SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Army identified on Saturday the three soldiers who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-helicopters-crashes-ca1fd876ca7908a35aef224b8cae4f1a">killed when two helicopters collided</a>&nbsp;in Alaska while returning from a training mission.

The helicopters were headed to Fort Wainwright from a mission in the Donnelly Training Area when they crashed at 1:39 p.m. Thursday, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Healy.

The U.S. Army announced Friday that it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-army-helicopter-crash-alaska-fb1bac08c2392f6ada33a0e4c1958f1b">grounded aviation units for training</a>&nbsp;after 12 soldiers died within the last month in helicopter crashes in Alaska and Kentucky.

“The move grounds all Army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” the Army said in a statement.

Killed in Thursday's crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo, 39, of Oneonta, New York; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle D. McKenna, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Duane Wayment, 32, of North Logan, Utah.

A fourth soldier was injured and was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and was listed in stable condition. He was not identified Saturday.

“The battalion is devastated and mourning the loss of three of our best,” said Lt. Col. Matthew C. Carlsen, the 1-25th AB commander. Their loss can't be compared to the suffering felt by the soldiers' families, he said.

“The entire team has come together to focus our thoughts, prayers, and actions to provide and sustain them with whatever comfort and support they need at this time, and I promise that this will continue long into the future,” he said.

A Safety Investigation Team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, based at Fort Novosel, Alabama, is leading the safety investigation, officials said in an email.

Department of Defense instructions and Army regulations prohibit the investigators from releasing any information to the public concerning the causes, analysis or internal recommendations, the statement said.

“The loss of these Soldiers is devastating and is being felt by family, friends and military communities across Alaska,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division. “The families of Fort Wainwright and 1-25 are as strong a team as I’ve ever seen. Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of the fallen.”

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Army identified on Saturday the three soldiers who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-helicopters-crashes-ca1fd876ca7908a35aef224b8cae4f1a">killed when two helicopters collided</a>&nbsp;in Alaska while returning from a training mission.The helicopters were headed to Fort Wainwright from a mission in the Donnelly Training Area when they crashed at 1:39 p.m. Thursday, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Healy.The U.S. Army announced Friday that it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-army-helicopter-crash-alaska-fb1bac08c2392f6ada33a0e4c1958f1b">grounded aviation units for training</a>&nbsp;after 12 soldiers died within the last month in helicopter crashes in Alaska and Kentucky.“The move grounds all Army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” the Army said in a statement.Killed in Thursday's crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo, 39, of Oneonta, New York; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle D. McKenna, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Duane Wayment, 32, of North Logan, Utah.A fourth soldier was injured and was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and was listed in stable condition. He was not identified Saturday.“The battalion is devastated and mourning the loss of three of our best,” said Lt. Col. Matthew C. Carlsen, the 1-25th AB commander. Their loss can't be compared to the suffering felt by the soldiers' families, he said.“The entire team has come together to focus our thoughts, prayers, and actions to provide and sustain them with whatever comfort and support they need at this time, and I promise that this will continue long into the future,” he said.A Safety Investigation Team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, based at Fort Novosel, Alabama, is leading the safety investigation, officials said in an email.Department of Defense instructions and Army regulations prohibit the investigators from releasing any information to the public concerning the causes, analysis or internal recommendations, the statement said.“The loss of these Soldiers is devastating and is being felt by family, friends and military communities across Alaska,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division. “The families of Fort Wainwright and 1-25 are as strong a team as I’ve ever seen. Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of the fallen.”

Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in helicopter crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges involving children and drugs.

On Tuesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 1800 Block SW Burnett Road related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

&nbsp;Officers located marijuana, LSD, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), Psilocybin, magic mushrooms), firearms and drug paraphernalia.

As a result, police arrested 57-year-old Jeffery Everett and 37-year-old Jacqulyne Jones on requested charges of Contributing to child misconduct, Aggravated child endangerment, Possession of hallucinogenic drug and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682504979380.png" alt="Jones-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges involving children and drugs.On Tuesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 1800 Block SW Burnett Road related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682504926247.png" alt="Everett-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Everett-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Officers located marijuana, LSD, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), Psilocybin, magic mushrooms), firearms and drug paraphernalia.As a result, police arrested 57-year-old Jeffery Everett and 37-year-old Jacqulyne Jones on requested charges of Contributing to child misconduct, Aggravated child endangerment, Possession of hallucinogenic drug and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police found magic mushrooms, LSD and children at Kan. home

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature sent Gov. Laura Kelly a bill bundling elements from more than a dozen bills, including a property tax exemption for fitness, restaurant and child care businesses able to demonstrate they were in direct competition with operations of state or local government.

The Senate approved the package Thursday on a vote of 26-13 despite bipartisan complaints Senate Bill 8 was decorated like a holiday tree with special-interest tax policy. The deal previously passed by the House 76-43 contained 18 distinct policy changes. It now goes to Gov. Laura Kelly, and could be added to the Democratic governor’s list of vetoed bills.

Sen. Tim Shallenburger, a Baxter Springs Republican and former speaker of the Kansas House, said he was disturbed the tax measure was packed with changes in tax code his constituents weren’t demanding of the Legislature. He said House and Senate members ought to be devoted to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/28/kansas-senates-attempt-to-override-gov-kelly-on-tax-reduction-bill-falls-short-again/">salvaging important reform vetoed by Kelly</a>, including provisions lowering the state sales tax on groceries and adoption of a flat-rate state income tax.

“This bill is not going to make it through the process,” said Shallenburger, who did vote with his GOP colleagues for the bundled bill. “I’m confident that if the governor vetoed a much better bill than this, that had real provisions that Kansans want, she will surely veto this one.”

The list of tax benefits in the latest bill forwarded to Kelly included $14 million for a sales tax break on equipment and machinery purchases by telecommunications companies, $10.6 million for tax credits related to adoption expenses and $10 million in tax credits for pregnancy resource centers dedicated to reducing abortion. Property tax relief also would be provided for businesses engaged in agricultural tourism, such as farm wineries.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, the Parker Republican and the Senate’s top negotiator on tax policy, said the bill was designed to restrain state, city, county, township, university, school district and community college investment in facilities or services that could be provided by private businesses. She said child care, restaurant and fitness businesses shouldn’t pay taxes to government entities using that money to establish functions the free market could handle.

“I think this is a good bill,” Tyson said. “We should not be in fear of government competition. This is legislation that directly takes on the issue of government competing with private industry.”

The lone proponent for this tax exemption was the Kansas Chamber, but Tyson said supportive business owners were afraid to testify at the Capitol because of potential “retaliation” by local government officials.

The effort to provide tax breaks to specific sectors of the economy had been championed for years by owners of Genesis Health Clubs, which reportedly operated at least 58 fitness gyms in Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa. Genesis, which has invested heavily in lobbying for sales and property tax breaks at the statehouse, laid claim to being the largest privately owned health club organization in the United States.

In 2021, Genesis owner Rodney Steven pursued a property tax exemption for his clubs while delinquent on at least $549,000 in property taxes owed in Shawnee, Johnson and Douglas counties. His objective was to insert into a tax transparency bill a clause delivering Genesis an estimated $2.5 million annually in property tax reductions.

A search of property tax records showed the Wichita-based company was currently delinquent on $349,000 in property taxes in Johnson, Douglas and Shawnee counties. Genesis is apparently current on property tax obligations in Sedgwick County, where the company is headquartered.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat who voted against the tax bill, said the Legislature’s selection of three types of businesses to benefit from targeted tax reform was “extremely problematic.”

He said government taxing entities undercut by the bill, if signed into law by the governor or made law through a veto override by the Legislature, would likely be forced to make up lost property tax revenue from businesses by raising residential property taxes.

“This is really more that we’re trying to figure out a clever way to somehow subsidize a business model that just won’t work,” Holland said.

Under the bill, the property tax benefit would be available to businesses located in a city or within five miles of the government-initiated competition. The tax exemption would target business offering substantially the same goods or services as government. The preferential tax treatment wouldn’t be retroactive to past taxing years, advocates of the bill said, and would be restricted to companies with taxes paid in full.

Provisions of the bill would apply to the 2024 tax year. The property tax exemption, however, wouldn’t be open to businesses started after July 1, 2023, if the rival government operation had already been put in place.

In the future, ballot propositions for government financing of operations related to fitness, child care and restaurant facilities would be required to include language indicating a private business could later claim an exemption from property taxes.

Sen. Mike Thompson, a Republican from Shawnee who supported Senate Bill 8, said motivation for the reform emerged from philosophical ideas about limited government. He said it was time the Legislature pushed back against public investments best left to private businesses.

