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California and Illinois declare monkeypox emergencies

California and Illinois declare monkeypox emergencies

California and Illinois on Monday declared health emergencies in their states regarding the monkeypox virus.

The governors’ proclamation will accelerate the administration of vaccines, the work of contact tracing, and prevention efforts, officials said.

The White House on Monday night bolstered its footing against the virus by confirming Bob Fenton and Demetre Daskalakis will be announced Tuesday as national monkeypox coordinator and as deputy, respectively.

Fenton helped lead the country’s mass vaccination effort for Covid-19 as the Federal Emergency Management Agency acting administrator. Daskalakis is director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s HIV prevention division.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s top medical adviser, said the pair represents “a really good combination” to tackle an illness that still presents some mysteries, including whether the virus can spread when a carrier has no symptoms.

The day’s moves follow declarations of emergency last week in New York state, New York City and San Francisco.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said in a statement Monday that his move would bring to the fight “a whole-of-government response” that will help fund vaccination outreach and research.

“We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization,” he said.

The proclamation will allow emergency medical services workers to administer monkeypox vaccines, the governor’s office said.

The state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic will serve as a guide to launch vaccine clinics in targeted communities, according to Newsom’s statement.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, the author of several laws regarding LGBTQ+ issues, welcomed the declaration on monkeypox. “We need to use every tool we have to control it,” he said in a statement.

In Illinois, Pritzker said in a statement that his declaration will likewise give the Department of Public Health the full power of the state to distribute vaccines and to inform the public about the virus.

The illness “requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources to prevent the spread,” he said in the statement.

The Illinois declaration gives the state the ability to procure vaccines on an urgent basis, the governor’s office said.

The governor’s move “will open efficient lines of communication and cooperation across state lines, an essential step in tracking monkeypox and improving tools and processes to prevent and address it,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Sameer Vohra said in the governor’s statement.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the declaration was much needed.

“This emergency declaration brings a necessary, increased focus to the Monkeypox (MPV) outbreak we’re seeing here in Chicago, across our state, and around the country,” she said in a statement.

The states with the most monkeypox cases are New York (1,390), California (827), and Illinois (520), according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The vast majority of cases worldwide have been among men who have sex with men, according to the World Health Organization. However, anyone can get it from everyday contact with others, and even with animals, experts say.

Common symptoms include a rash with lesions, malaise, fever and swollen lymph nodes, health officials say. Chills, headache and muscle pain have also been reported for the illness, which usually lasts two to four weeks, according to the CDC.

Dennis Romero

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Lindsey Piper and Associated Press contributed.

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Several shots in Northeast DC authorities say

Several shots in Northeast DC authorities say

Six men were shot, one fatally, during an outbreak of gunfire Monday night in Northeast Washington not far from Capitol Hill, authorities said.

The shooting was reported about 8:30 pm in the 1500 block of F Street NE outside the Azeeze Bates apartment complex, Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said at a news conference Monday night. The five who were injured were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not known.

Contee said he did not know the reason for the shooting and that the police did not know whether the men knew each other. He said there appeared to be a large group of people in the area when the shots were fired. An investigation is ongoing.

“I’m angered at the fact that residents have to experience this in their community tonight,” Contee said. The residents didn’t deserve this. They did not deserve to have people shot in the communities where they live.”

“The investments have been made to stem the tide of violence in our communities,” Contee said. “Yet it seems that we have people in our communities who have just lost their sense of humanity.”

The site of the shooting is in the Kingman Park neighborhood near the northeastern edge of Capitol Hill. A neighbor, one of several at the scene as ambulances lined the street, said she heard at least 15 shots.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Laura Gentile spent the evening talking with residents who live near the shooting.

“This is horrible,” Gentile said. “This is the worst that we’ve ever seen. People feel very unsafe.”

Tell asked that anyone with information call 202-727-9099.

Monday’s violent night included three other shootings, none of which were fatal. A woman was shot on Gainesville Street SE; a man was shot on Newton Place NW; and another man was shot on Oglethorpe Street NE, all within the space of a few hours, officials said.

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Lindsey Graham adds Trump’s former White House counsel as he battles Georgia subpoena

Lindsey Graham adds Trump's former White House counsel as he battles Georgia subpoena

Amid an ongoing legal battle over the 2020 election probe in Georgia, Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) has added former President Donald Trump’s first White House counsel, Donald McGahn, to her legal team.

