EFFINGHAM, Ill. (AP) — A 5-year-old southern Illinois girl has died after a starting gate being hauled by a car prior to a harness race struck her while she was sitting in the grandstand at a county fair, authorities said.

Harper Finn, of Altamont, died Wednesday evening at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the St. Louis city medical examiner's office said.

She was hurt Sunday afternoon at the Effingham County Fair. While attending the race, the girl was struck by the folding arm of the starting gate attached to a car that failed to close when it extended into the grandstand, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office said.

She was rushed to a local hospital and later airlifted to the St. Louis hospital.

EFFINGHAM, Ill. (AP) — A 5-year-old southern Illinois girl has died after a starting gate being hauled by a car prior to a harness race struck her while she was sitting in the grandstand at a county fair, authorities said.Harper Finn, of Altamont, died Wednesday evening at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the St. Louis city medical examiner's office said.She was hurt Sunday afternoon at the Effingham County Fair. While attending the race, the girl was struck by the folding arm of the starting gate attached to a car that failed to close when it extended into the grandstand, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office said.She was rushed to a local hospital and later airlifted to the St. Louis hospital.

5-year-old dies in Mo. hospital after struck by starting gate at harness race

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Regardless of Tuesday's Primary Election vote in Ellsworth, Barton, and Rice counties, the students that made up the Wilson High School Class of 2024 were headed elsewhere. 

The USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education voted to close the school at the close of the 2023 school year, and WHS supporters thought disorganization of the district was the only way to keep the school open. With that option decided by Tuesday's vote, Wilson High School Future Committee Member Michael Kratky said former WHS students now have the choice to leave the district's other option of Central Plains High School.

"It's too far away and the animosity that was created, they're not going there," he said. "Some are going to Ellsworth, some are going to Russell, and some are going to Sylvan, so they're split three ways. A single class in Wilson may be in three schools next year."

The Wilson High Alumni met in May and determined that former Wilson students who were set to graduate from the high school prior to its closing, will still be honored as WHS alumni.

"Most of the kids started in kindergarten here, if not preschool, " Kratky said. "The hardest thing is if they're a junior here, they won't graduate together and they won't graduate in the school they hoped to graduate from and they originally thought."

Unofficial results from Ellsworth County showed 67 percent of votes in USD 112 voted against disorganization, which would have put the district's fate into the hands of the state board of education. In Barton County, 643 patrons voted against disorganization compared to 17 patrons for.

"We probably would have been surprised if it had passed," said Kratky. "We had anticipation, but it doesn't change anything for the time being. We will continue to look at ways to leave the district."

The WHS future committee plans to continue looking for ways to keep the high school open, and members plan to continue advocating for small schools before the state legislature in Topeka.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689420894228.png" alt=" A sign placed in a Wilson gas station tells residents to “vote yes” on the Aug. 1, 2023, petition to disorganize. (Rachel Mipro)" />
 <figcaption> A sign placed in a Wilson gas station tells residents to “vote yes” on the Aug. 1, 2023, petition to disorganize. (Rachel Mipro)</figcaption>
 </figure> By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostELLSWORTH COUNTY —Regardless of Tuesday's Primary Election vote in Ellsworth, Barton, and Rice counties, the students that made up the Wilson High School Class of 2024 were headed elsewhere. The USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education voted to close the school at the close of the 2023 school year, and WHS supporters thought disorganization of the district was the only way to keep the school open. With that option decided by Tuesday's vote, Wilson High School Future Committee Member Michael Kratky said former WHS students now have the choice to leave the district's other option of Central Plains High School."It's too far away and the animosity that was created, they're not going there," he said. "Some are going to Ellsworth, some are going to Russell, and some are going to Sylvan, so they're split three ways. A single class in Wilson may be in three schools next year."The Wilson High Alumni met in May and determined that former Wilson students who were set to graduate from the high school prior to its closing, will still be honored as WHS alumni."Most of the kids started in kindergarten here, if not preschool, " Kratky said. "The hardest thing is if they're a junior here, they won't graduate together and they won't graduate in the school they hoped to graduate from and they originally thought."Unofficial results from Ellsworth County showed 67 percent of votes in USD 112 voted against disorganization, which would have put the district's fate into the hands of the state board of education. In Barton County, 643 patrons voted against disorganization compared to 17 patrons for."We probably would have been surprised if it had passed," said Kratky. "We had anticipation, but it doesn't change anything for the time being. We will continue to look at ways to leave the district."The WHS future committee plans to continue looking for ways to keep the high school open, and members plan to continue advocating for small schools before the state legislature in Topeka.

Some searching for options after Kan. school district primary election

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&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>

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Thursday decided to allow the Biden administration to keep in place a temporary two-year rule that restricts asylum at the U.S. border, while the legal challenges to a lower court’s ruling play out.

The decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals aids the Biden administration, which argued that the rule is needed as an immigration enforcement policy after the end of Title 42. That pandemic-era tool was used by the administration to bar migrants from claiming asylum and to quickly expel them.

Thursday’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu.org/documents/east-bay-sanctuary-covenant-v-biden-ca9-stay-order">order</a>&nbsp;was a 2-1 decision by Judges William Fletcher and Richard Paez, who ruled in favor of the stay — both appointed by President Bill Clinton — and Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, dissenting.

The order also expedites a hearing on the Biden administration rule, with both sides expected to send their arguments to the court by Sept. 14. A date for the hearing has not been scheduled yet.

Fletcher and Paez did not give any reasoning for their decision, but VanDyke in his dissent argued that the rule seemed similar to a Trump-era rule that was also struck down by the same appeals court.

“The Biden administration’s ‘Pathways Rule’ before us in this appeal is not meaningfully different from the prior administration’s rules that were backhanded by my two colleagues,” he wrote. “This new rule looks like the Trump administration’s Port of Entry Rule and Transit Rule got together, had a baby, and then dolled it up in a stylish modern outfit, complete with a phone app.”

Under the Biden administration’s rule, in order for migrants to claim asylum in the U.S., they would first have to schedule an appointment at a U.S. port of entry and apply for a legal pathway in the country they traveled through.

The number of asylum cases is at a historic high, with more than 1.5 million pending, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://trac.syr.edu/whatsnew/email.221222.html">the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.</a>

Once the rule went in place, it was quickly challenged by civil rights groups and immigration advocates, who argued that it mirrored a Trump-era immigration policy that was a near-total ban on asylum.

In late July,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/25/federal-judge-blocks-biden-rule-that-limits-asylum-for-migrants-at-the-border/">a federal judge blocked the Biden rule</a>&nbsp;on the grounds that it violated federal law that allows for anyone to claim asylum on U.S. soil. That same judge also struck down the Trump-era rule that banned asylum.

Katrina Eiland, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, who argued the case, praised the decision from the appeals court.

“The stay ruling doesn’t say anything about the legality of the ban, and we are confident that we will prevail when the court has a full opportunity to consider the claims,” Eiland said.

