KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal plane crash northeast of Kansas City have&nbsp; identified the pilot who died as 79-year-old Alan “Doug” Moler of Valley Center, Kansas, according to the Clay County Missouri Sheriff's office.

Just after 9:30a.m., a 911 caller reported a plane crashed in a field. The plane was fully engulfed in flames and resting in a soybean field near NE 150th and Cordell streets. Excelsior Springs and Kearney fire departments responded and discovered the pilot was the sole occupant of the plane. The pilot was deceased.

Immediately before the crash, the plane had taken off from the Midwest Regional Air Center, a Clay County-owned airport at 13106 Rhodus Road, Mosby, Mo., located a short distance from the crash scene. 

The plane is a privately owned twin-engine Piper aircraft. It had just fueled up and had 140 gallons of fuel on board, which contributed to the fire, according to the sheriff's department. The Pilot was in route to an airport in Wichita.

The plane struck power lines during its descent, knocking down live wires. Residents on NE 150th Street east of Cordell were blocked from their homes until the wires could safely be removed from the roadway.&nbsp; No one on the ground was injured.

After the initial response and evidence gathering, the Sheriff’s Office will turn the investigation over to the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board. The FAA was to arrive Thursday afternoon, and the NTSB has indicated they will arrive Friday, according to the sheriff's office.

The crash scattered debris outside of the soybean field that deputies will have to leave in place until federal aviation authorities arrive to conduct their investigation. Therefore, Cordell Street at 92 Highway, N.E. 150th Street, and parts of Shady Grove Road will remain closed

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689879070841.png" alt="The plane is a privately owned twin-engine Piper aircraft.-photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>The plane is a privately owned twin-engine Piper aircraft.-photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal plane crash northeast of Kansas City have&nbsp; identified the pilot who died as 79-year-old Alan “Doug” Moler of Valley Center, Kansas, according to the Clay County Missouri Sheriff's office.Just after 9:30a.m., a 911 caller reported a plane crashed in a field. The plane was fully engulfed in flames and resting in a soybean field near NE 150th and Cordell streets. Excelsior Springs and Kearney fire departments responded and discovered the pilot was the sole occupant of the plane. The pilot was deceased.Immediately before the crash, the plane had taken off from the Midwest Regional Air Center, a Clay County-owned airport at 13106 Rhodus Road, Mosby, Mo., located a short distance from the crash scene. The plane is a privately owned twin-engine Piper aircraft. It had just fueled up and had 140 gallons of fuel on board, which contributed to the fire, according to the sheriff's department. The Pilot was in route to an airport in Wichita.The plane struck power lines during its descent, knocking down live wires. Residents on NE 150th Street east of Cordell were blocked from their homes until the wires could safely be removed from the roadway.&nbsp; No one on the ground was injured.After the initial response and evidence gathering, the Sheriff’s Office will turn the investigation over to the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board. The FAA was to arrive Thursday afternoon, and the NTSB has indicated they will arrive Friday, according to the sheriff's office.The crash scattered debris outside of the soybean field that deputies will have to leave in place until federal aviation authorities arrive to conduct their investigation. Therefore, Cordell Street at 92 Highway, N.E. 150th Street, and parts of Shady Grove Road will remain closed

Sheriff: Kan. pilot dies in small plane crash into Mo. soybean field

By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s efforts to inflate the cost of an abortion-rights initiative petition were unanimously rejected by the state Supreme Court Thursday, j<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/18/fight-over-cost-of-abortion-rights-initiative-petition-reaches-missouri-supreme-court/">ust two days after judges heard arguments in the case</a>.&nbsp;

The quick verdict, which was written by Judge Paul Wilson, was scathing in its opinion of Bailey’s refusal to sign off on the work of Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, concluding that nothing in state law “gives the attorney general authority to question the auditor’s assessment of the fiscal impact of a proposed petition.”

The ruling upheld Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem’s ruling last month&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/20/judge-missouri-ag-had-absolute-absence-of-authority-to-question-abortion-initiative-cost/">ordering Bailey to sign off on Fitzpatrick’s fiscal summary within 24 hours</a>.&nbsp;

A spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office said Bailey disagrees with the court’s decision, “as we believe Missourians deserve to know how much this amendment would cost the state, but we will respect the court’s order.”

In early March, 11 versions of a proposed constitutional amendment rolling back Missouri’s abortion ban were filed with the secretary of state’s office.&nbsp;

As part of the initiative petition process, the state auditor is required to create a fiscal note and a fiscal note summary that states “the measure’s estimated cost or savings, if any, to state or local governmental entities.”

After consulting 60 state and local agencies, including the attorney general’s office, Fitzpatrick concluded the state would face “no costs or savings” as a result of the proposed constitutional amendment.

Bailey refused to give what has traditionally been considered perfunctory approval of the fiscal note. Instead, he demanded the auditor increase the estimate to say the amendment would cost the state billions of dollars.

Fitzpatrick said that while he vehemently opposes the proposed initiative petition, the projected cost estimate being pushed by Bailey is not based in reality. To alter his fiscal summary to include Bailey’s “inaccurate information.” Fitzpatrick wrote to the attorney general, would “violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.

Because of the impasse, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has not completed his work on the summary, and thus, supporters cannot legally begin collecting signatures to place the issue on the ballot.

Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling acknowledged how Bailey’s unlawful refusal to sign off on the fiscal note has derailed the initiative petition process.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“The attorney general was to have performed that task within 10 days of receiving the fiscal notes and summaries from the auditor, a period that expired more than three months ago,” Wilson wrote in his ruling, later adding: “Because of this logjam, the (secretary of state) could not — and, to this day, cannot — complete his duty by certifying the official ballot titles for the proposed petitions.”

If the attorney general had “complied with his duty to approve the Auditor’s fiscal note summaries,” Wilson wrote, the official ballot summary would have been finalized “nearly 100 days ago.”&nbsp;

In a statement after the ruling, Fitzpatrick said he has “consistently stood in defense of the lives of the innocent unborn and worked to make sure abortions do not take place in our state.

“As someone who is ardently pro-life, I will vote against these initiatives if they make it to the ballot,” he said. “However my personal stance cannot compromise the duty my office has to provide a fair assessment of their cost to the state.”

Luz María Henríquez, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri, which sued the attorney general over the fiscal note delays, said Tuesday that the attorney general was seeking to single-handedly upend the initiative petition process.&nbsp;

His efforts, Henríquez said, are “more consistent with the tendencies of an authoritarian government than what we would expect to find in a thriving democracy.”

In an interview Tuesday with KMOX-TV, Bailey was asked whether it’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kmov.com/2023/07/18/missouri-supreme-court-hear-arguments-abortion-petition-case/">morally acceptable to disregard parts of the constitution or break the law</a>&nbsp;as a means of preventing an abortion from taking place.

