WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A prized statue of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jackie-robinson">Jackie Robinson</a>&nbsp;was stolen from a public park in Kansas, spurring a police search Friday and outrage across the city of Wichita.

The statue honors the first player to break Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947. Surveillance video was released of two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark. Wichita police said in a Facebook post that it went missing Thursday morning.

The statue was cut at the ankles to be removed. All that remained of the statue Friday were Robinson's feet.

“I’m frustrated by the actions of those individuals who had the audacity to take the statue of Jackie Robinson from a park where kids and families in our community gather to learn the history of Jackie Robinson, an American icon, and play the game of baseball,” Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan said during a news conference Friday. “This should upset all of us.”

He said even more troubling was the statue's theft shortly before Black History Month.

Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He's considered not only a sports legend but also a civil rights icon.

Wichita City Council member Brandon Johnson called the theft “horrendous” and “disgusting,” and said that residents are feeling hurt and angry, and demanding justice.

“Many people want to find those folks before law enforcement,” Johnson said. "So again, like the chief and the (district attorney) said, if you’ve got that statue, bring it here today. Now."

The Wichita Metro Crime Commission offered a reward Friday of up to $2,500 for tips leading to arrests and another $5,000 for tips that lead to the statue's recovery.

Sullivan said he hopes area salvage yards will contact police if the statue is brought in for money.

“Once the statue is returned, we also want the individuals who robbed our community of a treasure to be held accountable for their actions,” Sullivan said. “And I assure you, they will. The resources of the Wichita Police Department have been mobilized.”

Little League nonprofit League 42, named after Robinson's number with the Dodgers, paid about $50,000 for the model of him, Executive Director Bob Lutz said. The sculpture was installed in 2021 in McAdams Park, where the roughly 600 children play in the youth baseball league.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706271522033.png" alt="Security camera image of the theft." />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the theft.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A prized statue of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jackie-robinson">Jackie Robinson</a>&nbsp;was stolen from a public park in Kansas, spurring a police search Friday and outrage across the city of Wichita.The statue honors the first player to break Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947. Surveillance video was released of two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark. Wichita police said in a Facebook post that it went missing Thursday morning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706214116336.png" alt="Photo city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Photo city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>The statue was cut at the ankles to be removed. All that remained of the statue Friday were Robinson's feet.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706214143377.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“I’m frustrated by the actions of those individuals who had the audacity to take the statue of Jackie Robinson from a park where kids and families in our community gather to learn the history of Jackie Robinson, an American icon, and play the game of baseball,” Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan said during a news conference Friday. “This should upset all of us.”He said even more troubling was the statue's theft shortly before Black History Month.Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He's considered not only a sports legend but also a civil rights icon.Wichita City Council member Brandon Johnson called the theft “horrendous” and “disgusting,” and said that residents are feeling hurt and angry, and demanding justice.“Many people want to find those folks before law enforcement,” Johnson said. "So again, like the chief and the (district attorney) said, if you’ve got that statue, bring it here today. Now."The Wichita Metro Crime Commission offered a reward Friday of up to $2,500 for tips leading to arrests and another $5,000 for tips that lead to the statue's recovery.Sullivan said he hopes area salvage yards will contact police if the statue is brought in for money.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706274871424.png" alt="photo of the truck involved in the theft-Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photo of the truck involved in the theft-Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>“Once the statue is returned, we also want the individuals who robbed our community of a treasure to be held accountable for their actions,” Sullivan said. “And I assure you, they will. The resources of the Wichita Police Department have been mobilized.”Little League nonprofit League 42, named after Robinson's number with the Dodgers, paid about $50,000 for the model of him, Executive Director Bob Lutz said. The sculpture was installed in 2021 in McAdams Park, where the roughly 600 children play in the youth baseball league.

Reward offered: Jackie Robinson statue stolen from a Kansas park

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide

Just after 6 p.m. Friday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to report of a disturbance at 58th and Swope Parkway, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

First responders found a man unresponsive in front of a convenience store.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or suspect information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706357521837.png" alt="Police at the scene of the homicide investigation-photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the homicide investigation-photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicideJust after 6 p.m. Friday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to report of a disturbance at 58th and Swope Parkway, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706357497685.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders found a man unresponsive in front of a convenience store.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or suspect information.

