LANE COUNTY— In recent years, there have been numerous reports of people discovering folded one dollar bills that contain illegal and potentially dangerous drugs, according to a statement from the Lane County Sheriff.

"While using folded money or paper to transport drugs has long been a common practice, the emergence of substances like Fentanyl has made it exceptionally hazardous."

On Sunday, a citizen contacted the on-duty Deputy to report that they had found a folded one dollar bill in their yard. 

Upon unfolding it, a white substance spilled out. The bill was confiscated and field tested positive for Methamphetamine. Further field tests for Opiates and Fentanyl were negative.

The Sheriff's department reminded, "it is important to remain vigilant about potential hazards in your surroundings."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726532415.png" alt="Photo Lane County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Lane County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LANE COUNTY— In recent years, there have been numerous reports of people discovering folded one dollar bills that contain illegal and potentially dangerous drugs, according to a statement from the Lane County Sheriff."While using folded money or paper to transport drugs has long been a common practice, the emergence of substances like Fentanyl has made it exceptionally hazardous."On Sunday, a citizen contacted the on-duty Deputy to report that they had found a folded one dollar bill in their yard. Upon unfolding it, a white substance spilled out. The bill was confiscated and field tested positive for Methamphetamine. Further field tests for Opiates and Fentanyl were negative.The Sheriff's department reminded, "it is important to remain vigilant about potential hazards in your surroundings."

Kansas sheriff warns: Don’t pick up folded dollar bills

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris this weekend urged Americans to take action during “a critical point in our nation’s history” as thousands of protesters demonstrated across the country against new limits to abortion rights making their way through the courts.

Saturday’s nationwide rallies were sparked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-ff152a443d8439e8fa5d9376070822b2">U.S. Supreme Court’s actions</a>&nbsp;the day before, when the high court intervened to delay rule changes that would have limited the way the abortion drug mifepristone could be used and dispensed. The limits were paused while the court reviews the case more thoroughly.

Harris made a surprise stop in Los Angeles at one of the rallies, where she called the latest upheaval over abortion rights a further incursion by conservatives into myriad “fundamental rights” many Americans thought they had.

“And so this is a moment that history will show required each of us — based on our collective love of our country — to stand up, and fight for, and protect our ideals. That’s what this moment is,” she said Saturday, speaking to several hundred demonstrators from the steps of City Hall. “When you attack the rights of women in America, you are attacking America.”

Some of the protesters voiced their anger at the steps of the nation's high court, which took Friday's action at the request of the federal Justice Department. The agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c">asked the high court</a>&nbsp;to lift restrictions on mifepristone imposed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">an appellate court</a>&nbsp;in Texas earlier in the week. The decision by the appellate court reduced the window of time when the drug could be used and prevented the drug from being dispensed by mail.

Critics of the Texas and appellate court decisions, including pharmaceutical companies, viewed the courts’ actions as a dangerous intrusion into the authority of the FDA, which regulates how medications are sold and used in the United States.

Demonstrators in New York City stood behind a sign with a four-letter expletive directed at Texas, where a federal judge set off the latest salvo in the battle over abortion. They held signs urging the government to defend medication abortions.

But the crowd was modest, attracting a little more than 100 people outside the picturesque public library along Fifth Avenue.

Still, the demonstrators attracted looks from passersby along the busy thoroughfare, some briefly joining the group to lend their voices.

“It can be hard to get people out, because people are being bombarded with all kinds of assaults on their bodies and people are tired and poor,” said Viva Ruiz, who said she helped organize the rally.

“The news cycle is so fast that when one thing happens something terrible happens the next day. So it’s hard to sustain the momentum or the energy for people to be on the streets,” Ruiz said.

With few exceptions, many of the rallies — organized under the banner of a group calling itself “Bigger than Roe” — were held in smaller cities.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">last year's reversal</a>&nbsp;of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized the right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-states-lawsuits-ac6dc09c0dd66a146d3ddfde061fc1a6">more than a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have effectively outlawed abortion, while additional states have moved to further tighten abortion laws.

On Thursday, the GOP-dominated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-desantis-07c1543fe28b6c09e777bec58de7640f">Florida Legislature</a>&nbsp;moved to became the latest state to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

Restrictions on the delivery and use of mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen to end a pregnancy, would be a further blow to abortion rights advocates. The other drug, misoprostol, can be used on its own, but doing so is less effective than using both drugs in combination.

When mifepristone was initially approved, the FDA limited its use to up to seven weeks of pregnancy. It also required three in-person office visits: the first to administer mifepristone, the next to administer the second drug, misoprostol, and the third to address any complications.

If the appeals court’s action stands, those would again be the terms under which mifepristone could be dispensed.

States that support abortion rights, including California and New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-states-stockpiling-abortion-pills-mifepristone-bab172f4037eb73fe90142ba28c23cc0">have begun stockpiling</a>&nbsp;misoprostol to assure their states have adequate supplies. Washington state is among those stockpiling a supply of mifepristone or its generic form. And Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the administration is dedicating $1 million to help providers contracted with the Department of Public Health buy additional quantities of mifepristone.

More than 5.6 million women in the U.S. had used mifepristone as of June 2022, according to the FDA. In that period, the agency received 4,200 reports of complications in women, or less than one-tenth of 1% of women who took the drug.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris this weekend urged Americans to take action during “a critical point in our nation’s history” as thousands of protesters demonstrated across the country against new limits to abortion rights making their way through the courts.Saturday’s nationwide rallies were sparked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-ff152a443d8439e8fa5d9376070822b2">U.S. Supreme Court’s actions</a>&nbsp;the day before, when the high court intervened to delay rule changes that would have limited the way the abortion drug mifepristone could be used and dispensed. The limits were paused while the court reviews the case more thoroughly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We march today to keep abortion safe and legal — and to protect a women’s right to choose. Honored to have <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> in Los Angeles standing with us for the fight of our lives. <a href="https://t.co/i4YOj4q1uz">pic.twitter.com/i4YOj4q1uz</a>&mdash; Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorOfLA/status/1647395820487192578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Harris made a surprise stop in Los Angeles at one of the rallies, where she called the latest upheaval over abortion rights a further incursion by conservatives into myriad “fundamental rights” many Americans thought they had.“And so this is a moment that history will show required each of us — based on our collective love of our country — to stand up, and fight for, and protect our ideals. That’s what this moment is,” she said Saturday, speaking to several hundred demonstrators from the steps of City Hall. “When you attack the rights of women in America, you are attacking America.”Some of the protesters voiced their anger at the steps of the nation's high court, which took Friday's action at the request of the federal Justice Department. The agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c">asked the high court</a>&nbsp;to lift restrictions on mifepristone imposed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">an appellate court</a>&nbsp;in Texas earlier in the week. The decision by the appellate court reduced the window of time when the drug could be used and prevented the drug from being dispensed by mail.Critics of the Texas and appellate court decisions, including pharmaceutical companies, viewed the courts’ actions as a dangerous intrusion into the authority of the FDA, which regulates how medications are sold and used in the United States.Demonstrators in New York City stood behind a sign with a four-letter expletive directed at Texas, where a federal judge set off the latest salvo in the battle over abortion. They held signs urging the government to defend medication abortions.But the crowd was modest, attracting a little more than 100 people outside the picturesque public library along Fifth Avenue.Still, the demonstrators attracted looks from passersby along the busy thoroughfare, some briefly joining the group to lend their voices.“It can be hard to get people out, because people are being bombarded with all kinds of assaults on their bodies and people are tired and poor,” said Viva Ruiz, who said she helped organize the rally.“The news cycle is so fast that when one thing happens something terrible happens the next day. So it’s hard to sustain the momentum or the energy for people to be on the streets,” Ruiz said.With few exceptions, many of the rallies — organized under the banner of a group calling itself “Bigger than Roe” — were held in smaller cities.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">last year's reversal</a>&nbsp;of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized the right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-states-lawsuits-ac6dc09c0dd66a146d3ddfde061fc1a6">more than a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have effectively outlawed abortion, while additional states have moved to further tighten abortion laws.On Thursday, the GOP-dominated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-desantis-07c1543fe28b6c09e777bec58de7640f">Florida Legislature</a>&nbsp;moved to became the latest state to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.Restrictions on the delivery and use of mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen to end a pregnancy, would be a further blow to abortion rights advocates. The other drug, misoprostol, can be used on its own, but doing so is less effective than using both drugs in combination.When mifepristone was initially approved, the FDA limited its use to up to seven weeks of pregnancy. It also required three in-person office visits: the first to administer mifepristone, the next to administer the second drug, misoprostol, and the third to address any complications.If the appeals court’s action stands, those would again be the terms under which mifepristone could be dispensed.States that support abortion rights, including California and New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-states-stockpiling-abortion-pills-mifepristone-bab172f4037eb73fe90142ba28c23cc0">have begun stockpiling</a>&nbsp;misoprostol to assure their states have adequate supplies. Washington state is among those stockpiling a supply of mifepristone or its generic form. And Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the administration is dedicating $1 million to help providers contracted with the Department of Public Health buy additional quantities of mifepristone.More than 5.6 million women in the U.S. had used mifepristone as of June 2022, according to the FDA. In that period, the agency received 4,200 reports of complications in women, or less than one-tenth of 1% of women who took the drug.

