KANSAS CITY (AP)&nbsp; — A&nbsp; judge on Monday temporarily blocked a unique rule that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo issued a temporary restraining order barring enforcement of Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's emergency rule until May 15 unless she extends it. She scheduled a May 11 hearing on the lawsuit challenging the rule.

In her ruling, Ribaudo wrote that those suing to block the rule would "be subjected to immediate and irreparable loss, damage or injury if the Attorney General is permitted to enforce the Emergency Rule, and its broad, sweeping provisions were implemented without further fact-finding or evidence."

She also wrote that patients are at "high risk" of having their medical care interrupted indefinitely and losing care through their current providers if the rule takes effect.

Bailey's office vowed in a statement to continue defending the rule.

"We remain confident in our position because the Court even acknowledged that it deferred its consideration of the science until a later date," his statement said, adding "six pages of endnotes" speak to the experimental nature of the care.

Gillian Wilcox, deputy director of litigation for the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, which filed suit on behalf of transgender Missourians, applauded the ruling.

Wilcox' statement called it "a win for transgender Missourians over an unprecedented attempt by the Attorney General to unilaterally legislate and harm their right to self-expression, bodily autonomy, and access to lifesaving health care."

Legal experts and transgender advocates say that if the lawsuit ultimately fails and Bailey's rule takes effect, it would make Missouri the first state to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and the first to enact such restrictions through emergency rule-making instead of through a new law.

The lawsuit argues that the rule is discriminatory, and that Bailey sidestepped the Republican-led Legislature and exceeded his authority by attempting to regulate gender-affirming health care through Missouri's consumer-protection law.

Dom Frazier, a 39-year-old transgender Kansas City resident who is not a plaintiff, said Bailey's rule is about "dehumanizing and trying to ostracize a particular group of people." He said allowing gender-affirming care is "giving people human rights."

Simone Folsom, a 21-year-old transgender woman from Kansas City, said she spent "20 years emotionally deadened" until she began hormone treatments.

"It has literally made me feel like a person for the first time in my life," said Folsom, who said the effort limit gender-affirming health care pushed her to demonstrate.

Bailey said the rule would shield minors from what he describes as experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades and the rule would also apply to adults.

The attorney general's office has said there are 12,400 Missourians who identify as transgender, the ruling noted. The office estimated that 600 to 700 Missourians would begin intervention in the next year.

The rule was initially set to take effect last Thursday. It would require people to have experienced an "intense pattern" of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months before they could receive puberty blockers, hormones, surgery or other treatment.

Before receiving care, patients would also have to be screened for autism, and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved. Minors, but not adults, also would have to be screened for "social media addiction" before treatments could begin.

Opponents called the rule discriminatory and illegal.

Tony Rothert, an attorney for the ACLU, told Ribaudo at a hearing Wednesday that the regulations would "cause immediate, severe and potentially irreparable harm" to people who could lose access to medications like puberty blockers and sex hormones.

"We don't allow attorneys general to legislate, and we don't allow them to play doctor," Rothert said.

He and other attorneys said transgender people who can't get gender-affirming care are at higher risk of suicide.

Assistant Attorney General Joshua Divine argued that Bailey's order would not ban gender-affirming care, but provide "basic procedural guardrails." He cited studies showing a high percentage of children seeking to transition are dealing with mental health issues, adding they should undergo "talk therapy" instead.

Bailey issued the restrictions after launching an investigation in February into the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The probe was prompted by a former employee who alleged that the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent, a sufficient individualized case review and wraparound mental health services. The university's internal review found no misconduct, determing the claims were unsubstantiated.

Some transgender people have been trying to stockpile prescribed hormones or find alternative ways to get medications, fearful of losing access to the gender-affirming treatments many credit as life-saving. Some are considering leaving Missouri if the rule isn't blocked.

"This feels like the end of Kansas City being my home," said Stacy Cay, an autistic transgender woman. "It feels like it's being taken away."

Missouri's Democratic House minority leader, Crystal Quade, said recently that she asked President Joe Biden and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for an executive order extending coverage to Missourians who seek gender-affirming care in other states. She also asked the Democratic governors of Kansas and Illinois if their health care systems would accept Missouri patients for such care.

Bailey's emergency rule on gender-affirming care come as Republicans across the country have proposed hundreds of laws aimed at transgender people. At least 13 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Bailey was appointed by Republican Gov. Mike Parson and took office in January. In a campaign email asking donors for money last week, Bailey said minors are "learning about their genders on TikTok."

"Think about how frightening that is!" the campaign email said. "And think about how CRAZY it is to expose children to the twisted experiments advocated by extreme transgender activists."

Brandon Hill, the interim president and CEO of Vivent Health, a health care provider with an LGBTQ+ and HIV focus serving Missouri and other states, questioned Bailey's description of gender-affirming care as "experimental." Hill said the same hormones used in gender-affirming treatment are used off-label to treat symptoms of menopause and help some cancer survivors.

"If you're concerned about the drug and its potential effects, you should be concerned about it for everybody," Hill said.

Meanwhile, Republican state lawmakers are fighting over competing Missouri House and Senate bills that would ban all gender-affirming care for minors. The chambers are split over which version to send to Parson, who is threatening to force the Legislature to keep working if nothing is done on the issue before their session's scheduled May 12 finish.

This story was updated to correct that the judge blocked the rule from taking effect until May 15 unless she further extends her order, not until the lawsuit challenging the rule is resolved.

Associated Press writer Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678410028413.png" alt="Adam Kellogg, a University of Kansas student and transgender man, follows a Kansas Senate health committee hearing on legislation aimed at preventing gender-affirming care for minors at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>Adam Kellogg, a University of Kansas student and transgender man, follows a Kansas Senate health committee hearing on legislation aimed at preventing gender-affirming care for minors at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUMMER BALLENTINEKANSAS CITY (AP)&nbsp; — A&nbsp; judge on Monday temporarily blocked a unique rule that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo issued a temporary restraining order barring enforcement of Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's emergency rule until May 15 unless she extends it. She scheduled a May 11 hearing on the lawsuit challenging the rule.In her ruling, Ribaudo wrote that those suing to block the rule would "be subjected to immediate and irreparable loss, damage or injury if the Attorney General is permitted to enforce the Emergency Rule, and its broad, sweeping provisions were implemented without further fact-finding or evidence."She also wrote that patients are at "high risk" of having their medical care interrupted indefinitely and losing care through their current providers if the rule takes effect.Bailey's office vowed in a statement to continue defending the rule."We remain confident in our position because the Court even acknowledged that it deferred its consideration of the science until a later date," his statement said, adding "six pages of endnotes" speak to the experimental nature of the care.Gillian Wilcox, deputy director of litigation for the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, which filed suit on behalf of transgender Missourians, applauded the ruling.Wilcox' statement called it "a win for transgender Missourians over an unprecedented attempt by the Attorney General to unilaterally legislate and harm their right to self-expression, bodily autonomy, and access to lifesaving health care."Legal experts and transgender advocates say that if the lawsuit ultimately fails and Bailey's rule takes effect, it would make Missouri the first state to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and the first to enact such restrictions through emergency rule-making instead of through a new law.The lawsuit argues that the rule is discriminatory, and that Bailey sidestepped the Republican-led Legislature and exceeded his authority by attempting to regulate gender-affirming health care through Missouri's consumer-protection law.Dom Frazier, a 39-year-old transgender Kansas City resident who is not a plaintiff, said Bailey's rule is about "dehumanizing and trying to ostracize a particular group of people." He said allowing gender-affirming care is "giving people human rights."Simone Folsom, a 21-year-old transgender woman from Kansas City, said she spent "20 years emotionally deadened" until she began hormone treatments."It has literally made me feel like a person for the first time in my life," said Folsom, who said the effort limit gender-affirming health care pushed her to demonstrate.Bailey said the rule would shield minors from what he describes as experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades and the rule would also apply to adults.The attorney general's office has said there are 12,400 Missourians who identify as transgender, the ruling noted. The office estimated that 600 to 700 Missourians would begin intervention in the next year.The rule was initially set to take effect last Thursday. It would require people to have experienced an "intense pattern" of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months before they could receive puberty blockers, hormones, surgery or other treatment.Before receiving care, patients would also have to be screened for autism, and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved. Minors, but not adults, also would have to be screened for "social media addiction" before treatments could begin.Opponents called the rule discriminatory and illegal.Tony Rothert, an attorney for the ACLU, told Ribaudo at a hearing Wednesday that the regulations would "cause immediate, severe and potentially irreparable harm" to people who could lose access to medications like puberty blockers and sex hormones."We don't allow attorneys general to legislate, and we don't allow them to play doctor," Rothert said.He and other attorneys said transgender people who can't get gender-affirming care are at higher risk of suicide.Assistant Attorney General Joshua Divine argued that Bailey's order would not ban gender-affirming care, but provide "basic procedural guardrails." He cited studies showing a high percentage of children seeking to transition are dealing with mental health issues, adding they should undergo "talk therapy" instead.Bailey issued the restrictions after launching an investigation in February into the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The probe was prompted by a former employee who alleged that the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent, a sufficient individualized case review and wraparound mental health services. The university's internal review found no misconduct, determing the claims were unsubstantiated.Some transgender people have been trying to stockpile prescribed hormones or find alternative ways to get medications, fearful of losing access to the gender-affirming treatments many credit as life-saving. Some are considering leaving Missouri if the rule isn't blocked."This feels like the end of Kansas City being my home," said Stacy Cay, an autistic transgender woman. "It feels like it's being taken away."Missouri's Democratic House minority leader, Crystal Quade, said recently that she asked President Joe Biden and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for an executive order extending coverage to Missourians who seek gender-affirming care in other states. She also asked the Democratic governors of Kansas and Illinois if their health care systems would accept Missouri patients for such care.Bailey's emergency rule on gender-affirming care come as Republicans across the country have proposed hundreds of laws aimed at transgender people. At least 13 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.Bailey was appointed by Republican Gov. Mike Parson and took office in January. In a campaign email asking donors for money last week, Bailey said minors are "learning about their genders on TikTok.""Think about how frightening that is!" the campaign email said. "And think about how CRAZY it is to expose children to the twisted experiments advocated by extreme transgender activists."Brandon Hill, the interim president and CEO of Vivent Health, a health care provider with an LGBTQ+ and HIV focus serving Missouri and other states, questioned Bailey's description of gender-affirming care as "experimental." Hill said the same hormones used in gender-affirming treatment are used off-label to treat symptoms of menopause and help some cancer survivors."If you're concerned about the drug and its potential effects, you should be concerned about it for everybody," Hill said.Meanwhile, Republican state lawmakers are fighting over competing Missouri House and Senate bills that would ban all gender-affirming care for minors. The chambers are split over which version to send to Parson, who is threatening to force the Legislature to keep working if nothing is done on the issue before their session's scheduled May 12 finish.___This story was updated to correct that the judge blocked the rule from taking effect until May 15 unless she further extends her order, not until the lawsuit challenging the rule is resolved.___Associated Press writer Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, contributed to this report.

