WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday.

The missiles will be used to replenish previously supplied Patriot systems. The package also includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and additional gear to integrate Western air defense launchers, missiles and radars into Ukraine's existing weaponry, much of which still dates back to the Soviet era.

Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;discussed the need for Patriots early Friday with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries gathering virtually in a Pentagon-led meeting. The meeting fell on the second anniversary of the group, which Austin said has “moved heaven and earth” since April 2022 to source millions of rounds of ammunition, rocket systems, armored vehicles and even jets to help Ukraine rebuff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's invasion</a>.

Zelenskyy said at least seven Patriot systems are needed to protect Ukrainian cities. “We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them,” Zelenskyy said. “This is what can and should save lives right now.”

At a Pentagon press conference following the meeting, Austin said the U.S. was working with allies to resource additional Patriot systems but did not commit to sending more U.S. versions. He said he has been speaking one-on-one with a number of his European counterparts in recent days to hash out this issue and others.

“It's not just Patriots that they need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well,” Austin said. “I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet.”

Austin said he is asking allied nations to “accept a little bit more risk” as they consider what weapons to send to Ukraine. A number of nations have expressed some reluctance to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine because most don’t have very many and they belieive they need them for their own defense.

U.S. officials said the aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means that it could take many months or years for the weapons to arrive. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The new funding — the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date — also includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as Switchblade and Puma drones, counter drone systems and artillery.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been meeting about monthly for the past two years and is the primary forum for weapons contributions to Kyiv for the war.

Friday's meeting follows the White House decision earlier this week to approve the delivery of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$1 billion in weapons and equipment</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine. Those weapons include a variety of ammunition, such as air defense munitions and large amounts of artillery rounds that are much in demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armored vehicles and other weapons.

That aid, however, will get to Ukraine quickly because it is being pulled off Pentagon shelves, including in warehouses in Europe.

Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the $1 billion weapons package will have a key benefit.

“There's some near-term effects,” said Brown, who stood alongside Austin at the Pentagon briefing. “Now the Ukrainians don't necessarily have to ration what they have because they know things are coming out of this package and there will be follow-on packages.”

The large back-to-back aid approvals are the result of a new infusion of about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$61 billion in funding for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. And they provide weapons Kyiv desperately needs to stall gains being made by Russian forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">in the war</a>.

Bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding for months, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-gaza-taiwan-c0645ad3f47f9d919c8988a98593e887">$95 billion foreign aid</a>&nbsp;package, which also included billions of dollars for Israel and Taiwan, passed the House on Saturday, and the Senate approved it Tuesday.

Senior U.S. officials have described dire battlefield conditions in Ukraine, as troops run low on munitions and Russian forces make gains.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">Russia’s February 2022 invasion</a>, the U.S. has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine.

Among the weapons provided to Ukraine were Abrams M1A1 battle tanks. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-abrams-tanks-19d71475d427875653a2130063a8fb7a">Ukraine has now sidelined them</a>&nbsp;in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714164025275.png" alt="Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a Pentagon press briefing Friday-image Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a Pentagon press briefing Friday-image Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday.The missiles will be used to replenish previously supplied Patriot systems. The package also includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and additional gear to integrate Western air defense launchers, missiles and radars into Ukraine's existing weaponry, much of which still dates back to the Soviet era.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714164230975.png" alt="File photo The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command launch a missile target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Feb. 8, 2023, while testing new Patriot missile software.-U.S. Army photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command launch a missile target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Feb. 8, 2023, while testing new Patriot missile software.-U.S. Army photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;discussed the need for Patriots early Friday with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries gathering virtually in a Pentagon-led meeting. The meeting fell on the second anniversary of the group, which Austin said has “moved heaven and earth” since April 2022 to source millions of rounds of ammunition, rocket systems, armored vehicles and even jets to help Ukraine rebuff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's invasion</a>.Zelenskyy said at least seven Patriot systems are needed to protect Ukrainian cities. “We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them,” Zelenskyy said. “This is what can and should save lives right now.”At a Pentagon press conference following the meeting, Austin said the U.S. was working with allies to resource additional Patriot systems but did not commit to sending more U.S. versions. He said he has been speaking one-on-one with a number of his European counterparts in recent days to hash out this issue and others.“It's not just Patriots that they need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well,” Austin said. “I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet.”Austin said he is asking allied nations to “accept a little bit more risk” as they consider what weapons to send to Ukraine. A number of nations have expressed some reluctance to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine because most don’t have very many and they belieive they need them for their own defense.U.S. officials said the aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means that it could take many months or years for the weapons to arrive. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.The new funding — the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date — also includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as Switchblade and Puma drones, counter drone systems and artillery.The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been meeting about monthly for the past two years and is the primary forum for weapons contributions to Kyiv for the war.Friday's meeting follows the White House decision earlier this week to approve the delivery of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$1 billion in weapons and equipment</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine. Those weapons include a variety of ammunition, such as air defense munitions and large amounts of artillery rounds that are much in demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armored vehicles and other weapons.That aid, however, will get to Ukraine quickly because it is being pulled off Pentagon shelves, including in warehouses in Europe.Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the $1 billion weapons package will have a key benefit.“There's some near-term effects,” said Brown, who stood alongside Austin at the Pentagon briefing. “Now the Ukrainians don't necessarily have to ration what they have because they know things are coming out of this package and there will be follow-on packages.”The large back-to-back aid approvals are the result of a new infusion of about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4">$61 billion in funding for Ukraine</a>&nbsp;that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. And they provide weapons Kyiv desperately needs to stall gains being made by Russian forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">in the war</a>.Bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding for months, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-gaza-taiwan-c0645ad3f47f9d919c8988a98593e887">$95 billion foreign aid</a>&nbsp;package, which also included billions of dollars for Israel and Taiwan, passed the House on Saturday, and the Senate approved it Tuesday.Senior U.S. officials have described dire battlefield conditions in Ukraine, as troops run low on munitions and Russian forces make gains.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">Russia’s February 2022 invasion</a>, the U.S. has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine.Among the weapons provided to Ukraine were Abrams M1A1 battle tanks. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-abrams-tanks-19d71475d427875653a2130063a8fb7a">Ukraine has now sidelined them</a>&nbsp;in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

U.S. to rush  Patriot missiles to Ukraine in $6 Billion package

By JOSH FUNK and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging hundreds of homes, many around Omaha, Nebraska.

As of Friday night, there were several reports of injuries but no immediate deaths reported. Tornado warnings continued to be issued into the night in Iowa.