Vice President rallies as high court eyes abortion pill rules

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident during a law enforcement pursuit just before 2:30a.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Wichita Police 2019 Dodge Charger driven by Officer Nathaniel A. Denshaw, 32, Wichita, was westbound on Kellogg at Greenwich engaged in a pursuit.

The driver failed to yield at a stop light and struck a northbound 2017 Ford Fusion driven by Brianna N. Coon, 22, Augusta.

EMS transported officer, Coon, and a passenger in the Ford identified as Cameron A. Tadayon, 22, Wichita, to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase or additional information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident during a law enforcement pursuit just before 2:30a.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Wichita Police 2019 Dodge Charger driven by Officer Nathaniel A. Denshaw, 32, Wichita, was westbound on Kellogg at Greenwich engaged in a pursuit.The driver failed to yield at a stop light and struck a northbound 2017 Ford Fusion driven by Brianna N. Coon, 22, Augusta.EMS transported officer, Coon, and a passenger in the Ford identified as Cameron A. Tadayon, 22, Wichita, to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase or additional information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Crash during pursuit injures Kansas officer, 2 others

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a Black teenager who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers includes questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City said.

Police are quickly preparing evidence for prosecutors in Thursday's shooting, Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday at a news conference at police headquarters.

“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the family

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article274380535.html">reported</a>&nbsp;the 16-year-old, whom family members have identified online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after he was shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend's house. Police said he went to the wrong house and was shot there.

Officials would not confirm the number of times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had a life-threatening injury. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.

Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information that officials have now does not point to the shooting being racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect also remains under investigation.

Investigators also will consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.

Yarl was meant to pick up his brothers from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He ended up ringing the doorbell at a home on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.

A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran from the property, but he had to ask at three different homes before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.

Kansas City police officers said they responded around 10 p.m.

Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold. While searching the scene for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.

Missouri law allows a person to be held up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. In order to arrest someone, law enforcement needs a formal victim statement, forensic evidence and other information for a case file to be completed, Graves said.

Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement.

Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police department attended Sunday’s protest in the neighborhood where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.

“This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," Lucas said.

Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has retained his Florida-based law firm.

“You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification," Crump said. “This guy should be charged.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">Crump has represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Crump said the homeowner initially shot the teen in the head and then a second time after the boy fell to the ground. The family also has retained Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in 2019.

Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.

“It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play,” he said.

Even though Yarl "is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe she started to raise money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681726215314.png" alt="Yarl-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Yarl-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a Black teenager who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers includes questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Chief Graves spoke with media regarding updates in the case involving the juvenile who was shot Thursday night. <a href="https://t.co/ZTHPbwWcto">pic.twitter.com/ZTHPbwWcto</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1647716769073860608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police are quickly preparing evidence for prosecutors in Thursday's shooting, Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday at a news conference at police headquarters.“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nf36y-cover-medical-expenses">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the the GoFundMe to assist the familyThe Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article274380535.html">reported</a>&nbsp;the 16-year-old, whom family members have identified online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after he was shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend's house. Police said he went to the wrong house and was shot there.Officials would not confirm the number of times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had a life-threatening injury. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Like many, I am heartbroken and angered by the recent shooting of a child in our community who simply came to a doorstep to pick up his younger siblings. This never should have happened.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1647735414898270208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police have not identified the shooter or his race, though civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information that officials have now does not point to the shooting being racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect also remains under investigation.Investigators also will consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.Yarl was meant to pick up his brothers from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He ended up ringing the doorbell at a home on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran from the property, but he had to ask at three different homes before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.Kansas City police officers said they responded around 10 p.m.Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold. While searching the scene for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.Missouri law allows a person to be held up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. In order to arrest someone, law enforcement needs a formal victim statement, forensic evidence and other information for a case file to be completed, Graves said.Because of the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police haven’t been able to get a victim statement.Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police department attended Sunday’s protest in the neighborhood where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.“This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department," Lucas said.Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has retained his Florida-based law firm.“You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification," Crump said. “This guy should be charged.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trayvon-martin-death-of-george-floyd-florida-race-and-ethnicity-michael-brown-96d01a255bebe5762a9bf356768a5e5c">Crump has represented families</a>&nbsp;in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.Crump said the homeowner initially shot the teen in the head and then a second time after the boy fell to the ground. The family also has retained Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in 2019.Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.“It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play,” he said.Even though Yarl "is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe she started to raise money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.----------

🎥Homeowner shoots, injures Black teen who went to wrong house

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The death toll from Russian missile strikes on eastern Ukraine's city of Sloviansk rose to 11 as rescue crews tried to reach people trapped in the rubble of an apartment building, Ukrainian authorities said.

Ukraine's air force said the country would soon have weapons with which to try to prevent attacks like the one on Friday. The delivery of the Patriot air defense system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-b90ce5a55b1f6b820d03da96612b3796">promised by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was expected in Ukraine sometime after Easter, Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.

The primarily Orthodox Christian country observed Easter on Sunday. Speaking Saturday on Ukrainian state TV, Ihnat declined to give a precise timeline for the arrival of the defensive missile system but said the public would know “as soon as the first Russian aircraft is shot down.”