“I’m going to need to spend a little more time thinking through that kind of philosophical, moral question,” Bailey said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689729912291.png" alt="The Missouri Supreme Court Building in Jefferson City (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Supreme Court Building in Jefferson City (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s efforts to inflate the cost of an abortion-rights initiative petition were unanimously rejected by the state Supreme Court Thursday, j<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/18/fight-over-cost-of-abortion-rights-initiative-petition-reaches-missouri-supreme-court/">ust two days after judges heard arguments in the case</a>.&nbsp;The quick verdict, which was written by Judge Paul Wilson, was scathing in its opinion of Bailey’s refusal to sign off on the work of Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, concluding that nothing in state law “gives the attorney general authority to question the auditor’s assessment of the fiscal impact of a proposed petition.”The ruling upheld Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem’s ruling last month&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/20/judge-missouri-ag-had-absolute-absence-of-authority-to-question-abortion-initiative-cost/">ordering Bailey to sign off on Fitzpatrick’s fiscal summary within 24 hours</a>.&nbsp;A spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office said Bailey disagrees with the court’s decision, “as we believe Missourians deserve to know how much this amendment would cost the state, but we will respect the court’s order.”In early March, 11 versions of a proposed constitutional amendment rolling back Missouri’s abortion ban were filed with the secretary of state’s office.&nbsp;As part of the initiative petition process, the state auditor is required to create a fiscal note and a fiscal note summary that states “the measure’s estimated cost or savings, if any, to state or local governmental entities.”After consulting 60 state and local agencies, including the attorney general’s office, Fitzpatrick concluded the state would face “no costs or savings” as a result of the proposed constitutional amendment.Bailey refused to give what has traditionally been considered perfunctory approval of the fiscal note. Instead, he demanded the auditor increase the estimate to say the amendment would cost the state billions of dollars.Fitzpatrick said that while he vehemently opposes the proposed initiative petition, the projected cost estimate being pushed by Bailey is not based in reality. To alter his fiscal summary to include Bailey’s “inaccurate information.” Fitzpatrick wrote to the attorney general, would “violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.Because of the impasse, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has not completed his work on the summary, and thus, supporters cannot legally begin collecting signatures to place the issue on the ballot.Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling acknowledged how Bailey’s unlawful refusal to sign off on the fiscal note has derailed the initiative petition process.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The attorney general was to have performed that task within 10 days of receiving the fiscal notes and summaries from the auditor, a period that expired more than three months ago,” Wilson wrote in his ruling, later adding: “Because of this logjam, the (secretary of state) could not — and, to this day, cannot — complete his duty by certifying the official ballot titles for the proposed petitions.”If the attorney general had “complied with his duty to approve the Auditor’s fiscal note summaries,” Wilson wrote, the official ballot summary would have been finalized “nearly 100 days ago.”&nbsp;In a statement after the ruling, Fitzpatrick said he has “consistently stood in defense of the lives of the innocent unborn and worked to make sure abortions do not take place in our state.“As someone who is ardently pro-life, I will vote against these initiatives if they make it to the ballot,” he said. “However my personal stance cannot compromise the duty my office has to provide a fair assessment of their cost to the state.”Luz María Henríquez, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri, which sued the attorney general over the fiscal note delays, said Tuesday that the attorney general was seeking to single-handedly upend the initiative petition process.&nbsp;His efforts, Henríquez said, are “more consistent with the tendencies of an authoritarian government than what we would expect to find in a thriving democracy.”In an interview Tuesday with KMOX-TV, Bailey was asked whether it’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kmov.com/2023/07/18/missouri-supreme-court-hear-arguments-abortion-petition-case/">morally acceptable to disregard parts of the constitution or break the law</a>&nbsp;as a means of preventing an abortion from taking place.“I’m going to need to spend a little more time thinking through that kind of philosophical, moral question,” Bailey said.

Mo. Supreme Court rejects AG’s push to inflate cost of abortion-rights amendment

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia pounded Ukraine’s southern cities with drones and missiles for a third consecutive night Thursday, keeping Odesa in the Kremlin's crosshairs after a bitter dispute over the end of a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port.

The strikes killed at least two people in Odesa. In Mykolaiv, a city close to the Black Sea, at least 19 people were injured, including a child, Ukrainian officials said.

Russia has targeted Ukrainian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-crimea-1676e6e746c888c8c8c1f0e4493be6fa">critical grain export infrastructure</a>&nbsp;since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-strike-grain-f4f9cc439384e4d7012c82368338405f">vowed “retribution”</a>&nbsp;this week for an attack that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-crimea-ukraine-kerch-bridge-c3759176ab015796a1e21ca82f19e0c9">damaged a crucial bridge</a>&nbsp;between Russia and the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian officials blamed that strike on Ukrainian drone boats.

The strikes on Ukraine's grain export infrastructure have helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-black-sea-grain-deal-365db9ddb05fb9f2114347aa59b8546a">drive up food prices in countries facing hunger</a>. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the end of the deal Monday would result in more human suffering, with potentially millions of people affected.

Carlos Mera, head of agricultural commodities markets at <a href="https://www.rabobank.com/en/home/index.html">Rabobank,</a> said wheat prices have risen about 17% over the last week, calling it a surprising rise that started even before the grain deal ended Monday and attributing it to “a little bit of panic.”

The grain deal provided guarantees that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-grain-shipping-risks-6adc97731965377e2f1db5f91adefa92">ships would not be attacked</a>&nbsp;entering and leaving Ukrainian ports, while a separate agreement facilitated the movement of Russian food and fertilizer.

The Russian military on Thursday described its strikes on Odesa, a city whose downtown area is described by the United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO as possessing "outstanding universal value,” as “retaliatory.”

In January, UNESCO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-entertainment-politics-odessa-ukraine-government-51da3a402b343bdd9ae8c2587278cb2d">added Odesa’s historic center</a>&nbsp;to its list of endangered World Heritage Sites, with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay saying the “legendary port that has left its mark in cinema, literature and the arts.”

Despite multiple Russian artillery attacks and airstrikes during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>&nbsp;that began in February 2022, Odesa had not previously been subjected to the heavy barrages that have targeted other towns and cities in Ukraine's south and east.

Odesa residents reeled from Russia’s sudden focus on their city.

“I remember the attack on the port last year, but now it feels like it was only 5% compared to what the Russians have launched at us during these past three days,” Oleksandr Kolodin, a 29-year-old photographer, told The Associated Press.

Some feared that Russia’s decision to tear up the grain deal would make Odesa a long-term primary target.

“We saw how they could attack Kyiv for an entire month,” said 29-year-old programmer Victor, referring to the intense bombardment of the Ukrainian capital in May. He asked to use only his first name out of concern for his safety.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that it targeted “production shops and storage sites for unmanned boats” in Odesa and the nearby city of Chornomorsk. In the Mykolaiv area, the Russian military claimed to have destroyed Ukraine’s fuel infrastructure facilities and ammunition depots.

Neither sides’ claims could be independently verified.

The previous night, an intense Russian bombardment using drones and missiles damaged critical port infrastructure in Odesa, including grain and oil terminals. The attack destroyed at least 60,000 tons of grain.

In what appeared to be a tit-for-tat move, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced that as of Friday, all vessels in the Black Sea heading to Russian ports “may be considered by Ukraine as such carrying military cargo with all the associated risks.” That may result in higher insurance costs for those ships.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier this week that Moscow had formally declared wide areas of the Black Sea dangerous for shipping and warned that it would view any incoming ship as laden with weapons, effectively announcing a sea blockade.

Despite the risks, ship owners haven't shown any less interest so far in carrying Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, according to John Stawpert, senior manager of environment and trade for the International Chamber of Shipping, which represents 80% of the world’s commercial fleet.

The European Union’s foreign affairs chief condemned Russia's targeting of grain storage facilities.

“More than 60,000 tons of grain has been burned,” Josep Borrell said in Brussels on Thursday, regarding Moscow's recent tactics. “So not only they withdraw from the grain agreement … but they are burning the grain.”

German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the same meeting that the EU is involved in international efforts to get Ukrainian grain to the world market.

“The fact that the Russian president has canceled the grain agreement and is now bombing the port of Odesa is not only another attack on Ukraine, but an attack on the people, on the poorest people in the world,” she said. “Hundreds of thousands of people, not to say millions,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-somalia-refugees-hunger-food-ukraine-deal-7a7bbb6de8173ec20811663ad53362ce">urgently need grain from Ukraine</a>.”

The White House warned Wednesday that Russia was preparing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-shipping-black-sea-6e7721886bb2b1d98af2e49cf6f67aaf">possible attacks on civilian shipping</a>&nbsp;vessels in the Black Sea. The warning could alarm shippers and further drive up grain prices.

Russia has laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports, White House National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said in a statement. “We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks,” the statement said.

A lot of the wheat exported from Ukraine goes to very poor countries, such as those in North Africa, he said. People in those places are already struggling with food insecurity and high local food prices. Russia, meanwhile, has been exporting record amounts of wheat in recent months despite complaints that its agricultural exports have been hindered.

There is “a vast list of underdeveloped countries that depend on Ukrainian and Russian wheat,” Mera said. “And with prices going up, people will have to pay more for that wheat, which means more expensive bread in those countries.”

