SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Registered nurses in Kansas and Texas at three Ascension hospitals will participate in historic one-day strikes on Tuesday, June 27 to protest the health care giant’s refusal to address its endemic staffing crisis, according to a media release from National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). 

During contract negotiations, management has dismissed nurses’ solutions for safe staffing protections and nurse recruitment and retention, both critical factors for ensuring patient safety.

In recent weeks, nurses at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-christi-st-joseph-overwhelmingly-vote-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Joseph Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/st-francis-nurses-vote-overwhelmingly-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.), and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ascension-seton-nurses-overwhelmingly-vote-to-authorize-strike">Ascension Seton Medical Center</a>&nbsp;(Austin, Texas) have voted to authorize one-day strikes by overwhelming majorities.

Nurses always give at least 10 days of advance notice to their hospitals to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care.

“Ascension management pushed nurses to this position by failing to listen to or implement our solutions to address the staffing crisis,” said Monica Gonzalez, a registered nurse in the neurology unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, where nurses have been in negotiations for seven months. “Ascension management has the power to settle a strong contract now, if they are serious about staffing up and improving nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care. ”

In the past year, these 2,000 Ascension nurses have made history, creating some of the largest private-sector nurse unions in states with laws hostile to worker organizing. Driving the surge of unionization at Ascension is a systematic failure of the hospital system to invest its resources – including the tens of millions of dollars it does not pay in federal taxes, due to its nonprofit status – back into its communities and workforce.

“Ascension nurses are fighting for our patients and the sustainability of our profession,” said Marvin Ruckle, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. “Our commitment to winning strong contracts is unbreakable, like our bond to our patients. Executives can’t get away with empty promises while rejecting our commonsense solutions to improve staffing and patient care. Just as the nurse-patient relationship is important for healing, strong contracts are the best way for us to solve our staffing crisis for the sake of our patients’ health and well-being.”

Chronic short-staffing imposed by Ascension hospital management –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">a practice that began well before the Covid-19 pandemic to boost profits and executive compensation</a>&nbsp;– makes it challenging for nurses to provide the highest quality of care to their patients because it drastically limits how much time a nurse can spend on each patient. Short-staffing also creates a revolving door of nursing staff, who suffer moral injury and distress because they can’t provide the care they know results in the best patient outcomes.

“Union nurses across Ascension stand united for our patients and against management’s profiteering,” Lisa Watson, a registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit at Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital&nbsp;in Wichita. “It’s disrespectful to be asked to take care of more patients with fewer resources. These conditions have everything to do with management’s decision-making and nothing to do with the excuse of the so-called ‘nursing shortage’ that’s actually a staffing crisis they created.”

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows that there are more than a million registered nurses with active licenses who are choosing not to work at the bedside.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.orga/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/Reporter_Memo_Hospital_Staffing_Crisis.pdf">More information and data debunking the nurse "shortage” myth can be found here.</a>

The conditions driving Austin and Wichita nurses to take unprecedented collective action at their hospitals are part of a broader pattern of Ascension negligence and greed, which has garnered the scrutiny of local and national news media and federal regulators, including:

"As a self-professed 'ministry' that claims a commitment to ‘holistic care’ that ‘sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities', safe staffing is foundational to Ascension's moral and legal obligations,” said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN, and a president of NNU. “Nurses have every right to demand and strike for contracts that meet Ascension’s own standards.”&nbsp;

Ascension is the second-largest and wealthiest nonprofit and Catholic health system in the country. In fiscal year 2021, Ascension reported a net income of more than $6.4 billion, and the system’s CEO took home a compensation package worth more than $13 million. Additionally, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/159767/PDF/159767.pdf">a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission filing</a>, Ascension runs an investment company that manages more than $41 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686927459677.png" alt="Photo courtesy National Nurses United" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy National Nurses United</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Registered nurses in Kansas and Texas at three Ascension hospitals will participate in historic one-day strikes on Tuesday, June 27 to protest the health care giant’s refusal to address its endemic staffing crisis, according to a media release from National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). During contract negotiations, management has dismissed nurses’ solutions for safe staffing protections and nurse recruitment and retention, both critical factors for ensuring patient safety.In recent weeks, nurses at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-christi-st-joseph-overwhelmingly-vote-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Joseph Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/st-francis-nurses-vote-overwhelmingly-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.), and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ascension-seton-nurses-overwhelmingly-vote-to-authorize-strike">Ascension Seton Medical Center</a>&nbsp;(Austin, Texas) have voted to authorize one-day strikes by overwhelming majorities. Nurses always give at least 10 days of advance notice to their hospitals to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care.“Ascension management pushed nurses to this position by failing to listen to or implement our solutions to address the staffing crisis,” said Monica Gonzalez, a registered nurse in the neurology unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, where nurses have been in negotiations for seven months. “Ascension management has the power to settle a strong contract now, if they are serious about staffing up and improving nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care. ”In the past year, these 2,000 Ascension nurses have made history, creating some of the largest private-sector nurse unions in states with laws hostile to worker organizing. Driving the surge of unionization at Ascension is a systematic failure of the hospital system to invest its resources – including the tens of millions of dollars it does not pay in federal taxes, due to its nonprofit status – back into its communities and workforce.“Ascension nurses are fighting for our patients and the sustainability of our profession,” said Marvin Ruckle, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. “Our commitment to winning strong contracts is unbreakable, like our bond to our patients. Executives can’t get away with empty promises while rejecting our commonsense solutions to improve staffing and patient care. Just as the nurse-patient relationship is important for healing, strong contracts are the best way for us to solve our staffing crisis for the sake of our patients’ health and well-being.”Chronic short-staffing imposed by Ascension hospital management –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">a practice that began well before the Covid-19 pandemic to boost profits and executive compensation</a>&nbsp;– makes it challenging for nurses to provide the highest quality of care to their patients because it drastically limits how much time a nurse can spend on each patient. Short-staffing also creates a revolving door of nursing staff, who suffer moral injury and distress because they can’t provide the care they know results in the best patient outcomes.“Union nurses across Ascension stand united for our patients and against management’s profiteering,” Lisa Watson, a registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit at Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital&nbsp;in Wichita. “It’s disrespectful to be asked to take care of more patients with fewer resources. These conditions have everything to do with management’s decision-making and nothing to do with the excuse of the so-called ‘nursing shortage’ that’s actually a staffing crisis they created.”The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows that there are more than a million registered nurses with active licenses who are choosing not to work at the bedside.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.orga/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/Reporter_Memo_Hospital_Staffing_Crisis.pdf">More information and data debunking the nurse "shortage” myth can be found here.</a>The conditions driving Austin and Wichita nurses to take unprecedented collective action at their hospitals are part of a broader pattern of Ascension negligence and greed, which has garnered the scrutiny of local and national news media and federal regulators, including:<ul>
 <li>A&nbsp;November 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/11/16/ascension-investigation-moonlighting-private-equity-firm/">STAT News investigation</a>&nbsp;describing Ascension as a hospital system “moonlighting as a private equity firm.”&nbsp;</li><li>A&nbsp;December 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">New York Times investigation</a>&nbsp;into Ascension’s staffing conditions finding the hospital “spent years reducing its staffing levels in an effort to improve profitability, even though the chain is a nonprofit organization with nearly $18 billion of cash reserves.”&nbsp;</li><li>Two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milwaukeemag.com/special-report-how-staff-shortages-are-undermining-care-at-columbia-st-marys-hospital/">separate</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/public-investigator/2023/01/26/ascensions-columbia-st-marys-hospital-in-milwaukee-under-fire/69791985007/">reports</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;January 2023&nbsp;from Milwaukee, Wis., demonstrating “disruptions to patient care, long wait times in the emergency department, delayed surgeries and staff concerns about patient safety” at Ascension facilities.&nbsp;</li><li>A&nbsp;February 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ascension_financial_letter_final.pdf">letter to CEO Joseph Impicciche by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin</a>&nbsp;calling into question Ascension’s nonprofit status and mission-driven values.</li>
 </ul>"As a self-professed 'ministry' that claims a commitment to ‘holistic care’ that ‘sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities', safe staffing is foundational to Ascension's moral and legal obligations,” said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN, and a president of NNU. “Nurses have every right to demand and strike for contracts that meet Ascension’s own standards.”&nbsp;Ascension is the second-largest and wealthiest nonprofit and Catholic health system in the country. In fiscal year 2021, Ascension reported a net income of more than $6.4 billion, and the system’s CEO took home a compensation package worth more than $13 million. Additionally, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/159767/PDF/159767.pdf">a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission filing</a>, Ascension runs an investment company that manages more than $41 billion.

Nurses at 2 Wichita hospitals announce historic one-day strike

By MARGARET STAFFORD and JOHN HANNA&nbsp;

CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — John Forsyth was known as a hard-working doctor who cared deeply for his patients and often teased nurses in the emergency room to ease tension. He was a father of eight and newly engaged. He also co-founded a cryptocurrency business with his brother.