Three people were hurt in Nebraska’s Lancaster County when a tornado hit an industrial building, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated and the injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

One of the most destructive tornadoes moved for miles Friday through mostly rural farmland before chewing up homes and other structures in the suburbs of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people with a metropolitan area population of about 1 million.

Photos on social media showed the small city of Minden, Iowa, about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northeast of Omaha also sustained heavy damage.

The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The National Weather Service issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.

“It does look like a big outbreak again tomorrow,” said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office. “Maybe slightly farther south.”

Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha on Friday, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.

“You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said, adding that many of the homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

Police and firefighters went door-to-door to help people, going to the “hardest hit area” with a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped, Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said.

“We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance,” Bossman said.

In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had their top halves ripped off. Dozens of emergency vehicles responded to the area.

“We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there and then we took shelter,” said Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. "We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood's gone.”

Kim Woods, his wife, added, “The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.”

Three people, including a child, were in the basement of the leveled home when the tornado hit but got out safely, according to Dhaval Naik, who said he works with home's owner.

KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a demolished home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.

Two people were transported for treatment, both with minor injuries, Bonacci said.

Crews were doing a second search of homes. Fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside, Bonacci said.

“People had warnings of this and that saved lives," Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said of the few serious injuries.

The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting children home.

“Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes?” Kern of the National Weather Service said.

The agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, which could take up to two weeks, she said.

“Some appeared to be violent tornadoes,” Kern continued. “There were tornadoes in different areas. And so it’s like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.”

Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials halted aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

The passenger terminal wasn't hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.

After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said Friday afternoon that damage reports were just starting to come in. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.

In Lancaster County, where three people were injured when an industrial building collapsed, sheriff's officials also said they had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, Nebraska.

Two people who were injured in the county were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. The hospital said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.

The Omaha Public Power District reported nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area. The number had dropped to about 7,300 by Friday night.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen posted on the social platform X that he had ordered state resources to be made available to help with the emergency response and to support first responders as they assess the damage.

“Nebraskans are no strangers to severe weather and, as they have countless times before, Nebraskans will help Nebraskans to rebuild,” Pillen said.

Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees, recalling “it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming” northeast of town.

“It started raining, and then it started hailing, and then all the clouds started to kind of swirl and come together, and as soon as the wind started to pick up, that’s when I headed for the basement, but we never saw it,” Fienhold said.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, damaging hundreds of homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Some injuries were reported but there were no immediate reports that anyone was killed.

Multiple tornadoes were reported in Nebraska but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.

Photos on social media showed ravaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.

Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.

Police and firefighters are now going door-to-door helping people who are trapped.

Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said crews had gone to the “hardest hit area” and had a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped.

“They're going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with most damage,” Bossman said. “We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance.”

Bonacci said many homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

"You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said.

In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had the top half ripped off.

There were dozens of emergency vehicles in the area.

His wife, Kim Woods added, “The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.”

Dhaval Naik, who said he works with the man whose house was demolished, said three people, including a child, were in the basement when the tornado hit. They got out safely.

KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a wrecked home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.

Bonacci said only two people have been transported for treatment, both with minor injuries.

He said crews are now doing a second search of homes. He said fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside.

“People had warnings of this and that saved lives," Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, of the few serious injuries.

The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting students home.

“Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes?” said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office.

She said the agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, and that it could take up to two weeks to finish the evaluation.

“Some appeared to be violent tornadoes,” she continued. “There were tornadoes in different areas. And so it’s like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.”

Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

Flight delays are expected Friday evening.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said damage is just now being reported. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.

Before the tornado hit the Omaha area, three workers in an industrial plant were injured Friday afternoon when a tornado struck an industrial plant in Lancaster County, sheriff’s officials said in an update on the damage.

The building just northeast of the state capital of Lincoln had collapsed with about 70 employees inside and several people trapped, sheriff’s officials said. Everyone was evacuated, and three people had injuries that were considered not life-threatening, authorities said.

Sheriff’s officials say they also had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, also in Lancaster County.

Two people who were injured when the tornado passed through Lancaster County were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. It said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.

The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.

Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees. He said “it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming” northeast of town.

The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. And forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.

“It does look like a big outbreak again tomorrow,” Kern said. “Maybe slightly farther south.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, destroying homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Injuries were reported but it wasn’t yet clear if anyone was killed in the storm.

Photos on social media showed heavily damaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.

Another tornado hit an area on the western edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations and were assessing any damage in the area, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

“We have folks in the terminal that are in shelters right now, but the airport is currently closed,” he said, adding that he wasn’t aware of any injuries. Flight delays are likely, he said.

