BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Butler County reported late Wednesday they found the owner of a large snake.

On their social media page Wednesday, the Andover Police Department wrote, "No two days are the same on this job.&nbsp; If anyone in Andover is missing a 15-foot python, please contact the Andover Police Department. Police reported no additional details and reported no injuries.

BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Butler County are looking for the owner of a large snake.

f this large slithering friend belongs to you or if you have any information about a possible owner, please contact the Andover Police Department. 316-733-5177 Ext 0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688589119403.png" alt="Photo Andover Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Andover Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Butler County reported late Wednesday they found the owner of a large snake.On their social media page Wednesday, the Andover Police Department wrote, "No two days are the same on this job.&nbsp; If anyone in Andover is missing a 15-foot python, please contact the Andover Police Department. Police reported no additional details and reported no injuries.-------------BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Butler County are looking for the owner of a large snake.On their social media page Wednesday, the Andover Police Department wrote, "No two days are the same on this job.&nbsp; If anyone in Andover is missing a 15-foot python, please contact the Andover Police Department. Police reported no additional details and reported no injuries.f this large slithering friend belongs to you or if you have any information about a possible owner, please contact the Andover Police Department. 316-733-5177 Ext 0

Police in Kansas locate owner of 15-foot python

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug and related charges

Just after 2a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2014 Dodge Challenger near NE Soldier Street and NE Monroe Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The driver, later identified as 39-year-old William P. Roberts of Topeka had a felony warrant for his arrest. He failed to stop for the officer and was located inside of a residence in the 1500 block of NE Jefferson Street a short time later.

Deputies arrested Roberts and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the felony arrest warrant and on requested charges of flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, interference with law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container of liquor.

He has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688575144773.png" alt="Roberts photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Roberts photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug and related chargesJust after 2a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2014 Dodge Challenger near NE Soldier Street and NE Monroe Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The driver, later identified as 39-year-old William P. Roberts of Topeka had a felony warrant for his arrest. He failed to stop for the officer and was located inside of a residence in the 1500 block of NE Jefferson Street a short time later.Deputies arrested Roberts and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the felony arrest warrant and on requested charges of flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, interference with law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container of liquor.He has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Deputies catch wanted Kansas felon who ran from arrest

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl.

On Tuesday, while police were investigating a different case at a Wichita hospital, they learned about a 4-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to her right arm, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

 The victim was in serious condition but with non-life-threatening injuries. The 4-year-old was admitted to the hospital and was awaiting surgery.

The investigation revealed that at approximately 9:30p.m. Tuesday in the 1600 block of South Pattie Street, the girl was watching fireworks and playing with her neighbors when she received the injury to her arm. 

At the hospital, medical personnel determined a bullet had struck her arm and required surgery. The Injury appears to be from a stray bullet strike.

The Wichita Police Department reminded the public of the severity of the consequences when shooting a firearm into the air. The outcome of this incident could’ve been much worse than what had happened to this child, who was enjoying the festivities of the 4th of July. This reckless behavior exhibits a lack of regard for human life.

On July 4 in 2011, 11-year-old Blair Shanahan Lane was playing in backyard in Kansas City when she was hit by a stray bullet and died. The bullet came from a 9 mm pistol that Aaron Sullivan and his friends were shooting nearby to celebrate the holiday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688584697557.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl.On Tuesday, while police were investigating a different case at a Wichita hospital, they learned about a 4-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to her right arm, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. The victim was in serious condition but with non-life-threatening injuries. The 4-year-old was admitted to the hospital and was awaiting surgery.The investigation revealed that at approximately 9:30p.m. Tuesday in the 1600 block of South Pattie Street, the girl was watching fireworks and playing with her neighbors when she received the injury to her arm. At the hospital, medical personnel determined a bullet had struck her arm and required surgery. The Injury appears to be from a stray bullet strike.The Wichita Police Department reminded the public of the severity of the consequences when shooting a firearm into the air. The outcome of this incident could’ve been much worse than what had happened to this child, who was enjoying the festivities of the 4th of July. This reckless behavior exhibits a lack of regard for human life.On July 4 in 2011, 11-year-old Blair Shanahan Lane was playing in backyard in Kansas City when she was hit by a stray bullet and died. The bullet came from a 9 mm pistol that Aaron Sullivan and his friends were shooting nearby to celebrate the holiday.&nbsp;

4-year-old Kan. girl injured by celebratory gunfire on 4th of July

BUTLER COUNTY —&nbsp;—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal law enforcement pursuit crash involving a shooting suspect.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, a Butler County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the report of a person shot in the area of K-254 and Shumway, according to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.

When deputies arrived on scene, they found the victim, a 44-year-old man from Blue Springs, Missouri, who had been shot at least one time. 

The female suspect left the scene prior to law enforcement’s arrival in the victim’s 2008 Ford F-150. The man was able to provide the identity of the woman who allegedly shot him, a Wichita resident in her sixties. He was transported to a Wichita area hospital in serious but stable condition.

Just after 1030a.m. Wednesday, Kansas Highway Patrol dispatch received an attempt to locate broadcast from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shooting suspect that had fled the scene in Butler County, according to a media release.

The suspect was reported to be driving a white 2008 Ford F-150 pickup, which was last seen traveling west on K-254 Highway towards Sedgwick County. 

At approximately 10:45am, a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol saw a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle near K-254 Highway and Greenwich and a traffic stop was initiated.

The pickup fled and a pursuit was initiated and a Trooper performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention in the 5300 block of North Webb Road. The pickup struck a sign in the parking lot of 5039 N. Webb Road.

As a result of the collision, the driver of the Ford F-150 was pronounced deceased. There were no other occupants in the pickup and no other injuries reported. The KHP did not release the driver's name.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the prior shooting incident.&nbsp; 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688584945445.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the fatal crash-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the fatal crash-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —&nbsp;—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal law enforcement pursuit crash involving a shooting suspect.Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, a Butler County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the report of a person shot in the area of K-254 and Shumway, according to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.When deputies arrived on scene, they found the victim, a 44-year-old man from Blue Springs, Missouri, who had been shot at least one time. The female suspect left the scene prior to law enforcement’s arrival in the victim’s 2008 Ford F-150. The man was able to provide the identity of the woman who allegedly shot him, a Wichita resident in her sixties. He was transported to a Wichita area hospital in serious but stable condition.Just after 1030a.m. Wednesday, Kansas Highway Patrol dispatch received an attempt to locate broadcast from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shooting suspect that had fled the scene in Butler County, according to a media release.The suspect was reported to be driving a white 2008 Ford F-150 pickup, which was last seen traveling west on K-254 Highway towards Sedgwick County. At approximately 10:45am, a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol saw a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle near K-254 Highway and Greenwich and a traffic stop was initiated.The pickup fled and a pursuit was initiated and a Trooper performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention in the 5300 block of North Webb Road. The pickup struck a sign in the parking lot of 5039 N. Webb Road.As a result of the collision, the driver of the Ford F-150 was pronounced deceased. There were no other occupants in the pickup and no other injuries reported. The KHP did not release the driver's name.The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the prior shooting incident.&nbsp; --------------

Sheriff: Suspect shot Missouri man before fatal KHP chase, crash

By Harris Meyer <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/">KFF&nbsp;Health News</a>

Mylissa Farmer, the woman who was denied an emergency abortion at Joplin and Kansas City, Kansas hospitals, is one of many people denied reproductive care after Roe v Wade was overturned who are considering legal options.

A year after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many physicians and hospitals in the states that have restricted abortion reportedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/16/ucsf-abortion-study/" target="_blank">are refusing to end the pregnancies</a>&nbsp;of women facing health-threatening complications out of fear they might face criminal prosecution or loss of their medical license.

Some experts predict those providers could soon face a new legal threat: medical malpractice lawsuits alleging they harmed patients by failing to provide timely, necessary abortion care.