 Transgender KC residents respond to rule that would limit care

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday in Jackson County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Jeep Cherokee driven by Preston M. Goins, 61, Concordia, Mo., was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Oak Grove exit. The&nbsp; driver suffered an unknown medical event.&nbsp;

The Jeep traveled uncontrolled off the right side of the road, struck a culvert and came to a stop in the grass north of the outer road.

EMS transported Goins to St. Mary's Hospital in Blue Springs where he was pronounced dead. The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday in Jackson County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Jeep Cherokee driven by Preston M. Goins, 61, Concordia, Mo., was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Oak Grove exit. The&nbsp; driver suffered an unknown medical event.&nbsp;The Jeep traveled uncontrolled off the right side of the road, struck a culvert and came to a stop in the grass north of the outer road.EMS transported Goins to St. Mary's Hospital in Blue Springs where he was pronounced dead. The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

Missouri man dies in I-70 crash after medical issue

CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — A four-day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-shooting-san-jacinto-county-texas-395d6d7501f6a3f53aeccbb00ec5fbaf">manhunt in Texas for a gunman</a>&nbsp;accused of killing five neighbors ended Tuesday when authorities, acting on a tip, said they found the suspect hiding underneath a pile of laundry in the closet of a house.

Francisco Oropeza, 38, was captured without incident near the community of Conroe, north of Houston and about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from his home in the rural town of Cleveland. That’s where authorities say he went next door and shot his neighbors with an AR-style rifle shortly before midnight Friday.

Oropeza had been shooting rounds on his property and the attack occurred after neighbors asked him to go farther away because the gunfire was keeping a baby awake, according to police.

Oropeza will be charged with five counts of murder, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said. Bond was set at $5 million.

“They can rest easy now, because he is behind bars,” Capers said of the families of the victims. “He will live out his life behind bars for killing those five.”

The arrest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-shooting-san-jacinto-county-texas-e9b066918abf79f0473bc0a42fa25752">ends what had become a widening dragnet</a>&nbsp;that had grown to more than 250 people from multiple jurisdictions and had seen $80,000 in reward money offered. As recently as Tuesday morning, the FBI said that Oropeza “could be anywhere," underlining how investigators for days struggled to get a sense of his whereabouts and candidly acknowledged they had no leads.

The tip that finally ended the chase came at 5:15 p.m., and a little more than an hour later, Oropeza was in custody, said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. The alleged shooter is a Mexican national who has been deported four times between 2009 and 2016, according to U.S. immigration officials

Connor Hagan, an FBI spokesman, said they would not disclose the identity of the person who called in the tip — one of more than 200 tips he says investigators received. Authorities did not say who owned the house, whether Oropeza knew them or if anyone else was inside when he was found.

They also would not say whether friends or family had helped Oropeza evade capture, or where he had been since fleeing the scene in Cleveland, which authorities previously said was likely on foot.

Hagan said the three agencies that went in to arrest Oropeza were the U.S. Marshals, Texas Department of Public Safety and US Border Patrol’s BORTAC team.

Drones and scent-tracking dogs had been used during the widening manhunt, which included combing a heavily wooded forest a few miles from the scene. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott offered a $50,000 reward as the search dragged late into the weekend, while others offered an additional $30,000 in reward money.

Capers said that prior to Friday's shooting deputies had been called to the suspect’s house at least one other time previously over shooting rounds in his yard.

All of the victims were from Honduras. Wilson Garcia, who survived the shooting, said friends and family in the home tried to hide and shield themselves and children after Oropeza walked up to the home and began firing, killing his wife first at the front door.

The victims were identified as Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 9.

A government official in Honduras said the remains of four of the victims would be repatriated. Velásquez Alvarado will be buried in the United States at the request of her sister and her husband, said Wilson Paz, general director of Honduras’ migrant protection service.

Osmán Velásquez, Diana’s father, said Tuesday that his daughter had recently gotten residency and had traveled to the United States without documents eight years ago with the help of a sister, who was already living there.

“Her sister convinced me to let her take my daughter. She told me the United States is a country of opportunities and that’s true,” he said. "But I never imagined it was just for this.”

In offering the reward, Abbott called the victims “illegal immigrants," a partially false statement that his office walked back and apologized for Monday after drawing wide backlash over drawing attention to their immigration status. Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze said they had since learned that one of the victims may have been in the country legally.

CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — Authorities near Houston say they have caught a man suspected of killing five of his neighbors, including a 9-year-old boy, with an AR-style rifle after the family confronted him late at night about firing rounds in his yard.

Francisco Oropeza, 38, was arrested Tuesday, four days after the shooting late Friday in the town of Cleveland, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Houston, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson.

Oropeza was was arrested without incident, Henderson said. The sheriff would not say whether Oropeza was armed or how authorities figured out where he was.

Police had used drones and scent-tracking dogs during the wide search for Oropeza that included combing a heavily wooded forest a few miles from the scene.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said Oropeza had fled the scene after the attack that also left four adults dead. He said his deputies had been called to the suspect’s house at least one other time previously over shooting rounds in his yard.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who faced backlash over drawing attention to the victims’ immigration status, had offered a $50,000 reward over the weekend for any tips that might lead to the gunman.

While doing so, the three-term governor described all the victims as “illegal immigrants” — a potentially false statement that his office walked back and apologized for Monday.

More than 250 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Marshals, were part of a growing search.