Russia has blasted Ukrainian towns and cities since the start of the war. Ukraine's Western allies have helped upgrade its air defense systems. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-aid-war-83790aadb76c4eca6da9d0dc48ad791c">latest military aid package</a>&nbsp;from the United States, announced by the Pentagon on Wednesday, includes funding for four National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and munitions for them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="Russia has targeted Ukrainian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-crimea-1676e6e746c888c8c8c1f0e4493be6fa">critical grain export infrastructure</a>&nbsp;since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-strike-grain-f4f9cc439384e4d7012c82368338405f">vowed “retribution”</a>&nbsp;this week for an attack that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-crimea-ukraine-kerch-bridge-c3759176ab015796a1e21ca82f19e0c9">damaged a crucial bridge</a>&nbsp;between Russia and the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian officials blamed that strike on Ukrainian drone boats. -Photo Russian Presidential Press Service via AP" />
 <figcaption>Russia has targeted Ukrainian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-crimea-1676e6e746c888c8c8c1f0e4493be6fa">critical grain export infrastructure</a>&nbsp;since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-strike-grain-f4f9cc439384e4d7012c82368338405f">vowed “retribution”</a>&nbsp;this week for an attack that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-crimea-ukraine-kerch-bridge-c3759176ab015796a1e21ca82f19e0c9">damaged a crucial bridge</a>&nbsp;between Russia and the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian officials blamed that strike on Ukrainian drone boats. -Photo Russian Presidential Press Service via AP</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia pounded Ukraine’s southern cities with drones and missiles for a third consecutive night Thursday, keeping Odesa in the Kremlin's crosshairs after a bitter dispute over the end of a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port.The strikes killed at least two people in Odesa. In Mykolaiv, a city close to the Black Sea, at least 19 people were injured, including a child, Ukrainian officials said.Russia has targeted Ukrainian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-crimea-1676e6e746c888c8c8c1f0e4493be6fa">critical grain export infrastructure</a>&nbsp;since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-strike-grain-f4f9cc439384e4d7012c82368338405f">vowed “retribution”</a>&nbsp;this week for an attack that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-crimea-ukraine-kerch-bridge-c3759176ab015796a1e21ca82f19e0c9">damaged a crucial bridge</a>&nbsp;between Russia and the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian officials blamed that strike on Ukrainian drone boats.The strikes on Ukraine's grain export infrastructure have helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-black-sea-grain-deal-365db9ddb05fb9f2114347aa59b8546a">drive up food prices in countries facing hunger</a>. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the end of the deal Monday would result in more human suffering, with potentially millions of people affected.Carlos Mera, head of agricultural commodities markets at <a href="https://www.rabobank.com/en/home/index.html">Rabobank,</a> said wheat prices have risen about 17% over the last week, calling it a surprising rise that started even before the grain deal ended Monday and attributing it to “a little bit of panic.”The grain deal provided guarantees that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-grain-shipping-risks-6adc97731965377e2f1db5f91adefa92">ships would not be attacked</a>&nbsp;entering and leaving Ukrainian ports, while a separate agreement facilitated the movement of Russian food and fertilizer.The Russian military on Thursday described its strikes on Odesa, a city whose downtown area is described by the United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO as possessing "outstanding universal value,” as “retaliatory.”In January, UNESCO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-entertainment-politics-odessa-ukraine-government-51da3a402b343bdd9ae8c2587278cb2d">added Odesa’s historic center</a>&nbsp;to its list of endangered World Heritage Sites, with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay saying the “legendary port that has left its mark in cinema, literature and the arts.”Despite multiple Russian artillery attacks and airstrikes during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>&nbsp;that began in February 2022, Odesa had not previously been subjected to the heavy barrages that have targeted other towns and cities in Ukraine's south and east.Odesa residents reeled from Russia’s sudden focus on their city.“I remember the attack on the port last year, but now it feels like it was only 5% compared to what the Russians have launched at us during these past three days,” Oleksandr Kolodin, a 29-year-old photographer, told The Associated Press.Some feared that Russia’s decision to tear up the grain deal would make Odesa a long-term primary target.“We saw how they could attack Kyiv for an entire month,” said 29-year-old programmer Victor, referring to the intense bombardment of the Ukrainian capital in May. He asked to use only his first name out of concern for his safety.The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that it targeted “production shops and storage sites for unmanned boats” in Odesa and the nearby city of Chornomorsk. In the Mykolaiv area, the Russian military claimed to have destroyed Ukraine’s fuel infrastructure facilities and ammunition depots.Neither sides’ claims could be independently verified.The previous night, an intense Russian bombardment using drones and missiles damaged critical port infrastructure in Odesa, including grain and oil terminals. The attack destroyed at least 60,000 tons of grain.In what appeared to be a tit-for-tat move, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced that as of Friday, all vessels in the Black Sea heading to Russian ports “may be considered by Ukraine as such carrying military cargo with all the associated risks.” That may result in higher insurance costs for those ships.Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier this week that Moscow had formally declared wide areas of the Black Sea dangerous for shipping and warned that it would view any incoming ship as laden with weapons, effectively announcing a sea blockade.Despite the risks, ship owners haven't shown any less interest so far in carrying Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, according to John Stawpert, senior manager of environment and trade for the International Chamber of Shipping, which represents 80% of the world’s commercial fleet.The European Union’s foreign affairs chief condemned Russia's targeting of grain storage facilities.“More than 60,000 tons of grain has been burned,” Josep Borrell said in Brussels on Thursday, regarding Moscow's recent tactics. “So not only they withdraw from the grain agreement … but they are burning the grain.”German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the same meeting that the EU is involved in international efforts to get Ukrainian grain to the world market.“The fact that the Russian president has canceled the grain agreement and is now bombing the port of Odesa is not only another attack on Ukraine, but an attack on the people, on the poorest people in the world,” she said. “Hundreds of thousands of people, not to say millions,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-somalia-refugees-hunger-food-ukraine-deal-7a7bbb6de8173ec20811663ad53362ce">urgently need grain from Ukraine</a>.”The White House warned Wednesday that Russia was preparing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-shipping-black-sea-6e7721886bb2b1d98af2e49cf6f67aaf">possible attacks on civilian shipping</a>&nbsp;vessels in the Black Sea. The warning could alarm shippers and further drive up grain prices.Russia has laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports, White House National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said in a statement. “We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks,” the statement said.A lot of the wheat exported from Ukraine goes to very poor countries, such as those in North Africa, he said. People in those places are already struggling with food insecurity and high local food prices. Russia, meanwhile, has been exporting record amounts of wheat in recent months despite complaints that its agricultural exports have been hindered.There is “a vast list of underdeveloped countries that depend on Ukrainian and Russian wheat,” Mera said. “And with prices going up, people will have to pay more for that wheat, which means more expensive bread in those countries.”Russia has blasted Ukrainian towns and cities since the start of the war. Ukraine's Western allies have helped upgrade its air defense systems. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-aid-war-83790aadb76c4eca6da9d0dc48ad791c">latest military aid package</a>&nbsp;from the United States, announced by the Pentagon on Wednesday, includes funding for four National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and munitions for them.

Price of wheat up dramatically as Russia attacks Ukraine's port cities 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an alleged rape from 2007 have transferred a suspect captured at the U.S. Mexico border to Kansas to face charges.&nbsp;

Just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday, deputies booked 41-year-old Roman Vela into the Sedgwick County jail, according to online jail records. He is expected to make a first appearance in court Thursday afternoon, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.

On April 28, the district attorney's office reported Vela&nbsp;was arrested at a border crossing between Mexico and Texas on an active Sedgwick County warrant&nbsp; for one count of rape. He was&nbsp; held in Webb County, Texas until the extradition to Kansas this week.

The arrest was the culmination of an ongoing effort between the Department of State in Mexico; Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Mexico; HSI Kansas City, Mo., and the Sedgwick County DA's Office in Wichita. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689866371606.png" alt="Vela photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Vela photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an alleged rape from 2007 have transferred a suspect captured at the U.S. Mexico border to Kansas to face charges.&nbsp;Just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday, deputies booked 41-year-old Roman Vela into the Sedgwick County jail, according to online jail records. He is expected to make a first appearance in court Thursday afternoon, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.On April 28, the district attorney's office reported Vela&nbsp;was arrested at a border crossing between Mexico and Texas on an active Sedgwick County warrant&nbsp; for one count of rape. He was&nbsp; held in Webb County, Texas until the extradition to Kansas this week.The arrest was the culmination of an ongoing effort between the Department of State in Mexico; Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Mexico; HSI Kansas City, Mo., and the Sedgwick County DA's Office in Wichita.

Rape suspect captured at U.S. border crossing is in a Kansas jail 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas said Thursday that prices at the pump are going up, but not very quickly.

"We've seen some small upticks in prices," Steward said. "Today's average in Kansas is $3.28 a gallon. That's up three cents from a week ago and up about five cents in the past month. Modest increases, probably pretty limited in terms of what we could see this time of year. I think, while demand has been strong, especially for the holiday weekends this summer, crude oil prices, which drive much of the cost we see at the pumps, have been relatively stable all summer. We're looking at $75 to $76 a barrel in the crude oil market."

Reno County's average price is one of the lowest in the state at $3.11 a gallon.

Steward notes that the crude oil market seems to have normalized itself now that geopolitical factors are staying the same at the moment.

"The Ukraine-Russia situation was obviously the major driver last June and throughout much of last year has had an impact on crude oil prices, but that seems to have calmed down for the time being. That is really the reason why we've seen such a stable crude oil market for most of this year."

There is still the chance that weather could impact supply as we get deeper into the Atlantic hurricane season, but barring something like that, the highs of last year look to be behind us.