His sudden disappearance from a southwestern Missouri town last month — and the eventual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">discovery of his body</a>&nbsp;in an Arkansas lake — has led many to wonder what happened to the man who seemed happier than he’d been for some time. A lack of information from law enforcement has only deepened the mystery, prompting amateur sleuths to espouse theories on Facebook.

“It’s like the world dropped on us; we’re just in shock” said his sister Tiffany Forsyth. “There’s a part of me that’s not quite sure this is real yet. I guess it comes in steps.”

Forsyth disappeared on May 21 from a parking area at a public swimming pool. His body, which had suffered an apparent gunshot wound, was found nine days later. An autopsy was done, but a report isn't expected for at least two months. Law enforcement officers have released almost no details, except to say there is no danger to the public.

The doctor's family is adamant that his death wasn’t a suicide: He had just recently become engaged, and his fiancee was pregnant.

Some true-crime followers on social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother, Richard Forsyth. Multiple other theories also have surfaced in a Facebook discussion group that has grown to more than 1,000 members. Posts in that group are now closed to public view.

Only 10 days before his disappearance, a judge had finalized Forsyth's divorce — his second from the same woman. The split was amicable, according to family members and the ex-wife's attorney, Ryan Ricketts, who said she was “devastated” by the doctor’s death.

Richard Forsyth said his brother was excited about his upcoming marriage and new child and had a plane ticket to go see one of his daughters.

“He said, ‘I can’t wait to introduce her to you. We’re going to have a wonderful life together. We’re all going to spend a lot of time together,’” Richard Forsyth said. " ... I hadn't seen him that happy for a long time.”

Forsyth even texted his fiancee on the day of his disappearance, saying he would see her soon, according to his brother. The fiancee did not answer a social media request for an interview.

Alongside hopeful comments about his future life, however, John Forsyth had recently made cryptic remarks about possibly being in danger, his brother said, adding, “I think he crossed paths with some bad folks and he didn’t tell me about them."

There has been some confusion about what happened near the public pool where John Forsyth was last seen in Cassville, 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of the Ozark Mountains tourist destination of Branson and about half a mile from a hospital where he worked. On May 21, the pool had yet to open for the summer season. Beaver Lake, a man-made reservoir used for recreation and where his body was found, is at least an hour’s drive away from Cassville, over twisty highways that snake through the Ozarks.

Initially, Richard Forsyth said security camera footage showed his brother getting into someone else’s vehicle. He now says the footage shows that a few minutes after the doctor parked his car, a white SUV arrived, then left shortly afterward. About 10 or 15 minutes after that, the doctor got out of his car and walked away, never to be seen alive again, Richard Forsyth said. Found inside his unlocked car were two cellphones, a laptop and important documents, he said.

So far, authorities — who have stressed a need to investigate thoroughly before releasing information — have not said whether the SUV was related to Forsyth's disappearance, or whether they've found the gun used to shoot him or identified any suspects.

Richard Forsyth said family members have been told it could be a long wait for answers, but they have confidence in the investigating officers.

Authorities have also not indicated how deeply they are looking into Forsyth’s connections to crypto.

Online publications covering the industry quickly took note of his death, which was confirmed just seven weeks after authorities in the San Francisco area charged a tech consultant with the stabbing death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-app-bob-lee-founder-stabbed-13dab701a332328c531b3c6c444983fd">Cash App founder Bob Lee.</a>

John and Richard Forsyth founded Onfo LLC, what they called a “network mining” venture, in 2018. At that time, Onfo’s website said account holders could earn credits without putting up cash, by referring others to the company.

Onfo's website features a nearly eight-minute video titled, “The U.S. Dollar is Doomed,” which says all governments’ currencies could collapse. The video promoting the launch of Onfo portrayed bankers and political officials as pigs in suits, describing them as, “drunk on expensive liquor, resting in palaces.”

<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukefitzpatrick/2020/04/27/bitcoin-halving-a-new-class-of-bitcoin-millionaires-may-emerge/?sh=2453ff1e61fc">An online Forbes magazine story</a>&nbsp;in 2020 described John Forsyth as a bitcoin millionaire.

But Richard Forsyth said he and his brother were looking to give large numbers of people, including poor people in developing nations, a chance to invest in decentralized, digital currency. He described Onfo as fighting what the brothers believed crypto had become: driven by greed, “about Lamborghinis” and “billionaires and tax evasion.”

Paul Sibenik, lead case manager for CipherBlade, an agency that investigates cybercrimes involving crypto, said Onfo’s business model resembles pyramid schemes, which rely on an ever-growing number of referrals and cannot be sustained.

“There is not a single legitimate cryptocurrency project that operates in this way,” Sibenik said in an email to The Associated Press.

Richard Forsyth acknowledged that others might question whether Onfo was a “multi-level marketing” operation, but added, “The key difference is that we never sold anything.” And, he said, it's probably cost them millions of dollars, rather than turning a profit.

“What we are just doing is saying to people, ‘Let’s build this together,’" he said.

John Forsyth had substantial crypto currency holdings when his second divorce became final last month. The divorce decree evenly split his and his ex-wife's holdings in bitcoin and another digital currency, Ethereum, valuing them at more than $800,000. The decree also required him to pay an additional $15,000 a month to his ex-wife as well as $3,999 a month to support four of their children, ages 10 to 18. The decree estimated the value of John Forsyth’s business interests outside his cryptocurrency holdings at $1 million.

John and Richard Forsyth were among seven siblings in an extended family with more than 100 cousins. The brothers grew up both in southwest Missouri and Alberta, Canada, and had dual American and Canadian citizenship, Richard Forsyth said.

The family had a private funeral Saturday, followed by a public vigil Sunday night in a park in Monett just north of Cassville. There, about 40 people, mostly family members, lit memorial candles and shared poignant and humorous stories about him.

Colleagues remembered how Forsyth often tried to lighten the mood in the intense emergency room of a hospital in the town of Aurora where he worked. Nurse Leah Tate remarked that he liked to see “just how much he could annoy you,” drawing chuckles from those gathered for the memorial service. She said Forsyth once made it his mission to get a nurse to throw something at him at least once a day.

Louise Hensley, a Monett resident and former neighbor of John Forsyth, said he treated her husband, who had Lou Gehrig's disease, for several years.

“He was always so caring about his patients. He was so helpful to my husband and me during that time," said Hensley, who described Forsyth's death as “tragic.”

