DENVER (AP) — A student shot and wounded two administrators at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning, after a handgun was found during a daily search of the boy that was being conducted because of behavioral issues, authorities said.

The 17-year-old suspect remained at large. Denver school officials, facing criticism over lax security, said they would put armed officers into the city's public high schools.

The shooting occurred at a school shaken by frequent lockdowns and violence, including the killing of a classmate that prompted East High School students to march on the Colorado Capitol earlier this month. Parents who converged on the 2,500-student campus on Wednesday faulted officials for not doing enough to protect their children.

“I am sick of it,” said Jesse Haase, who planned to talk with her daughter about taking her out of classes for the rest of the school year.

Police were searching for Austin Lyle for attempted homicide. The gun used in the shooting was not immediately recovered, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

Police issued an alert linking Lyle to a red 2005 Volvo X90 with Colorado plates and offered a reward up to $2,000 for information on the case.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an office area as the student was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan" that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.

One of the wounded administrators was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and the second remained in serious condition, said Heather Burke, a spokesperson for Denver Health hospital. Both victims are male.

Thomas said police know where Lyle lives and believed they would apprehend him.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched.

Hundreds of students on March 3 skipped class and marched in support of stricter gun laws following the death of Luis Garcia, 16, who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday's shooting, Thomas said.

In June 2020, amid a summer of protests over racial injustice following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-us-news-ap-top-news-hip-hop-and-rap-houston-a55d2662f200ead0da4fed9e923b60a7">murder of George Floyd</a>, Denver Public Schools became one of the districts around the US that decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-wisconsin-az-state-wire-racial-injustice-bc5b750085a89e03e132d7d3dda09a99">phase out its use of police officers in school buildings</a>. That push was fueled by criticism that school resource officers disproportionately arrested Black students, sweeping them into the criminal justice system.

After Wednesday's shooting, two armed officers will be posted at East High School and other city high schools also will each get an officer, said Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero.

In a Wednesday letter to the city's Board of Education, Marrero said his decision would violate the district's policies. But Marrero added he “can no longer stand on the sidelines.”

“I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions,” he wrote. “I am the leader of this district who is charged with keeping our scholars and staff safe every day.”

Gun violence at schools has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-health-texas-violence-928c177ee8e09b59507c88d9c5b6ce51">increasingly common</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. with more than 1,300 shootings recorded between 2000 and June 2022, according to researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School and Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Those shootings killed 377 people and wounded 1,025, according to a database maintained by the researchers.

Students from East High School had been scheduled to testify Wednesday afternoon before the Colorado Legislature on gun safety bills.

“This is the reality of being young in America: sitting through a shooting and waiting for information just hours before you’re scheduled to testify in support of gun safety bills,” said Gracie Taub, a 16-year-old East High School sophomore and volunteer with Students Demand Action in Colorado.

“Our school experience should not be completely shaped by gun violence,” she added.

Lyle had transferred to East High School after being disciplined and removed from a high school in nearby Aurora during last school year because of violations of school policies, Cherry Creek School District spokesperson Lauren Snell. She declined to specify the violations, citing student privacy.

Officials did not reveal why he was being searched daily.

Marrero said safety plans for students are enacted in response to “past educational and also behavioral experiences,” adding that it’s a common practice throughout Colorado’s public schools.

But daily pat downs are rare, said Matthew McClain with the Colorado School Counselor Association, and Franci Crepeau-Hobson, a University of Colorado Denver professor specializing in school violence prevention.

“Clearly they were concerned,” said Crepeau-Hobson. “I can’t imagine they’d do that if there wasn’t a history of the kid carrying a weapon for whatever reason.”

School safety plans are often imposed after students exhibit threatening or suicidal behavior, said Christine Harms, director of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center. A team that can include counselors, administrators and police officers assesses the possible threat and develops a safety plan, which can include mental health support, more supervision and searches, she said.

East High School, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.

Hundreds of parents lined up along a road near the school, with the scene sealed off by police.

Some parents and students vented frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded the police chief. Others argued about the causes of the violence.

Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board.

At the edge of the crowd, a man said the city's school board members should be recalled for getting rid of police in school, telling a police officer nearby “I just want you to be able to do your job.”

Another man shouted that it was a problem of “evil in the world” while a girl responded that the violence wouldn’t happen if guns weren’t so easily available.

Parent Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in a classroom with the lights off during the lockdown. Haase said lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated.

Denver Public School confirmed the victims were administrators.

Wednesday was also the second anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">10 people being shot and killed</a>&nbsp;at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she wasn’t sure whether President Joe Biden had been briefed on the school shooting, but said, “Our hearts go out to the families of the two school administrators in Denver today, and to the entire school community.”

She repeated Biden’s called for stricter gun laws, including bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, and for Congress to “do something” on gun control.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot Wednesday morning at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;during a confrontation that occurred after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said.

The male, juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan" that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.

One of the administrators was critically injured and was undergoing surgery at an area hospital. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said. Both victims are male.

Thomas said police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched for the suspect.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school, which has about 2,500 students.

There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday's shooting, Thomas said. But following the shooting, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said two armed officers will be posted at East High School through the end of the school year.

The suspect in Wednesday’s shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was being searched daily.

Parent Jess Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in a classroom with the lights off during the lockdown. Haase said lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated. She planned to talk to her daughter about taking her out of school for the rest of the school year.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot on Wednesday morning at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and was undergoing surgery at an area hospital. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said. Both victims are male.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, warning the community as they search for the suspect.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

School shootings have become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-health-texas-violence-928c177ee8e09b59507c88d9c5b6ce51">increasingly common</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. with 1,045 shootings recorded between 2000 and 2021, according to research from the Naval Postgraduate School and Center for Homeland Defense and Security. More than 300 people were killed and 450 injured in the shootings during that time.

The school, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.

Some parents and students who gathered outside the school vented their frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded Thomas, the police chief.

Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board. One man shouted that it was a problem of “evil in the world” while a girl said the violence wouldn’t happen if guns weren’t so easily available. Another man lamented that the school should have a school resource officer.