The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. And forecasters warned that large hail and damaging wind gusts were possible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714172110798.png" alt="View of the tornado as seen by theNebraska Dept. of Transportation camera near Waverly" />
 <figcaption>View of the tornado as seen by theNebraska Dept. of Transportation camera near Waverly</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH FUNK and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging hundreds of homes, many around Omaha, Nebraska.As of Friday night, there were several reports of injuries but no immediate deaths reported. Tornado warnings continued to be issued into the night in Iowa.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714218544332.png" alt="Photo Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>Three people were hurt in Nebraska’s Lancaster County when a tornado hit an industrial building, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated and the injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.One of the most destructive tornadoes moved for miles Friday through mostly rural farmland before chewing up homes and other structures in the suburbs of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people with a metropolitan area population of about 1 million.Photos on social media showed the small city of Minden, Iowa, about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northeast of Omaha also sustained heavy damage.The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The National Weather Service issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.“It does look like a big outbreak again tomorrow,” said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office. “Maybe slightly farther south.”Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha on Friday, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.“You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said, adding that many of the homes were destroyed or severely damaged.Police and firefighters went door-to-door to help people, going to the “hardest hit area” with a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped, Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said.“We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance,” Bossman said.In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had their top halves ripped off. Dozens of emergency vehicles responded to the area.“We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there and then we took shelter,” said Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. "We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood's gone.”Kim Woods, his wife, added, “The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.”Three people, including a child, were in the basement of the leveled home when the tornado hit but got out safely, according to Dhaval Naik, who said he works with home's owner.KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a demolished home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.Two people were transported for treatment, both with minor injuries, Bonacci said.Crews were doing a second search of homes. Fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside, Bonacci said.“People had warnings of this and that saved lives," Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said of the few serious injuries.The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting children home.“Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes?” Kern of the National Weather Service said.The agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, which could take up to two weeks, she said.“Some appeared to be violent tornadoes,” Kern continued. “There were tornadoes in different areas. And so it’s like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.”Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials halted aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.The passenger terminal wasn't hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said Friday afternoon that damage reports were just starting to come in. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.In Lancaster County, where three people were injured when an industrial building collapsed, sheriff's officials also said they had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, Nebraska.Two people who were injured in the county were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. The hospital said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.The Omaha Public Power District reported nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area. The number had dropped to about 7,300 by Friday night.Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen posted on the social platform X that he had ordered state resources to be made available to help with the emergency response and to support first responders as they assess the damage.“Nebraskans are no strangers to severe weather and, as they have countless times before, Nebraskans will help Nebraskans to rebuild,” Pillen said.Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees, recalling “it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming” northeast of town.“It started raining, and then it started hailing, and then all the clouds started to kind of swirl and come together, and as soon as the wind started to pick up, that’s when I headed for the basement, but we never saw it,” Fienhold said.----------OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, damaging hundreds of homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Some injuries were reported but there were no immediate reports that anyone was killed.Multiple tornadoes were reported in Nebraska but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.Photos on social media showed ravaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.Police and firefighters are now going door-to-door helping people who are trapped.Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said crews had gone to the “hardest hit area” and had a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped.“They're going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with most damage,” Bossman said. “We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance.”Bonacci said many homes were destroyed or severely damaged."You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said.In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had the top half ripped off.There were dozens of emergency vehicles in the area.“We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there and then we took shelter,” said Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. "We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood's gone.”His wife, Kim Woods added, “The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.”Dhaval Naik, who said he works with the man whose house was demolished, said three people, including a child, were in the basement when the tornado hit. They got out safely.KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a wrecked home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.Bonacci said only two people have been transported for treatment, both with minor injuries.He said crews are now doing a second search of homes. He said fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside.“People had warnings of this and that saved lives," Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, of the few serious injuries.The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting students home.“Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes?” said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Omaha office.She said the agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, and that it could take up to two weeks to finish the evaluation.“Some appeared to be violent tornadoes,” she continued. “There were tornadoes in different areas. And so it’s like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.”Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.The passenger terminal wasn't hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.Flight delays are expected Friday evening.After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said damage is just now being reported. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.Before the tornado hit the Omaha area, three workers in an industrial plant were injured Friday afternoon when a tornado struck an industrial plant in Lancaster County, sheriff’s officials said in an update on the damage.The building just northeast of the state capital of Lincoln had collapsed with about 70 employees inside and several people trapped, sheriff’s officials said. Everyone was evacuated, and three people had injuries that were considered not life-threatening, authorities said.Sheriff’s officials say they also had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, also in Lancaster County.Two people who were injured when the tornado passed through Lancaster County were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. It said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees. He said “it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming” northeast of town.“It started raining, and then it started hailing, and then all the clouds started to kind of swirl and come together, and as soon as the wind started to pick up, that’s when I headed for the basement, but we never saw it,” Fienhold said.The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. And forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.“It does look like a big outbreak again tomorrow,” Kern said. “Maybe slightly farther south.”___OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, destroying homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Injuries were reported but it wasn’t yet clear if anyone was killed in the storm.Multiple tornadoes were reported in Nebraska but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.Photos on social media showed heavily damaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a demolished home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.Another tornado hit an area on the western edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations and were assessing any damage in the area, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.“We have folks in the terminal that are in shelters right now, but the airport is currently closed,” he said, adding that he wasn’t aware of any injuries. Flight delays are likely, he said.After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said damage is just now being reported. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.Before the tornado hit the Omaha area, three workers in an industrial plant were injured Friday afternoon when a tornado struck an industrial plant in Lancaster County, sheriff’s officials said in an update on the damage.The building just northeast of the state capital of Lincoln had collapsed with about 70 employees inside and several people trapped, sheriff’s officials said. Everyone was evacuated, and three people had injuries that were considered not life-threatening, authorities said.Sheriff’s officials say they also had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, also in Lancaster County.The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. And forecasters warned that large hail and damaging wind gusts were possible.___

Tornadoes collapse buildings and level homes in Nebraska and Iowa

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's defense team attacked the credibility of prosecutors' first witness in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush money case</a>&nbsp;on Friday, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.

<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/4-25-2024/">Click here to read transcript</a> of day 3 of the historic trial&nbsp;(-The court system is posting the daily transcripts of the trial proceedings. The transcript for each day is available before the end of the following business day.)

On the witness stand for a fourth day, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker was grilled about his memory and past statements as the defense tried to poke holes in potentially crucial testimony in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">first criminal trial of a former American president.</a>

Two other witnesses followed Pecker as prosecutors built the foundation of their case involving a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump. Trump's longtime executive assistant told jurors she recalled seeing Daniels in a reception area of Trump Tower, though the date of the visit wasn’t clear.

Pecker’s testimony provided jurors with a stunning inside look at the supermarket tabloid’s “catch-and-kill” practice of purchasing the rights to stories so they never see the light of day. He's believed to be a key witness to bolster prosecutors' theory that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 race by suppressing negative stories about his personal life.

Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, slammed the prosecution as he left the courthouse Friday after spending most of the week in his role as criminal defendant instead of political candidate. Trump seized on President Joe Biden's remarks Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-debates-97c527d59bac59c06d2ee0e1edb81d9b">that he's willing to debate Trump</a>. Trump told reporters he's up for it anytime, anywhere.

Under cross-examination, Trump’s lawyers appeared to be laying the groundwork to make the argument that any dealings Trump had with Pecker were intended to protect Trump, his reputation and his family — not his campaign. The defense also sought to show that the National Enquirer was publishing negative stories about Trump’s 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton, long before an August 2015 meeting that is central to the case.

During that meeting, Pecker said he told Trump and then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen he would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-national-enquirer-d44d4a7ce66cc08edb5981b3afb882ba">“eyes and ears” of the campaign</a>, and would notify Cohen if he heard negative stories about Trump so they could be killed.

Under questioning by Trump lawyer Emil Bove, Pecker acknowledged there was no mention at that meeting of the term “catch-and-kill." Nor was there discussion at the meeting of any “financial dimension,” such as the National Enquirer paying people on Trump’s behalf for the rights to their stories, Pecker said.

Bove also confronted Pecker with statements he made to federal prosecutors in 2018 that the defense lawyer said were “inconsistent” with the former publisher’s testimony.

Pecker told jurors that Trump thanked him during a White House visit in 2017 for his help burying two stories. But according to notes Bove read in court, Pecker told federal authorities that Trump did not express any gratitude to him during the meeting.