“We are pleased the court placed the appeal on an expedited schedule so that it can be decided quickly, because each day the Biden administration prolongs its efforts to preserve its illegal ban, people fleeing grave danger are put in harm’s way.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691163209612.png" alt="Migrants wait throughout the night on May 10, 2023, in a dust storm at Gate 42, on land between the Rio Grande and the border wall, hoping they will be processed by immigration authorities before the expiration of Title 42 (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)." />
 <figcaption>Migrants wait throughout the night on May 10, 2023, in a dust storm at Gate 42, on land between the Rio Grande and the border wall, hoping they will be processed by immigration authorities before the expiration of Title 42 (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM).</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&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>WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Thursday decided to allow the Biden administration to keep in place a temporary two-year rule that restricts asylum at the U.S. border, while the legal challenges to a lower court’s ruling play out.The decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals aids the Biden administration, which argued that the rule is needed as an immigration enforcement policy after the end of Title 42. That pandemic-era tool was used by the administration to bar migrants from claiming asylum and to quickly expel them.Thursday’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu.org/documents/east-bay-sanctuary-covenant-v-biden-ca9-stay-order">order</a>&nbsp;was a 2-1 decision by Judges William Fletcher and Richard Paez, who ruled in favor of the stay — both appointed by President Bill Clinton — and Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, dissenting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690239152931.png" alt="The floating barrier buoys are&nbsp;the latest escalation of Texas’ border security operation&nbsp;that also includes razor-wire fencing.-photo Texas Department of Public Safety" />
 <figcaption>The floating barrier buoys are&nbsp;the latest escalation of Texas’ border security operation&nbsp;that also includes razor-wire fencing.-photo Texas Department of Public Safety</figcaption>
 </figure>The order also expedites a hearing on the Biden administration rule, with both sides expected to send their arguments to the court by Sept. 14. A date for the hearing has not been scheduled yet.Fletcher and Paez did not give any reasoning for their decision, but VanDyke in his dissent argued that the rule seemed similar to a Trump-era rule that was also struck down by the same appeals court.“The Biden administration’s ‘Pathways Rule’ before us in this appeal is not meaningfully different from the prior administration’s rules that were backhanded by my two colleagues,” he wrote. “This new rule looks like the Trump administration’s Port of Entry Rule and Transit Rule got together, had a baby, and then dolled it up in a stylish modern outfit, complete with a phone app.”Under the Biden administration’s rule, in order for migrants to claim asylum in the U.S., they would first have to schedule an appointment at a U.S. port of entry and apply for a legal pathway in the country they traveled through.The number of asylum cases is at a historic high, with more than 1.5 million pending, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://trac.syr.edu/whatsnew/email.221222.html">the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.</a>Once the rule went in place, it was quickly challenged by civil rights groups and immigration advocates, who argued that it mirrored a Trump-era immigration policy that was a near-total ban on asylum.In late July,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/25/federal-judge-blocks-biden-rule-that-limits-asylum-for-migrants-at-the-border/">a federal judge blocked the Biden rule</a>&nbsp;on the grounds that it violated federal law that allows for anyone to claim asylum on U.S. soil. That same judge also struck down the Trump-era rule that banned asylum.Katrina Eiland, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, who argued the case, praised the decision from the appeals court.“The stay ruling doesn’t say anything about the legality of the ban, and we are confident that we will prevail when the court has a full opportunity to consider the claims,” Eiland said.“We are pleased the court placed the appeal on an expedited schedule so that it can be decided quickly, because each day the Biden administration prolongs its efforts to preserve its illegal ban, people fleeing grave danger are put in harm’s way.”

Court allows Biden rule limiting asylum at the border to be kept in place

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police have identified the man who drowned on Thursday as 22-year-old Kyler Rutherford from Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Just after 3:30p.m. Thursday, the fire department responded to a submersion call at the lake in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.

First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where Rutherford was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.

Search crews recovered his body just before 9p..m.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County water rescue teams recovered the body of drowning victim just before 9p..m. Thursday.

Just after 3:30p.m., the fire department responded to&nbsp;a submersion call at the lake&nbsp;in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.

 First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where the victim was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.

Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691111356650.png" alt="Photo Wichita Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police have identified the man who drowned on Thursday as 22-year-old Kyler Rutherford from Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Just after 3:30p.m. Thursday, the fire department responded to a submersion call at the lake in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where Rutherford was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.Search crews recovered his body just before 9p..m.-------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County water rescue teams recovered the body of drowning victim just before 9p..m. Thursday.Just after 3:30p.m., the fire department responded to&nbsp;a submersion call at the lake&nbsp;in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691145172740.png" alt="photo Wichita Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure> First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where the victim was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Police ID Kansas man who drowned in lake

MARIES COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Thursday in Maries County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Chevy Silverado driven by Nathan D. Frank, 25, Vienna, was southbound on Highway 63 two miles south of Vienna.

The pickup struck the trailer of a 2016 Ford F150 and driver identified as Dennyi W. Brautigam, 69, Fulton, that was stopped partially in the road and the driver had exited the vehicle.

After impact the Silverado crossed the center line, rolled and came to rest on its top.

Brautigam was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Toedtmann and Grosse in New Haven, Missouri. Frank was not injured.

MARIES COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Thursday in Maries County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Chevy Silverado driven by Nathan D. Frank, 25, Vienna, was southbound on Highway 63 two miles south of Vienna.The pickup struck the trailer of a 2016 Ford F150 and driver identified as Dennyi W. Brautigam, 69, Fulton, that was stopped partially in the road and the driver had exited the vehicle.After impact the Silverado crossed the center line, rolled and came to rest on its top.Brautigam was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Toedtmann and Grosse in New Haven, Missouri. Frank was not injured.

Missouri man outside pickup struck, killed on highway

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A prosecutor is stepping in after Missouri’s attorney general asked an appeals court to reverse the conviction of a former Missouri police officer who is white and killed a Black man in 2019.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker this week asked the state Western District Court of Appeals to let her handle the appeal of former Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">was convicted</a>&nbsp;of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the November 2021 of killing 26-year-old Cameron Lamb. Lamb was shot as he backed his truck into his garage.

Typically, Missouri’s attorney general handles all appeals of criminal cases. But Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/detective-fatal-shooting-attorney-general-appeal-16957c1b9f09d91e17e3a3cfb75c1a07">asked the appeals court</a>&nbsp;to reverse DeValkenaere’s conviction, arguing that DeValkenaere was justified because he believed Lamb was going to shoot his partner.

Peters Baker originally secured DeValkenaere's conviction.

The attorney general “accepts an alternative view of the facts in this case,” Peters Baker wrote in a brief asking the appeals court to allow her to defend the conviction.

Police said DeValkenaere and his partner, Troy Schwalm, went to Lamb’s home after reports that Lamb was involved in a car chase with his girlfriend on residential streets.

Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs, who convicted the former detective after a bench trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-cdc43324871862f01222a6ca29ef317f">sentenced</a>&nbsp;DeValkenaere to prison — three years for involuntary manslaughter and six years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run consecutively.

Youngs later ruled that DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-cdc43324871862f01222a6ca29ef317f">could remain free</a>&nbsp;while his conviction is appealed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666641520630.png" alt="Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker" />
 <figcaption>Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A prosecutor is stepping in after Missouri’s attorney general asked an appeals court to reverse the conviction of a former Missouri police officer who is white and killed a Black man in 2019.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker this week asked the state Western District Court of Appeals to let her handle the appeal of former Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">was convicted</a>&nbsp;of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the November 2021 of killing 26-year-old Cameron Lamb. Lamb was shot as he backed his truck into his garage.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>Typically, Missouri’s attorney general handles all appeals of criminal cases. But Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/detective-fatal-shooting-attorney-general-appeal-16957c1b9f09d91e17e3a3cfb75c1a07">asked the appeals court</a>&nbsp;to reverse DeValkenaere’s conviction, arguing that DeValkenaere was justified because he believed Lamb was going to shoot his partner.Peters Baker originally secured DeValkenaere's conviction.The attorney general “accepts an alternative view of the facts in this case,” Peters Baker wrote in a brief asking the appeals court to allow her to defend the conviction.Police said DeValkenaere and his partner, Troy Schwalm, went to Lamb’s home after reports that Lamb was involved in a car chase with his girlfriend on residential streets.Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs, who convicted the former detective after a bench trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-cdc43324871862f01222a6ca29ef317f">sentenced</a>&nbsp;DeValkenaere to prison — three years for involuntary manslaughter and six years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run consecutively.Youngs later ruled that DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-kansas-cdc43324871862f01222a6ca29ef317f">could remain free</a>&nbsp;while his conviction is appealed.

Prosecutor wants to defend conviction of former KC detective who killed Black man

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two U.S. Navy sailors were charged Thursday with providing sensitive military information to China — including details on wartime exercises, naval operations and critical technical material.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-08/wei_indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a> the indictment

The two sailors, both based in California, were charged with similar moves to provide sensitive intelligence to the Chinese. But they were separate cases, and it wasn’t clear if the two were courted or paid by the same Chinese intelligence officer as part of a larger scheme. Federal officials at a news conference in San Diego declined to specify whether the sailors were aware of each other's actions.

Both men pleaded not guilty in federal courts in San Diego and Los Angeles. They were ordered to be held until their detention hearings, which will take place Aug. 8 in those same cities.

U.S. officials have for years expressed concern about the espionage threat they say the Chinese government poses, bringing criminal cases in recent years against Beijing intelligence operatives who have stolen sensitive government and commercial information, including through illegal hacking.

The pair of cases also comes on the heels of another insider-threat prosecution tied to the U.S. military, with the Justice Department in April arresting a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman on charges of leaking classified military documents about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and other sensitive national security topics on Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games.

U.S. officials said the cases exemplify China’s brazenness in trying to obtain insight into U.S. military operations.

“Through the alleged crimes committed by these defendants, sensitive military information ended up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. He added that the charges demonstrate the Chinese government’s “determination to obtain information that is critical to our national defense by any means, so it could be used to their advantage.”

Jinchao Wei, a 22-year-old sailor assigned to the San Diego-based USS Essex, was arrested Wednesday while boarding the ship. He is accused of passing detailed information on the weapons systems and aircraft aboard the Essex and other amphibious assault ships that act as small aircraft carriers.

Prosecutors said Wei, who was born in China, was approached by a Chinese intelligence officer in February 2022 while he was applying to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and admitted to the officer that he knew the arrangement could affect his application. Even so, at the officer’s request, Wei provided photographs and videos of Navy ships, including the USS Essex, which can carry an array of helicopters, including the MV-22 Ospreys, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.

The indictment alleges Wei included as many as 50 manuals containing technical and mechanical data about Navy ships as well as details about the number and training of Marines during an upcoming exercise.

Wei continued to send sensitive U.S. military information multiple times over the course of a year and even was congratulated by the Chinese officer once Wei became a U.S. citizen, Grossman said. He added that Wei “chose to turn his back on his newly adopted country” for greed.

The Justice Department charged Wei under a rarely-used Espionage Act statute that makes it a crime to gather or deliver information to aid a foreign government.

After pleading not guilty in San Diego, Wei was assigned a new public defender who declined to comment following the hearing. Wei did not visibly react when read the charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Sheppard told the judge that Wei had passed information to Chinese intelligence as recently as two days ago. He said Wei, who also went by the name Patrick Wei, told a fellow sailor in February 2022 that he was “being recruited for what quite obviously is (expletive) espionage.”

Sheppard said Wei has made $10,000 to $15,000 in the past year from the arrangement with the unnamed Chinese inelligence officer. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.

The officer instructed Wei not to discuss their relationship, to share sensitive information and to destroy evidence to help them cover their tracks, officials said.

The Justice Department also charged sailor Wenheng Zhao, 26, based at Naval Base Ventura County, north of San Diego, with conspiring to collect nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for U.S. naval exercise plans, operational orders and photos and videos of electrical systems at Navy facilities between August 2021 through at least this May.

The information included operational plans for a large-scale U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, which detailed the location and timing of naval force movements.

The Associated Press was unable to reach the federal public defender assigned to Zhao, who pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles.

The indictment further alleges that Zhao photographed electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system stationed on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan.

Prosecutors say Zhao, who also went by the name Thomas Zhao, also surreptitiously recorded information that he handed over. If convicted, Zhao could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

It was unclear if federal officials were looking at other U.S. sailors and if the investigation was ongoing.

At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that, “I think we have clear policies and procedures in place when it comes to safeguarding and protecting sensitive information. And so if those rules are violated, appropriate action will be taken.” He declined to discuss any specifics of the cases.

U.S. Attorney Grossman said the charges reflect that China “stands apart in terms of the threat that its government poses to the United States. China is unrivaled in its audacity and the range of its maligned efforts to subvert our laws.”

