WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas teenager who shot and killed his mother in 2018 pleaded no contest Wednesday to lesser charges in her death.

A teen, who was not charged as an adult, was originally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3e237d00ca84e1aacb5638ab2e3b181">charged</a>&nbsp;with second-degree murder in the death of Lisa Trimmell, 41, on June 20, 2018 at a home near Andover. He pleaded no contest Wednesday to aggravated battery and criminal use of a weapon.

Prosecutors said Trimmell was arguing with her young son, who was 12, and made “physical contact” with him. Her older son, who was 14, retrieved a gun and shot her once.

The teenager’s attorney argued he was protecting his brother and himself from his mother, who was drunk at the time of the shooting.

An autopsy found Trimmell had “acute and chronic alcoholism” and scarring of the liver. Her blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit for driving.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623880631080.png" alt="Lisa Trimmell's blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit for driving the night of her death, according to autopsy-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Lisa Trimmell's blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit for driving the night of her death, according to autopsy-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas teenager who shot and killed his mother in 2018 pleaded no contest Wednesday to lesser charges in her death.A teen, who was not charged as an adult, was originally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d3e237d00ca84e1aacb5638ab2e3b181">charged</a>&nbsp;with second-degree murder in the death of Lisa Trimmell, 41, on June 20, 2018 at a home near Andover. He pleaded no contest Wednesday to aggravated battery and criminal use of a weapon.Prosecutors said Trimmell was arguing with her young son, who was 12, and made “physical contact” with him. Her older son, who was 14, retrieved a gun and shot her once.The teenager’s attorney argued he was protecting his brother and himself from his mother, who was drunk at the time of the shooting.An autopsy found Trimmell had “acute and chronic alcoholism” and scarring of the liver. Her blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit for driving.

Kan. teen who killed mom pleads to lesser charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will soon have a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the nation.&nbsp;No members from Missouri or Kansas opposed the bill in either the House or Senate.

The House voted 415-14 Wednesday to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk, and he is expected to sign it into law.

Juneteenth commemorates the day the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free. Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, but word didn’t reach the last enslaved Black people until June 19, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas. That was also about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Southern states.

It’s the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983.

“Our federal holidays are purposely few in number and recognize the most important milestones,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. “I cannot think of a more important milestone to commemorate than the end of slavery in the United States.”

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, speaking next to a large poster of a Black man whose back bore massive scarring from being whipped, said she would be in Galveston this Saturday to celebrate along with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.

“Can you imagine?” said the rather short Jackson Lee. “I will be standing maybe taller than Sen. Cornyn, forgive me for that, because it will be such an elevation of joy.”

The Senate passed the bill a day earlier under a unanimous consent agreement that expedites the process for considering legislation. It takes just one senator’s objection to block such agreements.

“Please, let us do as the Senate. Vote unanimously for passage,” Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., pleaded with his colleagues.

The vote comes as lawmakers struggle to overcome divisions on police reform legislation following the killing of George Floyd by police and as Republican state legislators push what experts say is an unprecedented number of bills aimed at restricting access to the ballot box. While Republicans say the goal is to prevent voter fraud, Democrats contend that the measures are aimed at undermining minority voting rights.

Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus took to the floor to speak in favor of the bill. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., said she viewed Juneteenth as a commemoration rather than a celebration because it represented something that was delayed in happening.

“It also reminds me of what we don’t have today,” she said. “And that is full access to justice, freedom and equality. All these are often in short supply as it relates to the Black community.”

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors. Democratic leaders moved quickly to bring the bill to the House floor after the Senate’s vote the day before.

Some Republican lawmakers opposed the effort. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., said creating the federal holiday was an effort to celebrate “identity politics.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623892661718.png" alt="Image courtesy Junetenth ICT" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Junetenth ICT</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will soon have a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the nation.&nbsp;No members from Missouri or Kansas opposed the bill in either the House or Senate.The House voted 415-14 Wednesday to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk, and he is expected to sign it into law.Juneteenth commemorates the day the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free. Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, but word didn’t reach the last enslaved Black people until June 19, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas. That was also about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Southern states.It’s the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983.“Our federal holidays are purposely few in number and recognize the most important milestones,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. “I cannot think of a more important milestone to commemorate than the end of slavery in the United States.”Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, speaking next to a large poster of a Black man whose back bore massive scarring from being whipped, said she would be in Galveston this Saturday to celebrate along with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.“Can you imagine?” said the rather short Jackson Lee. “I will be standing maybe taller than Sen. Cornyn, forgive me for that, because it will be such an elevation of joy.”The Senate passed the bill a day earlier under a unanimous consent agreement that expedites the process for considering legislation. It takes just one senator’s objection to block such agreements.“Please, let us do as the Senate. Vote unanimously for passage,” Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., pleaded with his colleagues.The vote comes as lawmakers struggle to overcome divisions on police reform legislation following the killing of George Floyd by police and as Republican state legislators push what experts say is an unprecedented number of bills aimed at restricting access to the ballot box. While Republicans say the goal is to prevent voter fraud, Democrats contend that the measures are aimed at undermining minority voting rights.Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus took to the floor to speak in favor of the bill. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., said she viewed Juneteenth as a commemoration rather than a celebration because it represented something that was delayed in happening.“It also reminds me of what we don’t have today,” she said. “And that is full access to justice, freedom and equality. All these are often in short supply as it relates to the Black community.”The bill was sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors. Democratic leaders moved quickly to bring the bill to the House floor after the Senate’s vote the day before.Some Republican lawmakers opposed the effort. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., said creating the federal holiday was an effort to celebrate “identity politics.”

Congress approves bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The chairwoman of the Legislature’s tax-focused Revenue Committee has endorsed University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen for governor. 

Pillen’s campaign released an online video Wednesday with state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, of Omaha. 

In the video, Linehan said Pillen will “fight to finally find a real solution to our property tax problem in Nebraska.” 

Pillen is running in the Republican gubernatorial primary against Nebraska businessman Charles Herbster, an agribusiness executive with close ties to President Donald Trump. 

