SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two early morning shootings in Topeka and have identified a suspect.

Just after 5 a.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting in the area of the 1800 Block of SW Gage Blvd. in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

First responders found two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.

Then at 5:44 a.m., police responded to a shooting in&nbsp; the 1000 Block. of SW Plass Avenue. First responders found one individual&nbsp; suffering from gunshot wounds.

All three individuals were transported to a local area hospital, with two of these individuals injuries to be considered non-life threatening and one considered to be life threatening.

At this time the two incidents appear to be related and police identified a suspect and that individual is currently in police custody, being treated at a local hospital. 

Upon medical clearance, police&nbsp; will publicly identify the suspect, make an arrest and they will be booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687547641510.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Friday -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Friday -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two early morning shootings in Topeka and have identified a suspect.Just after 5 a.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting in the area of the 1800 Block of SW Gage Blvd. in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.First responders found two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.Then at 5:44 a.m., police responded to a shooting in&nbsp; the 1000 Block. of SW Plass Avenue. First responders found one individual&nbsp; suffering from gunshot wounds.All three individuals were transported to a local area hospital, with two of these individuals injuries to be considered non-life threatening and one considered to be life threatening.At this time the two incidents appear to be related and police identified a suspect and that individual is currently in police custody, being treated at a local hospital. Upon medical clearance, police&nbsp; will publicly identify the suspect, make an arrest and they will be booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Police: Kansas suspect in two shooting incidents hospitalized

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon was sued Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly engaging in a yearslong effort to enroll consumers without consent into Amazon Prime and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.

In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the agency accused Amazon of using deceptive designs, known as “dark patterns,” to deceive consumers into enrolling in Prime, which provides subscribers with perks such as faster shipping for an fee of $139 annually, or $14.99 a month.

The FTC said Amazon made it difficult for customers to purchase an item without also subscribing to Prime. In some cases, consumers were presented with a button to complete their transactions — which didn’t clearly state it would also enroll them in Prime.

Getting out of a subscription was often too complicated, and Amazon leadership slowed or rejected changes that would have made canceling easier, the complaint said.

Internally, Amazon called the process “Iliad," a reference to the ancient Greek poem about lengthy siege of Troy during the Trojan war.

“Amazon tricked and trapped people into recurring subscriptions without their consent, not only frustrating users but also costing them significant money,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a prepared statement. “These manipulative tactics harm consumers and law-abiding businesses alike.”

The FTC argued that Amazon’s practices violated the FTC Act and another law called the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, which Amazon disputed.

“The FTC’s claims are false on the facts and the law," Amazon spokesperson Heather Layman said in a statement. “The truth is that customers love Prime, and by design we make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up for or cancel their Prime membership.”

Launched in 2005, Prime has more than 200 million members worldwide who are entitled to perks such as free delivery, returns and the streaming service Prime Video. In the first three months of this year, Amazon reported it made $9.6 billion from subscriptions, a 17% jump from the same period last year.

In a news release announcing the lawsuit, the FTC said though its complaint is significantly redacted, it contains “a number of allegations” that backs up its accusations against Amazon. It also accused the company of attempting to hinder the agency’s investigation into Prime, which began in 2021, in several instances.

In the past two years, the agency has been ramping up its enforcement against deceptive sign-up and cancellation tactics that could manipulate consumers into buying products or services they don't want. In December, it said Epic Games Inc., the maker of the popular Fortnite video game, would pay $245 million in customer refunds for deceptive payment methods. In November, the telecom company Vonage settled a similar case for $100 million.

Layman, the Amazon spokesperson, said the company found it “concerning” the FTC filed the lawsuit without notifying Amazon, which was in discussion with agency staffers about Prime.

“While the absence of that normal course engagement is extremely disappointing, we look forward to proving our case in court," she said.

The lawsuit also comes as Amazon is facing heightened regulatory scrutiny as it moves to expand its e-commerce dominance and dip its toes into other markets, including groceries and health care.

Some anti-monopoly groups celebrated the lawsuit shortly after the FTC’s announcement, while others called it absurd.

“The complaint is that Amazon encourages people to use Amazon Prime – this is like going after Kroger for promoting its rewards program or Costco for its membership club,” Carl Szabo, the vice president and general counsel of the tech industry group NetChoice, said in a statement. "It is abundantly clear that the FTC is a runaway agency in need of greater oversight. Congress must engage in robust oversight to rein in the FTC by cutting funding and investigating its ethical lapses and abuse of power.”

The group, which counts Amazon as one of its members, also pointed to Khan's prior criticism of the company, and accused her of using the lawsuit “to attack American businesses she doesn’t like.”

Khan, 34, burst onto the antitrust scene in 2017 with her massive scholarly work as a Yale law student, “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox." In 2021, Amazon asked unsuccessfully that she remove herself from separate antitrust investigations into its business, arguing that her public criticism of the company’s market power before she joined the government makes it impossible for her to be impartial.

The U.S. and Amazon have traded barbs for over the investigation.

Last year, Amazon accused the FTC of harassing its executives, including founder Jeff Bezos, as the agency sought to get the company’s top brass to testify as part of the probe.

The tech giant has also faced other lawsuits accusing its Prime cancelation process of being too complicated. While under scrutiny from the FTC, the company in March provided consumers with instructions on how to cancel their Prime memberships in a blog post.