A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-patriot-missiles-fort-sill-8afb4a17cae52cb19428c5a5adcacb7f">completed their training</a>&nbsp;last month at Fort Sill, a U.S. Army post in Oklahoma, and returned to Europe to learn more about using the defensive missile system to track and shoot down enemy aircraft.

Officials said at the time that the Ukrainians would then go back to their country with a Patriot missile battery, which typically includes six mobile launchers, a mobile radar, a power generator and an engagement control center.

Germany and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-politics-netherlands-government-united-states-03128d7faeb04340cc8a1421cf6ae42e">the Netherlands</a>&nbsp;also have pledged to provide a Patriot system each to Ukraine. In addition, a SAMP/T anti-missile system pledged by France and Italy “should enter Ukraine in the near future,” Ihnat said this week.

The Ukrainian military is looking to beef up its ability to intercept missiles as it prepares for an expected spring counter-offensive to retake Russian-occupied areas of the country. Although more than a year of fighting has depleted weapons supplies on both sides, Russian forces have intensified their 8 1/2-month campaign to seize the city of Bakhmut, the focus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-bakhmut-3036cdd95c89ae2df31ded0ba80bb7c8">the war's longest battle</a>&nbsp;so far.

Bakhmut and Sloviansk are located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) apart in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province.

Rescue teams in Sloviansk recovered the bodies of two people from under the rubble of a house hit in Friday's missile strikes, according to the State Emergency Service. They also searched Saturday for five people who remained in the wreckage of the apartment building, as well as the residents of three units who were reported missing, Vadym Liakh, the head of the local government, said.

Separately, a 48-year-old woman and her 28-year-old daughter died Saturday after Russian forces shelled a neighborhood of the city of Kherson, the regional administration said on Telegram. The southern port city was occupied by Russian forces in the early months of the war, but Ukrainian forces regained control of it in November, one of the most notable battlefield defeats for Moscow.

A new law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-draft-mobilization-conscription-notices-bf18ad64dd08c9d11aab2e222cabfee9">signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Friday that allows military offices to send draft notices electronically instead of delivering them in person is part of Russia’s preparation for a protracted war in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Saturday morning assessment.

According to British intelligence, a “unified registry of individuals eligible for military service” will be digitally linked to other government services, allowing Russian authorities to “punish draft-dodgers by automatically limiting employment rights and restricting foreign travel.”

Since the law does not come into force until later in the year, the U.K. Defense Ministry said the e-notices do not automatically point to a “major new wave of enforced mobilization” but rather form part of a “longer-term approach to provide personnel as Russia anticipates a lengthy conflict in Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, 52,000 young Russian men already have received draft orders as part of the country's regular spring call-up, and 21,000 of them qualified for military service, Col. Andrey Biryukov, who is in charge of mobilization, said Saturday.

Biryukov addressed concerns that the new electronic conscription law presaged a broader mobilization of reservists, like one Putin ordered in September.

“I’d like to stress that all army deferrals for citizens will still be valid. And e-draft orders will not be mailed in bulk,” Biryukov said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673396092973.png" alt="-Ukrainian troops trained at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill Army base operating and maintaining the Patriot missile defense system-Photo U.S. Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>-Ukrainian troops trained at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill Army base operating and maintaining the Patriot missile defense system-Photo U.S. Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The death toll from Russian missile strikes on eastern Ukraine's city of Sloviansk rose to 11 as rescue crews tried to reach people trapped in the rubble of an apartment building, Ukrainian authorities said.Ukraine's air force said the country would soon have weapons with which to try to prevent attacks like the one on Friday. The delivery of the Patriot air defense system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-b90ce5a55b1f6b820d03da96612b3796">promised by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was expected in Ukraine sometime after Easter, Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.The primarily Orthodox Christian country observed Easter on Sunday. Speaking Saturday on Ukrainian state TV, Ihnat declined to give a precise timeline for the arrival of the defensive missile system but said the public would know “as soon as the first Russian aircraft is shot down.”A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-patriot-missiles-fort-sill-8afb4a17cae52cb19428c5a5adcacb7f">completed their training</a>&nbsp;last month at Fort Sill, a U.S. Army post in Oklahoma, and returned to Europe to learn more about using the defensive missile system to track and shoot down enemy aircraft.Officials said at the time that the Ukrainians would then go back to their country with a Patriot missile battery, which typically includes six mobile launchers, a mobile radar, a power generator and an engagement control center.Germany and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-politics-netherlands-government-united-states-03128d7faeb04340cc8a1421cf6ae42e">the Netherlands</a>&nbsp;also have pledged to provide a Patriot system each to Ukraine. In addition, a SAMP/T anti-missile system pledged by France and Italy “should enter Ukraine in the near future,” Ihnat said this week.The Ukrainian military is looking to beef up its ability to intercept missiles as it prepares for an expected spring counter-offensive to retake Russian-occupied areas of the country. Although more than a year of fighting has depleted weapons supplies on both sides, Russian forces have intensified their 8 1/2-month campaign to seize the city of Bakhmut, the focus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-bakhmut-3036cdd95c89ae2df31ded0ba80bb7c8">the war's longest battle</a>&nbsp;so far.Bakhmut and Sloviansk are located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) apart in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province.Rescue teams in Sloviansk recovered the bodies of two people from under the rubble of a house hit in Friday's missile strikes, according to the State Emergency Service. They also searched Saturday for five people who remained in the wreckage of the apartment building, as well as the residents of three units who were reported missing, Vadym Liakh, the head of the local government, said.Separately, a 48-year-old woman and her 28-year-old daughter died Saturday after Russian forces shelled a neighborhood of the city of Kherson, the regional administration said on Telegram. The southern port city was occupied by Russian forces in the early months of the war, but Ukrainian forces regained control of it in November, one of the most notable battlefield defeats for Moscow.A new law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-draft-mobilization-conscription-notices-bf18ad64dd08c9d11aab2e222cabfee9">signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Friday that allows military offices to send draft notices electronically instead of delivering them in person is part of Russia’s preparation for a protracted war in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Saturday morning assessment.According to British intelligence, a “unified registry of individuals eligible for military service” will be digitally linked to other government services, allowing Russian authorities to “punish draft-dodgers by automatically limiting employment rights and restricting foreign travel.”Since the law does not come into force until later in the year, the U.K. Defense Ministry said the e-notices do not automatically point to a “major new wave of enforced mobilization” but rather form part of a “longer-term approach to provide personnel as Russia anticipates a lengthy conflict in Ukraine.”Meanwhile, 52,000 young Russian men already have received draft orders as part of the country's regular spring call-up, and 21,000 of them qualified for military service, Col. Andrey Biryukov, who is in charge of mobilization, said Saturday.Biryukov addressed concerns that the new electronic conscription law presaged a broader mobilization of reservists, like one Putin ordered in September.“I’d like to stress that all army deferrals for citizens will still be valid. And e-draft orders will not be mailed in bulk,” Biryukov said.

Ukraine anxious for US missile system after latest Russian strike

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

A Pontiac G6 driven by 18-year-old Madison Dahl of Haysville was northbound in the 1200 Block of Seneca from Harry in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.&nbsp; The driver lost control shortly after crossing the railroad tracks and collided with a tree.

Dahl was trapped in the vehicle. Wichita Fire Department personnel&nbsp; extricated her and transported her to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased, according to Macy.