Graham continues to fight a subpoena ordering him to appear before a grand jury in Fulton County’s criminal investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state.

McGhan’s name appeared on a recent legal filing alerting the Fulton County Superior Court that Graham would be moving his challenge to the Northern District of Georgia, as he continues his fight against the subpoena, which he first began last month.

Asked by ABC News on Monday why he brought McGahn on board, Graham said, “He’s he’s a really good guy in this area.”

“I’ve known him, he was a good choice I thought,” Graham said. “That’s sort of his area of ​​practice.”

Graham was subpoenaed last month as part of the Fulton County district attorney’s criminal probe into Trump’s efforts to overturn Georgia’s election results.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis officially launched the investigation in February 2021, sparked in part by the phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which he pleaded with him to “find 11,780 votes,” the exact number Trump needed to win Georgia.

PHOTO: Sen. Lindsey Graham participates in a panel discussion on the economy during the America First Agenda Summit in Washington, July 26, 2022.

Sen. Lindsey Graham participates in a panel discussion on the economy during the America First Agenda Summit in Washington, July 26, 2022.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Graham accepted service of the subpoena, which identifies him as a “necessary and material witness,” last week, after agreeing with the Fulton County prosecutors to drop challenges to the subpoena in South Carolina and Washington, DC, and bring any future challenges in Georgia .

As part of his argument to quash the subpoena, Graham says that he was acting “within [his] official legislative responsibilities” as a senator and chairman of the Judiciary Committee when he allegedly made calls to Georgia officials in the wake of the 2020 election.

During those calls to Raffensperger and others, Graham allegedly asked about “reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump,” the judge wrote in a filing in the case.

“[Graham] possesses unique knowledge concerning the substance of the telephone calls, the circumstances surrounding his decision to make the telephone calls, the logistics of setting up the telephone calls, and any communications between himself, others involved in the planning and execution of the telephone calls, the Trump Campaign, and other known and unknown individuals involved in the multi-state, coordinated efforts to influence the results of the 2020 election in Georgia,” the filing said.

During a radio interview last month, Graham was asked whether he would “give up the fight” over the subpoena, to which he responded, “No. God, no.”

He is scheduled to appear before the grand jury on the morning of August 23.

ABC News’ Trish Turner contributed to this report.

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New Yorkers answer whether US is experiencing recession as White House and media spin numbers

New Yorkers answer whether US is experiencing recession as White House and media spin numbers

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

New Yorkers were largely split in their opinion of whether the US economy is currently experiencing a recession, a contrast from left-leaning media outlets united in their belief that the country is not experiencing an economic downturn.

“I don’t think we’re in a recession,” one New Yorker told Fox News Digital on Monday. “I think technically—some indicators might, people might say that. It doesn’t sound like we’re in a recession to me.”

He went on to acknowledge rising prices, but said that the White House and the Fed are “doing their best,” and that the economy overall is doing pretty well, especially in comparison to other countries.

Another woman that Fox News Digital spoke to near Times Square said it doesn’t feel like the country is currently experiencing a recession, though it did feel like it before the city reopened following stringent COVID restrictions.

COLBERT SKEWERS MSNBC, CNN FOR REDEFINING RECESSION, CLAIMS THEY’RE NOT ‘QUALIFIED’ TO SPEAK ON ISSUE

A New Yorker told Fox News Digital she did not believe the country was currently experiencing a recession, and said things have gotten better since COVID restrictions were lifted.

A New Yorker told Fox News Digital she did not believe the country was currently experiencing a recession, and said things have gotten better since COVID restrictions were lifted.
(FoxNewsDigital)

“I don’t feel like there’s a recession, you know they opened up—there’s a lot of jobs. We’re still in a pandemic, however I don’t feel like it’s a recession because people are working. They can go out ,” she added.

A man who spoke near Radio City Music Hall said some parts of the economy are feeling the pain a “little bit harder” than other sectors, but for many people in New York City it is “life as usual.”

“The inflation hurts a bit. But, these things come and go. It’s a cycle. I think we’ll recover pretty nicely, and I’m optimistic. I don’t like to label things a recession just because the media is saying one thing or another—I think we’ll be fine,” he added.

But a number of other New Yorkers were adamant that the country is in the midst of a recession, and in some cases knocked the media and politicians for concluding otherwise.