"We don't see anything on the near term horizon that would indicate any huge leaps in prices at the pumps," Steward said. "A year ago this time, we were almost a dollar higher price, about $4.26 a gallon."

The prices are just about flat with the statewide average a month ago.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas said Thursday that prices at the pump are going up, but not very quickly."We've seen some small upticks in prices," Steward said. "Today's average in Kansas is $3.28 a gallon. That's up three cents from a week ago and up about five cents in the past month. Modest increases, probably pretty limited in terms of what we could see this time of year. I think, while demand has been strong, especially for the holiday weekends this summer, crude oil prices, which drive much of the cost we see at the pumps, have been relatively stable all summer. We're looking at $75 to $76 a barrel in the crude oil market."Reno County's average price is one of the lowest in the state at $3.11 a gallon.Steward notes that the crude oil market seems to have normalized itself now that geopolitical factors are staying the same at the moment."The Ukraine-Russia situation was obviously the major driver last June and throughout much of last year has had an impact on crude oil prices, but that seems to have calmed down for the time being. That is really the reason why we've seen such a stable crude oil market for most of this year."There is still the chance that weather could impact supply as we get deeper into the Atlantic hurricane season, but barring something like that, the highs of last year look to be behind us."We don't see anything on the near term horizon that would indicate any huge leaps in prices at the pumps," Steward said. "A year ago this time, we were almost a dollar higher price, about $4.26 a gallon."The prices are just about flat with the statewide average a month ago.

Gas prices in Kansas still going up

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After a near two-year investigation that included confronting a suspected poacher at his job in Kansas, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has secured a conviction in the case of a bull moose illegally killed in Teller County and left to rot, according to a media release from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The case ended July 10 when Steven Samuelson, 33, of Oakley, Kan., pleaded guilty in Teller County District Court to willful destruction of wildlife, a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of hunting without a proper and valid big game license, aggravated illegal possession of wildlife, failure to prepare wildlife for human consumption, hunting in a careless manner and illegal take of wildlife.

Samuelson received a two year deferred jail sentence on the felony charge, meaning it will be waived if he meets the terms of the plea agreement, and two years unsupervised probation.

In addition, Samuelson was fined nearly $20,000 and surrendered the bow he used to poach the moose as well as other property that contained evidence of the crime including his cellphone. Samuelson also was assessed 65 points against his hunting license, with just 20 needed to suspend his hunting privileges.

CPW’s Tim Kroening, Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region, praised the public for calling CPW when they suspected poaching. And he credited Samuelson’s plea agreement to the relentless investigative work by CPW officers who amassed overwhelming evidence against the Kansan.

“As the agency responsible for perpetuating the wildlife resources of the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will not tolerate poaching,” Kroening said. “Our officers are determined to stop people like Mr. Samuelson who think they can simply go kill any animal they like. I want to make it clear: Mr. Samuelson was not a hunter. He is a poacher.”

The investigation began in September 2021 when CPW’s office in Colorado Springs received a report that someone had illegally shot a bull moose with an arrow in the woods north of Divide.

CPW Officers Aaron Berscheid, Travis Sauder and Ben Meier responded to the area to investigate and were led to the remains of the mature bull moose by the reporting parties.

The CPW team concluded a suspected poacher had shot the moose and then attempted to remove the head of the animal. Ultimately, the suspect laid tree branches and sticks across the carcass in an attempt to hide it.

Officers collected physical evidence from the site including photos and video from the reporting party’s game cameras which pinpointed the time of the incident and provided photos of the suspect.

“This moose was treated unethically and that is something we take very seriously,” said Sauder, assistant area wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region. “We are fortunate members of the public share our passion for wildlife and helped us catch the poacher.

“We rely on honest sportspeople to help us solve these types of cases.”

Besides the public’s help, CPW used old-fashioned police work to track Samuelson down. The investigation reached a climax when Sauder and Meier drove to Kansas where they worked with members of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to confront Samuelson at work and execute a search warrant to gather valuable evidence at Samuelson’s Oakley home.

Kroening and Sauder praised the assistance their team received from the original reporting parties who hiked them to the moose, the Colorado Springs Police Department for helping access evidence on Samuelson's phone, and prosecutors with the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's office for moving the case forward and securing the plea agreement.

“Moose have become an iconic part of the Colorado landscape and have flourished since being reintroduced in 1978,” Kroening said. “The current population is estimated to be near 3,000 animals and they have spread throughout the state.&nbsp;

“While this creates many wonderful opportunities to photograph, view and hunt these animals, it has also created temptation among some to illegally poach these animals. The Samuelson case, and others, show CPW is determined to stop future poachers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689853833512.png" alt="This image from a privately owned game camera showed Steven Samuelson of Oakley, Kan., as he stalked and illegally killed a bull moose in Teller County in September 2021. Samuelson pleaded guilty on July 10 to willful destruction of wildlife, a felony, and several lesser charges in the poaching incident. Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife" />
 <figcaption>This image from a privately owned game camera showed Steven Samuelson of Oakley, Kan., as he stalked and illegally killed a bull moose in Teller County in September 2021. Samuelson pleaded guilty on July 10 to willful destruction of wildlife, a felony, and several lesser charges in the poaching incident. Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife</figcaption>
 </figure>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After a near two-year investigation that included confronting a suspected poacher at his job in Kansas, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has secured a conviction in the case of a bull moose illegally killed in Teller County and left to rot, according to a media release from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.The case ended July 10 when Steven Samuelson, 33, of Oakley, Kan., pleaded guilty in Teller County District Court to willful destruction of wildlife, a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of hunting without a proper and valid big game license, aggravated illegal possession of wildlife, failure to prepare wildlife for human consumption, hunting in a careless manner and illegal take of wildlife.Samuelson received a two year deferred jail sentence on the felony charge, meaning it will be waived if he meets the terms of the plea agreement, and two years unsupervised probation.In addition, Samuelson was fined nearly $20,000 and surrendered the bow he used to poach the moose as well as other property that contained evidence of the crime including his cellphone. Samuelson also was assessed 65 points against his hunting license, with just 20 needed to suspend his hunting privileges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689854153752.png" alt="Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife</figcaption>
 </figure>CPW’s Tim Kroening, Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region, praised the public for calling CPW when they suspected poaching. And he credited Samuelson’s plea agreement to the relentless investigative work by CPW officers who amassed overwhelming evidence against the Kansan.“As the agency responsible for perpetuating the wildlife resources of the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will not tolerate poaching,” Kroening said. “Our officers are determined to stop people like Mr. Samuelson who think they can simply go kill any animal they like. I want to make it clear: Mr. Samuelson was not a hunter. He is a poacher.”The investigation began in September 2021 when CPW’s office in Colorado Springs received a report that someone had illegally shot a bull moose with an arrow in the woods north of Divide.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689854064323.png" alt="Image shows Samuelson's attempt to cover up the carcass after he abandoned his effort to remove the head.&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife" />
 <figcaption>Image shows Samuelson's attempt to cover up the carcass after he abandoned his effort to remove the head.&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife</figcaption>
 </figure>CPW Officers Aaron Berscheid, Travis Sauder and Ben Meier responded to the area to investigate and were led to the remains of the mature bull moose by the reporting parties.The CPW team concluded a suspected poacher had shot the moose and then attempted to remove the head of the animal. Ultimately, the suspect laid tree branches and sticks across the carcass in an attempt to hide it.Officers collected physical evidence from the site including photos and video from the reporting party’s game cameras which pinpointed the time of the incident and provided photos of the suspect.“This moose was treated unethically and that is something we take very seriously,” said Sauder, assistant area wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region. “We are fortunate members of the public share our passion for wildlife and helped us catch the poacher.“We rely on honest sportspeople to help us solve these types of cases.”Besides the public’s help, CPW used old-fashioned police work to track Samuelson down. The investigation reached a climax when Sauder and Meier drove to Kansas where they worked with members of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to confront Samuelson at work and execute a search warrant to gather valuable evidence at Samuelson’s Oakley home.Kroening and Sauder praised the assistance their team received from the original reporting parties who hiked them to the moose, the Colorado Springs Police Department for helping access evidence on Samuelson's phone, and prosecutors with the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's office for moving the case forward and securing the plea agreement.“Moose have become an iconic part of the Colorado landscape and have flourished since being reintroduced in 1978,” Kroening said. “The current population is estimated to be near 3,000 animals and they have spread throughout the state.&nbsp;“While this creates many wonderful opportunities to photograph, view and hunt these animals, it has also created temptation among some to illegally poach these animals. The Samuelson case, and others, show CPW is determined to stop future poachers.”