“We will absolutely see medical malpractice cases emerge,” said Diana Nordlund, an emergency physician in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and former malpractice defense attorney, who chairs the Medical-Legal Committee of the American College of Emergency Physicians. When physicians decide not to provide treatments widely accepted as the standard of care because of these new laws, “that’s perceived as substandard care and there is increased civil liability.”

To some physicians and malpractice attorneys, the question is when — not if — a pregnant patient will die from lack of care and set the stage for a big-dollar wrongful death claim. Abortion rights supporters said such a case could pressure doctors and hospitals to provide appropriate abortion care, counterbalancing their fears of running afoul of state abortion bans, many of which call for criminal prosecution and revocation of medical licenses as punishment for violations.

“If we want to encourage proper care, there has to be some sort of counter-risk to physicians and hospitals for refusing to provide care that should be legal,” said Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law who studies the impact of abortion bans. “But most rational people would be more afraid of going to jail.”

Some supporters of abortion bans said they would welcome malpractice lawsuits. Providers are refusing to use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/a-review-of-exceptions-in-state-abortions-bans-implications-for-the-provision-of-abortion-services/#:~:text=In%20Texas'%20abortion%20ban%2C%20the,abortion%20is%20performed%20or%20induced%E2%80%9D." target="_blank">the exceptions in some state laws</a>&nbsp;that allow them to perform abortions to save a patient’s life or health, they said.

“It could help achieve our goal if it clarifies that the law did not contradict standard medical practice,” said John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life, referring to the state’s abortion ban.

A new KFF poll found that 59% of OB-GYNs practicing in states with gestational limits on abortion, and 61% of those in states with bans, are somewhat or very concerned about their legal risk when making decisions about the necessity of an abortion.

Some attorneys are exploring lawsuits on behalf of women who they said have been harmed by a state abortion ban. An attorney for Mylissa Farmer, a Missouri woman&nbsp;<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/emtala-missouri-hospital-investigated-emergency-abortion/" target="_blank">who was refused an abortion</a>&nbsp;at two hospitals in August after her water broke about 18 weeks into her pregnancy, said she may sue for malpractice. Missouri’s abortion ban, which took effect last year, makes an exception for medical emergencies.

The federal government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emergency-abortion-law-hospitals-kansas-missouri-emtala-2f993d2869fa801921d7e56e95787567" target="_blank">recently found</a>&nbsp;that the two hospitals violated a federal emergency care law in denying Farmer an abortion, which experts said could strengthen a malpractice claim. One of the hospitals, Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri, did not respond to a request for comment. The other, the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, said the care provided “was reviewed by the hospital and found to be in accordance with hospital policy,” according to a spokesperson, Jill Chadwick.

Farmer “experienced permanent physical and emotional damage,” said Michelle Banker, one of her lawyers at the National Women’s Law Center, who added that Farmer and her attorneys are “considering all our legal options.”

<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/12/29/1143823727/bleeding-and-in-pain-she-couldnt-get-2-louisiana-ers-to-answer-is-it-a-miscarria" target="_blank">News reports</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)00536-1/pdf" target="_blank">medical studies</a>&nbsp;show that some women with pregnancy complications have suffered serious health consequences when doctors and hospitals did not provide once-routine abortion care.

Last month, researchers released a study identifying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ansirh.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/Care%20Post-Roe%20Preliminary%20Findings.pdf" target="_blank">dozens of cases</a>&nbsp;in 14 states in which physicians said deficiencies in care due to abortion restrictions led to preventable complications and hospitalizations, with some patients nearly dying.

“The patients were sent home and told to come back when they had signs of infection,” said Daniel Grossman, an OB-GYN at the University of California-San Francisco, who led the study. “Many developed serious infections. And it’s clear many of these cases were very emotionally traumatic.”

He said though the researchers did not track patient outcomes, the lack of timely abortion care in such cases could result in severe health harms including loss of fertility, stroke, or heart attack.

“It’s just a matter of time before there will be a death that comes to light,” Grossman said.

Still, considering the conflict for doctors between medical ethics and personal risk, some stakeholders said patients may be reluctant to sue doctors and juries may balk at finding them liable.

“It’s a terrible position that providers are being put into, and I don’t think juries will blame the doctor unless it’s a super clear case,” said Morgan Murphy, a malpractice plaintiff’s attorney in Missouri.

She said her firm will not pursue malpractice cases based on abortion denials except in “pretty extreme” situations, such as when a patient dies. “Unless a mother is on her deathbed, it’s pretty hard to fault a provider who thinks if they provide treatment they’re going to be criminally liable or will lose their medical license.”

Another hurdle for malpractice cases is that state abortion bans could undermine the argument that abortion is the legal “standard of care,” meaning that it is a widely accepted and prescribed treatment for pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and for fatal fetal abnormalities.

“I absolutely see a breach of the standard of care in these cases,” said Maria A. Phillis, an OB-GYN and former lawyer in Cleveland. “But if someone goes to trial in a malpractice case, it will come down to a battle of medical experts about whether it’s no longer the standard of care, and the jury would have to decide.”

An additional justification for physicians not to provide abortions is that medical liability insurers generally do not cover damages from criminal acts, which “puts the finger on the scales even more to not do anything,” Phillis said.

Stuart Grossman, a prominent malpractice plaintiff’s attorney in Florida, said he would be eager to take an abortion-denial case in which the woman suffered serious health or emotional injuries.

Unlike other states with abortion bans, Florida does not cap damage amounts for pain and suffering in malpractice cases, making it more financially viable to sue there.

Grossman cited the case of Deborah Dorbert, a Florida woman who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/health/florida-abortion-term-pregnancy/index.html#:~:text=A%20Florida%20woman%2C%20unable%20to,doctors%20had%20predicted%20he%20would." target="_blank">reportedly was denied an abortion</a>&nbsp;despite being told by her physicians at 24 weeks of pregnancy that her fetus, with no kidneys and underdeveloped lungs, had a fatal condition called Potter syndrome.

Her doctors and the hospital refused to end the pregnancy even though the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/02/18/florida-abortion-ban-unviable-pregnancy-potter-syndrome/" target="_blank">state’s abortion ban has an exception</a>&nbsp;for fatal fetal abnormalities. Months later, her baby&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2023/florida-abortion-law-deborah-dorbert/" target="_blank">died in his parents’ arms</a>&nbsp;shortly after birth.

“You can see how she’s been devastated mentally,” Grossman said. “She has a wrongful death case that I’d take in a minute.” He said the couple could file a malpractice suit for Dorbert’s physical and emotional damages and a separate malpractice and wrongful death suit for the couple’s suffering over the infant’s death.

Failing to counsel patients about their options and connect them with providers willing to terminate a pregnancy is also possible grounds for a malpractice suit, attorneys said. Katie Watson, an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine who has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMms2216234" target="_blank">studied state abortion bans</a>, said counseling and referral are not prohibited under these laws and that physicians have an ethical obligation to offer those services.

“I think breaching the obligation for counseling would make a strong malpractice lawsuit,” she said.

Nancy Davis said she received no counseling or referral assistance last July after her doctors at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told her 10 weeks into her pregnancy that her fetus would not survive because it was missing the top of its skull, a fatal condition called acrania. She said they recommended that she terminate the pregnancy and she agreed.

Davis said her doctors then told her a hospital executive had denied permission for the procedure because of Louisiana’s abortion ban, even though the law has an exception for fatal fetal abnormalities. A hospital spokesperson declined to comment.

Davis, who has three children, contacted Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, which arranged for child care and a flight to New York City. She had an abortion performed there in September.

“The whole situation has been mentally and physically draining, and my family and I are receiving counseling,” Davis said. “I’m still very angry at the hospital and the doctors. I feel like I’m owed compensation for the trauma and the heartbreak.”

She sought the counsel of Benjamin Crump, a prominent attorney known for pursuing high-profile cases like wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of the families of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd.

But Crump said that after studying Davis’ legal options, he decided a judge would likely dismiss a malpractice suit and that Davis could end up paying the defendants’ legal fees and costs.

“The doctor’s lawyers will say, ‘You can’t expect my client to break the law and go to prison for up to 25 years,’” Crump said. “Unless you change the law, there is no option for her to receive compensation.”

