On Wednesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at a home in the 400 Block SE 27th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691070150700.png" alt="Sanders-photo Shawne Co." />
 <figcaption>Sanders-photo Shawne Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result of the investigation, officers took 58-year-old Roland Broadnax; 57-year-old Peter Evans and 66-year-old Johnnie Sanders to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.&nbsp;Broadnax and Sanders are being being held on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691070213251.png" alt="Evans-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Evans-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Evans was accused of&nbsp;Possession of drug paraphernalia. Sanders also faces a marijuana possession charge.

Drug task force investigation found cocaine at Kansas home

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — Hospitals and clinics in several states on Friday began the time-consuming process of recovering from a cyberattack that disrupted their computer systems, forcing some emergency rooms to shut down and ambulances to be diverted.

Many primary care services at facilities run by Prospect Medical Holdings remained closed on Friday as security experts worked to determine the extent of the problem and resolve it.

John Riggi, the American Hospital Association's national advisory for cybersecurity and risk, said the recovery process can often take weeks, with hospitals in the meantime reverting to paper systems and humans to do things such as monitor equipment and run records between departments.

“These are threat-to-life crimes, which risk not only the safety of the patients within the hospital, but also risk the safety of the entire community that depends on the availability of that emergency department to be there," Riggi said.

The latest “data security incident” began Thursday at facilities operated by Prospect, which is based in California and has hospitals and clinics there and in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

“Upon learning of this, we took our systems offline to protect them and launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists,” the company said in a statement Friday. “While our investigation continues, we are focused on addressing the pressing needs of our patients as we work diligently to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.”

In Connecticut, the emergency departments at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospital were closed for much of Thursday and patients were diverted to other nearby medical centers.

“We have a national Prospect team working and evaluating the impact of the attack on all of the organizations,” Jillian Menzel, chief operating officer for the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, said in a statement.

The FBI in Connecticut issued a statement saying it is working with “law enforcement partners and the victim entities” but could not comment further on an ongoing investigation.

Elective surgeries, outpatient appointments, blood drives and other services were suspended, and while the emergency departments reopened late Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.echn.org/patients-and-visitors/closings/">many primary care services were closed on Friday</a>, according to the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which runs the facilities. Patients were being contacted individually, according to the network's website.

Similar disruptions also were reported at other facilities system-wide.

"Waterbury Hospital is following downtime procedures, including the use of paper records, until the situation is resolved,” spokeswoman Lauresha Xhihani, said in a statement. “We are working closely with IT security experts to resolve it as quickly as possible.”

In Pennsylvania, the attack affected services at facilities including the Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and Springfield Hospital in Springfield,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inquirer.com/health/crozer-health-computer-systems-down-20230803.html">according the Philadelphia Inquirer.</a>

In California, the company has seven hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties including two behavioral health facilities and a 130-bed acute care hospital in Los Angeles, according to Prospect's website. Messages sent to representatives for these hospitals were not immediately returned.

Globally, the healthcare industry was the hardest-hit by cyberattacks in the year ending in March, according to IBM’s annual report on data breaches. For the 13th straight year it reported the most expensive breaches, averaging $11 million each. Next was the financial sector at $5.9 million.

Healthcare providers are a common target for criminal extortionists because they have so much sensitive patient data, including health care histories, payment information, and even critical research data, Riggi said.

Riggi, a former cybersecurity specialist with the FBI, said hospitals have been working to put in place better safeguards and more backup systems to prevent such attacks and respond to them when they occur. But he said it is almost impossible to make them completely safe, especially because the systems need to rely on Internet and network-connected technologies to share patient information among clinicians involved in a patient's care.

“Overall, that's a good thing,” he said. “But it also expands our digital attack surface.”