EMS also transported a 19-year-old male passenger to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

This is the fifth fatality crash in 2023 and the fifth traffic fatality.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.A Pontiac G6 driven by 18-year-old Madison Dahl of Haysville was northbound in the 1200 Block of Seneca from Harry in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.&nbsp; The driver lost control shortly after crossing the railroad tracks and collided with a tree.Dahl was trapped in the vehicle. Wichita Fire Department personnel&nbsp; extricated her and transported her to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased, according to Macy.EMS also transported a 19-year-old male passenger to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.This is the fifth fatality crash in 2023 and the fifth traffic fatality.

18-year-old Kansas woman dies after car strikes a tree

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting and have a suspect in custody.

Just before midnight Friday, police responded to report of gunshots in the area of the 700 Block . of SW Taylor Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.&nbsp;

First responders found three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Two of these victims’ injuries were considered non-life threatening. One of the victim’s injuries was considered life-threatening. All three were transported to a local area hospital.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested Marcus D. Kindle, 42, of Topeka on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Possession of Marijuana, according to Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681650123035.png" alt="Kindle-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kindle-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting and have a suspect in custody.Just before midnight Friday, police responded to report of gunshots in the area of the 700 Block . of SW Taylor Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.&nbsp;First responders found three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Two of these victims’ injuries were considered non-life threatening. One of the victim’s injuries was considered life-threatening. All three were transported to a local area hospital.As a result of the investigation, police arrested Marcus D. Kindle, 42, of Topeka on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Possession of Marijuana, according to Stanley.

Kan. man accused in shooting that sent three to the hospital

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana's House gave final passage Friday to a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that's bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America many national lawmakers envision</a>&nbsp;due to concerns over potential Chinese spying.

The House voted 54-43 in favor of the measure, which would make Montana the first state with a total ban on the app. It goes further than prohibitions already put in place by nearly half the states — including Montana — and the U.S. federal government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">prohibit TikTok on government-owned devices</a>.

The measure now goes to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who declined to say Friday if he plans to sign it into law. A statement provided by spokesperson Brooke Metrione said the governor “will carefully consider” all bills the Legislature sends to his desk.

Gianforte banned TikTok on state government devices last year, saying at the time that the app posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data.

TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter promised a legal challenge over the measure's constitutionality, saying the bill's supporters “have admitted that they have no feasible plan” to enforce “this attempt to censor American voices.”

The company "will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach,” Oberwetter said.

TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">worries it could hand over user data</a>&nbsp;to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on the platform. Leaders at the FBI and the CIA and numerous lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have raised such concerns but have not presented any evidence that it has happened.

Ban supporters point to two Chinese laws that compel companies in the country to cooperate with the government on state intelligence work. They also cite troubling episodes such as a disclosure by ByteDance in December that it fired four employees who accessed the IP addresses and other data of two journalists while attempting to uncover the source of a leaked report about the company.

Congress is considering legislation that does not single out TikTok specifically but gives the Commerce Department the ability more broadly to restrict foreign threats on tech platforms. That bill is being backed by the White House, but it has received pushback from privacy advocates, right-wing commentators and others who say the language is too expansive.

TikTok has said it has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-biden-bytedance-data-misinformation-02b59e4a6611ce97c775da19de31d7ad">plan to protect U.S. user data</a>.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, whose office drafted the state’s legislation, said in a social media post Friday that the bill “is a critical step to ensuring we are protecting Montanans’ privacy,” even as he acknowledged that a court battle looms.

The measure would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access or download the app. There would not be penalties for users.

The ban would not take effect until January 2024 and would become void if Congress passes a national measure or if TikTok severs its connections with China.

The bill was introduced in February, just weeks after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-balloon-united-states-montana-47248b0ef2b085620fcd866c105054be">Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;drifted over Montana, but had been drafted prior to that.

A representative from the tech trade group TechNet told state lawmakers that app stores do not have the ability to geofence apps on a state-by-state basis, so the Apple App Store and Google Play Store could not enforce the law.

Ashley Sutton, TechNet’s executive director for Washington state and the northwest, said Thursday that the “responsibility should be on an app to determine where it can operate, not an app store.”

Knudsen, the attorney general, has said that apps for online gambling can be disabled in states that do not allow it, so the same should be possible for TikTok.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmakers moved one step closer Thursday to passing a bill to ban TikTok from operating in the state, a move that’s bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">many national lawmakers have envisioned</a>.

Montana's proposal, which has backing from the state's GOP-controlled legislature, is more sweeping than bans in place in nearly half the states and the U.S. federal government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">prohibit TikTok on government devices</a>.

The House endorsed the bill 60-39 on Thursday. A final House vote will likely take place Friday before the bill goes to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. He has banned TikTok on government devices in Montana. The Senate passed the bill 30-20 in March.

TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">concerns it could hand over user data</a>&nbsp;to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on the platform. Leaders at the FBI, CIA and numerous lawmakers of both parties have raised those concerns but haven’t presented any evidence to prove it has happened.

Supporters of a ban point to two Chinese laws that compel companies in the country to cooperate with the government on state intelligence work. They also point out other troubling episodes, such as a disclosure by ByteDance in December that it fired four employees who accessed the IP addresses and other data of two journalists while attempting to uncover the source of a leaked report about the company.

Congress is considering legislation that doesn't call out TikTok, but gives the Commerce Department the ability to restrict foreign threats on tech platforms. That bill is being backed by the White House, but it has received pushback from privacy advocates, right-wing commentators and others who say the language is too broad.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen urged state lawmakers to pass the bill because he wasn't sure Congress would act quickly on a federal ban.

“I think Montana’s got an opportunity here to be a leader,” Knudsen, a Republican, told a House committee in March. He says the app is a tool used by the Chinese government to spy on Montanans.

Montana's ban would not take effect until January 2024 and would be void if Congress passes a ban or if TikTok severs its Chinese connections.

The bill would prohibit downloads of TikTok in Montana and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.

Opponents argued the bill amounted to government overreach and that residents could easily circumvent the proposed ban by using a Virtual Private Network. A VPN encrypts internet traffic and makes it more difficult for third parties to track online activities, steal data and determine a person's location.

At a hearing for the bill in March, a representative from the tech trade group TechNet said app stores also “do not have the ability to geofence” apps on a state by state basis and that it would be impossible for its members, like Apple and Google, to prevent TikTok from being downloaded in Montana.

Knudsen said Thursday the geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which he said are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal. Ashley Sutton, TechNet’s executive director for Washington state and the northwest, said in a statement Thursday that the "responsibility should be on an app to determine where it can operate, not an app store."

“We’ve expressed these concerns to lawmakers. We hope the governor will work with lawmakers to amend the legislation to ensure companies that aren’t intended targets of the legislation" aren't affected, Sutton said.

TikTok said in a statement it will “continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach.”

Some opponents of the bill have argued the state wasn't looking to ban other social media apps that collect similar types of data from their users.

“We also believe this is a blatant exercise of censorship and is an egregious violation of Montanans' free speech rights,” said Keegan Medrano with the ACLU of Montana.

Democratic Rep. Katie Sullivan offered an amendment Thursday to broaden the ban to include any social media app that collected personal information and transferred it to a foreign adversary, such as Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela, along with China. The amendment was narrowly rejected 48-51.