The alleged shooter is a Mexican national who has been deported four times, according to U.S. immigration officials. The gunman was first deported in March 2009 and last in July 2016. He was also deported in September 2009 and January 2012.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683078450326.png" alt="Oropesa-photo FBI Houston" />
 <figcaption>Oropesa-photo FBI Houston</figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — A four-day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-shooting-san-jacinto-county-texas-395d6d7501f6a3f53aeccbb00ec5fbaf">manhunt in Texas for a gunman</a>&nbsp;accused of killing five neighbors ended Tuesday when authorities, acting on a tip, said they found the suspect hiding underneath a pile of laundry in the closet of a house.Francisco Oropeza, 38, was captured without incident near the community of Conroe, north of Houston and about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from his home in the rural town of Cleveland. That’s where authorities say he went next door and shot his neighbors with an AR-style rifle shortly before midnight Friday.Oropeza had been shooting rounds on his property and the attack occurred after neighbors asked him to go farther away because the gunfire was keeping a baby awake, according to police.Oropeza will be charged with five counts of murder, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said. Bond was set at $5 million.“They can rest easy now, because he is behind bars,” Capers said of the families of the victims. “He will live out his life behind bars for killing those five.”The arrest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-shooting-san-jacinto-county-texas-e9b066918abf79f0473bc0a42fa25752">ends what had become a widening dragnet</a>&nbsp;that had grown to more than 250 people from multiple jurisdictions and had seen $80,000 in reward money offered. As recently as Tuesday morning, the FBI said that Oropeza “could be anywhere," underlining how investigators for days struggled to get a sense of his whereabouts and candidly acknowledged they had no leads.The tip that finally ended the chase came at 5:15 p.m., and a little more than an hour later, Oropeza was in custody, said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. The alleged shooter is a Mexican national who has been deported four times between 2009 and 2016, according to U.S. immigration officialsConnor Hagan, an FBI spokesman, said they would not disclose the identity of the person who called in the tip — one of more than 200 tips he says investigators received. Authorities did not say who owned the house, whether Oropeza knew them or if anyone else was inside when he was found.They also would not say whether friends or family had helped Oropeza evade capture, or where he had been since fleeing the scene in Cleveland, which authorities previously said was likely on foot.Hagan said the three agencies that went in to arrest Oropeza were the U.S. Marshals, Texas Department of Public Safety and US Border Patrol’s BORTAC team.Drones and scent-tracking dogs had been used during the widening manhunt, which included combing a heavily wooded forest a few miles from the scene. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott offered a $50,000 reward as the search dragged late into the weekend, while others offered an additional $30,000 in reward money.Capers said that prior to Friday's shooting deputies had been called to the suspect’s house at least one other time previously over shooting rounds in his yard.All of the victims were from Honduras. Wilson Garcia, who survived the shooting, said friends and family in the home tried to hide and shield themselves and children after Oropeza walked up to the home and began firing, killing his wife first at the front door.The victims were identified as Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 9.A government official in Honduras said the remains of four of the victims would be repatriated. Velásquez Alvarado will be buried in the United States at the request of her sister and her husband, said Wilson Paz, general director of Honduras’ migrant protection service.Osmán Velásquez, Diana’s father, said Tuesday that his daughter had recently gotten residency and had traveled to the United States without documents eight years ago with the help of a sister, who was already living there.“Her sister convinced me to let her take my daughter. She told me the United States is a country of opportunities and that’s true,” he said. "But I never imagined it was just for this.”In offering the reward, Abbott called the victims “illegal immigrants," a partially false statement that his office walked back and apologized for Monday after drawing wide backlash over drawing attention to their immigration status. Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze said they had since learned that one of the victims may have been in the country legally.-------CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — Authorities near Houston say they have caught a man suspected of killing five of his neighbors, including a 9-year-old boy, with an AR-style rifle after the family confronted him late at night about firing rounds in his yard.Francisco Oropeza, 38, was arrested Tuesday, four days after the shooting late Friday in the town of Cleveland, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Houston, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Francisco Oropesa could be anywhere. The FBI is working with law enforcement agencies across the state, country and across the border. We&#39;re leaving no stone unturned. If anyone has any photos or security camera video they&#39;d like law enforcement to see, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI <a href="https://t.co/0SpHS1ztoY">pic.twitter.com/0SpHS1ztoY</a>&mdash; FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIHouston/status/1653402736468140034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Oropeza was was arrested without incident, Henderson said. The sheriff would not say whether Oropeza was armed or how authorities figured out where he was.Police had used drones and scent-tracking dogs during the wide search for Oropeza that included combing a heavily wooded forest a few miles from the scene.San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said Oropeza had fled the scene after the attack that also left four adults dead. He said his deputies had been called to the suspect’s house at least one other time previously over shooting rounds in his yard.Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who faced backlash over drawing attention to the victims’ immigration status, had offered a $50,000 reward over the weekend for any tips that might lead to the gunman.While doing so, the three-term governor described all the victims as “illegal immigrants” — a potentially false statement that his office walked back and apologized for Monday.More than 250 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Marshals, were part of a growing search.The alleged shooter is a Mexican national who has been deported four times, according to U.S. immigration officials. The gunman was first deported in March 2009 and last in July 2016. He was also deported in September 2009 and January 2012.The victims were identified as Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 9.

Manhunt ends: Texas massacre suspect was hiding under laundry

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities including U.S. Homeland&nbsp; Security in Kansas City are investigating three men who were allegedly seeking to engage in sexual activity with children during the time period of the NFL Draft in Kansas City. 

From April 26 to 30, the three men traveled to Clay County, Missouri to meet with whom they believed to be children ranging in ages from 10 to 14, according to a media release from the Clay County Sheriff.

They had chatted online previously with the “children,” who were really Clay County Sheriff’s Office and HSI-KC investigators or with adults who were purportedly offering the children for sex (also under-cover Sheriff’s Office and HSI-KC investigators).

Deputies arrested the men shortly after their arrival at either the designated apartment or hotel room. Link I. Laithreach, 33, of Portland, Oregon is charged with attempted statutory sodomy-deviate sexual intercourse involving a person less than 12 years of age. He has posted his $20,000 bond.

Glicerio M. Gallahad, 41, of Madison, New Jersey is charged with attempted statutory sodomy-deviate sexual intercourse involving a person less than 14 years of age. He remains in custody on a $40,000 bond.&nbsp;

Nicholas C. Keith, 33, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri is charged with attempted statutory sodomy-deviate sexual intercourse involving a person less than 14 years of age. He remains in custody on a $25,000 bond.

&nbsp;All three made first court appearances Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682985993803.png" alt="Keith -photo Clay Co." />
 <figcaption>Keith -photo Clay Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities including U.S. Homeland&nbsp; Security in Kansas City are investigating three men who were allegedly seeking to engage in sexual activity with children during the time period of the NFL Draft in Kansas City. From April 26 to 30, the three men traveled to Clay County, Missouri to meet with whom they believed to be children ranging in ages from 10 to 14, according to a media release from the Clay County Sheriff.They had chatted online previously with the “children,” who were really Clay County Sheriff’s Office and HSI-KC investigators or with adults who were purportedly offering the children for sex (also under-cover Sheriff’s Office and HSI-KC investigators).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682986067203.png" alt="Laithreach-photo Clay Co." />
 <figcaption>Laithreach-photo Clay Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested the men shortly after their arrival at either the designated apartment or hotel room. Link I. Laithreach, 33, of Portland, Oregon is charged with attempted statutory sodomy-deviate sexual intercourse involving a person less than 12 years of age. He has posted his $20,000 bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682986504947.png" alt="Gallahad-photo Clay Co." />
 <figcaption>Gallahad-photo Clay Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Glicerio M. Gallahad, 41, of Madison, New Jersey is charged with attempted statutory sodomy-deviate sexual intercourse involving a person less than 14 years of age. He remains in custody on a $40,000 bond.&nbsp;Nicholas C. Keith, 33, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri is charged with attempted statutory sodomy-deviate sexual intercourse involving a person less than 14 years of age. He remains in custody on a $25,000 bond.&nbsp;All three made first court appearances Monday.

Sheriff: Suspects came to NFL Draft to have sex with children

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A Lawrence Police Sergeant was treated at a local hospital Monday night after injuries he received while arresting a man who fled from police and put several residents and officers at risk, according to police spokesperson Laurie McCabe.

Dash camera video shows the officers as they witness a white pickup truck driving recklessly near 7th&nbsp;and Vermont about 8:20p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp; Officers move to their patrol vehicles, activate lights and sirens, attempt to pull the vehicle over, and begin pursuit when the driver doesn’t comply.&nbsp; 

The truck continues and drives the wrong way on Tennessee Street, stops at a red light but remains in the truck, cuts in front of a city bus, then continues driving erratically through neighborhood streets and ultimately through a yard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 The suspect eventually pulls into a residence in the 800 block of Morning Dove Court and refuses to exit the vehicle.&nbsp; After several attempts to get the driver to exit the truck, he flees into the residence and officers follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Inside the residence, the suspect continued to resist, using physical force, but officers were able to get him into custody after a physical struggle.&nbsp;

One officer suffered minor injuries and did not require medical attention. The injured Sergeant, who was first in line entering the home, was taken to the hospital where he was treated for multiple injuries and contusions, and subsequently released.

The suspect, 44-year-old Craig Gunther, was arrested on numerous requested charges including Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Felony Interference.