State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, of Omaha, is also considering a run, and former Gov. Dave Heineman has also been mentioned as a possible contender.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623869661728.png" alt="Sen. Lou Ann Linehan" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Lou Ann Linehan</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The chairwoman of the Legislature’s tax-focused Revenue Committee has endorsed University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen for governor. Pillen’s campaign released an online video Wednesday with state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, of Omaha. In the video, Linehan said Pillen will “fight to finally find a real solution to our property tax problem in Nebraska.” Pillen is running in the Republican gubernatorial primary against Nebraska businessman Charles Herbster, an agribusiness executive with close ties to President Donald Trump. State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, of Omaha, is also considering a run, and former Gov. Dave Heineman has also been mentioned as a possible contender.

Chair of Nebraska tax committee backs Pillen for governor

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two teenagers are in custody after being arrested in a double homicide in Omaha. 

Police said two males, ages 16 and 17, were arrested Tuesday in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. 

The 16-year-old was charged with six felonies, including first-degree murder. The 17-year-old was charged with two counts of being an accessory to a felony. 

Police said the two were wanted in the June 3 killings of Jia’Quan Williams and Ja’Vondre’ McIntosh, who were both 17. 

The two victims were shot June 3 in north Omaha.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611161236522.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two teenagers are in custody after being arrested in a double homicide in Omaha. Police said two males, ages 16 and 17, were arrested Tuesday in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. The 16-year-old was charged with six felonies, including first-degree murder. The 17-year-old was charged with two counts of being an accessory to a felony. Police said the two were wanted in the June 3 killings of Jia’Quan Williams and Ja’Vondre’ McIntosh, who were both 17. The two victims were shot June 3 in north Omaha.

Suspects arrested in shooting deaths of 2 teenagers in Omaha

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Delegates at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting have decided to consider an investigation of the denomination's handling of sexual abuse cases. 

More than two-thirds of them voted Wednesday to debate a proposal to investigate leaders' handling of sex abuse claims. 

The convention’s business committee had planned to refer the proposal to its Executive Committee, the same entity alleged to have failed in its response to abuse cases. 

More than 15,000 voting delegates are attending the two-day meeting in Nashville, the highest number in decades.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623870186451.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Delegates at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting have decided to consider an investigation of the denomination's handling of sexual abuse cases. More than two-thirds of them voted Wednesday to debate a proposal to investigate leaders' handling of sex abuse claims. The convention’s business committee had planned to refer the proposal to its Executive Committee, the same entity alleged to have failed in its response to abuse cases. More than 15,000 voting delegates are attending the two-day meeting in Nashville, the highest number in decades.

Southern Baptists vote to debate sex abuse investigation

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha are investigating the city's latest shooting death that happened early Wednesday. 

Police said in a news release that officers were alerted around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday to a shooting near a north Omaha intersection by the city’s ShotSpotter system. 

Arriving officers found 37-year-old Timothy Washington III, who was killed in the gunfire. 

Police later received reports of two women, ages 33 and 21, who showed up in private vehicles at an Omaha hospital with injuries from the same shooting scene. 

Police said the women are expected to survive. No arrests had been reported in the shooting by midmorning Wednesday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha are investigating the city's latest shooting death that happened early Wednesday. Police said in a news release that officers were alerted around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday to a shooting near a north Omaha intersection by the city’s ShotSpotter system. Arriving officers found 37-year-old Timothy Washington III, who was killed in the gunfire. Police later received reports of two women, ages 33 and 21, who showed up in private vehicles at an Omaha hospital with injuries from the same shooting scene. Police said the women are expected to survive. No arrests had been reported in the shooting by midmorning Wednesday.

Omaha police investigating city's latest shooting death

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say a 31-year-old man who was shot during a party over the weekend has died. 

Deontae Abron, of Lincoln, died Tuesday after being shot in the face at a party Saturday near Lincoln Northeast High School. 

Police said a fight involving several people broke out and someone fired several shots, injuring Abron. 

People fled the area and police are asking for witnesses to come forward, especially those who have cellphone video of the fight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560127290802.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police say a 31-year-old man who was shot during a party over the weekend has died. Deontae Abron, of Lincoln, died Tuesday after being shot in the face at a party Saturday near Lincoln Northeast High School. Police said a fight involving several people broke out and someone fired several shots, injuring Abron. People fled the area and police are asking for witnesses to come forward, especially those who have cellphone video of the fight.

Man shot a party in Lincoln last weekend has died

HARVEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities arrested a golfer on Monday after a fight during a golf tournament&nbsp;at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton.

The victim identified as Southern California native and former University of Alabama-Birmingham golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://uabsports.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/austen-dailey/1741">Austen Dailey </a>and suspect identified as 20-year-old <a href="https://utmsports.com/sports/mens-golf/roster">Luke Smith, a University</a> of Tennessee Martin sophomore <a href="https://utmsports.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/luke-smith/1882">from Covington, Tennessee,</a> were golfing together as part of a qualifying event for the PGA Korn Ferry Tour Wichita Open, according to a media release from Newton Police.

An argument began when Smith and his father/caddy refused to help Dailey look for an errant golf ball in the rough. 

Smith then punched Dailey in the face and tackled him to the ground. He held Dailey down until he said “uncle,” and then released him.

Newton Police arrested Smith and booked him into the Harvey County Detention Center on a requested charge of misdemeanor battery. The report will be forwarded to the Newton City Prosecutor’s Office for review of charges.