The lawsuit follows another Amazon-related win by the agency just a few weeks ago. Earlier this month, Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-alexa-ring-doorbell-privacy-violations-ftc-971419109d7af10203d7ccfd28fcd0ad">agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty</a>&nbsp;to settle allegations it violated a child privacy law for storing kids’ voice and location data recorded by its popular Alexa voice assistant. It also agreed to pay $5.8 million in customer refunds for alleged privacy violations involving its doorbell camera Ring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687370869736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon was sued Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly engaging in a yearslong effort to enroll consumers without consent into Amazon Prime and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the agency accused Amazon of using deceptive designs, known as “dark patterns,” to deceive consumers into enrolling in Prime, which provides subscribers with perks such as faster shipping for an fee of $139 annually, or $14.99 a month.The FTC said Amazon made it difficult for customers to purchase an item without also subscribing to Prime. In some cases, consumers were presented with a button to complete their transactions — which didn’t clearly state it would also enroll them in Prime.Getting out of a subscription was often too complicated, and Amazon leadership slowed or rejected changes that would have made canceling easier, the complaint said.Internally, Amazon called the process “Iliad," a reference to the ancient Greek poem about lengthy siege of Troy during the Trojan war.“Amazon tricked and trapped people into recurring subscriptions without their consent, not only frustrating users but also costing them significant money,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a prepared statement. “These manipulative tactics harm consumers and law-abiding businesses alike.”The FTC argued that Amazon’s practices violated the FTC Act and another law called the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, which Amazon disputed.“The FTC’s claims are false on the facts and the law," Amazon spokesperson Heather Layman said in a statement. “The truth is that customers love Prime, and by design we make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up for or cancel their Prime membership.”Launched in 2005, Prime has more than 200 million members worldwide who are entitled to perks such as free delivery, returns and the streaming service Prime Video. In the first three months of this year, Amazon reported it made $9.6 billion from subscriptions, a 17% jump from the same period last year.In a news release announcing the lawsuit, the FTC said though its complaint is significantly redacted, it contains “a number of allegations” that backs up its accusations against Amazon. It also accused the company of attempting to hinder the agency’s investigation into Prime, which began in 2021, in several instances.In the past two years, the agency has been ramping up its enforcement against deceptive sign-up and cancellation tactics that could manipulate consumers into buying products or services they don't want. In December, it said Epic Games Inc., the maker of the popular Fortnite video game, would pay $245 million in customer refunds for deceptive payment methods. In November, the telecom company Vonage settled a similar case for $100 million.Layman, the Amazon spokesperson, said the company found it “concerning” the FTC filed the lawsuit without notifying Amazon, which was in discussion with agency staffers about Prime.“While the absence of that normal course engagement is extremely disappointing, we look forward to proving our case in court," she said.The lawsuit also comes as Amazon is facing heightened regulatory scrutiny as it moves to expand its e-commerce dominance and dip its toes into other markets, including groceries and health care.Some anti-monopoly groups celebrated the lawsuit shortly after the FTC’s announcement, while others called it absurd.“The complaint is that Amazon encourages people to use Amazon Prime – this is like going after Kroger for promoting its rewards program or Costco for its membership club,” Carl Szabo, the vice president and general counsel of the tech industry group NetChoice, said in a statement. "It is abundantly clear that the FTC is a runaway agency in need of greater oversight. Congress must engage in robust oversight to rein in the FTC by cutting funding and investigating its ethical lapses and abuse of power.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687370941423.png" alt="(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)" />
 <figcaption>(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)</figcaption>
 </figure>The group, which counts Amazon as one of its members, also pointed to Khan's prior criticism of the company, and accused her of using the lawsuit “to attack American businesses she doesn’t like.”Khan, 34, burst onto the antitrust scene in 2017 with her massive scholarly work as a Yale law student, “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox." In 2021, Amazon asked unsuccessfully that she remove herself from separate antitrust investigations into its business, arguing that her public criticism of the company’s market power before she joined the government makes it impossible for her to be impartial.The U.S. and Amazon have traded barbs for over the investigation.Last year, Amazon accused the FTC of harassing its executives, including founder Jeff Bezos, as the agency sought to get the company’s top brass to testify as part of the probe.The tech giant has also faced other lawsuits accusing its Prime cancelation process of being too complicated. While under scrutiny from the FTC, the company in March provided consumers with instructions on how to cancel their Prime memberships in a blog post.The lawsuit follows another Amazon-related win by the agency just a few weeks ago. Earlier this month, Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-alexa-ring-doorbell-privacy-violations-ftc-971419109d7af10203d7ccfd28fcd0ad">agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty</a>&nbsp;to settle allegations it violated a child privacy law for storing kids’ voice and location data recorded by its popular Alexa voice assistant. It also agreed to pay $5.8 million in customer refunds for alleged privacy violations involving its doorbell camera Ring.------------

Lawsuit: Amazon disputes deceptive sign-up, cancellation process 

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement authorities investigating a&nbsp;deadly shooting at a Kansas State Park campground have arrested a suspect

Early Tuesday, emergency personnel were dispatched to the Pintail Point campground at the Hillsdale State Park near Paola for a report of a stabbing and a shooting, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office.

 One person suffered a fatal gunshot wound. The victim has been identified as&nbsp;43-year-old Bryan Hendrickson from Edgerton. Deputies also found one person with a non-life-threatening stab wound. That individual was transported to an area hospital for treatment and released, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies took Brian Meysenburg, 53, Overland Park, into custody and booked him into the Miami County Jail on a requested charge of second-degree murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687477164803.png" alt="Meysenburg-photo Miami County" />
 <figcaption>Meysenburg-photo Miami County</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement authorities investigating a&nbsp;deadly shooting at a Kansas State Park campground have arrested a suspectEarly Tuesday, emergency personnel were dispatched to the Pintail Point campground at the Hillsdale State Park near Paola for a report of a stabbing and a shooting, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office. One person suffered a fatal gunshot wound. The victim has been identified as&nbsp;43-year-old Bryan Hendrickson from Edgerton. Deputies also found one person with a non-life-threatening stab wound. That individual was transported to an area hospital for treatment and released, according to the sheriff's office.Deputies took Brian Meysenburg, 53, Overland Park, into custody and booked him into the Miami County Jail on a requested charge of second-degree murder.

Man accused of deadly Kansas Park campground attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;said Friday it will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-58_i425.pdf">no longer stand in the way</a>&nbsp;of a long-blocked Biden administration policy to prioritize the deportation of immigrants who are deemed to pose the greatest public safety risk or were picked up at the border.

The justices rejected a challenge from some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-louisiana-donald-trump-immigration-government-and-politics-0cca9ca72778e154da24ded403e8c415">Republican-led states</a>&nbsp;to a policy that, the administration said, recognizes that there is not enough money or manpower to deport all 11 million or so people who are in the United States illegally.

The states had argued that federal immigration law requires authorities to detain and deport even those who pose little or no risk.

At the center of the case is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.” The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy to remove people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683898210525.png" alt="Migrants at the border as scene in photo from May 2023- Texas Dept. of Public Safety" />
 <figcaption>Migrants at the border as scene in photo from May 2023- Texas Dept. of Public Safety</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;said Friday it will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-58_i425.pdf">no longer stand in the way</a>&nbsp;of a long-blocked Biden administration policy to prioritize the deportation of immigrants who are deemed to pose the greatest public safety risk or were picked up at the border.The justices rejected a challenge from some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-louisiana-donald-trump-immigration-government-and-politics-0cca9ca72778e154da24ded403e8c415">Republican-led states</a>&nbsp;to a policy that, the administration said, recognizes that there is not enough money or manpower to deport all 11 million or so people who are in the United States illegally.The states had argued that federal immigration law requires authorities to detain and deport even those who pose little or no risk.At the center of the case is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.” The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy to remove people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.

Supreme Court rejects challenge to Biden deportation plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 7.5 million singing and swimming “Baby Shark” bath toys are being recalled after multiple impalements, lacerations and puncture wounds were reported in children playing with them.

Zuru, an El Segundo, California-based toymaker, said it's recalling both full-size and mini versions of its robotic baby shark toys that have hard plastic top fins, which pose the injury risks.

Twelve injuries have already been reported with Zuru's full-sized Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing &amp; Swim Bath Toys — after children sat or fell on the now-recalled products. Nine of these impalements, lacerations and puncture wounds required stitches or medical attention, according to <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Zuru-Recalls-7-5-Million-Baby-Shark-and-Mini-Baby-Shark-Bath-Toys-With-Hard-Plastic-Top-Fins-Due-to-Risk-of-Impalement-Laceration-and-Puncture-Injuries-to-Children">a Thursday release from the U.S. Consumer Protect Safety Commission.</a>

While injuries have only been reported with these full-sized toys so far, Zuru is also recalling Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys “out of an abundance of caution."

Consumers in possession of the recalled toys are instructed to stop using them immediately and contact Zuru for a full refund. To get the refund, customers are asked to cut off or bend the tail fin, write “recalled” and a registration code on the body of the baby shark and upload a photo on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recallrtr.com/bathshark">site</a>&nbsp;dedicated to the recall.

The recalled products can be identified by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Zuru-Recalls-7-5-Million-Baby-Shark-and-Mini-Baby-Shark-Bath-Toys-With-Hard-Plastic-Top-Fins-Due-to-Risk-of-Impalement-Laceration-and-Puncture-Injuries-to-Children">model numbers</a>&nbsp;and date codes. Zuru's Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing &amp; Swim Bath Toys and Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys were sold in-person and online at chains including Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and TJX Companies from May 2019 through March 2023.

In a company announcement, Zuru noted that that the recall only impacts the versions of the baby shark toys with a hard plastic fin. The newest toys, which have a silicone fin, are not part of the recall, Zuru said.