Supporters of the bill said it made sense to target TikTok first because of specific concerns with China and that it was a step in the right direction even if it doesn't address challenges related to other social media companies.

TikTok has been pushing back against the bill. The company, which has 150 million users in the U.S., has encouraged users in the state to speak out against the bill and hired lobbyists to do so as well. It has also purchased billboards, run full-page newspaper ads and has a website opposing Montana’s legislation. Some ads placed in local newspapers highlight how local businesses were able to use the app to drive sales.

The bill would “show Montana doesn’t support entrepreneurs in our own state,” Shauna White Bear, who owns White Bear Moccasins, said during a March 28 hearing. She noted her business receives much more engagement on TikTok than on other social media sites.

Knudsen, the attorney general whose office drafted the bill, said he expects the bill to face legal challenges if it passes.

“Frankly, I think it probably needs the courts to step in here,” he said. “This is a really interesting, novel legal question that I think is ripe for some new jurisprudence.”

The Montana bill isn't the first blanket ban the company has faced. In 2020, then-President Donald Trump issued executive orders that banned the use of TikTok and the Chinese messaging platform WeChat. Those efforts were nixed by the courts and shelved by the Biden administration.

TikTok continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-cfius-national-security-a7f59032a6a68c67470a0746d560e411">negotiations with the administration</a>&nbsp;on the security concerns tied to the app. Amid rising geopolitical tensions with China, the Biden administration more recently has threatened it could ban the app if the company's Chinese owners don't sell their stakes. To avoid either outcome, TikTok has been trying to sell a data safety proposal called “Project Texas” that would route all its U.S. user data to servers operated by the software giant Oracle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670097767255.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana's House gave final passage Friday to a bill banning the social media app TikTok from operating in the state, a move that's bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America many national lawmakers envision</a>&nbsp;due to concerns over potential Chinese spying.The House voted 54-43 in favor of the measure, which would make Montana the first state with a total ban on the app. It goes further than prohibitions already put in place by nearly half the states — including Montana — and the U.S. federal government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">prohibit TikTok on government-owned devices</a>.The measure now goes to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who declined to say Friday if he plans to sign it into law. A statement provided by spokesperson Brooke Metrione said the governor “will carefully consider” all bills the Legislature sends to his desk.Gianforte banned TikTok on state government devices last year, saying at the time that the app posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data.TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter promised a legal challenge over the measure's constitutionality, saying the bill's supporters “have admitted that they have no feasible plan” to enforce “this attempt to censor American voices.”The company "will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach,” Oberwetter said.TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">worries it could hand over user data</a>&nbsp;to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on the platform. Leaders at the FBI and the CIA and numerous lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have raised such concerns but have not presented any evidence that it has happened.Ban supporters point to two Chinese laws that compel companies in the country to cooperate with the government on state intelligence work. They also cite troubling episodes such as a disclosure by ByteDance in December that it fired four employees who accessed the IP addresses and other data of two journalists while attempting to uncover the source of a leaked report about the company.Congress is considering legislation that does not single out TikTok specifically but gives the Commerce Department the ability more broadly to restrict foreign threats on tech platforms. That bill is being backed by the White House, but it has received pushback from privacy advocates, right-wing commentators and others who say the language is too expansive.TikTok has said it has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-biden-bytedance-data-misinformation-02b59e4a6611ce97c775da19de31d7ad">plan to protect U.S. user data</a>.Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, whose office drafted the state’s legislation, said in a social media post Friday that the bill “is a critical step to ensuring we are protecting Montanans’ privacy,” even as he acknowledged that a court battle looms.The measure would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access or download the app. There would not be penalties for users.The ban would not take effect until January 2024 and would become void if Congress passes a national measure or if TikTok severs its connections with China.The bill was introduced in February, just weeks after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-balloon-united-states-montana-47248b0ef2b085620fcd866c105054be">Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;drifted over Montana, but had been drafted prior to that.A representative from the tech trade group TechNet told state lawmakers that app stores do not have the ability to geofence apps on a state-by-state basis, so the Apple App Store and Google Play Store could not enforce the law.Ashley Sutton, TechNet’s executive director for Washington state and the northwest, said Thursday that the “responsibility should be on an app to determine where it can operate, not an app store.”Knudsen, the attorney general, has said that apps for online gambling can be disabled in states that do not allow it, so the same should be possible for TikTok.-----------HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmakers moved one step closer Thursday to passing a bill to ban TikTok from operating in the state, a move that’s bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">many national lawmakers have envisioned</a>.Montana's proposal, which has backing from the state's GOP-controlled legislature, is more sweeping than bans in place in nearly half the states and the U.S. federal government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">prohibit TikTok on government devices</a>.The House endorsed the bill 60-39 on Thursday. A final House vote will likely take place Friday before the bill goes to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. He has banned TikTok on government devices in Montana. The Senate passed the bill 30-20 in March.TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been under intense scrutiny over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">concerns it could hand over user data</a>&nbsp;to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on the platform. Leaders at the FBI, CIA and numerous lawmakers of both parties have raised those concerns but haven’t presented any evidence to prove it has happened.Supporters of a ban point to two Chinese laws that compel companies in the country to cooperate with the government on state intelligence work. They also point out other troubling episodes, such as a disclosure by ByteDance in December that it fired four employees who accessed the IP addresses and other data of two journalists while attempting to uncover the source of a leaked report about the company.Congress is considering legislation that doesn't call out TikTok, but gives the Commerce Department the ability to restrict foreign threats on tech platforms. That bill is being backed by the White House, but it has received pushback from privacy advocates, right-wing commentators and others who say the language is too broad.Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen urged state lawmakers to pass the bill because he wasn't sure Congress would act quickly on a federal ban.“I think Montana’s got an opportunity here to be a leader,” Knudsen, a Republican, told a House committee in March. He says the app is a tool used by the Chinese government to spy on Montanans.Montana's ban would not take effect until January 2024 and would be void if Congress passes a ban or if TikTok severs its Chinese connections.The bill would prohibit downloads of TikTok in Montana and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.Opponents argued the bill amounted to government overreach and that residents could easily circumvent the proposed ban by using a Virtual Private Network. A VPN encrypts internet traffic and makes it more difficult for third parties to track online activities, steal data and determine a person's location.At a hearing for the bill in March, a representative from the tech trade group TechNet said app stores also “do not have the ability to geofence” apps on a state by state basis and that it would be impossible for its members, like Apple and Google, to prevent TikTok from being downloaded in Montana.Knudsen said Thursday the geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which he said are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal. Ashley Sutton, TechNet’s executive director for Washington state and the northwest, said in a statement Thursday that the "responsibility should be on an app to determine where it can operate, not an app store."“We’ve expressed these concerns to lawmakers. We hope the governor will work with lawmakers to amend the legislation to ensure companies that aren’t intended targets of the legislation" aren't affected, Sutton said.TikTok said in a statement it will “continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach.”Some opponents of the bill have argued the state wasn't looking to ban other social media apps that collect similar types of data from their users.“We also believe this is a blatant exercise of censorship and is an egregious violation of Montanans' free speech rights,” said Keegan Medrano with the ACLU of Montana.Democratic Rep. Katie Sullivan offered an amendment Thursday to broaden the ban to include any social media app that collected personal information and transferred it to a foreign adversary, such as Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela, along with China. The amendment was narrowly rejected 48-51.Supporters of the bill said it made sense to target TikTok first because of specific concerns with China and that it was a step in the right direction even if it doesn't address challenges related to other social media companies.TikTok has been pushing back against the bill. The company, which has 150 million users in the U.S., has encouraged users in the state to speak out against the bill and hired lobbyists to do so as well. It has also purchased billboards, run full-page newspaper ads and has a website opposing Montana’s legislation. Some ads placed in local newspapers highlight how local businesses were able to use the app to drive sales.The bill would “show Montana doesn’t support entrepreneurs in our own state,” Shauna White Bear, who owns White Bear Moccasins, said during a March 28 hearing. She noted her business receives much more engagement on TikTok than on other social media sites.Knudsen, the attorney general whose office drafted the bill, said he expects the bill to face legal challenges if it passes.“Frankly, I think it probably needs the courts to step in here,” he said. “This is a really interesting, novel legal question that I think is ripe for some new jurisprudence.”The Montana bill isn't the first blanket ban the company has faced. In 2020, then-President Donald Trump issued executive orders that banned the use of TikTok and the Chinese messaging platform WeChat. Those efforts were nixed by the courts and shelved by the Biden administration.TikTok continued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-china-cfius-national-security-a7f59032a6a68c67470a0746d560e411">negotiations with the administration</a>&nbsp;on the security concerns tied to the app. Amid rising geopolitical tensions with China, the Biden administration more recently has threatened it could ban the app if the company's Chinese owners don't sell their stakes. To avoid either outcome, TikTok has been trying to sell a data safety proposal called “Project Texas” that would route all its U.S. user data to servers operated by the software giant Oracle.