The Korn Ferry Tour has said little about the incident since the two golfers involved are not current members of their tour.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623855329259.png" alt="Luke Smith-photo Harvey County Detention Center" />
 <figcaption>Luke Smith-photo Harvey County Detention Center</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities arrested a golfer on Monday after a fight during a golf tournament&nbsp;at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton.The victim identified as Southern California native and former University of Alabama-Birmingham golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://uabsports.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/austen-dailey/1741">Austen Dailey </a>and suspect identified as 20-year-old <a href="https://utmsports.com/sports/mens-golf/roster">Luke Smith, a University</a> of Tennessee Martin sophomore <a href="https://utmsports.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/luke-smith/1882">from Covington, Tennessee,</a> were golfing together as part of a qualifying event for the PGA Korn Ferry Tour Wichita Open, according to a media release from Newton Police.An argument began when Smith and his father/caddy refused to help Dailey look for an errant golf ball in the rough. Smith then punched Dailey in the face and tackled him to the ground. He held Dailey down until he said “uncle,” and then released him.Newton Police arrested Smith and booked him into the Harvey County Detention Center on a requested charge of misdemeanor battery. The report will be forwarded to the Newton City Prosecutor’s Office for review of charges.The Korn Ferry Tour has said little about the incident since the two golfers involved are not current members of their tour.

From putts to punches at golf tournament in Kansas 

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a shooting that seriously injured a 2-year-old boy have arrested&nbsp; Aneis L. Brown 22 of Topeka.

Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a local hospital after a 2-year-old had been driven there in a private vehicle and was suffering from serious gunshot injuries, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Investigators believe the shooting occurred in the 800 block of SW 11th Street in Topeka. All parties involved are believed to have been located and police are working to learn what happened.

Brown is being held in&nbsp;the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Endangering A Child; Reckless Situation, Criminal Poss Of Firearm By Felon ;Felony Conv Less Than 5 Years and Possession of hallucinogenic drug.

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that seriously injured a 2-year-old boy.

“This is the third shooting we’ve responded to in the last few days in which a child has been injured.," Said Topeka Police Chief Bryan Wheeles.&nbsp; "This concerning trend cannot continue. Gun safety is a community responsibility and we must all do our part to keep each other, and especially young children safe."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623807272108.png" alt="Brown photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a shooting that seriously injured a 2-year-old boy have arrested&nbsp; Aneis L. Brown 22 of Topeka.Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a local hospital after a 2-year-old had been driven there in a private vehicle and was suffering from serious gunshot injuries, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Investigators believe the shooting occurred in the 800 block of SW 11th Street in Topeka. All parties involved are believed to have been located and police are working to learn what happened.Brown is being held in&nbsp;the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Endangering A Child; Reckless Situation, Criminal Poss Of Firearm By Felon ;Felony Conv Less Than 5 Years and Possession of hallucinogenic drug.-------------TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that seriously injured a 2-year-old boy.Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a local hospital after a 2-year-old had been driven there in a private vehicle and was suffering from serious gunshot injuries, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Investigators believe the shooting occurred in the 800 block of SW 11th Street in Topeka. All parties involved are believed to have been located and police are working to learn what happened.“This is the third shooting we’ve responded to in the last few days in which a child has been injured.," Said Topeka Police Chief Bryan Wheeles.&nbsp; "This concerning trend cannot continue. Gun safety is a community responsibility and we must all do our part to keep each other, and especially young children safe."

Kan. man accused after 2-year-old boy injured in shooting

LAKE CITY, Iowa (AP) — Fire has destroyed a western Iowa business that made pipe organs for churches, schools and customers from around the world. 

Officials said the fire at Dobson Pipe Organ Builders in Lake City was reported around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters found the building engulfed in flames that caused its exterior walls to collapse. 

Officials said one employee of the company was burned when he tried to put out the flames. 

The State Fire Marshal’s Office says it believes the fire was started by a malfunctioning fan that caused sawdust to ignite. 

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders' website says it was founded in 1974 by Lynn Dobson, a Carroll, Iowa, native who attended Wayne State College in Nebraska.

LAKE CITY, Iowa (AP) — Fire has destroyed a western Iowa business that made pipe organs for churches, schools and customers from around the world. Officials said the fire at Dobson Pipe Organ Builders in Lake City was reported around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters found the building engulfed in flames that caused its exterior walls to collapse. Officials said one employee of the company was burned when he tried to put out the flames. The State Fire Marshal’s Office says it believes the fire was started by a malfunctioning fan that caused sawdust to ignite. Dobson Pipe Organ Builders' website says it was founded in 1974 by Lynn Dobson, a Carroll, Iowa, native who attended Wayne State College in Nebraska.

Fire destroys pipe organ making business in western Iowa

GENEVA (AP) — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have concluded their high-stake summit in Geneva. 

The pair met for nearly four hours on Wednesday, first in a smaller session and later in a larger meeting that was expanded to include more officials from both sides and which lasted about 65 minutes. 

Putin and then Biden are scheduled to hold press conferences before departing the summit site.

GENEVA (AP) — With stern expressions and polite words before the cameras, President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin plunged into hours of face-to-face talks Wednesday at a lush lakeside Swiss mansion, a highly anticipated summit at a time when both leaders say relations between their countries are at an all-time low.

Biden called it a discussion between “two great powers” and said it was “always better to meet face to face.” Putin said he hoped the talks would be “productive.”

The meeting in a book-lined room had a somewhat awkward beginning — both men appeared to avoid looking directly at each other during a brief and chaotic photo opportunity before a scrum of jostling reporters.

Biden nodded when a reporter asked if Putin could be trusted, but the White House quickly sent out a tweet insisting that the president was “very clearly not responding to any one question, but nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally.”

Putin ignored shouted questions from reporters, including whether he feared jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The two leaders did shake hands — Biden extended his hand first and smiled at the stoic Russian leader — moments earlier when they posed with Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who welcomed them to Switzerland for the summit.

Biden and Putin first held a relatively intimate meeting joined by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Each side had a translator for the session, which lasted about an hour and a half. The meeting, after about a 40-minute break, then expanded to include senior aides on each side. Biden and Putin were expected to meet for a total of four to five hours of wide-ranging talks.

For months, they have traded sharp rhetoric. Biden has repeatedly called out Putin for malicious cyberattacks by Russian-based hackers on U.S. interests, for the jailing of Russia’s foremost opposition leader and for interference in American elections.