“The reason property taxes are out of control is that government has overstepped its role in spending and trying to develop (services) and trying to be part of the free market,” Thompson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/P4060215-1024x576.jpg" alt="- Sen. Tim Shallenburger, R-Baxter Springs, voted for to send a bundledtax reform bill to Gov. Laura Kelly despite concerns about so many policy changes in one bill and apprehension other tax changes sought by his constituents had yet to be made law. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- Sen. Tim Shallenburger, R-Baxter Springs, voted for to send a bundledtax reform bill to Gov. Laura Kelly despite concerns about so many policy changes in one bill and apprehension other tax changes sought by his constituents had yet to be made law. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature sent Gov. Laura Kelly a bill bundling elements from more than a dozen bills, including a property tax exemption for fitness, restaurant and child care businesses able to demonstrate they were in direct competition with operations of state or local government.The Senate approved the package Thursday on a vote of 26-13 despite bipartisan complaints Senate Bill 8 was decorated like a holiday tree with special-interest tax policy. The deal previously passed by the House 76-43 contained 18 distinct policy changes. It now goes to Gov. Laura Kelly, and could be added to the Democratic governor’s list of vetoed bills.Sen. Tim Shallenburger, a Baxter Springs Republican and former speaker of the Kansas House, said he was disturbed the tax measure was packed with changes in tax code his constituents weren’t demanding of the Legislature. He said House and Senate members ought to be devoted to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/28/kansas-senates-attempt-to-override-gov-kelly-on-tax-reduction-bill-falls-short-again/">salvaging important reform vetoed by Kelly</a>, including provisions lowering the state sales tax on groceries and adoption of a flat-rate state income tax.“This bill is not going to make it through the process,” said Shallenburger, who did vote with his GOP colleagues for the bundled bill. “I’m confident that if the governor vetoed a much better bill than this, that had real provisions that Kansans want, she will surely veto this one.”The list of tax benefits in the latest bill forwarded to Kelly included $14 million for a sales tax break on equipment and machinery purchases by telecommunications companies, $10.6 million for tax credits related to adoption expenses and $10 million in tax credits for pregnancy resource centers dedicated to reducing abortion. Property tax relief also would be provided for businesses engaged in agricultural tourism, such as farm wineries.<h2>Fear of government</h2>Sen. Caryn Tyson, the Parker Republican and the Senate’s top negotiator on tax policy, said the bill was designed to restrain state, city, county, township, university, school district and community college investment in facilities or services that could be provided by private businesses. She said child care, restaurant and fitness businesses shouldn’t pay taxes to government entities using that money to establish functions the free market could handle.“I think this is a good bill,” Tyson said. “We should not be in fear of government competition. This is legislation that directly takes on the issue of government competing with private industry.”The lone proponent for this tax exemption was the Kansas Chamber, but Tyson said supportive business owners were afraid to testify at the Capitol because of potential “retaliation” by local government officials.The effort to provide tax breaks to specific sectors of the economy had been championed for years by owners of Genesis Health Clubs, which reportedly operated at least 58 fitness gyms in Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa. Genesis, which has invested heavily in lobbying for sales and property tax breaks at the statehouse, laid claim to being the largest privately owned health club organization in the United States.In 2021, Genesis owner Rodney Steven pursued a property tax exemption for his clubs while delinquent on at least $549,000 in property taxes owed in Shawnee, Johnson and Douglas counties. His objective was to insert into a tax transparency bill a clause delivering Genesis an estimated $2.5 million annually in property tax reductions.A search of property tax records showed the Wichita-based company was currently delinquent on $349,000 in property taxes in Johnson, Douglas and Shawnee counties. Genesis is apparently current on property tax obligations in Sedgwick County, where the company is headquartered.<h2>Residential property tax</h2>Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat who voted against the tax bill, said the Legislature’s selection of three types of businesses to benefit from targeted tax reform was “extremely problematic.”He said government taxing entities undercut by the bill, if signed into law by the governor or made law through a veto override by the Legislature, would likely be forced to make up lost property tax revenue from businesses by raising residential property taxes.“This is really more that we’re trying to figure out a clever way to somehow subsidize a business model that just won’t work,” Holland said.Under the bill, the property tax benefit would be available to businesses located in a city or within five miles of the government-initiated competition. The tax exemption would target business offering substantially the same goods or services as government. The preferential tax treatment wouldn’t be retroactive to past taxing years, advocates of the bill said, and would be restricted to companies with taxes paid in full.Provisions of the bill would apply to the 2024 tax year. The property tax exemption, however, wouldn’t be open to businesses started after July 1, 2023, if the rival government operation had already been put in place.In the future, ballot propositions for government financing of operations related to fitness, child care and restaurant facilities would be required to include language indicating a private business could later claim an exemption from property taxes.Sen. Mike Thompson, a Republican from Shawnee who supported Senate Bill 8, said motivation for the reform emerged from philosophical ideas about limited government. He said it was time the Legislature pushed back against public investments best left to private businesses.“The reason property taxes are out of control is that government has overstepped its role in spending and trying to develop (services) and trying to be part of the free market,” Thompson said.

Kan. lawmakers adopt property tax break for restaurant, child care and fitness club businesses

WASHINGTON (AP) —As a growing number of overweight Americans clamor for Ozempic and Wegovy — drugs touted by celebrities and on TikTok to pare pounds — an even more powerful obesity medicine is poised to upend treatment.

Tirzepatide, an Eli Lilly and Co. drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro, helped people with the disease who were overweight or had obesity lose up to 16% of their body weight, or more than 34 pounds, over nearly 17 months, the company said on Thursday.

The late-stage study of the drug for weight loss adds to earlier evidence that similar participants without diabetes lost up to 22% of their body weight over that period with weekly injections of the drug. For a typical patient on the highest dose, that meant shedding more than 50 pounds.

Having diabetes makes it notoriously difficult to lose weight, said Dr. Nadia Ahmad, Lilly’s medical director of obesity clinical development, which means the recent results are especially significant. “We have not seen this degree of weight reduction,” she said.

Based on the new results, which have not yet been published in full, company officials said they will finalize an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for fast-track approval to sell tirzepatide for chronic weight management. A decision could come later this year. A company spokeswoman would not confirm whether the drug would be marketed for weight loss in the U.S. under a different brand name.

If approved for weight loss, tirzepatide could become the most effective drug to date in an arsenal of medications that are transforming the treatment of obesity, which affects more than 4 in 10 American adults and is linked to dozens of diseases that can lead to disability or death.

“If everybody who had obesity in this country lost 20% of their body weight, we would be taking patients off all of these medications for reflux, for diabetes, for hypertension,” said Dr. Caroline Apovian, a director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital. “We would not be sending patients for stent replacement.”

Industry analysts predict that tirzepatide could become one of the top-selling drugs ever, with annual sales topping $50 billion. It is expected to outpace Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic — a diabetes drug used so commonly to shed pounds that comedian Jimmy Kimmel joked about it at the Oscars — and Wegovy, a version of the drug also known as semaglutide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-obesity-lifestyle-business-health-c6f992d717c6461ef20f40e6d4ee9d25">approved for weight loss in 2021</a>. Together, those drugs made nearly $10 billion in 2022, with prescriptions continuing to soar, company reports show.

In separate trials, tirzepatide has resulted in greater weight loss than semaglutide, whose users shed about 15% of their body weight over 16 months. A head-to-head trial comparing the two drugs is planned.

Mounjaro was first approved to treat diabetes last year. Since then, thousands of patients have obtained the drug from doctors and telehealth providers who prescribed it “off-label" to help them slim down.

In California, Matthew Barlow, a 48-year-old health technology executive, said he has lost more than 100 pounds since November by using Mounjaro and changing his diet.

“Psychologically, you don’t want to eat,” said Barlow. “Now I can eat two bites of a dessert and be satisfied.”

Rather than relying solely on diet, exercise and willpower to reduce weight, tirzepatide and other new drugs target the digestive and chemical pathways that underlie obesity, suppressing appetite and blunting cravings for food.

“They have entirely changed the landscape,” said Dr. Amy Rothberg, a University of Michigan endocrinologist who directs a virtual weight loss and diabetes program.

Research has shown that with diet and exercise alone, about a third of people will lose 5% or more of their body weight, said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. In the latest tirzepatide trial, more than 86% of patients using the highest dose of the drug lost at least 5% of their body weight. More than half on that dose lost at least 15%, the company said.

The obesity medications help overcome a biological mechanism that kicks in when people diet, triggering a coordinated effort by the body to prevent weight loss.

“That is a real physical phenomenon,” Aronne said. “There are a number of hormones that respond to reduced calorie intake.”

Ozempic and Wegovy are two versions of semaglutide. That drug mimics a key gut hormone, known as GLP-1, that is activated after people eat, boosting the release of insulin and slowing release of sugar from the liver. It delays digestion and reduces appetite, making people feel full longer.

Tirzepatide is the first drug that uses the action of two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, for greater effects. It also targets the chemical signals sent from the gut to the brain, curbing cravings and thoughts of food.