“Was that another mistake?” Bove asked Pecker.

Pecker stuck to the account that he gave in court, adding, “I know what the truth is."

Prosecutors challenged the defense’s contention that Trump's arrangement with the National Enquirer wasn't unique. Under questioning from a prosecutor, Pecker acknowledged he had not previously sought out stories and worked the company’s sources on behalf of a presidential candidate or allowed political fixers close access to internal decision-making.

The second witness called to the stand was Rhona Graff, Trump’s longtime executive assistant. Graff, who started working for Trump in 1987 and left the Trump Organization in April 2021, has been described as his gatekeeper and right hand.

Graff testified that she believed she was the one who added contact information for Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to the Trump Organization’s computer system. The women’s listings were shown in court, with Daniels named in the system simply as “Stormy.” Graff later noted that Trump never used computers.

Trump spoke briefly to Graff as she left the witness stand. He appeared to reach out to her with his hand as an officer guided her away from the witness stand past the defense table. Trump’s lawyers were at the bench, talking with Judge Juan Merchan, when Trump stood up and engaged with Graff.

The case will resume Tuesday with the third prosecution witness, Gary Farro, a banker. Farro testified Friday about helping Cohen form a bank account for the limited liability company he used to facilitate the Daniels payment. Farro said Cohen led him to believe the firm, Essential Consultants LLC, would be involved in real estate consulting.

Friday’s testimony caps a consequential week in the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases the former president faces</a>&nbsp;as he vies to reclaim the White House in November.

At the same time jurors listened to testimony in Manhattan, the Supreme Court on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-prosecution-immunity-72c885c07c77970d4380206f87b2d8ca">signaled it was likely to reject</a>&nbsp;Trump's sweeping claims that he is immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. But the conservative-majority high court seemed inclined to limit when former presidents could be prosecuted — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-immunity-jan-6-riot-4813fceb6bc8b0ea2f47bf9315bf7991">ruling that could benefit Trump</a>&nbsp;by delaying that trial, potentially until after the November election.

In New York — the first of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases to go to trial</a>&nbsp;— the presumptive Republican presidential nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the hush money payments.

The charges center on $130,000 that Trump’s company paid to Cohen on Trump’s behalf to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-karen-mcdougal-26f0b7e7cf464f5fc0681e04efe5fe9b">Daniels</a>&nbsp;from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the encounter ever happened.

Over several days on the witness stand, Pecker described how the tabloid parlayed rumor-mongering into splashy stories that smeared Trump’s opponents and, just as crucially, leveraged his connections to suppress seamy stories about Trump.

Trump's attorney zeroed in on a nonprosecution agreement in 2018 between the federal government and American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer.

The company admitted to engaging in the “catch-and-kill” practice to help Trump's campaign, and prosecutors agreed to not prosecute the company for paying $150,000 to McDougal for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump denies the affair.

Trump's attorney repeatedly suggested that Pecker may have felt pressured to accept an agreement in order to finalize a deal to sell his company to the newsstand operator Hudson News Group for a proposed $100 million.

“To consummate that deal, you knew you had to clear up the investigations,” Bove said.

After pausing for several seconds, Pecker replied in the affirmative. But Pecker also said he felt “no pressure” to finalize the nonprosecution agreement to complete the transaction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714184700078.png" alt="TrumOne piece of evidence from Trump's civil trial on Tuesday -provided by New York State Court System" />
 <figcaption>TrumOne piece of evidence from Trump's civil trial on Tuesday -provided by New York State Court System</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's defense team attacked the credibility of prosecutors' first witness in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush money case</a>&nbsp;on Friday, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/4-25-2024/">Click here to read transcript</a> of day 3 of the historic trial&nbsp;(-The court system is posting the daily transcripts of the trial proceedings. The transcript for each day is available before the end of the following business day.)On the witness stand for a fourth day, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker was grilled about his memory and past statements as the defense tried to poke holes in potentially crucial testimony in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">first criminal trial of a former American president.</a>Two other witnesses followed Pecker as prosecutors built the foundation of their case involving a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump. Trump's longtime executive assistant told jurors she recalled seeing Daniels in a reception area of Trump Tower, though the date of the visit wasn’t clear.Pecker’s testimony provided jurors with a stunning inside look at the supermarket tabloid’s “catch-and-kill” practice of purchasing the rights to stories so they never see the light of day. He's believed to be a key witness to bolster prosecutors' theory that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 race by suppressing negative stories about his personal life.Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, slammed the prosecution as he left the courthouse Friday after spending most of the week in his role as criminal defendant instead of political candidate. Trump seized on President Joe Biden's remarks Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-debates-97c527d59bac59c06d2ee0e1edb81d9b">that he's willing to debate Trump</a>. Trump told reporters he's up for it anytime, anywhere.Under cross-examination, Trump’s lawyers appeared to be laying the groundwork to make the argument that any dealings Trump had with Pecker were intended to protect Trump, his reputation and his family — not his campaign. The defense also sought to show that the National Enquirer was publishing negative stories about Trump’s 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton, long before an August 2015 meeting that is central to the case.During that meeting, Pecker said he told Trump and then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen he would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-national-enquirer-d44d4a7ce66cc08edb5981b3afb882ba">“eyes and ears” of the campaign</a>, and would notify Cohen if he heard negative stories about Trump so they could be killed.Under questioning by Trump lawyer Emil Bove, Pecker acknowledged there was no mention at that meeting of the term “catch-and-kill." Nor was there discussion at the meeting of any “financial dimension,” such as the National Enquirer paying people on Trump’s behalf for the rights to their stories, Pecker said.Bove also confronted Pecker with statements he made to federal prosecutors in 2018 that the defense lawyer said were “inconsistent” with the former publisher’s testimony.Pecker told jurors that Trump thanked him during a White House visit in 2017 for his help burying two stories. But according to notes Bove read in court, Pecker told federal authorities that Trump did not express any gratitude to him during the meeting.“Was that another mistake?” Bove asked Pecker.Pecker stuck to the account that he gave in court, adding, “I know what the truth is."Prosecutors challenged the defense’s contention that Trump's arrangement with the National Enquirer wasn't unique. Under questioning from a prosecutor, Pecker acknowledged he had not previously sought out stories and worked the company’s sources on behalf of a presidential candidate or allowed political fixers close access to internal decision-making.“It’s the only one,” Pecker said.The second witness called to the stand was Rhona Graff, Trump’s longtime executive assistant. Graff, who started working for Trump in 1987 and left the Trump Organization in April 2021, has been described as his gatekeeper and right hand.Graff testified that she believed she was the one who added contact information for Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to the Trump Organization’s computer system. The women’s listings were shown in court, with Daniels named in the system simply as “Stormy.” Graff later noted that Trump never used computers.Trump spoke briefly to Graff as she left the witness stand. He appeared to reach out to her with his hand as an officer guided her away from the witness stand past the defense table. Trump’s lawyers were at the bench, talking with Judge Juan Merchan, when Trump stood up and engaged with Graff.The case will resume Tuesday with the third prosecution witness, Gary Farro, a banker. Farro testified Friday about helping Cohen form a bank account for the limited liability company he used to facilitate the Daniels payment. Farro said Cohen led him to believe the firm, Essential Consultants LLC, would be involved in real estate consulting.Friday’s testimony caps a consequential week in the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases the former president faces</a>&nbsp;as he vies to reclaim the White House in November.At the same time jurors listened to testimony in Manhattan, the Supreme Court on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-prosecution-immunity-72c885c07c77970d4380206f87b2d8ca">signaled it was likely to reject</a>&nbsp;Trump's sweeping claims that he is immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. But the conservative-majority high court seemed inclined to limit when former presidents could be prosecuted — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-immunity-jan-6-riot-4813fceb6bc8b0ea2f47bf9315bf7991">ruling that could benefit Trump</a>&nbsp;by delaying that trial, potentially until after the November election.In New York — the first of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases to go to trial</a>&nbsp;— the presumptive Republican presidential nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the hush money payments.The charges center on $130,000 that Trump’s company paid to Cohen on Trump’s behalf to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-karen-mcdougal-26f0b7e7cf464f5fc0681e04efe5fe9b">Daniels</a>&nbsp;from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the encounter ever happened.Over several days on the witness stand, Pecker described how the tabloid parlayed rumor-mongering into splashy stories that smeared Trump’s opponents and, just as crucially, leveraged his connections to suppress seamy stories about Trump.Trump's attorney zeroed in on a nonprosecution agreement in 2018 between the federal government and American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer.The company admitted to engaging in the “catch-and-kill” practice to help Trump's campaign, and prosecutors agreed to not prosecute the company for paying $150,000 to McDougal for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump denies the affair.Trump's attorney repeatedly suggested that Pecker may have felt pressured to accept an agreement in order to finalize a deal to sell his company to the newsstand operator Hudson News Group for a proposed $100 million.“To consummate that deal, you knew you had to clear up the investigations,” Bove said.After pausing for several seconds, Pecker replied in the affirmative. But Pecker also said he felt “no pressure” to finalize the nonprosecution agreement to complete the transaction.In the end, the deal didn't go through.