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — Hospitals and clinics in several states on Friday began the time-consuming process of recovering from a cyberattack that disrupted their computer systems, forcing some emergency rooms to shut down and ambulances to be diverted.Many primary care services at facilities run by Prospect Medical Holdings remained closed on Friday as security experts worked to determine the extent of the problem and resolve it.John Riggi, the American Hospital Association's national advisory for cybersecurity and risk, said the recovery process can often take weeks, with hospitals in the meantime reverting to paper systems and humans to do things such as monitor equipment and run records between departments.“These are threat-to-life crimes, which risk not only the safety of the patients within the hospital, but also risk the safety of the entire community that depends on the availability of that emergency department to be there," Riggi said.The latest “data security incident” began Thursday at facilities operated by Prospect, which is based in California and has hospitals and clinics there and in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.“Upon learning of this, we took our systems offline to protect them and launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists,” the company said in a statement Friday. “While our investigation continues, we are focused on addressing the pressing needs of our patients as we work diligently to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.”In Connecticut, the emergency departments at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospital were closed for much of Thursday and patients were diverted to other nearby medical centers.“We have a national Prospect team working and evaluating the impact of the attack on all of the organizations,” Jillian Menzel, chief operating officer for the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, said in a statement.The FBI in Connecticut issued a statement saying it is working with “law enforcement partners and the victim entities” but could not comment further on an ongoing investigation.Elective surgeries, outpatient appointments, blood drives and other services were suspended, and while the emergency departments reopened late Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.echn.org/patients-and-visitors/closings/">many primary care services were closed on Friday</a>, according to the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which runs the facilities. Patients were being contacted individually, according to the network's website.Similar disruptions also were reported at other facilities system-wide."Waterbury Hospital is following downtime procedures, including the use of paper records, until the situation is resolved,” spokeswoman Lauresha Xhihani, said in a statement. “We are working closely with IT security experts to resolve it as quickly as possible.”In Pennsylvania, the attack affected services at facilities including the Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and Springfield Hospital in Springfield,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inquirer.com/health/crozer-health-computer-systems-down-20230803.html">according the Philadelphia Inquirer.</a>In California, the company has seven hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties including two behavioral health facilities and a 130-bed acute care hospital in Los Angeles, according to Prospect's website. Messages sent to representatives for these hospitals were not immediately returned.Globally, the healthcare industry was the hardest-hit by cyberattacks in the year ending in March, according to IBM’s annual report on data breaches. For the 13th straight year it reported the most expensive breaches, averaging $11 million each. Next was the financial sector at $5.9 million.Healthcare providers are a common target for criminal extortionists because they have so much sensitive patient data, including health care histories, payment information, and even critical research data, Riggi said.Riggi, a former cybersecurity specialist with the FBI, said hospitals have been working to put in place better safeguards and more backup systems to prevent such attacks and respond to them when they occur. But he said it is almost impossible to make them completely safe, especially because the systems need to rely on Internet and network-connected technologies to share patient information among clinicians involved in a patient's care.“Overall, that's a good thing,” he said. “But it also expands our digital attack surface.”

Cyberattack disrupted hospitals and health care in several states

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas man on multiple charges after a standoff.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police received information that a wanted Suspect was in the 2600 block of SE 11th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Officers responded to the area, and determined that the suspect identified as&nbsp;Feliciano J. Anguiano IV, 21, of Topeka, was inside of a residence. 

Crisis negotiators responded to the scene, and Anguiano eventually exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident

As a result of the investigation,&nbsp; Anguiano was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the following charges on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Felony Obstruction, a Felony Shawnee county arrest warrant and a&nbsp;Misdemeanor Jackson county arrest warrant, according to Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691162759217.png" alt="Anguiano IV-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Anguiano IV-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas man on multiple charges after a standoff.Just after 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police received information that a wanted Suspect was in the 2600 block of SE 11th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Officers responded to the area, and determined that the suspect identified as&nbsp;Feliciano J. Anguiano IV, 21, of Topeka, was inside of a residence. Crisis negotiators responded to the scene, and Anguiano eventually exited the residence and was taken into custody without incidentAs a result of the investigation,&nbsp; Anguiano was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the following charges on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Felony Obstruction, a Felony Shawnee county arrest warrant and a&nbsp;Misdemeanor Jackson county arrest warrant, according to Stanley.

Wanted suspect arrested after standoff at Kansas home

FATIMA, Portugal (AP) — Pope Francis visited the Portuguese town of Fatima on Saturday to pray for peace at a shrine known for apocalyptic prophesies of hell, peace and Soviet communism that have found new relevance with Russia’s war in Ukraine.