"I was just shocked when I heard a doctor was missing and then saw it was him.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685465277680.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET STAFFORD and JOHN HANNA&nbsp;CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — John Forsyth was known as a hard-working doctor who cared deeply for his patients and often teased nurses in the emergency room to ease tension. He was a father of eight and newly engaged. He also co-founded a cryptocurrency business with his brother.His sudden disappearance from a southwestern Missouri town last month — and the eventual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">discovery of his body</a>&nbsp;in an Arkansas lake — has led many to wonder what happened to the man who seemed happier than he’d been for some time. A lack of information from law enforcement has only deepened the mystery, prompting amateur sleuths to espouse theories on Facebook.“It’s like the world dropped on us; we’re just in shock” said his sister Tiffany Forsyth. “There’s a part of me that’s not quite sure this is real yet. I guess it comes in steps.”Forsyth disappeared on May 21 from a parking area at a public swimming pool. His body, which had suffered an apparent gunshot wound, was found nine days later. An autopsy was done, but a report isn't expected for at least two months. Law enforcement officers have released almost no details, except to say there is no danger to the public.The doctor's family is adamant that his death wasn’t a suicide: He had just recently become engaged, and his fiancee was pregnant.Some true-crime followers on social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother, Richard Forsyth. Multiple other theories also have surfaced in a Facebook discussion group that has grown to more than 1,000 members. Posts in that group are now closed to public view.Only 10 days before his disappearance, a judge had finalized Forsyth's divorce — his second from the same woman. The split was amicable, according to family members and the ex-wife's attorney, Ryan Ricketts, who said she was “devastated” by the doctor’s death.Richard Forsyth said his brother was excited about his upcoming marriage and new child and had a plane ticket to go see one of his daughters.“He said, ‘I can’t wait to introduce her to you. We’re going to have a wonderful life together. We’re all going to spend a lot of time together,’” Richard Forsyth said. " ... I hadn't seen him that happy for a long time.”Forsyth even texted his fiancee on the day of his disappearance, saying he would see her soon, according to his brother. The fiancee did not answer a social media request for an interview.Alongside hopeful comments about his future life, however, John Forsyth had recently made cryptic remarks about possibly being in danger, his brother said, adding, “I think he crossed paths with some bad folks and he didn’t tell me about them."CONFLICTING INFORMATION There has been some confusion about what happened near the public pool where John Forsyth was last seen in Cassville, 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of the Ozark Mountains tourist destination of Branson and about half a mile from a hospital where he worked. On May 21, the pool had yet to open for the summer season. Beaver Lake, a man-made reservoir used for recreation and where his body was found, is at least an hour’s drive away from Cassville, over twisty highways that snake through the Ozarks.Initially, Richard Forsyth said security camera footage showed his brother getting into someone else’s vehicle. He now says the footage shows that a few minutes after the doctor parked his car, a white SUV arrived, then left shortly afterward. About 10 or 15 minutes after that, the doctor got out of his car and walked away, never to be seen alive again, Richard Forsyth said. Found inside his unlocked car were two cellphones, a laptop and important documents, he said.So far, authorities — who have stressed a need to investigate thoroughly before releasing information — have not said whether the SUV was related to Forsyth's disappearance, or whether they've found the gun used to shoot him or identified any suspects.Richard Forsyth said family members have been told it could be a long wait for answers, but they have confidence in the investigating officers.CRYPTO CONNECTIONS Authorities have also not indicated how deeply they are looking into Forsyth’s connections to crypto.Online publications covering the industry quickly took note of his death, which was confirmed just seven weeks after authorities in the San Francisco area charged a tech consultant with the stabbing death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-app-bob-lee-founder-stabbed-13dab701a332328c531b3c6c444983fd">Cash App founder Bob Lee.</a>John and Richard Forsyth founded Onfo LLC, what they called a “network mining” venture, in 2018. At that time, Onfo’s website said account holders could earn credits without putting up cash, by referring others to the company.Onfo's website features a nearly eight-minute video titled, “The U.S. Dollar is Doomed,” which says all governments’ currencies could collapse. The video promoting the launch of Onfo portrayed bankers and political officials as pigs in suits, describing them as, “drunk on expensive liquor, resting in palaces.”<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukefitzpatrick/2020/04/27/bitcoin-halving-a-new-class-of-bitcoin-millionaires-may-emerge/?sh=2453ff1e61fc">An online Forbes magazine story</a>&nbsp;in 2020 described John Forsyth as a bitcoin millionaire.But Richard Forsyth said he and his brother were looking to give large numbers of people, including poor people in developing nations, a chance to invest in decentralized, digital currency. He described Onfo as fighting what the brothers believed crypto had become: driven by greed, “about Lamborghinis” and “billionaires and tax evasion.”Paul Sibenik, lead case manager for CipherBlade, an agency that investigates cybercrimes involving crypto, said Onfo’s business model resembles pyramid schemes, which rely on an ever-growing number of referrals and cannot be sustained.“There is not a single legitimate cryptocurrency project that operates in this way,” Sibenik said in an email to The Associated Press.Richard Forsyth acknowledged that others might question whether Onfo was a “multi-level marketing” operation, but added, “The key difference is that we never sold anything.” And, he said, it's probably cost them millions of dollars, rather than turning a profit.“What we are just doing is saying to people, ‘Let’s build this together,’" he said.John Forsyth had substantial crypto currency holdings when his second divorce became final last month. The divorce decree evenly split his and his ex-wife's holdings in bitcoin and another digital currency, Ethereum, valuing them at more than $800,000. The decree also required him to pay an additional $15,000 a month to his ex-wife as well as $3,999 a month to support four of their children, ages 10 to 18. The decree estimated the value of John Forsyth’s business interests outside his cryptocurrency holdings at $1 million.A FRIENDS' AND FAMILY'S FAREWELL John and Richard Forsyth were among seven siblings in an extended family with more than 100 cousins. The brothers grew up both in southwest Missouri and Alberta, Canada, and had dual American and Canadian citizenship, Richard Forsyth said.The family had a private funeral Saturday, followed by a public vigil Sunday night in a park in Monett just north of Cassville. There, about 40 people, mostly family members, lit memorial candles and shared poignant and humorous stories about him.Colleagues remembered how Forsyth often tried to lighten the mood in the intense emergency room of a hospital in the town of Aurora where he worked. Nurse Leah Tate remarked that he liked to see “just how much he could annoy you,” drawing chuckles from those gathered for the memorial service. She said Forsyth once made it his mission to get a nurse to throw something at him at least once a day.Louise Hensley, a Monett resident and former neighbor of John Forsyth, said he treated her husband, who had Lou Gehrig's disease, for several years.“He was always so caring about his patients. He was so helpful to my husband and me during that time," said Hensley, who described Forsyth's death as “tragic.”"I was just shocked when I heard a doctor was missing and then saw it was him.”

Authorities aren't talking: Doctor's death is steeped in mystery, speculation

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Republican Party settled a lawsuit and apologized for a campaign mailer sent in 2020 that falsely accused a developer of corruption in an attempt to discredit a Shawnee Democrat running for state Senate.

Mike Brown, who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/11/kansas-republicans-select-2020-election-conspiracy-theorist-to-serve-as-party-chairman/">took over as chairman of the Kansas GOP</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, seized the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, Mike Kuckelman, in the latest public showing of discord within the party. Kuckelman responded by pointing to the party’s perilous financial position and Brown’s willingness to cave to “political bullying.”

For Lindsey Constance, the Democrat who lost to Republican Sen. Mike Thompson, the settlement was a reminder of the “sea of misinformation” surrounding their race.

Developer Kevin Tubbesing and his wife, Dawn, sued the Kansas GOP over the mailer in 2021 in Johnson County District Court. In a statement, Brown said Kuckelman made an error in judgment by authorizing the mailer, which led to an “unnecessarily long and expensive legal process.”

“I want to assure both the Tubbesings, as well as Republicans throughout Kansas, that we will never let a situation like this happen again while I am chairman,” Brown said. “This situation should never have reached this point, and we are happy this case has been resolved. Our party can now turn its full attention to ensuring the election of Republican leadership across this great state.”

In an email, Kevin Tubbesing said the parties agreed not to disclose the settlement amount.

“For going on three years now, all we have sought is an apology, and now reimbursement of legal expenses, for this unprovoked attack, and I’m glad that we now have it behind us,” Kevin Tubbesing said.

The 2020 campaign mailer attacked Constance, who had served on the Shawnee City Council, for voting in favor of a $3.1 million incentive package to support Kevin Tubbesing’s development of luxury apartments. Constance received a $250 donation from Dawn Tubbesing before and after voting on the project.

The mailer’s colorful language included the following lines:

In an interview for this story, Constance said it was “laughable” that a $250 donation could influence a vote.

“It is incredibly hard to go up against a person and a party saying things that are completely false,” Constance said. “And I don’t think I expected that level of disinformation when I got into it.”

She said one flyer didn’t make a difference in the race, but it wasn’t the only example of misinformation. Another flyer said she wanted to defund the police, even though she had the endorsement of a former police chief, and during a debate, Thompson falsely claimed the students at the public school where Constance works as an educator have an average GPA of 1.7.

Thompson defeated Constance by 1,604 votes in a race where more than 43,000 ballots were counted.

“Fighting back in a sea of misinformation is really difficult, especially if you’re committed to telling the truth. It’s just really hard,” Constance said. “I feel like nobody prepares you in life for debating those kinds of things.”

Kevin Tubbesing said the Kansas GOP coordinated with Thompson’s campaign to generate the mailer, which was delivered “to thousands of our neighbors in Shawnee.”

“We demanded an apology and a retraction but the party chairman at that time, Michael Kuckelman refused, despite numerous requests from other statewide party leaders,” Kevin Tubbesing said. “Having no other choice to defend our good intentions and honor, we sued.”

The Kansas GOP spokesman at the time, C.J. Grover,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article249095990.html">told the Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;the party would prevail against the “frivolous lawsuit.” Grover, who later became the spokesman for GOP gubernatorial nominee Derek Schmidt, said “everything in the mail piece was true, and the law protecting free political speech is on our side.”

Kuckelman, an attorney, said in a statement for this story that he was disappointed by Brown’s decision to settle the lawsuit.

“I was informed by party insiders close to Brown that the party could no longer afford to pay its attorneys to litigate the case,” Kuckelman said. “Apparently, fundraising by the Kansas Republican Party is at an all-time low.”

The long-term implications of surrendering free political speech are “quite serious” and will hurt the party, Kuckelman said.

“Political opponents now realize that under the Kansas Republican Party’s current chair, the party will not stand up to political bullying, even when constitutional rights are at risk,” Kuckelman said.

Kevin Tubbesing said Brown agreed to settle after he took over the party earlier this year, reviewed the case, and “saw the absurdity of Kuckelman’s position.”