Read transcript: Day 3 of historic Trump civil trial

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities who served a search warrant on a  residence in the 400 block of East 6th Street in Holton Tuesday in connection with a cold case investigation also made an arrest, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse

The search warrant stemmed from a missing person investigation and an investigation into the death of another person. Russian immigrant Yulia Shevtensko Larrison went missing in 2001 and Elena Kristova Larrison, also a Russian immigrant, was killed in a reported accident in Holton in 2006.

Over 60 law enforcement officers, scientists and subject matter experts took part in the search over the last three days.

Investigators searched the 3.7-acre property and numerous outbuildings and uninhabited houses. Numerous exhibits were collected. The search warrant concluded mid-morning on Thursday.

Authorities arrested a resident of the property identified as 64-year-old Rex Dwaine Larrison of Holton, on a requested charges of criminal use of an explosive. He is being held in the Jackson County Jail, according to Morse.

The search for Yulia Shevtensko Larrison and the investigation into the death of Elena Kristova Larrison continues.

&nbsp;Other agencies involved in the investigation this week included the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Topeka Police Department Hazardous Devices Unit, Olathe Fire Department, and the U.S. Marshal Service.

If anyone has any information regarding either of these two cases, they are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251 or the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME.&nbsp; Anonymous tips can be submitted online at https:www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714127569794.png" alt="Larrison-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Larrison-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities who served a search warrant on a residence in the 400 block of East 6th Street in Holton Tuesday in connection with a cold case investigation also made an arrest, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim MorseThe search warrant stemmed from a missing person investigation and an investigation into the death of another person. Russian immigrant Yulia Shevtensko Larrison went missing in 2001 and Elena Kristova Larrison, also a Russian immigrant, was killed in a reported accident in Holton in 2006.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713901671162.png" alt="-Yulia Shevtensko Larrison went missing in 2001-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>-Yulia Shevtensko Larrison went missing in 2001-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Over 60 law enforcement officers, scientists and subject matter experts took part in the search over the last three days.Investigators searched the 3.7-acre property and numerous outbuildings and uninhabited houses. Numerous exhibits were collected. The search warrant concluded mid-morning on Thursday.Authorities arrested a resident of the property identified as 64-year-old Rex Dwaine Larrison of Holton, on a requested charges of criminal use of an explosive. He is being held in the Jackson County Jail, according to Morse.The search for Yulia Shevtensko Larrison and the investigation into the death of Elena Kristova Larrison continues.&nbsp;Other agencies involved in the investigation this week included the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Topeka Police Department Hazardous Devices Unit, Olathe Fire Department, and the U.S. Marshal Service.If anyone has any information regarding either of these two cases, they are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251 or the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME.&nbsp; Anonymous tips can be submitted online at https:www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

Arrest made at scene of Kansas cold case investigation

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A convicted Kansas felon accused in a violent attack at a residence in Lawrence has entered a plea in the case.&nbsp;

Major C. Edwards, Jr., 44, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, according to&nbsp;Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez.

Charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in the early morning on June 10, 2023, when Lawrence Police were called to an apartment in the 1400 block of W. 7th. Street.

According to court records, Edwards, while naked, had broken into a then 19-year-old woman’s bedroom and tackled her to the ground.&nbsp; Another woman in the apartment was able to intervene and called police. At the time of the battery, Edwards was on parole for a 2006 voluntary manslaughter conviction in Douglas County.

Edwards faces between 7 and 23 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for the crime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714006949978.png" alt="Edwards-photo Douglas Co." />
 <figcaption>Edwards-photo Douglas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —A convicted Kansas felon accused in a violent attack at a residence in Lawrence has entered a plea in the case.&nbsp;Major C. Edwards, Jr., 44, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, according to&nbsp;Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez.Charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in the early morning on June 10, 2023, when Lawrence Police were called to an apartment in the 1400 block of W. 7th. Street.According to court records, Edwards, while naked, had broken into a then 19-year-old woman’s bedroom and tackled her to the ground.&nbsp; Another woman in the apartment was able to intervene and called police. At the time of the battery, Edwards was on parole for a 2006 voluntary manslaughter conviction in Douglas County.Edwards faces between 7 and 23 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for the crime.