But for the third time of his trip to Portugal for World Youth Day, Francis ditched his prepared remarks and didn’t even recite a prayer written for the occasion pleading for peace. The prayer had been expected to be a highlight of Francis’ visit to Fatima, given the shrine’s century-old affiliation with exhortations of peace and conversion in Russia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691249361207.png" alt="Pope Francis arrives surrounded by bodyguards at Our Lady of Fatima shrine in Fatima, central Portugal Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. Pope Francis is in Portugal through the weekend into Sunday's 37th World Youth Day to preside over the jamboree that St. John Paul II launched in the 1980s to encourage young Catholics in their faith. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis arrives surrounded by bodyguards at Our Lady of Fatima shrine in Fatima, central Portugal Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. Pope Francis is in Portugal through the weekend into Sunday's 37th World Youth Day to preside over the jamboree that St. John Paul II launched in the 1980s to encourage young Catholics in their faith. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)</figcaption>
 </figure>FATIMA, Portugal (AP) — Pope Francis visited the Portuguese town of Fatima on Saturday to pray for peace at a shrine known for apocalyptic prophesies of hell, peace and Soviet communism that have found new relevance with Russia’s war in Ukraine.But for the third time of his trip to Portugal for World Youth Day, Francis ditched his prepared remarks and didn’t even recite a prayer written for the occasion pleading for peace. The prayer had been expected to be a highlight of Francis’ visit to Fatima, given the shrine’s century-old affiliation with exhortations of peace and conversion in Russia.Francis instead “prayed silently for peace, with pain,” while meditating for a long period before a statue of the Virgin Mary, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. And the Vatican later tweeted the prayer.The unusual morning unfolded at the shrine where,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-europe-religion-prayer-communism-9df80314be754c4aa3de4403cd5ecced">according to legend,</a>&nbsp;three young peasant children in 1917 saw visions of the Madonna. The apparitions turned the small town nestled in the fields of vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards north of Lisbon into one of the most popular Marian pilgrimage sites in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year.On Saturday, an estimated 200,000 turned out for Francis’ visit, packing the central esplanade long before the red-tinted moon set and the sun rose. Nearby wildfires turned the sky smoky black and sent ash snowing down on the crowd.Francis’ visit marked a side trip from his main program in Lisbon to preside over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-portugal-students-economic-justice-environment-bb708ed61f35b54ddb28a04b43bcd9e1">World Youth Day Catholic festival.</a>&nbsp;The featured protagonists in Fatima were also young, including some young people with disabilities who read aloud prayers and young inmates who were allowed to attend. Babies were out in force, as parents offered them up to Francis to bless as he looped through the crowd in his popemobile.“We are here with great joy," said Maria Florido, a 24-year-old Spaniard who also saw Francis in Lisbon. "We woke up very early to come here and see the pope ... and we’re here with great enthusiasm.”The Fatima story dates back to 1917, when according to tradition, Portuguese siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia said the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times and confided to them three secrets. The first two described an apocalyptic image of hell, foretold the end of World War I and the start of World War II, and portended the rise and fall of Soviet communism.In 2000, the Vatican disclosed the long-awaited third secret, describing it as foretelling the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt against St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, which fell on the anniversary of the original vision.According to later writings by Lucia, who became a nun and died in 2005, Russia would be converted and peace would reign if the pope and all the bishops of the world consecrated Russia to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Lucia later claimed that John Paul fulfilled that prophecy during a 1984 Mass, even though he never specified Russia in the prayer.Fatima has long captivated Catholics, because of its blending of mystical, Marian apparitions, apocalyptic prophesies about the rise and fall of Soviet communism and the death of a pope. While Saturday’s wildfires and related ashfall were easily explained, they also harked back to another element of the Fatima phenomenon, an unusual weather phenomenon known as the “Miracle of the Sun.”According to legend, on Oct. 13, 1917, the Fatima “seers” predicted that the Virgin would perform a miracle that day, and tens of thousands of people flocked to Fatima. They saw what witnesses reported was a vision of the sun “spinning” in the sky and zigzagging toward Earth.Francis’ visit to Fatima fell on the anniversary of another odd weather phenomenon at a Marian church closely related to Fatima: According to that church legend, on Aug. 5, 1655, it actually snowed outside St. Mary Major basilica in Rome, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6aff551d2b3346aba439decd43ee8b44">Francis always goes to pray</a>&nbsp;before an icon of Mary at the end of each trip.Vatican Media had said before the trip that Francis would pray for peace in Ukraine and the world while in Fatima. It seemed logical, given Francis had already consecrated both Russia and Ukraine to Mary in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-pope-francis-prayer-europe-portugal-723d6b846d4c3e535cbb321de79304b8">a prayer for peace</a>&nbsp;following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, essentially fulfilling Sr. Lucia's exhortation.In the prayer tweeted by the @Pontifex account but not read aloud, Francis didn’t name either country but consecrated the church and world, “especially those countries at war,” to Mary. “Open paths where it seems that none exist,” he wrote. “Loosen the tangles of self-centeredness and the snares of power.”Fatima Bishop Jose Ornelas made a prayer for Ukraine explicit in his remarks. “We associate ourselves to Your Holiness’ prayer for peace, for which this sanctuary is profoundly identified, thinking in particular of the war in Ukraine and so many other conflicts in the world,” he said.In explaining the changes, Vatican spokesman Bruni said Francis “always addresses firstly the people he meets, as a shepherd, and speaks accordingly.” The 86-year-old Francis often deviates from his prepared remarks, even more when speaking in his native Spanish. Bruni denied the changes had any other serious reason, including with his eyesight.Francis has been hospitalized twice this year, including in June when he spent nine days in the hospital recovering from abdominal surgery to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">repair a hernia and remove scar tissue</a>&nbsp;on his intestine. Saturday was perhaps the most grueling day of his five-day visit to Portugal, given the round-trip helicopter ride to Fatima and a planned prayer vigil that wasn’t expected to begin until his usual bedtime in Rome.To give him more rest before the vigil, the Vatican planned to move up an afternoon encounter with his fellow Jesuits, Bruni said.On Sunday morning, Francis is to preside over a final, outdoor Mass – on a day when temperatures in Lisbon are expected to top 40 degrees C (104F) – before returning to the Vatican.