“It is our hope that attention to this settlement can bring us all a few step(s) back from divisive politics, saturated by personal attacks, that has marked our political discourse recently,” the couple said in a statement. “Respecting differing views, while working fervently for policies that align to each of our ideals, strengthens the fabric of our society and our American democracy.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686919170988.png" alt=" Kansas GOP chairman Mike Brown blamed his predecessor for authorizing a false attack in a 2020 campaign mailer that led to a costly legal fight. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas GOP chairman Mike Brown blamed his predecessor for authorizing a false attack in a 2020 campaign mailer that led to a costly legal fight. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Republican Party settled a lawsuit and apologized for a campaign mailer sent in 2020 that falsely accused a developer of corruption in an attempt to discredit a Shawnee Democrat running for state Senate.Mike Brown, who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/11/kansas-republicans-select-2020-election-conspiracy-theorist-to-serve-as-party-chairman/">took over as chairman of the Kansas GOP</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, seized the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, Mike Kuckelman, in the latest public showing of discord within the party. Kuckelman responded by pointing to the party’s perilous financial position and Brown’s willingness to cave to “political bullying.”For Lindsey Constance, the Democrat who lost to Republican Sen. Mike Thompson, the settlement was a reminder of the “sea of misinformation” surrounding their race.Developer Kevin Tubbesing and his wife, Dawn, sued the Kansas GOP over the mailer in 2021 in Johnson County District Court. In a statement, Brown said Kuckelman made an error in judgment by authorizing the mailer, which led to an “unnecessarily long and expensive legal process.”“I want to assure both the Tubbesings, as well as Republicans throughout Kansas, that we will never let a situation like this happen again while I am chairman,” Brown said. “This situation should never have reached this point, and we are happy this case has been resolved. Our party can now turn its full attention to ensuring the election of Republican leadership across this great state.”In an email, Kevin Tubbesing said the parties agreed not to disclose the settlement amount.“For going on three years now, all we have sought is an apology, and now reimbursement of legal expenses, for this unprovoked attack, and I’m glad that we now have it behind us,” Kevin Tubbesing said.The 2020 campaign mailer attacked Constance, who had served on the Shawnee City Council, for voting in favor of a $3.1 million incentive package to support Kevin Tubbesing’s development of luxury apartments. Constance received a $250 donation from Dawn Tubbesing before and after voting on the project.The mailer’s colorful language included the following lines:<ul>
 <li>“Lindsey Constance gives expensive gifts to her special interest donors — and you pay for it.”</li><li>“Lindsey Constance’s corruption is a love letter to crony corruption.”</li>
 </ul>In an interview for this story, Constance said it was “laughable” that a $250 donation could influence a vote.“It is incredibly hard to go up against a person and a party saying things that are completely false,” Constance said. “And I don’t think I expected that level of disinformation when I got into it.”She said one flyer didn’t make a difference in the race, but it wasn’t the only example of misinformation. Another flyer said she wanted to defund the police, even though she had the endorsement of a former police chief, and during a debate, Thompson falsely claimed the students at the public school where Constance works as an educator have an average GPA of 1.7.Thompson defeated Constance by 1,604 votes in a race where more than 43,000 ballots were counted.“Fighting back in a sea of misinformation is really difficult, especially if you’re committed to telling the truth. It’s just really hard,” Constance said. “I feel like nobody prepares you in life for debating those kinds of things.”Kevin Tubbesing said the Kansas GOP coordinated with Thompson’s campaign to generate the mailer, which was delivered “to thousands of our neighbors in Shawnee.”“We demanded an apology and a retraction but the party chairman at that time, Michael Kuckelman refused, despite numerous requests from other statewide party leaders,” Kevin Tubbesing said. “Having no other choice to defend our good intentions and honor, we sued.”The Kansas GOP spokesman at the time, C.J. Grover,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article249095990.html">told the Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;the party would prevail against the “frivolous lawsuit.” Grover, who later became the spokesman for GOP gubernatorial nominee Derek Schmidt, said “everything in the mail piece was true, and the law protecting free political speech is on our side.”Kuckelman, an attorney, said in a statement for this story that he was disappointed by Brown’s decision to settle the lawsuit.“I was informed by party insiders close to Brown that the party could no longer afford to pay its attorneys to litigate the case,” Kuckelman said. “Apparently, fundraising by the Kansas Republican Party is at an all-time low.”The long-term implications of surrendering free political speech are “quite serious” and will hurt the party, Kuckelman said.“Political opponents now realize that under the Kansas Republican Party’s current chair, the party will not stand up to political bullying, even when constitutional rights are at risk,” Kuckelman said.Kevin Tubbesing said Brown agreed to settle after he took over the party earlier this year, reviewed the case, and “saw the absurdity of Kuckelman’s position.”“It is our hope that attention to this settlement can bring us all a few step(s) back from divisive politics, saturated by personal attacks, that has marked our political discourse recently,” the couple said in a statement. “Respecting differing views, while working fervently for policies that align to each of our ideals, strengthens the fabric of our society and our American democracy.”

Kan. GOP chairman apologizes for predecessor’s campaign attack ad, settles lawsuit

CAMDEN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on multiple charges after an exchange of gunfire at a rural Missouri residence.

On June 14,&nbsp;&nbsp;deputies were dispatched to the 1000 block of Velvet Antler Road, North of Camdenton, for a report of shots fired, according to a media release.

The reporting party informed the sheriff's office communications their neighbor was firing a gun at their residence.

Upon arrival, deputies announced their presence and began approaching the residence where the gunfire originated. 

 The deputies heard a gunshot and announced their presence again.  The deputies heard another shot and observed the muzzle flash of the firearm came from behind a nearby vehicle. 

 Deputies gave repeated commands and a man appeared from behind the vehicle with his hands raised.

Deputies detained the man and identified him as 62-year-old Gary L Roethler. 

  During their investigation deputies found a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver in Roethler’s pocket containing several spent cartridges.  The Ruger had a red laser sight on it. 

 Deputies also located an open box of .357 Magnum cartridges on the hood of Roethler’s vehicle.

The reporting party on scene explained they fired their own firearm at an animal near their chicken coop on their property.  Immediately after they fired, Roethler began firing in their direction and yelled at them if there was going to be another civil war that he (Roethler) would start it and that he had lasers pointed at them and other threats. 

Roethler was arrested and transported to the Camden County Adult Detention Facility on requested charges that include Class D Felony of 2nd Degree Assault, the Class E Felony of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felony Armed Criminal Action. He is being held on a $100,000 surety bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686925994802.png" alt="Roethler-photo Camden Co." />
 <figcaption>Roethler-photo Camden Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CAMDEN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on multiple charges after an exchange of gunfire at a rural Missouri residence.On June 14,&nbsp;&nbsp;deputies were dispatched to the 1000 block of Velvet Antler Road, North of Camdenton, for a report of shots fired, according to a media release.The reporting party informed the sheriff's office communications their neighbor was firing a gun at their residence.Upon arrival, deputies announced their presence and began approaching the residence where the gunfire originated. The deputies heard a gunshot and announced their presence again. The deputies heard another shot and observed the muzzle flash of the firearm came from behind a nearby vehicle. Deputies gave repeated commands and a man appeared from behind the vehicle with his hands raised.Deputies detained the man and identified him as 62-year-old Gary L Roethler. During their investigation deputies found a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver in Roethler’s pocket containing several spent cartridges. The Ruger had a red laser sight on it. Deputies also located an open box of .357 Magnum cartridges on the hood of Roethler’s vehicle.The reporting party on scene explained they fired their own firearm at an animal near their chicken coop on their property. Immediately after they fired, Roethler began firing in their direction and yelled at them if there was going to be another civil war that he (Roethler) would start it and that he had lasers pointed at them and other threats. Roethler was arrested and transported to the Camden County Adult Detention Facility on requested charges that include Class D Felony of 2nd Degree Assault, the Class E Felony of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felony Armed Criminal Action. He is being held on a $100,000 surety bond.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Mo. man accused of firing shots at neighbors, deputies

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden highlighted progress in chipping away at so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-39153f8d641f587e2fccb53f94371401">junk fees</a>&nbsp;as a “win for consumers” Thursday, as he met at the White House with executives from Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, Seat Geek, Airbnb and other companies that have taken steps to embrace more transparent pricing.

(click below to watch the President's comments)

Biden prioritized the effort to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-3f1130fd2636587adfa1fccd809afe19">surprise or undisclosed fees</a>&nbsp;in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-biden-2023-b9bebd876a42a9510f068a04a3f2a348">State of the Union address</a>&nbsp;and has called for legislation, regulation and private sector action to end them. The president, at Thursday's event, praised actions by companies that have eliminated or plan to eliminate those surprise fees.

The consumer advocacy push is part of Biden's pitch to voters ahead of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">2024 reelection bid</a>&nbsp;that government can help improve their lives in big and small ways.

At the White House, Live Nation, which is based in Beverly Hills, California, announced that it will provide customers with upfront all-in pricing — meaning the actual purchase price including service charges and any other fees — for its owned venues by September and that Ticketmaster will give consumers the option to view all-in pricing up front for other venues on the live-entertainment tickets platform. SeatGeek, based in New York, will also unveil features to make it easier to browse for tickets with the true cost displayed.

San Francisco-based Airbnb rolled out its all-in pricing tool in December, after Biden first called on companies to stop hiding fees.