Kan. felon was naked when he broke into bedroom, attacked woman

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Adam Smith doesn’t care for five-year financial projections.

The Weskan Republican wants big tax cuts — and he wants them now. He’s even willing to “draw a line in the sand” to get them.

Financial forecasts are unreliable, he argued Friday before House members voted to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of income, property and sales tax cuts that would lower state revenue by about $520 million per year. Combined with other legislation that increases spending and lowers revenue, the state would burn through its $3 billion surplus and face a budget shortfall by 2029.

But five years ago, Smith said, the Chiefs hadn’t won a Super Bowl in 49 years. They have hoisted the Lombardi trophy three times since then. And five years ago, the United Kingdom was still part of the European Union, X was still Twitter, and 66 of the chamber’s 125 members weren’t in office.

Also five years ago, he said, the University of Kansas football team hadn’t won a conference championship since 1968 — so some things never change. But his point remained: “A lot can change in five years.”

Even a three-year financial outlook is pretty hazy, Smith said. That’s why financial experts convene twice a year to produce new revenue estimates for the state.

“I’m not worried about that. We’ve got plenty of time,” Smith said. “If the economy’s moving along, doing great, we’ll be fine. If the economy takes a downturn, we’ve got plenty of options. This isn’t locking things in for five years. We can make adjustments. We can make adjustments in our spending, we can make other adjustments in different tax incentives that we provide. There’s plenty of chance.”

The House voted 104-15, with Democrats divided, on whether to override the governor’s veto on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2036/">House Bill 2036</a>, which features a dramatic overhaul of income tax rates and a reduction in the statewide mill levy. The House then voted 99-20 to override the veto of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2098/">House Bill 2098</a>, which provides sales tax relief on vehicle sales, as well as sales tax exemptions for telecommunications, meat processing, State Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation, Exploration Place in Wichita, Kansas Children’s Discovery Center in Topeka, and Doorstep Inc. in Topeka.

The bills await action in the Senate, where 27 out of 40 members are needed to override a veto.

Kelly proposed an alternative package this week that would provide about $430 million in annual tax relief. Her plan would lower income tax rates for existing brackets to 5.65%, 5.2% and 3%, raise standard deductions, and increase the residential property tax exemption from $40,000 to $125,000.

“We must cut taxes for Kansans, but we have to do so in a fiscally responsible, sustainable way,” Kelly said. “The plan I unveiled this week ensures we can continue fully funding our essential services and puts more than $430 million back in Kansans’ pockets each year.”

The House gave no consideration to the governor’s plan before moving to override the veto of HB 2036, which had passed in the final hours of the regular session by a 119-0 vote.

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park, said in posts on X that her constituents have repeatedly asked her for tax cuts.

“When I see a responsible tax cut, I support it,” Sawyer Clayton wrote. “And I continue to support it. I’ll do so today. I owe you consistent behavior and complete honesty. I’ll also gladly support the Governor’s tax plan.”

She voted to override the veto on HB 2036 and against the override of HB 2098.

Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, D-Leawood, said she second-guessed the vote she had made “in the wee hours of the night” in early April, when she supported the tax cut package. Now, after confirming that “information available to me at the time was incomplete at best and purposely false at worst,” she opposed the package.

Rep. Patrick Penn, R-Wichita, made a procedural motion to strike Poskin’s comments from the record because, he alleged, she had impugned Smith’s motives, legislative speak for a breach of chamber decorum. But House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, overruled Penn because Poskin hadn’t named names. She was allowed to continue.

Poskin said her constituents don’t complain about income taxes, but they fill her inbox with pleas for relief when they get their property tax notices.

“We have room to trim this overall package and deliver on the most demanded tax cuts,” Poskin said.

Rep. Linda Featherston, D-Overland Park, said legislators shouldn’t be working at 2 a.m., which is when they finished an overnight marathon of votes on April 6.

“It is disrespectful to our constituents and irresponsible for our state,” Featherston said. “I am thankful that the governor and her team had plenty of time to examine this bill in the light of day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714174089114.png" alt=" Rep. Adam Smith says he is drawing “a line in the stand” and refusing to back down on plans to reduce tax collections by $520 million per year. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Adam Smith says he is drawing “a line in the stand” and refusing to back down on plans to reduce tax collections by $520 million per year. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Adam Smith doesn’t care for five-year financial projections.The Weskan Republican wants big tax cuts — and he wants them now. He’s even willing to “draw a line in the sand” to get them.Financial forecasts are unreliable, he argued Friday before House members voted to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of income, property and sales tax cuts that would lower state revenue by about $520 million per year. Combined with other legislation that increases spending and lowers revenue, the state would burn through its $3 billion surplus and face a budget shortfall by 2029.But five years ago, Smith said, the Chiefs hadn’t won a Super Bowl in 49 years. They have hoisted the Lombardi trophy three times since then. And five years ago, the United Kingdom was still part of the European Union, X was still Twitter, and 66 of the chamber’s 125 members weren’t in office.Also five years ago, he said, the University of Kansas football team hadn’t won a conference championship since 1968 — so some things never change. But his point remained: “A lot can change in five years.”Even a three-year financial outlook is pretty hazy, Smith said. That’s why financial experts convene twice a year to produce new revenue estimates for the state.“I’m not worried about that. We’ve got plenty of time,” Smith said. “If the economy’s moving along, doing great, we’ll be fine. If the economy takes a downturn, we’ve got plenty of options. This isn’t locking things in for five years. We can make adjustments. We can make adjustments in our spending, we can make other adjustments in different tax incentives that we provide. There’s plenty of chance.”The House voted 104-15, with Democrats divided, on whether to override the governor’s veto on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2036/">House Bill 2036</a>, which features a dramatic overhaul of income tax rates and a reduction in the statewide mill levy. The House then voted 99-20 to override the veto of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2098/">House Bill 2098</a>, which provides sales tax relief on vehicle sales, as well as sales tax exemptions for telecommunications, meat processing, State Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation, Exploration Place in Wichita, Kansas Children’s Discovery Center in Topeka, and Doorstep Inc. in Topeka.The bills await action in the Senate, where 27 out of 40 members are needed to override a veto.Kelly proposed an alternative package this week that would provide about $430 million in annual tax relief. Her plan would lower income tax rates for existing brackets to 5.65%, 5.2% and 3%, raise standard deductions, and increase the residential property tax exemption from $40,000 to $125,000.“We must cut taxes for Kansans, but we have to do so in a fiscally responsible, sustainable way,” Kelly said. “The plan I unveiled this week ensures we can continue fully funding our essential services and puts more than $430 million back in Kansans’ pockets each year.”The House gave no consideration to the governor’s plan before moving to override the veto of HB 2036, which had passed in the final hours of the regular session by a 119-0 vote.Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park, said in posts on X that her constituents have repeatedly asked her for tax cuts.“When I see a responsible tax cut, I support it,” Sawyer Clayton wrote. “And I continue to support it. I’ll do so today. I owe you consistent behavior and complete honesty. I’ll also gladly support the Governor’s tax plan.”She voted to override the veto on HB 2036 and against the override of HB 2098.Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, D-Leawood, said she second-guessed the vote she had made “in the wee hours of the night” in early April, when she supported the tax cut package. Now, after confirming that “information available to me at the time was incomplete at best and purposely false at worst,” she opposed the package.Rep. Patrick Penn, R-Wichita, made a procedural motion to strike Poskin’s comments from the record because, he alleged, she had impugned Smith’s motives, legislative speak for a breach of chamber decorum. But House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, overruled Penn because Poskin hadn’t named names. She was allowed to continue.Poskin said her constituents don’t complain about income taxes, but they fill her inbox with pleas for relief when they get their property tax notices.“We have room to trim this overall package and deliver on the most demanded tax cuts,” Poskin said.Rep. Linda Featherston, D-Overland Park, said legislators shouldn’t be working at 2 a.m., which is when they finished an overnight marathon of votes on April 6.“It is disrespectful to our constituents and irresponsible for our state,” Featherston said. “I am thankful that the governor and her team had plenty of time to examine this bill in the light of day.”