He added that the U.S. will use “every tool in our arsenal to counter the threat and to deter China and those who have violated the rule of law and threaten our national security.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691150192766.png" alt="U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California during a Thursday news conference on the arrests&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California during a Thursday news conference on the arrests&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two U.S. Navy sailors were charged Thursday with providing sensitive military information to China — including details on wartime exercises, naval operations and critical technical material.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-08/wei_indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a> the indictmentThe two sailors, both based in California, were charged with similar moves to provide sensitive intelligence to the Chinese. But they were separate cases, and it wasn’t clear if the two were courted or paid by the same Chinese intelligence officer as part of a larger scheme. Federal officials at a news conference in San Diego declined to specify whether the sailors were aware of each other's actions.Both men pleaded not guilty in federal courts in San Diego and Los Angeles. They were ordered to be held until their detention hearings, which will take place Aug. 8 in those same cities.U.S. officials have for years expressed concern about the espionage threat they say the Chinese government poses, bringing criminal cases in recent years against Beijing intelligence operatives who have stolen sensitive government and commercial information, including through illegal hacking.The pair of cases also comes on the heels of another insider-threat prosecution tied to the U.S. military, with the Justice Department in April arresting a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman on charges of leaking classified military documents about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and other sensitive national security topics on Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games.U.S. officials said the cases exemplify China’s brazenness in trying to obtain insight into U.S. military operations.“Through the alleged crimes committed by these defendants, sensitive military information ended up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. He added that the charges demonstrate the Chinese government’s “determination to obtain information that is critical to our national defense by any means, so it could be used to their advantage.”Jinchao Wei, a 22-year-old sailor assigned to the San Diego-based USS Essex, was arrested Wednesday while boarding the ship. He is accused of passing detailed information on the weapons systems and aircraft aboard the Essex and other amphibious assault ships that act as small aircraft carriers.Prosecutors said Wei, who was born in China, was approached by a Chinese intelligence officer in February 2022 while he was applying to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and admitted to the officer that he knew the arrangement could affect his application. Even so, at the officer’s request, Wei provided photographs and videos of Navy ships, including the USS Essex, which can carry an array of helicopters, including the MV-22 Ospreys, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.The indictment alleges Wei included as many as 50 manuals containing technical and mechanical data about Navy ships as well as details about the number and training of Marines during an upcoming exercise.Wei continued to send sensitive U.S. military information multiple times over the course of a year and even was congratulated by the Chinese officer once Wei became a U.S. citizen, Grossman said. He added that Wei “chose to turn his back on his newly adopted country” for greed.The Justice Department charged Wei under a rarely-used Espionage Act statute that makes it a crime to gather or deliver information to aid a foreign government.After pleading not guilty in San Diego, Wei was assigned a new public defender who declined to comment following the hearing. Wei did not visibly react when read the charges.Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Sheppard told the judge that Wei had passed information to Chinese intelligence as recently as two days ago. He said Wei, who also went by the name Patrick Wei, told a fellow sailor in February 2022 that he was “being recruited for what quite obviously is (expletive) espionage.”Sheppard said Wei has made $10,000 to $15,000 in the past year from the arrangement with the unnamed Chinese inelligence officer. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.The officer instructed Wei not to discuss their relationship, to share sensitive information and to destroy evidence to help them cover their tracks, officials said.The Justice Department also charged sailor Wenheng Zhao, 26, based at Naval Base Ventura County, north of San Diego, with conspiring to collect nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for U.S. naval exercise plans, operational orders and photos and videos of electrical systems at Navy facilities between August 2021 through at least this May.The information included operational plans for a large-scale U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, which detailed the location and timing of naval force movements.The Associated Press was unable to reach the federal public defender assigned to Zhao, who pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles.The indictment further alleges that Zhao photographed electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system stationed on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan.Prosecutors say Zhao, who also went by the name Thomas Zhao, also surreptitiously recorded information that he handed over. If convicted, Zhao could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.It was unclear if federal officials were looking at other U.S. sailors and if the investigation was ongoing.At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that, “I think we have clear policies and procedures in place when it comes to safeguarding and protecting sensitive information. And so if those rules are violated, appropriate action will be taken.” He declined to discuss any specifics of the cases.U.S. Attorney Grossman said the charges reflect that China “stands apart in terms of the threat that its government poses to the United States. China is unrivaled in its audacity and the range of its maligned efforts to subvert our laws.”He added that the U.S. will use “every tool in our arsenal to counter the threat and to deter China and those who have violated the rule of law and threaten our national security.”

Two U.S. Navy sailors accused of passing secrets to China

WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Donald Trump said it was a “very sad day for America” after pleading not guilty in Washington’s federal court to charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election.

Trump addressed the proceedings in a brief statement on a drizzly tarmac before he boarded his plane back to New Jersey, characterizing the case as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign.

“We can’t let this happen in America,” Trump said.

Trump pleaded not guilty to four federal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. He is accused of brazenly conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes intended to overturn his election loss to President Joe Biden.

The former president appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted by Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>. Of the three criminal cases he's facing, the most recent charges are especially historic since they focus on Trump's efforts as president to subvert the will of voters and obstruct the certification of Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;victory. His refusal to accept defeat and his lies about widespread election fraud helped fuel the violent riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

Trump, who is now the early front-runner in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 Republican presidential primary</a>, sat stern-faced with his hands folded, shaking his head at times as he conferred with an attorney and occasionally glancing around the courtroom as his court appearance began. He stood up to enter his “not guilty” plea, answered perfunctory questions from the judge and thanked her at the conclusion of the arraignment.

His appearance Thursday unfolded — as will the rest of the case — in a downtown courthouse between the Capitol and the White House and in a building where more than 1,000 of the Capitol rioters have been charged by the Justice Department, which last November appointed Smith to lead a probe into the role of Trump and his allies in the events of that day.

<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;

The indictment charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his presidential election loss</a>, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. 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.

Smith himself attended the arraignment, sitting in the courtroom's front row behind the prosecutors handling the case and about 20 feet away from Trump. He looked at times in Trump's direction, though neither appeared to gesture at or talk to each other.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya set the next court date for Aug. 28, when a tentative trial date will be set, and directed Trump not to communicate directly about the facts of case with any individual known to be a witness.

Three police officers who defended the Capitol that day were also seen entering the courthouse. One of them, Aquilino Gonell, who retired from the Capitol Police after suffering injuries, took stock of the location's symbolism, noting that it was “the same court in which hundreds of rioters have been sentenced. It's the same court former President Trump is being arraigned in today for his alleged involvement before, during, and after the siege.”

Trump has said he is innocent. His legal team has characterized the latest case as an attack on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.

One early point of contention emerged Thursday when defense lawyers bristled at the idea that a trial could be rapidly scheduled. Prosecutors said they would move quickly to provide Trump's lawyers with the information they'd need to prepare a defense, but defense attorney John Lauro said it was “somewhat absurd” that the case could be ready for trial anytime soon.

"These are weighty issues. Obviously, the U.S. has had three years to investigate this matter,” Lauro said.

The election theft case is part of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them. That case is set for trial next May.

He also was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign, a case scheduled for trial next March. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;are expected in the coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.

Thursday's arraignment was part of a now-familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual for Trump, requiring him to hit pause on his presidential campaign and play the role of criminal defendant. He was flown by private plane from New Jersey to Washington, where his motorcade with lights and sirens made its way through the nation's capital — a journey documented in wall-to-wall cable coverage once again.

His appearance represented a relatively rare return to Washington since he left the White House. After a trip that took him through a highway tunnel and District streets, Trump lamented what he called the "filth and the decay" of the city, which he claimed was worse than when he ended his term. But that overlooks the fact that when he left office, some businesses were boarded up and military presence in the city was ramped up in the aftermath of the insurrection sparked by his own election lies.