Homicide: Man dies after disturbance near KC convenience store

JERUSALEM (AP) — The crew aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker hit by a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels extinguished an hourslong fire onboard the stricken vessel Saturday sparked by the strike, authorities said.

The attack on the Marlin Luanda further complicated the Red Sea crisis caused by the Iranian-backed rebels' attacks over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>. The tanker carried Russian-produced naphtha, a flammable oil, drawing Moscow further into a conflict that so far it had blamed on the U.S.

Early Saturday, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed at the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. That attack came after the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-gulf-aden-shipping-british-military-7fafd1cfb3e04209b97a0d0f2abd5c26">had to shoot down a Houthi missile targeting it</a>.

The Marlin Luanda burned for hours in the Gulf of Aden until being extinguished Saturday, said Trafigura, a Singapore-based trading firm. Its crew of 25 Indian nationals and two Sri Lankans were still trying to battle the blaze sparked by the missile strike, it said. No one was injured by the blast, it added.

“We are pleased to confirm that all crew on board the Marlin Luanda are safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished,” Trafigura said. “The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbor.”

The Indian navy said its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam was assisting the Marlin Luanda's crew in fighting the fire. It posted images showing the blaze still raging Saturday, likely fueled by the naphtha on board.

The ship, managed by a British firm, is carrying the Russian naphtha bound for Singapore, the company said. It described the flammable oil as being purchased below the price caps set by G7 sanctions placed on Russia over its ongoing war on Ukraine. It wasn't clear what environmental impact the attack had caused.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack on the Marlin Luanda in a prerecorded statement late Friday, describing it as a “British oil ship.” He insisted such attacks would continue.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.

China, which relies on the seaborne trade through the area, has called for calm. The U.S. had sought to get China to apply pressure on Iran, as Beijing remains a major buyer of Western-sanctioned Iranian oil.

But Russia so far has condemned the U.S. and the United Kingdom for carrying out its strikes targeting the Houthis, while also meeting with the rebel group in Moscow in recent days.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.

Meanwhile Saturday, authorities reported a separate incident in which a vessel in the Arabian Sea reported seeing people armed with assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade off their vessel.

“The small craft approached within 300 meters (about 985 feet),” the British military's United Kingdom Trade Operations agency said. “The onboard security team fired warning shots and post an exchange of fire, the small craft then retreated.”

It said all those onboard were safe. The private security firm Ambrey described the incident as involving a “Somali-style” small boat aided by a larger mothership. As the Houthi attacks have escalated, there's been an increase in suspected Somali pirate activity as well.

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a United States warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.

The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.

Early Saturday local time, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military's Central Command said.

The Houthis’ Al-Masirah satellite news channel said the strikes happened near the port city of Hodeida, but offered no assessment of their damage.

The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.

Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.

Central Command late Friday confirmed the Marlin Luanda was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney and other coalition ships responded and were rendering assistance toward the stricken ship. Central Command said no injuries were reported.

The Houthis' now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of its campaign in the Red Sea since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthis' strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.

Despite the Carney being directly targeted, Central Command said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. The Carney shot down the anti-ship ballistic missile, it said.

Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.

Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.