Kansas House overrides governor’s veto of tax cut bills despite gloomy five-year forecast

DICKINSON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Friday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Junction City Police and Chapman Police were in pursuit of a 2015 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by&nbsp;Jordan David Rhynes, 28, Fort RIley, on Rain Road near 2900 Avenue just south of Kansas 18.

The motorcycle struck a Chapman Police Department 2020 Dodge&nbsp; Durango driven by&nbsp;James Samuel Reynolds, 45, Chapman.

EMS transported Rhynes to Stormont Vail in Junction City. Reynolds was not injured.&nbsp; The KHP did release what prompted the chase.

DICKINSON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Friday in Dickinson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Junction City Police and Chapman Police were in pursuit of a 2015 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by&nbsp;Jordan David Rhynes, 28, Fort RIley, on Rain Road near 2900 Avenue just south of Kansas 18.The motorcycle struck a Chapman Police Department 2020 Dodge&nbsp; Durango driven by&nbsp;James Samuel Reynolds, 45, Chapman.EMS transported Rhynes to Stormont Vail in Junction City. Reynolds was not injured.&nbsp; The KHP did release what prompted the chase.

Kansas man injured after crash during police chase

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– The McConnell Air Force Base flightline is emptying out Friday and Saturday, with most of the base’s KC-135R Stratotanker and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft being launched and relocated away from the local area due to forecasted severe weather, according to a media release.

The aircraft, flown by aircrews from the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings, began departing Friday and due to a forecasted of high winds, hail potential and the possibility of tornadoes for Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The remaining aircraft, undergoing various phases of maintenance, along with a range of flightline vehicles and equipment, are being stored in hangars.

The relocation protects the aircraft from potential damage, preserving mission capability for McConnell Air Force Base to provide worldwide air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation support. While off-station, McConnell aircrews will coordinate training activities with other military units around the country, to perform that training while away from Kansas, and when enroute back to Kansas.

This is the second time this month the the base moved aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base due to potential severe weather.&nbsp; The base relocated aircraft April 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714150582109.png" alt="File photo April 16, 2024 A KC-46 Pegasus takes off from McConnell Air Force Base -U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class William Lunn" />
 <figcaption>File photo April 16, 2024 A KC-46 Pegasus takes off from McConnell Air Force Base -U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class William Lunn</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– The McConnell Air Force Base flightline is emptying out Friday and Saturday, with most of the base’s KC-135R Stratotanker and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft being launched and relocated away from the local area due to forecasted severe weather, according to a media release.The aircraft, flown by aircrews from the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings, began departing Friday and due to a forecasted of high winds, hail potential and the possibility of tornadoes for Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The remaining aircraft, undergoing various phases of maintenance, along with a range of flightline vehicles and equipment, are being stored in hangars.The relocation protects the aircraft from potential damage, preserving mission capability for McConnell Air Force Base to provide worldwide air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation support. While off-station, McConnell aircrews will coordinate training activities with other military units around the country, to perform that training while away from Kansas, and when enroute back to Kansas.This is the second time this month the the base moved aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base due to potential severe weather.&nbsp; The base relocated aircraft April 15.

Kansas Air Force Base relocates aircraft ahead of severe weather

EMPORIA — Kaila Mock says Medicaid expansion would help small business owners like her, the people she employs at Trox Gallery and the 104 artists whose work appears in the store.

And she isn’t fond of GOP legislative leaders who claim that Medicaid expansion would serve “able-bodied adults” who don’t want to work.

“I mean, it’s kind of bulls***,” Mock said. “There are a lot of people who work really hard but just aren’t making the ends meet, especially with everything being so expensive now. I know a ton of these artists work really hard at their craft and are hustling and going to different craft shows and selling stuff here and doing everything they can, but it’s just not enough.”

Mock met with Gov. Laura Kelly, who purchased a small crotched cat from the art gallery during a tour Thursday of main street businesses in Emporia.

Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion in a speech at the Granada Theatre, after months of touring the state and pressuring lawmakers to embrace her plan to provide health care coverage to 152,000 low-income Kansans at no additional cost to the state’s taxpayers. She urged the crowd of about 75 people to call legislators ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate.

But she acknowledged the odds were against the Legislature approving Medicaid expansion this year.

“I’m not a bookie,” she said, before adding: “Honestly, I will be surprised.”

The governor said she has met with leaders in health care, child care, retail, hospitality, banking, real estate, aerospace, law enforcement and the medical community during her statewide campaign to support Medicaid expansion. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, responded by calling her efforts a “welfare tour.”

Kelly said Hawkins and Masterson have “skewed the facts,” “spread myths” and peddled “false rhetoric” to the public while working behind the scenes to prevent a vote on legislation that would expand Medicaid.