 Kansas man fined $20K for poaching moose in Colorado

WASHINGTON —Israeli President Isaac Herzog sought to reassure Congress on Wednesday about the state of Israel's democracy and the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

He said, "Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state – whether by omission or by diplomatic commission – is unacceptable."

Following Herzog’s joint address to Congress, Senator Jerry Moran spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to remind colleagues of the growing threat posed by Iran to peace in the Middle East and beyond.

Herzog, whose post in Israel is largely symbolic, became the second Israeli president, after his father, Chaim Herzog, to address Congress. His speech officially marked modern Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-ultraorthodox-netanyahu-palestinians-independence-46fe485eb65b782e0558587641e03505">celebration of its 75th year</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689812765993.png" alt="Israeli President Isaac Herzog" />
 <figcaption>Israeli President Isaac Herzog</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Israeli President Isaac Herzog sought to reassure Congress on Wednesday about the state of Israel's democracy and the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship.He said, "Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state – whether by omission or by diplomatic commission – is unacceptable."Following Herzog’s joint address to Congress, Senator Jerry Moran spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to remind colleagues of the growing threat posed by Iran to peace in the Middle East and beyond.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Following Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s joint address to Congress today, I spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to remind my colleagues of the growing threat posed by Iran to peace in the Middle East and beyond ⤵️ <a href="https://t.co/aYK5XpFdEu">pic.twitter.com/aYK5XpFdEu</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1681805626307903489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Herzog, whose post in Israel is largely symbolic, became the second Israeli president, after his father, Chaim Herzog, to address Congress. His speech officially marked modern Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-ultraorthodox-netanyahu-palestinians-independence-46fe485eb65b782e0558587641e03505">celebration of its 75th year</a>.

 🎥 Israeli president, Kan. Senator talk Iran threat in Middle East

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating Tuesday's hoax threat&nbsp;at the Ford plant in Claycomo, 8121 E. Highway U.S. 69 made an arrest Wednesday morning, according to Clay County Sheriff Will Akin.

The suspect identified as 19-year-old  Zachariah A. Peterson of Independence has been charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, according to&nbsp;Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson.

Just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday, a call came into Ford’s safety and risk management team from a man who claimed to be armed with explosives, a rifle and a handgun. He said he was barricaded in the second floor bathroom in the paint area of the plant. Ford&nbsp; ceased all production and evacuated 2200 workers at the plant. They also canceled production for the night shift. The road in front of the Ford plant on 69 Highway was also closed. The man who called said he was an employee and was disgruntled. He gave a name that is not an actual employee of the paint area. He did name his supervisor, and that was the correct name. Law enforcement was not&nbsp; able to make contact with Tuesday evening. Police pinged his phone and believe the phone number that he used may be spoofed.

The Clay County Special Tactics and Response Team entered the plant to find the source of the threat. It is possible this is a swatting call, but deputies treated the threat as real. Clay County negotiators were on scene, as well, and were unable to make contact with anyone.

Law enforcement agencies finished searching the plant and did not locate anyone inside and have determined the threat was not credible.

Peterson is being held on a $150,000 bond in the Clay County Detention Center

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689811166107.png" alt="Peterson-photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Peterson-photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating Tuesday's hoax threat&nbsp;at the Ford plant in Claycomo, 8121 E. Highway U.S. 69 made an arrest Wednesday morning, according to Clay County Sheriff Will Akin.The suspect identified as 19-year-old Zachariah A. Peterson of Independence has been charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, according to&nbsp;Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson.Just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday, a call came into Ford’s safety and risk management team from a man who claimed to be armed with explosives, a rifle and a handgun. He said he was barricaded in the second floor bathroom in the paint area of the plant. Ford&nbsp; ceased all production and evacuated 2200 workers at the plant. They also canceled production for the night shift. The road in front of the Ford plant on 69 Highway was also closed. The man who called said he was an employee and was disgruntled. He gave a name that is not an actual employee of the paint area. He did name his supervisor, and that was the correct name. Law enforcement was not&nbsp; able to make contact with Tuesday evening. Police pinged his phone and believe the phone number that he used may be spoofed.The Clay County Special Tactics and Response Team entered the plant to find the source of the threat. It is possible this is a swatting call, but deputies treated the threat as real. Clay County negotiators were on scene, as well, and were unable to make contact with anyone.Law enforcement agencies finished searching the plant and did not locate anyone inside and have determined the threat was not credible.Peterson is being held on a $150,000 bond in the Clay County Detention Center

Teen charged for hoax threat that shut down KC-area Ford plant

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A winning ticket has been sold in California for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-lottery-billion-dollar-jackpot-286928f603966adb061d9ad421b955ee">the Powerball jackpot</a>&nbsp;worth an estimated $1.08 billion, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-california-a11cb275a36848310e05ed56608c656c">sixth largest</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history and the third largest in the history of the game.

The winning numbers for Wednesday night’s drawing were: white balls 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and red Powerball 24. The California Lottery said on Twitter that the winning ticket was sold in Los Angeles at Las Palmitas Mini Market.

Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond its earlier estimate of $1 billion to $1.08 billion at the time of the drawing, moving it from the seventh largest to the sixth largest U.S lottery jackpot ever won.

The winner can choose either the total jackpot paid out in yearly increments or a $558.1 million, one-time lump sum before taxes.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-mega-millions-winning-odds-numbers-a3e5a8e8e7ed15d7500c1d6acdab6785">game’s abysmal odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to build big prizes that draw more players. The largest Powerball jackpot was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-36ef3aefbbc37a15e1c5f172129fa6a6">$2.04 billion Powerball</a>&nbsp;in November.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-winner-ohio-252-million-5506023262d64fb54556fb454a478615">last time</a>&nbsp;someone had won the Powerball jackpot was April 19 for a top prize of nearly $253 million. Since then, no one had won the grand prize.

Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A winning ticket has been sold in California for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-lottery-billion-dollar-jackpot-286928f603966adb061d9ad421b955ee">the Powerball jackpot</a>&nbsp;worth an estimated $1.08 billion, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-california-a11cb275a36848310e05ed56608c656c">sixth largest</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history and the third largest in the history of the game.The winning numbers for Wednesday night’s drawing were: white balls 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and red Powerball 24. The California Lottery said on Twitter that the winning ticket was sold in Los Angeles at Las Palmitas Mini Market.Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond its earlier estimate of $1 billion to $1.08 billion at the time of the drawing, moving it from the seventh largest to the sixth largest U.S lottery jackpot ever won.The winner can choose either the total jackpot paid out in yearly increments or a $558.1 million, one-time lump sum before taxes.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-mega-millions-winning-odds-numbers-a3e5a8e8e7ed15d7500c1d6acdab6785">game’s abysmal odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to build big prizes that draw more players. The largest Powerball jackpot was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-36ef3aefbbc37a15e1c5f172129fa6a6">$2.04 billion Powerball</a>&nbsp;in November.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-winner-ohio-252-million-5506023262d64fb54556fb454a478615">last time</a>&nbsp;someone had won the Powerball jackpot was April 19 for a top prize of nearly $253 million. Since then, no one had won the grand prize.Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 Powerball finally has a winner for its jackpot worth over $1 billion

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka are attempting to locate 29-year-old Alfred A. Smith.

Just before 5:30p.m. Friday,&nbsp; police were&nbsp;dispatched to a Topeka hospital after a victim identified as 2-month-old Alonzoe K. Smith arrived with an apparent gunshot wound, according to Lt. Ronnie Connell.

The infant had arrived and was being treated for a life threatening injury. and later died.&nbsp; &nbsp; The shooting occurred in the 1000 Block of SW Mulvane Street.

Police reported Alfred Smith was last seen in a turquoise Jeep SUV.

If you have any information regarding where Smith might be, do not attempt to make contact with him, please call 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689544705597.png" alt="Alfred A. Smith-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Alfred A. Smith-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka are attempting to locate 29-year-old Alfred A. Smith.Just before 5:30p.m. Friday,&nbsp; police were&nbsp;dispatched to a Topeka hospital after a victim identified as 2-month-old Alonzoe K. Smith arrived with an apparent gunshot wound, according to Lt. Ronnie Connell.The infant had arrived and was being treated for a life threatening injury. and later died.&nbsp; &nbsp; The shooting occurred in the 1000 Block of SW Mulvane Street.Police reported Alfred Smith was last seen in a turquoise Jeep SUV.If you have any information regarding where Smith might be, do not attempt to make contact with him, please call 911 immediately.