“We want to assure our customers that we are committed to the highest levels of safety and quality of all our products, and we have implemented measures to prevent future incidents by working to promptly remove these products from retail and replace them with a newly designed product,” Zuru wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687530371186.png" alt="Photo courtesy Consumer Product Safety Commission" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Consumer Product Safety Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — About 7.5 million singing and swimming “Baby Shark” bath toys are being recalled after multiple impalements, lacerations and puncture wounds were reported in children playing with them.Zuru, an El Segundo, California-based toymaker, said it's recalling both full-size and mini versions of its robotic baby shark toys that have hard plastic top fins, which pose the injury risks.Twelve injuries have already been reported with Zuru's full-sized Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing &amp; Swim Bath Toys — after children sat or fell on the now-recalled products. Nine of these impalements, lacerations and puncture wounds required stitches or medical attention, according to <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Zuru-Recalls-7-5-Million-Baby-Shark-and-Mini-Baby-Shark-Bath-Toys-With-Hard-Plastic-Top-Fins-Due-to-Risk-of-Impalement-Laceration-and-Puncture-Injuries-to-Children">a Thursday release from the U.S. Consumer Protect Safety Commission.</a>While injuries have only been reported with these full-sized toys so far, Zuru is also recalling Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys “out of an abundance of caution."Consumers in possession of the recalled toys are instructed to stop using them immediately and contact Zuru for a full refund. To get the refund, customers are asked to cut off or bend the tail fin, write “recalled” and a registration code on the body of the baby shark and upload a photo on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recallrtr.com/bathshark">site</a>&nbsp;dedicated to the recall.The recalled products can be identified by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Zuru-Recalls-7-5-Million-Baby-Shark-and-Mini-Baby-Shark-Bath-Toys-With-Hard-Plastic-Top-Fins-Due-to-Risk-of-Impalement-Laceration-and-Puncture-Injuries-to-Children">model numbers</a>&nbsp;and date codes. Zuru's Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing &amp; Swim Bath Toys and Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys were sold in-person and online at chains including Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and TJX Companies from May 2019 through March 2023.In a company announcement, Zuru noted that that the recall only impacts the versions of the baby shark toys with a hard plastic fin. The newest toys, which have a silicone fin, are not part of the recall, Zuru said.“We want to assure our customers that we are committed to the highest levels of safety and quality of all our products, and we have implemented measures to prevent future incidents by working to promptly remove these products from retail and replace them with a newly designed product,” Zuru wrote.

'Baby Shark' bath toy recall: Multiple laceration and impalement injuries

HUTCHINSON — Though gas prices are creeping up, they are doing so much more slowly than 2022, according to AAA Kansas.

"Things have been relatively stable," Steward said. "We may be in a bit of a gasoline demand lull between Memorial Day weekend and the upcoming July 4 travel weekend. That, coupled with a fairly low and stable crude oil cost have kept prices at the pump pretty manageable."

"We are about $1.40 less per gallon now than we were one year ago," Steward said. "That's significantly cheaper to take those summer road trips."

The spring storms we have had across Oklahoma and Texas do not have the same effect on supply as other weather conditions could that are more common as we get closer to fall.

"Supply really hasn't been interrupted by any hurricanes in the Gulf, for example," Steward said. "We always look this time of year. As we head toward September or even October, hurricane season can certainly interrupt gasoline production in those oil refineries along the Gulf, especially. We've been pretty lucky and haven't seen any of that."

Kansas is still in the ten lowest states for gas prices overall and no county in the state is even up to the national average.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Though gas prices are creeping up, they are doing so much more slowly than 2022, according to AAA Kansas."Things have been relatively stable," Steward said. "We may be in a bit of a gasoline demand lull between Memorial Day weekend and the upcoming July 4 travel weekend. That, coupled with a fairly low and stable crude oil cost have kept prices at the pump pretty manageable.""We are about $1.40 less per gallon now than we were one year ago," Steward said. "That's significantly cheaper to take those summer road trips."The spring storms we have had across Oklahoma and Texas do not have the same effect on supply as other weather conditions could that are more common as we get closer to fall."Supply really hasn't been interrupted by any hurricanes in the Gulf, for example," Steward said. "We always look this time of year. As we head toward September or even October, hurricane season can certainly interrupt gasoline production in those oil refineries along the Gulf, especially. We've been pretty lucky and haven't seen any of that."Kansas is still in the ten lowest states for gas prices overall and no county in the state is even up to the national average.

AAA: Gas prices still lower and fairly stable

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

TOPEKA — A new Medicaid report finds more than $1.3 million may have been overpaid to managed care organizations due to slow information provision, causing Kansas Medicaid programs to pay members after they left the state.

The attorney general’s office issued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ag.ks.gov/media-center/news-releases/2023/06/21/medicaid-inspector-general-releases-eligibility-audit">news release</a>&nbsp;Wednesday announcing the findings. The performance audit of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was done by Medicaid inspector general Steven Anderson and covered Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2021.

“It’s clear from our audit that the federal government and the state can do more to recapture these overpayments by quickly identifying and verifying Medicaid beneficiaries who move out of state and then by removing them from the program,” Anderson said in the news release. “Kansas taxpayers deserve to know that our Medicaid resources are being used efficiently.”

Currently, states contribute information on individuals enrolled in Medicaid to the Public Assistance Reporting Information System program. A report is then compiled quarterly to notify states whether an individual is enrolled in Medicaid and receiving benefits in another state.

KDHE would like to have the reports from the federal government on a monthly basis to aid in faster decisions, as “quarterly’s not very efficient,” Anderson said.

The report said while the department’s system has improved since 2019, “internal and external deficiencies that hinder KDHE’s ability to identify, verify and terminate Medicaid eligibility on a timely basis” still exist.

“For example,” it read. “A group of beneficiaries that were identified as moving out of Kansas were not properly processed, resulting in an estimated overpayment of $1,370,376.68 in capitation payment to MCOs.”

The news release also said the audit reported “some control weaknesses, policy issues, and gaps in guidance or protocols for coordinating the assessment and collection of any overpayments related to out-of-state residency that Kansas needs to improve.”&nbsp;

KDHE secretary Janet Stanek said in the news release that she and Gov. Laura Kelly appreciate the partnership with the attorney general’s office to increase the efficiency of Medicaid.

“We agree that with the limited state and federal information sources available to the Medicaid program, challenges remain in the timely determination of whether or not a Medicaid beneficiary has moved out of state is very difficult with the information sources available to us,” Stanek said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687430554556.jpeg" alt="Janet Stanek, KDHE secretary, said challenges remain in quickly determining if an individual has moved out of state and if still on Kansas Medicaid. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Janet Stanek, KDHE secretary, said challenges remain in quickly determining if an individual has moved out of state and if still on Kansas Medicaid. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A new Medicaid report finds more than $1.3 million may have been overpaid to managed care organizations due to slow information provision, causing Kansas Medicaid programs to pay members after they left the state.The attorney general’s office issued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ag.ks.gov/media-center/news-releases/2023/06/21/medicaid-inspector-general-releases-eligibility-audit">news release</a>&nbsp;Wednesday announcing the findings. The performance audit of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was done by Medicaid inspector general Steven Anderson and covered Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2021.“It’s clear from our audit that the federal government and the state can do more to recapture these overpayments by quickly identifying and verifying Medicaid beneficiaries who move out of state and then by removing them from the program,” Anderson said in the news release. “Kansas taxpayers deserve to know that our Medicaid resources are being used efficiently.”Currently, states contribute information on individuals enrolled in Medicaid to the Public Assistance Reporting Information System program. A report is then compiled quarterly to notify states whether an individual is enrolled in Medicaid and receiving benefits in another state.KDHE would like to have the reports from the federal government on a monthly basis to aid in faster decisions, as “quarterly’s not very efficient,” Anderson said.The report said while the department’s system has improved since 2019, “internal and external deficiencies that hinder KDHE’s ability to identify, verify and terminate Medicaid eligibility on a timely basis” still exist.“For example,” it read. “A group of beneficiaries that were identified as moving out of Kansas were not properly processed, resulting in an estimated overpayment of $1,370,376.68 in capitation payment to MCOs.”The news release also said the audit reported “some control weaknesses, policy issues, and gaps in guidance or protocols for coordinating the assessment and collection of any overpayments related to out-of-state residency that Kansas needs to improve.”&nbsp;KDHE secretary Janet Stanek said in the news release that she and Gov. Laura Kelly appreciate the partnership with the attorney general’s office to increase the efficiency of Medicaid.“We agree that with the limited state and federal information sources available to the Medicaid program, challenges remain in the timely determination of whether or not a Medicaid beneficiary has moved out of state is very difficult with the information sources available to us,” Stanek said.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/plugins/states-newsroom/republisher/assets/img/ccwhite.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Report estimates $1.3 million overpaid by Kansas Medicaid