The attacks were the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">assaults by the rebels</a>&nbsp;in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The crew aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker hit by a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels extinguished an hourslong fire onboard the stricken vessel Saturday sparked by the strike, authorities said.The attack on the Marlin Luanda further complicated the Red Sea crisis caused by the Iranian-backed rebels' attacks over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>. The tanker carried Russian-produced naphtha, a flammable oil, drawing Moscow further into a conflict that so far it had blamed on the U.S.Early Saturday, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed at the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. That attack came after the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-gulf-aden-shipping-british-military-7fafd1cfb3e04209b97a0d0f2abd5c26">had to shoot down a Houthi missile targeting it</a>.The Marlin Luanda burned for hours in the Gulf of Aden until being extinguished Saturday, said Trafigura, a Singapore-based trading firm. Its crew of 25 Indian nationals and two Sri Lankans were still trying to battle the blaze sparked by the missile strike, it said. No one was injured by the blast, it added.“We are pleased to confirm that all crew on board the Marlin Luanda are safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished,” Trafigura said. “The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbor.”The Indian navy said its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam was assisting the Marlin Luanda's crew in fighting the fire. It posted images showing the blaze still raging Saturday, likely fueled by the naphtha on board.The ship, managed by a British firm, is carrying the Russian naphtha bound for Singapore, the company said. It described the flammable oil as being purchased below the price caps set by G7 sanctions placed on Russia over its ongoing war on Ukraine. It wasn't clear what environmental impact the attack had caused.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack on the Marlin Luanda in a prerecorded statement late Friday, describing it as a “British oil ship.” He insisted such attacks would continue.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.China, which relies on the seaborne trade through the area, has called for calm. The U.S. had sought to get China to apply pressure on Iran, as Beijing remains a major buyer of Western-sanctioned Iranian oil.But Russia so far has condemned the U.S. and the United Kingdom for carrying out its strikes targeting the Houthis, while also meeting with the rebel group in Moscow in recent days.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.Meanwhile Saturday, authorities reported a separate incident in which a vessel in the Arabian Sea reported seeing people armed with assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade off their vessel.“The small craft approached within 300 meters (about 985 feet),” the British military's United Kingdom Trade Operations agency said. “The onboard security team fired warning shots and post an exchange of fire, the small craft then retreated.”It said all those onboard were safe. The private security firm Ambrey described the incident as involving a “Somali-style” small boat aided by a larger mothership. As the Houthi attacks have escalated, there's been an increase in suspected Somali pirate activity as well.___JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a United States warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.Early Saturday local time, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military's Central Command said.The Houthis’ Al-Masirah satellite news channel said the strikes happened near the port city of Hodeida, but offered no assessment of their damage.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.Central Command late Friday confirmed the Marlin Luanda was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney and other coalition ships responded and were rendering assistance toward the stricken ship. Central Command said no injuries were reported.The Houthis' now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of its campaign in the Red Sea since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthis' strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.Despite the Carney being directly targeted, Central Command said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. The Carney shot down the anti-ship ballistic missile, it said.Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.The attacks were the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">assaults by the rebels</a>&nbsp;in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.

U.S. conducts strike against anti-ship missile after oil tanker attacked

MCPHERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly December crash that killed a Kansas teacher have filed charges against the driver of the other vehicle involved.

On Friday, the driver of the Nissan SUV identified as 33-year-0ld James Holzrichter was charged by the McPherson County Attorney with Involuntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Battery, Driving Under the Influence, Aggravated Child Endangerment, No Liability Insurance, Reckless Driving, and Failure to Maintain Lane, according to the McPherson County Sheriff's Office.

&nbsp;Canton-Galva teacher Ashley Austin, 30,&nbsp; died four days after&nbsp; the crash that occurred just after 7:30a.m. December 15 at Highway 56 and 24th Avenue. She was the agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor at the school.

&nbsp;Holzrichter is being held the McPherson County Jail on a $75,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706317872537.png" alt="Holzrichter photo McPherson Co." />
 <figcaption>Holzrichter photo McPherson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly December crash that killed a Kansas teacher have filed charges against the driver of the other vehicle involved.On Friday, the driver of the Nissan SUV identified as 33-year-0ld James Holzrichter was charged by the McPherson County Attorney with Involuntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Battery, Driving Under the Influence, Aggravated Child Endangerment, No Liability Insurance, Reckless Driving, and Failure to Maintain Lane, according to the McPherson County Sheriff's Office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706318760308.png" alt="Ashley Austin photo courtesy&nbsp;Yoder-Culp Funeral Home" />
 <figcaption>Ashley Austin photo courtesy&nbsp;Yoder-Culp Funeral Home</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Canton-Galva teacher Ashley Austin, 30,&nbsp; died four days after&nbsp; the crash that occurred just after 7:30a.m. December 15 at Highway 56 and 24th Avenue. She was the agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor at the school.&nbsp;Holzrichter is being held the McPherson County Jail on a $75,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Kansas man charged in DUI crash that killed Kansas teacher

ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — A man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-execution-death-penalty-alabama-699896815486f019f804a8afb7032900">put to death using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;shook and convulsed for minutes on the gurney as Alabama carried out the first-of-its-kind execution that has ignited debate over the humaneness of the method.