Search continues for suspect in death of 2-month-old Kan. boy

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Wednesday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by Holly Janae Thomas, 49, Lenexa,&nbsp;was northbound on Kansas 7 just south of 95th Street in Lenexa.

The SUV crossed the center median to the southbound side and struck a 2008 Jeep Commander driven by Mia Kate Reuter, 18, Shawnee, head-on.

Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Reuter to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Wednesday in Johnson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by Holly Janae Thomas, 49, Lenexa,&nbsp;was northbound on Kansas 7 just south of 95th Street in Lenexa.The SUV crossed the center median to the southbound side and struck a 2008 Jeep Commander driven by Mia Kate Reuter, 18, Shawnee, head-on.Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Reuter to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dead, one injured after head-on crash

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with a federal relief program designed to help United States business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the United State's Attorney.

Timothy Dale Warren, 59, of Haysville served as owner of<a href="https://titanmedcenter.com/about/"> Titan Medical</a> <a href="https://titanmedcenter.com/about/">Center </a>which offered chiropractic care, school sports physicals, and other services in Wichita,&nbsp;According to court documents.

In May 2020 and April 2021, Warren submitted false documents to banks in order to fraudulently obtain two loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of the CARES Act.

In August 2020, the defendant converted $35,500.00 in criminally obtained funds into a cashier’s check then deposited money into a business bank account at another financial institution. 

Warren acknowledges his actions caused the SBA a total loss of $145,877.70.

“The federal government created programs to provide economic relief to businesses struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 related shutdowns,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Unfortunately, Timothy Warren manipulated a well-intentioned program into a mechanism of personal financial gain and must now be held accountable.”

Warren is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689709800592.png" alt="Dr. Tim Warren-photo courtesy Titan Medical" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tim Warren-photo courtesy Titan Medical</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with a federal relief program designed to help United States business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the United State's Attorney.Timothy Dale Warren, 59, of Haysville served as owner of<a href="https://titanmedcenter.com/about/"> Titan Medical</a> <a href="https://titanmedcenter.com/about/">Center </a>which offered chiropractic care, school sports physicals, and other services in Wichita,&nbsp;According to court documents.In May 2020 and April 2021, Warren submitted false documents to banks in order to fraudulently obtain two loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of the CARES Act.In August 2020, the defendant converted $35,500.00 in criminally obtained funds into a cashier’s check then deposited money into a business bank account at another financial institution. Warren acknowledges his actions caused the SBA a total loss of $145,877.70.“The federal government created programs to provide economic relief to businesses struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 related shutdowns,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Unfortunately, Timothy Warren manipulated a well-intentioned program into a mechanism of personal financial gain and must now be held accountable.”Warren is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Another Kan. businessman admits cheating COVID relief program

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 10p.m. July 16, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at 261st and U.S. 75 for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff&nbsp; Chris Wells.

During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics.

The deputy arrested a passenger in the vehicle, Dustin L. Galloway, 41, of Humboldt. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and Interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689610540572.png" alt="Galloway-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Galloway-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 10p.m. July 16, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at 261st and U.S. 75 for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff&nbsp; Chris Wells.During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics.The deputy arrested a passenger in the vehicle, Dustin L. Galloway, 41, of Humboldt. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and Interference with law enforcement.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of attempting to sell meth

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

WICHITA —&nbsp; An 82-year-old cancer patient and another woman have filed lawsuits against a Wichita hospital after accusations of rape and sexual assault while under hospital care.&nbsp;

The Hutton &amp; Hutton Law Firm filed its first civil lawsuit against Ascension Via Christi Hospitals Wichita, Inc., which operates the Ascension Via Christi St. Francis hospital, on July 10.

The first lawsuit alleges that a Sedgwick woman was raped while at the hospital on June 15 by 28-year-old Miguel Rodela. Rodela was arrested and charged with rape and two counts of attempted rape on June 21 in Sedgwick County District Court.

Rodela, dressed in a T-shirt and basketball shorts, followed an employee into the hospital after midnight and entered the patient’s room, according to details in the lawsuit.&nbsp;

According to the lawsuit, the patient woke up to find Rodela touching her. When a nurse interrupted Rodela after 20 minutes, he claimed to be a nursing student, and the nurse left Rodela alone in the room with the patient again.

Rodela then left her room and sexually assaulted two other patients on the same night, telling hospital staff that he was alternatively a staff member or a family member to avoid suspicion, according to the case lawyers.&nbsp;

“Mr. Rodela is a threat to society and needs to be dealt with accordingly, but he never could have done this in a hospital with appropriate security,” said Hutton &amp; Hutton attorney Blake Shuart in the first lawsuit announcement. “It was this hospital that let him in the door and into the patient rooms. It was the hospital which then allowed him to stay in the room and continue assaulting a patient while wearing a T-shirt and basketball shorts because he claimed to be a nursing student.”&nbsp;

The lawsuit claims “medical negligence, ordinary negligence and premise liability” on the part of Ascension Via Christi, with the victim seeking an amount greater than $75,000.

The lawsuit followed a one-day strike by unionized nurses at the hospital after Rodela’s arrest. The nurses said they had significant safety concerns and demanded more transparency and change from the hospital after patient and employee safety issues.&nbsp;

The law firm announced a second lawsuit Monday, on behalf of a second victim, an 82-year-old cancer patient.

According to the lawsuit, she woke up because a stranger was kissing her on the mouth. After a bed alarm was activated, a hospital staff member who checked on her found Rodela kneeling beside the bed with his hands under the blankets near her thighs.&nbsp;

After telling the staffer that he was a “nurse tech,” he left the woman’s room and proceeded to his third attack of the night, according to the lawyers on the case.

A certified nurse assistant found Rodela in the third patient’s room and asked him if he was a family member. After Rodela said he was a relative, the CNA asked Rodela to help adjust the patient’s body and left him with the patient after the adjustment was finished. Security later found Rodela on top of the patient, lifting up the patient’s shirt, the lawsuit alleges.&nbsp;

Hutton &amp; Hutton lawyers said there might be more victims.&nbsp;

“We believe video exists of Miguel Rodela on several different floors in the hospital, leaving us to wonder whether there are more victims who have not yet been identified,” said Andrew Hutton, the Hutton &amp; Hutton founding attorney.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686922520098.png" alt="Rodela remains jailed on a $250,000 bond- photo Sedgwick Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Rodela remains jailed on a $250,000 bond- photo Sedgwick Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>WICHITA —&nbsp; An 82-year-old cancer patient and another woman have filed lawsuits against a Wichita hospital after accusations of rape and sexual assault while under hospital care.&nbsp;The Hutton &amp; Hutton Law Firm filed its first civil lawsuit against Ascension Via Christi Hospitals Wichita, Inc., which operates the Ascension Via Christi St. Francis hospital, on July 10.The first lawsuit alleges that a Sedgwick woman was raped while at the hospital on June 15 by 28-year-old Miguel Rodela. Rodela was arrested and charged with rape and two counts of attempted rape on June 21 in Sedgwick County District Court.Rodela, dressed in a T-shirt and basketball shorts, followed an employee into the hospital after midnight and entered the patient’s room, according to details in the lawsuit.&nbsp;According to the lawsuit, the patient woke up to find Rodela touching her. When a nurse interrupted Rodela after 20 minutes, he claimed to be a nursing student, and the nurse left Rodela alone in the room with the patient again.Rodela then left her room and sexually assaulted two other patients on the same night, telling hospital staff that he was alternatively a staff member or a family member to avoid suspicion, according to the case lawyers.&nbsp;“Mr. Rodela is a threat to society and needs to be dealt with accordingly, but he never could have done this in a hospital with appropriate security,” said Hutton &amp; Hutton attorney Blake Shuart in the first lawsuit announcement. “It was this hospital that let him in the door and into the patient rooms. It was the hospital which then allowed him to stay in the room and continue assaulting a patient while wearing a T-shirt and basketball shorts because he claimed to be a nursing student.”&nbsp;The lawsuit claims “medical negligence, ordinary negligence and premise liability” on the part of Ascension Via Christi, with the victim seeking an amount greater than $75,000.The lawsuit followed a one-day strike by unionized nurses at the hospital after Rodela’s arrest. The nurses said they had significant safety concerns and demanded more transparency and change from the hospital after patient and employee safety issues.&nbsp;The law firm announced a second lawsuit Monday, on behalf of a second victim, an 82-year-old cancer patient.According to the lawsuit, she woke up because a stranger was kissing her on the mouth. After a bed alarm was activated, a hospital staff member who checked on her found Rodela kneeling beside the bed with his hands under the blankets near her thighs.&nbsp;After telling the staffer that he was a “nurse tech,” he left the woman’s room and proceeded to his third attack of the night, according to the lawyers on the case.A certified nurse assistant found Rodela in the third patient’s room and asked him if he was a family member. After Rodela said he was a relative, the CNA asked Rodela to help adjust the patient’s body and left him with the patient after the adjustment was finished. Security later found Rodela on top of the patient, lifting up the patient’s shirt, the lawsuit alleges.&nbsp;Hutton &amp; Hutton lawyers said there might be more victims.&nbsp;“We believe video exists of Miguel Rodela on several different floors in the hospital, leaving us to wonder whether there are more victims who have not yet been identified,” said Andrew Hutton, the Hutton &amp; Hutton founding attorney.&nbsp;