Though the drugs appear safe, they can cause side effects, some serious. Most common reactions include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. Some users have developed pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, others have had gallbladder problems. Mounjaro’s product description warns that it could cause thyroid tumors, including cancer.

There are other downsides: Versions of semaglutide have been on the market for several years, but the long-term effects of taking drugs that override human metabolism are not yet clear. Early evidence suggests that when people stop taking the medications, they gain the weight back.

Plus, the medications are expensive — and in recent months, hard to get because of intermittent shortages. Wegovy is priced at about $1,300 a month. Mounjaro used for diabetes starts at about $1,000 per month.

Apovian said that only about 20% to 30% of patients with private insurance in her practice find the medications are covered. Some insurers who previously paid for the drugs are enacting new rules, requiring six months of documented lifestyle changes or a certain amount of weight loss for continued coverage. Medicare is largely prohibited from paying for weight-loss drugs, though there have been efforts by drugmakers and advocates for Congress to change that.

Still, experts say that the striking effects of tirzepatide — along with Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs — underscore that losing weight is not merely a matter of willpower. Like high blood pressure, which affects about half of U.S. adults and is managed with medication, obesity should be viewed as a chronic disease, not a character flaw, Aronne emphasized.

It remains to be seen what effect new drug treatments will have on pervasive bias against people with obesity, said Rebecca Puhl, a professor in the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, who studies weight stigma. U.S. culture has “deep-rooted beliefs about body weight and physical appearance” that are hard to change, she said.

“Weight stigma could persist or worsen if taking medication is equated with ‘taking the easy way out’ or ‘not trying hard enough,’” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) —As a growing number of overweight Americans clamor for Ozempic and Wegovy — drugs touted by celebrities and on TikTok to pare pounds — an even more powerful obesity medicine is poised to upend treatment.Tirzepatide, an Eli Lilly and Co. drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro, helped people with the disease who were overweight or had obesity lose up to 16% of their body weight, or more than 34 pounds, over nearly 17 months, the company said on Thursday.The late-stage study of the drug for weight loss adds to earlier evidence that similar participants without diabetes lost up to 22% of their body weight over that period with weekly injections of the drug. For a typical patient on the highest dose, that meant shedding more than 50 pounds.Having diabetes makes it notoriously difficult to lose weight, said Dr. Nadia Ahmad, Lilly’s medical director of obesity clinical development, which means the recent results are especially significant. “We have not seen this degree of weight reduction,” she said.Based on the new results, which have not yet been published in full, company officials said they will finalize an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for fast-track approval to sell tirzepatide for chronic weight management. A decision could come later this year. A company spokeswoman would not confirm whether the drug would be marketed for weight loss in the U.S. under a different brand name.If approved for weight loss, tirzepatide could become the most effective drug to date in an arsenal of medications that are transforming the treatment of obesity, which affects more than 4 in 10 American adults and is linked to dozens of diseases that can lead to disability or death.“If everybody who had obesity in this country lost 20% of their body weight, we would be taking patients off all of these medications for reflux, for diabetes, for hypertension,” said Dr. Caroline Apovian, a director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital. “We would not be sending patients for stent replacement.”Industry analysts predict that tirzepatide could become one of the top-selling drugs ever, with annual sales topping $50 billion. It is expected to outpace Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic — a diabetes drug used so commonly to shed pounds that comedian Jimmy Kimmel joked about it at the Oscars — and Wegovy, a version of the drug also known as semaglutide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-obesity-lifestyle-business-health-c6f992d717c6461ef20f40e6d4ee9d25">approved for weight loss in 2021</a>. Together, those drugs made nearly $10 billion in 2022, with prescriptions continuing to soar, company reports show.In separate trials, tirzepatide has resulted in greater weight loss than semaglutide, whose users shed about 15% of their body weight over 16 months. A head-to-head trial comparing the two drugs is planned.Mounjaro was first approved to treat diabetes last year. Since then, thousands of patients have obtained the drug from doctors and telehealth providers who prescribed it “off-label" to help them slim down.In California, Matthew Barlow, a 48-year-old health technology executive, said he has lost more than 100 pounds since November by using Mounjaro and changing his diet.“Psychologically, you don’t want to eat,” said Barlow. “Now I can eat two bites of a dessert and be satisfied.”Rather than relying solely on diet, exercise and willpower to reduce weight, tirzepatide and other new drugs target the digestive and chemical pathways that underlie obesity, suppressing appetite and blunting cravings for food.“They have entirely changed the landscape,” said Dr. Amy Rothberg, a University of Michigan endocrinologist who directs a virtual weight loss and diabetes program.Research has shown that with diet and exercise alone, about a third of people will lose 5% or more of their body weight, said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. In the latest tirzepatide trial, more than 86% of patients using the highest dose of the drug lost at least 5% of their body weight. More than half on that dose lost at least 15%, the company said.The obesity medications help overcome a biological mechanism that kicks in when people diet, triggering a coordinated effort by the body to prevent weight loss.“That is a real physical phenomenon,” Aronne said. “There are a number of hormones that respond to reduced calorie intake.”Ozempic and Wegovy are two versions of semaglutide. That drug mimics a key gut hormone, known as GLP-1, that is activated after people eat, boosting the release of insulin and slowing release of sugar from the liver. It delays digestion and reduces appetite, making people feel full longer.Tirzepatide is the first drug that uses the action of two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, for greater effects. It also targets the chemical signals sent from the gut to the brain, curbing cravings and thoughts of food.Though the drugs appear safe, they can cause side effects, some serious. Most common reactions include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. Some users have developed pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, others have had gallbladder problems. Mounjaro’s product description warns that it could cause thyroid tumors, including cancer.There are other downsides: Versions of semaglutide have been on the market for several years, but the long-term effects of taking drugs that override human metabolism are not yet clear. Early evidence suggests that when people stop taking the medications, they gain the weight back.Plus, the medications are expensive — and in recent months, hard to get because of intermittent shortages. Wegovy is priced at about $1,300 a month. Mounjaro used for diabetes starts at about $1,000 per month.Apovian said that only about 20% to 30% of patients with private insurance in her practice find the medications are covered. Some insurers who previously paid for the drugs are enacting new rules, requiring six months of documented lifestyle changes or a certain amount of weight loss for continued coverage. Medicare is largely prohibited from paying for weight-loss drugs, though there have been efforts by drugmakers and advocates for Congress to change that.Still, experts say that the striking effects of tirzepatide — along with Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs — underscore that losing weight is not merely a matter of willpower. Like high blood pressure, which affects about half of U.S. adults and is managed with medication, obesity should be viewed as a chronic disease, not a character flaw, Aronne emphasized.It remains to be seen what effect new drug treatments will have on pervasive bias against people with obesity, said Rebecca Puhl, a professor in the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, who studies weight stigma. U.S. culture has “deep-rooted beliefs about body weight and physical appearance” that are hard to change, she said.“Weight stigma could persist or worsen if taking medication is equated with ‘taking the easy way out’ or ‘not trying hard enough,’” she said.—-

Powerful new obesity drug poised to upend weight loss care

NESS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating reports of oilfield pipe being stolen from leases in Ness County, according to the sheriff's office.

 Theft from oil leases is very easy, due to the rural access and oilfield pipe is not traceable. However, these cases are not unsolvable, according to the sheriff's office.

 If you believe pipe or other other property has been stolen from oilfield properties, or have information about oifield thefts, please reach out to law enforcement. We take property crime very seriously.&nbsp;

"Ness County is a oilfield community. It's our livelihood. Our passion will always be protecting the way of life we all love here in Ness County, Kansas, USA."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682713236329.png" alt="photo Ness Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>photo Ness Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>NESS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating reports of oilfield pipe being stolen from leases in Ness County, according to the sheriff's office. Theft from oil leases is very easy, due to the rural access and oilfield pipe is not traceable. However, these cases are not unsolvable, according to the sheriff's office. If you believe pipe or other other property has been stolen from oilfield properties, or have information about oifield thefts, please reach out to law enforcement. We take property crime very seriously.&nbsp;"Ness County is a oilfield community. It's our livelihood. Our passion will always be protecting the way of life we all love here in Ness County, Kansas, USA."

Sheriff investigating Kansas oilfield pipe thefts

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas who say parents need alternatives to public schools couldn't pass even a scaled-back version of the “school choice” plans enacted in other states with GOP-controlled Legislatures.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly strongly opposed using state tax dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling, and GOP conservatives had trouble winning over rural Republicans who didn't think families living in areas with few private schools would receive much of a benefit.

That meant as Republican leaders pondered a final push Friday on the last day of the Legislature’s annual session, supporters never seemed likely to get the two-thirds majorities needed to override Kelly's expected veto. GOP leaders instead dropped plans to consider the bill shortly before gaveling out for the year.