1st U.S. state is a signature away from total TikTok ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Federal Reserve official said Friday that there has been little progress on inflation for more than a year and that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-banks-rates-economy-jobs-c13abd4ebcd42c13bdf5ebe8299e6a48">more interest rate hikes are needed</a>&nbsp;to get prices under control.

Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed's governing board, did not specify how many more increases he supports, but said in written remarks that inflation “is still much too high and so my job is not done.”

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-recession-prices-d933973089cce63f07cceb6da1e5dbc9">inflation slowed as food and gas prices fell</a>, but excluding those volatile categories, “core” prices kept rising and are 5.6% higher than a year ago. Waller pointed out that core prices have risen at about that same pace, or higher, since December 2021.

Waller's comments expressing support for more rate hikes follow a forecast by the Fed's staff economists, revealed in Fed minutes Wednesday, for a “mild recession" later this year.

Waller said that, like most of his colleagues, he is closely watching whether the collapse of two large banks last month will lead to a broad cut back in lending by the banking system, which could slow the economy.

But so far it's not clear how large the impact will be, he said, and job growth remains strong and inflation is far above the Fed's 2% target, “so monetary policy needs to be tightened further."

His comments, to be delivered in San Antonio, Texas, echo those of several of his colleagues, who have said in recent weeks that they support at least one more rate hike. That would put the Fed's benchmark rate at about 5.1%, the highest in 16 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642689710083.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cole Reif" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cole Reif</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Federal Reserve official said Friday that there has been little progress on inflation for more than a year and that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-banks-rates-economy-jobs-c13abd4ebcd42c13bdf5ebe8299e6a48">more interest rate hikes are needed</a>&nbsp;to get prices under control.Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed's governing board, did not specify how many more increases he supports, but said in written remarks that inflation “is still much too high and so my job is not done.”Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-recession-prices-d933973089cce63f07cceb6da1e5dbc9">inflation slowed as food and gas prices fell</a>, but excluding those volatile categories, “core” prices kept rising and are 5.6% higher than a year ago. Waller pointed out that core prices have risen at about that same pace, or higher, since December 2021.Waller's comments expressing support for more rate hikes follow a forecast by the Fed's staff economists, revealed in Fed minutes Wednesday, for a “mild recession" later this year.Waller said that, like most of his colleagues, he is closely watching whether the collapse of two large banks last month will lead to a broad cut back in lending by the banking system, which could slow the economy.But so far it's not clear how large the impact will be, he said, and job growth remains strong and inflation is far above the Fed's 2% target, “so monetary policy needs to be tightened further."His comments, to be delivered in San Antonio, Texas, echo those of several of his colleagues, who have said in recent weeks that they support at least one more rate hike. That would put the Fed's benchmark rate at about 5.1%, the highest in 16 years.

Top Fed official sees need for more interest rate increases

KANSAS CITY – A man who used his business to steal customers’ identity information in a scheme to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent car loans was sentenced in federal court Friday, according to the United State's Attorney.

Chris R. King, 48, Nixa, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to four years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered King to pay $646,597 in restitution to his victims and to forfeit the same amount to the government.

On Nov. 20, 2021, King pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

King, formerly the co-owner of Queen City Motors, a used car business in Springfield, Mo., admitted that he stole the identity information of individuals who were interested in obtaining loans to purchase vehicles from him. King used that information, without the knowledge or authorization of the potential customers, to fraudulently submit loan applications and receive funds wired to his bank account from Credit Acceptance, a company that dealt specifically in the approval of subprime loans for individuals with poor credit ratings.

King fraudulently submitted at least 30 automobile loan applications and received cash deposits of approximately $783,475 between Nov. 1, 2018, and Nov. 8, 2020.

KANSAS CITY – A man who used his business to steal customers’ identity information in a scheme to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent car loans was sentenced in federal court Friday, according to the United State's Attorney.Chris R. King, 48, Nixa, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to four years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered King to pay $646,597 in restitution to his victims and to forfeit the same amount to the government.On Nov. 20, 2021, King pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.King, formerly the co-owner of Queen City Motors, a used car business in Springfield, Mo., admitted that he stole the identity information of individuals who were interested in obtaining loans to purchase vehicles from him. King used that information, without the knowledge or authorization of the potential customers, to fraudulently submit loan applications and receive funds wired to his bank account from Credit Acceptance, a company that dealt specifically in the approval of subprime loans for individuals with poor credit ratings.King fraudulently submitted at least 30 automobile loan applications and received cash deposits of approximately $783,475 between Nov. 1, 2018, and Nov. 8, 2020.

Used car dealer sentenced for $783,000 fraud scheme

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City hospital is suing Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey over what it calls his “burdensome” requests for records on gender-affirming care.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Jackson County, attorneys for Children's Mercy Hospital asked a judge to deny Bailey's 54 investigative demands for records and testimony despite the hospital facing no allegations of wrongdoing, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article274345295.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.

Bailey has demanded that the hospital provide records on any prescriptions for hormone blockers as well as surgeries for transgender patients, the lawsuit said. He's also asking for information on when the hospital has reported child abuse.

Bailey's spokeswoman, Madeline Sieren, questioned the hospital's contention that its gender transition practices are evidence-based and said the facility is refusing to provide “even a single document” to explain its practices.

“That is very concerning," Sieren said. "We look forward to prevailing in this request for information and learning what is truly going on with Children’s Mercy in connection with gender transition issues.”