Kan. hospital faces lawsuits for alleged sexual assault of patients

RILEY COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities have made additional arrests in connection to June and July 2022 shootings in the 700 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

On Monday, police arrested 16-year-old Shaan Hyman and 17-year-old a Marvin Fernandez, 17, both of Junction City on Riley County District Court warrants by the Junction City Police Department

Hyman is being held in the North Central Kansas regional Juvenile Detention Facility on requested charges of criminal discharge of a weapon and two counts each of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault in connection to two separate incidents where multiple rounds were shot into the same occupied residence, once on June 20, 2022, around 5:45 a.m. and again on July 11, 2022, around 1:15 a.m. No injuries were reported in either incident.

Fernandez is being held in the juvenile facility on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and criminal discharge of a weapon in connection to the July shooting.

In August of 2022, Police arrested 18-year-old Brayln Marsh of Junction City in connection to the shootings.

RILEY COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities have made additional arrests in connection to June and July 2022 shootings in the 700 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.On Monday, police arrested 16-year-old Shaan Hyman and 17-year-old a Marvin Fernandez, 17, both of Junction City on Riley County District Court warrants by the Junction City Police DepartmentHyman is being held in the North Central Kansas regional Juvenile Detention Facility on requested charges of criminal discharge of a weapon and two counts each of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault in connection to two separate incidents where multiple rounds were shot into the same occupied residence, once on June 20, 2022, around 5:45 a.m. and again on July 11, 2022, around 1:15 a.m. No injuries were reported in either incident.Fernandez is being held in the juvenile facility on requested charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and criminal discharge of a weapon in connection to the July shooting.In August of 2022, Police arrested 18-year-old Brayln Marsh of Junction City in connection to the shootings.

Two more teens accused of shooting at home in Manhattan

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident have released the name of the woman who died as&nbsp;&nbsp;53-year-old Phylicia Carter of Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Just after 7p.m. Monday, a Ford Explorer was southbound in the 4400 Block of North Meridian in Wichita and struck Carter who was walking her bicycle on the traffic way.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported Carter to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

All parties involved in the incident were interviewed by investigators.&nbsp; Neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors in the accident, according to Gupilan.

The accident is the 18th fatality collision this year in Wichita, according to Gupilan.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident have released the name of the woman who died as&nbsp;&nbsp;53-year-old Phylicia Carter of Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Just after 7p.m. Monday, a Ford Explorer was southbound in the 4400 Block of North Meridian in Wichita and struck Carter who was walking her bicycle on the traffic way.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported Carter to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased.All parties involved in the incident were interviewed by investigators.&nbsp; Neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors in the accident, according to Gupilan.The accident is the 18th fatality collision this year in Wichita, according to Gupilan.

Police ID Kan. woman struck, killed walking her bicycle

By JOHNATHAN HETTINGER <a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/10/13/epa-to-ban-flea-and-tick-collars-linked-to-brain-damage-in-children/">Investigate Midwest</a>

The popular Seresto flea and tick collar will remain on the market, but with new mitigation measures,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/pets/seresto-pet-collar-review">the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week.</a>

The EPA announced the measures on the collar after a multi-year analysis of the product’s safety. The agency limited the approval of the collar to five years and required Elanco — the manufacturer of Seresto — to conduct enhanced reporting for adverse events, conduct additional outreach to the veterinary community, and put new warnings on the collar’s label, among other changes.

Elanco — which bought the entire Bayer Animal Health unit, including Seresto, from the German pharmaceutical giant in 2020 for $7.6 billion — praised the announcement.

“Adverse events reports are simply reports that must be investigated and do not indicate causation. We believe today’s decision by the EPA further reinforces that,” said Colleen Dekker, an Elanco spokeswoman in an email. “We greatly appreciate the EPA’s diligence in this comprehensive review, including the consultation with FDA, along with the many veterinarians and experts that have weighed in with their experiences and support of the product.”

The EPA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/04/08/epa-is-asked-to-ban-popular-flea-and-tick-collar-linked-to-pet-injuries/">launched the review in April 2021</a>, just one month after reporting by Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY showed that Seresto has been the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/03/24/seresto-epa-fda-elanco/">subject of more complaints about pet harm and deaths than any other product in EPA history</a>.

“EPA’s scientific review of Seresto-related incident reports identified the need for more detailed incident reporting and public outreach,” the agency said in a press release.

The EPA, which worked with the Food and Drug Administration to conduct the analysis, said that they were unable to get enough information from data that Elanco submitted to determine whether Seresto played a role in most death reports. Earlier this year, the agencies proposed transferring all regulation of pet pesticide products to the FDA.

“During the review of the reported cases of potential deaths associated with the collar the agency found that critical details of incidents were often missing from case narratives, often preventing the agency from determining the cause of the incident,” the press release said.

Elanco agreed to the changes prior to the EPA making the announcement on Thursday.

In a press release, Elanco described the steps as a “stewardship program” and encouraged the EPA “to implement these measures as a new EPA standard across all flea and tick collars to ensure consistent expectations for reporting across the category.” The release, also released Thursday, quoted veterinarians who praised the decision as well.

“We appreciate EPA’s diligence during this data-driven review process, resulting in a clear outcome and continued product availability to protect pets and human health,” said Dr. Ellen de Brabander, executive vice president of innovation and regulatory affairs at Elanco, in the press release. “We stand behind more than a decade of science-based data, analysis and monitoring which affirms the safety profile of Seresto.”

Lori Ann Burd, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s environmental health program, said the EPA denying the nonprofit’s petition to cancel Seresto was disappointing, but said she was heartened that the EPA took some action.

“I think EPA would not have taken these measures if this product was as safe as has been claimed by the registrant. Actions like limiting the registration to five years and splitting it between dogs and cats are important steps toward protecting people and their pets from Seresto collars,” Burd said in an interview with Investigate Midwest. “Elanco had to agree to this. That’s a big deal.”

The EPA’s scientific analysis looked at Seresto incident reports and also compared those to other products from Elanco.

The analysis found that the most reported adverse effect for dogs was pruritus (itchy skin) and that was reported in 54% of the incident cases of the 49,000 the EPA reviewed. This was followed by lethargy and anorexia, each of which was reported in approximately 10% of cases.

For cats, application site hair change was most commonly reported in 32% of the 16,000 cases it reviewed, followed by lesions and pruritus, each of which was reported in approximately 25% of cases.

“More severe clinical signs (for example, convulsions) were reported much less frequently and appeared to be similar across the three Elanco products that were compared,” the analysis found.

On pet deaths, the EPA said in its analysis it needed more information than was collected in most instances.

“Where sufficient details were provided, there were no cases where high confidence existed in a correlation between the collar use and the death, often due to confounding factors such as concurrent medical conditions. In addition, the rate of deaths reported, based on the comparative statistical analyses performed, was similar between Seresto and other available pet products,” the analysis said.