Federal and state election officials and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">Trump’s own attorney general</a>&nbsp;have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted. The former president's allegations of fraud were also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">roundly rejected by courts</a>, including by judges Trump appointed.

The courtroom Thursday filled with spectators who included several federal judges, including Chief District Court Judge James Boasberg — presumably there to observe the momentous event.

The indictment chronicles how Trump and his Republican 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.

The former president was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six unnamed co-conspirators, mostly lawyers, they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.

The indictment also relies on testimony from a broad cross-section of Trump's aides and state election officials, and cites contemporaneous notes that prosecutors say were taken by Pence.

The legal proceedings going forward will be presided over by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an appointee of President Barack Obama who has stood out as&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>.

WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Donald Trump said it was a “very sad day for America” after pleading not guilty in Washington’s federal court to charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump statement after pleading not guilty at arraignment: &quot;This is a very sad day for America...When you look at what&#39;s happening, this is a persecution of a political opponent.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/cKhR9qVrkv">pic.twitter.com/cKhR9qVrkv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1687210806793097221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump addressed the proceedings in a brief statement on a drizzly tarmac before he boarded his plane back to New Jersey, characterizing the case as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign.“We can’t let this happen in America,” Trump said.Trump pleaded not guilty to four federal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. He is accused of brazenly conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes intended to overturn his election loss to President Joe Biden.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091873212.png" alt="A view outside the United State's Courthouse in Washington during the Trump arraignment-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A view outside the United State's Courthouse in Washington during the Trump arraignment-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The former president appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted by Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>. Of the three criminal cases he's facing, the most recent charges are especially historic since they focus on Trump's efforts as president to subvert the will of voters and obstruct the certification of Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;victory. His refusal to accept defeat and his lies about widespread election fraud helped fuel the violent riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.Trump, who is now the early front-runner in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 Republican presidential primary</a>, sat stern-faced with his hands folded, shaking his head at times as he conferred with an attorney and occasionally glancing around the courtroom as his court appearance began. He stood up to enter his “not guilty” plea, answered perfunctory questions from the judge and thanked her at the conclusion of the arraignment.<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>His appearance Thursday unfolded — as will the rest of the case — in a downtown courthouse between the Capitol and the White House and in a building where more than 1,000 of the Capitol rioters have been charged by the Justice Department, which last November appointed Smith to lead a probe into the role of Trump and his allies in the events of that day.<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;The indictment charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his presidential election loss</a>, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. 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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091690627.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Smith himself attended the arraignment, sitting in the courtroom's front row behind the prosecutors handling the case and about 20 feet away from Trump. He looked at times in Trump's direction, though neither appeared to gesture at or talk to each other.U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya set the next court date for Aug. 28, when a tentative trial date will be set, and directed Trump not to communicate directly about the facts of case with any individual known to be a witness.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691093099558.png" alt="Law enforcement across the street from the courthouse on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement across the street from the courthouse on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Three police officers who defended the Capitol that day were also seen entering the courthouse. One of them, Aquilino Gonell, who retired from the Capitol Police after suffering injuries, took stock of the location's symbolism, noting that it was “the same court in which hundreds of rioters have been sentenced. It's the same court former President Trump is being arraigned in today for his alleged involvement before, during, and after the siege.”Trump has said he is innocent. His legal team has characterized the latest case as an attack on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.One early point of contention emerged Thursday when defense lawyers bristled at the idea that a trial could be rapidly scheduled. Prosecutors said they would move quickly to provide Trump's lawyers with the information they'd need to prepare a defense, but defense attorney John Lauro said it was “somewhat absurd” that the case could be ready for trial anytime soon."These are weighty issues. Obviously, the U.S. has had three years to investigate this matter,” Lauro said.The election theft case is part of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them. That case is set for trial next May.He also was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign, a case scheduled for trial next March. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;are expected in the coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.Thursday's arraignment was part of a now-familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual for Trump, requiring him to hit pause on his presidential campaign and play the role of criminal defendant. He was flown by private plane from New Jersey to Washington, where his motorcade with lights and sirens made its way through the nation's capital — a journey documented in wall-to-wall cable coverage once again.His appearance represented a relatively rare return to Washington since he left the White House. After a trip that took him through a highway tunnel and District streets, Trump lamented what he called the "filth and the decay" of the city, which he claimed was worse than when he ended his term. But that overlooks the fact that when he left office, some businesses were boarded up and military presence in the city was ramped up in the aftermath of the insurrection sparked by his own election lies.Federal and state election officials and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">Trump’s own attorney general</a>&nbsp;have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted. The former president's allegations of fraud were also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">roundly rejected by courts</a>, including by judges Trump appointed.The courtroom Thursday filled with spectators who included several federal judges, including Chief District Court Judge James Boasberg — presumably there to observe the momentous event.The indictment chronicles how Trump and his Republican 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.The former president was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six unnamed co-conspirators, mostly lawyers, they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.The indictment also relies on testimony from a broad cross-section of Trump's aides and state election officials, and cites contemporaneous notes that prosecutors say were taken by Pence.The legal proceedings going forward will be presided over by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an appointee of President Barack Obama who has stood out as&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>._____

🎥 Trump: It was a very sad day for America

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.

The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.

The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">last year</a>, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">experts say such a jump is unusual</a>.

This year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-extremes-climate-change-f652668232cc2ec7400f7e65cfb75cb9">record-breaking summer heat</a>&nbsp;has also had an impact, driving up demand for air conditioning and forcing refineries to operate at reduced capacity.

The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, quoting an anonymous official in the Energy Ministry. The official added that the cut “can be extended or deepened” if the need arises.

“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the official said.

The move was widely expected by analysts.

Benchmark Brent crude traded Thursday at over $80 a barrel.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combatting inflation. Brent has largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October.

The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom's economy, reduce its dependence on oil and create jobs for a young population. The plans include several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.

Higher prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine, as Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow's revenues.

Western sanctions mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow is forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India. Its estimated export revenue fell by $1.4 billion to $13.3 billion in May, down 36% from a year ago, the International Energy Agency said in a report in June.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">last year</a>, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">experts say such a jump is unusual</a>.This year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-extremes-climate-change-f652668232cc2ec7400f7e65cfb75cb9">record-breaking summer heat</a>&nbsp;has also had an impact, driving up demand for air conditioning and forcing refineries to operate at reduced capacity.The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, quoting an anonymous official in the Energy Ministry. The official added that the cut “can be extended or deepened” if the need arises.“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the official said.The move was widely expected by analysts.Benchmark Brent crude traded Thursday at over $80 a barrel.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combatting inflation. Brent has largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October.The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom's economy, reduce its dependence on oil and create jobs for a young population. The plans include several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.Higher prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine, as Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow's revenues.Western sanctions mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow is forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India. Its estimated export revenue fell by $1.4 billion to $13.3 billion in May, down 36% from a year ago, the International Energy Agency said in a report in June.