“These are just the latest private sector leaders who are responding to my call to action," Biden said, saying junk fees "can add hundreds of dollars a month and make it harder for families to pay their bills.”

“I’m asking their competitors to follow suit and adopt an all-in pricing as well," Biden said. “These actions matter and it’s inspiring companies to change their practices."

National Economic Council director Lael Brainard said in a statement that the president “has been working to lower costs for hardworking families by bringing down inflation, capping insulin prices for seniors, and eliminating hidden junk fees.”

"More companies are heeding the President’s call so that Americans know what they’re paying for up front and can save money as a result.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden highlighted progress in chipping away at so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-39153f8d641f587e2fccb53f94371401">junk fees</a>&nbsp;as a “win for consumers” Thursday, as he met at the White House with executives from Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, Seat Geek, Airbnb and other companies that have taken steps to embrace more transparent pricing.(click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F142015648847665%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=114" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden prioritized the effort to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-3f1130fd2636587adfa1fccd809afe19">surprise or undisclosed fees</a>&nbsp;in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-biden-2023-b9bebd876a42a9510f068a04a3f2a348">State of the Union address</a>&nbsp;and has called for legislation, regulation and private sector action to end them. The president, at Thursday's event, praised actions by companies that have eliminated or plan to eliminate those surprise fees.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, Live Nation, SeatGeek, xBk, Airbnb, The Pablo Center, TickPick, DICE, and the Newport Festivals Foundation have answered my call to address junk fees and provide consumers with honest pricing – improving the purchasing experience for tens of millions of Americans. <a href="https://t.co/InsgqmX9iU">pic.twitter.com/InsgqmX9iU</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1669437446017146880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The consumer advocacy push is part of Biden's pitch to voters ahead of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">2024 reelection bid</a>&nbsp;that government can help improve their lives in big and small ways.At the White House, Live Nation, which is based in Beverly Hills, California, announced that it will provide customers with upfront all-in pricing — meaning the actual purchase price including service charges and any other fees — for its owned venues by September and that Ticketmaster will give consumers the option to view all-in pricing up front for other venues on the live-entertainment tickets platform. SeatGeek, based in New York, will also unveil features to make it easier to browse for tickets with the true cost displayed.San Francisco-based Airbnb rolled out its all-in pricing tool in December, after Biden first called on companies to stop hiding fees.“These are just the latest private sector leaders who are responding to my call to action," Biden said, saying junk fees "can add hundreds of dollars a month and make it harder for families to pay their bills.”“I’m asking their competitors to follow suit and adopt an all-in pricing as well," Biden said. “These actions matter and it’s inspiring companies to change their practices."National Economic Council director Lael Brainard said in a statement that the president “has been working to lower costs for hardworking families by bringing down inflation, capping insulin prices for seniors, and eliminating hidden junk fees.”"More companies are heeding the President’s call so that Americans know what they’re paying for up front and can save money as a result.”

🎥Biden muscles Ticketmaster, SeatGeek to scrap hidden ticket fees

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Department of Energy and several other federal agencies were compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang's global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments, but the impact was not expected to be great, Homeland Security officials said Thursday.

But for others among what could be hundreds of victims from industry to higher education — including patrons of at least two state motor vehicle agencies — the hack was beginning to show some serious impacts.

Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told reporters that unlike the meticulous,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solarwinds-hack-email-top-dhs-officials-8bcd4a4eb3be1f8f98244766bae70395">stealthy SolarWinds hacking campaign</a>&nbsp;attributed to state-backed Russian intelligence agents that was months in the making, this campaign was short, relatively superficial and caught quickly.

“Based on discussions we have had with industry partners ... these intrusions are not being leveraged to gain broader access, to gain persistence into targeted systems, or to steal specific high value information— in sum, as we understand it, this attack is largely an opportunistic one,” Easterly said.

“Although we are very concerned about this campaign and working on it with urgency, this is not a campaign like SolarWinds that presents a systemic risk to our national security or our nation’s networks,” she added.

A senior CISA official said neither the U.S. military nor intelligence community was affected. Energy Department spokesperson Chad Smith said two agency entities were compromised but did not provide more detail.

Known victims to date include Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles, Oregon's Department of Transportation, the Nova Scotia provincial government, British Airways, the British Broadcasting Company and the U.K. drugstore chain Boots. The exploited program, MOVEit, is widely used by businesses to securely share files. Security experts say that can include sensitive financial and insurance data.

Louisiana officials said Thursday that people with a driver's license or vehicle registration in the state likely had their personal information exposed. That included their name, address, Social Security number and birthdate. They encouraged Louisiana residents to freeze their credit to guard against identity theft.

The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed Thursday that the attackers accessed personal information, some sensitive, for about 3.5 million people to whom the state issued identity cards or driver’s licenses.

The Cl0p ransomware syndicate behind the hack announced last week on its dark web site that its victims, who it suggested numbered in the hundreds, had until Wednesday to get in touch to negotiate a ransom or risk having sensitive stolen data dumped online.

The gang, among the world’s most prolific cybercrime syndicates, also claimed it would delete any data stolen from governments, cities and police departments.

The senior CISA official told reporters a “small number” of federal agencies were hit — declining to name them — and said “this is not a widespread campaign affecting a large number of federal agencies.” The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the breach, said no federal agencies had received extortion demands and no data from an affected federal agency had been leaked online by Cl0p.

U.S. officials “have no evidence to suggest coordination between Cl0p and the Russian government," the official said.

The parent company of MOVIEit's U.S. maker,&nbsp;<a href="https://community.progress.com/s/article/MOVEit-Transfer-Critical-Vulnerability-31May2023">Progress Software, alerted customers to the breach on May 31</a>&nbsp;and issued a patch. But cybersecurity researchers say scores if not hundreds of companies could by then have had sensitive data quietly exfiltrated.

"At this point, we are seeing industry estimates of several hundred of victims across the country,” the senior CISA official said. Federal officials encouraged victims to come forward, but they often don't. The U.S. lacks a federal data breach law, and disclosure of hacks varies by state. Publicly traded corporations, health care providers and some critical infrastructure purveyors do have regulatory obligations.

The cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard says it detected 2,500 vulnerable MOVEit servers across 790 organizations, including 200 government agencies. It said it was not able to break down those agencies by country.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the Treasury Department uses MOVEit, according to federal contracting data. Spokeswoman Stephanie Collins said the agency was aware of the hack and has been monitoring the situation closely. She said it was “conducting detailed forensic analysis of system activity and has not found any indications of a breach of sensitive information.” She would not say how the agency uses the file-transfer program.

The hackers were actively scanning for targets, penetrating them and stealing data at least as far back as March 29, said SecurityScorecard threat analyst Jared Smith.

This is far from the first time Cl0p has breached a file-transfer program to gain access to data it could then use to extort companies. Other instances include GoAnywhere servers in early 2023 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-europe-eastern-europe-new-zealand-f318ba1ffc971eb17371456b015206a5">Accellion File Transfer Application devices in 2020 and 2021</a>.

The Associated Press emailed Cl0p on Thursday asking what government agencies it had hacked. It did not receive a response, but the gang posted a new message on its dark web leak site saying: “We got a lot of emails about government data, we don't have it we have completely deleted this information we are only interested in business."