Parent Jess Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in her classroom with the lights off during the lockdown that followed the shooting.

Haase said the lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated. She planned to talk to her daughter about taking her out of school for the coming weeks.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning after a handgun was found during a search of a student, authorities said.

The juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

The shooting happened at around 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and is undergoing surgery. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said.

Police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him, he said.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

The suspect in Wednesday's shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Denver Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was subject to daily searches.

Police: Boy shoots 2 administrators at Denver high school

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 1,290&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from March 15, to March 22, for a total of 940,526 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 1,366 cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;16 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on March 8, for a total of 10,112 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 1,290&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from March 15, to March 22, for a total of 940,526 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 1,366 cases the previous week.On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;16 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on March 8, for a total of 10,112 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE reports drop in COVID cases; 16 more deaths

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident that occurred just after 11p.m. Saturday Feb. 18, in Cowley County have identified the driver as 42-year-old Joshua Young of Winfield, according to Trooper Chad Crittenden.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Chevy Camaro was eastbound on 33rd Avenue at Meadowlark in Winfield. The car crossed the centerline, left the roadway, rolled and struck a telephone pole.

A passenger in the car Nicholas R. Morris, 27, Arkansas City, was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Miles Mortuary. Young, the driver of the vehicle&nbsp; fled the scene of the accident. The KHP has been working with the Cowley County District Attorneys Office and charges are pending until the investigation is completed.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=62017">&nbsp;Young&nbsp; is in custody</a>&nbsp;in Sedgwick County on unrelated requested charges of failure to comply and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679343445465.png" alt="Young-photo Cowley County" />
 <figcaption>Young-photo Cowley County</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident that occurred just after 11p.m. Saturday Feb. 18, in Cowley County have identified the driver as 42-year-old Joshua Young of Winfield, according to Trooper Chad Crittenden.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Chevy Camaro was eastbound on 33rd Avenue at Meadowlark in Winfield. The car crossed the centerline, left the roadway, rolled and struck a telephone pole.A passenger in the car Nicholas R. Morris, 27, Arkansas City, was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Miles Mortuary. Young, the driver of the vehicle&nbsp; fled the scene of the accident. The KHP has been working with the Cowley County District Attorneys Office and charges are pending until the investigation is completed. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=62017">&nbsp;Young&nbsp; is in custody</a>&nbsp;in Sedgwick County on unrelated requested charges of failure to comply and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

KHP IDs driver who fled from fatal crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Missouri’s attorney general has said he will issue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minors-gender-affirming-care-attorney-general-missouri-7332d7baee1580d1aec122cc4210792c">an emergency regulation</a>&nbsp;that at least temporarily puts strict limits on transgender medical treatment for youth. The planned rule comes as legislators in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-sports-missouri-4d034131a98cea32d09786c79efdd6a0">that state</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-youth-georgia-0ce0b2b6141063324e459d1c21a15bfe">many others</a>&nbsp;seek bans or other restrictions on the treatment.

Doctors and advocates for the transgender community contend the planned rule contains misleading or incorrect information straight from the playbook of anti-trans activists. Here’s a look at what the rule does and what's behind some of its assertions.

WHAT DOES THE MISSOURI EMERGENCY RULE DO?

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s rule will target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-mental-ce8f5a9ee53768af03c3c65d5331045b">treatment</a>&nbsp;for gender-questioning children, which typically begins with puberty-blocking drugs to temporarily pause sexual development. They are offered early in puberty, sometimes before the age of 10. Sex hormones — estrogen or testosterone — are offered next, generally in the teen years, allowing transgender boys and girls to physically transition. Some older teens choose to have transgender surgeries.

Bailey’s rule had not been formally filed as of Tuesday, but his office issued a press release outlining what he called “guardrails” for the treatments. The rule will require an 18-month waiting period, 15 one-hour therapy sessions and treatment of any mental illnesses before Missouri doctors can provide that kind of care to transgender children, according to the release. It also requires disclosure of information about puberty blocker drugs.

ARE DRUGS TO TREAT GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER EXPERIMENTAL?

In the press release about the new rule, the attorney general's office says patients must be told that using puberty blocker drugs or hormones to treat gender identity disorder is “experimental” and not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA approved puberty blockers 30 years ago to treat children with precocious puberty — a condition that causes sexual development to begin much earlier than usual. Sex hormones — synthetic forms of estrogen and testosterone — were approved decades ago to treat hormone disorders or as birth control pills.

The FDA has not approved the medications specifically to treat gender-questioning youth, but they have been used for many years for that purpose “off label," a common and accepted practice for many medical conditions. Doctors who treat trans patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental.

ARE DRUGS TO TREAT GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER RISKY?

The press release says patients must also be told the FDA issued a warning that puberty blockers can lead to blindness and brain swelling.

In April 2022, the FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/159663/download">added a warning</a>&nbsp;to labeling for puberty blockers based on several reports of a condition called pseudotumor cerebri, which can cause pressure and swelling inside the skull.

The FDA said the condition was found in six patients aged 5 to 12 years. Five of the girls were using the drugs for early-onset puberty. The sixth was using the drugs for transgender care. Their symptoms — including headaches, optic nerve swelling, blurred vision or vision loss — resolved or were resolving in at least four of the patients, the warning announcement said.

The FDA said there were too few cases to estimate how common the condition was in youth using puberty blockers and it did not move to limit their use.

Patients also must be told that Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare has declared that the risks of puberty blockers and sex hormones for gender-questioning youth “outweigh the possible benefits,” according to Bailey's press release. The Swedish agency did make that declaration last year, saying that the treatment in youth should be reserved for “exceptional cases,” citing what it said was a lack of strong evidence on effectiveness and safety, and concerns about young patients changing their minds about transitioning.

Evidence suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-treatment-regret-detransition-371e927ec6e7a24cd9c77b5371c6ba2b">detransitioning</a>&nbsp;is not as common as opponents of transgender medical treatment for youth contend, though the few studies that exist have weaknesses.