The bill would have created a program to help families with low or modest incomes pay for private or home schooling. It was targeted at the 10 most populous counties and would have given those parents $4,848 for the upcoming school year, with the amount rising in the future.

The struggles of advocates for such programs in Kansas contrast sharply with their successes in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah,</a>&nbsp;where GOP lawmakers approved statewide programs in January and saw GOP governors sign them. But Kansas voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">narrowly reelected Kelly</a>&nbsp;in November.

“Iowa families knew this was coming because the governor that they elected campaigned on this,” said Senate Education Committee Chair Molly Baumgardner, a Kansas City-area Republican. “The state of Kansas is very different because we don’t have a governor that campaigned on that.”

Lawmakers did approve a bill providing $6.3 billion for K-12 public schools, the bulk of their operating funds for the 2023-24 school year, including an expansion of an existing program that gives income tax credits to donors to funds offering private school scholarships to low-income students. Total credits would remain capped at $10 million a year.

The votes Friday were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230428154559_445655/">87-37</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230428190509_369943/">23-16</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, sending the measure to Kelly. Public education groups have urged a veto, arguing in part that it does not sufficiently fund special education. A veto would likely force the governor to call a special session to ensure that schools could operate for a full year.

Supporters of using state funds for school choice argue that it would benefit students who struggle in public schools, and they also contend that competition would force those schools to improve. Pandemic-era school closures and battles over curriculum — particularly on race and gender — have further fueled GOP interest.

“Every child in the state of Kansas should have an opportunity for success, and if they’re not succeeding in our public schools, we need to provide them an opportunity somewhere, somehow,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, a Wichita-area Republican, who chairs a House committee on K-12 spending.

But Democrats and moderates, along with teachers and administrators, fear such programs would siphon money from public schools because their state funding is tied to enrollment. Some rural Republicans were also skeptical because of their concerns over the lack of private schools in their areas.

This week Kelly attended a Statehouse news conference held by a dozen former state teachers of the year who oppose the use of tax dollars to pay for private or home schooling. Later, speaking from the podium, Kelly said the state needs to be fully funding its public schools instead of “diverting public funds to private schools.”

“This is the foundation of our state,” Kelly said, with the teachers standing behind her. “Without the work that these people do in our school buildings, there would be no Kansas. We would have no work force.”

Tracy Taylor Callard, a Wichita educator and the 2002 teacher of the year, said public schools allow children of different backgrounds and from different neighborhoods to interact.

“We all know that public schools are under attack,” she said at the same event.

The school choice proposal — derided as a voucher plan by critics — would have piggybacked onto a program created by Kelly.

That program, funded through U.S. government coronavirus relief, provides $1,000 a year to low-income parents of public school students to help them cover education expenses.

The $4,848 payments envisioned under the GOP proposal would have been available to families with a household income of 250% or less of&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines">the U.S. poverty level</a>, or $75,000 for a family of four.

The measure would have been doomed by Kelly's expected veto. Electing a GOP governor would have made the difference, said Senate President Ty Masterson, another Wichita-area Republican.

“I think of all the things that would have gone with just simple majorities,” Masterson said. ___

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas who say parents need alternatives to public schools couldn't pass even a scaled-back version of the “school choice” plans enacted in other states with GOP-controlled Legislatures.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly strongly opposed using state tax dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling, and GOP conservatives had trouble winning over rural Republicans who didn't think families living in areas with few private schools would receive much of a benefit.That meant as Republican leaders pondered a final push Friday on the last day of the Legislature’s annual session, supporters never seemed likely to get the two-thirds majorities needed to override Kelly's expected veto. GOP leaders instead dropped plans to consider the bill shortly before gaveling out for the year.The bill would have created a program to help families with low or modest incomes pay for private or home schooling. It was targeted at the 10 most populous counties and would have given those parents $4,848 for the upcoming school year, with the amount rising in the future.The struggles of advocates for such programs in Kansas contrast sharply with their successes in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah,</a>&nbsp;where GOP lawmakers approved statewide programs in January and saw GOP governors sign them. But Kansas voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">narrowly reelected Kelly</a>&nbsp;in November.“Iowa families knew this was coming because the governor that they elected campaigned on this,” said Senate Education Committee Chair Molly Baumgardner, a Kansas City-area Republican. “The state of Kansas is very different because we don’t have a governor that campaigned on that.”Lawmakers did approve a bill providing $6.3 billion for K-12 public schools, the bulk of their operating funds for the 2023-24 school year, including an expansion of an existing program that gives income tax credits to donors to funds offering private school scholarships to low-income students. Total credits would remain capped at $10 million a year.The votes Friday were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230428154559_445655/">87-37</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230428190509_369943/">23-16</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, sending the measure to Kelly. Public education groups have urged a veto, arguing in part that it does not sufficiently fund special education. A veto would likely force the governor to call a special session to ensure that schools could operate for a full year.Supporters of using state funds for school choice argue that it would benefit students who struggle in public schools, and they also contend that competition would force those schools to improve. Pandemic-era school closures and battles over curriculum — particularly on race and gender — have further fueled GOP interest.“Every child in the state of Kansas should have an opportunity for success, and if they’re not succeeding in our public schools, we need to provide them an opportunity somewhere, somehow,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, a Wichita-area Republican, who chairs a House committee on K-12 spending.But Democrats and moderates, along with teachers and administrators, fear such programs would siphon money from public schools because their state funding is tied to enrollment. Some rural Republicans were also skeptical because of their concerns over the lack of private schools in their areas.This week Kelly attended a Statehouse news conference held by a dozen former state teachers of the year who oppose the use of tax dollars to pay for private or home schooling. Later, speaking from the podium, Kelly said the state needs to be fully funding its public schools instead of “diverting public funds to private schools.”“This is the foundation of our state,” Kelly said, with the teachers standing behind her. “Without the work that these people do in our school buildings, there would be no Kansas. We would have no work force.”Tracy Taylor Callard, a Wichita educator and the 2002 teacher of the year, said public schools allow children of different backgrounds and from different neighborhoods to interact.“We all know that public schools are under attack,” she said at the same event.The school choice proposal — derided as a voucher plan by critics — would have piggybacked onto a program created by Kelly.That program, funded through U.S. government coronavirus relief, provides $1,000 a year to low-income parents of public school students to help them cover education expenses.The $4,848 payments envisioned under the GOP proposal would have been available to families with a household income of 250% or less of&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines">the U.S. poverty level</a>, or $75,000 for a family of four.The measure would have been doomed by Kelly's expected veto. Electing a GOP governor would have made the difference, said Senate President Ty Masterson, another Wichita-area Republican.“I think of all the things that would have gone with just simple majorities,” Masterson said. ___

GOP split dooms scaled-back Kansas 'school choice' plan

Manhattan&nbsp;-&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall hosted U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry in Manhattan as the Committee begins drafting the 2023 Farm Bill.

Friday afternoon, the Senators toured the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center.&nbsp;The Wheat Innovation Center is the single largest research investment by Kansas wheat farmers in history. It allows for the research of different wheat varieties and for collaboration of public and private institutions to leverage the vast genetic diversity of wheat across the world to improve modern varieties of wheat.&nbsp;

Following the tour, the Senators participated in a roundtable listening session to discuss a variety of top issues impacting the 2023 Farm Bill. From competition and transparency, crop insurance, disaster assistance, and food and nutrition security to export market development and biofuel infrastructure enhancements, we are working on many Kansas priorities in this legislation.

Senator Marshall is excited to bring this group of the Agriculture industry together to talk through their top priorities in the Farm Bill and make sure the Senate Ag Ranking Member, Senator Boozman, gets to hear directly from Kansas producers. It is important that Kansans get a seat at the table at the highest levels of government when it comes to Agriculture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682727430940.png" alt="Friday afternoon, the Senators toured the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Friday afternoon, the Senators toured the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Manhattan&nbsp;-&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall hosted U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry in Manhattan as the Committee begins drafting the 2023 Farm Bill. Friday afternoon, the Senators toured the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center.&nbsp;The Wheat Innovation Center is the single largest research investment by Kansas wheat farmers in history. It allows for the research of different wheat varieties and for collaboration of public and private institutions to leverage the vast genetic diversity of wheat across the world to improve modern varieties of wheat.&nbsp;Following the tour, the Senators participated in a roundtable listening session to discuss a variety of top issues impacting the 2023 Farm Bill. From competition and transparency, crop insurance, disaster assistance, and food and nutrition security to export market development and biofuel infrastructure enhancements, we are working on many Kansas priorities in this legislation.Senator Marshall is excited to bring this group of the Agriculture industry together to talk through their top priorities in the Farm Bill and make sure the Senate Ag Ranking Member, Senator Boozman, gets to hear directly from Kansas producers. It is important that Kansans get a seat at the table at the highest levels of government when it comes to Agriculture.

Senate Ag committee leader stops in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a man's shooting death have a suspect in custody.