The Sergeant is at home recovering.&nbsp; He is expected to make a full recovery, but authorities do not have an estimated timeline.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A Lawrence Police Sergeant was treated at a local hospital Monday night after injuries he received while arresting a man who fled from police and put several residents and officers at risk, according to police spokesperson Laurie McCabe.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A Lawrence Police sergeant was treated at a local hospital last night following a vehicle pursuit that ended with the suspect allegedly assaulting multiple officers as he attempted to evade capture by fleeing on foot into a residence. Full details below: <a href="https://t.co/wWh7tofJF2">pic.twitter.com/wWh7tofJF2</a>&mdash; Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) <a href="https://twitter.com/LawrenceKS_PD/status/1653474442310238223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dash camera video shows the officers as they witness a white pickup truck driving recklessly near 7th&nbsp;and Vermont about 8:20p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp; Officers move to their patrol vehicles, activate lights and sirens, attempt to pull the vehicle over, and begin pursuit when the driver doesn’t comply.&nbsp; The truck continues and drives the wrong way on Tennessee Street, stops at a red light but remains in the truck, cuts in front of a city bus, then continues driving erratically through neighborhood streets and ultimately through a yard.&nbsp;&nbsp; The suspect eventually pulls into a residence in the 800 block of Morning Dove Court and refuses to exit the vehicle.&nbsp; After several attempts to get the driver to exit the truck, he flees into the residence and officers follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;Inside the residence, the suspect continued to resist, using physical force, but officers were able to get him into custody after a physical struggle.&nbsp;One officer suffered minor injuries and did not require medical attention. The injured Sergeant, who was first in line entering the home, was taken to the hospital where he was treated for multiple injuries and contusions, and subsequently released.The suspect, 44-year-old Craig Gunther, was arrested on numerous requested charges including Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Felony Interference.The Sergeant is at home recovering.&nbsp; He is expected to make a full recovery, but authorities do not have an estimated timeline.

🎥Kan. officer injured during arrest of fleeing suspect

LABETTE COUNTY – Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) agents, along with the Parsons Police Department and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, arrested two subjects following an investigation, and the execution of a search warrant in Parsons, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop, and executed a search warrant at 1720 Dirr Avenue in Parsons.

Pills believed to contain fentanyl were located at the residence. Also discovered was cocaine, methamphetamine, drug use paraphernalia, and drug sale paraphernalia.

Following the search, Vincent S. Janssen Sr., 56, of Parsons, was arrested on requested charges of possession of opiates with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school property, possession of cocaine, possession of sale drug paraphernalia, possession of use paraphernalia, and criminal possession of a firearm.

Melissa L. Oja, 50, of Parsons, was arrested on requested charges of possession of opiates with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school property, possession of cocaine, possession of sale drug paraphernalia, possession of use paraphernalia, and criminal possession of a firearm.

Both are being held in the Labette County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683060905194.png" alt="Janssen-photo Labette Co." />
 <figcaption>Janssen-photo Labette Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>LABETTE COUNTY – Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) agents, along with the Parsons Police Department and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, arrested two subjects following an investigation, and the execution of a search warrant in Parsons, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.At approximately 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop, and executed a search warrant at 1720 Dirr Avenue in Parsons.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683060849745.png" alt="Oja-photo Labette Co." />
 <figcaption>Oja-photo Labette Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Pills believed to contain fentanyl were located at the residence. Also discovered was cocaine, methamphetamine, drug use paraphernalia, and drug sale paraphernalia.Following the search, Vincent S. Janssen Sr., 56, of Parsons, was arrested on requested charges of possession of opiates with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school property, possession of cocaine, possession of sale drug paraphernalia, possession of use paraphernalia, and criminal possession of a firearm.Melissa L. Oja, 50, of Parsons, was arrested on requested charges of possession of opiates with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school property, possession of cocaine, possession of sale drug paraphernalia, possession of use paraphernalia, and criminal possession of a firearm.Both are being held in the Labette County Jail.&nbsp;

KBI agents find fentanyl pills, cocaine at home near a school

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department and the Federal Aviation Administration have been tracking a balloon that was flying off the coast of Hawaii last week, but a defense official said Tuesday there's no indication it is connected to China or any other adversary, and it presents no threats to aviation or national security.

The balloon was first detected by radar on Friday and “Pacific Air Forces launched three F-22s to assess the situation and visually identified a spherical object,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said. “We monitored the transit of the object and assessed that it posed no threat.”

The defense official said the balloon was floating at about 36,000 feet (11,000 meters), and it did not fly over any critical defense infrastructure or sensitive sites. After determining that the balloon presented no threat to people on the ground or to aviation over Hawaii, the military took no action to bring it down, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

It’s not clear who owns the balloon, which has now passed out of Hawaii’s airspace, the official said.

The latest balloon sighting comes about three months after the U.S. military shot down what officials said was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;that crossed Alaska and part of Canada before returning to the U.S. and triggering widespread interest as it flew across the country. It was shot down over the Atlantic off the South Carolina coast on Feb. 4. Large portions of the balloon were recovered by the U.S. military.

U.S. officials said it was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries. Beijing insisted the balloon was just an errant civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and had only limited “self-steering” capabilities.

The U.S. military acknowledged there have been several other balloons that have been tracked over and near the U.S. in recent years, but none lingered over America for as long as that one did. The incident further eroded relations between the U.S. and China.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675547938768.png" alt="Image of the spy balloon that flew over Kansas in February and was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean-p hoto by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV" />
 <figcaption>Image of the spy balloon that flew over Kansas in February and was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean-p hoto by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department and the Federal Aviation Administration have been tracking a balloon that was flying off the coast of Hawaii last week, but a defense official said Tuesday there's no indication it is connected to China or any other adversary, and it presents no threats to aviation or national security.The balloon was first detected by radar on Friday and “Pacific Air Forces launched three F-22s to assess the situation and visually identified a spherical object,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said. “We monitored the transit of the object and assessed that it posed no threat.”The defense official said the balloon was floating at about 36,000 feet (11,000 meters), and it did not fly over any critical defense infrastructure or sensitive sites. After determining that the balloon presented no threat to people on the ground or to aviation over Hawaii, the military took no action to bring it down, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.It’s not clear who owns the balloon, which has now passed out of Hawaii’s airspace, the official said.The latest balloon sighting comes about three months after the U.S. military shot down what officials said was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;that crossed Alaska and part of Canada before returning to the U.S. and triggering widespread interest as it flew across the country. It was shot down over the Atlantic off the South Carolina coast on Feb. 4. Large portions of the balloon were recovered by the U.S. military.U.S. officials said it was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries. Beijing insisted the balloon was just an errant civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and had only limited “self-steering” capabilities.The U.S. military acknowledged there have been several other balloons that have been tracked over and near the U.S. in recent years, but none lingered over America for as long as that one did. The incident further eroded relations between the U.S. and China.

US tracking another balloon; not believed connected to China

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will send 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border ahead of an expected migrant surge following the end of coronavirus pandemic-era restrictions, according to four administration officials.

Military personnel will do data entry, warehouse support and other administrative tasks so that U.S. Customs and Border Protection can focus on fieldwork, the officials said. The troops will not do law enforcement work and will be sent down for roughly 90 days, though their presence can be extended if necessary. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the request and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. It's unclear when the troops would be deployed.

The COVID-19 restrictions allowed U.S. officials to turn away tens of thousands of migrants crossing the southern border, but those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-immigration-covid-93d735b9b55c15121c8fc7763fba7e78">restrictions will lift May 11</a>, and border officials are bracing for an expected surge of migrants. Even amid the restrictions, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border, and President Joe Biden has responded by cracking down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.

Biden’s actions follow similar moves by then-President Donald Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-latin-america-e7ffd2d5764244cdb1d1474bd895a863">deployed active duty troops</a>&nbsp;to the border to assist border patrol personnel in processing large migrant caravans, on top of National Guard forces that were already working in that capacity. There are already roughly 2,700 National Guard members at the border.

The Pentagon on Tuesday approved the request for troops by the Department of Homeland Security, which manages the border, one of the officials said.

But the deployments have a catch: As a condition for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's previous approval of National Guard troops to support the border mission throughout fiscal year 2023, which ends this Oct. 1, DHS had to agree to work with the White House and Congress “to develop a plan and implement solutions to staffing and funding shortfalls to maintain border security and the safe, orderly, and humane processing of migrants that do not involve the continued use of DOD personnel and resources after FY2023,” said Pentagon spokesman Air Force Lt. Col. Devin Robinson.

As part of the agreement, DOD requested quarterly updates from DHS on how it would staff its border mission without service members throughout this fiscal year; it was not immediately clear if those updates have happened or if DHS will be able to meet its terms of the agreement — particularly under the strain of another migrant surge.

For Biden, who announced his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">Democratic reelection campaign</a>&nbsp;a week ago, the decision signals his administration is taking seriously an effort to tamp down the number of illegal crossings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-mexico-el-paso-2e30ea26bbc55c7af509a6e60ad3d33c">a potent source of Republican attacks</a>, and sends a message to potential border crossers not to attempt the journey. But it also draws potentially unwelcome comparisons to Biden's Republican predecessor, whose policies Biden frequently criticized. Congress, meanwhile, has refused to take any substantial immigration-related actions.