The release says that the Endocrine Society, which represents specialists who treat hormone conditions, found that about 85% of young children diagnosed with gender dysphoria grow out of it by their teens. The society does make that statement in its guidelines for transgender treatment and recommends against starting puberty blockers before puberty. But a spokesperson said the society opposes using the guidelines to discourage care.

And experts say evidence shows that detransitioning is uncommon in older children who begin treatment after puberty has begun, following recommendations from the society and other medical groups.

Bailey's release says treatment should be denied unless doctors ensure at least annually that “social contagion” has not influenced a patient’s gender identity. It says one study “notes that an individual whose friend identifies as transgender is “more than 70 times” as likely to similarly identify as transgender."

That appears to be a reference to a widely criticized 2018 study that suggested transgender identities among teens could be contagious. The study was based on surveys of a selective group of parents who opposed their children’s gender identities, skewing the results.

WHAT DO THE MISSOURI GUIDELINES SAY ABOUT COUNSELING?

Medical associations recommend psychological counseling for gender-questioning youth before starting any treatment. The Missouri regulation says that should consist of at least 15 hours over at least 18 months, the release says.

Critics say that recommendation is prescriptive and arbitrary.

“There is no good scientific evidence to determine how long such an evaluation should last," said Dr. Jack Drescher, editor of the gender dysphoria chapter in the latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual.

By LINDSEY TANNER&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —Missouri’s attorney general has said he will issue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minors-gender-affirming-care-attorney-general-missouri-7332d7baee1580d1aec122cc4210792c">an emergency regulation</a>&nbsp;that at least temporarily puts strict limits on transgender medical treatment for youth. The planned rule comes as legislators in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-sports-missouri-4d034131a98cea32d09786c79efdd6a0">that state</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-youth-georgia-0ce0b2b6141063324e459d1c21a15bfe">many others</a>&nbsp;seek bans or other restrictions on the treatment.Doctors and advocates for the transgender community contend the planned rule contains misleading or incorrect information straight from the playbook of anti-trans activists. Here’s a look at what the rule does and what's behind some of its assertions.WHAT DOES THE MISSOURI EMERGENCY RULE DO?Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s rule will target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-mental-ce8f5a9ee53768af03c3c65d5331045b">treatment</a>&nbsp;for gender-questioning children, which typically begins with puberty-blocking drugs to temporarily pause sexual development. They are offered early in puberty, sometimes before the age of 10. Sex hormones — estrogen or testosterone — are offered next, generally in the teen years, allowing transgender boys and girls to physically transition. Some older teens choose to have transgender surgeries.Bailey’s rule had not been formally filed as of Tuesday, but his office issued a press release outlining what he called “guardrails” for the treatments. The rule will require an 18-month waiting period, 15 one-hour therapy sessions and treatment of any mental illnesses before Missouri doctors can provide that kind of care to transgender children, according to the release. It also requires disclosure of information about puberty blocker drugs.ARE DRUGS TO TREAT GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER EXPERIMENTAL?In the press release about the new rule, the attorney general's office says patients must be told that using puberty blocker drugs or hormones to treat gender identity disorder is “experimental” and not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The FDA approved puberty blockers 30 years ago to treat children with precocious puberty — a condition that causes sexual development to begin much earlier than usual. Sex hormones — synthetic forms of estrogen and testosterone — were approved decades ago to treat hormone disorders or as birth control pills.The FDA has not approved the medications specifically to treat gender-questioning youth, but they have been used for many years for that purpose “off label," a common and accepted practice for many medical conditions. Doctors who treat trans patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental.ARE DRUGS TO TREAT GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER RISKY?The press release says patients must also be told the FDA issued a warning that puberty blockers can lead to blindness and brain swelling.In April 2022, the FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/159663/download">added a warning</a>&nbsp;to labeling for puberty blockers based on several reports of a condition called pseudotumor cerebri, which can cause pressure and swelling inside the skull.The FDA said the condition was found in six patients aged 5 to 12 years. Five of the girls were using the drugs for early-onset puberty. The sixth was using the drugs for transgender care. Their symptoms — including headaches, optic nerve swelling, blurred vision or vision loss — resolved or were resolving in at least four of the patients, the warning announcement said.The FDA said there were too few cases to estimate how common the condition was in youth using puberty blockers and it did not move to limit their use.Patients also must be told that Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare has declared that the risks of puberty blockers and sex hormones for gender-questioning youth “outweigh the possible benefits,” according to Bailey's press release. The Swedish agency did make that declaration last year, saying that the treatment in youth should be reserved for “exceptional cases,” citing what it said was a lack of strong evidence on effectiveness and safety, and concerns about young patients changing their minds about transitioning.HOW COMMON IS DETRANSITIONING?Evidence suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-treatment-regret-detransition-371e927ec6e7a24cd9c77b5371c6ba2b">detransitioning</a>&nbsp;is not as common as opponents of transgender medical treatment for youth contend, though the few studies that exist have weaknesses.The release says that the Endocrine Society, which represents specialists who treat hormone conditions, found that about 85% of young children diagnosed with gender dysphoria grow out of it by their teens. The society does make that statement in its guidelines for transgender treatment and recommends against starting puberty blockers before puberty. But a spokesperson said the society opposes using the guidelines to discourage care.And experts say evidence shows that detransitioning is uncommon in older children who begin treatment after puberty has begun, following recommendations from the society and other medical groups.Bailey's release says treatment should be denied unless doctors ensure at least annually that “social contagion” has not influenced a patient’s gender identity. It says one study “notes that an individual whose friend identifies as transgender is “more than 70 times” as likely to similarly identify as transgender."That appears to be a reference to a widely criticized 2018 study that suggested transgender identities among teens could be contagious. The study was based on surveys of a selective group of parents who opposed their children’s gender identities, skewing the results.WHAT DO THE MISSOURI GUIDELINES SAY ABOUT COUNSELING?Medical associations recommend psychological counseling for gender-questioning youth before starting any treatment. The Missouri regulation says that should consist of at least 15 hours over at least 18 months, the release says.Critics say that recommendation is prescriptive and arbitrary.“There is no good scientific evidence to determine how long such an evaluation should last," said Dr. Jack Drescher, editor of the gender dysphoria chapter in the latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual.