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/malpractice-lawsuits-denied-abortion-care/" target="_blank">KFF Health News</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569156934026.png" alt="Most abortion bans that went into effect after the Dobbs ruling that overturned a federal right to abortion have exceptions for life-threatening emergencies, but some patients at risk of harm have still been denied care.&nbsp; -Jennifer Morrow/ Creative Commons-Flickr" />
 <figcaption>Most abortion bans that went into effect after the Dobbs ruling that overturned a federal right to abortion have exceptions for life-threatening emergencies, but some patients at risk of harm have still been denied care.&nbsp; -Jennifer Morrow/ Creative Commons-Flickr</figcaption>
 </figure>By Harris Meyer <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/">KFF&nbsp;Health News</a><h2>Mylissa Farmer, the woman who was denied an emergency abortion at Joplin and Kansas City, Kansas hospitals, is one of many people denied reproductive care after Roe v Wade was overturned who are considering legal options.</h2>A year after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many physicians and hospitals in the states that have restricted abortion reportedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/16/ucsf-abortion-study/" target="_blank">are refusing to end the pregnancies</a>&nbsp;of women facing health-threatening complications out of fear they might face criminal prosecution or loss of their medical license.Some experts predict those providers could soon face a new legal threat: medical malpractice lawsuits alleging they harmed patients by failing to provide timely, necessary abortion care.“We will absolutely see medical malpractice cases emerge,” said Diana Nordlund, an emergency physician in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and former malpractice defense attorney, who chairs the Medical-Legal Committee of the American College of Emergency Physicians. When physicians decide not to provide treatments widely accepted as the standard of care because of these new laws, “that’s perceived as substandard care and there is increased civil liability.”To some physicians and malpractice attorneys, the question is when — not if — a pregnant patient will die from lack of care and set the stage for a big-dollar wrongful death claim. Abortion rights supporters said such a case could pressure doctors and hospitals to provide appropriate abortion care, counterbalancing their fears of running afoul of state abortion bans, many of which call for criminal prosecution and revocation of medical licenses as punishment for violations.“If we want to encourage proper care, there has to be some sort of counter-risk to physicians and hospitals for refusing to provide care that should be legal,” said Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law who studies the impact of abortion bans. “But most rational people would be more afraid of going to jail.”Some supporters of abortion bans said they would welcome malpractice lawsuits. Providers are refusing to use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/a-review-of-exceptions-in-state-abortions-bans-implications-for-the-provision-of-abortion-services/#:~:text=In%20Texas'%20abortion%20ban%2C%20the,abortion%20is%20performed%20or%20induced%E2%80%9D." target="_blank">the exceptions in some state laws</a>&nbsp;that allow them to perform abortions to save a patient’s life or health, they said.“It could help achieve our goal if it clarifies that the law did not contradict standard medical practice,” said John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life, referring to the state’s abortion ban.A new KFF poll found that 59% of OB-GYNs practicing in states with gestational limits on abortion, and 61% of those in states with bans, are somewhat or very concerned about their legal risk when making decisions about the necessity of an abortion.Some attorneys are exploring lawsuits on behalf of women who they said have been harmed by a state abortion ban. An attorney for Mylissa Farmer, a Missouri woman&nbsp;<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/emtala-missouri-hospital-investigated-emergency-abortion/" target="_blank">who was refused an abortion</a>&nbsp;at two hospitals in August after her water broke about 18 weeks into her pregnancy, said she may sue for malpractice. Missouri’s abortion ban, which took effect last year, makes an exception for medical emergencies.The federal government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emergency-abortion-law-hospitals-kansas-missouri-emtala-2f993d2869fa801921d7e56e95787567" target="_blank">recently found</a>&nbsp;that the two hospitals violated a federal emergency care law in denying Farmer an abortion, which experts said could strengthen a malpractice claim. One of the hospitals, Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri, did not respond to a request for comment. The other, the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, said the care provided “was reviewed by the hospital and found to be in accordance with hospital policy,” according to a spokesperson, Jill Chadwick.Farmer “experienced permanent physical and emotional damage,” said Michelle Banker, one of her lawyers at the National Women’s Law Center, who added that Farmer and her attorneys are “considering all our legal options.”<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/12/29/1143823727/bleeding-and-in-pain-she-couldnt-get-2-louisiana-ers-to-answer-is-it-a-miscarria" target="_blank">News reports</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)00536-1/pdf" target="_blank">medical studies</a>&nbsp;show that some women with pregnancy complications have suffered serious health consequences when doctors and hospitals did not provide once-routine abortion care.Last month, researchers released a study identifying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ansirh.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/Care%20Post-Roe%20Preliminary%20Findings.pdf" target="_blank">dozens of cases</a>&nbsp;in 14 states in which physicians said deficiencies in care due to abortion restrictions led to preventable complications and hospitalizations, with some patients nearly dying.“The patients were sent home and told to come back when they had signs of infection,” said Daniel Grossman, an OB-GYN at the University of California-San Francisco, who led the study. “Many developed serious infections. And it’s clear many of these cases were very emotionally traumatic.”He said though the researchers did not track patient outcomes, the lack of timely abortion care in such cases could result in severe health harms including loss of fertility, stroke, or heart attack.“It’s just a matter of time before there will be a death that comes to light,” Grossman said.Still, considering the conflict for doctors between medical ethics and personal risk, some stakeholders said patients may be reluctant to sue doctors and juries may balk at finding them liable.“It’s a terrible position that providers are being put into, and I don’t think juries will blame the doctor unless it’s a super clear case,” said Morgan Murphy, a malpractice plaintiff’s attorney in Missouri.She said her firm will not pursue malpractice cases based on abortion denials except in “pretty extreme” situations, such as when a patient dies. “Unless a mother is on her deathbed, it’s pretty hard to fault a provider who thinks if they provide treatment they’re going to be criminally liable or will lose their medical license.”Another hurdle for malpractice cases is that state abortion bans could undermine the argument that abortion is the legal “standard of care,” meaning that it is a widely accepted and prescribed treatment for pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and for fatal fetal abnormalities.“I absolutely see a breach of the standard of care in these cases,” said Maria A. Phillis, an OB-GYN and former lawyer in Cleveland. “But if someone goes to trial in a malpractice case, it will come down to a battle of medical experts about whether it’s no longer the standard of care, and the jury would have to decide.”An additional justification for physicians not to provide abortions is that medical liability insurers generally do not cover damages from criminal acts, which “puts the finger on the scales even more to not do anything,” Phillis said.Stuart Grossman, a prominent malpractice plaintiff’s attorney in Florida, said he would be eager to take an abortion-denial case in which the woman suffered serious health or emotional injuries.Unlike other states with abortion bans, Florida does not cap damage amounts for pain and suffering in malpractice cases, making it more financially viable to sue there.Grossman cited the case of Deborah Dorbert, a Florida woman who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/health/florida-abortion-term-pregnancy/index.html#:~:text=A%20Florida%20woman%2C%20unable%20to,doctors%20had%20predicted%20he%20would." target="_blank">reportedly was denied an abortion</a>&nbsp;despite being told by her physicians at 24 weeks of pregnancy that her fetus, with no kidneys and underdeveloped lungs, had a fatal condition called Potter syndrome.Her doctors and the hospital refused to end the pregnancy even though the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/02/18/florida-abortion-ban-unviable-pregnancy-potter-syndrome/" target="_blank">state’s abortion ban has an exception</a>&nbsp;for fatal fetal abnormalities. Months later, her baby&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2023/florida-abortion-law-deborah-dorbert/" target="_blank">died in his parents’ arms</a>&nbsp;shortly after birth.“You can see how she’s been devastated mentally,” Grossman said. “She has a wrongful death case that I’d take in a minute.” He said the couple could file a malpractice suit for Dorbert’s physical and emotional damages and a separate malpractice and wrongful death suit for the couple’s suffering over the infant’s death.Failing to counsel patients about their options and connect them with providers willing to terminate a pregnancy is also possible grounds for a malpractice suit, attorneys said. Katie Watson, an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine who has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMms2216234" target="_blank">studied state abortion bans</a>, said counseling and referral are not prohibited under these laws and that physicians have an ethical obligation to offer those services.“I think breaching the obligation for counseling would make a strong malpractice lawsuit,” she said.Nancy Davis said she received no counseling or referral assistance last July after her doctors at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told her 10 weeks into her pregnancy that her fetus would not survive because it was missing the top of its skull, a fatal condition called acrania. She said they recommended that she terminate the pregnancy and she agreed.Davis said her doctors then told her a hospital executive had denied permission for the procedure because of Louisiana’s abortion ban, even though the law has an exception for fatal fetal abnormalities. A hospital spokesperson declined to comment.Davis, who has three children, contacted Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, which arranged for child care and a flight to New York City. She had an abortion performed there in September.“The whole situation has been mentally and physically draining, and my family and I are receiving counseling,” Davis said. “I’m still very angry at the hospital and the doctors. I feel like I’m owed compensation for the trauma and the heartbreak.”She sought the counsel of Benjamin Crump, a prominent attorney known for pursuing high-profile cases like wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of the families of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd.But Crump said that after studying Davis’ legal options, he decided a judge would likely dismiss a malpractice suit and that Davis could end up paying the defendants’ legal fees and costs.“The doctor’s lawyers will say, ‘You can’t expect my client to break the law and go to prison for up to 25 years,’” Crump said. “Unless you change the law, there is no option for her to receive compensation.”This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/malpractice-lawsuits-denied-abortion-care/" target="_blank">KFF Health News</a>.