It's another line of defense in an effort to manage overcrowding and other possible issues that might arise as border officials move away from the COVID-19 restrictions.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-biden-asylum-75d8c0e67d5521fb48ac04f6bf017a49">Last week, administration officials announced</a>&nbsp;they would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asylum-screenings-border-credible-fear-biden-0baadca5c41bb9ccdc4b074d2034fb94">work to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border</a>, quickly deport those deemed as not being qualified, and penalize people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border.

They will also open centers outside the United States for people fleeing violence and poverty to apply to fly in legally and settle in the United States, Spain or Canada. The first processing centers will open in Guatemala and Colombia, with others expected to follow.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-immigration-covid-93d735b9b55c15121c8fc7763fba7e78">COVID-19 immigration restrictions</a>&nbsp;set to expire, the Biden administration on Thursday announced measures meant to stop migrants from illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, both by cracking down on many of those who do come, and by creating new pathways meant to offer an alternative to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/border-security">the dangerous journey.</a>

The effort includes opening processing centers outside the United States for people fleeing violence and poverty to apply to fly in legally and settle in the United States, Spain or Canada. The first processing centers will open in Guatemala and Colombia, with others expected to follow.

The administration also plans to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border itself, quickly deport those deemed as not being qualified, and penalizing people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border.

But it is unclear whether the measures will do much to slow the tide of migrants fleeing countries marred by political and economic strife. Further increasing the pressure is the looming end of public health rules instituted amid the pandemic that allowed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-canada-mexico-health-57c1906f9d83a318a9d570278735255b">quickly expelling many migrants</a>&nbsp;and set to expire on May 11.

“This is a hemispheric challenge that demands hemispheric solutions,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a news conference as he laid out how the U.S. is working with other countries in the region.

Mayorkas also warned that migrants and human smugglers should not interpret the upcoming deadline to mean that everyone should come: ”Let me be clear, our border is not open and will not be open after May 11."

Immigration has vexed Biden throughout his presidency, with top GOP leaders hammering him as soft on border security. Immigrant advocates, meanwhile, argue that the president is abandoning humanitarian efforts with stricter measures meant to keep migrants from coming illegally.

The topic isn’t going away. As he announces his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">2024 reelection bid</a>, Biden is trying to strike a balance that could be difficult to achieve, particularly if crowds of migrants end up in border facilities after May 11.

The administration has also repeatedly pointed to Congress, saying it has been unable to come to an agreement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">on comprehensive immigration reform</a>.

The efforts announced Thursday build on a carrot-and-stick approach to immigration that the administration has been increasingly using, whereby they offer incentives like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-ken-paxton-austin-texas-6faa8fb9039ea614c917c2e696668991">humanitarian parole visas for</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of people and harsh consequences for many who come to the border. Those have so far included:

— Processing centers: The administration will open migration centers in numerous countries starting with Guatemala and Colombia to be run by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iom.int/">International Organization of Migration</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unhcr.org/">U.N. agency tasked with helping refugees</a>. There potential migrants can get information on various ways they can migrate to the United States, such as applying for refugee status or a worker program. The administration said both Canada and Spain have said they'd take migrants referred from these centers, although no specific numbers were given. The U.S. also said it would double the number of refugees taken from Central and South America. No specific number was given there, either, but during fiscal year 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/27/memorandum-on-presidential-determination-on-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2023/">the U.S. pledged to accept 15,000 refugees</a>&nbsp;from Latin America and the Caribbean.

— Stiffer, faster penalties: The administration says it will process asylum-seekers who come to the southern border faster — in days, not weeks — with the goal of sending people back quickly who don't clear initial screenings. Those removed from the country would be barred from entering the U.S. for five years. The administration says it aims to dramatically increase flights on which migrants are sent home from the U.S. Officials also said a previously announced rule which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-donald-trump-mobile-phones-1502c6d6125c1dede583002722144488">would limit asylum</a>&nbsp;for those who pass through another country without first seeking protection there, or who enter the U.S. illegally, is also set to go into effect before the May 11 deadline passes.

— No family detention: The administration stopped short of saying they'd detain families crossing the border illegally. That step would have sparked widespread condemnation from immigration advocates and Biden allies. But they said they'd monitor families through things like curfews and GPS monitoring and stressed that families would be removed if found unqualified to stay in the U.S.

— Family reunification: DHS is creating a new family reunification parole process for people from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia. And the agency is “modernizing” the existing family reunification process for people from Cuba and Haiti.

— Smuggler crackdown: Mayorkas stressed efforts to more strictly combat smuggling networks that facilitate travel from across the region to the U.S. border.

Andrew Selee, who heads the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/">Migration Policy Institute</a>, said the plans announced are the “clearest we’ve seen of a strategy" from the administration on how to deal with immigration. But he cautioned that it would still require a lot of time and commitment for the plan to be successful.

"I think it’s the closest we’ve seen to a comprehensive plan," Selee said. He said the administration was betting a lot on the processing centers, and said potentially they can serve to give people information about migration options in a way that a U.S. Embassy, for example, cannot.

But Selee said they would have to be closely linked to local networks in various countries so prospective migrants know about them, and so local organization who know the people who are most desperate to flee can refer them to the centers.

Thursday's announcement was met with criticism by many immigration advocates, including members of the president's own party who have been troubled by Biden's increasing efforts to make it harder to access asylum at the border.

Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said he was “disappointed” in the plan, especially after spending recent weeks urging the White House to adopt a different immigration strategy, including extending temporary protected status to people from several Central American countries. He also cast doubt on how parts of the plan would be implemented.

“The question is, how are we going to set up those processing centers? What are the entities that will be there to make sure that a person is being processed in the appropriate way? What are we doing with third countries to be able to accept individuals and make sure that they are safe?" said Menendez.

Many groups that work to assist refugees and other migrants said they welcomed some aspects of the president's plan, such as allowing in more refugees from South and Central America and speeding up family reunification efforts. But they said that shouldn't come at the expense of people applying for asylum at the border.

The International Refugee Assistance Project said in a statement that it is concerned at the lack of details in the plan, how it will be implemented and where the money will come from. The group also said that the U.S.'s refugee resettlement program is still struggling to recover after cuts during the Trump administration.

“We have more questions than answers,” said Lacy Broemel, a project policy analyst.