Doctors question aspects of Missouri transgender care limits

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death at the city’s homeless camp site.

Just after 8 pm Tuesday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical. First responders found the 36-year-old female unresponsive inside a tent, beyond life-saving measures, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.

Investigators are working to determine if there are any indications that a crime occurred. There are no immediate signs of foul play.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death at the city’s homeless camp site.Just after 8 pm Tuesday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical. First responders found the 36-year-old female unresponsive inside a tent, beyond life-saving measures, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.Investigators are working to determine if there are any indications that a crime occurred. There are no immediate signs of foul play.

Police investigate death of woman at Kansas homeless camp

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted suspect after a high speed chase.

Just before noon Tuesday, deputies initiated a pursuit of a Dodge Caravan that was reported driving recklessly and matched the description of a van that fled from Lawrence Police twice earlier including allegedly leaving the scene of a vehicle crash, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.

Deputies pursued the van from the city limits in North Lawrence, north on&nbsp; Highway 59 at speeds of 90 mph in oncoming traffic. Deputies then used a vehicle intervention maneuver to force the van into a field near Midland Junction.&nbsp; 

Deputies took the driver into custody on requested charges related to the chase and a Missouri warrant.&nbsp; Deputies did not release the name of the suspect.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted suspect after a high speed chase.Just before noon Tuesday, deputies initiated a pursuit of a Dodge Caravan that was reported driving recklessly and matched the description of a van that fled from Lawrence Police twice earlier including allegedly leaving the scene of a vehicle crash, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.Deputies pursued the van from the city limits in North Lawrence, north on&nbsp; Highway 59 at speeds of 90 mph in oncoming traffic. Deputies then used a vehicle intervention maneuver to force the van into a field near Midland Junction.&nbsp; Deputies took the driver into custody on requested charges related to the chase and a Missouri warrant.&nbsp; Deputies did not release the name of the suspect.

Wanted Mo. suspect jailed after 90mph chase in oncoming traffic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone by the fall, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The original plan was to send Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams</a>, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks. Officials said the M1A1 also will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain as they fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the invading Russian forces</a>.

“This is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.

The Biden administration announced in January that it would send the tanks to Ukraine — after insisting for months that they were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a broader political maneuver that opened the door for Germany to announce it would send its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-german-tanks-435da2221bf452a8aae9d2e58d23acae">Leopard 2 tanks</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to do the same.

Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Ryder said the tanks will be refurbished and refitted to make them combat ready for Ukraine. He declined to say where that work will be done.

It's unclear how soon the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian forces on how to use, maintain and repair the tanks. The intention would be to have the training of the troops coincide with the refurbishment of the tanks, so that both would be ready for battle at the same time later this year, said U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not publicly provided. The Pentagon will also have to ensure that Ukrainian forces have an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the tanks running.

The Russian and Ukrainian forces have been largely in a stalemate, trading small slices of land over the winter. The fiercest battles have been in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia is struggling to encircle the city of Bakhmut in the face of dogged Ukrainian defense. But both sides are expected to launch more intensive offensives in the spring.

Asked about the timing of the tanks' arrival, Ryder said the Abrams are part of the medium- and longer-term military support the U.S. is providing to Ukraine. He said that as Ukrainian forces take or retake territory, they will also need to sustain those gains and deter Russia from regaining any footholds.

During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-business-55e3f4ef1696ca381e069883d5836399">a visit to a tank plant in Lima, Ohio,</a>&nbsp;in February, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth met with officials there at length to determine the best options for getting the tanks to Ukraine.

“Part of it is figuring out — among the different options — what’s the best one that can allow us to get the Ukrainians tanks in as timely a fashion as we can,” without disrupting foreign military sales, Wormuth said at the time.

Officials at the plant, which is owned by the Army and operated by Reston, Virginia-based General Dynamics, said production totals can vary, based on contract demands. And while they are currently building 15-20 armored vehicles per month, including tanks, they can easily boost that to 33 a month and could add another shift of workers and build even more if needed.

Development of tanks for Ukraine would have to be squeezed in between the current contracts for foreign sales, which include 250 of the newest versions for Poland and about 75 for Australia. During Wormuth’s tour of the plant, workers were preparing to build an updated version of the vehicle for Poland.