Kan., Mo. may soon see malpractice lawsuits over denied abortion care

CAMDEN COUNTY—A child drowned just after 6p.m. on Tuesday at Lake of the Ozarks.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 6-year-old Camdenton, Missouri boy, not wearing a life jacket, jumped voluntarily into the water at Lick Creek Cove onto a Lilly Pad at the 65.9 mark of the main channel.

He went below the surface and did not resurface. He was pronounced dead just before 8p.m. at Lake Regional Hospital.&nbsp;

CAMDEN COUNTY—A child drowned just after 6p.m. on Tuesday at Lake of the Ozarks.&nbsp;The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 6-year-old Camdenton, Missouri boy, not wearing a life jacket, jumped voluntarily into the water at Lick Creek Cove onto a Lilly Pad at the 65.9 mark of the main channel.He went below the surface and did not resurface. He was pronounced dead just before 8p.m. at Lake Regional Hospital.&nbsp;

6-year-old drowns at Lake of the Ozarks

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that total tax collections for June 2023 were $989.0 million. That is $17.3 million, or 1.8%, more than the estimate and $70.2 million, or 7.6%, more than June 2022, according to a media release from her office.

Kansas ends Fiscal Year 2023 with total tax collections of nearly $10.2 billion, which exceeds the Fiscal Year 2023 revised estimate by $25.9 million.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZ292ZXJub3Iua2Fuc2FzLmdvdi93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMy8wNy8xMl9KdW5lX1JldmVudWVfRlkyMDIzXzA3LTAzLTIwMjNfRmluYWwucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDcwNS43OTIxNjM5MSJ9.-GYVzkPdZYV5R_JBoi85m6rBIRyg23z-zn__NUB6tlY/s/1303160919/br/219641174332-l" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to view the June 2023 revenue numbers.

“Time and again, we have seen our monthly revenues exceed estimates because of my administration’s success in attracting businesses, expanding our workforce, and growing our state’s economy,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “This past legislative session, I fought for responsible tax cuts on groceries, property, and Social Security to put this money back in the hands of working Kansans. Come January, I am committed to partnering with legislators to get Kansans relief.”

Individual income tax collections were $379.0 million. That is $4.0 million, or 1.1%, less than the estimate but $14.3 million, or 3.9%, more than June 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $226.2 million. That’s $26.2 million, or 13.1%, more than the estimate and up 52.7% from June 2022.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $303.5 million. That is $1.5 million, or 0.5%, more than the estimate but less than June 2022 by only 0.1%.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that total tax collections for June 2023 were $989.0 million. That is $17.3 million, or 1.8%, more than the estimate and $70.2 million, or 7.6%, more than June 2022, according to a media release from her office.Kansas ends Fiscal Year 2023 with total tax collections of nearly $10.2 billion, which exceeds the Fiscal Year 2023 revised estimate by $25.9 million.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZ292ZXJub3Iua2Fuc2FzLmdvdi93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMy8wNy8xMl9KdW5lX1JldmVudWVfRlkyMDIzXzA3LTAzLTIwMjNfRmluYWwucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDcwNS43OTIxNjM5MSJ9.-GYVzkPdZYV5R_JBoi85m6rBIRyg23z-zn__NUB6tlY/s/1303160919/br/219641174332-l" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to view the June 2023 revenue numbers.“Time and again, we have seen our monthly revenues exceed estimates because of my administration’s success in attracting businesses, expanding our workforce, and growing our state’s economy,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “This past legislative session, I fought for responsible tax cuts on groceries, property, and Social Security to put this money back in the hands of working Kansans. Come January, I am committed to partnering with legislators to get Kansans relief.”Individual income tax collections were $379.0 million. That is $4.0 million, or 1.1%, less than the estimate but $14.3 million, or 3.9%, more than June 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $226.2 million. That’s $26.2 million, or 13.1%, more than the estimate and up 52.7% from June 2022.Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $303.5 million. That is $1.5 million, or 0.5%, more than the estimate but less than June 2022 by only 0.1%.

Kan. ends fiscal year with total tax collections of $10.2 billion

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly Independence Day shooting at a gas station in Kansas City.

Just&nbsp;after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting at 8505 Woodland in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. First responders located a man inside the gas station unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers performed life saving measures. EMS arrived on scene and declared the victim deceased. The second victim, a teenage boy, was shot and transported to an area hospital in stable condition. Police have no one in custody at this time. The circumstances surrounding the homicide are unknown at this time. Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the scene to to recover any evidence and speak to any potential witnesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688564613976.png" alt="Police investigators at the scene of the investigation early Wednesday photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police investigators at the scene of the investigation early Wednesday photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly Independence Day shooting at a gas station in Kansas City.Just&nbsp;after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting at 8505 Woodland in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. First responders located a man inside the gas station unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers performed life saving measures. EMS arrived on scene and declared the victim deceased. The second victim, a teenage boy, was shot and transported to an area hospital in stable condition. Police have no one in custody at this time. The circumstances surrounding the homicide are unknown at this time. Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the scene to to recover any evidence and speak to any potential witnesses.

Police: Man dead, teen wounded inside Kansas City gas station

WASHINGTON (AP) –A judge on Tuesday prohibited several federal agencies and officials of the Biden administration from working with social media companies about “protected speech,” a decision called “a blow to censorship” by one of the Republican officials whose lawsuit prompted the ruling.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana granted the injunction in response to a 2022 lawsuit brought by attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri. Their lawsuit alleged that the federal government overstepped in its efforts to convince social media companies to address postings that could result in vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or affect elections.

Doughty cited “substantial evidence” of a far-reaching censorship campaign. He wrote that the “evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’ ”

Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the injunction prevents the administration “from censoring the core political speech of ordinary Americans” on social media.

“The evidence in our case is shocking and offensive with senior federal officials deciding that they could dictate what Americans can and cannot say on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms about COVID-19, elections, criticism of the government, and more," Landry said in a statement.

The Justice Department is reviewing the injunction “and will evaluate its options in this case,” said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“This administration has promoted responsible actions to protect public health, safety, and security when confronted by challenges like a deadly pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections,” the official said. “Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects their platforms are having on the American people, but make independent choices about the information they present.”

The ruling listed several government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI, that are prohibited by the injunction from discussions with social media companies aimed at “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

The order mentions by name several officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and others.