RECESSION ‘WORD CHURN’ FROM DEMOCRATS IS NOT WORKING, WARNS WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST

A New Yorker told Fox News Digital that the media and the White House are 'changing the definition' of a recession.

A New Yorker told Fox News Digital that the media and the White House are ‘changing the definition’ of a recession.
(FoxNewsDigital)

“It is a recession,” said another New Yorker. “They’re trying to change the definition, right? So I think the definition is two quarters, and then it’s a recession. So it’s been two negative quarters for the GDP, and they’re still saying it’s not a recession.”

I have added the media is trying to ignore “the fact” that there is a recession, and that their opinion changes depending on whether a Democrat or a Republican is in office.

Another New Yorker said she was not “super confident” in the current economy, saying rising costs in the city, especially with rent, are “out of control.” She also poured cold water on the idea that a strong labor market meant that a recession was not the correct definition.

“The people in power definitely need to be doing better,” she concluded.

PAUL KRUGMAN DECLARES US NOT IN A RECESSION, CLAIMS ‘NEGATIVITY BIAS’ IN MEDIA

This New Yorker said the US is experiencing a recession, and cited the rising cost of 'everything,' especially rent, in New York City.

This New Yorker said the US is experiencing a recession, and cited the rising cost of ‘everything,’ especially rent, in New York City.
(FoxNewsDigital)

The Washington Post, CNN, The New York Times and others embraced the White House definition of a recession last week after GDP numbers showed consecutive quarters of negative growth as the US economy enters a recession, and pundits on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC and elsewhere also played up the notion of “fears” of a recession, rather than acknowledging the US was now, by definition, going through one.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Other segments on CNN, CBS News, MSNBC, NBC News, and ABC News largely refrained from saying that the country is in a recession, pointing to job growth and consumer spending.

Nikolas Lanum is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.

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White House warns China not to overreact to potential Taiwan visit by House Speaker Pelosi

White House warns China not to overreact to potential Taiwan visit by House Speaker Pelosi

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The White House warned Monday that an expected visit to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) could prompt China to take significant inflammatory actions in response, and urged Beijing not to take advantage of the trip or see it as a pretext for provocation.

“China appears to be positioning itself to take further steps in the coming days and perhaps over longer time horizons,” White House spokesman John Kirby said. He added: “Nothing about this potential visit — which, oh, by the way, has precedent — would change the status quo.”

Kirby did not confirm that Pelosi plans to stop in Taiwan, but his extensive comments to reporters suggested the White House is positioning itself for such a visit. Biden administration officials have said privately they have deep concerns about the timing of her expected trip from her, but on Monday, Kirby focused on criticizing China for overreacting.

Pelosi launched her trip to Asia on Sunday without disclosing whether Taiwan is on the itinerary. Meanwhile, Beijing has warned that it would retaliate if she visits, and an official Chinese statement warned the Biden administration against “playing with fire” on Taiwan.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Aug. 1 called on China not to escalate tensions in the event of a visit to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (Video: Reuters)

That statement followed a more than two-hour call between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. During that call, Biden “made very clear that Congress is an independent branch of government and Speaker Pelosi makes her own decisions,” Kirby said.

Despite its fears that Pelosi’s trip could trigger a crisis in the Taiwan Strait, the White House has sought to avoid any impression that the president is pressing Pelosi. And Kirby emphasized that if she did visit the island, that did not reflect any change in the US approach to China or Taiwan.

“Nothing has changed — nothing has changed — about our Taiwan policy,” Kirby said. As for Beijing, he added, “What we would hope they infer from everything we’ve done, and everything we’ve said, including during the president’s phone call, is that we’re being consistent.”

Kirby laid out potential responses by China in response to a Pelosi visit, noting that China conducted a live-fire exercise over the weekend. Kirby added China could fire missiles into the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan or conduct “highly publicized” military exercises. Or, he said, it could carry out operations that “break historical norms” such as sending larger numbers of military jets across the midpoint separating Taiwan from mainland China.

Responses “could also include actions in the diplomatic and economic space such as further spurious legal claims like Beijing’s public assertions last month that the Taiwan Strait is not an international waterway,” Kirby said.

China’s claims over Taiwan form a core part of the ideology of the ruling Communist Party. Beijing sees official visits by high-ranking foreigners as lending support to pro-independence camps and giving credence to the idea of ​​Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Pelosi would be the first House speaker to travel to the self-governed democratic island since Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) in 1997.