Ukrainian leaders have persistently pressed for the Abrams, which first deployed to war in 1991 and has thick armor, a 120 mm main gun, armor-piercing capabilities and advanced targeting systems. It runs on thick tracked wheels and has a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine with a top speed of about 42 miles per hour (68 kilometers per hour).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679445740889.png" alt="The Defense Department announced Tuesday it will send tanks similar to the M1A1s used in this 2015 training exercise to Ukraine by the fall-photo Defense Dept." />
 <figcaption>The Defense Department announced Tuesday it will send tanks similar to the M1A1s used in this 2015 training exercise to Ukraine by the fall-photo Defense Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone by the fall, the Pentagon said Tuesday.The original plan was to send Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams</a>, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks. Officials said the M1A1 also will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain as they fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the invading Russian forces</a>.“This is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.The Biden administration announced in January that it would send the tanks to Ukraine — after insisting for months that they were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a broader political maneuver that opened the door for Germany to announce it would send its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-german-tanks-435da2221bf452a8aae9d2e58d23acae">Leopard 2 tanks</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to do the same.Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Ryder said the tanks will be refurbished and refitted to make them combat ready for Ukraine. He declined to say where that work will be done.It's unclear how soon the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian forces on how to use, maintain and repair the tanks. The intention would be to have the training of the troops coincide with the refurbishment of the tanks, so that both would be ready for battle at the same time later this year, said U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not publicly provided. The Pentagon will also have to ensure that Ukrainian forces have an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the tanks running.The Russian and Ukrainian forces have been largely in a stalemate, trading small slices of land over the winter. The fiercest battles have been in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia is struggling to encircle the city of Bakhmut in the face of dogged Ukrainian defense. But both sides are expected to launch more intensive offensives in the spring.Asked about the timing of the tanks' arrival, Ryder said the Abrams are part of the medium- and longer-term military support the U.S. is providing to Ukraine. He said that as Ukrainian forces take or retake territory, they will also need to sustain those gains and deter Russia from regaining any footholds.During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-business-55e3f4ef1696ca381e069883d5836399">a visit to a tank plant in Lima, Ohio,</a>&nbsp;in February, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth met with officials there at length to determine the best options for getting the tanks to Ukraine.“Part of it is figuring out — among the different options — what’s the best one that can allow us to get the Ukrainians tanks in as timely a fashion as we can,” without disrupting foreign military sales, Wormuth said at the time.Officials at the plant, which is owned by the Army and operated by Reston, Virginia-based General Dynamics, said production totals can vary, based on contract demands. And while they are currently building 15-20 armored vehicles per month, including tanks, they can easily boost that to 33 a month and could add another shift of workers and build even more if needed.Development of tanks for Ukraine would have to be squeezed in between the current contracts for foreign sales, which include 250 of the newest versions for Poland and about 75 for Australia. During Wormuth’s tour of the plant, workers were preparing to build an updated version of the vehicle for Poland.Ukrainian leaders have persistently pressed for the Abrams, which first deployed to war in 1991 and has thick armor, a 120 mm main gun, armor-piercing capabilities and advanced targeting systems. It runs on thick tracked wheels and has a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine with a top speed of about 42 miles per hour (68 kilometers per hour).

US to accelerate delivery of tanks to Ukraine

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court decided Tuesday not to disbar a defense attorney, who was caught on video groping six clients in a jail interview room, in a courthouse and while behind the wheel.

The 4-3 ruling to indefinitely suspend 86-year-old Dan Purdy will allow him to apply for reinstatement after a year, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article273417085.html">reports</a>. A disciplinary hearing panel had recommended disbarment for the attorney, and Judge Zel Fischer blasted the majority's decision in his dissent.

“There may have been a time when a temporary suspension was an adequate punishment for sexually assaulting or harassing a client, vulnerable or otherwise," Fischer wrote. “But," he added, "in my view, that time is long gone.”

In the majority ruling, Judge George Draper acknowledged Purdy, who is based in Osceola, Missouri, had committed the assaults and severely faulted him for his conduct.

Video provided by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office showed Purdy making sexual advances in September 2020 toward four women in a jail interview room. The women later told officers that the touching and kissing was unwanted.

In March 2021, he was seen on video touching a clients’ buttocks in a St. Clair County courtroom, although the client said in an affidavit that she believed Purdy didn’t touch her inappropriately, according to the opinion.

Later that year, a client used her phone to record Purdy reach across the seat and touch her breast under her blouse as he was driving her in his vehicle. That client said the sexual contact was unwanted, the opinion said.

No one answered the phone Tuesday at Purdy’s law office and the voice mailbox was full.

Draper wrote that Purdy, whose law license had already been suspended on an interim basis since December 2021, "fails to grasp the severity of his conduct or these charges.”

But Draper added that the discipline is consistent with what the court has issued in response to past sexual misconduct by lawyers. And he noted the discipline is more severe than Purdy's request that the court allow him to apply for reinstatement after six months.

In his dissent, Fischer wrote that age shouldn't be taken into consideration when determining appropriate punishment. The decision, Fischer said, made him “deeply distressed.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court decided Tuesday not to disbar a defense attorney, who was caught on video groping six clients in a jail interview room, in a courthouse and while behind the wheel.The 4-3 ruling to indefinitely suspend 86-year-old Dan Purdy will allow him to apply for reinstatement after a year, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article273417085.html">reports</a>. A disciplinary hearing panel had recommended disbarment for the attorney, and Judge Zel Fischer blasted the majority's decision in his dissent.“There may have been a time when a temporary suspension was an adequate punishment for sexually assaulting or harassing a client, vulnerable or otherwise," Fischer wrote. “But," he added, "in my view, that time is long gone.”In the majority ruling, Judge George Draper acknowledged Purdy, who is based in Osceola, Missouri, had committed the assaults and severely faulted him for his conduct.Video provided by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office showed Purdy making sexual advances in September 2020 toward four women in a jail interview room. The women later told officers that the touching and kissing was unwanted.In March 2021, he was seen on video touching a clients’ buttocks in a St. Clair County courtroom, although the client said in an affidavit that she believed Purdy didn’t touch her inappropriately, according to the opinion.Later that year, a client used her phone to record Purdy reach across the seat and touch her breast under her blouse as he was driving her in his vehicle. That client said the sexual contact was unwanted, the opinion said.No one answered the phone Tuesday at Purdy’s law office and the voice mailbox was full.Draper wrote that Purdy, whose law license had already been suspended on an interim basis since December 2021, "fails to grasp the severity of his conduct or these charges.”But Draper added that the discipline is consistent with what the court has issued in response to past sexual misconduct by lawyers. And he noted the discipline is more severe than Purdy's request that the court allow him to apply for reinstatement after six months.In his dissent, Fischer wrote that age shouldn't be taken into consideration when determining appropriate punishment. The decision, Fischer said, made him “deeply distressed.”

Mo. attorney seen on video groping clients avoids disbarment

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas proposal based on the disputed idea that providers leave newborns to die after unsuccessful abortions is nearing legislative approval, as Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-pushback-kansas-b5c0aaabf00ed50763824e04cf8fa6c6">pursue limited anti-abortion measures</a>&nbsp;following a decisive statewide vote last year protecting abortion rights.