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting and carjacking and continue to search for a suspect.

Just before 9 p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the McDonalds at 8326 Wornall in Kansas City on a reported attempted robbery and shots fired, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. No employees were injured in the shooting. The suspect fled the scene at which time he shot at another vehicle before fleeing. The occupant of the vehicle was not injured. Follow up investigation brought officers to the area of Brookside and Meyer around 10:10 p.m. Officers found the suspect vehicle. The shooting suspect then fired gunshots at the officers at which time an officer returned fire. The suspect fled on foot to the parking lot area behind the local business, where he carjacked an unsuspecting victim.&nbsp; Officers engaged the suspect again. The suspect fired gun shots at officers at which time an officer returned fire. The suspect fled the scene in the victim's vehicle.&nbsp; The car jacking victims were not injured and no officers were injured. Law enforcement found the vehicle abandoned in the area of 73rd and Cherokee at which time they began searching for the suspect. The suspect is still at large and poses a threat to the public. The suspect is described as a white male in his early 30’s, thin build, patchy black beard, shoulder length black hair and wearing a Black T-shirt. Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the multiple crime scenes and were processing the scenes to recover any evidence and speaking to any potential witnesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687516133882.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation late Thursday-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation late Thursday-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting and carjacking and continue to search for a suspect.Just before 9 p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the McDonalds at 8326 Wornall in Kansas City on a reported attempted robbery and shots fired, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. No employees were injured in the shooting. The suspect fled the scene at which time he shot at another vehicle before fleeing. The occupant of the vehicle was not injured. Follow up investigation brought officers to the area of Brookside and Meyer around 10:10 p.m. Officers found the suspect vehicle. The shooting suspect then fired gunshots at the officers at which time an officer returned fire. The suspect fled on foot to the parking lot area behind the local business, where he carjacked an unsuspecting victim.&nbsp; Officers engaged the suspect again. The suspect fired gun shots at officers at which time an officer returned fire. The suspect fled the scene in the victim's vehicle.&nbsp; The car jacking victims were not injured and no officers were injured. Law enforcement found the vehicle abandoned in the area of 73rd and Cherokee at which time they began searching for the suspect. The suspect is still at large and poses a threat to the public. The suspect is described as a white male in his early 30’s, thin build, patchy black beard, shoulder length black hair and wearing a Black T-shirt. Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the multiple crime scenes and were processing the scenes to recover any evidence and speaking to any potential witnesses.

KCPD search for carjacking suspect after exchange of gunfire 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday defended his harsh public comments on China, including calling President Xi Jinping a dictator, saying his words would have no negative impact on U.S.-China relations and that he still expects to meet with Xi sometime soon.

Biden said his blunt statements regarding China are "just not something I’m going to change very much.”

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

The remarks, which drew a formal protest from China, opened a new rift just days after Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-beijing-rivalry-0b08a809f12b1bcdee92afa5491a9fbf">Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing</a>&nbsp;that was meant as a step toward stabilizing ties and improving communications.

“I expect to be meeting with President Xi sometime in the future, near-term. And I don’t think it’s had any real consequence," he said.

His latest rebuff to China came on the same afternoon he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-modi-india-state-visit-human-rights-5e4bc32e679ad6bae7225a28f7f6334d">welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a>&nbsp;to the White House in an alliance-strengthening move against their shared rival, China.

Just hours earlier, China's embassy in Washington said it had delivered a formal protest, with Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng telling senior White House and State Department officials Wednesday that Washington “should take earnest actions to undo the negative impact” of what Biden said or “bear all the consequences."

“With the latest irresponsible remarks about China’s political system and its top leader, people cannot help but question the sincerity of the U.S. side” in seeking to stabilize relations, the embassy said in a statement. “The Chinese government and people do not accept any political provocation against China’s top leader and will resolutely respond.”

At a campaign fundraiser on Tuesday, Biden had called the Chinese president a dictator, depicted him as out-of-touch during last winter’s tumult over a Chinese spy balloon, and dismissed China as having “real economic difficulties.”

As an official government-to-government communication, the ambassador’s message to the Biden administration carries more weight than the critical comments made a day earlier by a Chinese government spokesperson to reporters. China gave no further details of how the ambassador delivered his message, whether it was seeking an apology from the Biden administration, or what the consequences would be.

China and the U.S. in recent years have been cycling in and out of diplomatic flare-ups. China has used measures ranging from cutting diplomatic ties to staging military maneuvers off Taiwan to show its displeasure.

Biden administration officials on Wednesday defended Biden's remarks, saying the president has made a point of drawing distinctions between the world's democracies and autocracies. The State Department said Thursday that it does not comment on private diplomatic discussions.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen addressed the latest rift Thursday at an unrelated news conference in Paris, saying, “with respect to the comments, I think President Biden and I both believe it’s critical to maintain communication ... to clear up misperceptions, miscalculations. We need to work together where possible."

“But we have disagreements, and we are also forthright in recognizing we do have disagreements,” she added.

Yellen has recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellen-china-tensions-spy-balloon-taiwan-russia-edcb0077d45a3ffabbe4b9dbbf9fe29c">advocated for improving relations</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and China, arguing cooperation is needed for the sake of maintaining global stability.

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, at the same global finance and climate event as Yellen, expressed the urgency of resuming climate discussions between China and the U.S., the No. 1 and No. 2 emitters of climate-damaging fumes from fossil fuels.

Talks between the two countries were vital in the breakthrough that led to the 2015 Paris climate accord. But climate discussions between the two have stalled in the past couple of years over the governments’ diplomatic disputes and other issues.

When it comes to slowing climate change, it “should be China and the United States working together on a global threat in a way that can build some confidence and change the dynamics of the relationship. That’s the hope,” Kerry told a small group of reporters.

He said Xi and Biden understood the urgency of the emissions talks. “Every day that goes by without them is a day for mischief," Kerry said.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang was among the dozens of heads of state and government, world finance officials and activists who converged on the French capital to discuss ways of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-funding-imf-world-bank-paris-5adddd32452f548a71a55f802191b04d">reforming the global financial system</a>&nbsp;and addressing the debt, climate change and poverty crises, especially for developing nations.