Putin has reacted with whatabout-isms and denials — pointing to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to argue that the U.S. has no business lecturing on democratic norms and insisting that the Russian government hasn’t been involved in any election interference or cyberattacks despite U.S. intelligence showing otherwise.

In advance of Wednesday’s meeting, both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-europe-middle-east-summits-34b4222285bac602168eadf15a414f5e">set out to lower expectations.</a>

Even so, Biden said it was an important step if the United States and Russia were able to ultimately find “stability and predictability” in their relationship, a seemingly modest goal from the president for dealing with the person he sees as one of America’s fiercest adversaries.

“We should decide where it’s in our mutual interest, in the interest of the world, to cooperate, and see if we can do that,” Biden told reporters earlier this week. “And the areas where we don’t agree, make it clear what the red lines are.”

GENEVA (AP) — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have finished the first round of their summit talks and are proceeding to the first of two larger meetings in Geneva. Biden and Putin first met accompanied by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a pair of translators. 

Two additional sessions are planned Wednesday afternoon with the leaders to be joined by additional aides and translators. The U.S. and Russian leaders are meeting at a time that relations between their countries are at an all-time low. Their talks are expected to last four to five hours.

GENEVA (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden was not suggesting to reporters that he trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin with his reaction to a reporter’s question in Geneva. At the start of a high-stakes summit in Geneva, Biden appeared to suggest that he can take the Russian leader at his word, nodding his head during a photo opportunity when asked by a reporter if Putin can be trusted. 

Communications director Kate Beddingfield later said there was a “chaotic scrum with reporters shouting over each other” in that moment. She argued that Biden “was very clearly not responding to any one question” when a journalist asked if he trusted Putin. Bedingfield said Biden was “nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally.”

GENEVA (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked President Joe Biden and expressed wishes for a “productive” meeting as the two kicked off their meeting in Geneva. Putin told Biden upon first meeting him on Wednesday that he was thankful for the gathering as he knew the U.S. president “had a long trip and lots of work.” 

But the Russian president emphasized that there are “lots of questions accumulated in Russia-U.S. relations that require discussion on the highest level.” 

The two are expected to address everything from cybercrime to Russia’s alleged interference in U.S. elections during their meeting. Biden, who has spoken to Putin over the phone, told the Russian leader that “it is always better to meet face to face.”

GENEVA (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin sit down Wednesday for their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-biden-cabinet-g-7-summit-91b7d8f2a9ac0058ccba74ac36036ae1">highly anticipated summit</a>&nbsp;in the Swiss city of Geneva, a moment of high-stakes diplomacy at a time when both leaders agree that relations between their countries are at an all-time low.

For four months, the two leaders have traded sharp rhetoric. Biden repeatedly called out Putin for malicious cyberattacks by Russian-based hackers on U.S. interests, a disregard for democracy with the jailing of Russia’s foremost opposition leader and interference in American elections.

Putin, for his part, has reacted with whatabout-isms and obfuscations — pointing to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to argue that the U.S. has no business lecturing on democratic norms and insisting that the Russian government hasn’t been involved in any election interference or cyberattacks despite U.S. intelligence showing otherwise.

Now, the pair will meet for their first face-to-face as leaders — a conversation that is expected to last four to five hours. In advance, both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-europe-middle-east-summits-34b4222285bac602168eadf15a414f5e">set out to lower expectations.</a>

Even so, Biden has said it would be an important step if the United States and Russia were able to ultimately find “stability and predictability” in their relationship, a seemingly modest goal from the president for dealing with the person he sees as one of America’s fiercest adversaries.

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that no breakthroughs were expected and that “the situation is too difficult in Russian-American relations.””

“However, the fact that the two presidents agreed to meet and finally start to speak openly about the problems is already an achievement,” Peskov said several hours before the summit’s scheduled start time.

Arrangements for the meeting have been carefully choreographed and vigorously negotiated by both sides.

Biden first floated the meeting in an April phone call in which he informed Putin that he would be expelling several Russian diplomats and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-moscow-coronavirus-pandemic-elections-4c368f4734d5d1c5938645aa09641c79">imposing sanctions</a>&nbsp;against dozens of people and companies, part of an effort to hold the Kremlin accountable for interference in last year’s presidential election and the hacking of federal agencies.

Putin and his entourage will arrive first at the summit site: Villa La Grange, a grand lakeside mansion set in Geneva’s biggest park. Next come Biden and his team. Swiss President Guy Parmelin will greet the two leaders.

The three will spend a moment together in front of the cameras, but only Parmelin is expected to make remarks, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Biden and Putin first will hold a relatively intimate meeting joined by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Each side will have a translator.

The meeting will then expand to include five senior aides on each side.

After the meeting concludes, Putin is scheduled to hold a solo news conference, with Biden following suit. The White House opted against a joint news conference, deciding it did not want to appear to elevate Putin at a moment when the president is urging European allies to pressure Putin to cut out myriad provocations.

Biden sees himself with few peers on foreign policy. He traveled the globe as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was given difficult foreign policy assignments by President Barack Obama when Biden was vice president. His portfolio included messy spots like Iraq and Ukraine and weighing the mettle of China’s Xi Jinping during his rise to power.

He has repeatedly said that he believes executing effective foreign policy comes from forming strong personal relations, and he has managed to find rapport with both the likes of Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom Biden has labeled an “autocrat,” and conventional politicians like Canada’s Justin Trudeau.

But with Putin, whom the president has “no soul,”&nbsp;<a href="ttps://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-europe-middle-east-fcf067acc9da94e9ffe7bd6a55a574cd" target="_blank">Biden has long been wary</a>. At the same time, he acknowledges that Putin, who remained the most powerful figure in Russian politics over the span of five U.S. presidents, is not without talent. Biden this week suggested that he is approaching his meeting with Putin carefully.

“He’s bright. He’s tough,” Biden said. “And I have found that he is a — as they say...a worthy adversary.”

The White House held on to hope of finding small areas of agreement.