The Kansas House was set to take a final vote Wednesday on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2313_00_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;declaring that when an abortion procedure inadvertently results in a live birth, medical personnel must take the same steps to preserve the newborn's life as “a reasonably diligent and conscientious” provider would with other live births. The measure is similar to a proposed Montana law that voters there&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-montana-a99111675c40301d1940addca098d599">rejected in November.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">The U.S. Supreme Court declared in June</a>&nbsp;that states can ban abortion, and the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature has long had strong anti-abortion majorities in both chambers. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;protected abortion rights and in August 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">voters rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed change to the state constitution to overturn that decision and give lawmakers the power to greatly restrict or ban abortion.

Supporters of the “born-alive infants protection” bill argued during a House debate Tuesday that the measure will survive a court challenge because it doesn't limit abortion itself. State Rep. Clark Sanders, a Republican from central Kansas, said the bill deals only with cases when a newborn is “completely out of her or his mother,” and has a heartbeat and is breathing.

“What we’re considering today is: What are a doctor and other medical personnel required to do in that circumstance?” Sanders said during Tuesday's debate. “What rights does that person have?”

House passage would send the measure to the Senate, where GOP leaders have also signaled they see it as a priority.

The bill is similar to laws in at least 18 states, including Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Texas, that require the hospitalization of infants born during unsuccessful abortions and impose criminal penalties for doctors who don't try to save them.

Not providing this care after unsuccessful abortions was already outlawed under a 2002 U.S. law, but it doesn't contain criminal penalties. The Republican-led U.S. House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-senate-cb608d31f591fd06ec2fd753f122f6cb">passed a measure</a>&nbsp;in January to add penalties, but it's not expected to pass the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate.

Abortion providers and abortion rights advocates have said it's rare for an abortion to result in a live birth, and measures like the ones in Kansas and Montana are designed only to give abortion care a false and negative public image.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Wichita and the Kansas City area, called the measure “political theater” that harms patients. Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesperson for Wichita abortion clinic operator Trust Women, said the facility has never seen an abortion result in a live birth.

“This is just this fantasy,” Gingrich-Gaylord said. “It’s simply not true that there’s any kind of danger of this happening.”

Opponents of the bill also argued that current state laws against homicide and child neglect, as well as laws on doctors’ duties, are sufficient to cover the kind of cases described by supporters.

“This is government entering the patient room with you and your physician,” said Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence.

Opponents also said if the legislation passes, it will create extra trauma for women when they end pregnancies because serious medical conditions mean newborns won't survive long. They said doctors would be forced into futile and expensive attempts to prolong infants' lives and families would be denied opportunities to hold dying babies and to say goodbye. The same arguments were made ahead of last year's vote in Montana.

But supporters of the Kansas bill said that wasn't so, because parents would be allowed to stay with their newborns as they went to the hospital and when they were there. State Rep. Leah Howell, a Wichita-area Republican, said she had a baby die in the 20th week of pregnancy.

“Believe me, when this bill came to my attention, the very first thing I checked for was that this law would allow moms to hold their dying babies in their arms and tell them they loved them and to say goodbye,” she said, her voice wavering.

The bill's supporters also said no one knows how many infants are born in Kansas during unsuccessful abortions because the state does not collect such statistics or require abortion providers to report such cases, something the bill would change. Kansas law bans most abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy — when Kansas automatically considers a fetus able to survive outside the womb — and no abortions after that point have been reported since at least 2016.

Two lawmakers, who are also doctors, told the House that during their training decades ago, they regularly saw cases in which newborns were left alone with no care to die.

One of them, Republican state Rep. John Eplee, a northeastern Kansas doctor, said abandoning such newborns did not violate accepted standards of care when he trained in the 1970s.

He said: “At its core, I really feel this is a basic human rights issue."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676472736553.png" alt="“This is government entering the patient room with you and your physician,” said Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence.-photo by Rachel Mipro" />
 <figcaption>“This is government entering the patient room with you and your physician,” said Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence.-photo by Rachel Mipro</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas proposal based on the disputed idea that providers leave newborns to die after unsuccessful abortions is nearing legislative approval, as Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-pushback-kansas-b5c0aaabf00ed50763824e04cf8fa6c6">pursue limited anti-abortion measures</a>&nbsp;following a decisive statewide vote last year protecting abortion rights.The Kansas House was set to take a final vote Wednesday on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2313_00_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;declaring that when an abortion procedure inadvertently results in a live birth, medical personnel must take the same steps to preserve the newborn's life as “a reasonably diligent and conscientious” provider would with other live births. The measure is similar to a proposed Montana law that voters there&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-montana-a99111675c40301d1940addca098d599">rejected in November.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">The U.S. Supreme Court declared in June</a>&nbsp;that states can ban abortion, and the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature has long had strong anti-abortion majorities in both chambers. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;protected abortion rights and in August 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">voters rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed change to the state constitution to overturn that decision and give lawmakers the power to greatly restrict or ban abortion.Supporters of the “born-alive infants protection” bill argued during a House debate Tuesday that the measure will survive a court challenge because it doesn't limit abortion itself. State Rep. Clark Sanders, a Republican from central Kansas, said the bill deals only with cases when a newborn is “completely out of her or his mother,” and has a heartbeat and is breathing.“What we’re considering today is: What are a doctor and other medical personnel required to do in that circumstance?” Sanders said during Tuesday's debate. “What rights does that person have?”House passage would send the measure to the Senate, where GOP leaders have also signaled they see it as a priority.The bill is similar to laws in at least 18 states, including Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Texas, that require the hospitalization of infants born during unsuccessful abortions and impose criminal penalties for doctors who don't try to save them.Not providing this care after unsuccessful abortions was already outlawed under a 2002 U.S. law, but it doesn't contain criminal penalties. The Republican-led U.S. House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-senate-cb608d31f591fd06ec2fd753f122f6cb">passed a measure</a>&nbsp;in January to add penalties, but it's not expected to pass the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate.Abortion providers and abortion rights advocates have said it's rare for an abortion to result in a live birth, and measures like the ones in Kansas and Montana are designed only to give abortion care a false and negative public image.Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Wichita and the Kansas City area, called the measure “political theater” that harms patients. Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesperson for Wichita abortion clinic operator Trust Women, said the facility has never seen an abortion result in a live birth.“This is just this fantasy,” Gingrich-Gaylord said. “It’s simply not true that there’s any kind of danger of this happening.”Opponents of the bill also argued that current state laws against homicide and child neglect, as well as laws on doctors’ duties, are sufficient to cover the kind of cases described by supporters.“This is government entering the patient room with you and your physician,” said Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence.Opponents also said if the legislation passes, it will create extra trauma for women when they end pregnancies because serious medical conditions mean newborns won't survive long. They said doctors would be forced into futile and expensive attempts to prolong infants' lives and families would be denied opportunities to hold dying babies and to say goodbye. The same arguments were made ahead of last year's vote in Montana.But supporters of the Kansas bill said that wasn't so, because parents would be allowed to stay with their newborns as they went to the hospital and when they were there. State Rep. Leah Howell, a Wichita-area Republican, said she had a baby die in the 20th week of pregnancy.“Believe me, when this bill came to my attention, the very first thing I checked for was that this law would allow moms to hold their dying babies in their arms and tell them they loved them and to say goodbye,” she said, her voice wavering.The bill's supporters also said no one knows how many infants are born in Kansas during unsuccessful abortions because the state does not collect such statistics or require abortion providers to report such cases, something the bill would change. Kansas law bans most abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy — when Kansas automatically considers a fetus able to survive outside the womb — and no abortions after that point have been reported since at least 2016.Two lawmakers, who are also doctors, told the House that during their training decades ago, they regularly saw cases in which newborns were left alone with no care to die.One of them, Republican state Rep. John Eplee, a northeastern Kansas doctor, said abandoning such newborns did not violate accepted standards of care when he trained in the 1970s.He said: “At its core, I really feel this is a basic human rights issue."