“I believe it’s important, as President Biden does, that the world’s two largest economies are … working together in addressing global challenges,” Yellen said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday defended his harsh public comments on China, including calling President Xi Jinping a dictator, saying his words would have no negative impact on U.S.-China relations and that he still expects to meet with Xi sometime soon.Biden said his blunt statements regarding China are "just not something I’m going to change very much.”(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F3585103548384794%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1056" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The remarks, which drew a formal protest from China, opened a new rift just days after Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-beijing-rivalry-0b08a809f12b1bcdee92afa5491a9fbf">Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing</a>&nbsp;that was meant as a step toward stabilizing ties and improving communications.But Biden was undeterred.“I expect to be meeting with President Xi sometime in the future, near-term. And I don’t think it’s had any real consequence," he said.His latest rebuff to China came on the same afternoon he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-modi-india-state-visit-human-rights-5e4bc32e679ad6bae7225a28f7f6334d">welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a>&nbsp;to the White House in an alliance-strengthening move against their shared rival, China.Just hours earlier, China's embassy in Washington said it had delivered a formal protest, with Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng telling senior White House and State Department officials Wednesday that Washington “should take earnest actions to undo the negative impact” of what Biden said or “bear all the consequences."“With the latest irresponsible remarks about China’s political system and its top leader, people cannot help but question the sincerity of the U.S. side” in seeking to stabilize relations, the embassy said in a statement. “The Chinese government and people do not accept any political provocation against China’s top leader and will resolutely respond.”At a campaign fundraiser on Tuesday, Biden had called the Chinese president a dictator, depicted him as out-of-touch during last winter’s tumult over a Chinese spy balloon, and dismissed China as having “real economic difficulties.”As an official government-to-government communication, the ambassador’s message to the Biden administration carries more weight than the critical comments made a day earlier by a Chinese government spokesperson to reporters. China gave no further details of how the ambassador delivered his message, whether it was seeking an apology from the Biden administration, or what the consequences would be.China and the U.S. in recent years have been cycling in and out of diplomatic flare-ups. China has used measures ranging from cutting diplomatic ties to staging military maneuvers off Taiwan to show its displeasure.Biden administration officials on Wednesday defended Biden's remarks, saying the president has made a point of drawing distinctions between the world's democracies and autocracies. The State Department said Thursday that it does not comment on private diplomatic discussions.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen addressed the latest rift Thursday at an unrelated news conference in Paris, saying, “with respect to the comments, I think President Biden and I both believe it’s critical to maintain communication ... to clear up misperceptions, miscalculations. We need to work together where possible."“But we have disagreements, and we are also forthright in recognizing we do have disagreements,” she added.Yellen has recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellen-china-tensions-spy-balloon-taiwan-russia-edcb0077d45a3ffabbe4b9dbbf9fe29c">advocated for improving relations</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and China, arguing cooperation is needed for the sake of maintaining global stability.U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, at the same global finance and climate event as Yellen, expressed the urgency of resuming climate discussions between China and the U.S., the No. 1 and No. 2 emitters of climate-damaging fumes from fossil fuels.Talks between the two countries were vital in the breakthrough that led to the 2015 Paris climate accord. But climate discussions between the two have stalled in the past couple of years over the governments’ diplomatic disputes and other issues.When it comes to slowing climate change, it “should be China and the United States working together on a global threat in a way that can build some confidence and change the dynamics of the relationship. That’s the hope,” Kerry told a small group of reporters.He said Xi and Biden understood the urgency of the emissions talks. “Every day that goes by without them is a day for mischief," Kerry said.Chinese Premier Li Qiang was among the dozens of heads of state and government, world finance officials and activists who converged on the French capital to discuss ways of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-funding-imf-world-bank-paris-5adddd32452f548a71a55f802191b04d">reforming the global financial system</a>&nbsp;and addressing the debt, climate change and poverty crises, especially for developing nations.“I believe it’s important, as President Biden does, that the world’s two largest economies are … working together in addressing global challenges,” Yellen said.

🎥 Biden defends making 'absurd' comment about Chinese leader

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly crash at a Kansas gas station say no charges will be filed in the case, according to Derby Police Chief Robert Lee.

On April. 24, a driver lost control of a car traveling eastbound on Meadowlark Boulevard in Derby, according to police. The vehicle traveled into a Quick Trip at 1430 North Nelson Drive and struck a vehicle at the gas pump. The impact caused the pump to explode.

When fire crews arrived they found a car fully involved in flames on top of the gas pumps. A child, later identified as 3-year-old Harper Ivey in the vehicle at the pump died at the scene. EMS transported the girl's mother Stephanie Corey to an area hospital.

Police presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney and they determined a medical condition involving a 61-year-old driver caused the crash. He survived. Friends established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-brandon-ivy-family" target="_blank">Fundraiser to assist</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;family.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687474330258.png" alt="Photo courtesy City of Derby" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy City of Derby</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly crash at a Kansas gas station say no charges will be filed in the case, according to Derby Police Chief Robert Lee.On April. 24, a driver lost control of a car traveling eastbound on Meadowlark Boulevard in Derby, according to police. The vehicle traveled into a Quick Trip at 1430 North Nelson Drive and struck a vehicle at the gas pump. The impact caused the pump to explode.When fire crews arrived they found a car fully involved in flames on top of the gas pumps. A child, later identified as 3-year-old Harper Ivey in the vehicle at the pump died at the scene. EMS transported the girl's mother Stephanie Corey to an area hospital.Police presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney and they determined a medical condition involving a 61-year-old driver caused the crash. He survived. Friends established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-brandon-ivy-family" target="_blank">Fundraiser to assist</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;family.&nbsp;

Investigation determines cause of crash that killed Kan. toddler

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged road-rage shooting that seriously injured a man and have made an arrest.

Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 4400 block of South Broadway in Wichita, according to officer Juan Rebolledo.

Before arrival, officers learned that the 28-year-old victim drove himself to the 4900 block of South Broadway Avenue after the incident. Officers located the victim in a nearby business with one gunshot wound to his right lower leg. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed that the victim was involved in a road rage incident with 22-year-old Kaeden Murphy in the 4400 block of S Broadway while the victim was driving a moped southbound on Broadway.&nbsp; Murphy was driving a blue pickup truck. 

During the verbal argument, Murphy produced a handgun and fired multiple shots at the victim, striking him once in the right lower leg.

Officers used Flock and developed a suspect vehicle and a tag. A follow-up investigation was conducted and police arrested Murphy on requested charges of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687467313048.png" alt="Murphy has previous convictions for aggravated burglary, drugs and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Murphy has previous convictions for aggravated burglary, drugs and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged road-rage shooting that seriously injured a man and have made an arrest.Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 4400 block of South Broadway in Wichita, according to officer Juan Rebolledo.Before arrival, officers learned that the 28-year-old victim drove himself to the 4900 block of South Broadway Avenue after the incident. Officers located the victim in a nearby business with one gunshot wound to his right lower leg. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed that the victim was involved in a road rage incident with 22-year-old Kaeden Murphy in the 4400 block of S Broadway while the victim was driving a moped southbound on Broadway.&nbsp; Murphy was driving a blue pickup truck. During the verbal argument, Murphy produced a handgun and fired multiple shots at the victim, striking him once in the right lower leg.Officers used Flock and developed a suspect vehicle and a tag. A follow-up investigation was conducted and police arrested Murphy on requested charges of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Road-rage: Kansas felon shot man on moped

US Navy system detected likely Titanic sub implosion days ago

RENO COUNTY —Police investigating a drive-by shooting in Reno County have made an arrest.

Just before 5 p.m. Monday, South Hutchinson police officers and deputies from the Reno County Sheriff’s office were dispatched a drive- by shooting to the 300 block of East 3rd Street, according to a media release from South Hutchinson Police.