No commitments have been made, but according to the senior administration official, there are hopes that both sides will return their ambassadors to their respective postings following the meeting. Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, was recalled from Washington about three months ago after Biden called Putin a killer; U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan left Moscow almost two months ago, after Russia suggested he return to Washington for consultations.

Both ambassadors will be in Geneva during Wednesday’s meeting.

Biden administration officials say they think common ground can be found on arms control. International arms control groups are pressing the Russian and American leaders to start a push for new arms control by holding “strategic stability” talks — a series of government-to-government discussions meant to sort through the many areas of disagreement and tension on the national security front.

The Biden team will press its concerns on cybersecurity. In recent months, Russia-based hackers have launched alarming attacks on a major U.S. oil pipeline and a Brazil-headquartered meat supplier that operates in the U.S.

The Russian side has said that the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is an internal political matter and one area where Putin won’t engage Biden. But the senior Biden administration official said there “is no issue that is off the table for the president,” suggesting Navalny will come up.

The meeting is sure to invite comparisons with President Donald Trump’s 2018 meeting with Putin in Helsinki, where the two leaders held a joint news conference and Trump sided with Russian denials when asked whether Moscow had meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

Biden has prepared for his one-on-one by reviewing materials and consulting with officials across government and with outside advisers. Aides said the level of preparation wasn’t unusual. Biden, in a brief exchange with reporters upon a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-biden-cabinet-g-7-summit-91b7d8f2a9ac0058ccba74ac36036ae1">rriving in Geneva on Tuesday night</a>, sought to offer the impression that he wasn’t sweating his big meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623857775069.png" alt="President Joe Biden and the Russian President just ahead of their brief meeting on Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden and the Russian President just ahead of their brief meeting on Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>GENEVA (AP) — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have concluded their high-stake summit in Geneva. The pair met for nearly four hours on Wednesday, first in a smaller session and later in a larger meeting that was expanded to include more officials from both sides and which lasted about 65 minutes. Putin and then Biden are scheduled to hold press conferences before departing the summit site.---------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623845475995.png" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden as their summit begins in Geneva-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden as their summit begins in Geneva-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>GENEVA (AP) — With stern expressions and polite words before the cameras, President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin plunged into hours of face-to-face talks Wednesday at a lush lakeside Swiss mansion, a highly anticipated summit at a time when both leaders say relations between their countries are at an all-time low.Biden called it a discussion between “two great powers” and said it was “always better to meet face to face.” Putin said he hoped the talks would be “productive.”The meeting in a book-lined room had a somewhat awkward beginning — both men appeared to avoid looking directly at each other during a brief and chaotic photo opportunity before a scrum of jostling reporters.Biden nodded when a reporter asked if Putin could be trusted, but the White House quickly sent out a tweet insisting that the president was “very clearly not responding to any one question, but nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally.”Putin ignored shouted questions from reporters, including whether he feared jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.The two leaders did shake hands — Biden extended his hand first and smiled at the stoic Russian leader — moments earlier when they posed with Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who welcomed them to Switzerland for the summit.Biden and Putin first held a relatively intimate meeting joined by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Each side had a translator for the session, which lasted about an hour and a half. The meeting, after about a 40-minute break, then expanded to include senior aides on each side. Biden and Putin were expected to meet for a total of four to five hours of wide-ranging talks.For months, they have traded sharp rhetoric. Biden has repeatedly called out Putin for malicious cyberattacks by Russian-based hackers on U.S. interests, for the jailing of Russia’s foremost opposition leader and for interference in American elections.Putin has reacted with whatabout-isms and denials — pointing to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to argue that the U.S. has no business lecturing on democratic norms and insisting that the Russian government hasn’t been involved in any election interference or cyberattacks despite U.S. intelligence showing otherwise.In advance of Wednesday’s meeting, both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-europe-middle-east-summits-34b4222285bac602168eadf15a414f5e">set out to lower expectations.</a>Even so, Biden said it was an important step if the United States and Russia were able to ultimately find “stability and predictability” in their relationship, a seemingly modest goal from the president for dealing with the person he sees as one of America’s fiercest adversaries.“We should decide where it’s in our mutual interest, in the interest of the world, to cooperate, and see if we can do that,” Biden told reporters earlier this week. “And the areas where we don’t agree, make it clear what the red lines are.”---------GENEVA (AP) — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have finished the first round of their summit talks and are proceeding to the first of two larger meetings in Geneva. Biden and Putin first met accompanied by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a pair of translators. Two additional sessions are planned Wednesday afternoon with the leaders to be joined by additional aides and translators. The U.S. and Russian leaders are meeting at a time that relations between their countries are at an all-time low. Their talks are expected to last four to five hours.-------------GENEVA (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden was not suggesting to reporters that he trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin with his reaction to a reporter’s question in Geneva. At the start of a high-stakes summit in Geneva, Biden appeared to suggest that he can take the Russian leader at his word, nodding his head during a photo opportunity when asked by a reporter if Putin can be trusted. Communications director Kate Beddingfield later said there was a “chaotic scrum with reporters shouting over each other” in that moment. She argued that Biden “was very clearly not responding to any one question” when a journalist asked if he trusted Putin. Bedingfield said Biden was “nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally.”----------GENEVA (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked President Joe Biden and expressed wishes for a “productive” meeting as the two kicked off their meeting in Geneva. Putin told Biden upon first meeting him on Wednesday that he was thankful for the gathering as he knew the U.S. president “had a long trip and lots of work.” But the Russian president emphasized that there are “lots of questions accumulated in Russia-U.S. relations that require discussion on the highest level.” The two are expected to address everything from cybercrime to Russia’s alleged interference in U.S. elections during their meeting. Biden, who has spoken to Putin over the phone, told the Russian leader that “it is always better to meet face to face.”