Others, including right-leaning groups already intensely critical of Biden, lambasted the plan, saying that faster processing of migrants simply means they're entering the country faster. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairus.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwuqiiBhBtEiwATgvixDoce6e3PdACymT6mfG3a2P7oYgEHg5MoIWmmx2HqHpc_f6PDWEtbhoCsa4QAvD_BwE">Federation for American Immigration Reform</a>&nbsp;said the initiatives amount ”to a massive and illegal scheme designed to accommodate unlimited numbers of migrants."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="Immigration has vexed Biden throughout his presidency, with top GOP leaders hammering him as soft on border security.Border -photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>Immigration has vexed Biden throughout his presidency, with top GOP leaders hammering him as soft on border security.Border -photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will send 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border ahead of an expected migrant surge following the end of coronavirus pandemic-era restrictions, according to four administration officials.Military personnel will do data entry, warehouse support and other administrative tasks so that U.S. Customs and Border Protection can focus on fieldwork, the officials said. The troops will not do law enforcement work and will be sent down for roughly 90 days, though their presence can be extended if necessary. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the request and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. It's unclear when the troops would be deployed.The COVID-19 restrictions allowed U.S. officials to turn away tens of thousands of migrants crossing the southern border, but those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-immigration-covid-93d735b9b55c15121c8fc7763fba7e78">restrictions will lift May 11</a>, and border officials are bracing for an expected surge of migrants. Even amid the restrictions, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border, and President Joe Biden has responded by cracking down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.Biden’s actions follow similar moves by then-President Donald Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-latin-america-e7ffd2d5764244cdb1d1474bd895a863">deployed active duty troops</a>&nbsp;to the border to assist border patrol personnel in processing large migrant caravans, on top of National Guard forces that were already working in that capacity. There are already roughly 2,700 National Guard members at the border.The Pentagon on Tuesday approved the request for troops by the Department of Homeland Security, which manages the border, one of the officials said.But the deployments have a catch: As a condition for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's previous approval of National Guard troops to support the border mission throughout fiscal year 2023, which ends this Oct. 1, DHS had to agree to work with the White House and Congress “to develop a plan and implement solutions to staffing and funding shortfalls to maintain border security and the safe, orderly, and humane processing of migrants that do not involve the continued use of DOD personnel and resources after FY2023,” said Pentagon spokesman Air Force Lt. Col. Devin Robinson.As part of the agreement, DOD requested quarterly updates from DHS on how it would staff its border mission without service members throughout this fiscal year; it was not immediately clear if those updates have happened or if DHS will be able to meet its terms of the agreement — particularly under the strain of another migrant surge.For Biden, who announced his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">Democratic reelection campaign</a>&nbsp;a week ago, the decision signals his administration is taking seriously an effort to tamp down the number of illegal crossings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-mexico-el-paso-2e30ea26bbc55c7af509a6e60ad3d33c">a potent source of Republican attacks</a>, and sends a message to potential border crossers not to attempt the journey. But it also draws potentially unwelcome comparisons to Biden's Republican predecessor, whose policies Biden frequently criticized. Congress, meanwhile, has refused to take any substantial immigration-related actions.It's another line of defense in an effort to manage overcrowding and other possible issues that might arise as border officials move away from the COVID-19 restrictions.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-biden-asylum-75d8c0e67d5521fb48ac04f6bf017a49">Last week, administration officials announced</a>&nbsp;they would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asylum-screenings-border-credible-fear-biden-0baadca5c41bb9ccdc4b074d2034fb94">work to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border</a>, quickly deport those deemed as not being qualified, and penalize people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border.They will also open centers outside the United States for people fleeing violence and poverty to apply to fly in legally and settle in the United States, Spain or Canada. The first processing centers will open in Guatemala and Colombia, with others expected to follow.___WASHINGTON (AP) — With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-immigration-covid-93d735b9b55c15121c8fc7763fba7e78">COVID-19 immigration restrictions</a>&nbsp;set to expire, the Biden administration on Thursday announced measures meant to stop migrants from illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, both by cracking down on many of those who do come, and by creating new pathways meant to offer an alternative to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/border-security">the dangerous journey.</a>The effort includes opening processing centers outside the United States for people fleeing violence and poverty to apply to fly in legally and settle in the United States, Spain or Canada. The first processing centers will open in Guatemala and Colombia, with others expected to follow.The administration also plans to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border itself, quickly deport those deemed as not being qualified, and penalizing people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border.But it is unclear whether the measures will do much to slow the tide of migrants fleeing countries marred by political and economic strife. Further increasing the pressure is the looming end of public health rules instituted amid the pandemic that allowed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-canada-mexico-health-57c1906f9d83a318a9d570278735255b">quickly expelling many migrants</a>&nbsp;and set to expire on May 11.“This is a hemispheric challenge that demands hemispheric solutions,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a news conference as he laid out how the U.S. is working with other countries in the region.Mayorkas also warned that migrants and human smugglers should not interpret the upcoming deadline to mean that everyone should come: ”Let me be clear, our border is not open and will not be open after May 11."Immigration has vexed Biden throughout his presidency, with top GOP leaders hammering him as soft on border security. Immigrant advocates, meanwhile, argue that the president is abandoning humanitarian efforts with stricter measures meant to keep migrants from coming illegally.The topic isn’t going away. As he announces his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">2024 reelection bid</a>, Biden is trying to strike a balance that could be difficult to achieve, particularly if crowds of migrants end up in border facilities after May 11.The administration has also repeatedly pointed to Congress, saying it has been unable to come to an agreement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">on comprehensive immigration reform</a>.The efforts announced Thursday build on a carrot-and-stick approach to immigration that the administration has been increasingly using, whereby they offer incentives like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-ken-paxton-austin-texas-6faa8fb9039ea614c917c2e696668991">humanitarian parole visas for</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of people and harsh consequences for many who come to the border. Those have so far included:— Processing centers: The administration will open migration centers in numerous countries starting with Guatemala and Colombia to be run by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iom.int/">International Organization of Migration</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unhcr.org/">U.N. agency tasked with helping refugees</a>. There potential migrants can get information on various ways they can migrate to the United States, such as applying for refugee status or a worker program. The administration said both Canada and Spain have said they'd take migrants referred from these centers, although no specific numbers were given. The U.S. also said it would double the number of refugees taken from Central and South America. No specific number was given there, either, but during fiscal year 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/27/memorandum-on-presidential-determination-on-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2023/">the U.S. pledged to accept 15,000 refugees</a>&nbsp;from Latin America and the Caribbean.— Stiffer, faster penalties: The administration says it will process asylum-seekers who come to the southern border faster — in days, not weeks — with the goal of sending people back quickly who don't clear initial screenings. Those removed from the country would be barred from entering the U.S. for five years. The administration says it aims to dramatically increase flights on which migrants are sent home from the U.S. Officials also said a previously announced rule which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-donald-trump-mobile-phones-1502c6d6125c1dede583002722144488">would limit asylum</a>&nbsp;for those who pass through another country without first seeking protection there, or who enter the U.S. illegally, is also set to go into effect before the May 11 deadline passes.— No family detention: The administration stopped short of saying they'd detain families crossing the border illegally. That step would have sparked widespread condemnation from immigration advocates and Biden allies. But they said they'd monitor families through things like curfews and GPS monitoring and stressed that families would be removed if found unqualified to stay in the U.S.— Family reunification: DHS is creating a new family reunification parole process for people from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia. And the agency is “modernizing” the existing family reunification process for people from Cuba and Haiti.— Smuggler crackdown: Mayorkas stressed efforts to more strictly combat smuggling networks that facilitate travel from across the region to the U.S. border.Andrew Selee, who heads the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/">Migration Policy Institute</a>, said the plans announced are the “clearest we’ve seen of a strategy" from the administration on how to deal with immigration. But he cautioned that it would still require a lot of time and commitment for the plan to be successful."I think it’s the closest we’ve seen to a comprehensive plan," Selee said. He said the administration was betting a lot on the processing centers, and said potentially they can serve to give people information about migration options in a way that a U.S. Embassy, for example, cannot.But Selee said they would have to be closely linked to local networks in various countries so prospective migrants know about them, and so local organization who know the people who are most desperate to flee can refer them to the centers.Thursday's announcement was met with criticism by many immigration advocates, including members of the president's own party who have been troubled by Biden's increasing efforts to make it harder to access asylum at the border.Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said he was “disappointed” in the plan, especially after spending recent weeks urging the White House to adopt a different immigration strategy, including extending temporary protected status to people from several Central American countries. He also cast doubt on how parts of the plan would be implemented.“The question is, how are we going to set up those processing centers? What are the entities that will be there to make sure that a person is being processed in the appropriate way? What are we doing with third countries to be able to accept individuals and make sure that they are safe?" said Menendez.Many groups that work to assist refugees and other migrants said they welcomed some aspects of the president's plan, such as allowing in more refugees from South and Central America and speeding up family reunification efforts. But they said that shouldn't come at the expense of people applying for asylum at the border.The International Refugee Assistance Project said in a statement that it is concerned at the lack of details in the plan, how it will be implemented and where the money will come from. The group also said that the U.S.'s refugee resettlement program is still struggling to recover after cuts during the Trump administration.“We have more questions than answers,” said Lacy Broemel, a project policy analyst.Others, including right-leaning groups already intensely critical of Biden, lambasted the plan, saying that faster processing of migrants simply means they're entering the country faster. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairus.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwuqiiBhBtEiwATgvixDoce6e3PdACymT6mfG3a2P7oYgEHg5MoIWmmx2HqHpc_f6PDWEtbhoCsa4QAvD_BwE">Federation for American Immigration Reform</a>&nbsp;said the initiatives amount ”to a massive and illegal scheme designed to accommodate unlimited numbers of migrants."

Biden sending 1,500 troops for Mexico border migrant surge

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Kansas cold case sexual assault crime have made an arrest.

In November of 2007, police were dispatched to a reported sex assault case at 1900 S Tara Falls in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Investigators learned that a suspect had broken into a home and sexually assaulted a female victim. Investigators worked to identify a suspect but were unable to despite exhausting all available resources at the time.

Recently, in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Cold Case Team and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, Wichita Police Investigators were able to utilize genealogical investigative techniques to assist them in identifying a potential suspect. 

The suspect’s identity was confirmed through DNA as Ted Foy.

On Monday, police arrested Foy and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Rape, Aggravated Sexual Battery and Aggravated Criminal Sodomy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682984799056.png" alt="Foy-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Foy-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Kansas cold case sexual assault crime have made an arrest.In November of 2007, police were dispatched to a reported sex assault case at 1900 S Tara Falls in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Investigators learned that a suspect had broken into a home and sexually assaulted a female victim. Investigators worked to identify a suspect but were unable to despite exhausting all available resources at the time.Recently, in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Cold Case Team and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, Wichita Police Investigators were able to utilize genealogical investigative techniques to assist them in identifying a potential suspect. The suspect’s identity was confirmed through DNA as Ted Foy.On Monday, police arrested Foy and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Rape, Aggravated Sexual Battery and Aggravated Criminal Sodomy.