Kansas lawmakers consider 'born alive' abortion bill

DICKINSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 10am Tuesday, members of the Abilene Police Department and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Northwest Fifth and Cedar Street for the report of a possible armed robbery, according to a media release.

Officers learned that a woman armed with a handgun had demanded money from the driver of an armored vehicle who was servicing an automated teller machine. 

Officers located the suspect, 41-year-old Brandi J. Reed, Abilene, in the area of Northwest Fifth and Mulberry Street. Reed was taken into custody without incident. 

Reed had a black pellet pistol in her possession at the time of her arrest. She is being held on requested charges that could include attempted Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673102145406.jpeg" alt="Reed -photo Dickinson Co." />
 <figcaption>Reed -photo Dickinson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a suspect in custody.Just before 10am Tuesday, members of the Abilene Police Department and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Northwest Fifth and Cedar Street for the report of a possible armed robbery, according to a media release.Officers learned that a woman armed with a handgun had demanded money from the driver of an armored vehicle who was servicing an automated teller machine. Officers located the suspect, 41-year-old Brandi J. Reed, Abilene, in the area of Northwest Fifth and Mulberry Street. Reed was taken into custody without incident. Reed had a black pellet pistol in her possession at the time of her arrest. She is being held on requested charges that could include attempted Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Assault.

Kan. woman allegedly demanded money from armored vehicle driver

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A&nbsp; man dubbed the “Package Killer” for his method of disposing bodies received two life sentences Tuesday after admitting to killing two women in the St. Louis area more than 30 years ago.

Gary Muehlberg, 74, has now pleaded guilty to killing three women and faces a hearing next week in the death of a fourth. Remains of all four women were found in 1990 or 1991, packed into various types of containers.

Muehlberg was already in prison for killing a man in 1993 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-missouri-365f6d3ba318c251617fa14165341a2f">he was charged</a>&nbsp;last year with four counts of fist-degree murder in the women's death. The cases were solved after O'Fallon Detective Jodi Weber found DNA evidence while examining old, unsolved homicides. Muehlberg confessed after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.

He pleaded guilty Tuesday to murdering Brenda Pruitt and Donna Reitmeyer. The new life sentences will run concurrently with two other life sentences he was previously given.

Pruitt was 27 when her family reported her missing on May 9, 1990. Her body was found in October 1991 inside a plastic trash can on the side of a busy road in St. Louis County. Authorities said she had been smothered or strangled.

Reitmeyer’s body was found June 11, 1990, inside a trash can on a sidewalk in the city of St. Louis. She was a 40-year-old mother of three daughters.

On March 6, Muehlberg admitted to murdering 21-year-old Sandy Little, whose body was found inside a dresser abandoned along a highway in O'Fallon on Feb. 17, 1991.

A hearing is scheduled for March 31 in the death of 18-year-old Robyn Mihan. Her body was found between two mattresses secured together with wire along a road near the small rural Missouri town of Silex on March 26, 1990.

Court documents say Muehlberg also admitted to killing a fifth woman at his home and disposing of her body in a metal barrel he left near a self-service car wash. Her remains were never found.

A motive for the killings has not been disclosed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663670116168.png" alt="Muehlberg-photo&nbsp; MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Muehlberg-photo&nbsp; MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — A&nbsp; man dubbed the “Package Killer” for his method of disposing bodies received two life sentences Tuesday after admitting to killing two women in the St. Louis area more than 30 years ago.Gary Muehlberg, 74, has now pleaded guilty to killing three women and faces a hearing next week in the death of a fourth. Remains of all four women were found in 1990 or 1991, packed into various types of containers.Muehlberg was already in prison for killing a man in 1993 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-missouri-365f6d3ba318c251617fa14165341a2f">he was charged</a>&nbsp;last year with four counts of fist-degree murder in the women's death. The cases were solved after O'Fallon Detective Jodi Weber found DNA evidence while examining old, unsolved homicides. Muehlberg confessed after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.He pleaded guilty Tuesday to murdering Brenda Pruitt and Donna Reitmeyer. The new life sentences will run concurrently with two other life sentences he was previously given.Pruitt was 27 when her family reported her missing on May 9, 1990. Her body was found in October 1991 inside a plastic trash can on the side of a busy road in St. Louis County. Authorities said she had been smothered or strangled.Reitmeyer’s body was found June 11, 1990, inside a trash can on a sidewalk in the city of St. Louis. She was a 40-year-old mother of three daughters.On March 6, Muehlberg admitted to murdering 21-year-old Sandy Little, whose body was found inside a dresser abandoned along a highway in O'Fallon on Feb. 17, 1991.A hearing is scheduled for March 31 in the death of 18-year-old Robyn Mihan. Her body was found between two mattresses secured together with wire along a road near the small rural Missouri town of Silex on March 26, 1990.Court documents say Muehlberg also admitted to killing a fifth woman at his home and disposing of her body in a metal barrel he left near a self-service car wash. Her remains were never found.A motive for the killings has not been disclosed.