A woman standing in front of the residence had a&nbsp;non-life threatening single gunshot wound to her wrist. She was treated and released from the hospital.

Police took the juvenile suspect into custody Wednesday night in South Dakota. Police have not released the name of the suspect.

RENO COUNTY —Police investigating a drive-by shooting in Reno County have made an arrest.Just before 5 p.m. Monday, South Hutchinson police officers and deputies from the Reno County Sheriff’s office were dispatched a drive- by shooting to the 300 block of East 3rd Street, according to a media release from South Hutchinson Police.A woman standing in front of the residence had a&nbsp;non-life threatening single gunshot wound to her wrist. She was treated and released from the hospital.Police took the juvenile suspect into custody Wednesday night in South Dakota. Police have not released the name of the suspect.

Teen in Kansas drive-by shooting arrested in South Dakota

BY NATE KING&nbsp; Salina Post&nbsp;

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after an ATM was damaged when someone attempted to pull it apart Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

Just after 5:30a.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; officers were dispatched to the Sunflower Bank branch at&nbsp;3025 Cortland Circle when a&nbsp;passerby noticed a truck hooked up to an ATM, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Sergeant Tonniges.

Officers found a&nbsp;green Dodge 2500 pickup with a tow chain hooked around the rear axle of the pickup truck and connected to the severely damaged ATM.

Tonniges said the people who attempted to steal the ATM did gain access to its cash compartment.

"There was some cash taken, however I'm not going to give you the undisclosed amount, but there's about $50,000 worth of damage to the ATM," Tonniges said.&nbsp;

It was later discovered that the Dodge Ram&nbsp; pickup was stolen and that was stolen from the nearby 2000 block of Caywood Drive. The legal owner of the vehicle told officers that the vehicle had been parked in their driveway and was taken sometime after 1 a.m.

Tonniges said despite the Dodge being locked, those who stole the vehicle gained entry into the vehicle and punched the ignition.&nbsp;

Tonniges said the department is conducting a video footage canvas of the surrounding area in an effort to locate surveillance footage.

BY NATE KING&nbsp; Salina Post&nbsp;SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after an ATM was damaged when someone attempted to pull it apart Wednesday morning.&nbsp;Just after 5:30a.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; officers were dispatched to the Sunflower Bank branch at&nbsp;3025 Cortland Circle when a&nbsp;passerby noticed a truck hooked up to an ATM, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Sergeant Tonniges.Officers found a&nbsp;green Dodge 2500 pickup with a tow chain hooked around the rear axle of the pickup truck and connected to the severely damaged ATM.Tonniges said the people who attempted to steal the ATM did gain access to its cash compartment."There was some cash taken, however I'm not going to give you the undisclosed amount, but there's about $50,000 worth of damage to the ATM," Tonniges said.&nbsp;It was later discovered that the Dodge Ram&nbsp; pickup was stolen and that was stolen from the nearby 2000 block of Caywood Drive. The legal owner of the vehicle told officers that the vehicle had been parked in their driveway and was taken sometime after 1 a.m.Tonniges said despite the Dodge being locked, those who stole the vehicle gained entry into the vehicle and punched the ignition.&nbsp;Tonniges said the department is conducting a video footage canvas of the surrounding area in an effort to locate surveillance footage.

Police: Cash taken, $50K damage to ATM at bank in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a murder in New Mexico have made an arrest in Kansas.

Just before 4a.m. Monday, police responded to a residence in the 4300 block of Camino Alhambra in Santa Fe, New Mexico after a neighbor called 911 reporting a woman asked for help, said her mom was shot, and another person was dead, according to a media release.

 Officers arrived on scene and found a 56-year-old woman injured by gunfire.  Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived and took over care.  She was transported to a local hospital.  Officers also located 27-year-old Raul Rene Montejano Jr. unconscious with an apparent injury.  Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived and took over care. Montejano Jr. was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator.

Detectives and the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene.  Through the course of the investigation, a suspect was identified. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for 29-year-old Francisco Javier Grado-Flores of Santa Fe on requested charges for Murder and Tampering with Evidence.

Early Wednesday, Police in Wichita arrested Grado-Flores on the arrest warrant.&nbsp; Grado-Flores was booked at the Sedgwick County Detention Center at approximately 2:31 a.m. and charged as a Fugitive from Justice.

He had apparent injuries when he was located by law enforcement and claimed he sustained those injuries in a fight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687449958690.png" alt="GRADO-FLORES-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>GRADO-FLORES-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a murder in New Mexico have made an arrest in Kansas.Just before 4a.m. Monday, police responded to a residence in the 4300 block of Camino Alhambra in Santa Fe, New Mexico after a neighbor called 911 reporting a woman asked for help, said her mom was shot, and another person was dead, according to a media release. Officers arrived on scene and found a 56-year-old woman injured by gunfire. Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived and took over care. She was transported to a local hospital. Officers also located 27-year-old Raul Rene Montejano Jr. unconscious with an apparent injury. Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived and took over care. Montejano Jr. was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator.Detectives and the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene. Through the course of the investigation, a suspect was identified. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for 29-year-old Francisco Javier Grado-Flores of Santa Fe on requested charges for Murder and Tampering with Evidence.Early Wednesday, Police in Wichita arrested Grado-Flores on the arrest warrant.&nbsp; Grado-Flores was booked at the Sedgwick County Detention Center at approximately 2:31 a.m. and charged as a Fugitive from Justice.He had apparent injuries when he was located by law enforcement and claimed he sustained those injuries in a fight.

New Mexico murder suspect captured in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Harley Davidson Flux driven by&nbsp;Kevin James&nbsp; Pierce, 52, Paragould, Arkansas, was westbound in the left lane of Intestate 70 just east of Brookville Road.

The driver lost control of the motorcycle when the rear tire blew . The driver and passenger were thrown from the bike and landed in the center median.

EMS transported Pierce and a passenger identified as&nbsp;Pierce, Mary Angela Pierce, 40, Paragould, Arkansas, to Salina Regional Health Center where she was pronounce deceased.&nbsp; They were wearing half helmets, according to the KHP.

SALINE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Harley Davidson Flux driven by&nbsp;Kevin James&nbsp; Pierce, 52, Paragould, Arkansas, was westbound in the left lane of Intestate 70 just east of Brookville Road.The driver lost control of the motorcycle when the rear tire blew . The driver and passenger were thrown from the bike and landed in the center median.EMS transported Pierce and a passenger identified as&nbsp;Pierce, Mary Angela Pierce, 40, Paragould, Arkansas, to Salina Regional Health Center where she was pronounce deceased.&nbsp; They were wearing half helmets, according to the KHP.

Woman dies after I-70 motorcycle crash

By JENNIFER SHUTT&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — One year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, the courts rather than a divided Congress are leading the way on decisions on reproductive rights that would affect the entire nation.

Congress has not enacted federal legislation to either preserve reproductive rights or to restrict abortion in the year since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling nullified the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. And that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Despite many Republicans campaigning for the U.S. House on promises of a nationwide abortion ban, the chamber hasn’t brought such a bill to the floor six months after the GOP took control.

And in the U.S. Senate, Democrats who control that chamber don’t have the 60 votes needed to overcome the legislative filibuster, leading to a stalemate on abortion legislation as well as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-congress-renew-push-protect-access-birth-control">protections for birth control access.&nbsp;</a>

The next nationwide policy on abortion is much more likely to be written by the same U.S. Supreme Court that wrote one year ago “the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.” That court is dominated 6-3 by conservative justices.