Breathing through a nitrogen-filled face mask that deprived him of oxygen, 58-year-old convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith convulsed in seizurelike spasms for at least two minutes of the 22-minute execution by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-gas-execution-alabama-c3c813841bcebdf0f77371fc7f1da3d9">nitrogen hypoxia</a>&nbsp;Thursday. The force of his movements at times caused the gurney to visibly shake. That was followed by several minutes of gasping breathing until his breath was no longer perceptible.

Smith's supporters expressed alarm at how the execution played out, saying it was the antithesis of the state's promise of a quick and painless death. But Alabama's attorney general characterized the execution as “textbook” during a Friday news conference.

“As of last night, nitrogen hypoxia as a means of execution is no longer an untested method. It is a proven one," Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, extending an offer of help for states considering adopting the method.

Asked about Smith’s shaking and convulsing on the gurney, Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said they appeared to be involuntary movements.

“That was all expected and was in the side effects that we’ve seen or researched on nitrogen hypoxia,” Hamm said. “Nothing was out of the ordinary from what we were expecting."

Marshall said he anticipated Alabama "will definitely have more nitrogen hypoxia executions.” More than 40 death row inmates have selected nitrogen as their preferred execution method over lethal injection but did so at a time when the state hadn’t developed nitrogen procedures.

Attorneys for those inmates have asked the court to order Alabama to turn over records and information about Smith’s execution. Litigation will almost certainly focus on Smith’s convulsions and movements during the execution.

“The State promised the world the most humane method of execution known to man. Instead, Mr. Smith writhed and thrashed before he died. No further executions should take place by this method until the events of this evening are examined by an independent body,” Assistant Federal Defender John Palombi, who represents death row inmates who requested nitrogen, said in a statement.

Smith’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-execution-nitrogen-gas-5a96360ceddb8335c37cce608f815b30">spiritual adviser</a>, the Rev. Jeff Hood, agreed that the execution did not match the state attorney general’s prediction that Smith would lose consciousness in seconds followed by death within minutes.

“We didn’t see somebody go unconscious in 30 seconds. What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life,” said Hood, who attended the execution.

Dr. Philip Nitschke, a euthanasia expert who designed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-993202650845">suicide pod using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;and appeared as an expert witness for Smith, said the description of Smith's thrashing matches what he would expect to happen when nitrogen gas is used in a mask and someone holds their breath or takes the smallest possible breaths.

“I think this outcome is inevitable if the nitrogen gas is to be used in execution where people do not want to die and will not cooperate,” Nitschke said.

Outside the country, the European Union and the U.N. Human Rights Office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-death-penalty-nitrogen-eu-un-c7bf79cbd8b12f8da99fee24db64694c">expressed regret Friday</a>&nbsp;over the execution. The 27-nation EU and the Geneva-based U.N. rights office say the death penalty violates the right to life and does not deter crime.

Smith, who was paid $1,000 to kill an Alabama woman more than 30 years ago, said in a final statement: “Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards. I’m leaving with love, peace and light.”

He made the “I love you sign” with his hands toward family members who were witnesses. “Thank you for supporting me. Love, love all of you,” Smith said.

Smith ate a last meal of T-bone steak, hash browns, toast and eggs slathered in A1 steak sauce.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the execution was justice for the murder-for-hire killing of 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett in 1988.

“After more than 30 years and attempt after attempt to game the system, Mr. Smith has answered for his horrendous crimes,” Ivey said in a statement. “I pray that Elizabeth Sennett’s family can receive closure after all these years dealing with that great loss.”

Mike Sennett, the victim’s son, said Thursday night that Smith “had been incarcerated almost twice as long as I knew my mom.”

“Nothing happened here today is going to bring Mom back. It’s kind of a bittersweet day. We are not going to be jumping around, whooping and holler, hooray and all that,” he said. “I’ll end by saying Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett got her justice tonight.”

Alabama had previously attempted to execute Smith in 2022, but the lethal injection was called off at the last minute because authorities couldn’t connect an IV line.

The execution came after a last-minute legal battle in which his attorneys contended the state was making him the test subject for an experimental execution method that could violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Federal courts rejected Smith’s bid to block it, with the final ruling coming Thursday night from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

“Having failed to kill Smith on its first attempt, Alabama has selected him as its ‘guinea pig’ to test a method of execution never attempted before. The world is watching,” Sotomayor wrote.

The White House also expressed concern over the execution method, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying during a media briefing Friday that reports about Smith and his death were “very troubling.”