Administration fears a Pelosi trip to Taiwan could spark cross-strait crisis

The visit would also test Xi’s resolve at a time when he cannot afford to look weak, as he presides over a slowing economy and worsening relations between China and the West. And it comes ahead of a crucial party congress in the fall, when Xi is expected to break with precedent and take on a third term.

All of the senior members of Biden’s national security team thought there were concerns about the timing of the trip, said a White House official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. National security adviser Jake Sullivan, for instance, expressed concern to multiple administration officials and asked for suggestions on how to dissuade the speaker from traveling to Taiwan, even dispatching some officials to speak directly with Pelosi, according to two people familiar with the conversations.

The White House official said Sullivan was not more concerned than others, and like other officials agreed it was Pelosi’s decision whether she wanted to go. Sullivan “assertively defended [Pelosi’s] right to go” in a call with his counterpart in China, the official said.

Zack Cooper, a senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, said Washington does not want a major confrontation, “but if the Chinese intentionally take action or if there’s some sort of accident that leads to a real clash — if ships or aircraft touch each other , or if you get a radar lock on an aircraft or a missile that flies very close over Taiwan — I think that you’d see that the United States feels it has to respond quite forcefully to that.”

And Beijing’s responses are not likely to end when Pelosi leaves Taiwan, he said, but would probably continue in the lead-up to the party congress. “I think this is not going to be an isolated incident,” Cooper said. “I think we’ll see more actions over the next several months.”

Matt Turpin, a Hoover Institution visiting fellow who served as White House China director in the Donald Trump administration, said China’s leaders, not Pelosi, would be responsible for any escalation.

“Pelosi’s visit is not driving Beijing’s behavior,” he said. “This is what they’re choosing to do. They will use whatever pretext they need to use to accomplish their plan — the eventual annexation of Taiwan.”

In his call with Biden last week, Xi called on Washington to abide by his one-China policy, a long-standing agreement in which the United States acknowledges — without recognizing — Beijing’s claim that there is only one China.

c She visited Tiananmen Square in 1991 early in her career, where she unfurled a banner honoring those who died after a brutal crackdown by the Chinese government on protests there. Police chased Pelosi and the lawmakers traveling with her out of the square.

But members of both parties, including Republican members of Congress, have asserted that China has no right to dictate where US officials can travel.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) was invited to travel with Pelosi several weeks ago and at the time, the plan was to also visit Taiwan, said his spokeswoman Leslie Shedd. He was unable to visit because of a prior commitment, Shedd said, so his office does not know what the final plan was.

“He also believes the Speaker — or any other American official — should be able to visit Taiwan if they would like to,” Shedd said in a statement.

Pelosi announces Asia trip itinerary with no mention of Taiwan

Pelosi and the lawmakers traveling with her have been briefed on the threat possibilities related to the trip and the intelligence community’s understanding of the risks of escalation with Beijing, according to people familiar with the visit.

Pelosi began her tour of Asia on Sunday with planned visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. In a statement ahead of the trip, her office did not mention Taiwan. Pelosi had planned to lead a congressional delegation to Taiwan in April but she delayed the trip after contracting the coronavirus.

For decades, China has tried to force Taiwan into diplomatic isolation by picking off its allies and launching vociferous campaigns against any semblance of recognition of Taiwan as a nation, including visits by foreign dignitaries.

Beijing has repeatedly said it will use force if necessary to “reunify” Taiwan and its 23 million people with the motherland. Taiwan, however, has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party, and its people have shown no interest in being ruled by their authoritarian neighbor.

Since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, Beijing has ramped up its rhetoric and military threats. Last year, the Chinese air force repeatedly broke daily records for the number of fighter jets it sent near Taiwan’s airspace.

On Saturday, the People’s Liberation Army held “live-fire exercises” off the Chinese coast opposite Taiwan, near the Pingtan islands, according to a notice from the Pingtan Maritime Safety Administration. On Monday, maritime officials announced further drills in the South China Sea between Tuesday and Saturday.

Taiwan hones invasion response amid China’s threats over Pelosi trip

Last week, Taiwanese troops held military exercises to practice defending against an amphibious assault. Meanwhile, the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and its strike group returned to the South China Sea.

The Biden administration has grown increasingly concerned about the risk of a full-blown crisis in the Taiwan Strait. US-China relations are already at a low point, as the two superpowers collide over everything from economic power to human rights to military influence, and a conflict between China and Taiwan could draw in other powers, including Japan.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an unofficial US delegation of former defense and national security officials traveled to Taiwan in a show of Washington’s “rock solid” commitment to the island’s defense.