Cybersecurity experts say the Cl0p criminals are not to be trusted to keep their word. Allan Liska of the firm Recorded Future has said he is aware of at least three cases in which data stolen by ransomware crooks appeared on the dark web six to 10 months after victims paid ransoms.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Department of Energy and several other federal agencies were compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang's global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments, but the impact was not expected to be great, Homeland Security officials said Thursday.But for others among what could be hundreds of victims from industry to higher education — including patrons of at least two state motor vehicle agencies — the hack was beginning to show some serious impacts.Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told reporters that unlike the meticulous,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solarwinds-hack-email-top-dhs-officials-8bcd4a4eb3be1f8f98244766bae70395">stealthy SolarWinds hacking campaign</a>&nbsp;attributed to state-backed Russian intelligence agents that was months in the making, this campaign was short, relatively superficial and caught quickly.“Based on discussions we have had with industry partners ... these intrusions are not being leveraged to gain broader access, to gain persistence into targeted systems, or to steal specific high value information— in sum, as we understand it, this attack is largely an opportunistic one,” Easterly said.“Although we are very concerned about this campaign and working on it with urgency, this is not a campaign like SolarWinds that presents a systemic risk to our national security or our nation’s networks,” she added.A senior CISA official said neither the U.S. military nor intelligence community was affected. Energy Department spokesperson Chad Smith said two agency entities were compromised but did not provide more detail.Known victims to date include Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles, Oregon's Department of Transportation, the Nova Scotia provincial government, British Airways, the British Broadcasting Company and the U.K. drugstore chain Boots. The exploited program, MOVEit, is widely used by businesses to securely share files. Security experts say that can include sensitive financial and insurance data.Louisiana officials said Thursday that people with a driver's license or vehicle registration in the state likely had their personal information exposed. That included their name, address, Social Security number and birthdate. They encouraged Louisiana residents to freeze their credit to guard against identity theft.The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed Thursday that the attackers accessed personal information, some sensitive, for about 3.5 million people to whom the state issued identity cards or driver’s licenses.The Cl0p ransomware syndicate behind the hack announced last week on its dark web site that its victims, who it suggested numbered in the hundreds, had until Wednesday to get in touch to negotiate a ransom or risk having sensitive stolen data dumped online.The gang, among the world’s most prolific cybercrime syndicates, also claimed it would delete any data stolen from governments, cities and police departments.The senior CISA official told reporters a “small number” of federal agencies were hit — declining to name them — and said “this is not a widespread campaign affecting a large number of federal agencies.” The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the breach, said no federal agencies had received extortion demands and no data from an affected federal agency had been leaked online by Cl0p.U.S. officials “have no evidence to suggest coordination between Cl0p and the Russian government," the official said.The parent company of MOVIEit's U.S. maker,&nbsp;<a href="https://community.progress.com/s/article/MOVEit-Transfer-Critical-Vulnerability-31May2023">Progress Software, alerted customers to the breach on May 31</a>&nbsp;and issued a patch. But cybersecurity researchers say scores if not hundreds of companies could by then have had sensitive data quietly exfiltrated."At this point, we are seeing industry estimates of several hundred of victims across the country,” the senior CISA official said. Federal officials encouraged victims to come forward, but they often don't. The U.S. lacks a federal data breach law, and disclosure of hacks varies by state. Publicly traded corporations, health care providers and some critical infrastructure purveyors do have regulatory obligations.The cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard says it detected 2,500 vulnerable MOVEit servers across 790 organizations, including 200 government agencies. It said it was not able to break down those agencies by country.The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the Treasury Department uses MOVEit, according to federal contracting data. Spokeswoman Stephanie Collins said the agency was aware of the hack and has been monitoring the situation closely. She said it was “conducting detailed forensic analysis of system activity and has not found any indications of a breach of sensitive information.” She would not say how the agency uses the file-transfer program.The hackers were actively scanning for targets, penetrating them and stealing data at least as far back as March 29, said SecurityScorecard threat analyst Jared Smith.This is far from the first time Cl0p has breached a file-transfer program to gain access to data it could then use to extort companies. Other instances include GoAnywhere servers in early 2023 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-europe-eastern-europe-new-zealand-f318ba1ffc971eb17371456b015206a5">Accellion File Transfer Application devices in 2020 and 2021</a>.The Associated Press emailed Cl0p on Thursday asking what government agencies it had hacked. It did not receive a response, but the gang posted a new message on its dark web leak site saying: “We got a lot of emails about government data, we don't have it we have completely deleted this information we are only interested in business."Cybersecurity experts say the Cl0p criminals are not to be trusted to keep their word. Allan Liska of the firm Recorded Future has said he is aware of at least three cases in which data stolen by ransomware crooks appeared on the dark web six to 10 months after victims paid ransoms.

U.S. government agency networks hit in global cyberattack 

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman's drug overdose and have made an arrest.

Just before midnight Wednesday, police were responded to the 1400 block of N. Calhoun Street in Junction City the report of a possible overdose, according to a media release.

First responders found a 40-year-old female suffering from an apparent overdose. The Junction City Fire Department transported the woman to the Stormont Vail Flint Hills Campus and then on to Stormont Vail in Topeka where she is in critical condition.

Following an investigation, Junction City Drug Task Force Detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 300 block of W. 13th Street in Junction City.

During the search detectives found cocaine, fentanyl pills, marijuana, 9 firearms and approximately $17,000 in US Currency. They also arrested 40-year-old Alex D. Schooler, of Junction City in connection with the overdose.&nbsp;

Schooler was booked into the Geary County Detention Center on requested charges of Distribution of a controlled substance causing great bodily harm or death, Distribution of certain stimulants within 1000 feet of a school, Criminal use of a weapon by a prohibited person, Distribution of opiates within 1000 feet of a school, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Acquisition of drug proceeds

Schooler is being held without bond, at the Geary County Detention Facility, while he awaits his first appearance in the Geary County District Court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686846316601.jpeg" alt="Alex Djuane Schooler-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Alex Djuane Schooler-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman's drug overdose and have made an arrest.Just before midnight Wednesday, police were responded to the 1400 block of N. Calhoun Street in Junction City the report of a possible overdose, according to a media release.First responders found a 40-year-old female suffering from an apparent overdose. The Junction City Fire Department transported the woman to the Stormont Vail Flint Hills Campus and then on to Stormont Vail in Topeka where she is in critical condition.Following an investigation, Junction City Drug Task Force Detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 300 block of W. 13th Street in Junction City.During the search detectives found cocaine, fentanyl pills, marijuana, 9 firearms and approximately $17,000 in US Currency. They also arrested 40-year-old Alex D. Schooler, of Junction City in connection with the overdose.&nbsp;Schooler was booked into the Geary County Detention Center on requested charges of Distribution of a controlled substance causing great bodily harm or death, Distribution of certain stimulants within 1000 feet of a school, Criminal use of a weapon by a prohibited person, Distribution of opiates within 1000 feet of a school, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Acquisition of drug proceedsSchooler is being held without bond, at the Geary County Detention Facility, while he awaits his first appearance in the Geary County District Court.

Kan. man jailed after investigation of woman's drug overdose

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">abdominal surgery</a>&nbsp;nine days earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-surgery-bowel-96b9ed94ed0dcb8c3eec6aa718202196">repair a hernia and remove painful scarring</a>, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization.

Francis, 86, left through Gemelli Polyclinic's main exit in a wheelchair, smiling and waving and saying “thanks” to a crowd of well-wishers, then stood up so he could get into the small Vatican car awaiting him. In the brief distance before he could reach the white Fiat 500, reporters thrust microphones practically at his face, and the pontiff seemed to bat them away, good-naturedly.

"Still alive,'' the pope quipped when a reporter asked how he was.

"The pope is well. He's better than before,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who did the three-hour operation on June 7 told reporters after he said goodbye to Francis as the pontiff got into the car.

Following the surgery, Francis will be a "strong pope,'' said Alfieri, who was outside along with the surging crowd as the pontiff exited.

Right after the pontiff returned home, the Vatican press office announced that Francis would make his traditional Sunday noon appearance at an Apostolic window overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the public, an appointment that lasts about 10 minutes.

But his customary Wednesday general audience with thousands of faithful in the square "has been canceled to safeguard the post-surgical recovery of the Holy Father,'' the announcement said. The general audience lasts about an hour and includes a speech by the pontiff.

When asked by a reporter outside the hospital for a comment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greece-missing-migrants-kalamata-8d9e8284e27880468d524eb934bb3f2a">migrant disaster off Greece</a>&nbsp;that has claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds missing, Francis replied: “So much sorrow.”

Instead of going straight back to the Vatican, Francis stopped to pray for 10 minutes before an icon of the Virgin Mary at the famous St. Mary Major Basilica, where he often stops by after trips abroad to give thanks. Francis stayed in his wheelchair as he prayed. He also went there after his discharge from the same hospital following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-released-hospital-53e6a136fe9f7b64da551e749a44930a">treatment for bronchitis</a>.

Tourists in the basilica excitedly snapped photos of the pontiff in the basilica, and several people in the crowd outside wept as he left and headed for the Holy See hotel, where he lives on Vatican City grounds.

But before he arrived back home, Francis made two more stops — first at a convent adjacent to the Vatican to greet nuns, and then outside one of the walled city's gates to get out of his car so he could shake hands with and thank police officers who provided a motorcycle escort.

Hours after the surgery, Alfieri said that the scarring, which had resulted from previous abdominal surgeries, had been increasingly causing the pope pain. There was also risk of an intestinal blockage, if adhesions, or scar tissue, weren’t removed, according to the doctors.

No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli’s 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope’s medical staff.

Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal. “He has confirmed all” his trips, the surgeon said.

“Actually, he’ll be able to tackle them better than before, because now he won’t have the discomfort he had,″ Alfieri said, referring to the scarring known medically as adhesions. The surgeon had said that if the pope hadn’t had the surgery, there would have been a risk of an intestinal blockage.

“He’ll be a stronger pope,″ the surgeon added.

Right after the surgery, the Vatican said all of the pope’s audiences would be canceled through June 18. Among the high-profile appointments Francis is expected to have next week at the Vatican are audiences with the presidents of Cuba and Brazil, although the meetings haven't been officially announced yet by the Vatican.

Commitments that have officially been announced include pilgrimages to Portugal in early August for a Catholic youth jamboree and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-russia-china-mongolia-fbd2cb3b9b8e68ed0e46122ec2ba5129">a trip to Mongolia</a>&nbsp;beginning on Aug. 31, a first-ever visit by a pontiff to that Asian country.