Doughty allowed several exceptions, such as informing social media companies of postings involving criminal activity and conspiracies; as well as notifying social media firms of national security threats and other threats posted on platforms.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit also included individuals, including conservative website owner Jim Hoft. The lawsuit accused the administration of using the possibility of favorable or unfavorable regulatory action to coerce social media platforms to squelch what it considered misinformation on masks and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also touched on other topics, including claims about election integrity and news stories about material on a laptop owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-house-republicans-prosecutor-irs-17f33b5f85443ee2c3315654b47f5a1c">Hunter Biden</a>, the president’s son.

Administration lawyers said the government left it up to social media companies to decide what constituted misinformation and how to combat it. In one brief, they likened the lawsuit to an attempt to put a legal gag order on the federal government and “suppress the speech of federal government officials under the guise of protecting the speech rights of others.”

“Plaintiffs’ proposed injunction would significantly hinder the Federal Government’s ability to combat foreign malign influence campaigns, prosecute crimes, protect the national security, and provide accurate information to the public on matters of grave public concern such as health care and election integrity,” the administration says in a May 3 court filing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –A judge on Tuesday prohibited several federal agencies and officials of the Biden administration from working with social media companies about “protected speech,” a decision called “a blow to censorship” by one of the Republican officials whose lawsuit prompted the ruling.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana granted the injunction in response to a 2022 lawsuit brought by attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri. Their lawsuit alleged that the federal government overstepped in its efforts to convince social media companies to address postings that could result in vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or affect elections.Doughty cited “substantial evidence” of a far-reaching censorship campaign. He wrote that the “evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’ ”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">King George believed the Declaration of Independence was “misinformation” God bless America and God bless the First Amendment. 🇺🇸&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1676411167126835201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨BREAKING: A Federal Judge in Missouri v. Biden just granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the FBI, DOJ, DHS &amp; other agencies from working with Big Tech to censor on social media Big win for the First Amendment on this Independence Day🇺🇸 I’m proud to have led the fight. <a href="https://t.co/59FzDVuI4f">pic.twitter.com/59FzDVuI4f</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1676287106220433423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the injunction prevents the administration “from censoring the core political speech of ordinary Americans” on social media.“The evidence in our case is shocking and offensive with senior federal officials deciding that they could dictate what Americans can and cannot say on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms about COVID-19, elections, criticism of the government, and more," Landry said in a statement.The Justice Department is reviewing the injunction “and will evaluate its options in this case,” said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.“This administration has promoted responsible actions to protect public health, safety, and security when confronted by challenges like a deadly pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections,” the official said. “Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects their platforms are having on the American people, but make independent choices about the information they present.”The ruling listed several government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI, that are prohibited by the injunction from discussions with social media companies aimed at “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”The order mentions by name several officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and others.Doughty allowed several exceptions, such as informing social media companies of postings involving criminal activity and conspiracies; as well as notifying social media firms of national security threats and other threats posted on platforms.The plaintiffs in the lawsuit also included individuals, including conservative website owner Jim Hoft. The lawsuit accused the administration of using the possibility of favorable or unfavorable regulatory action to coerce social media platforms to squelch what it considered misinformation on masks and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also touched on other topics, including claims about election integrity and news stories about material on a laptop owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-house-republicans-prosecutor-irs-17f33b5f85443ee2c3315654b47f5a1c">Hunter Biden</a>, the president’s son.Administration lawyers said the government left it up to social media companies to decide what constituted misinformation and how to combat it. In one brief, they likened the lawsuit to an attempt to put a legal gag order on the federal government and “suppress the speech of federal government officials under the guise of protecting the speech rights of others.”“Plaintiffs’ proposed injunction would significantly hinder the Federal Government’s ability to combat foreign malign influence campaigns, prosecute crimes, protect the national security, and provide accurate information to the public on matters of grave public concern such as health care and election integrity,” the administration says in a May 3 court filing.

Judge blocks Biden officials from interference in social media content

BUTLER COUNTY—A boy is being recognized as a hero for his actions at a Kansas lake over the Independence holiday weekend.

According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens, "Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. On Sunday 6-year-old&nbsp; Levi Alley alerted adults to a 5-year-old that was drowning at El Dorado Reservoir’s Walnut Swim Beach."

"Thanks to Levi’s attentiveness and quick response, the 5-year-old was rescued unharmed. Way to go Levi!"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688554822917.png" alt="Photo courtesy KDW&amp;P Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KDW&amp;P Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY—A boy is being recognized as a hero for his actions at a Kansas lake over the Independence holiday weekend.According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens, "Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. On Sunday 6-year-old&nbsp; Levi Alley alerted adults to a 5-year-old that was drowning at El Dorado Reservoir’s Walnut Swim Beach.""Thanks to Levi’s attentiveness and quick response, the 5-year-old was rescued unharmed. Way to go Levi!"

Boy recognized for helping save child from drowning at Kan. lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Secret Service agents were doing routine rounds on Sunday when they found the white powder in an area accessible to tour groups, not in any particular West Wing office, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The complex was evacuated at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday as fire and emergency crews were brought in to do a rapid test, which preliminarily identified cocaine. The White House was soon reopened and the powder was sent for further testing.

Biden and his family left for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday.

The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated, and that the District of Columbia fire department was called in to evaluate and determine that the substance was not hazardous.

“The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688508095664.png" alt="The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday.Secret Service agents were doing routine rounds on Sunday when they found the white powder in an area accessible to tour groups, not in any particular West Wing office, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The complex was evacuated at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday as fire and emergency crews were brought in to do a rapid test, which preliminarily identified cocaine. The White House was soon reopened and the powder was sent for further testing.Biden and his family left for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday.The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated, and that the District of Columbia fire department was called in to evaluate and determine that the substance was not hazardous.“The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said.

Secret Service investigating cocaine found at White House

KANSAS CITY —A man critically injured in a motorcycle, boat-trailer crash on Independence Day has died.

Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, a man driving a Honda Valkyrie was westbound on&nbsp;Northeast Cookingham Drive at NE Reinking in Kansas City, according to Police Capitain Carsisle.

The man laid the motorcycle down, slid under and struck the right side of a trailer with a Sting Ray boat pulled by a Chevy Silverado that was turning from NE Cookingham onto NE Reinking.&nbsp;

EMS transported the motorcycle rider to an area hospital. The driver of the pickup and a passenger were not injured. Just after 3:30p.m. Tuesday, police reported the motorcyclist had died. Police have not released the name of the man who died.

KANSAS CITY —A man critically injured in a motorcycle, boat-trailer crash on Independence Day has died.Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, a man driving a Honda Valkyrie was westbound on&nbsp;Northeast Cookingham Drive at NE Reinking in Kansas City, according to Police Capitain Carsisle.The man laid the motorcycle down, slid under and struck the right side of a trailer with a Sting Ray boat pulled by a Chevy Silverado that was turning from NE Cookingham onto NE Reinking.&nbsp;EMS transported the motorcycle rider to an area hospital. The driver of the pickup and a passenger were not injured. Just after 3:30p.m. Tuesday, police reported the motorcyclist had died. Police have not released the name of the man who died.

Man dies after motorcycle, boat-trailer crash in Kansas City

ESTES PARK, Colo. (AP) — A 25-year-old Rhode Island man died after falling and being pulled underwater at a waterfall in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday, according to the National Park Service.

The man from Providence has not yet been publicly identified and his body was recovered Sunday evening, officials said.

Rocky Mountain National Park covers over 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers) of rugged mountains and high tundra, drawing typically over 4 million hikers annually.

The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park. The body was moved to the Larimer County Coroner, on the northern edge of Colorado, who will determine the cause of death.

At this time of year, rivers, streams and waterfalls are dangerous cold and swift, said the National Park Service, warning visitors to stay a safe distance from quick-flowing waters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688522453402.png" alt="The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park.-photo National Park Service" />
 <figcaption>The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park.-photo National Park Service</figcaption>
 </figure>ESTES PARK, Colo. (AP) — A 25-year-old Rhode Island man died after falling and being pulled underwater at a waterfall in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday, according to the National Park Service.The man from Providence has not yet been publicly identified and his body was recovered Sunday evening, officials said.Rocky Mountain National Park covers over 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers) of rugged mountains and high tundra, drawing typically over 4 million hikers annually.The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park. The body was moved to the Larimer County Coroner, on the northern edge of Colorado, who will determine the cause of death.At this time of year, rivers, streams and waterfalls are dangerous cold and swift, said the National Park Service, warning visitors to stay a safe distance from quick-flowing waters.