Increased engagement between US officials and Taipei has led Beijing to worry that Washington has taken steps to change the status quo. Fueling that sense are apparently off-the-cuff statements by Biden that depart from Washington’s policy of “strategic ambiguity” over defense of Taiwan. On three occasions since August, Biden has suggested the United States would defend Taiwan militarily if attacked by China. Yes,” he said in May, “that’s the commitment we made.” Each time the White House has either walked back or watered down the comments.

During the last Taiwan Strait crisis in 1995-1996, China launched missiles that landed near Taiwan and the United States sent two aircraft carriers into the eastern region of Taiwan, said Evan Medeiros, an Asia studies professor at Georgetown University. But the Chinese military was much less capable then “so there was little risk of escalation,” he said.

“This crisis is playing out with a vastly more capable Chinese military and a more confident and frustrated leadership,” said Medeiros, who served as a senior China official in the Barack Obama administration and was in the unofficial delegation to Taipei in March. “So the core challenges for the United States will be crisis management and escalation control.”

John Hudson contributed to this report.

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Is Kevin Costner a Republican? ‘Yellowstone’ Star Backs Liz Cheney

Costner backs Trump target Liz Cheney

Actor Kevin Costner, star of the television show Yellowstonebacked Representative Liz Cheney’s re-election bid as she faces a challenge from Donald Trump-backed Harriet Hageman.

Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, turned on former President Trump following the January 6, 2021 attack at the United States Capitol building—when a mob of his supporters rioted in a failed effort to force Congress to block President Joe Biden’s win—and has since become one of the fiercest Trump critics in the GOP.

While her stance has earned her support from many moderates and Democrats, who praise her willingness to buck her own party, she has found herself at odds with many voters in Wyoming’s at-large congressional district in a state that backed Trump by more than 26 points . Trump’s massive victory for her in the state made it the most conservative state in the 2020 presidential election.

Costner backs Trump target Liz Cheney
Kevin Costner endorsed Liz Cheney as she tries to fight off Donald Trump-endorsed challenger Harriet Hageman in Wyoming. Here, Costner is seen in Los Angeles, California on May 30, 2019.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

But on Monday, Cheney revealed a new celebrity endorsement, tweeting a photo of Costner wearing a white t-shirt that read “I’m for Liz Cheney.”

Costner stars in the Paramount television drama Yellowstonenamed for the famous Yellowstone National Park that is located in parts of Wyoming and Montana.

“Real men put country over party,” Cheney tweeted alongside the photo.

Kevin Costner’s Political Views

Despite his endorsement of Cheney, Costner does not consider himself to be a Republican anymore. Earlier in his life, Costner was considered a Republican but has supported Democrats since the 1990s. In fact, I have endorsed Pete Buttigieg, then the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and now the Secretary of Transportation, during the 2020 Democratic primary—later supporting President Joe Biden’s election campaign.

“I think we really have to have a president for both sides,” he said in a 2020 interview with Variety. “And for the people who don’t vote for Biden, if Biden wins it’s necessary that he address what they’re concerned about. I think he has that level of bandwidth to understand that the group that doesn’t vote for him needs attention They have their own concerns and we have to think about that.”

In a 2020 interview with TheDailyBeastCostner said he goes “back and forth” on his votes and called Trump “dangerous.”

“The Democratic Party doesn’t represent everything that I think, and neither does the Republican Party right now—at all. So, I find it too limiting,” he said.

What Polls Say About Cheney’s Re-election Bid

Despite Costner’s endorsement, Cheney is in for a difficult primary against Hageman, who Trump has endorsed and stumped for. Cheney evoked his ire from him after refusing to embrace or support his claims the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him due to widespread voter fraud. She is one of two Republicans to sit on the Congressional committee investigating the riot—the other, Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger, opted not to run for re-election.

Polls have found her struggling to win a majority of support in the Republican primary. A survey conducted by the Casper Star-Tribune from July 7 to 11 found Hageman leading Cheney by 22 points. It found Hageman winning 52 percent of support, while Cheney won only 30 percent of support from likely Republican primary voters.

Wyoming voters will decide between Cheney and Hageman on August 16. Whoever wins the primary would be the overwhelming favorite in the Equality State.