--------GENEVA (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin sit down Wednesday for their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-biden-cabinet-g-7-summit-91b7d8f2a9ac0058ccba74ac36036ae1">highly anticipated summit</a>&nbsp;in the Swiss city of Geneva, a moment of high-stakes diplomacy at a time when both leaders agree that relations between their countries are at an all-time low.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623838573406.png" alt="President Biden has said it would be an important step if the United States and Russia were able to ultimately find “stability and predictability” in their relationship-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden has said it would be an important step if the United States and Russia were able to ultimately find “stability and predictability” in their relationship-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>For four months, the two leaders have traded sharp rhetoric. Biden repeatedly called out Putin for malicious cyberattacks by Russian-based hackers on U.S. interests, a disregard for democracy with the jailing of Russia’s foremost opposition leader and interference in American elections.Putin, for his part, has reacted with whatabout-isms and obfuscations — pointing to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to argue that the U.S. has no business lecturing on democratic norms and insisting that the Russian government hasn’t been involved in any election interference or cyberattacks despite U.S. intelligence showing otherwise.Now, the pair will meet for their first face-to-face as leaders — a conversation that is expected to last four to five hours. In advance, both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-europe-middle-east-summits-34b4222285bac602168eadf15a414f5e">set out to lower expectations.</a>Even so, Biden has said it would be an important step if the United States and Russia were able to ultimately find “stability and predictability” in their relationship, a seemingly modest goal from the president for dealing with the person he sees as one of America’s fiercest adversaries.“We should decide where it’s in our mutual interest, in the interest of the world, to cooperate, and see if we can do that,” Biden told reporters earlier this week. “And the areas where we don’t agree, make it clear what the red lines are.”Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that no breakthroughs were expected and that “the situation is too difficult in Russian-American relations.””“However, the fact that the two presidents agreed to meet and finally start to speak openly about the problems is already an achievement,” Peskov said several hours before the summit’s scheduled start time.Arrangements for the meeting have been carefully choreographed and vigorously negotiated by both sides.Biden first floated the meeting in an April phone call in which he informed Putin that he would be expelling several Russian diplomats and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-moscow-coronavirus-pandemic-elections-4c368f4734d5d1c5938645aa09641c79">imposing sanctions</a>&nbsp;against dozens of people and companies, part of an effort to hold the Kremlin accountable for interference in last year’s presidential election and the hacking of federal agencies.Putin and his entourage will arrive first at the summit site: Villa La Grange, a grand lakeside mansion set in Geneva’s biggest park. Next come Biden and his team. Swiss President Guy Parmelin will greet the two leaders.The three will spend a moment together in front of the cameras, but only Parmelin is expected to make remarks, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.Biden and Putin first will hold a relatively intimate meeting joined by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Each side will have a translator.The meeting will then expand to include five senior aides on each side.After the meeting concludes, Putin is scheduled to hold a solo news conference, with Biden following suit. The White House opted against a joint news conference, deciding it did not want to appear to elevate Putin at a moment when the president is urging European allies to pressure Putin to cut out myriad provocations.Biden sees himself with few peers on foreign policy. He traveled the globe as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was given difficult foreign policy assignments by President Barack Obama when Biden was vice president. His portfolio included messy spots like Iraq and Ukraine and weighing the mettle of China’s Xi Jinping during his rise to power.He has repeatedly said that he believes executing effective foreign policy comes from forming strong personal relations, and he has managed to find rapport with both the likes of Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom Biden has labeled an “autocrat,” and conventional politicians like Canada’s Justin Trudeau.But with Putin, whom the president has “no soul,”&nbsp;<a href="ttps://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-europe-middle-east-fcf067acc9da94e9ffe7bd6a55a574cd" target="_blank">Biden has long been wary</a>. At the same time, he acknowledges that Putin, who remained the most powerful figure in Russian politics over the span of five U.S. presidents, is not without talent. Biden this week suggested that he is approaching his meeting with Putin carefully.“He’s bright. He’s tough,” Biden said. “And I have found that he is a — as they say...a worthy adversary.”The White House held on to hope of finding small areas of agreement.No commitments have been made, but according to the senior administration official, there are hopes that both sides will return their ambassadors to their respective postings following the meeting. Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, was recalled from Washington about three months ago after Biden called Putin a killer; U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan left Moscow almost two months ago, after Russia suggested he return to Washington for consultations.Both ambassadors will be in Geneva during Wednesday’s meeting.Biden administration officials say they think common ground can be found on arms control. International arms control groups are pressing the Russian and American leaders to start a push for new arms control by holding “strategic stability” talks — a series of government-to-government discussions meant to sort through the many areas of disagreement and tension on the national security front.The Biden team will press its concerns on cybersecurity. In recent months, Russia-based hackers have launched alarming attacks on a major U.S. oil pipeline and a Brazil-headquartered meat supplier that operates in the U.S.The Russian side has said that the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is an internal political matter and one area where Putin won’t engage Biden. But the senior Biden administration official said there “is no issue that is off the table for the president,” suggesting Navalny will come up.The meeting is sure to invite comparisons with President Donald Trump’s 2018 meeting with Putin in Helsinki, where the two leaders held a joint news conference and Trump sided with Russian denials when asked whether Moscow had meddled in the 2016 presidential election.Biden has prepared for his one-on-one by reviewing materials and consulting with officials across government and with outside advisers. Aides said the level of preparation wasn’t unusual. Biden, in a brief exchange with reporters upon a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-biden-cabinet-g-7-summit-91b7d8f2a9ac0058ccba74ac36036ae1">rriving in Geneva on Tuesday night</a>, sought to offer the impression that he wasn’t sweating his big meeting.“I am always ready,” Biden said.

The Latest: Biden, Putin long-anticipated summit ends

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered an end to the Biden administration's suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and water. 

The judge ruled Tuesday in a lawsuit by Louisiana's attorney general and officials in 12 other states. Those states say the administration bypassed bureaucratic steps required before such delays can be undertaken. 

The decision is a blow to Democratic President Joe Biden’s efforts to rapidly transition the nation away from fossil fuels and thereby stave off the worst effects of climate change, including catastrophic droughts, floods and wildfires. 