Young man died after fall at a Rocky Mountain waterfall

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for conviction in a double homicide of two men in March 2021, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

A Jackson County judge sentenced Vontez G. Howard, 26, to 25 years on each Murder 2nd Degree conviction, and 10 years on four Armed Criminal Action charges. 

That 10-year sentence was set to run consecutively to the two 25-year sentences for a total of 60 years. Sentences for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Robbery 1st Degree were also set to run concurrent to other charges.

Howard was convicted by a Jackson County jury in April.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded March 1, 2021, on a reported shooting in the area of Norton Avenue and Anderson. 

Victims Kyle Gerhardt and &nbsp;Kristopher Lunsford-Barrett were found in a vehicle. The victims were suffering from gunshot wounds. The vehicle also had caught fire following a crash. 

Kansas City detectives initiated an extensive investigation, analyzing area video, phones, DNA evidence and ballistics. They tracked a suspect vehicle and established connections between the defendants and victims near the time of the fatal shootings. Video surveillance showed how the defendants pursued the victims until the victim's vehicle crashed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634213484056.png" alt="Howard-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Howard-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for conviction in a double homicide of two men in March 2021, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.A Jackson County judge sentenced Vontez G. Howard, 26, to 25 years on each Murder 2nd Degree conviction, and 10 years on four Armed Criminal Action charges. That 10-year sentence was set to run consecutively to the two 25-year sentences for a total of 60 years. Sentences for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Robbery 1st Degree were also set to run concurrent to other charges.Howard was convicted by a Jackson County jury in April.According to court records, Kansas City police responded March 1, 2021, on a reported shooting in the area of Norton Avenue and Anderson. Victims Kyle Gerhardt and &nbsp;Kristopher Lunsford-Barrett were found in a vehicle. The victims were suffering from gunshot wounds. The vehicle also had caught fire following a crash. Kansas City detectives initiated an extensive investigation, analyzing area video, phones, DNA evidence and ballistics. They tracked a suspect vehicle and established connections between the defendants and victims near the time of the fatal shootings. Video surveillance showed how the defendants pursued the victims until the victim's vehicle crashed.

Kansas City man left two gunshot victims in burning car

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A visible crack in the support beam of a North Carolina roller coaster served as a reminder of the risks that sometimes arise with amusement park rides, particularly as families and adrenaline junkies flock to the attractions in summer.

Video footage of the Charlotte-based Carowinds' popular Fury 325 — known as a “Giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters) — showed a key support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers whirled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph).

The park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina line, closed the ride late last week as questions swirled about how the crack occurred. Those answers remained largely unknown as state investigators were on site in Monday morning.

Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor’s Amusement Device Bureau, confirmed investigators “already came and went” from Carowinds on Monday but declined to share details about their findings. Meanwhile, Carowinds said in a statement that all of its rides, including Fury 325, are inspected daily “to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”

Several Carowinds visitors said they were aware that the ride had been closed for repairs, but they were not deterred from enjoying the park's other attractions.

Greg Bledsoe, a 22-year-old season pass holder, visited the park Monday despite having watched the viral video of the Fury 325 track separating from its support beam mid-ride.

“I’m just glad I wasn’t on it because I don’t want to fall off. I’m glad nobody fell off,” he said.

While Bledsoe said the video was “a bit of a shock,” he remains confident in the park’s overall safety and plans to make good use of his season pass.

“Hopefully they get it fixed before the season’s over so I can ride it some more,” he said of the broken coaster. “It’s like the main thing here.”

Industry experts have been quick to counter that millions of Americans hop on roller coasters, Ferris wheels, water slides and many other rides without ever experiencing issues. They note injury rates are extremely low.

A 2021 survey compiled on behalf of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions found “0.9 injuries per million rides,” said Caitlin Dineen, the group's spokesperson. That year, more than 1,200 ride-related injuries were reported out of the typical 1.7 billion rides that take place each year across 400 locations in North America.

“Safety is the top priority for the global attractions industry,” Dineen said. “An excellent safety record is in the best interest of the industry, and leaders within it are committed to providing safe and secure attractions for all their guests and visitors.”

For Steven Powers, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina who visited Carowinds Monday with friends, the positive atmosphere of the park outweighs any worries.

“As far as any other safety concerns, I don’t believe there are any,” Powers said. “I think always subconsciously we think something might happen in the back of our minds, but I also know that they do have people's lives in their hands so they're going to make sure that they do what they're supposed to do on their end.”

Even when amusement park mishaps don't result in injuries, they can still upend vacations and cause headaches for summer fun-seekers.

Shortly after footage was released of the crack inside Fury 325's support structure, riders on a roller coaster in northeastern Wisconsin were trapped upside down for three hours before emergency responders arrived to rescue them.

<a href="https://www.nbc15.com/2023/07/03/roller-coaster-riders-trapped-upside-down-hours/">WJFW reports</a>&nbsp;the ride had been inspected recently when a mechanical failure occurred, halting the coaster mid-ride, according to Capt. Brennan Cook of the Crandon Fire Department.

But sometimes deaths do occur on an amusement park ride.

In 2022, Orlando's International Drive district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-accidents-missouri-8d1dbb7541cfb7b0dc5c3496fcde48d7">removed a towering 400-foot (122-meter) ride</a>&nbsp;after it was directly linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-florida-missouri-obituaries-6dcc0a65607f5038f5044c6d1d485826">the death</a>&nbsp;of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson — a Missouri teen who fell to his death while on the ride the year prior.

Sampson, who lived near St. Louis, Missouri, was visiting Orlando during spring break when he died.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-e9470b0e84a8c59e1bdb1fb06314f170">initial report</a>&nbsp;from outside engineers hired by the Florida Department of Agriculture said sensors on the ride had been adjusted manually to double the size of the opening for restraints on two seats, resulting in the teen not being properly secured.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688473561332.png" alt="People ride a roller coaster at the Carowinds amusement park on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)" />
 <figcaption>People ride a roller coaster at the Carowinds amusement park on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A visible crack in the support beam of a North Carolina roller coaster served as a reminder of the risks that sometimes arise with amusement park rides, particularly as families and adrenaline junkies flock to the attractions in summer.Video footage of the Charlotte-based Carowinds' popular Fury 325 — known as a “Giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters) — showed a key support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers whirled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph).The park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina line, closed the ride late last week as questions swirled about how the crack occurred. Those answers remained largely unknown as state investigators were on site in Monday morning.Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor’s Amusement Device Bureau, confirmed investigators “already came and went” from Carowinds on Monday but declined to share details about their findings. Meanwhile, Carowinds said in a statement that all of its rides, including Fury 325, are inspected daily “to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”Several Carowinds visitors said they were aware that the ride had been closed for repairs, but they were not deterred from enjoying the park's other attractions.Greg Bledsoe, a 22-year-old season pass holder, visited the park Monday despite having watched the viral video of the Fury 325 track separating from its support beam mid-ride.“I’m just glad I wasn’t on it because I don’t want to fall off. I’m glad nobody fell off,” he said.While Bledsoe said the video was “a bit of a shock,” he remains confident in the park’s overall safety and plans to make good use of his season pass.“Hopefully they get it fixed before the season’s over so I can ride it some more,” he said of the broken coaster. “It’s like the main thing here.”Industry experts have been quick to counter that millions of Americans hop on roller coasters, Ferris wheels, water slides and many other rides without ever experiencing issues. They note injury rates are extremely low.A 2021 survey compiled on behalf of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions found “0.9 injuries per million rides,” said Caitlin Dineen, the group's spokesperson. That year, more than 1,200 ride-related injuries were reported out of the typical 1.7 billion rides that take place each year across 400 locations in North America.“Safety is the top priority for the global attractions industry,” Dineen said. “An excellent safety record is in the best interest of the industry, and leaders within it are committed to providing safe and secure attractions for all their guests and visitors.”For Steven Powers, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina who visited Carowinds Monday with friends, the positive atmosphere of the park outweighs any worries.“As far as any other safety concerns, I don’t believe there are any,” Powers said. “I think always subconsciously we think something might happen in the back of our minds, but I also know that they do have people's lives in their hands so they're going to make sure that they do what they're supposed to do on their end.”Even when amusement park mishaps don't result in injuries, they can still upend vacations and cause headaches for summer fun-seekers.Shortly after footage was released of the crack inside Fury 325's support structure, riders on a roller coaster in northeastern Wisconsin were trapped upside down for three hours before emergency responders arrived to rescue them.<a href="https://www.nbc15.com/2023/07/03/roller-coaster-riders-trapped-upside-down-hours/">WJFW reports</a>&nbsp;the ride had been inspected recently when a mechanical failure occurred, halting the coaster mid-ride, according to Capt. Brennan Cook of the Crandon Fire Department.But sometimes deaths do occur on an amusement park ride.In 2022, Orlando's International Drive district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-accidents-missouri-8d1dbb7541cfb7b0dc5c3496fcde48d7">removed a towering 400-foot (122-meter) ride</a>&nbsp;after it was directly linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-florida-missouri-obituaries-6dcc0a65607f5038f5044c6d1d485826">the death</a>&nbsp;of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson — a Missouri teen who fell to his death while on the ride the year prior.Sampson, who lived near St. Louis, Missouri, was visiting Orlando during spring break when he died.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-e9470b0e84a8c59e1bdb1fb06314f170">initial report</a>&nbsp;from outside engineers hired by the Florida Department of Agriculture said sensors on the ride had been adjusted manually to double the size of the opening for restraints on two seats, resulting in the teen not being properly secured.