Man dubbed 'Package Killer' admits to killing 3 women

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill&nbsp; that directs the federal government to declassify as much intelligence as possible about the origins of COVID-19 more than three years after the start of the pandemic.

The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate without dissent, directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology. It cites “potential links” between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The law allows for redactions to protect sensitive sources and methods.

U.S. intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly virus. Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1.1 million in the U.S. and millions more around the globe, may not be known for many years — if ever.

Biden, in a statement, said he was pleased to sign the legislation.

“My Administration will continue to review all classified information relating to COVID–19’s origins, including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he said. “In implementing this legislation, my Administration will declassify and share as much of that information as possible, consistent with my constitutional authority to protect against the disclosure of information that would harm national security.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676821587118.png" alt="Biden, in a statement, said he was pleased to sign the legislation.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden, in a statement, said he was pleased to sign the legislation.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill&nbsp; that directs the federal government to declassify as much intelligence as possible about the origins of COVID-19 more than three years after the start of the pandemic.The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate without dissent, directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology. It cites “potential links” between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The law allows for redactions to protect sensitive sources and methods.U.S. intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly virus. Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1.1 million in the U.S. and millions more around the globe, may not be known for many years — if ever.Biden, in a statement, said he was pleased to sign the legislation.“My Administration will continue to review all classified information relating to COVID–19’s origins, including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he said. “In implementing this legislation, my Administration will declassify and share as much of that information as possible, consistent with my constitutional authority to protect against the disclosure of information that would harm national security.”

Biden signs the bill to release all info on origins of COVID

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Two people arrested over the weekend in Michigan have been charged with killing a Kansas couple while stealing their car.

Online court records show that 33-year-old Steven Pierce was charged Tuesday and 29-year-old Kallie Peters on Monday with two counts of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and theft. Both are from Junction City, Kansas. No attorney is listed for them in the online records.

The victims in the case were identified as 75-year-old Valerie Krissman and 80-year-old Roland Krissman.

The complaint said that the killing happened earlier this month in Junction City during the theft of the Krissman's 2006 Buick Lacrosse.

Junction City police said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCPDKS/posts/pfbid02sZC8tbqpZgNdXTxXGw4WPBAXkFSziM6tKtcN6yeSTVd9UYsfYujg1okbe2SRV84rl">news release</a>&nbsp;the Michigan State Patrol arrested Pierce and Peters on warrants Sunday.

No other details were immediately released about the killing. The prosecutor's office didn't immediately return a phone message.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679429689565.png" alt="Pierce -photo Saginaw Co." />
 <figcaption>Pierce -photo Saginaw Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Two people arrested over the weekend in Michigan have been charged with killing a Kansas couple while stealing their car.Online court records show that 33-year-old Steven Pierce was charged Tuesday and 29-year-old Kallie Peters on Monday with two counts of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and theft. Both are from Junction City, Kansas. No attorney is listed for them in the online records.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679429653515.png" alt="Peters-photo Saginaw Co." />
 <figcaption>Peters-photo Saginaw Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The victims in the case were identified as 75-year-old Valerie Krissman and 80-year-old Roland Krissman.The complaint said that the killing happened earlier this month in Junction City during the theft of the Krissman's 2006 Buick Lacrosse.Junction City police said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCPDKS/posts/pfbid02sZC8tbqpZgNdXTxXGw4WPBAXkFSziM6tKtcN6yeSTVd9UYsfYujg1okbe2SRV84rl">news release</a>&nbsp;the Michigan State Patrol arrested Pierce and Peters on warrants Sunday.No other details were immediately released about the killing. The prosecutor's office didn't immediately return a phone message.

2 jailed in Michigan charged in Kansas double homicide

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran joined a congressional delegation (CODEL) which returned to the U.S. Monday evening after visiting intelligence, drug enforcement and government officials in Mexico, according to a statement from the senator's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679394365309.png" alt="In Mexico City, the congressional delegation met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López&nbsp;Obrador, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar and Mexican government officials." />
 <figcaption>In Mexico City, the congressional delegation met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López&nbsp;Obrador, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar and Mexican government officials.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran joined a congressional delegation (CODEL) which returned to the U.S. Monday evening after visiting intelligence, drug enforcement and government officials in Mexico, according to a statement from the senator's office.The delegation received briefings from U.S. intelligence officials, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar on the United States’ security posture with regards to Mexico, recent killings of Americans in the country, efforts to stop drug trafficking and illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. The delegation also met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and members of his cabinet to discuss how to improve coordination between the two countries on these issues. “We traveled to Mexico to discuss how the U.S. and Mexico can work together to apprehend violent cartel members, stem the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl and mitigate unchecked migration,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“During our meeting, I urged President Lopez Obrador to work with the United States on these serious challenges. I appreciated his interest in stopping the fentanyl precursors coming from China to Mexico and our dialogue regarding the purchase of Kansas corn under the USMCA. I will be monitoring developments on all of our mutual security and trade challenges.”The congressional delegation was led by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and also included Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Representatives Tony Gonzales (Texas-23), Henry Cuellar (Texas-28), Veronica Escobar (Texas-16), and Maria Salazar (Fla.-27).