Police make arrest in 16-year-old Kansas sex assault case

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Revenue announced Monday that total tax collections for April 2023 were $1.3 billion. That is 2.3%, or $30.1 million, below the estimate, according to a media release from Governor Kelly's office. Total collections are down 14.7% from April 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Individual income tax collections were $593.5 million. That is $76.0 million, or 11.4%, below the estimate, and 41.7%, or 425.3 million, below what was collected in April 2022. Part of the decrease in the individual income tax receipts is attributable to having two fewer processing days after the April 18 due date than in April 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $354.2 million. That is $50.2 million, or 16.5%, more than the month’s estimate and 150.4% more than in April 2022.&nbsp;

“The lower individual income tax receipts and higher corporate income tax receipts reflect the impact of the SALT Parity Act, which allows owners of pass-through entities to elect to have the pass-through income taxed at the entity level rather than at the entity owner level,”&nbsp;Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart said.&nbsp;

Combined sales and compensating use tax receipts were $308.6 million, which is $2.2 million, or 0.7%, below the estimate, and down $1.4 million, or 0.4%, from April 2022.&nbsp; The continued impact of reducing the food sales tax can be seen in the year-over-year decrease in the combined sales and compensating use tax collections.&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Revenue announced Monday that total tax collections for April 2023 were $1.3 billion. That is 2.3%, or $30.1 million, below the estimate, according to a media release from Governor Kelly's office. Total collections are down 14.7% from April 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;Individual income tax collections were $593.5 million. That is $76.0 million, or 11.4%, below the estimate, and 41.7%, or 425.3 million, below what was collected in April 2022. Part of the decrease in the individual income tax receipts is attributable to having two fewer processing days after the April 18 due date than in April 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $354.2 million. That is $50.2 million, or 16.5%, more than the month’s estimate and 150.4% more than in April 2022.&nbsp;“The lower individual income tax receipts and higher corporate income tax receipts reflect the impact of the SALT Parity Act, which allows owners of pass-through entities to elect to have the pass-through income taxed at the entity level rather than at the entity owner level,”&nbsp;Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart said.&nbsp;Combined sales and compensating use tax receipts were $308.6 million, which is $2.2 million, or 0.7%, below the estimate, and down $1.4 million, or 0.4%, from April 2022.&nbsp; The continued impact of reducing the food sales tax can be seen in the year-over-year decrease in the combined sales and compensating use tax collections.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. total tax collections down 14% from April 2022

HENRYETTA, Okla. (AP) — A woman said Tuesday that her daughter and three teenage grandchildren were among the seven people found shot to death at a rural Oklahoma property during a search for two missing teens and a convicted sex offender.

Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said Monday that the seven bodies found near the town of Henryetta, were believed to include those of Ivy Webster, 14, and Brittany Brewer, 16, along with Jesse McFadden, the felon with whom authorities said the teens had been traveling. But Rice said the state medical examiner would have to confirm the victims' identities.

“We are no longer looking,” Rice said Monday morning, adding: "Our hearts go out to the families and friends, schoolmates and everyone else.”

Janette Mayo, 59, of Westville, Oklahoma, said the sheriff’s office notified her late Monday that the other four victims were her daughter, Holly Guess, 35, and her grandchildren, Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17; Michael James Mayo, 15; and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13. Mayo said Tiffany Guess was close friends with Webster and Brewer, who were spending the weekend with the family.

While Rice declined to provide details of how they died, Mayo said the sheriff’s office told her that her daughter and grandchildren were all found shot to death on the property.

Mayo said she and her family did not know about McFadden’s criminal history until a couple of months ago.

“He lied to my daughter, and he convinced her it was all just a huge mistake,” Mayo told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday morning. "He was very demure. He was very standoffish, generally very quiet, but he kept my daughter and the kids basically under lock and key. He had to know where they were at all times, which sent red flags up.”

The grim discovery in Oklahoma keeps the U.S. on a torrid pace for mass killings in 2023 and could push the number of people slain in mass killings past 100 for the year.

The four people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-mojave-desert-four-dead-15dd8707198fbae3ba464850a5db4b10">found shot to death</a>&nbsp;in an RV in a small Mojave Desert community in California over the weekend represented the 19th mass killing of the year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in a partnership with Northeastern University, the most during the first four months of the year since data was first recorded in 2006.

As of the Mojave shooting, 97 people had been killed in the 19 mass killings this year, exceeding the record set in 2009 when 93 people were killed in 17 incidents by the end of April.

The number killed is a fraction of the total number of people who died by homicide for the year. The database counts killings involving four or more fatalities, not including the perpetrator, the same standard as the FBI, and tracks a number of variables for each.

The bodies were found Monday during a search near Henryetta, a town of about 6,000 about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Gerald Davidson said.

A missing endangered person advisory issued earlier Monday said Webster and Brewer were reportedly seen traveling with McFadden, who was on the state's sex offender registry. Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison records show McFadden was convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and released in October 2020.

Court records show McFadden was scheduled to appear in court Monday for the start of a jury trial on charges of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography. A message left Monday evening with McFadden's attorney in that case was not immediately returned.

Brittany Brewer's father told KOTV in Tulsa that one of the bodies discovered was his daughter.

“Brittany was an outgoing person. She was actually selected to be Miss Henryetta ... coming up in July for this Miss National Miss pageant in Tulsa. And now she ain't gonna make it because she's dead. She's gone,” Nathan Brewer said.

At a Monday night vigil, Brewer told hundreds of people: “It’s just a parent’s worst nightmare, and I’m living it."

He said his daughter had aspired to be a teacher or a veterinarian.

Mayo described her daughter, Holly Guess, as a doting mother who cared deeply for her children.

“She was a fantastic mother. She loved her children beyond belief. She was overprotective,” Mayo said. “She was supportive if they wanted to do something. She’d go out 100%.”

Granddaughter Rylee Allen "had a talent with a paint brush,” she said. “Rylee wanted to be an artist and wanted to be a doctor so she could help people.”

Michael Mayo ran track and cross-country, and when he wanted to play football, his mother went out and bought the family T-shirts and sweatshirts to support the team, Mayo said. Tiffany Guess also ran cross-country, she performed in the choir and had just tried out for the cheerleading squad.

“She was the sweetest, most loving girl you’d ever met,” Mayo said. “We called her ‘Tiffasaurus’ because when she’d get mad at you, she’d growl.”

Henryetta Public Schools posted on Facebook and its website that it is grieving over the loss of several of its students.

“Our hearts are hurting, and we have considered what would be best for our students in the coming days,” the note said. Officials said school would be in session, and mental health professionals and clergy would be on hand to help counsel students. But they said they would understand if families want to keep their children home from school.

In a separate Okmulgee County case, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-ac64b7207c71be139fc9125a53d88ce4">bodies of four men were found Oct. 14</a>&nbsp;in the Deep Fork River in Okmulgee, a town of around 11,000 people about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Henryetta. Joseph Kennedy, 68, is facing four counts of first-degree murder in that case.

HENRYETTA, Okla. (AP) — Authorities searching a rural Oklahoma property for two missing teenagers discovered the bodies of seven people Monday, including the suspected remains of the teens and a convicted sex offender who was sought along with them, the local sheriff said.

Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said the state medical examiner will have to confirm the identities of the victims, but “we believe that we have found the persons.” He said the bodies were believed to include those of 14-year-old Ivy Webster and 16-year-old Brittany Brewer, along with Jesse McFadden, the felon authorities had said the teens were traveling with.

“We are no longer looking,” Rice said. “We believe to have found everything that we were seeking this morning. Our hearts go out to the families and friends, schoolmates and everyone else.”

He declined to provide details of how they died or other details.

The bodies were found during a search near the town of Henryetta, a town of about 6,000 located about 90 miles east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Gerald Davidson said.

A missing endangered person advisory had been issued earlier in the day for the two teenagers before it was canceled Monday afternoon by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The advisory for Webster and Brewer had said they were reportedly seen traveling with McFadden, who was on the state's sex offender registry. Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison records show McFadden was convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and released in October 2020.