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Text urges “yes” vote in Kansas to “give women a choice.”

Anti-abortion advocates in favor of a constitutional amendment that would undo the right to an abortion in the Kansas Constitution are displaying YES signs and those not in favor are posting NO signs.

Anti-abortion advocates in favor of a constitutional amendment that would undo the right to an abortion in the Kansas Constitution are displaying YES signs and those not in favor are posting NO signs.

An anonymous group is sending a misleading text to Kansas voters telling them to “vote yes” in order to protect choice.

“Women in KS are losing their choice on reproductive rights. Voting YES on the amendment will give women a choice. Vote YES to protect women’s health.”

The message went to voters across the state, including former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

The state’s main anti-abortion groups—The Value Them Both Coalition, Kansans for Life and Operation Rescue—all said they did not send the message. The Kansas GOP has also said they are not responsible. A spokeswoman for the Value Them Both Coalition said no member of the coalition, which includes Kansas Family Voice, Kansans for Life, and the Kansas Catholic Conference, sent the text.

“There’s a lot of people trying to confuse people on both sides, I guess,” said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue.

Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, the main “vote no” campaign called the message an example of “desperate and deceitful tactics.”

“This misleading text shouldn’t surprise anyone. The anti-choice movement has been lying to the voters of Kansas for decades,” Sebelius said in a statement. “This act of desperation won’t stop the voters of Kansas from protecting their constitutional rights and freedom by voting NO tomorrow.”

image (1).png
Several Kansans received text messages urging a “yes” vote to “give women a choice” the day before Kansans vote on an amendment to remove abortion rights from the state constitution.

On Tuesday, Kansans will be the first in the nation to vote on abortion rights in a post-Roe world. They are deciding whether or not to approve a constitutional amendment that would remove the right to abortion from the state constitution.

A yes vote would remove the language, which would allow lawmakers to pass laws severely restricting or banning abortion. A no vote would keep the status quo and uphold a 2019 state supreme court decision that found a right to end a pregnancy within the Kansas Constitution.

The text likely does not violate Kansas campaign laws.

Mark Skoglund, the executive director of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, said Kansas law does not require accuracy in campaign communication. Paid-for attribution on text messages is required for candidates but not ballot issues, he said.

“The Campaign Finance Act nor any other law under our jurisdiction places requirements regarding accuracy. In KGEC Advisory Opinion 2004-02, the Commission specifically found that ‘We have reviewed the Kansas Campaign Finance Act (KSA 25-4142 et seq.) in its entirety and nothing in the Act addresses the use of misleading advertising,’” Skoglund said in an email.

Cindy Novelo, a 64-year-old Lawrence Democrat who received the text called it “shameful.” She reported it to her local election office and the American Civil Liberties Union.

“It was so clear. It was very clear and people are looking for clarity. That it was so clear and completely false was just over the top,” she said.

Here are the facts:

What does the Value Them Both constitutional amendment say?

Last year, the Kansas Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to Kansas voters that would overturn the 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision that found a right to abortion in the state constitution.

Supporters call the amendment Value Them Both, referring to the pregnant mother and fetus. The amendment would add the following language to the state constitution:

Regulation of abortion. Because Kansans value both women and children, the constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion. To the extent permitted by the constitution of the United States, the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators, may pass laws regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, laws that account for circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or circumstances of necessity to save the life of the mother.”

What happens to abortion rights if Kansans vote ‘yes’?

A “yes” vote would add language codifying that nothing in the state constitution guarantees the right to an abortion.

It would not immediately ban abortion or change existing laws and regulations. However, it would mean Kansas lawmakers are empowered to pass any abortion restrictions allowable by federal law.

After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, state lawmakers will be able to pass legislation intended to ban abortion in Kansas if the amendment passes. They would not be required to include exemptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother.

What happens if Kansans vote ‘no’ on the amendment?

If Kansans vote “no,” the state constitution would not change, and the state level right to an abortion would remain even after the recent US Supreme Court ruling. The Legislature would continue to be barred from passing legislation that would restrict abortion access.

Lawmakers could try again to pass the constitutional amendment if it fails. The 2019 decision establishing abortion as a right could also be overruled by justices in the future.

The Star’s Jonathan Shorman and Judy Thomas contributed to this report.

This story was originally published August 1, 2022 5:19 PM.