“To the extent that Congress continues to be inept in many regards in legislating, it falls to the courts,” said Suzanne Bell, assistant professor in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The stalemate within Congress is in sharp contrast to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/see-data-reproductive-rights?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=12326989-bb86-442e-9f90-a46c19a27854">new laws from dozens of state legislatures</a>, where lawmakers have moved to either restrict abortion access or solidify it within the last year. But many of those proposals have landed in the state court systems, with some ending up at a state’s Supreme Court.

The nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are expected to take up a case late this year or next spring on access to the abortion pill, known as mifepristone or its brand name Mifeprex, after a federal circuit court in New Orleans rules on the appeal. It likely will be the highest-profile court case on reproductive rights since Dobbs to reach the Supreme Court.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone in 2000 as part of a two-drug regimen that’s currently used up to 10 weeks in a pregnancy.

Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-abortion legal organization, filed a lawsuit in November seeking to have that authorization overturned nationwide.

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump, found their arguments compelling and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-appeals-judges-ruling-ordering-abortion-pill-us-market">stayed the FDA’s approval in early April</a>.

The U.S. Justice Department appealed the case to the 5th Circuit Court, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lailluminator.com/2023/05/17/three-judge-panel-in-u-s-appeals-court-hears-arguments-in-abortion-pill-case/">heard oral arguments in May&nbsp;</a>and could rule any day.

That ruling will likely move to the U.S. Supreme Court after that.

Bell said in an interview that it’s odd to see the case in the courts system, calling it “disheartening,” though she expects that could become more common.

“This is such a strange overreach of the courts or even Congress, if Congress were to be involved in this mifepristone case,” she said.

Bell also cautioned that as politicians increasingly focus on winning or losing the debate&nbsp; — whether in the courts or in the legislature — they often lose sight of the impact of their decisions, and the effect changes in access have on Americans’ actual lives as well as public health.

“We get caught up in some of the politics and the legislation and the litigation around this issue. But in the meantime it’s having real impacts on birthing people and families,” Bell said.

In the year since Dobbs, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have introduced dozens of bills that would either expand reproductive rights or restrict access to abortion, though none stand a chance of becoming law anytime soon.

Republicans have introduced more than 80 bills that address abortion in some way, including a proposal from Missouri Rep. Ann Wagner that would require health care providers to give the same level of care “to preserve the life and health of the child” if an abortion were to result in a live birth.

House Republicans&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-push-through-two-anti-abortion-measures-first-work-week">passed the bill in January</a>, though it’s highly unlikely that it would move through the Democratically controlled Senate. House Republicans, however, have opted not to bring up any of the bills proposing a nationwide ban on abortion.

Democrats have reintroduced legislation that would provide nationwide protection for abortion access, though it hasn’t gotten a vote in the Senate this Congress and would be unlikely to secure the votes needed to move past the legislative filibuster.

The so-called Women’s Health Protection Act would bar local, state or federal governments from restricting access to abortion before viability, roughly 22 to 24 weeks gestation. After that threshold, governments couldn’t implement restrictions when “in the good-faith medical judgment of the treating health care provider, continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patient’s life or health.”

The nature of a divided Congress has led some members to turn their attention toward the annual government funding process as one way to change nationwide policy on abortion.

Attempts to do that in the past have been unsuccessful at shaking up the status quo, but Republicans in the House are attempting to bar the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments from providing abortions — even in cases of rape, incest or the life of the pregnant patient.

The House GOP also added language to the annual funding bill for the FDA that would bar it from allowing pharmacies, including mail-order pharmacies, to apply to dispense abortion medication the same way they dispense other prescriptions. The FDA proposed that change in January and some pharmacy chains have begun the process.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America praised House Republican appropriators for adding “strong language in the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that protects women and girls from the dangers of chemical abortion.”

On barring female troops and veterans from having access to abortion in the case of rape, incest or their lives, SBA Pro-Life America thanked Republicans on the committee “for standing up for longstanding law and for the unborn by prohibiting funding for Biden’s illegal rule that would force taxpayers to pay for abortions at Veterans hospitals.”

Federal spending laws have barred the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the patient since the 1970s. The provision is generally referred to as the Hyde amendment and applies to dozens of federal programs, including federal employee health care, Medicaid, Medicare and foreign aid.

The House Republicans’ decision is a change from September 2022, when&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/republicans-congress-say-theyd-keep-federal-abortion-funding-cases-rape-incest">numerous Republicans on the spending panels said</a>&nbsp;they didn’t anticipate changing how the provisions were applied.

While the House GOP proposals are unlikely to become law, they could throw a wrench into the annual government funding process, increasing the odds of a partial government shutdown later this year.

When Democrats were in control of the U.S. House during the first two years of the Biden administration, they removed the language that limited when the federal government could pay for abortion from all of their bills.

But the limitation that the federal government would only pay for abortions under the three exceptions was added back into the final bills at the insistence of Republicans.

Autumn Katz, managing senior counsel of U.S. Litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said that while Congress may not be able to enact legislation protecting reproductive rights at the moment, the hearings, bill introductions and debate are “important work.”

“There’s the filibuster issue in the Senate, and things have changed in the House, so enacting protection for abortion I think is difficult right now,” Katz said. “But I do think it’s important to emphasize that Congress is not sticking its head in the sand.”

Katz said she expects cases will continue in the federal courts system, especially given that some states are seeking to restrict when and how residents travel to access reproductive health care.

“The idea it’s now settled and will be resolved in individual states is really kind of a cynical view because there are so many questions,” Katz said. “And so I think there is bound to continue to be litigation and confusion and chaos.”

Access to medication abortion is one of the areas of ongoing confusion amid a patchwork of state laws, an ongoing federal court case and the FDA announcing in January that pharmacies could apply to dispense mifepristone like other prescription drugs.

More than 50 Democrats in Congress&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://goldman.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/goldman.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/final-goldman_chu-letter-protect-access-to-medication-abortion_june-14-2023.pdf">wrote to&nbsp;</a>five major pharmacy chains earlier this month, encouraging them to apply to dispense mifepristone like other prescription drugs.

“We are concerned that your respective companies have not yet indicated plans to seek certification to dispense mifepristone, consistent with federal guidelines and regulations, as this could help increase access to needed medication,” they wrote. “Your continued silence is unacceptable as it is misaligned with your publicly stated values in support of equal access to health care and of gender equality.”