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2023/07/14/epa-rules-popular-flea-and-tick-collar-seresto-stays-on-the-market-but-with-added-mitigations/">Investigate Midwest</a>, a nonprofit, online newsroom offering investigative and enterprise coverage of agribusiness, Big Ag and related issues through data analysis, visualizations, in-depth reports and interactive web tools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689626848974.png" alt="The EPA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/04/08/epa-is-asked-to-ban-popular-flea-and-tick-collar-linked-to-pet-injuries/">launched the review in April 2021</a>, just one month after reporting by Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY showed that Seresto has been the&nbsp;subject of more complaints about pet harm and deaths than any other product in EPA history." />
 <figcaption>The EPA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/04/08/epa-is-asked-to-ban-popular-flea-and-tick-collar-linked-to-pet-injuries/">launched the review in April 2021</a>, just one month after reporting by Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY showed that Seresto has been the&nbsp;subject of more complaints about pet harm and deaths than any other product in EPA history.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHNATHAN HETTINGER <a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/10/13/epa-to-ban-flea-and-tick-collars-linked-to-brain-damage-in-children/">Investigate Midwest</a>The popular Seresto flea and tick collar will remain on the market, but with new mitigation measures,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.epa.gov/pets/seresto-pet-collar-review">the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week.</a>The EPA announced the measures on the collar after a multi-year analysis of the product’s safety. The agency limited the approval of the collar to five years and required Elanco — the manufacturer of Seresto — to conduct enhanced reporting for adverse events, conduct additional outreach to the veterinary community, and put new warnings on the collar’s label, among other changes.Elanco — which bought the entire Bayer Animal Health unit, including Seresto, from the German pharmaceutical giant in 2020 for $7.6 billion — praised the announcement.“Adverse events reports are simply reports that must be investigated and do not indicate causation. We believe today’s decision by the EPA further reinforces that,” said Colleen Dekker, an Elanco spokeswoman in an email. “We greatly appreciate the EPA’s diligence in this comprehensive review, including the consultation with FDA, along with the many veterinarians and experts that have weighed in with their experiences and support of the product.”The EPA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2021/04/08/epa-is-asked-to-ban-popular-flea-and-tick-collar-linked-to-pet-injuries/">launched the review in April 2021</a>, just one month after reporting by Investigate Midwest and USA TODAY showed that Seresto has been the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/03/24/seresto-epa-fda-elanco/">subject of more complaints about pet harm and deaths than any other product in EPA history</a>.“EPA’s scientific review of Seresto-related incident reports identified the need for more detailed incident reporting and public outreach,” the agency said in a press release.The EPA, which worked with the Food and Drug Administration to conduct the analysis, said that they were unable to get enough information from data that Elanco submitted to determine whether Seresto played a role in most death reports. Earlier this year, the agencies proposed transferring all regulation of pet pesticide products to the FDA.“During the review of the reported cases of potential deaths associated with the collar the agency found that critical details of incidents were often missing from case narratives, often preventing the agency from determining the cause of the incident,” the press release said.The full mitigation measures include:<ul>
 <li>A time-limited registration of five years that will expire on July 13, 2028. Elanco must apply for continued use at least a year before that date. Normally, pesticides have a 15-year approval by EPA.</li><li>Elanco must submit enhanced incident reports and sales information annually.</li><li>Elanco must submit an annual report, similar to an FDA Annual Periodic Drug Experience Report, that will provide an update on stewardship efforts and analyze safety information collected about Seresto.</li><li>Elanco must develop training materials for adverse effects and report on these efforts in July 2024.</li><li>Elanco must develop and implement an outreach initiative to the veterinary community to inform them about risks and benefits associated with use of pesticides in pet products and the importance of reporting adverse effects. Elanco must report on these efforts in July 2024.</li><li>Elanco must review the release mechanism of the collar to assess the risk of strangulation.</li><li>The EPA split Seresto into two registrations, one for cats and another for dogs, to help make a comparison of incident data easier.</li><li>Elanco must also add label warnings that show common adverse effects and instructions to remove the collar if effects occur. These include skin issues, as well as behavioral and neurological issues. The label will now tell consumers to remove the collar if those symptoms occur and to report them to EPA.</li>
 </ul>Elanco agreed to the changes prior to the EPA making the announcement on Thursday.In a press release, Elanco described the steps as a “stewardship program” and encouraged the EPA “to implement these measures as a new EPA standard across all flea and tick collars to ensure consistent expectations for reporting across the category.” The release, also released Thursday, quoted veterinarians who praised the decision as well.“We appreciate EPA’s diligence during this data-driven review process, resulting in a clear outcome and continued product availability to protect pets and human health,” said Dr. Ellen de Brabander, executive vice president of innovation and regulatory affairs at Elanco, in the press release. “We stand behind more than a decade of science-based data, analysis and monitoring which affirms the safety profile of Seresto.”Lori Ann Burd, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s environmental health program, said the EPA denying the nonprofit’s petition to cancel Seresto was disappointing, but said she was heartened that the EPA took some action.“I think EPA would not have taken these measures if this product was as safe as has been claimed by the registrant. Actions like limiting the registration to five years and splitting it between dogs and cats are important steps toward protecting people and their pets from Seresto collars,” Burd said in an interview with Investigate Midwest. “Elanco had to agree to this. That’s a big deal.”The EPA’s scientific analysis looked at Seresto incident reports and also compared those to other products from Elanco.The analysis found that the most reported adverse effect for dogs was pruritus (itchy skin) and that was reported in 54% of the incident cases of the 49,000 the EPA reviewed. This was followed by lethargy and anorexia, each of which was reported in approximately 10% of cases.For cats, application site hair change was most commonly reported in 32% of the 16,000 cases it reviewed, followed by lesions and pruritus, each of which was reported in approximately 25% of cases.“More severe clinical signs (for example, convulsions) were reported much less frequently and appeared to be similar across the three Elanco products that were compared,” the analysis found.On pet deaths, the EPA said in its analysis it needed more information than was collected in most instances.“Where sufficient details were provided, there were no cases where high confidence existed in a correlation between the collar use and the death, often due to confounding factors such as concurrent medical conditions. In addition, the rate of deaths reported, based on the comparative statistical analyses performed, was similar between Seresto and other available pet products,” the analysis said.This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2023/07/14/epa-rules-popular-flea-and-tick-collar-seresto-stays-on-the-market-but-with-added-mitigations/">Investigate Midwest</a>, a nonprofit, online newsroom offering investigative and enterprise coverage of agribusiness, Big Ag and related issues through data analysis, visualizations, in-depth reports and interactive web tools.

EPA rules popular flea collar stays on the market, with more reporting requirements

WASHINGTON —According to Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suspended their relationship with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and cut off all U.S. taxpayer funding, citing biosecurity concerns at this lab.

WASHINGTON —According to Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suspended their relationship with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and cut off all U.S. taxpayer funding, citing biosecurity concerns at this lab.The institute in the city where the&nbsp;COVID-19 outbreak&nbsp;began in China received funding from the National Institutes of Health to conduct gain-of-function research on novel coronaviruses.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING - <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HHSGov</a> suspends relationship with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and cuts off all U.S. taxpayer funding, citing biosecurity concerns at this lab. About time! Next, Ecohealth Alliance? We cannot stop here - many more bad actors are still in play. <a href="https://t.co/5OhBcikntA">pic.twitter.com/5OhBcikntA</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1681466523456602112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a statement from HHS reported by Senator Marshall, the government agency said, "Due to the Wuhan Institute's disregard of the National Institute of Health's (NIH) requests that the institute provide the required materials to support its research in the grant RPPRs and and IRPPRs, the NIH's conclusion that the institute research likely violated protocols of the NIH regarding biosafety is undisputed.""As such there is a risk that the Wuhan Institute of Virology not only previously violated but is currently violating and will continue to violate protocols of the NIH on biosafety. Therefore I have determined that the immediate suspension of the institute is necessary to mitigate any potential public health risk,"Marshall wrote, "About time! Next, Ecohealth Alliance? We cannot stop here - many more bad actors are still in play."In June, U.S. officials released an intelligence report that rejected some points raised by those who argue COVID-19 leaked from the Chinese lab, instead reiterating that American spy agencies remain divided over how the pandemic began.The report was issued at the behest of Congress, which in March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-intelligence-china-wuhan-institute-c92f7bebfba6fcb4b5dba4319048ffbe">passed a bill</a>&nbsp;giving U.S. intelligence 90 days to declassify intelligence related to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.Intelligence officials under President Joe Biden have been pushed by lawmakers to release more material about the origins of COVID-19. But they have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-science-health-china-2fe4518ac7aef9b54ea4329385d121c4">argued China's official obstruction</a>&nbsp;of independent reviews has made it perhaps impossible to determine how the pandemic began.Earlier this year, the Department of Energy's intelligence arm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-politics-us-department-of-energy-john-kirby-covid-4405605d5671af65df87cf1af314148a">had issued a report</a>&nbsp;arguing a lab-related incident caused the pandemic.Four agencies still believe the virus was transferred from animals to humans, and two agencies — the Energy Department and the FBI — believe the virus leaked from a lab. The CIA and another agency have not made an assessment.Located in the city where the pandemic is believed to have began, the Wuhan Institute of Virology&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-looking-wuhan-coronavirus-origin-fb791cfdbad2f7db643f790ae4cccc8c">has faced intense scrutiny</a>&nbsp;for its previous research into bat coronaviruses and its reported security lapses.The lab genetically engineered viruses as part of its research including efforts to combine different viruses.-The Associated Press contributed to this report