Just before 11:30 pm, Monday, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of South Edwards in Wichita. They arrived on the scene and located 44-year-old Sean Lahman in the front seat of a passenger van with a gunshot wound to the upper torso, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

The investigation revealed that a suspect identified 34-year-old Mickey Owens of Johnson City, Kansas, drove to Wichita on Monday, saw Lahman on South Edwards, and shot him.

 Investigators quickly learned that Owen’s fled to Stanton County Kansas and coordinated with Stanton County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol to be on the lookout for him.

Owens was taken into custody on Thursday by Stanton County Sheriff’s Office in Johnson City for an unrelated warrant in Sedgwick County. On Friday, he was booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility on requested charges of 1st-degree murder.

Owens and Lahman knew each other and had an ongoing dispute, according to Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682716008094.png" alt="Owens-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Owens-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a man's shooting death have a suspect in custody.Just before 11:30 pm, Monday, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of South Edwards in Wichita. They arrived on the scene and located 44-year-old Sean Lahman in the front seat of a passenger van with a gunshot wound to the upper torso, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp;Lahman was deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed that a suspect identified 34-year-old Mickey Owens of Johnson City, Kansas, drove to Wichita on Monday, saw Lahman on South Edwards, and shot him. Investigators quickly learned that Owen’s fled to Stanton County Kansas and coordinated with Stanton County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol to be on the lookout for him.Owens was taken into custody on Thursday by Stanton County Sheriff’s Office in Johnson City for an unrelated warrant in Sedgwick County. On Friday, he was booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility on requested charges of 1st-degree murder.Owens and Lahman knew each other and had an ongoing dispute, according to Rebolledo.

Police: Western Kan. man had ongoing dispute, killed victim

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — No big tax cuts are coming for Kansas residents even though the state treasury is bulging with surplus cash and the Democratic governor and top Republican lawmakers both said over and over that families need relief from inflation.

Republican leaders went into the final days of the GOP-controlled Legislature's annual session hoping to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flat-income-tax-kansas-cuts-groceries-veto-ce141022829a3c2f1351f4705d37d145">Gov. Laura Kelly's veto</a>&nbsp;of a bill cutting taxes nearly $1.4 billion over the next three years. Instead, a Republican senator helped kill the GOP bill after voting for it the day before — and promptly lost his committee chairmanship.

Legislators adjourned Friday night without overturning Kelly's veto or passing another bill. The state now expects to have a surplus of nearly $2.6 billion at the end of June 2024, on top of $1.6 billion socked away in a separate rainy day fund, when annual tax collections are roughly $10 billion.

“Everybody's going to be frustrated — business owners, families, households,” said Kansas House tax committee Chair Adam Smith, a Republican from far western Kansas.

Tax debates in Kansas have been fraught ever since a 2012-13 experiment in slashing income taxes under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback went sour as big, persistent budget shortfalls followed.

Lawmakers eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">reversed most of the experiment</a>, but the political turmoil helped Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">win the governor's office</a>&nbsp;in 2018 and reelection in 2022. She still invokes Brownback's name in clashes with Republicans.

Her main beef this year was GOP leaders' plan to move Kansas to a single-rate “flat” income tax for individuals and abandon a three-rate system requiring higher earners to pay a higher rate. The new tax rate would have been 5.15%, while the top rate now is 5.7%

Republicans said that when Kelly announced her veto Monday, it already was too late to start on a new bill. But even on Thursday, Kelly told reporters, “They still have time.”

"They're not gone yet,” Kelly said. “If they wanted to do something, they could do it.”

The GOP tax plan also included bipartisan ideas for reducing taxes on homes, groceries and Social Security income. But Kelly called the GOP's income tax proposal "reckless and unreasonable,” predicting it would tank the budget in future years.

The governor floated two alternatives. The first was a $450 income tax rebate for each Kansas individual filer, which Republican leaders dismissed as a gimmick. The second was a broader plan for $1.1 billion in cuts over the next three years, but aides said top GOP lawmakers never saw it.

Kelly's office also released state data showing how the GOP's income tax cuts would affect broad classes of taxpayers differently.

Those with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 would have seen a cut of less than 5%, while those with incomes of more than $250,000 would have seen a larger decrease, nearly 11%.

The difference in average dollars saved each year was even starker: $122 versus $3,084.

“It was Brownback 2.0,” said state Rep. Tom Sawyer of Wichita, the top Democrat on the House tax committee. “It wasn't sustainable — and the middle class got nothing.”

Republicans pushed back using the same data. The largest group of filers, individuals earning $25,000 or less per year, would have saved an average of $45 a year, but that represented 98% of their burden.

“The majority of the people that would have benefitted from that bill are low-to-middle- income Kansans individuals and families,” said Senate tax committee Chair Caryn Tyson, a Republican from rural eastern Kansas.

Sen. Rob Olson didn't see it that way — at least not the second time the Kansas City-area Republican looked at the GOP plan this week.

Explaining himself publicly on the Senate floor Thursday, Olson said he had talked to his wife, come to the Statehouse early that morning and run some numbers.

“I just don't think we did enough for people at the bottom," he said.

The Senate voted on overriding Kelly's veto Wednesday, and the tally was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426150008_360628/">26-14</a>, one short of the two-thirds majority needed to prevail. Olson was a “yes.”

The Legislature's rules allow any final action to be reconsidered, so the Senate had a second vote Thursday. A GOP colleague, Wichita-area Republican Carolyn McGinn, a former budget committee chair who voted “no” on overriding Kelly, was ready to vote “yes.” She said she'd done calculations showing she no longer needed to fear future budget problems.

Olson's switch doomed the bill. About 30 minutes later, Senate President Ty Masterson announced he had removed Olson as chair of the Senate Utilities Committee.

Last year, during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-congress-kansas-topeka-eaaad4bdc84fa35fe39749aa3f5b9017">an internal GOP fight</a>&nbsp;over redrawing the state's congressional districts, Masterson, another Wichita-area Republican, stripped three other Republican senators of some committee assignments.

As for Olson, he said Friday, “I found him in a position where I couldn't trust him.”

Olson shrugged off the loss of position, suggesting legislative leaders are asserting more control and making the legislative process less open than in the past.

“I've got more time on my hands to get creative,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kelly and Republican leaders are pointing fingers. Smith argues Kelly should have known there wouldn't be another tax plan after the GOP's bill.

But Kelly told reporters, “I’m not going to take any blame for the lack of tax cuts this year.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674609354567.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — No big tax cuts are coming for Kansas residents even though the state treasury is bulging with surplus cash and the Democratic governor and top Republican lawmakers both said over and over that families need relief from inflation.Republican leaders went into the final days of the GOP-controlled Legislature's annual session hoping to override&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flat-income-tax-kansas-cuts-groceries-veto-ce141022829a3c2f1351f4705d37d145">Gov. Laura Kelly's veto</a>&nbsp;of a bill cutting taxes nearly $1.4 billion over the next three years. Instead, a Republican senator helped kill the GOP bill after voting for it the day before — and promptly lost his committee chairmanship.Legislators adjourned Friday night without overturning Kelly's veto or passing another bill. The state now expects to have a surplus of nearly $2.6 billion at the end of June 2024, on top of $1.6 billion socked away in a separate rainy day fund, when annual tax collections are roughly $10 billion.“Everybody's going to be frustrated — business owners, families, households,” said Kansas House tax committee Chair Adam Smith, a Republican from far western Kansas.Tax debates in Kansas have been fraught ever since a 2012-13 experiment in slashing income taxes under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback went sour as big, persistent budget shortfalls followed.Lawmakers eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">reversed most of the experiment</a>, but the political turmoil helped Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">win the governor's office</a>&nbsp;in 2018 and reelection in 2022. She still invokes Brownback's name in clashes with Republicans.Her main beef this year was GOP leaders' plan to move Kansas to a single-rate “flat” income tax for individuals and abandon a three-rate system requiring higher earners to pay a higher rate. The new tax rate would have been 5.15%, while the top rate now is 5.7%Republicans said that when Kelly announced her veto Monday, it already was too late to start on a new bill. But even on Thursday, Kelly told reporters, “They still have time.”"They're not gone yet,” Kelly said. “If they wanted to do something, they could do it.”The GOP tax plan also included bipartisan ideas for reducing taxes on homes, groceries and Social Security income. But Kelly called the GOP's income tax proposal "reckless and unreasonable,” predicting it would tank the budget in future years.The governor floated two alternatives. The first was a $450 income tax rebate for each Kansas individual filer, which Republican leaders dismissed as a gimmick. The second was a broader plan for $1.1 billion in cuts over the next three years, but aides said top GOP lawmakers never saw it.Kelly's office also released state data showing how the GOP's income tax cuts would affect broad classes of taxpayers differently.Those with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 would have seen a cut of less than 5%, while those with incomes of more than $250,000 would have seen a larger decrease, nearly 11%.The difference in average dollars saved each year was even starker: $122 versus $3,084.“It was Brownback 2.0,” said state Rep. Tom Sawyer of Wichita, the top Democrat on the House tax committee. “It wasn't sustainable — and the middle class got nothing.”Republicans pushed back using the same data. The largest group of filers, individuals earning $25,000 or less per year, would have saved an average of $45 a year, but that represented 98% of their burden.“The majority of the people that would have benefitted from that bill are low-to-middle- income Kansans individuals and families,” said Senate tax committee Chair Caryn Tyson, a Republican from rural eastern Kansas.Sen. Rob Olson didn't see it that way — at least not the second time the Kansas City-area Republican looked at the GOP plan this week.Explaining himself publicly on the Senate floor Thursday, Olson said he had talked to his wife, come to the Statehouse early that morning and run some numbers.“I just don't think we did enough for people at the bottom," he said.The Senate voted on overriding Kelly's veto Wednesday, and the tally was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426150008_360628/">26-14</a>, one short of the two-thirds majority needed to prevail. Olson was a “yes.”The Legislature's rules allow any final action to be reconsidered, so the Senate had a second vote Thursday. A GOP colleague, Wichita-area Republican Carolyn McGinn, a former budget committee chair who voted “no” on overriding Kelly, was ready to vote “yes.” She said she'd done calculations showing she no longer needed to fear future budget problems.Olson's switch doomed the bill. About 30 minutes later, Senate President Ty Masterson announced he had removed Olson as chair of the Senate Utilities Committee.Last year, during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-congress-kansas-topeka-eaaad4bdc84fa35fe39749aa3f5b9017">an internal GOP fight</a>&nbsp;over redrawing the state's congressional districts, Masterson, another Wichita-area Republican, stripped three other Republican senators of some committee assignments.As for Olson, he said Friday, “I found him in a position where I couldn't trust him.”Olson shrugged off the loss of position, suggesting legislative leaders are asserting more control and making the legislative process less open than in the past.“I've got more time on my hands to get creative,” he added.Meanwhile, Kelly and Republican leaders are pointing fingers. Smith argues Kelly should have known there wouldn't be another tax plan after the GOP's bill.But Kelly told reporters, “I’m not going to take any blame for the lack of tax cuts this year.”