In a separate Okmulgee County case, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-ac64b7207c71be139fc9125a53d88ce4">bodies of four men were found Oct. 14</a>&nbsp;in the Deep Fork River in Okmulgee, a town of around 11,000 people that is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Tulsa. Joseph Kennedy, 68, is facing four counts of first-degree murder in that case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683023829812.png" alt="Oklahoma Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Oklahoma Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>HENRYETTA, Okla. (AP) — A woman said Tuesday that her daughter and three teenage grandchildren were among the seven people found shot to death at a rural Oklahoma property during a search for two missing teens and a convicted sex offender.Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said Monday that the seven bodies found near the town of Henryetta, were believed to include those of Ivy Webster, 14, and Brittany Brewer, 16, along with Jesse McFadden, the felon with whom authorities said the teens had been traveling. But Rice said the state medical examiner would have to confirm the victims' identities.“We are no longer looking,” Rice said Monday morning, adding: "Our hearts go out to the families and friends, schoolmates and everyone else.”Janette Mayo, 59, of Westville, Oklahoma, said the sheriff’s office notified her late Monday that the other four victims were her daughter, Holly Guess, 35, and her grandchildren, Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17; Michael James Mayo, 15; and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13. Mayo said Tiffany Guess was close friends with Webster and Brewer, who were spending the weekend with the family.While Rice declined to provide details of how they died, Mayo said the sheriff’s office told her that her daughter and grandchildren were all found shot to death on the property.Mayo said she and her family did not know about McFadden’s criminal history until a couple of months ago.“He lied to my daughter, and he convinced her it was all just a huge mistake,” Mayo told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday morning. "He was very demure. He was very standoffish, generally very quiet, but he kept my daughter and the kids basically under lock and key. He had to know where they were at all times, which sent red flags up.”The grim discovery in Oklahoma keeps the U.S. on a torrid pace for mass killings in 2023 and could push the number of people slain in mass killings past 100 for the year.The four people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-mojave-desert-four-dead-15dd8707198fbae3ba464850a5db4b10">found shot to death</a>&nbsp;in an RV in a small Mojave Desert community in California over the weekend represented the 19th mass killing of the year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in a partnership with Northeastern University, the most during the first four months of the year since data was first recorded in 2006.As of the Mojave shooting, 97 people had been killed in the 19 mass killings this year, exceeding the record set in 2009 when 93 people were killed in 17 incidents by the end of April.The number killed is a fraction of the total number of people who died by homicide for the year. The database counts killings involving four or more fatalities, not including the perpetrator, the same standard as the FBI, and tracks a number of variables for each.The bodies were found Monday during a search near Henryetta, a town of about 6,000 about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Gerald Davidson said.A missing endangered person advisory issued earlier Monday said Webster and Brewer were reportedly seen traveling with McFadden, who was on the state's sex offender registry. Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison records show McFadden was convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and released in October 2020.Court records show McFadden was scheduled to appear in court Monday for the start of a jury trial on charges of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography. A message left Monday evening with McFadden's attorney in that case was not immediately returned.Brittany Brewer's father told KOTV in Tulsa that one of the bodies discovered was his daughter.“Brittany was an outgoing person. She was actually selected to be Miss Henryetta ... coming up in July for this Miss National Miss pageant in Tulsa. And now she ain't gonna make it because she's dead. She's gone,” Nathan Brewer said.At a Monday night vigil, Brewer told hundreds of people: “It’s just a parent’s worst nightmare, and I’m living it."He said his daughter had aspired to be a teacher or a veterinarian.“I am just lost,” he said.Mayo described her daughter, Holly Guess, as a doting mother who cared deeply for her children.“She was a fantastic mother. She loved her children beyond belief. She was overprotective,” Mayo said. “She was supportive if they wanted to do something. She’d go out 100%.”Granddaughter Rylee Allen "had a talent with a paint brush,” she said. “Rylee wanted to be an artist and wanted to be a doctor so she could help people.”Michael Mayo ran track and cross-country, and when he wanted to play football, his mother went out and bought the family T-shirts and sweatshirts to support the team, Mayo said. Tiffany Guess also ran cross-country, she performed in the choir and had just tried out for the cheerleading squad.“She was the sweetest, most loving girl you’d ever met,” Mayo said. “We called her ‘Tiffasaurus’ because when she’d get mad at you, she’d growl.”Henryetta Public Schools posted on Facebook and its website that it is grieving over the loss of several of its students.“Our hearts are hurting, and we have considered what would be best for our students in the coming days,” the note said. Officials said school would be in session, and mental health professionals and clergy would be on hand to help counsel students. But they said they would understand if families want to keep their children home from school.In a separate Okmulgee County case, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-ac64b7207c71be139fc9125a53d88ce4">bodies of four men were found Oct. 14</a>&nbsp;in the Deep Fork River in Okmulgee, a town of around 11,000 people about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Henryetta. Joseph Kennedy, 68, is facing four counts of first-degree murder in that case.--------------HENRYETTA, Okla. (AP) — Authorities searching a rural Oklahoma property for two missing teenagers discovered the bodies of seven people Monday, including the suspected remains of the teens and a convicted sex offender who was sought along with them, the local sheriff said.Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said the state medical examiner will have to confirm the identities of the victims, but “we believe that we have found the persons.” He said the bodies were believed to include those of 14-year-old Ivy Webster and 16-year-old Brittany Brewer, along with Jesse McFadden, the felon authorities had said the teens were traveling with.“We are no longer looking,” Rice said. “We believe to have found everything that we were seeking this morning. Our hearts go out to the families and friends, schoolmates and everyone else.”He declined to provide details of how they died or other details.The bodies were found during a search near the town of Henryetta, a town of about 6,000 located about 90 miles east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Gerald Davidson said.A missing endangered person advisory had been issued earlier in the day for the two teenagers before it was canceled Monday afternoon by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.The advisory for Webster and Brewer had said they were reportedly seen traveling with McFadden, who was on the state's sex offender registry. Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison records show McFadden was convicted of first-degree rape in 2003 and released in October 2020.Court records show McFadden was scheduled to appear in court Monday for the start of a jury trial on charges of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography. A message left Monday evening with McFadden's attorney in that case was not immediately returned.Brittany Brewer's father told KOTV in Tulsa that one of the bodies discovered was his daughter.“Brittany was an outgoing person. She was actually selected to be Miss Henryetta ... coming up in July for this Miss National Miss pageant in Tulsa. And now she ain't gonna make it because she's dead. She's gone,” Nathan Brewer said.At a Monday night vigil, Brewer told hundreds of people: “It’s just a parent’s worst nightmare, and I’m living it."He said his daughter had aspired to be a teacher or a veterinarian.“I am just lost,” he added.Henryetta Public Schools posted on Facebook and its website that it is grieving over the loss of several of its students.“Our hearts are hurting, and we have considered what would be best for our students in the coming days,” the note said. Officials said school would be in session, and mental health professionals and clergy would be on hand to help counsel students. But they said they would understand if families want to keep their children home from school.In a separate Okmulgee County case, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-ac64b7207c71be139fc9125a53d88ce4">bodies of four men were found Oct. 14</a>&nbsp;in the Deep Fork River in Okmulgee, a town of around 11,000 people that is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Tulsa. Joseph Kennedy, 68, is facing four counts of first-degree murder in that case.

Woman IDs 4 of 7 Oklahoma bodies as daughter, grandchildren

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON— Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas is optimistic that gas prices are stabilizing at the moment.

"For the time being, it seems like we may have reached the peak price," Steward said. "Right now, in Kansas, we're at $3.35 a gallon. That's down six cents from a week ago. We saw some upward pressure, but less than a month following the announcement of OPEC+ production cuts, crude oil prices have dropped back to where they were before. There's still some global demand concerns, and those seem to be tempering the trend of crude oil price increases that initially followed the news of that OPEC production cut, but then again, in the United States, we're still seeing strong and even increasing demand."

"It really just goes to show you that it's a global perspective, with regard to what those crude oil prices come in at and how that impacts what we see here at the pump locally," Steward said.&nbsp;

It's not that there won't continue to be upward pressure as families prepare to go on their summer vacations.&nbsp;

"Demand is strong," Steward said. "This is our seasonal high demand period, as we're less than a month from Memorial Day. Lots of summer road trips for people. Demand will be strong for gasoline throughout the summer, It typically always has been, but right now, there's just a lot of things going on, on a global perspective, that are keeping crude oil prices relatively calm."

Crude oil makes up a little more than half of the base price of any given gallon of gasoline in the United States.

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON— Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas is optimistic that gas prices are stabilizing at the moment."For the time being, it seems like we may have reached the peak price," Steward said. "Right now, in Kansas, we're at $3.35 a gallon. That's down six cents from a week ago. We saw some upward pressure, but less than a month following the announcement of OPEC+ production cuts, crude oil prices have dropped back to where they were before. There's still some global demand concerns, and those seem to be tempering the trend of crude oil price increases that initially followed the news of that OPEC production cut, but then again, in the United States, we're still seeing strong and even increasing demand.""It really just goes to show you that it's a global perspective, with regard to what those crude oil prices come in at and how that impacts what we see here at the pump locally," Steward said.&nbsp;It's not that there won't continue to be upward pressure as families prepare to go on their summer vacations.&nbsp;"Demand is strong," Steward said. "This is our seasonal high demand period, as we're less than a month from Memorial Day. Lots of summer road trips for people. Demand will be strong for gasoline throughout the summer, It typically always has been, but right now, there's just a lot of things going on, on a global perspective, that are keeping crude oil prices relatively calm."Crude oil makes up a little more than half of the base price of any given gallon of gasoline in the United States.