Louisiana’s Republican attorney general hailed the decision as a victory for energy workers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-platte-post-by-eagle/id1536439700">Download The Post app for iOs</a>

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered an end to the Biden administration's suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and water. The judge ruled Tuesday in a lawsuit by Louisiana's attorney general and officials in 12 other states. Those states say the administration bypassed bureaucratic steps required before such delays can be undertaken. The decision is a blow to Democratic President Joe Biden’s efforts to rapidly transition the nation away from fossil fuels and thereby stave off the worst effects of climate change, including catastrophic droughts, floods and wildfires. Louisiana’s Republican attorney general hailed the decision as a victory for energy workers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-platte-post-by-eagle/id1536439700">Download The Post app for iOs</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/OouzxwDURKvyvMVuPpnPpjT4NyDfMrMU8SbAYH_rzoghEpSmar-3iuFagSe8Xy5crQYHobDFKwGUIN1FfOJlYSmINBjXeH3KphroGmJyUCtPea3VYY9xuobmGA00oDneeV06L0hE" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Federal judge blocks Biden's pause on new oil, gas leases

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen injured in what was reported as accidental&nbsp; shooting has died.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Just after 11:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the report of shooting in&nbsp;1700 block of SE 31st Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. 

Upon arrival, officers found that a 13-year-old girl suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. She died on Tuesday, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

The incident was reported initially as a possible accidental shooting.&nbsp; Police have not&nbsp; released her name or additional details.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen injured in what was reported as accidental&nbsp; shooting has died.&nbsp; &nbsp;Just after 11:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the report of shooting in&nbsp;1700 block of SE 31st Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. Upon arrival, officers found that a 13-year-old girl suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. She died on Tuesday, according to police department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.The incident was reported initially as a possible accidental shooting.&nbsp; Police have not&nbsp; released her name or additional details.--------

13-year-old Kan. girl dies from injuries in accidental shooting

PORTLAND, Tenn. (AP) — An autopsy report shows a 1-year-old child found dead with his mother at a Tennessee home starved to death and the woman died of a drug overdose. 

The bodies of the mother and son were found in February at their home in Portland, about 35 miles northeast of Nashville. The woman's 3-year-old daughter was found alive. 

News outlets reported that autopsy results released Monday show the mother’s cause of death to be drug toxicity from methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

The 15-month-old boy died of starvation and dehydration. Both deaths were ruled accidental. 

Officials say they were found by a probation officer making a home visit.

PORTLAND, Tenn. (AP) — An autopsy report shows a 1-year-old child found dead with his mother at a Tennessee home starved to death and the woman died of a drug overdose. The bodies of the mother and son were found in February at their home in Portland, about 35 miles northeast of Nashville. The woman's 3-year-old daughter was found alive. News outlets reported that autopsy results released Monday show the mother’s cause of death to be drug toxicity from methamphetamine and fentanyl. The 15-month-old boy died of starvation and dehydration. Both deaths were ruled accidental. Officials say they were found by a probation officer making a home visit.

Autopsy: Mother overdosed, infant starved to death

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man was charged Monday with killing the mother of their children during an argument.

Christopher Sears, 33, was also charged with armed criminal action in the death of Andrea Dean, 32, who was found dead at her home on Sunday.

Charging documents said three juvenile children in the home told police their father shot their mother in the head while they argued. The children ran to a neighbor's home for help.

Hours after the shooting, Sears went to a fire station and told firefighters he had shot the mother of his children, according to a probable cause statement.

In a later interview with police, he said the couple was arguing when they fought over the gun. He said the gun went off and when he got control of it, he shot Dean in the head, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors recommended a $250,000 bond for Sears. He does not yet have an attorney, according to online court records.

Dean's death marked the 68th homicide this year in Kansas City. The city set a record for homicides in 2020 with 182.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623752932882.png" alt="Spears photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Spears photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City man was charged Monday with killing the mother of their children during an argument.Christopher Sears, 33, was also charged with armed criminal action in the death of Andrea Dean, 32, who was found dead at her home on Sunday.Charging documents said three juvenile children in the home told police their father shot their mother in the head while they argued. The children ran to a neighbor's home for help.Hours after the shooting, Sears went to a fire station and told firefighters he had shot the mother of his children, according to a probable cause statement.In a later interview with police, he said the couple was arguing when they fought over the gun. He said the gun went off and when he got control of it, he shot Dean in the head, prosecutors said.Prosecutors recommended a $250,000 bond for Sears. He does not yet have an attorney, according to online court records.Dean's death marked the 68th homicide this year in Kansas City. The city set a record for homicides in 2020 with 182.

Kansas City woman shot in the head in front of her children

SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say five people from Nebraska were seriously injured when a boat exploded at a Missouri lake. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the explosion occurred Tuesday afternoon near Sunrise Beach at the Lake of the Ozarks. 

The patrol says the boat was secured at a dock when a mechanical problem caused a fuel-related fire. 

James and Kari Hohenstein, Brad Vanwinkle and two children aged 12 and 16 were seriously injured. A 2-year-old suffered minor injuries. 

The 16-year-old and Vanwinkle were flown to a Columbia hospital, while three others were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

The people on the boat are from Gretna and Elkhorn, Nebraska.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623802028064.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say five people from Nebraska were seriously injured when a boat exploded at a Missouri lake. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the explosion occurred Tuesday afternoon near Sunrise Beach at the Lake of the Ozarks. The patrol says the boat was secured at a dock when a mechanical problem caused a fuel-related fire. James and Kari Hohenstein, Brad Vanwinkle and two children aged 12 and 16 were seriously injured. A 2-year-old suffered minor injuries. The 16-year-old and Vanwinkle were flown to a Columbia hospital, while three others were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The people on the boat are from Gretna and Elkhorn, Nebraska.

Nebraskans hurt when boat explodes at Missouri lake

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wichita Police officer on several allegations.

The Sedgwick County District Attorney has charged Wichita Police Department Officer Thomas Wallace on one count of sexual exploitation of a child, according to police department spokesman Officer Charley Davidson.

The District Attorney is also considering charges of stalking against Wallace.

Wichita Police officials learned of Wallace possibly stalking a woman known to him, stemming from an investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office that began late last year concerning another Wichita Police Department employee. 