A veto and a switch: Kansas to see no big tax cuts this year

JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp;—Law enforcement authorities continue to seize fentanyl across Kansas.

On Thursday, the Johnson County Sheriff's office reported on of their K9 teams seized two packages, containing approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills, according to a social media report. These pills were in route to a KC metro address. The sheriff's office reminded the public, "If you haven’t already, please tell your loved ones that illegally using pills can kill you."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682690305690.png" alt="Photo Johnson County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Johnson County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp;—Law enforcement authorities continue to seize fentanyl across Kansas.On Thursday, the Johnson County Sheriff's office reported on of their K9 teams seized two packages, containing approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills, according to a social media report. These pills were in route to a KC metro address. The sheriff's office reminded the public, "If you haven’t already, please tell your loved ones that illegally using pills can kill you."

Kansas K-9 team finds 20,000 fentanyl pills

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Army has grounded aviation units for training after 12 soldiers died within the last month in helicopter crashes in Alaska and Kentucky, the military branch announced Friday.

The suspension of air operations was effective immediately, with units grounded until they complete the training, said Lt. Col. Terence Kelley, an Army spokesperson. For active-duty units, the training is to take place between May 1 and 5. Army National Guard and Reserve units will have until May 31 to complete the training.

On Thursday, two Army helicopters collided near Healy, Alaska, killing three soldiers and injuring a fourth. The aircraft from the 1st Attack Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment at Fort Wainwright, near Fairbanks, were returning from training at the time of the crash, according to the Army. The unit is part of the 11th Airborne Division, which is nicknamed the “Arctic Angels.”

Military investigators were making their way to Alaska's interior, with a team from Fort Novosel, Alabama, expected to arrive at the crash site by Saturday, said John Pennell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Alaska. Little new information about the crash was released Friday.

The Army on Thursday said two of the soldiers died at the site and the third on the way to a hospital in Fairbanks. The injured fourth soldier was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition Friday, Pennell said. The names of those who were killed were not immediately released.

“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel,” Army Chief of Staff James McConville said of the decision to ground flight units for training.

The crash is the second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-helicopters-crashes-ca1fd876ca7908a35aef224b8cae4f1a">accident involving military helicopters</a>&nbsp;in Alaska this year.

In February, two soldiers were injured when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-alaska-accidents-6b1879e242c05015a5a4229fcac796df">an Apache helicopter rolled after taking off from Talkeetna</a>. The aircraft was one of four traveling to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage from Fort Wainwright.

In March, nine soldiers were killed when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-helicopters-crash-kentucky-89c9dbcd035b3cc7c637c2b1f0a037a2">two U.S. Army Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed</a>&nbsp;during a routine nighttime training exercise about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The Army said that while Thursday's crash and the one in Kentucky remain under investigation, “there is no indication of any pattern between the two mishaps.”

Healy is home to about 1,000 people roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Denali National Park and Preserve, or about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of Anchorage.

Located on the Parks Highway, the community is a popular place for people to spend the night while visiting Denali Park, which is home to the continent’s tallest mountain.

Healy is also famous for being the town closest to the former bus that had been abandoned in the backcountry and was popularized by the book “Into the Wild” and the movie of the same name.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-us-news-ak-state-wire-alaska-travel-b7be5698e339dc3adfc35b55dd11f1db">The bus was removed and taken to Fairbanks in 2020</a>.

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Army has grounded aviation units for training after 12 soldiers died within the last month in helicopter crashes in Alaska and Kentucky, the military branch announced Friday.The suspension of air operations was effective immediately, with units grounded until they complete the training, said Lt. Col. Terence Kelley, an Army spokesperson. For active-duty units, the training is to take place between May 1 and 5. Army National Guard and Reserve units will have until May 31 to complete the training.“The move grounds all Army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” the Army said in a statement.On Thursday, two Army helicopters collided near Healy, Alaska, killing three soldiers and injuring a fourth. The aircraft from the 1st Attack Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment at Fort Wainwright, near Fairbanks, were returning from training at the time of the crash, according to the Army. The unit is part of the 11th Airborne Division, which is nicknamed the “Arctic Angels.”Military investigators were making their way to Alaska's interior, with a team from Fort Novosel, Alabama, expected to arrive at the crash site by Saturday, said John Pennell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Alaska. Little new information about the crash was released Friday.The Army on Thursday said two of the soldiers died at the site and the third on the way to a hospital in Fairbanks. The injured fourth soldier was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition Friday, Pennell said. The names of those who were killed were not immediately released.“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel,” Army Chief of Staff James McConville said of the decision to ground flight units for training.The crash is the second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-helicopters-crashes-ca1fd876ca7908a35aef224b8cae4f1a">accident involving military helicopters</a>&nbsp;in Alaska this year.In February, two soldiers were injured when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-alaska-accidents-6b1879e242c05015a5a4229fcac796df">an Apache helicopter rolled after taking off from Talkeetna</a>. The aircraft was one of four traveling to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage from Fort Wainwright.In March, nine soldiers were killed when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-helicopters-crash-kentucky-89c9dbcd035b3cc7c637c2b1f0a037a2">two U.S. Army Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed</a>&nbsp;during a routine nighttime training exercise about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.The Army said that while Thursday's crash and the one in Kentucky remain under investigation, “there is no indication of any pattern between the two mishaps.”Healy is home to about 1,000 people roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Denali National Park and Preserve, or about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of Anchorage.Located on the Parks Highway, the community is a popular place for people to spend the night while visiting Denali Park, which is home to the continent’s tallest mountain.Healy is also famous for being the town closest to the former bus that had been abandoned in the backcountry and was popularized by the book “Into the Wild” and the movie of the same name.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-us-news-ak-state-wire-alaska-travel-b7be5698e339dc3adfc35b55dd11f1db">The bus was removed and taken to Fairbanks in 2020</a>.

Army grounds aviators for training after fatal crashes

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a domestic disturbance have a suspect in custody.

Tanner Thompson, 27, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections Thursday evening, according to online jail records.

Just before 11a.m. Tuesday, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 3800 block of SE Croco Road for a domestic disturbance, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

At the residence, deputies discovered a woman and an infant victim. Both were transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

At 1:15pm, law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with a suspect identified as Thompson, who was believed to still be inside the residence. 

Southbound SE Croco Road was shut down to one lane of travel during that time period. At 2pm, officers entered and cleared the residence. No person was located inside the residence.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office asked the community’s assistance Thompson. He had an active felony warrant for his arrest. He is being held on requested charges of Criminal Threat,&nbsp;Aggravated Endangering A Child; Reckless Situation, battery, assault and&nbsp;Domestic battery; Knowing or reckless bodily harm to family/person in dating relationship.