In February, Bailey, a Republican who was appointed attorney general in November, announced he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-hawley-jamie-reed-st-louis-missouri-health-83953afb898dff7caa2b542c91480069">investigating</a>&nbsp;the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital after an employee alleged the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent.

Bailey has since expanded the investigation to other health care providers in Missouri.

On Thursday, Bailey introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-transgender-health-care-andrew-baily-65c388ae85f610a2a885e2dff486bfe8">an emergency rule</a>&nbsp;that will impose several restrictions before adults and children can receive drugs, hormones or surgeries “for the purpose of transitioning gender.”

Republican lawmakers across the country, including Missouri, have proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-lgbtq-gender-affirming-care-missouri-dd87f8682099f9073538c9c2ee544749">hundreds of laws</a>&nbsp;aimed at transgender people, with a particular emphasis on health care.

At least 13 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Children's Mercy argues in its lawsuit that releasing the information sought by Bailey would violate state and federal laws, including those involving private medical decisions made between patients and doctors.

The hospital also contends Bailey doesn't have the jurisdiction to investigate health care companies and physicians, which are regulated by the Missouri Board of Healing Arts.

The lawsuit also argues many of Bailey's requests are “poorly disguised interrogatories” that have nothing to do with gender-affirming care.

The hospital acknowledges the attorney general has the authority to investigate deceptive business practices under the state’s merchandise protection act but said the authority to use the law as an investigative tool has its limits.

The demand letter sent to Children’s Mercy “far exceeds those limits,” the lawsuit said. The facility also contends that hospitals are not regulated under that law, and said the hospital “cannot in good faith attempt to comply.”

Earlier this month, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-planned-parenthood-missouri-a26bddc0a5658ba60c9ed8c23606917f">sued</a>&nbsp;over Bailey's document demands to that organization as part of its investigation.

Planned Parenthood also argued in its lawsuit that Bailey has no authority to investigate its clinic, which is inspected by the state health department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681466878038.png" alt="Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City hospital is suing Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey over what it calls his “burdensome” requests for records on gender-affirming care.In a lawsuit filed Friday in Jackson County, attorneys for Children's Mercy Hospital asked a judge to deny Bailey's 54 investigative demands for records and testimony despite the hospital facing no allegations of wrongdoing, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article274345295.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.Bailey has demanded that the hospital provide records on any prescriptions for hormone blockers as well as surgeries for transgender patients, the lawsuit said. He's also asking for information on when the hospital has reported child abuse.Bailey's spokeswoman, Madeline Sieren, questioned the hospital's contention that its gender transition practices are evidence-based and said the facility is refusing to provide “even a single document” to explain its practices.“That is very concerning," Sieren said. "We look forward to prevailing in this request for information and learning what is truly going on with Children’s Mercy in connection with gender transition issues.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’re injecting an ounce of common sense into the conversation on gender transition intervention procedures because we believe everyone is entitled to informed consent.&mdash; Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGAndrewBailey/status/1647314873833881602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In February, Bailey, a Republican who was appointed attorney general in November, announced he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-hawley-jamie-reed-st-louis-missouri-health-83953afb898dff7caa2b542c91480069">investigating</a>&nbsp;the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital after an employee alleged the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent.Bailey has since expanded the investigation to other health care providers in Missouri.On Thursday, Bailey introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-transgender-health-care-andrew-baily-65c388ae85f610a2a885e2dff486bfe8">an emergency rule</a>&nbsp;that will impose several restrictions before adults and children can receive drugs, hormones or surgeries “for the purpose of transitioning gender.”Republican lawmakers across the country, including Missouri, have proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-lgbtq-gender-affirming-care-missouri-dd87f8682099f9073538c9c2ee544749">hundreds of laws</a>&nbsp;aimed at transgender people, with a particular emphasis on health care.At least 13 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.Children's Mercy argues in its lawsuit that releasing the information sought by Bailey would violate state and federal laws, including those involving private medical decisions made between patients and doctors.The hospital also contends Bailey doesn't have the jurisdiction to investigate health care companies and physicians, which are regulated by the Missouri Board of Healing Arts.The lawsuit also argues many of Bailey's requests are “poorly disguised interrogatories” that have nothing to do with gender-affirming care.The hospital acknowledges the attorney general has the authority to investigate deceptive business practices under the state’s merchandise protection act but said the authority to use the law as an investigative tool has its limits.The demand letter sent to Children’s Mercy “far exceeds those limits,” the lawsuit said. The facility also contends that hospitals are not regulated under that law, and said the hospital “cannot in good faith attempt to comply.”Earlier this month, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-planned-parenthood-missouri-a26bddc0a5658ba60c9ed8c23606917f">sued</a>&nbsp;over Bailey's document demands to that organization as part of its investigation.Planned Parenthood also argued in its lawsuit that Bailey has no authority to investigate its clinic, which is inspected by the state health department.The hospital also contends Bailey doesn't have the jurisdiction to investigate health care companies and physicians, which are regulated by the Missouri Board of Healing Arts.The lawsuit also argues many of Bailey's requests are “poorly disguised interrogatories” that have nothing to do with gender-affirming care.The hospital acknowledges the attorney general has the authority to investigate deceptive business practices under the state’s merchandise protection act but said the authority to use the law as an investigative tool has its limits.The demand letter sent to Children’s Mercy “far exceeds those limits,” the lawsuit said. The facility also contends that hospitals are not regulated under that law, and said the hospital “cannot in good faith attempt to comply.”Earlier this month, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-planned-parenthood-missouri-a26bddc0a5658ba60c9ed8c23606917f">sued</a>&nbsp;over Bailey's document demands to that organization as part of its investigation.Planned Parenthood also argued in its lawsuit that Bailey has no authority to investigate its clinic, which is inspected by the state health department.

Kansas City hospital sues prosecutor over transgender care data

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left one dead.

Just before 5p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a homicide at North Rogers Road and West 126th&nbsp;Street in Olathe, according to police.

Officers located, a woman with apparent gunshot wounds, deceased at the scene. EMS transported a man to a local hospital with apparent gunshot wounds. He later died.

Police reported no suspect information and released no additional details early Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681644967813.png" alt="Police on the scene of the homicide investigation -photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the homicide investigation -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left one dead.Just before 5p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a homicide at North Rogers Road and West 126th&nbsp;Street in Olathe, according to police.Officers located, a woman with apparent gunshot wounds, deceased at the scene. EMS transported a man to a local hospital with apparent gunshot wounds. He later died.Police reported no suspect information and released no additional details early Sunday.

Double homicide: Man, woman victims in Kansas shooting

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

TOPEKA — Lawmakers moved forward with a baby box drop-off system meant to make child relinquishment safer and easier, as part of a legislative bundle that incorporates three child welfare bills.

<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2024/">An amended form of the legislation</a>&nbsp;passed the Senate 36-1 and the House 116-0. The bill bundle, which includes a foster care bill of rights and provisions for child abuse evaluations, has been sent to the governor for a final decision.

The bill legalizes “newborn safety devices” for baby drop-offs. People who drop off infants to these devices within the legal window for relinquishment would be immune to criminal and civil liabilities.

Current law allows anyone who has legal custody of an infant 60 days old or younger and has not physically harmed the infant to give custody of the child to any on-duty employees at certain locations.

The devices would be equipped with locks, temperature control and alarm systems and installed in facilities designated for infant drop-offs, in an easily visible location.