The investigation into these allegations led to his arrest in February and the current charges, according to Davidson.

Wallace has been employed with WPD for five years and was placed on unpaid administrative leave Tuesday, pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a report of alleged stalking and have arrested a police officer.&nbsp;

On Friday afternoon authorities booked Wichita Police Department Officer Thomas Wallace into the Sedgwick County Jail on two counts of misdemeanor stalking, according to police spokesman officer Charley Davidson.

Officials learned of Wallace possibly stalking a woman known to him, stemming from an investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) that began late last year concerning another Wichita police department employee.&nbsp; 

The sheriff's office investigated in order to avoid conflicts of interest.&nbsp;

Wallace has been employed with WPD for five years and was placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612615648257.png" alt="Wallace Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Wallace Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wichita Police officer on several allegations.The Sedgwick County District Attorney has charged Wichita Police Department Officer Thomas Wallace on one count of sexual exploitation of a child, according to police department spokesman Officer Charley Davidson.The District Attorney is also considering charges of stalking against Wallace.Wichita Police officials learned of Wallace possibly stalking a woman known to him, stemming from an investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office that began late last year concerning another Wichita Police Department employee. The investigation into these allegations led to his arrest in February and the current charges, according to Davidson.Wallace has been employed with WPD for five years and was placed on unpaid administrative leave Tuesday, pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation.------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a report of alleged stalking and have arrested a police officer.&nbsp;On Friday afternoon authorities booked Wichita Police Department Officer Thomas Wallace into the Sedgwick County Jail on two counts of misdemeanor stalking, according to police spokesman officer Charley Davidson.Officials learned of Wallace possibly stalking a woman known to him, stemming from an investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) that began late last year concerning another Wichita police department employee.&nbsp; The sheriff's office investigated in order to avoid conflicts of interest.&nbsp;Wallace has been employed with WPD for five years and was placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigation.

Kan. police officer arrested in Feb., charged with child sex crime

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — Search crews in central Montana have found the body of a 17-year-old Nebraska boy who witnesses say was trying to swim across the Missouri River Monday night. 

The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that search crews were called to an area along the river near the town of Cascade after the boy was reported missing. 

The victim has been was identified as David Van Essen of Greenwood, Nebraska. 

Witnesses told investigators that Van Essen attempted to swim across the river without wearing a lifejacket. He was seen going under the water and did not resurface.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — Search crews in central Montana have found the body of a 17-year-old Nebraska boy who witnesses say was trying to swim across the Missouri River Monday night. The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that search crews were called to an area along the river near the town of Cascade after the boy was reported missing. The victim has been was identified as David Van Essen of Greenwood, Nebraska. Witnesses told investigators that Van Essen attempted to swim across the river without wearing a lifejacket. He was seen going under the water and did not resurface.

Nebraska teen dies after trying to swim across Missouri river

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — A federal judge in South Dakota criminally charges three members of the U.S. Marshals Service with contempt of court and obstructing justice, after a dispute with a marshal who refused to disclose her COVID-19 vaccination status and removed prisoners from a courthouse. 

The Aberdeen American News reports that U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann charged three supervisory law enforcement officers, including the agency’s Chief of Staff John Kilgallon. 

The officers allegedly allowed a deputy marshal to leave the courthouse in Aberdeen, South Dakota, with prisoners in tow on May 10 after the marshal refused to tell the judge whether she had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — A federal judge in South Dakota criminally charges three members of the U.S. Marshals Service with contempt of court and obstructing justice, after a dispute with a marshal who refused to disclose her COVID-19 vaccination status and removed prisoners from a courthouse. The Aberdeen American News reports that U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann charged three supervisory law enforcement officers, including the agency’s Chief of Staff John Kilgallon. The officers allegedly allowed a deputy marshal to leave the courthouse in Aberdeen, South Dakota, with prisoners in tow on May 10 after the marshal refused to tell the judge whether she had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Federal judge charges US marshals in vaccination dispute

SHERIDAN, Wyo. (AP) — A woman is dead after falling off a cliff in northern Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. 

Sheridan County sheriff's officials say how the woman in her late 20s fell off Steamboat Point early Tuesday is unknown. 

The Sheridan Press reports sheriff’s officials aren't releasing the woman’s name before notifying her family. 

A witness reported the fall around 5:50 a.m. 

Emergency responders found the woman dead around 7:15 a.m.

 Steamboat Point overlooks U.S. Highway 14 about 20 miles west of Sheridan. 

The clifftop is reachable by a steep trail less than a mile long.

SHERIDAN, Wyo. (AP) — A woman is dead after falling off a cliff in northern Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. Sheridan County sheriff's officials say how the woman in her late 20s fell off Steamboat Point early Tuesday is unknown. The Sheridan Press reports sheriff’s officials aren't releasing the woman’s name before notifying her family. A witness reported the fall around 5:50 a.m. Emergency responders found the woman dead around 7:15 a.m. Steamboat Point overlooks U.S. Highway 14 about 20 miles west of Sheridan. The clifftop is reachable by a steep trail less than a mile long.

Woman dead in cliff fall in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police in western Iowa say they have arrested a woman accused of setting another woman on fire and hitting the victim in the face as a third person tried to put out the flames. 

Council Bluffs police said in a news release that Lindsy Maves was arrested Monday on charges of attempted murder, arson and willful injury. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623774446594.png" alt="Maves" />
 <figcaption>Maves</figcaption>
 </figure>COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police in western Iowa say they have arrested a woman accused of setting another woman on fire and hitting the victim in the face as a third person tried to put out the flames. Council Bluffs police said in a news release that Lindsy Maves was arrested Monday on charges of attempted murder, arson and willful injury. Police said officers were called around 4:30 a.m. Monday and found a woman with severe burns outside a homeless services center. The woman was taken to an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital for treatment. Police say an investigation showed the victim was involved in a disturbance with Maves, who is accused of spraying the victim with a flammable substance and lighting her on fire.