Sennett was found dead in her home March 18, 1988, with eight stab wounds in the chest and one on each side of her neck. Smith was one of two men convicted in the killing. The other, John Forrest Parker, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2010/06/10/alabama-man-executed-in-1988-contract-killing/">executed</a>&nbsp;in 2010.

Prosecutors said they were each paid $1,000 to kill Sennett on behalf of her pastor husband, who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on insurance. The husband, Charles Sennett Sr., killed himself when the investigation focused on him as a suspect, according to court documents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706276540123.png" alt="Smith photo Alabama Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Alabama Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — A man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-execution-death-penalty-alabama-699896815486f019f804a8afb7032900">put to death using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;shook and convulsed for minutes on the gurney as Alabama carried out the first-of-its-kind execution that has ignited debate over the humaneness of the method.Breathing through a nitrogen-filled face mask that deprived him of oxygen, 58-year-old convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith convulsed in seizurelike spasms for at least two minutes of the 22-minute execution by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-gas-execution-alabama-c3c813841bcebdf0f77371fc7f1da3d9">nitrogen hypoxia</a>&nbsp;Thursday. The force of his movements at times caused the gurney to visibly shake. That was followed by several minutes of gasping breathing until his breath was no longer perceptible.Smith's supporters expressed alarm at how the execution played out, saying it was the antithesis of the state's promise of a quick and painless death. But Alabama's attorney general characterized the execution as “textbook” during a Friday news conference.“As of last night, nitrogen hypoxia as a means of execution is no longer an untested method. It is a proven one," Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, extending an offer of help for states considering adopting the method.Asked about Smith’s shaking and convulsing on the gurney, Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said they appeared to be involuntary movements.“That was all expected and was in the side effects that we’ve seen or researched on nitrogen hypoxia,” Hamm said. “Nothing was out of the ordinary from what we were expecting."Marshall said he anticipated Alabama "will definitely have more nitrogen hypoxia executions.” More than 40 death row inmates have selected nitrogen as their preferred execution method over lethal injection but did so at a time when the state hadn’t developed nitrogen procedures.Attorneys for those inmates have asked the court to order Alabama to turn over records and information about Smith’s execution. Litigation will almost certainly focus on Smith’s convulsions and movements during the execution.“The State promised the world the most humane method of execution known to man. Instead, Mr. Smith writhed and thrashed before he died. No further executions should take place by this method until the events of this evening are examined by an independent body,” Assistant Federal Defender John Palombi, who represents death row inmates who requested nitrogen, said in a statement.Smith’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-execution-nitrogen-gas-5a96360ceddb8335c37cce608f815b30">spiritual adviser</a>, the Rev. Jeff Hood, agreed that the execution did not match the state attorney general’s prediction that Smith would lose consciousness in seconds followed by death within minutes.“We didn’t see somebody go unconscious in 30 seconds. What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life,” said Hood, who attended the execution.Dr. Philip Nitschke, a euthanasia expert who designed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-993202650845">suicide pod using nitrogen gas</a>&nbsp;and appeared as an expert witness for Smith, said the description of Smith's thrashing matches what he would expect to happen when nitrogen gas is used in a mask and someone holds their breath or takes the smallest possible breaths.“I think this outcome is inevitable if the nitrogen gas is to be used in execution where people do not want to die and will not cooperate,” Nitschke said.Outside the country, the European Union and the U.N. Human Rights Office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-death-penalty-nitrogen-eu-un-c7bf79cbd8b12f8da99fee24db64694c">expressed regret Friday</a>&nbsp;over the execution. The 27-nation EU and the Geneva-based U.N. rights office say the death penalty violates the right to life and does not deter crime.Smith, who was paid $1,000 to kill an Alabama woman more than 30 years ago, said in a final statement: “Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards. I’m leaving with love, peace and light.”He made the “I love you sign” with his hands toward family members who were witnesses. “Thank you for supporting me. Love, love all of you,” Smith said.Smith ate a last meal of T-bone steak, hash browns, toast and eggs slathered in A1 steak sauce.Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the execution was justice for the murder-for-hire killing of 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett in 1988.“After more than 30 years and attempt after attempt to game the system, Mr. Smith has answered for his horrendous crimes,” Ivey said in a statement. “I pray that Elizabeth Sennett’s family can receive closure after all these years dealing with that great loss.”Mike Sennett, the victim’s son, said Thursday night that Smith “had been incarcerated almost twice as long as I knew my mom.”“Nothing happened here today is going to bring Mom back. It’s kind of a bittersweet day. We are not going to be jumping around, whooping and holler, hooray and all that,” he said. “I’ll end by saying Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett got her justice tonight.”Alabama had previously attempted to execute Smith in 2022, but the lethal injection was called off at the last minute because authorities couldn’t connect an IV line.The execution came after a last-minute legal battle in which his attorneys contended the state was making him the test subject for an experimental execution method that could violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Federal courts rejected Smith’s bid to block it, with the final ruling coming Thursday night from the U.S. Supreme Court.Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.“Having failed to kill Smith on its first attempt, Alabama has selected him as its ‘guinea pig’ to test a method of execution never attempted before. The world is watching,” Sotomayor wrote.The White House also expressed concern over the execution method, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying during a media briefing Friday that reports about Smith and his death were “very troubling.”Sennett was found dead in her home March 18, 1988, with eight stab wounds in the chest and one on each side of her neck. Smith was one of two men convicted in the killing. The other, John Forrest Parker, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2010/06/10/alabama-man-executed-in-1988-contract-killing/">executed</a>&nbsp;in 2010.Prosecutors said they were each paid $1,000 to kill Sennett on behalf of her pastor husband, who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on insurance. The husband, Charles Sennett Sr., killed himself when the investigation focused on him as a suspect, according to court documents.------------------------