Before lawmakers adjourned for a three-week break earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, made a motion to advance a Medicaid expansion bill. That procedural vote, which required approval from 24 out of 40 senators, failed on Friday when only 18 senators voted in favor of it. Even if it were successful, a second procedural vote would have required approval from 27 senators before they could consider the actual bill.

“I think that’s evidence quite honestly of the fact that if rank-and-file legislators were given an opportunity to debate and vote on Medicaid expansion, it would pass, and that’s why there’s been a reluctance to give them the opportunity,” Kelly said.

Kansas is one of 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Currently, the federal government covers 60% of the state’s program costs. If expanded, the federal government would pay for 90% of the additional costs. That would bring about $700 million in federal money into the state every year. Instead, tax collections from Kansas are being distributed to other states.

The Kansas version of Medicaid is available to people who earn up to 38% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400. By expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate, the annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.

About 70% of the adults who would benefit from Medicaid expansion are already working. Others are college students, caretakers or suffering from chronic illness.

While in Emporia, the governor toured the Axe Shedd, where she declined to throw an axe, and the Sweet Granada, a candy store physically connected to the theater, where the governor snagged some chocolate-covered popcorn.

At the Trox Gallery, she was approached by Jean-Ellen Kegler, a former director of the city’s visitor’s bureau, who said she moved back to Kansas after being gone for 25 years because Kelly was governor.

Kegler, now retired, also expressed dismay about the messaging from GOP leaders that Medicaid expansion would benefit people who are too lazy to work.

“We’ve heard that ever since the New Deal: ‘People are lazy. People are trying to bilk the government.’ And I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we see who is bilking the government, and it’s not the poor,” Kegler said. “It’s those who have money. And I don’t like to use the word ‘greed,’ but in this case, we’re seeing the greedy side of capitalism.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714154338391.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly visits Trox Gallery during an April 25, 2024, tour of Emporia main street businesses. Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly visits Trox Gallery during an April 25, 2024, tour of Emporia main street businesses. Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>EMPORIA — Kaila Mock says Medicaid expansion would help small business owners like her, the people she employs at Trox Gallery and the 104 artists whose work appears in the store.And she isn’t fond of GOP legislative leaders who claim that Medicaid expansion would serve “able-bodied adults” who don’t want to work.“I mean, it’s kind of bulls***,” Mock said. “There are a lot of people who work really hard but just aren’t making the ends meet, especially with everything being so expensive now. I know a ton of these artists work really hard at their craft and are hustling and going to different craft shows and selling stuff here and doing everything they can, but it’s just not enough.”Mock met with Gov. Laura Kelly, who purchased a small crotched cat from the art gallery during a tour Thursday of main street businesses in Emporia.Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion in a speech at the Granada Theatre, after months of touring the state and pressuring lawmakers to embrace her plan to provide health care coverage to 152,000 low-income Kansans at no additional cost to the state’s taxpayers. She urged the crowd of about 75 people to call legislators ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate.But she acknowledged the odds were against the Legislature approving Medicaid expansion this year.“I’m not a bookie,” she said, before adding: “Honestly, I will be surprised.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714154386145.png" alt=" Kaila Mock, owner of Trox Gallery, shows Gov. Laura Kelly around the store during the governor’s April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kaila Mock, owner of Trox Gallery, shows Gov. Laura Kelly around the store during the governor’s April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The governor said she has met with leaders in health care, child care, retail, hospitality, banking, real estate, aerospace, law enforcement and the medical community during her statewide campaign to support Medicaid expansion. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, responded by calling her efforts a “welfare tour.”Kelly said Hawkins and Masterson have “skewed the facts,” “spread myths” and peddled “false rhetoric” to the public while working behind the scenes to prevent a vote on legislation that would expand Medicaid.Before lawmakers adjourned for a three-week break earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, made a motion to advance a Medicaid expansion bill. That procedural vote, which required approval from 24 out of 40 senators, failed on Friday when only 18 senators voted in favor of it. Even if it were successful, a second procedural vote would have required approval from 27 senators before they could consider the actual bill.“I think that’s evidence quite honestly of the fact that if rank-and-file legislators were given an opportunity to debate and vote on Medicaid expansion, it would pass, and that’s why there’s been a reluctance to give them the opportunity,” Kelly said.Kansas is one of 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Currently, the federal government covers 60% of the state’s program costs. If expanded, the federal government would pay for 90% of the additional costs. That would bring about $700 million in federal money into the state every year. Instead, tax collections from Kansas are being distributed to other states.The Kansas version of Medicaid is available to people who earn up to 38% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400. By expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate, the annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.About 70% of the adults who would benefit from Medicaid expansion are already working. Others are college students, caretakers or suffering from chronic illness.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714154291847.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly talks with Calebh Shedd, owner of the Axe Shedd, during an April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly talks with Calebh Shedd, owner of the Axe Shedd, during an April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>While in Emporia, the governor toured the Axe Shedd, where she declined to throw an axe, and the Sweet Granada, a candy store physically connected to the theater, where the governor snagged some chocolate-covered popcorn.At the Trox Gallery, she was approached by Jean-Ellen Kegler, a former director of the city’s visitor’s bureau, who said she moved back to Kansas after being gone for 25 years because Kelly was governor.Kegler, now retired, also expressed dismay about the messaging from GOP leaders that Medicaid expansion would benefit people who are too lazy to work.“We’ve heard that ever since the New Deal: ‘People are lazy. People are trying to bilk the government.’ And I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we see who is bilking the government, and it’s not the poor,” Kegler said. “It’s those who have money. And I don’t like to use the word ‘greed,’ but in this case, we’re seeing the greedy side of capitalism.”

Gov. makes last pitch for Medicaid expansion in visit to Emporia main street businesses

SEDGWICK COUNTY —On this date in 1991, the infamous "Andover Tornado" tore through south central Kansas. The tornado was rated an F5 and  killed 17 people, 13 of which were in the Golden Spur mobile home park.

The storm also caused significant damage at the McConnell Air Force base The tornado had a path length of 46 miles.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/Apr26Review">Click here to read more on t</a>he tornado from the National Weather Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714146309535.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —On this date in 1991, the infamous "Andover Tornado" tore through south central Kansas. The tornado was rated an F5 and killed 17 people, 13 of which were in the Golden Spur mobile home park.The storm also caused significant damage at the McConnell Air Force base The tornado had a path length of 46 miles.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/Apr26Review">Click here to read more on t</a>he tornado from the National Weather Service.