In just under two years, Francis had been hospitalized three times at Gemelli Polyclinic. In July 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestinal. That, as well as abdominal surgeries years back in his native Argentina before he became pontiff, had contributed to the painful scarring, according to Alfieri. Then in early spring of this year, Francis was back in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment for bronchitis, an illness Francis later said caused him pain and fever.

As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had a portion of one lung removed following infection.

The latest hospitalization came just as Francis seemed to be walking better, with the aid of a cane, following months of often using a wheelchair because of a painful knee problem. He also has suffered from sciatica, a painful inflammation of a nerve that runs down from back to leg.

Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal.

On Friday, the surgeon expressed confidence that the pontiff will pace himself as he resumes his appointment-packed days at the Vatican.

“He'll listen a little more to us, because he has important commitments that he has confirmed, including the trips," Alfieri said.

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">abdominal surgery</a>&nbsp;nine days earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-surgery-bowel-96b9ed94ed0dcb8c3eec6aa718202196">repair a hernia and remove painful scarring</a>, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization.Francis, 86, left through Gemelli Polyclinic's main exit in a wheelchair, smiling and waving and saying “thanks” to a crowd of well-wishers, then stood up so he could get into the small Vatican car awaiting him. In the brief distance before he could reach the white Fiat 500, reporters thrust microphones practically at his face, and the pontiff seemed to bat them away, good-naturedly."Still alive,'' the pope quipped when a reporter asked how he was."The pope is well. He's better than before,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who did the three-hour operation on June 7 told reporters after he said goodbye to Francis as the pontiff got into the car.Following the surgery, Francis will be a "strong pope,'' said Alfieri, who was outside along with the surging crowd as the pontiff exited.Right after the pontiff returned home, the Vatican press office announced that Francis would make his traditional Sunday noon appearance at an Apostolic window overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the public, an appointment that lasts about 10 minutes.But his customary Wednesday general audience with thousands of faithful in the square "has been canceled to safeguard the post-surgical recovery of the Holy Father,'' the announcement said. The general audience lasts about an hour and includes a speech by the pontiff.When asked by a reporter outside the hospital for a comment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greece-missing-migrants-kalamata-8d9e8284e27880468d524eb934bb3f2a">migrant disaster off Greece</a>&nbsp;that has claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds missing, Francis replied: “So much sorrow.”Instead of going straight back to the Vatican, Francis stopped to pray for 10 minutes before an icon of the Virgin Mary at the famous St. Mary Major Basilica, where he often stops by after trips abroad to give thanks. Francis stayed in his wheelchair as he prayed. He also went there after his discharge from the same hospital following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-released-hospital-53e6a136fe9f7b64da551e749a44930a">treatment for bronchitis</a>.Tourists in the basilica excitedly snapped photos of the pontiff in the basilica, and several people in the crowd outside wept as he left and headed for the Holy See hotel, where he lives on Vatican City grounds.But before he arrived back home, Francis made two more stops — first at a convent adjacent to the Vatican to greet nuns, and then outside one of the walled city's gates to get out of his car so he could shake hands with and thank police officers who provided a motorcycle escort.Hours after the surgery, Alfieri said that the scarring, which had resulted from previous abdominal surgeries, had been increasingly causing the pope pain. There was also risk of an intestinal blockage, if adhesions, or scar tissue, weren’t removed, according to the doctors.No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli’s 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope’s medical staff.Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal. “He has confirmed all” his trips, the surgeon said.“Actually, he’ll be able to tackle them better than before, because now he won’t have the discomfort he had,″ Alfieri said, referring to the scarring known medically as adhesions. The surgeon had said that if the pope hadn’t had the surgery, there would have been a risk of an intestinal blockage.“He’ll be a stronger pope,″ the surgeon added.Right after the surgery, the Vatican said all of the pope’s audiences would be canceled through June 18. Among the high-profile appointments Francis is expected to have next week at the Vatican are audiences with the presidents of Cuba and Brazil, although the meetings haven't been officially announced yet by the Vatican.Commitments that have officially been announced include pilgrimages to Portugal in early August for a Catholic youth jamboree and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-russia-china-mongolia-fbd2cb3b9b8e68ed0e46122ec2ba5129">a trip to Mongolia</a>&nbsp;beginning on Aug. 31, a first-ever visit by a pontiff to that Asian country.In just under two years, Francis had been hospitalized three times at Gemelli Polyclinic. In July 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestinal. That, as well as abdominal surgeries years back in his native Argentina before he became pontiff, had contributed to the painful scarring, according to Alfieri. Then in early spring of this year, Francis was back in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment for bronchitis, an illness Francis later said caused him pain and fever.As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had a portion of one lung removed following infection.The latest hospitalization came just as Francis seemed to be walking better, with the aid of a cane, following months of often using a wheelchair because of a painful knee problem. He also has suffered from sciatica, a painful inflammation of a nerve that runs down from back to leg.Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal.On Friday, the surgeon expressed confidence that the pontiff will pace himself as he resumes his appointment-packed days at the Vatican.“He'll listen a little more to us, because he has important commitments that he has confirmed, including the trips," Alfieri said.

Pope Francis leaves Rome hospital 9 days after surgery

PERRYTON, Texas (AP) — A tornado tore through the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday, killing three people, injuring dozens more and causing widespread damage as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">another series of fierce storms</a>&nbsp;carved its way through Southern states.

The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado hit the area shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Local officials said Thursday night that two people were missing.

Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado. Dutcher said at least 30 trailers were damaged or destroyed.

First responders from surrounding towns and cities and from neighboring Oklahoma descended on the town, which is home to more than 8,000 people and about 115 miles northeast of Amarillo, just south of the Oklahoma line.

Mobile homes were ripped apart and pickup trucks with shattered windshield were slammed against mounds of rubble in residential areas.

Perryton’s downtown also was walloped. About two blocks of businesses were heavily damaged, including an office supply store, a floral shop and a hair salon along the town's Main Street. A minivan was shoved into the outer wall of a theater.

With a few hours of daylight left after the storm passed through, broken windows were being boarded up.

The Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Department said it would enforce a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday because of downed power lines and other dangers that might not be visible in the dark.

Storm chaser Brian Emfinger told Fox Weather that he watched the twister move through a mobile home park, mangling trailers and uprooting trees.

“I had seen the tornado do some pretty serious destruction to the industrial part of town,” he said. “Unfortunately, just west of there, there is just mobile home, after mobile home, after mobile home that is completely destroyed."

There was no immediate word on the tornado's size or wind speeds, meteorologist Luigi Meccariello said.

Nearly 50,000 customers were without electricity in Texas and Oklahoma, according to the&nbsp;<a href="http://poweroutage.us/">poweroutage.us</a>&nbsp;website.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OchiltreeHospital?__cft__[0]=AZWx8iuXtpK7JE9vYv_PS3ZU2MCP5f3pY1wFQRHZXZChnNMSAPjonU188fVxWFxe9Oolm7aJPgSoVgKwg8KUSkqalbnO9hTg4su9Tyb7p4IWdsa8iKj-rjcat8Yjy3RWwVS71X2qycFA1KpQIOy2ojw5nu99smRx5Gk3tGYe8ZfH0g&amp;__tn__=-UC%2CP-R">Ochiltree General Hospital</a>&nbsp;in Perryton on Facebook said “Walking/wounded please go to the clinic. All others to the hospital ER.”

“We have seen somewhere between 50 and 100 patients,” said Kelly Judice, the hospital’s interim CEO. Those include about 10 people in critical condition who were transferred to other hospitals.

Patients had minor to major trauma, ranging from “head injuries to collapsed lungs, lacerations, broken bones,” she said.

The hospital also said an American Red Cross shelter had been set up at the Ochiltree County Expo Center.

Chris Samples of local radio station KXDJ-FM said the station was running on auxiliary power.

“The whole city is out of power,” he said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he had directed the state Division of Emergency Management to help with everything from traffic control to restoring water and other utilities, if needed.

By evening, the weather front was moving southeast across Oklahoma. The weather service said a second round of storms would continue to move through that state and parts of Texas through the evening while the risk of severe weather, including tornados, remained for the metropolitan Oklahoma City area.

Elsewhere in Texas and other Southern states stretching to Florida, heat advisories were in effect Thursday and were forecast into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-juneteenth-f77ddd12436ad02d8124e7d48abe9db4">Juneteenth holiday</a>&nbsp;weekend with temperatures reaching toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). It was expected to feel as hot as 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).

The storm system also brought hail and possible tornados to northwestern Ohio.

A barn was smashed and trees toppled in Sandusky County, Ohio, and power lines were downed in northern Toledo, leaving thousands without power. The weather service reported “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” over Bellevue and storms showing “signs of rotation” in other areas.