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Katie Bernard covers the Kansas Legislature and state government for the Kansas City Star. She joined the Star as a breaking news reporter in May of 2019 before moving to the politics team in December 2020. Katie studied journalism and political science at the University of Kansas.

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‘The kids were crying, hysterical’: Gunshots ring out as Fresno Under-10 football team plays in Oakland

'The kids were crying, hysterical': Gunshots ring out as Fresno Under-10 football team plays in Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif. (KFSN) — Shots rang out at Oakland Tech High School, where a Fresno team, the Valley Boyz, were playing the Oakland Dynamites Sunday afternoon.

The incident left players on the Fresno Under-10 football team and their parents shaken.

The Bay Area shooting left three people injured but the Valley families were safe.

Families and players scrambled to safety.

“I just told them to drop to the ground and I just jumped on like five of them, just laid on top of them, and then once I heard the shooting stop, I picked my head up and then another six shots rang out,” said Valley Boyz Under-10 coach Francine Loya.

Oakland police said two adults and a child were shot behind the team’s bleachers.

The Under-10 players started to run across the field.

Kelvin Young and Noah Wheeler are both coaches and organization vice-presidents.

They tried to make sure the families were okay.

“We heard the shots and it was kind of like a movie. Everybody’s just panicking, running around,” said Young.

Added Wheeler: “They were traumatized. The kids were crying, they were breathing. Hysterical, panting. I was just trying to calm them down.”

The Oakland Dynamites said added security measures will be put in place to prevent further violence at games.

The Fresno kids had been enjoying the out-of-town competition until the shooting occurred.

“Kids don’t even need to be around something like this. Once you come to these events, things, whatever on the outside nature, shouldn’t even be going on here. It just hurts that it happened here,” said Oakland coach Quintrell Dotson.

The Oakland team called the incident a street beef that spilled onto the football field.

Wheeler hopes the incident doesn’t discourage any families from having their kids play for their program.

“Just keep believing in us. We hope we don’t lose any kids from this,” he said.

The Valley Boyz brought five teams in different age groups to Oakland.

Some of the boys lost their helmets and shoulder pads in the panicked moments after the gunshots. A GoFundMe has been set up for people to donate new or used equipment to replace the lost ones.

Coaches and parents will discuss the Oakland incident during Tuesday night’s practice and talk about safety measures at both home and road games.

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California governor declares monkeypox state of emergency

California governor declares monkeypox state of emergency

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s governor on Monday declared a state of emergency to speed efforts to combat the monkeypox outbreak, becoming the second state in three days to take the step.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the declaration will help California coordinate a government-wide response, seek more vaccines and lead outreach and education efforts on where people can get treatment and vaccination.

“We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization,” Newsom said in a statement announcing his declaration.

Nearly 800 cases of monkeypox have been reported in California, according to state public health officials.

The monkeypox virus spreads through prolonged and close skin-to-skin contact, which can include hugging, cuddling and kissing, as well as through the sharing of bedding, towels and clothing. People getting sick so far have mainly been men who have sex with men, though health officials note that the virus can infect anyone.

“Public health officials are clear: stigma is unacceptable and counterproductive in public health response,” Michelle Gibbons, executive director of the County Health Executives Association of California said in a statement. “The fact is that monkeypox is primarily spread by skin to skin contact and sharing objects like bedding or towels, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The type of monkeypox virus identified in this outbreak is rarely fatal, and people usually recover within weeks. But the lesions and blisters caused by the virus are painful, and they can prevent swallowing or bowel movements if in the throat or anus.

The declaration in California came after a similar one in New York state on Saturday, and in San Francisco on Thursday. Newsom’s administration had said as recently as Friday that it was too soon for such a declaration.

After pressing for Newsom to make such a declaration, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco hailed the governor’s decision.

“The monkeypox outbreak is an emergency, and we need to use every tool we have to control it,” Wiener said.

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Newsom’s proclamation allows emergency medical personnel to administer monkeypox vaccines that are approved by the federal government.

That’s similar to a recent law that allows pharmacists to administer vaccines, Newsom’s administration said. It said the state’s response is building on the steps developed during the coronavirus pandemic to set up vaccination clinics and make sure there is outreach to vulnerable populations in cooperation with local and community-based organizations.

California has received more than 61,000 vaccine doses and has distributed more than 25,000 doses.

“We don’t have any time to waste,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. She said the nation’s most-populous county must use all available resources to speed the distribution of vaccines and help those who have been infected.