Expect jump in U.S. gas price as Saudis extends oil production cuts

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691111356650.png" alt="Photo Wichita Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County water rescue teams recovered the body of drowning victim just before 9p..m. Thursday.Just after 3:30p.m., the fire department responded to&nbsp;a submersion call at the lake&nbsp;in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691145172740.png" alt="photo Wichita Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure> First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where the victim was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Drowning victim recovered from Kansas lake

CRAWFORD COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Joint Fentanyl Impact Team (JFIT), made up of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburg Police Department, and the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office made a large seizure of fentanyl.

A JFIT investigation into suspicious activity led authorities to execute a search warrant on Wednesday, Aug. 3, around 10:30 a.m., in Pittsburg, Kansas, according to a media release.

During the search, law enforcement uncovered an estimated 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills, commonly referred to as “dirty 30s.” The pills are suspected to contain fentanyl, and weighed approximately six pounds. Also seized was a large amount of cash, and numerous firearms and ammunition.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Horace Wright, 39, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.

Amanda Lee, 43, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.

The suspects were booked into the Crawford County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691103676337.png" alt="Photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Joint Fentanyl Impact Team (JFIT), made up of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburg Police Department, and the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office made a large seizure of fentanyl.A JFIT investigation into suspicious activity led authorities to execute a search warrant on Wednesday, Aug. 3, around 10:30 a.m., in Pittsburg, Kansas, according to a media release.During the search, law enforcement uncovered an estimated 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills, commonly referred to as “dirty 30s.” The pills are suspected to contain fentanyl, and weighed approximately six pounds. Also seized was a large amount of cash, and numerous firearms and ammunition.&nbsp;&nbsp;Horace Wright, 39, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.Amanda Lee, 43, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.The suspects were booked into the Crawford County Jail.&nbsp;

New KBI task force uncovers 5,000 fentanyl pills, cash and guns

BY NATE KING Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing outside a church in Salina.

Just after 9p.m. Wednesday, officers were sent to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at the intersection of 7th and Mulberry Street in Salina after a report of a man who had been stabbed, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges.

Police identified the victim as 40-year-old Jeffery Andrew. &nbsp;

“He had a serious stab wound to his abdomen, but it was not life-threatening. He was transported to the hospital,” Tonniges said. "Andrew had been sleeping near a bush located next to the church when the stabbing occurred." He gave police a description of the subject and detectives are investigating. Tonniges added that Andrew does not have a residential address in Salina and the victim said&nbsp;there was no altercation prior to the attack.

BY NATE KING Salina PostSALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing outside a church in Salina.Just after 9p.m. Wednesday, officers were sent to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at the intersection of 7th and Mulberry Street in Salina after a report of a man who had been stabbed, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges.Police identified the victim as 40-year-old Jeffery Andrew. &nbsp;“He had a serious stab wound to his abdomen, but it was not life-threatening. He was transported to the hospital,” Tonniges said. "Andrew had been sleeping near a bush located next to the church when the stabbing occurred." He gave police a description of the subject and detectives are investigating. Tonniges added that Andrew does not have a residential address in Salina and the victim said&nbsp;there was no altercation prior to the attack.

Police: Homeless man stabbed outside Kansas church

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty Thursday to trying to overturn the results of his 2020 presidential election loss, answering for the first time to federal charges that accuse him of orchestrating a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

Trump appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted on four felony counts by Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>. The charges accuse him of trying to subvert the will of voters and undo his election loss in the days before Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent and bloody clash with law enforcement.

Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 Republican presidential primary</a>&nbsp;front-runner, is facing charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct Congress’ certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. His appearance Thursday, and the rest of the court case, will unfold in a courthouse blocks in clear view of the Capitol and in a building where more than 1,000 of the Capitol rioters have been charged.

Trump has said he is innocent, and his legal team has characterized the latest case as an attack on his right to free speech. The case is part of an ongoing set of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">classified documents</a>&nbsp;and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them.

Smith himself was in the courtroom and sat in the front row behind the prosecutors handling the case. Three police officers who defended the Capitol that day were also seen entering the courthouse.

The indictment from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his presidential election loss</a>, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.

This is the third criminal case brought against Trump in less than six months.

He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith’s office also has charged him with 40 felony counts in Florida, accusing him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">retaining classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and refusing government demands to give them back. He has pleaded not guilty in both those cases, which are set for trial next year.

And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;are expected in coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.

Trump’s lawyer John Lauro has asserted in television interviews that Trump’s actions were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech and that he relied on the advice of lawyers. Trump has claimed without evidence that Smith’s team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091873212.png" alt="A view outside the United State's Courthouse in Washington during the Trump arraignment-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A view outside the United State's Courthouse in Washington during the Trump arraignment-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty Thursday to trying to overturn the results of his 2020 presidential election loss, answering for the first time to federal charges that accuse him of orchestrating a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.<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;<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>Trump appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted on four felony counts by Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>. The charges accuse him of trying to subvert the will of voters and undo his election loss in the days before Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent and bloody clash with law enforcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091690627.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 Republican presidential primary</a>&nbsp;front-runner, is facing charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct Congress’ certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. His appearance Thursday, and the rest of the court case, will unfold in a courthouse blocks in clear view of the Capitol and in a building where more than 1,000 of the Capitol rioters have been charged.Trump has said he is innocent, and his legal team has characterized the latest case as an attack on his right to free speech. The case is part of an ongoing set of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">classified documents</a>&nbsp;and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691093099558.png" alt="Law enforcement across the street from the courthouse on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement across the street from the courthouse on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Smith himself was in the courtroom and sat in the front row behind the prosecutors handling the case. Three police officers who defended the Capitol that day were also seen entering the courthouse.The indictment from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his presidential election loss</a>, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.The former president was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six unnamed co-conspirators, mostly lawyers, they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.The indictment chronicles how Trump and his Republican 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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691094922366.png" alt="Trump statement on his social media platform" />
 <figcaption>Trump statement on his social media platform</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the third criminal case brought against Trump in less than six months.He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith’s office also has charged him with 40 felony counts in Florida, accusing him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">retaining classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and refusing government demands to give them back. He has pleaded not guilty in both those cases, which are set for trial next year.And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;are expected in coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.Trump’s lawyer John Lauro has asserted in television interviews that Trump’s actions were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech and that he relied on the advice of lawyers. Trump has claimed without evidence that Smith’s team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.

Former President Trump pleads not guilty to 2020 election charges

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and state transportation officials on Thursday outlined options for spending the first chunk of $50 million budgeted for railroad crossing improvements in an effort to prevent tragedies like last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">fatal Amtrak derailment.</a>

The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RIR2309.pdf">said Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that poor design contributed to the derailment in the north-central Missouri town of Mendon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">, which</a>&nbsp;killed four people and injured 146 others.

Recommendations from a $750,000 study unveiled Thursday suggest changes at 47 public rail crossings on three tracks that carry passenger trains throughout Missouri for a total cost of about $18.5 million. Total closure is recommended at 17 crossings, including the Mendon site where the crash occurred.