It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">second day in a row that powerful storms struck the U.S.</a>&nbsp;On Wednesday, strong winds toppled trees, damaged buildings and blew cars off a highway from the eastern part of Texas to Georgia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686912045291.png" alt="Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado.-photo courtesy KVII TV" />
 <figcaption>Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado.-photo courtesy KVII TV</figcaption>
 </figure>PERRYTON, Texas (AP) — A tornado tore through the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday, killing three people, injuring dozens more and causing widespread damage as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">another series of fierce storms</a>&nbsp;carved its way through Southern states.The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado hit the area shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Local officials said Thursday night that two people were missing.Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado. Dutcher said at least 30 trailers were damaged or destroyed.First responders from surrounding towns and cities and from neighboring Oklahoma descended on the town, which is home to more than 8,000 people and about 115 miles northeast of Amarillo, just south of the Oklahoma line.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686912022758.png" alt="Photo courtesy KVII TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KVII TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Mobile homes were ripped apart and pickup trucks with shattered windshield were slammed against mounds of rubble in residential areas.Perryton’s downtown also was walloped. About two blocks of businesses were heavily damaged, including an office supply store, a floral shop and a hair salon along the town's Main Street. A minivan was shoved into the outer wall of a theater.With a few hours of daylight left after the storm passed through, broken windows were being boarded up.The Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Department said it would enforce a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday because of downed power lines and other dangers that might not be visible in the dark.Storm chaser Brian Emfinger told Fox Weather that he watched the twister move through a mobile home park, mangling trailers and uprooting trees.“I had seen the tornado do some pretty serious destruction to the industrial part of town,” he said. “Unfortunately, just west of there, there is just mobile home, after mobile home, after mobile home that is completely destroyed."There was no immediate word on the tornado's size or wind speeds, meteorologist Luigi Meccariello said.Nearly 50,000 customers were without electricity in Texas and Oklahoma, according to the&nbsp;<a href="http://poweroutage.us/">poweroutage.us</a>&nbsp;website.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OchiltreeHospital?__cft__[0]=AZWx8iuXtpK7JE9vYv_PS3ZU2MCP5f3pY1wFQRHZXZChnNMSAPjonU188fVxWFxe9Oolm7aJPgSoVgKwg8KUSkqalbnO9hTg4su9Tyb7p4IWdsa8iKj-rjcat8Yjy3RWwVS71X2qycFA1KpQIOy2ojw5nu99smRx5Gk3tGYe8ZfH0g&amp;__tn__=-UC%2CP-R">Ochiltree General Hospital</a>&nbsp;in Perryton on Facebook said “Walking/wounded please go to the clinic. All others to the hospital ER.”“We have seen somewhere between 50 and 100 patients,” said Kelly Judice, the hospital’s interim CEO. Those include about 10 people in critical condition who were transferred to other hospitals.Patients had minor to major trauma, ranging from “head injuries to collapsed lungs, lacerations, broken bones,” she said.The hospital also said an American Red Cross shelter had been set up at the Ochiltree County Expo Center.Chris Samples of local radio station KXDJ-FM said the station was running on auxiliary power.“The whole city is out of power,” he said.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he had directed the state Division of Emergency Management to help with everything from traffic control to restoring water and other utilities, if needed.By evening, the weather front was moving southeast across Oklahoma. The weather service said a second round of storms would continue to move through that state and parts of Texas through the evening while the risk of severe weather, including tornados, remained for the metropolitan Oklahoma City area.Elsewhere in Texas and other Southern states stretching to Florida, heat advisories were in effect Thursday and were forecast into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-juneteenth-f77ddd12436ad02d8124e7d48abe9db4">Juneteenth holiday</a>&nbsp;weekend with temperatures reaching toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). It was expected to feel as hot as 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).The storm system also brought hail and possible tornados to northwestern Ohio.A barn was smashed and trees toppled in Sandusky County, Ohio, and power lines were downed in northern Toledo, leaving thousands without power. The weather service reported “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” over Bellevue and storms showing “signs of rotation” in other areas.It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">second day in a row that powerful storms struck the U.S.</a>&nbsp;On Wednesday, strong winds toppled trees, damaged buildings and blew cars off a highway from the eastern part of Texas to Georgia.

Tornado devastates Texas Panhandle town, killing 3

By RUDI KELLER&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Ameren Missouri’s nearly 1.3 million electric power customers will be paying more in the near future but exactly how much more, and when the rates will take effect, has yet to be determined, the Missouri Public Service Commission said in a news release Thursday.

The commission approved a plan for the utility to increase revenues by $140 million annually. Each rate class will see the same percentage increase, but Ameren Missouri must file a particular rate schedule before the exact increase is available, the release stated. The proposal for rates will also include an effective date.

The $9 monthly charge for service will not increase, the news release stated.

The rate hike is about 44% of the total sought by the utility when it filed for a $316 million rate increase in August 2022. The company cited increased investments, higher cost for borrowing and higher depreciation costs as reasons for the rate increase.

The initial rate request was opposed by several groups representing environmental groups and utility customers. The rate increase approved Thursday is a consent agreement between Ameren and those intervening parties.

The order protects customers by requiring the utility to report avoided costs if it shuts down its coal-fired Sioux Energy Center in St. Charles County or the Labadie Energy Center in Franklin County before their scheduled retirement, the Sierra Club stated in a news release after the decision.

The plan also sets a goal for reducing disconnections in zip codes with high rates of utility shutoffs.

The decision keeps in place Ameren’s time-of-use program, which offers residential customers the opportunity to pay lower rates for using power in off-peak times. Customers with advanced metering are eligible for the program and if they do not enroll, they will pay a default rate for all power.

The default rate will also be the residential rate for new customers and those without advanced metering, the release stated.

The rate-increase plan also commits Ameren to increasing its customer assistance programs for senior citizens and low-income weatherization efforts, allowing 50% of the cost of those programs to be included in customer rates.

“Today’s outcome was made possible by the thousands of customers who spoke out on the unnecessary rate increases in the face of mounting utility disconnections and record stock prices for Ameren shareholders,”&nbsp; Jenn DeRose, Missouri campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign said in the release.

In February, Ameren announced that its profits on Missouri operations&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ameren-announces-2022-results-and-issues-guidance-for-2023-earnings-and-long-term-growth-301748070.html">increased 8.1% in 2022</a>, to $562 million. The company also has an electric power utility in Illinois and natural gas utilities in Missouri and Illinois.

For all operations, the company reported profits of almost $1.1 billion, an increase of 8.5% over 2021 results.

Ameren provides electricity to approximately 1.29 million customers in Missouri, mainly in cities in the eastern half of the state.\

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686872038230.png" alt=" Ameren Missouri was granted a rate increase Thursday worth $140 million. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Ameren Missouri was granted a rate increase Thursday worth $140 million. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Ameren Missouri’s nearly 1.3 million electric power customers will be paying more in the near future but exactly how much more, and when the rates will take effect, has yet to be determined, the Missouri Public Service Commission said in a news release Thursday.The commission approved a plan for the utility to increase revenues by $140 million annually. Each rate class will see the same percentage increase, but Ameren Missouri must file a particular rate schedule before the exact increase is available, the release stated. The proposal for rates will also include an effective date.The $9 monthly charge for service will not increase, the news release stated.The rate hike is about 44% of the total sought by the utility when it filed for a $316 million rate increase in August 2022. The company cited increased investments, higher cost for borrowing and higher depreciation costs as reasons for the rate increase.The initial rate request was opposed by several groups representing environmental groups and utility customers. The rate increase approved Thursday is a consent agreement between Ameren and those intervening parties.The order protects customers by requiring the utility to report avoided costs if it shuts down its coal-fired Sioux Energy Center in St. Charles County or the Labadie Energy Center in Franklin County before their scheduled retirement, the Sierra Club stated in a news release after the decision.The plan also sets a goal for reducing disconnections in zip codes with high rates of utility shutoffs.The decision keeps in place Ameren’s time-of-use program, which offers residential customers the opportunity to pay lower rates for using power in off-peak times. Customers with advanced metering are eligible for the program and if they do not enroll, they will pay a default rate for all power.The default rate will also be the residential rate for new customers and those without advanced metering, the release stated.The rate-increase plan also commits Ameren to increasing its customer assistance programs for senior citizens and low-income weatherization efforts, allowing 50% of the cost of those programs to be included in customer rates.“Today’s outcome was made possible by the thousands of customers who spoke out on the unnecessary rate increases in the face of mounting utility disconnections and record stock prices for Ameren shareholders,”&nbsp; Jenn DeRose, Missouri campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign said in the release.In February, Ameren announced that its profits on Missouri operations&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ameren-announces-2022-results-and-issues-guidance-for-2023-earnings-and-long-term-growth-301748070.html">increased 8.1% in 2022</a>, to $562 million. The company also has an electric power utility in Illinois and natural gas utilities in Missouri and Illinois.For all operations, the company reported profits of almost $1.1 billion, an increase of 8.5% over 2021 results.Ameren provides electricity to approximately 1.29 million customers in Missouri, mainly in cities in the eastern half of the state.\