The locations include police stations, sheriff’s offices, law enforcement centers, city or county health departments, fire stations or any county health department without criminal or civil liability. Installation of the devices would be voluntary.

Bill proponents say the legislation will help people too frightened to do in-person infant drop-offs, and would help promote safe anonymous infant relinquishments. Rep. Tim Johnson, a Bonner Springs Republican, said during&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/house-passes-kansas-bill-creating-method-of-anonymously-surrendering-an-infant/">a bill hearing</a>&nbsp;that 18 children had been surrendered to officials since 2017.

Included in the bill bundle were provisions to create a Kansas Department of Health and Environment program for child abuse review and evaluation referrals. The program would provide regulations and training for these evaluation processes. DCF would be required to make a CARE referral for a child ages 5 or younger when there is an allegation of physical abuse or physical neglect.

Under the bill, the results of the CARE exam would have to be considered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary when making recommendations for the child’s care and placement.

In March 8 testimony in support of the provision, Rachel Marsh, CEO of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, said properly investigating child abuse allegations is important.

“In child welfare, there is the risk of a false positive — determining a child has been abused when he has not; and a false negative — determining a child has not been abused when he has,” Marsh said. “Avoiding either of these errors is critically important to the wellbeing of children and their families.”

Another portion of the bill establishes&nbsp;a foster care bill of rights named in memorial to former Rep. Gail Finney, an advocate for reform to the foster care system. The Wichita Democrat&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-rep-gail-finney-fought-for-you-now-its-time-to-fight-for-her/">died last year</a>.

Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican, spoke in favor of the bill bundle on the House floor for an April 6 vote. Concannon said the bill of rights was included in the bundle because the Senate didn’t have time to rule on it.

“The Senate didn’t have an opportunity, but they took a look at it and agreed to include it in this package,” Concannon said.

The bill of rights would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/support-emerges-for-naming-kansas-foster-care-bill-of-rights-for-late-rep-gail-finney/">inform children about their right</a>&nbsp;to a stable environment, experience the least number of placements possible, have access to adequate clothing and other belongings, conduct family visits, attend school and participate in court proceedings, among other things.

Supporters of the legislation said foster youths and foster parents needed to have a clear understanding of their rights in order to navigate the child welfare system successfully.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/SC6-1024x683.jpg" alt="Rep. Susan Concannon urged lawmakers to approve a bundle of child welfare bills on the House floor before adjourning last week. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Susan Concannon urged lawmakers to approve a bundle of child welfare bills on the House floor before adjourning last week. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Lawmakers moved forward with a baby box drop-off system meant to make child relinquishment safer and easier, as part of a legislative bundle that incorporates three child welfare bills.<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2024/">An amended form of the legislation</a>&nbsp;passed the Senate 36-1 and the House 116-0. The bill bundle, which includes a foster care bill of rights and provisions for child abuse evaluations, has been sent to the governor for a final decision.The bill legalizes “newborn safety devices” for baby drop-offs. People who drop off infants to these devices within the legal window for relinquishment would be immune to criminal and civil liabilities.Current law allows anyone who has legal custody of an infant 60 days old or younger and has not physically harmed the infant to give custody of the child to any on-duty employees at certain locations.The devices would be equipped with locks, temperature control and alarm systems and installed in facilities designated for infant drop-offs, in an easily visible location.The locations include police stations, sheriff’s offices, law enforcement centers, city or county health departments, fire stations or any county health department without criminal or civil liability. Installation of the devices would be voluntary.Bill proponents say the legislation will help people too frightened to do in-person infant drop-offs, and would help promote safe anonymous infant relinquishments. Rep. Tim Johnson, a Bonner Springs Republican, said during&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/house-passes-kansas-bill-creating-method-of-anonymously-surrendering-an-infant/">a bill hearing</a>&nbsp;that 18 children had been surrendered to officials since 2017.Included in the bill bundle were provisions to create a Kansas Department of Health and Environment program for child abuse review and evaluation referrals. The program would provide regulations and training for these evaluation processes. DCF would be required to make a CARE referral for a child ages 5 or younger when there is an allegation of physical abuse or physical neglect.Under the bill, the results of the CARE exam would have to be considered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary when making recommendations for the child’s care and placement.In March 8 testimony in support of the provision, Rachel Marsh, CEO of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, said properly investigating child abuse allegations is important.“In child welfare, there is the risk of a false positive — determining a child has been abused when he has not; and a false negative — determining a child has not been abused when he has,” Marsh said. “Avoiding either of these errors is critically important to the wellbeing of children and their families.”Another portion of the bill establishes&nbsp;a foster care bill of rights named in memorial to former Rep. Gail Finney, an advocate for reform to the foster care system. The Wichita Democrat&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-rep-gail-finney-fought-for-you-now-its-time-to-fight-for-her/">died last year</a>.Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican, spoke in favor of the bill bundle on the House floor for an April 6 vote. Concannon said the bill of rights was included in the bundle because the Senate didn’t have time to rule on it.“The Senate didn’t have an opportunity, but they took a look at it and agreed to include it in this package,” Concannon said.The bill of rights would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/support-emerges-for-naming-kansas-foster-care-bill-of-rights-for-late-rep-gail-finney/">inform children about their right</a>&nbsp;to a stable environment, experience the least number of placements possible, have access to adequate clothing and other belongings, conduct family visits, attend school and participate in court proceedings, among other things.Supporters of the legislation said foster youths and foster parents needed to have a clear understanding of their rights in order to navigate the child welfare system successfully.

Kansas lawmakers approve baby box drop-offs, foster care bill of rights

KANSAS CITY —A judge on Thursday sentenced 47-year-old Gene Birdsong to life in prison without the possibility of parole -- plus 17 years more -- for the fatal stabbing in November 2018 of his wife Tabitha, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In February, a jury found Birdsong guity of 1st Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action charges. The jury recommended 17 years, at the prosecutor's suggestion, for the Armed Criminal Action conviction. The Murder 1st Degree convictions carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

According to court records, on Nov. 6, 2018, officers from the Kansas City Police responded to Roanoke and Madison in Kansas City on a report of a dead body. They found the victim's body. She had obvious head injuries. They also found in her pocket an order of protection with her and the defendant's name on it. 

Witnesses told police they were seen or heard together hours before her death. A witness also saw the &nbsp;defendant with bloody pants. Police found bloody clothing in a room where the defendant had been staying.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681586343552.png" alt="Birdsong-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Birdsong-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge on Thursday sentenced 47-year-old Gene Birdsong to life in prison without the possibility of parole -- plus 17 years more -- for the fatal stabbing in November 2018 of his wife Tabitha, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In February, a jury found Birdsong guity of 1st Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action charges. The jury recommended 17 years, at the prosecutor's suggestion, for the Armed Criminal Action conviction. The Murder 1st Degree convictions carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.According to court records, on Nov. 6, 2018, officers from the Kansas City Police responded to Roanoke and Madison in Kansas City on a report of a dead body. They found the victim's body. She had obvious head injuries. They also found in her pocket an order of protection with her and the defendant's name on it. Witnesses told police they were seen or heard together hours before her death. A witness also saw the &nbsp;defendant with bloody pants. Police found bloody clothing in a room where the defendant had been staying.