The rest of the $50 million is planned for improvements at freight train crossings.

The 27 crossings slated for improvements do not have lights, barriers or other alerts to warn drivers when a train is approaching. There are more than 1,400 such crossings throughout Missouri, according to the state Transportation Department.

Spokeswoman Linda Horn said the cost for fixing all passive crossings is estimated at $700 million.

The Mendon crossing, which was shuttered immediately after last year's crash, also had no lights or signals to warn that a train was approaching.

Before the crash, area residents had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;for nearly three years about the safety of the crossing because of the lack of visibility.

“Just setting eyes on it, you realize how dangerous it was,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.

The state Transportation Department had put the $400,000 project to add lights and gates at the crossing on a priority list, but it hadn't received funding before the derailment.

“Mendon was a wake-up call,” Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna told reporters Thursday.

Roughly half of all rail crossings nationwide — some 130,000 of them — are considered passive without any lights or arms that automatically come down when a train is approaching.

For years, the NTSB has recommended closing passive crossings or adding gates, bells and other safety measures whenever possible. The U.S. Transportation Department recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-crossing-elimination-grants-transportation-department-dce25564812f3a550bde46b5b2976c1e">$570 million in grants</a>&nbsp;to help eliminate railroad crossings in 32 states but that funding will only eliminate a few dozen crossings.

Federal statistics show that roughly 2,000 collisions occur every year at rail crossings nationwide, and last year nearly 250 deaths were recorded in car-train crashes.

Those killed in the Amtrak derailment included the dump truck driver, 54-year-old Billy Barton II, of Brookfield, Missouri, and three passengers: Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of DeSoto, Kansas, and 82-year-old Binh Phan, of Kansas City, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said up to 150 people also were injured.

The Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it hit the rear right side of the truck near Mendon. Two locomotives and eight cars derailed. The train had 12 crewmembers and 271 aboard.

Following the derailment, several lawsuits were filed against BNSF, a Fort Worth, Texas-based freight railroad that owns and maintains the tracks involved.

Homendy on Thursday said there's shared responsibility between the county, which owns the road, and BNSF.

“But ultimately, it’s BNSF's railroad,” she said. “It’s their rail line, and they have to make sure everybody is safe on that line.”

She said the railroad repaired the track within hours of the accident.

“If you can make those improvements to get critical shipments of freight on your rail line, you can also make safety improvements in a quick amount of time," she said.

An email by The Associated Press seeking comment from BNSF was not immediately returned Thursday. But a BNSF spokesperson previously said the railroad will review the NTSB report closely for suggestions to improve rail crossing safety.

“We continue to invest in grade crossing safety by maintaining crossings, working to help develop public service campaigns and educational resources and investing in new technologies," the railroad said in a Wednesday statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656361752974.png" alt="An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri." />
 <figcaption>An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri.</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and state transportation officials on Thursday outlined options for spending the first chunk of $50 million budgeted for railroad crossing improvements in an effort to prevent tragedies like last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">fatal Amtrak derailment.</a>The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RIR2309.pdf">said Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that poor design contributed to the derailment in the north-central Missouri town of Mendon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">, which</a>&nbsp;killed four people and injured 146 others.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are proud to announce $50 million in state funding today to make safety improvements on Missouri’s railroad system. We were joined by <a href="https://twitter.com/NTSB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NTSB</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/USDOTFRA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDOTFRA</a> as <a href="https://twitter.com/MoDOT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoDOT</a> announced Missouri’s next steps for improving railroad crossings. <a href="https://t.co/Kdihimr9GS">pic.twitter.com/Kdihimr9GS</a>&mdash; Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/status/1687165539372711947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Recommendations from a $750,000 study unveiled Thursday suggest changes at 47 public rail crossings on three tracks that carry passenger trains throughout Missouri for a total cost of about $18.5 million. Total closure is recommended at 17 crossings, including the Mendon site where the crash occurred.The rest of the $50 million is planned for improvements at freight train crossings.The 27 crossings slated for improvements do not have lights, barriers or other alerts to warn drivers when a train is approaching. There are more than 1,400 such crossings throughout Missouri, according to the state Transportation Department.Spokeswoman Linda Horn said the cost for fixing all passive crossings is estimated at $700 million.The Mendon crossing, which was shuttered immediately after last year's crash, also had no lights or signals to warn that a train was approaching.Before the crash, area residents had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;for nearly three years about the safety of the crossing because of the lack of visibility.“Just setting eyes on it, you realize how dangerous it was,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.The state Transportation Department had put the $400,000 project to add lights and gates at the crossing on a priority list, but it hadn't received funding before the derailment.“Mendon was a wake-up call,” Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna told reporters Thursday.Roughly half of all rail crossings nationwide — some 130,000 of them — are considered passive without any lights or arms that automatically come down when a train is approaching.For years, the NTSB has recommended closing passive crossings or adding gates, bells and other safety measures whenever possible. The U.S. Transportation Department recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-crossing-elimination-grants-transportation-department-dce25564812f3a550bde46b5b2976c1e">$570 million in grants</a>&nbsp;to help eliminate railroad crossings in 32 states but that funding will only eliminate a few dozen crossings.Federal statistics show that roughly 2,000 collisions occur every year at rail crossings nationwide, and last year nearly 250 deaths were recorded in car-train crashes.Those killed in the Amtrak derailment included the dump truck driver, 54-year-old Billy Barton II, of Brookfield, Missouri, and three passengers: Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of DeSoto, Kansas, and 82-year-old Binh Phan, of Kansas City, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said up to 150 people also were injured.The Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it hit the rear right side of the truck near Mendon. Two locomotives and eight cars derailed. The train had 12 crewmembers and 271 aboard.Following the derailment, several lawsuits were filed against BNSF, a Fort Worth, Texas-based freight railroad that owns and maintains the tracks involved.Homendy on Thursday said there's shared responsibility between the county, which owns the road, and BNSF.“But ultimately, it’s BNSF's railroad,” she said. “It’s their rail line, and they have to make sure everybody is safe on that line.”She said the railroad repaired the track within hours of the accident.“If you can make those improvements to get critical shipments of freight on your rail line, you can also make safety improvements in a quick amount of time," she said.An email by The Associated Press seeking comment from BNSF was not immediately returned Thursday. But a BNSF spokesperson previously said the railroad will review the NTSB report closely for suggestions to improve rail crossing safety.“We continue to invest in grade crossing safety by maintaining crossings, working to help develop public service campaigns and educational resources and investing in new technologies," the railroad said in a Wednesday statement.

Mo. budgets $50M for railroad crossings in response to fatal Amtrak derailment

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Secretary Reed illustrates workforce gap by pointing to lack of land surveyors

TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Transportation secretary Calvin Reed pointed to workforce shortages as a significant challenge to the state’s multibillion-dollar, 10-year Eisenhower transportation program.