Authorities have not released details on his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682456740394.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation Tuesday-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation Tuesday-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a domestic disturbance have a suspect in custody.Tanner Thompson, 27, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections Thursday evening, according to online jail records.Just before 11a.m. Tuesday, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 3800 block of SE Croco Road for a domestic disturbance, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682714690044.png" alt="Thompson-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Thompson-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>At the residence, deputies discovered a woman and an infant victim. Both were transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.At 1:15pm, law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with a suspect identified as Thompson, who was believed to still be inside the residence. Southbound SE Croco Road was shut down to one lane of travel during that time period. At 2pm, officers entered and cleared the residence. No person was located inside the residence.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office asked the community’s assistance Thompson. He had an active felony warrant for his arrest. He is being held on requested charges of Criminal Threat,&nbsp;Aggravated Endangering A Child; Reckless Situation, battery, assault and&nbsp;Domestic battery; Knowing or reckless bodily harm to family/person in dating relationship.Authorities have not released details on his arrest.

Kan. man accused of injuring woman, infant is in custody

Manhattan&nbsp;–&nbsp;A Manhattan man died Friday following an arrest and confinement in the Riley County Jail, according to a statement from the Riley County Police Department.

Just before 2a.m. Thursday, Joseph Varvel, 25, was detained in the 300 block of N. 14th&nbsp;Street in Manhattan for suspicious activity.

While speaking with officers, he ran and was later found in possession of cocaine. Officers on scene called for Riley County EMS (RCEMS) assistance at 1:50 a.m. after Varvel complained of breathing issues while in custody. RCEMS arrived on scene at 1:56 a.m. and cleared Varvel at 2:05 a.m.

Officers then arrested Varvel on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of cocaine, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, and interference with LEO and transported him to the Riley County Jail.

RCEMS was called at 3:32 a.m. when Varvel became physically ill. His condition quickly deteriorated and Corrections Officers began lifesaving measures. RCEMS arrived at 3:41 a.m. and continued lifesaving measures. RCEMS then transported Varvel to Via Christi in Manhattan at 4:03 a.m. where he arrived at 4:12 a.m. and was pronounced dead at 4:47 a.m.

Per state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) will be the lead agency investigating&nbsp;the death. An autopsy will be conducted.

Manhattan&nbsp;–&nbsp;A Manhattan man died Friday following an arrest and confinement in the Riley County Jail, according to a statement from the Riley County Police Department.Just before 2a.m. Thursday, Joseph Varvel, 25, was detained in the 300 block of N. 14th&nbsp;Street in Manhattan for suspicious activity.While speaking with officers, he ran and was later found in possession of cocaine. Officers on scene called for Riley County EMS (RCEMS) assistance at 1:50 a.m. after Varvel complained of breathing issues while in custody. RCEMS arrived on scene at 1:56 a.m. and cleared Varvel at 2:05 a.m.Officers then arrested Varvel on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of cocaine, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, and interference with LEO and transported him to the Riley County Jail.RCEMS was called at 3:32 a.m. when Varvel became physically ill. His condition quickly deteriorated and Corrections Officers began lifesaving measures. RCEMS arrived at 3:41 a.m. and continued lifesaving measures. RCEMS then transported Varvel to Via Christi in Manhattan at 4:03 a.m. where he arrived at 4:12 a.m. and was pronounced dead at 4:47 a.m.Per state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) will be the lead agency investigating&nbsp;the death. An autopsy will be conducted.

Kansas man in police custody has died

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Abortion bans in deeply conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-heartbeat-bill-nebraska-78b861951e8cc0ca92fa320820e2cbee">Nebraska</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-abortion-ban-legislature-8a3d4c18db8aabfc869b9466aa4f76aa">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;both fell short of advancing in close legislative votes amid heated debates among Republicans, yet another sign that abortion is becoming a difficult issue for the GOP.

In Nebraska, where abortion is banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy, an effort to ban abortion about the sixth week of pregnancy fell one vote short of breaking a filibuster. Cheers erupted outside the legislative chamber as the last vote was cast, with opponents of the bill waving signs and chanting, “Whose house? Our house!”

In South Carolina, lawmakers voted 22-21 to shelve a proposed near-total abortion ban for the rest of the year. Republican Sen. Sandy Senn criticized Majority Leader Shane Massey for repeatedly “taking us off a cliff on abortion.”

“The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words,” she said.

The Nebraska proposal, backed by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, is unlikely to move forward this year. And in South Carolina, where abortion remains legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy, the vote marked the third time a near-total abortion ban has failed in the Republican-led Senate chamber since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last summer.

The state has increasingly served patients across a region where Republican officials have otherwise curtailed access to abortion. Six Republicans helped block motions to end debate and defeated any chance the bill will pass this year.

Fourteen other states have bans in place on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Four other states have bans throughout pregnancy where enforcement is blocked by courts. The majority of those bans were adopted in anticipation of Roe being overturned, and most do not have exceptions for rape or incest.

In Utah, a judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-abortion-clinic-ban-b568ddfab7c9bd2c9fdbf9a36e03668f">will consider a request from Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;to delay implementing a statewide ban on abortion clinics set to take effect next week. Planned Parenthood argues a state law passed this year will effectively end access to abortion throughout the state when clinics stop being able to apply for the licenses they’ve historically relied on to operate.

In North Dakota,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-ban-exceptions-da5a7b70eb8757cb563529881f3c4b40">Gov. Doug Burgum signed a ban Monday</a>&nbsp;that has narrow exceptions: Abortion is legal in pregnancies caused by rape or incest, but only in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is allowed later in pregnancy only in specific medical emergencies.

The North Dakota law is intended to replace a previous ban that is not being enforced while a state court weighs its constitutionality.

Pat Neal, 72, of Lincoln, was among those cheering the Nebraska vote Thursday. She, like others in attendance, expressed shock at the bill's failure.

“This gives me hope for the future,” she said. “It gives me hope that the direction we’ve been seeing — across the country — could turn around.”

The bill failed to get the crucial 33rd vote when Sen. Merv Riepe, a former hospital administrator from Ralston, abstained. Riepe was a cosigner of the bill but expressed concern this year that a six-week ban might not give women enough time to know they were pregnant.

Riepe introduced a measure Thursday that would have extended the proposed ban to 12 weeks and add to the bill’s list of exceptions any fetal anomalies deemed incompatible with life.

When he received pushback from fellow Republicans, Riepe warned his conservative colleagues they should heed signs that abortion will galvanize women to vote them out of office.

“We must embrace the future of reproductive rights,” he said.

Independent South Carolina Sen. Mia McLeod criticized leaders who prioritized the near-total ban over efforts to make South Carolina the 49th state in the country with a law allowing harsher punishments for violent hate crimes.

McLeod, who shared during a previous abortion debate that she had been raped, said it is unfortunate that women must reveal intimate experiences to “enlighten and engage” men.