Fright over crack on roller coaster serves as reminder of risks at amusement parks

FINNEY COUNTY—A Kansas soldier who died in World War II arrived at his final resting place over the weekend.

The Finney County Sheriff's Office shared on social media, "we had the honor of assisting in the escort of U.S. Army Sgt. Gregory Knoll who was brought home after going missing 79 years ago during World War II."

"Sgt. Knoll was killed in action in the battle of the Hurtgen Forest in November 1944. " "It’s good to have this hero home."

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that 22-year-old U.S. Army Sgt. Knoll was accounted for earlier this year.

In November 1944, Knoll was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. His battalion had been tasked with capturing the town of Schmidt, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest. A heavy German counterattack overran his unit and forces survivors to withdraw to Kommerscheidt where they fought against additional enemy attacks. He was reported killed in action on Nov. 7., while fighting enemy forces at Kommerscheidt. His remains could not be recovered after the attack.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Hürtgen area between 1946 and 1950 but were unable to recover or identify Knoll’s remains. He was declared non-recoverable in November 1951. While studying unresolved American losses in the Hürtgen area, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-2519 Neuville, recovered at Kommerscheidt in April 1946, possibly belonged to Knoll. The remains, which had been buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.abmc.gov/">American Battle Monuments Commission</a>&nbsp;site in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, in 1949, were disinterred in July 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for identification. To identify Knoll’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Health-Readiness/AFMES#:~:text=AFMES%20provides%20the%20DOD%20and,the%20entire%20U.S.%20federal%20government.">Armed Forces Medical Examiner System</a>&nbsp;used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis. Knoll’s name was recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, an<a href="http://www.abmc.gov/">&nbsp;American Battle Monuments Commission</a>&nbsp;site in Plombières, Belgium, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685366097921.png" alt="Gregory Knoll&nbsp; photo courtesy&nbsp;Defense MIA/POW Accounting Agency" />
 <figcaption>Gregory Knoll&nbsp; photo courtesy&nbsp;Defense MIA/POW Accounting Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—A Kansas soldier who died in World War II arrived at his final resting place over the weekend.The Finney County Sheriff's Office shared on social media, "we had the honor of assisting in the escort of U.S. Army Sgt. Gregory Knoll who was brought home after going missing 79 years ago during World War II."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688385272607.png" alt="Photo Finney Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Finney Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>"Sgt. Knoll was killed in action in the battle of the Hurtgen Forest in November 1944. " "It’s good to have this hero home."The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that 22-year-old U.S. Army Sgt. Knoll was accounted for earlier this year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688385248023.png" alt="Photo Finney Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Finney Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>In November 1944, Knoll was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. His battalion had been tasked with capturing the town of Schmidt, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest. A heavy German counterattack overran his unit and forces survivors to withdraw to Kommerscheidt where they fought against additional enemy attacks. He was reported killed in action on Nov. 7., while fighting enemy forces at Kommerscheidt. His remains could not be recovered after the attack.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685366310826.png" alt="Image courtesy Defense MIA/POW Accounting Agency" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Defense MIA/POW Accounting Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Hürtgen area between 1946 and 1950 but were unable to recover or identify Knoll’s remains. He was declared non-recoverable in November 1951. While studying unresolved American losses in the Hürtgen area, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-2519 Neuville, recovered at Kommerscheidt in April 1946, possibly belonged to Knoll. The remains, which had been buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.abmc.gov/">American Battle Monuments Commission</a>&nbsp;site in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, in 1949, were disinterred in July 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for identification. To identify Knoll’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Health-Readiness/AFMES#:~:text=AFMES%20provides%20the%20DOD%20and,the%20entire%20U.S.%20federal%20government.">Armed Forces Medical Examiner System</a>&nbsp;used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis. Knoll’s name was recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, an<a href="http://www.abmc.gov/">&nbsp;American Battle Monuments Commission</a>&nbsp;site in Plombières, Belgium, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

A final resting place in Kansas for soldier who died in WWII

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on drug distribution allegations.

Last week, the Wichita Police Department Special Investigations Community Response Team, Violent Crimes Response Team, and Investigations executed a search warrant in the 1100 block of S. Briarcliff in Wichita, according to a media release.

Officers took 29-year-old Diego Briceno of Wichita into custody after he left the residence.

They also seized 164 packages of retail THC products (approximately 227 grams), a gun case, and $14,074 in cash.

Briceno was on pre-trial release for felony murder which took place at the 21st and Maize Dillons in February of 2022. At that time he was accused of aggravated battery, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and distribution of hallucinogens, according to officer Trevor Macy.

He is being held on requested charges of Felony Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and criminal threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688411508270.png" alt="Briceno-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Briceno-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on drug distribution allegations.Last week, the Wichita Police Department Special Investigations Community Response Team, Violent Crimes Response Team, and Investigations executed a search warrant in the 1100 block of S. Briarcliff in Wichita, according to a media release.Officers took 29-year-old Diego Briceno of Wichita into custody after he left the residence.They also seized 164 packages of retail THC products (approximately 227 grams), a gun case, and $14,074 in cash.Briceno was on pre-trial release for felony murder which took place at the 21st and Maize Dillons in February of 2022. At that time he was accused of aggravated battery, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon and distribution of hallucinogens, according to officer Trevor Macy.He is being held on requested charges of Felony Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and criminal threat.

Suspect in Kansas murder accused of selling marijuana

WASHINGTON&nbsp; — The State Department failed to do enough planning before the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan, according to a Biden administration review of the department’s performance during the chaotic evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies.

<a href="https://www.state.gov/after-action-review-on-afghanistan/">Click here to read </a>the Pentagon's review

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was very clear with his statement on the failure highlighted in the report. “The State Department’s Afghanistan After Action Review offers a damning account of the mismanagement during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. The inherent difficulties of an evacuation were clearly exacerbated by a void in leadership, which resulted in the deaths of American service members and stranded thousands of our Afghan allies behind enemy lines.