A possible U.S. Supreme Court opinion on access to mifepristone could decide the issue if the justices rule to overturn its 2000 approval, or revert to prescribing and dosage instructions that were in place before 2016.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656088183967.png" alt="People protest in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>People protest in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — One year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, the courts rather than a divided Congress are leading the way on decisions on reproductive rights that would affect the entire nation.Congress has not enacted federal legislation to either preserve reproductive rights or to restrict abortion in the year since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling nullified the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. And that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.Despite many Republicans campaigning for the U.S. House on promises of a nationwide abortion ban, the chamber hasn’t brought such a bill to the floor six months after the GOP took control.And in the U.S. Senate, Democrats who control that chamber don’t have the 60 votes needed to overcome the legislative filibuster, leading to a stalemate on abortion legislation as well as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-congress-renew-push-protect-access-birth-control">protections for birth control access.&nbsp;</a>The next nationwide policy on abortion is much more likely to be written by the same U.S. Supreme Court that wrote one year ago “the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.” That court is dominated 6-3 by conservative justices.“To the extent that Congress continues to be inept in many regards in legislating, it falls to the courts,” said Suzanne Bell, assistant professor in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.The stalemate within Congress is in sharp contrast to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/see-data-reproductive-rights?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=12326989-bb86-442e-9f90-a46c19a27854">new laws from dozens of state legislatures</a>, where lawmakers have moved to either restrict abortion access or solidify it within the last year. But many of those proposals have landed in the state court systems, with some ending up at a state’s Supreme Court.<h2>Abortion pill case</h2>The nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are expected to take up a case late this year or next spring on access to the abortion pill, known as mifepristone or its brand name Mifeprex, after a federal circuit court in New Orleans rules on the appeal. It likely will be the highest-profile court case on reproductive rights since Dobbs to reach the Supreme Court.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone in 2000 as part of a two-drug regimen that’s currently used up to 10 weeks in a pregnancy.Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-abortion legal organization, filed a lawsuit in November seeking to have that authorization overturned nationwide.U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump, found their arguments compelling and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-appeals-judges-ruling-ordering-abortion-pill-us-market">stayed the FDA’s approval in early April</a>.The U.S. Justice Department appealed the case to the 5th Circuit Court, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lailluminator.com/2023/05/17/three-judge-panel-in-u-s-appeals-court-hears-arguments-in-abortion-pill-case/">heard oral arguments in May&nbsp;</a>and could rule any day.That ruling will likely move to the U.S. Supreme Court after that.Bell said in an interview that it’s odd to see the case in the courts system, calling it “disheartening,” though she expects that could become more common.“This is such a strange overreach of the courts or even Congress, if Congress were to be involved in this mifepristone case,” she said.Bell also cautioned that as politicians increasingly focus on winning or losing the debate&nbsp; — whether in the courts or in the legislature — they often lose sight of the impact of their decisions, and the effect changes in access have on Americans’ actual lives as well as public health.“We get caught up in some of the politics and the legislation and the litigation around this issue. But in the meantime it’s having real impacts on birthing people and families,” Bell said.<h2>Cascade of bill introductions</h2>In the year since Dobbs, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have introduced dozens of bills that would either expand reproductive rights or restrict access to abortion, though none stand a chance of becoming law anytime soon.Republicans have introduced more than 80 bills that address abortion in some way, including a proposal from Missouri Rep. Ann Wagner that would require health care providers to give the same level of care “to preserve the life and health of the child” if an abortion were to result in a live birth.House Republicans&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-push-through-two-anti-abortion-measures-first-work-week">passed the bill in January</a>, though it’s highly unlikely that it would move through the Democratically controlled Senate. House Republicans, however, have opted not to bring up any of the bills proposing a nationwide ban on abortion.Democrats have reintroduced legislation that would provide nationwide protection for abortion access, though it hasn’t gotten a vote in the Senate this Congress and would be unlikely to secure the votes needed to move past the legislative filibuster.The so-called Women’s Health Protection Act would bar local, state or federal governments from restricting access to abortion before viability, roughly 22 to 24 weeks gestation. After that threshold, governments couldn’t implement restrictions when “in the good-faith medical judgment of the treating health care provider, continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patient’s life or health.”<h2>Spending bills</h2>The nature of a divided Congress has led some members to turn their attention toward the annual government funding process as one way to change nationwide policy on abortion.Attempts to do that in the past have been unsuccessful at shaking up the status quo, but Republicans in the House are attempting to bar the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments from providing abortions — even in cases of rape, incest or the life of the pregnant patient.The House GOP also added language to the annual funding bill for the FDA that would bar it from allowing pharmacies, including mail-order pharmacies, to apply to dispense abortion medication the same way they dispense other prescriptions. The FDA proposed that change in January and some pharmacy chains have begun the process.Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America praised House Republican appropriators for adding “strong language in the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that protects women and girls from the dangers of chemical abortion.”On barring female troops and veterans from having access to abortion in the case of rape, incest or their lives, SBA Pro-Life America thanked Republicans on the committee “for standing up for longstanding law and for the unborn by prohibiting funding for Biden’s illegal rule that would force taxpayers to pay for abortions at Veterans hospitals.”Federal spending laws have barred the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the patient since the 1970s. The provision is generally referred to as the Hyde amendment and applies to dozens of federal programs, including federal employee health care, Medicaid, Medicare and foreign aid.The House Republicans’ decision is a change from September 2022, when&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/republicans-congress-say-theyd-keep-federal-abortion-funding-cases-rape-incest">numerous Republicans on the spending panels said</a>&nbsp;they didn’t anticipate changing how the provisions were applied.While the House GOP proposals are unlikely to become law, they could throw a wrench into the annual government funding process, increasing the odds of a partial government shutdown later this year.When Democrats were in control of the U.S. House during the first two years of the Biden administration, they removed the language that limited when the federal government could pay for abortion from all of their bills.But the limitation that the federal government would only pay for abortions under the three exceptions was added back into the final bills at the insistence of Republicans.<h2>‘Not sticking its head in the sand’</h2>Autumn Katz, managing senior counsel of U.S. Litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said that while Congress may not be able to enact legislation protecting reproductive rights at the moment, the hearings, bill introductions and debate are “important work.”“There’s the filibuster issue in the Senate, and things have changed in the House, so enacting protection for abortion I think is difficult right now,” Katz said. “But I do think it’s important to emphasize that Congress is not sticking its head in the sand.”Katz said she expects cases will continue in the federal courts system, especially given that some states are seeking to restrict when and how residents travel to access reproductive health care.“The idea it’s now settled and will be resolved in individual states is really kind of a cynical view because there are so many questions,” Katz said. “And so I think there is bound to continue to be litigation and confusion and chaos.”Access to medication abortion is one of the areas of ongoing confusion amid a patchwork of state laws, an ongoing federal court case and the FDA announcing in January that pharmacies could apply to dispense mifepristone like other prescription drugs.More than 50 Democrats in Congress&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://goldman.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/goldman.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/final-goldman_chu-letter-protect-access-to-medication-abortion_june-14-2023.pdf">wrote to&nbsp;</a>five major pharmacy chains earlier this month, encouraging them to apply to dispense mifepristone like other prescription drugs.“We are concerned that your respective companies have not yet indicated plans to seek certification to dispense mifepristone, consistent with federal guidelines and regulations, as this could help increase access to needed medication,” they wrote. “Your continued silence is unacceptable as it is misaligned with your publicly stated values in support of equal access to health care and of gender equality.”A possible U.S. Supreme Court opinion on access to mifepristone could decide the issue if the justices rule to overturn its 2000 approval, or revert to prescribing and dosage instructions that were in place before 2016.

A year after Dobbs: Congress takes a back seat on federal abortion policy

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of sex crimes involving patients at a Wichita hospital made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Miguel Rodela, 28, Wichita, was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, and two counts of battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office

Just after 2a.m. June 15, police responded to a call of an officer was in trouble at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, 929, St. Francis Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

A hospital security officer was in a physical altercation with a suspect.

When Wichita Police arrived they learned three adult female patients were allegedly sexually assaulted.

Officers arrested<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740544">&nbsp;Rodela</a>&nbsp;who is not an employee or a patient of the hospital, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;

His next court date is July 10. He remains jailed on a $250,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686922520098.png" alt="Rodela-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Rodela-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of sex crimes involving patients at a Wichita hospital made his first court appearance Wednesday.Miguel Rodela, 28, Wichita, was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, and two counts of battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's officeJust after 2a.m. June 15, police responded to a call of an officer was in trouble at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, 929, St. Francis Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.A hospital security officer was in a physical altercation with a suspect.When Wichita Police arrived they learned three adult female patients were allegedly sexually assaulted.Officers arrested<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740544">&nbsp;Rodela</a>&nbsp;who is not an employee or a patient of the hospital, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;His next court date is July 10. He remains jailed on a $250,000 bond.