Newsom’s office said Los Angeles County has received a separate allocation of vaccine.

As of last week, the state had expanded its testing capacity to process more than 1,000 tests a week. Critics have said the long wait for test results delayed treatment options.

In San Francisco, Peter Tran was among hundreds who lined up sometimes for hours to receive the monkeypox vaccine at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Monday after the clinic was forced to close last week because it did not receive enough doses.

“It’s horrible. Like this is a vaccine that’s been out for such a long time. And like, it’s not even a deadly disease. It’s harder to be transmitted than COVID. But the rollout of the vaccines throughout this nation is absolutely horrible,” Tran said.

“I think the science shows that protection is greatly improved with the vaccine. So that’s why I’m doing it. And I honestly just don’t want the injuries on my body. I heard the injuries are painful and leave scarring. So I think that’s another motivation to go out and get it.”

Before making their own emergency declaration last week, San Francisco city officials were criticized for not responding rapidly enough to the outbreak. They, in turn, faulted the federal government for failing to deliver enough vaccines. The city received about 4,000 doses on Friday, enabling it to restart vaccinations, and hopes to administer them by mid-week, said Dr. Lukejohn Day, chief medical officer at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

The city had 305 cases as of Monday, he said.

The World Health Organization has declared the monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries a global emergency.

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Associated Press videographer Terry Chea contributed from San Francisco.

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Teen arrested following video that shows him beaten by Oak Lawn police

Teen arrested following video that shows him beaten by Oak Lawn police

OAK LAWN, Ill. — A teen hospitalized after video showed him being beaten by police in Oak Lawn now faces two felony charges after being arrested upon release.

The juvenile offender, identified by family members as 17-year-old Hadi Abuatellah, is charged with one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, one count of felony resisting arrest, two counts of misdemeanor resisting arrest and one count of possession of cannabis by a passenger in a motor vehicle.

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The charges came on the day Abuatellah was discharged from Advocate Christ Medical Center. According to police, he was taken into police custody and transported to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center for a detention hearing.

Police said that they would not offer any further comment at this time, citing an ongoing investigation. The department is cooperating with the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force’s investigation into the incident.

**WARNING: The video may be disturbing to watch. Viewer discretion is advised.

Abuatelah’s family and supporters rallied outside the Oak Lawn Police Department hours after the 17 year old was discharged from the hospital and into police custody. They say he’s recovering from internal bleeding in his brain, a fractured pelvis and broken nose among other injuries.

“He couldn’t barely move still,” family lawyer Shady Yassim said. “He was still using the use of a walker and he’s still using a wheelchair.”

While his loved ones called for police to release him to his parents, authorities say the teen will instead spend the night in juvenile detention.

The arrest stems from a July 27 incident following a traffic stop at 95th Street and McVicker Avenue. Oak Lawn Police say they pulled a car over with the teenage boy inside because officers smelled cannabis and the car didn’t have a front registration. After they searched the driver, Abuatellah ran off, with officers immediately following.

A woman was passing by and recorded video that showed officers throwing several punches as they physically restrained the 17-year-old boy.

A woman is heard on the video saying, “Why are they beating him like this? He it’s a little boy.”

According to the woman, officers grabbed the teen and tackled him to the ground. Once they attacked him, one officer started kicking the boy and then the other officer grabbed his hair from him and started punching him in the face.

“The crime that we all saw on video was the crime of a horrific assault of a minor by three grown men,” said Muhammad Sankari with the Arab-American Action Network.

Police said the teen refused to listen to verbal commands, leading to a physical confrontation. Law enforcement also stated that they believed the teen had a handgun.

Dashcam video of the incident does show one officer reaching into a black bag and pulling out a gun after the teen is apprehended.

Oak Lawn Police Chief Daniel Vittorio defended the officer’s actions amid calls for their immediate termination from family members and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR Chicago).

“What concerns me is a [17-year-old] running around with a gun,” the police chief said on July 28. “That’s what concerns me.”

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“We’re very concerned about the profiling of Hadi and his friends,” Bishop Tavis Grant said. “We’re very concerned about the probable cause and what started all this.”

The family’s lawyers have filed a federal lawsuit against Oak Lawn Police for excessive force and a racially motivated conspiracy to deprive Abuatelah of his Constitutional rights, among other claims.

“The only fear these officers had,” says Yassim, “was the fear of getting caught for what they did to Hadi.”