“As a supporter of establishing the bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission, our two decades of fighting in Afghanistan must be studied to learn from the mistakes made and make certain they are not repeated for the sake of our military men and women who serve valiantly. In addition, we must continue to assist the Afghans who stood by our service members. As a sponsor of the Afghan Adjustment Act, I will work with my colleagues in the Senate to provide safety and certainty for our allies and friends who risked their lives and their families’ lives to support our troops in Afghanistan.”

(Watch President Biden's response to the report)

Biden was defiant when asked Friday if he would admit the U.S. made mistakes before and during its withdrawal.

“Remember what I said about Afghanistan? I said al-Qaida would not be there,” Biden said. “I said we’d get help from the Taliban. What’s happening now? What’s going on? Read your press. I was right.”

The U.S. in July 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-ayman-al-zawahri-qaida-biden-united-states-171556fce4719d012726fb979a14cc81" target="_blank">killed</a>&nbsp;al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in a drone strike at his Kabul home, part of what the Biden administration calls an “over the horizon” capacity to target the group after the withdrawal. But a United Nations monitoring team&nbsp;<a href="https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/125/36/PDF/N2312536.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;in May that al-Qaida considers Afghanistan “a safe haven” and that the Taliban had not met previous commitments on counterterrorism.

“Al-Qaida maintains a low profile, focusing on using the country as an ideological and logistical hub to mobilize and recruit new fighters while covertly rebuilding its external operations capability,” the monitors said in their report.

According to Friday’s report, a State Department task force helped bring out nearly 2,000 Afghan citizens in July and early August 2021, weeks before the Aug. 31, 2021, deadline the U.S. set for withdrawal. They were eligible for processing under a special U.S. visa program for Afghans.

But State “failed to establish a broader task force as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorated,” the report says.

And as the military planned for an evacuation of American civilians and Afghan allies, “it was unclear who in the Department had the lead,” it says.

“The decisions of both President Trump and President Biden to end the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan had serious consequences for the viability of the Afghan government and its security,” the review says. “Those decisions are beyond the scope of this review, but the (review) team found that during both administrations there was insufficient senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios and how quickly those might follow.”

As the Taliban took key cities far faster than most U.S. officials expected and the fate of Kabul became unclear, the report says, State Department personnel began receiving an “overwhelming volume of incoming calls and messages” from lawmakers, other government agencies, and the public pleading for help saving people trapped in the country.

Staff working to facilitate the evacuation also faced confusing guidance that wasn’t attuned to real-world conditions at the time, according to the report.

State has taken lessons from the failures of Afghanistan into account when evacuating people before and during the subsequent war in Ukraine and as a crisis developed in Sudan, according to a senior State Department official who briefed reporters Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the department.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a letter to employees that the review was “vital to building a stronger Department that is better prepared to respond to future challenges and to fulfill our missions around the world.”

The Biden administration released sections of the long-awaited State report, which was completed in March 2022, on the Friday before the July 4 holiday weekend, though it withheld most of the report from public release. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-afghanistan-withdrawal-congress-war-5ff87c14ffd4f7daaa6675e52d3bba1c" target="_blank">had released</a>&nbsp;a National Security Council review of the withdrawal on the day before Good Friday and the Easter weekend but declined to release internal Pentagon and State Department assessments. The Pentagon’s report is still classified as secret.

Officials declined to say why they had released the report just before a holiday weekend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629986318422.png" alt="According to Friday’s report, a State Department task force helped bring out nearly 2,000 Afghan citizens in July and early August 2021, weeks before the Aug. 31, 2021, deadline the U.S. set for withdrawal-Photo&nbsp; U.S. Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>According to Friday’s report, a State Department task force helped bring out nearly 2,000 Afghan citizens in July and early August 2021, weeks before the Aug. 31, 2021, deadline the U.S. set for withdrawal-Photo&nbsp; U.S. Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp; — The State Department failed to do enough planning before the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan, according to a Biden administration review of the department’s performance during the chaotic evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies.<a href="https://www.state.gov/after-action-review-on-afghanistan/">Click here to read </a>the Pentagon's reviewU.S. Senator Jerry Moran was very clear with his statement on the failure highlighted in the report. “The State Department’s Afghanistan After Action Review offers a damning account of the mismanagement during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. The inherent difficulties of an evacuation were clearly exacerbated by a void in leadership, which resulted in the deaths of American service members and stranded thousands of our Afghan allies behind enemy lines.“As a supporter of establishing the bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission, our two decades of fighting in Afghanistan must be studied to learn from the mistakes made and make certain they are not repeated for the sake of our military men and women who serve valiantly. In addition, we must continue to assist the Afghans who stood by our service members. As a sponsor of the Afghan Adjustment Act, I will work with my colleagues in the Senate to provide safety and certainty for our allies and friends who risked their lives and their families’ lives to support our troops in Afghanistan.”(Watch President Biden's response to the report)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KCQAaoyrOgk?start=642" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Biden was defiant when asked Friday if he would admit the U.S. made mistakes before and during its withdrawal.“Remember what I said about Afghanistan? I said al-Qaida would not be there,” Biden said. “I said we’d get help from the Taliban. What’s happening now? What’s going on? Read your press. I was right.”The U.S. in July 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-ayman-al-zawahri-qaida-biden-united-states-171556fce4719d012726fb979a14cc81" target="_blank">killed</a>&nbsp;al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in a drone strike at his Kabul home, part of what the Biden administration calls an “over the horizon” capacity to target the group after the withdrawal. But a United Nations monitoring team&nbsp;<a href="https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/125/36/PDF/N2312536.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;in May that al-Qaida considers Afghanistan “a safe haven” and that the Taliban had not met previous commitments on counterterrorism.“Al-Qaida maintains a low profile, focusing on using the country as an ideological and logistical hub to mobilize and recruit new fighters while covertly rebuilding its external operations capability,” the monitors said in their report.According to Friday’s report, a State Department task force helped bring out nearly 2,000 Afghan citizens in July and early August 2021, weeks before the Aug. 31, 2021, deadline the U.S. set for withdrawal. They were eligible for processing under a special U.S. visa program for Afghans.But State “failed to establish a broader task force as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorated,” the report says.And as the military planned for an evacuation of American civilians and Afghan allies, “it was unclear who in the Department had the lead,” it says.“The decisions of both President Trump and President Biden to end the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan had serious consequences for the viability of the Afghan government and its security,” the review says. “Those decisions are beyond the scope of this review, but the (review) team found that during both administrations there was insufficient senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios and how quickly those might follow.”As the Taliban took key cities far faster than most U.S. officials expected and the fate of Kabul became unclear, the report says, State Department personnel began receiving an “overwhelming volume of incoming calls and messages” from lawmakers, other government agencies, and the public pleading for help saving people trapped in the country.Staff working to facilitate the evacuation also faced confusing guidance that wasn’t attuned to real-world conditions at the time, according to the report.State has taken lessons from the failures of Afghanistan into account when evacuating people before and during the subsequent war in Ukraine and as a crisis developed in Sudan, according to a senior State Department official who briefed reporters Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the department.Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a letter to employees that the review was “vital to building a stronger Department that is better prepared to respond to future challenges and to fulfill our missions around the world.”The Biden administration released sections of the long-awaited State report, which was completed in March 2022, on the Friday before the July 4 holiday weekend, though it withheld most of the report from public release. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-afghanistan-withdrawal-congress-war-5ff87c14ffd4f7daaa6675e52d3bba1c" target="_blank">had released</a>&nbsp;a National Security Council review of the withdrawal on the day before Good Friday and the Easter weekend but declined to release internal Pentagon and State Department assessments. The Pentagon’s report is still classified as secret.Officials declined to say why they had released the report just before a holiday weekend.Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called on the administration to release the full report. “This is another blatant attempt to hide the Biden administration’s culpability in the chaotic and deadly evacuation from Afghanistan,” he said in a statement.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the report or McCaul’s statement, but noted that administration officials have responded to bipartisan inquiries and provided “thousands of pages of information.”“That’s being transparent,” she said. “That’s being there, answering and taking those tough questions.”the Associated Press contributed to this report.<h2>__</h2>