“Just as rape is about power and control, so is this total ban,” McLeod said Thursday. “Those who continue to push legislation like this are raping us again with their indifference, violating us again with their righteous indignation, taunting us again with their insatiable need to play God while they continue to pass laws that are ungodly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682703916625.jpeg" alt="Pat Neal, left, and Ann Fintell, both of Lincoln, celebrate in the Nebraska Capitol rotunda after the failure of a bill that would have banned abortion around the sixth week of pregnancy, Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Lincoln, Neb. The bill is now likely dead for the year, leaving in place a 2010 law that bans abortions at 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Margery Beck)" />
 <figcaption>Pat Neal, left, and Ann Fintell, both of Lincoln, celebrate in the Nebraska Capitol rotunda after the failure of a bill that would have banned abortion around the sixth week of pregnancy, Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Lincoln, Neb. The bill is now likely dead for the year, leaving in place a 2010 law that bans abortions at 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Margery Beck)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Abortion bans in deeply conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-heartbeat-bill-nebraska-78b861951e8cc0ca92fa320820e2cbee">Nebraska</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-abortion-ban-legislature-8a3d4c18db8aabfc869b9466aa4f76aa">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;both fell short of advancing in close legislative votes amid heated debates among Republicans, yet another sign that abortion is becoming a difficult issue for the GOP.In Nebraska, where abortion is banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy, an effort to ban abortion about the sixth week of pregnancy fell one vote short of breaking a filibuster. Cheers erupted outside the legislative chamber as the last vote was cast, with opponents of the bill waving signs and chanting, “Whose house? Our house!”In South Carolina, lawmakers voted 22-21 to shelve a proposed near-total abortion ban for the rest of the year. Republican Sen. Sandy Senn criticized Majority Leader Shane Massey for repeatedly “taking us off a cliff on abortion.”“The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words,” she said.The Nebraska proposal, backed by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, is unlikely to move forward this year. And in South Carolina, where abortion remains legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy, the vote marked the third time a near-total abortion ban has failed in the Republican-led Senate chamber since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last summer.The state has increasingly served patients across a region where Republican officials have otherwise curtailed access to abortion. Six Republicans helped block motions to end debate and defeated any chance the bill will pass this year.Fourteen other states have bans in place on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Four other states have bans throughout pregnancy where enforcement is blocked by courts. The majority of those bans were adopted in anticipation of Roe being overturned, and most do not have exceptions for rape or incest.In Utah, a judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-abortion-clinic-ban-b568ddfab7c9bd2c9fdbf9a36e03668f">will consider a request from Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;to delay implementing a statewide ban on abortion clinics set to take effect next week. Planned Parenthood argues a state law passed this year will effectively end access to abortion throughout the state when clinics stop being able to apply for the licenses they’ve historically relied on to operate.In North Dakota,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-ban-exceptions-da5a7b70eb8757cb563529881f3c4b40">Gov. Doug Burgum signed a ban Monday</a>&nbsp;that has narrow exceptions: Abortion is legal in pregnancies caused by rape or incest, but only in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is allowed later in pregnancy only in specific medical emergencies.The North Dakota law is intended to replace a previous ban that is not being enforced while a state court weighs its constitutionality.Pat Neal, 72, of Lincoln, was among those cheering the Nebraska vote Thursday. She, like others in attendance, expressed shock at the bill's failure.“This gives me hope for the future,” she said. “It gives me hope that the direction we’ve been seeing — across the country — could turn around.”The bill failed to get the crucial 33rd vote when Sen. Merv Riepe, a former hospital administrator from Ralston, abstained. Riepe was a cosigner of the bill but expressed concern this year that a six-week ban might not give women enough time to know they were pregnant.Riepe introduced a measure Thursday that would have extended the proposed ban to 12 weeks and add to the bill’s list of exceptions any fetal anomalies deemed incompatible with life.When he received pushback from fellow Republicans, Riepe warned his conservative colleagues they should heed signs that abortion will galvanize women to vote them out of office.“We must embrace the future of reproductive rights,” he said.Independent South Carolina Sen. Mia McLeod criticized leaders who prioritized the near-total ban over efforts to make South Carolina the 49th state in the country with a law allowing harsher punishments for violent hate crimes.McLeod, who shared during a previous abortion debate that she had been raped, said it is unfortunate that women must reveal intimate experiences to “enlighten and engage” men.“Just as rape is about power and control, so is this total ban,” McLeod said Thursday. “Those who continue to push legislation like this are raping us again with their indifference, violating us again with their righteous indignation, taunting us again with their insatiable need to play God while they continue to pass laws that are ungodly.”

Abortion ban fails in conservative Nebraska

Negotiations between the largest health insurance company in the state and the largest health care provider in central and north-central Kansas have entered the public arena.

By SALINA POST Negotiations between the largest health insurance company in the state and the largest health care provider in central and north-central Kansas have entered the public arena.In a members website update titled "Salina Regional Health Center Contract Update" dated April 26, 2023, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) noted that it "is currently in negotiation with Salina Regional Health Center (SRHC) to come to an agreement on a contract that is mutually beneficial for both organizations and, most importantly, for our members."The update continues with the following.We were made aware of a letter sent recently by the SRHC CEO to his staff and partnering hospitals. Matt All, BCBSKS president/CEO then spoke with the SRHC CEO. It was a good conversation focused on partnership and collaboration between the two organizations.BCBSKS will continue to work toward an agreement that keeps SRHC in network for years to come. At this time, we have every reason to believe that this will happen. In the meantime, members can still receive in-network care at SRHC.Join us in reaching out to SRHC and ask them to keep you in mind when making their decisions. That they keep your care in network and that they don't ask you to pay more than your share.The BCBSKS update then includes contact information for Salina Regional.Additionally, the update includes a short video from Matt All, BCBSKS president and CEO, in which he said, "Now you may have heard recently from executives at Salina Regional Health Center claiming that we're not paying them enough money for the services they provide to our members. But the fact is, these executives are demanding more money. Drastically more money, beyond the fair and reasonable rates that we already pay them. That money comes from the premiums you pay. When we pay them more money, you pay them more."All continues, "We want to protect your money. In fact, you've told us that affordability and keeping costs down are the most important things we can do for you. Salina Regional is feeling the sting of inflation, but so are you, our groups and members. Your business and living expenses have also gone up. That's why every year, we're working closely with hospitals to deliver reimbursement rates to help keep their doors open, while keeping costs in check for our members."We typically do this one-on-one with the hospital, face-to-face, as fellow Kansans. But this year, Salina Regional has taken a different approach, aggressively demanding more money. Instead of collaborating with us to keep healthcare affordable, they're taking this public and putting you in the middle, a position that could ultimately impact your access to care and hurt your wallet."Despite these actions, we want to work with Salina Regional to provide affordable, quality healthcare close to home. We've been a longstanding partner with Salina Regional, supporting them through good times and bad. Most recently, we paid them well beyond their contract to help keep their hospital staff and doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now rest assured, we have more than 97 percent of doctors and hospitals in our network and we have every confidence that this is going to work out between Salina Regional and that they're going to remain in network. Until then, we'll keep communication open, protect your dollars, and work toward an agreement. So please join us in reaching out to Salina Regional to ask that they keep you in mind when making their decisions. That they keep your care in network. That they don't ask you to pay more than your share. Thank you," All concluded.The video also includes share to Facebook and Twitter features.In response, Salina Regional this afternoon released the following statement.A note from CEO Joel PhelpsOur focus across our system is to provide top quality care with access to high level of services to patients across our region. Our mission is to provide services close to home so patients can stay in their communities to receive the healthcare they deserve. We are committed to hiring staff, nurses, physicians and providers who value providing high quality, patient centered care.I’m writing today to share some important news about your health insurance benefits and your in-network access to Salina Regional through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS). This is the email no hospital leadership team ever wants to write, but it’s important that you are fully informed so you can make the best decisions for yourself, your employees, and their families.First, let me share a quick bit of context. Every year, the largest health insurance company in the state, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, sends every hospital and physician in the state a letter outlining the payment rates they will receive for the care they provide the following year. We must sign that offer by a certain date or the provider’s contract ends and they become an out of network provider. And every year, we have been told that Salina Regional Health Center is paid at rates similar to our comparable competitors – Lawrence, Stormont Vail, St. Francis, and Manhattan.Unfortunately, we now know this isn’t true, and it hasn’t been true for years.Publicly available price transparency now reveals that Salina Regional is paid substantially less than other hospitals. We are doing our part. BCBSKS must do its part through fair payment rates and fair treatment of hospitals and physicians.Salina Regional cannot continue to deliver top quality care in a rural part of the state while being paid as much as 50% less than comparable hospitals in urban markets. Our system isn’t providing 50% less care in comparison to hospitals in urban areas; our system isn’t providing 50% less quality or 50% fewer services than hospitals in urban areas. Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas needs to recognize patients in rural areas deserve to receive care close to home and pay Salina Regional Health Center System fair rates.We want to be a good value, and we want to be good stewards of your healthcare dollar. That doesn’t mean BCBSKS should take advantage of us. Salina Regional needs to be paid fairly, and that means BCBSKS making our payment rates equal to other comparable hospitals in the state.We get it. No one wants to pay more for healthcare. We don’t want you or your employees to pay more either. We know Blue Cross has the money without raising premiums one penny. In fact, BCBSKS’s reserves created by excess profits have increased $300 million in the last five years alone. That’s money that should have been used to pay Salina Regional, and possibly other providers too, fairly.Salina Regional faces significant financial pressures, just like every other hospital in America right now. We’ve struggled to maintain a strong financial foundation, and make ongoing investments in our facilities and equipment, only to find out that BCBSKS has been financially starving Salina Regional. That must change.If BCBSKS refuses to pay us fairly, we will have no choice but to go out of network. This is a practical need as well as a matter of principle.I am sorry BCBSKS shared a video with your employees and the media before they communicated with you. We have been asking for parity and fairness, and are surprised this is their response.I wish I didn’t have to share this news, and I wish we weren’t in this situation. My promise is this: we will work hard, in good faith, to reach a new agreement with BCBSKS. I hope they will do the same.We have launched a website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.srhc.com/blue">www.srhc.com/blue</a>&nbsp;to provide the information people need, and we will update it regularly. Beyond that, if you have any questions, please email me at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fairrates@srhc.com">fairrates@srhc.com</a>&nbsp;or call me at 785-452-7000. I appreciate your trust and continued support of Salina Regional Health Center.On the special website Salina Regional set up are links to contact BCBSKS, as well as a link concerning BCBSKS' "financial performance."Additionally, there is a link through which people can sign up for updates from Salina Regional.