Reed, nominated by Gov. Laura Kelly and endorsed by the Republican-led Senate Confirmation Oversight Committee, said an aging workforce in core areas of the industry were fundamental problems that government and private-sector employers had to address.

Reed highlighted one of those worrisome gaps, especially prominent in western Kansas, between demand and supply of professional land surveyors. Among the state’s nearly 3 million residents, only 258 are licensed land surveyors. The average age of this cadre of people responsible for defining boundaries of real property was 59.8 years, he said.

“That’s something that we rely on very heavily in our agency,” Reed said. “There is a real structural issue here that I consider to be a threat to us being able to deliver, not just this program, but the next program.”

He said a collaborative effort among state government, industry, and colleges and universities was necessary to create a sustainable system to train more surveyors. The state’s lone educational program for licensed surveyors was at Kansas City, Kansas Community College, which sits more than 400 miles from the Colorado border.

“We have a real drought of surveyors west of Salina,” the secretary said. “I think there needs to be a discussion about how do we push the model that’s being done at Kansas City, Kansas, Community College further west. I want to be an active part of that conversation.”

Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican supporting Reed’s nomination, said the Kansas Board of Regents as well as the state’s community colleges should be receptive to addressing the lack of surveyors.

He also expressed appreciation to Reed for personally taking part in the KDOT response to concern among residents in Comanche County about the safety of concrete bridge guardrails on Kansas Highway 1. Unlike modern barriers that collapsed upon impact, the older concrete structures provided little flexibility in crashes.

The issue was given fresh urgency in December 2021 when Britney Marie Turley, 20, of Coldwater died when the Dodge truck she was driving struck a concrete bridge barrier on Kansas 1.

“Several fatalities on that bridge,” said Alley, with a Senate district stretching into Comanche County. “When it was reported, we asked for somebody to do something about it and I understand you were the one they sent out. I want to say thank you for doing that.”

Reed said Turley’s death brought greater scrutiny at KDOT to the structure and engineering of bridge barriers. A statewide survey identified 68 bridges in the state highway system with similar characteristics to the barrier in Comanche County.

“It really hits home any time I see a fatality that involves any of our young folks in the state of Kansas,” Reed said. “It gave us an opportunity to programmatically look at our entire state and make sure that we’re addressing this issue statewide.”

Reed, raised on a farm near in Osage County, was named acting KDOT secretary in December. He earned degrees in civil engineering at Kansas State University. In 2002, he was hired by KDOT to work in the bridge design unit. He recently was director of the agency’s engineering and design division. He also spent four years at Professional Engineering Consultants in Wichita between stints at KDOT.

“Calvin Reed has long worked to ensure Kansas families and travelers can travel throughout the state safely and efficiently, making him an obvious choice to lead the agency,” Kelly said.

He still faces a confirmation vote by the full Kansas Senate during the 2024 legislative session, but bipartisan endorsement by the committee typically allowed nominees to move more easily through the process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691003805562.png" alt="Calvin Reed, the Kansas governor’s nominee for secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation,&nbsp;said Kansas needed to address shortages in the transportation industry, starting with producing more land surveyors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption>Calvin Reed, the Kansas governor’s nominee for secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation,&nbsp;said Kansas needed to address shortages in the transportation industry, starting with producing more land surveyors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Secretary Reed illustrates workforce gap by pointing to lack of land surveyors</h2>TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Transportation secretary Calvin Reed pointed to workforce shortages as a significant challenge to the state’s multibillion-dollar, 10-year Eisenhower transportation program.Reed, nominated by Gov. Laura Kelly and endorsed by the Republican-led Senate Confirmation Oversight Committee, said an aging workforce in core areas of the industry were fundamental problems that government and private-sector employers had to address.Reed highlighted one of those worrisome gaps, especially prominent in western Kansas, between demand and supply of professional land surveyors. Among the state’s nearly 3 million residents, only 258 are licensed land surveyors. The average age of this cadre of people responsible for defining boundaries of real property was 59.8 years, he said.“That’s something that we rely on very heavily in our agency,” Reed said. “There is a real structural issue here that I consider to be a threat to us being able to deliver, not just this program, but the next program.”He said a collaborative effort among state government, industry, and colleges and universities was necessary to create a sustainable system to train more surveyors. The state’s lone educational program for licensed surveyors was at Kansas City, Kansas Community College, which sits more than 400 miles from the Colorado border.“We have a real drought of surveyors west of Salina,” the secretary said. “I think there needs to be a discussion about how do we push the model that’s being done at Kansas City, Kansas, Community College further west. I want to be an active part of that conversation.”<h2>Other poignant needs</h2>Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican supporting Reed’s nomination, said the Kansas Board of Regents as well as the state’s community colleges should be receptive to addressing the lack of surveyors.He also expressed appreciation to Reed for personally taking part in the KDOT response to concern among residents in Comanche County about the safety of concrete bridge guardrails on Kansas Highway 1. Unlike modern barriers that collapsed upon impact, the older concrete structures provided little flexibility in crashes.The issue was given fresh urgency in December 2021 when Britney Marie Turley, 20, of Coldwater died when the Dodge truck she was driving struck a concrete bridge barrier on Kansas 1.“Several fatalities on that bridge,” said Alley, with a Senate district stretching into Comanche County. “When it was reported, we asked for somebody to do something about it and I understand you were the one they sent out. I want to say thank you for doing that.”Reed said Turley’s death brought greater scrutiny at KDOT to the structure and engineering of bridge barriers. A statewide survey identified 68 bridges in the state highway system with similar characteristics to the barrier in Comanche County.“It really hits home any time I see a fatality that involves any of our young folks in the state of Kansas,” Reed said. “It gave us an opportunity to programmatically look at our entire state and make sure that we’re addressing this issue statewide.”<h2>‘Obvious choice’</h2>Reed, raised on a farm near in Osage County, was named acting KDOT secretary in December. He earned degrees in civil engineering at Kansas State University. In 2002, he was hired by KDOT to work in the bridge design unit. He recently was director of the agency’s engineering and design division. He also spent four years at Professional Engineering Consultants in Wichita between stints at KDOT.“Calvin Reed has long worked to ensure Kansas families and travelers can travel throughout the state safely and efficiently, making him an obvious choice to lead the agency,” Kelly said.He still faces a confirmation vote by the full Kansas Senate during the 2024 legislative session, but bipartisan endorsement by the committee typically allowed nominees to move more easily through the process.Reed would replace Julie Lorenz, who led KDOT from 2019 until December. Lorenz oversaw creation with the Legislature of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program. There are more than 1,000 transportation infrastructure projects in motion across the state.In the 2023 fiscal year ending in June, KDOT issued $1.4 billion in preservation, modernization and expansion projects. That total was three times what was let in the 2019 fiscal year.“What I am most passionate about is sustainable preservation — making sure we are taking care of what we have by making decisions now that minimize long term costs,” Reed said. “Kansas has long been regarded as having some of he best roads in the country and preservation of our existing highway system is a top priority.”