What witnesses saw in nation's first nitrogen gas execution

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury awarded $83.3 million in huge additional damages on Friday to longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll from former President Donald Trump, who she says shattered her reputation and opened her to threats by calling her a liar who only accused him of sexual assault to sell a memoir.

The award, when coupled with a $5 million sexual assault and defamation verdict last year from another jury in a case brought by Carroll, raised to $88.3 million what Trump must pay her. Protesting vigorously, he said he would appeal.

Carroll clutched her lawyers’ hands and smiled as the seven-man, two-woman jury delivered its verdict. Emotional afterward, she shared a three-way hug with her attorneys. She declined comment as she left the Manhattan federal courthouse.

Trump had left the courthouse about a half hour before the verdict was read. He had remained for more than two hours while the jury deliberated.

“Absolutely ridiculous!” he said in a statement shortly afterward. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon.”

Jurors deliberated less than three hours after the two-week trial.

It was the second time in nine months that a civil jury returned a verdict related to Carroll's claim that a flirtatious, chance encounter with Trump in 1996 at Bergdorf Goodman's Fifth Avenue store ended violently. She said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.

In May, a different jury awarded Carroll $5 million. It found Trump not liable for rape, but responsible for sexually abusing Carroll and then defaming her by claiming she made it up. He is appealing that award, too.

Trump is also awaiting a verdict in a New York civil fraud trial, where state lawyers are seeking the return of $370 million in what they say were ill-gotten gains from loans and deals made using financial statements that exaggerated his wealth.

As for Trump’s ability to pay, he reported having about $294 million in cash or cash equivalents on his most recent annual financial statement, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. Testifying at his civil fraud trial last November, he Trump boasted: “I have very little debt, and I have a lot of cash.”

Trump skipped the first Carroll trial. He later expressed regret for not attending and insisted on testifying in the second trial, though the judge limited what he could say, ruling he had missed his chance to argue that he was innocent. He spent only a few minutes on the witness stand Thursday, during which he denied attacking Carroll, then left court grumbling “this is not America.”

This new jury was only asked how much Trump, 77, should pay Carroll, 80, for two statements he made as president when he answered reporters’ questions after excerpts of Carroll’s memoir were published in a magazine — damages that couldn’t be decided earlier because of legal appeals. Jurors were not asked to re-decide the issue of whether the sex attack actually happened.

Carroll’s attorneys had requested $24 million in compensatory damages and “an unusually high punitive award.” The jury awarded $18.3 million in compensatory damages and another $65 million in punitive damages — meant to deter future behavior.

Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, urged jurors in her closing argument Friday to punish Trump enough that he would stop a steady stream of public statements smearing Carroll as a liar and a “whack job.”

Trump shook his head vigorously as Kaplan spoke, then suddenly stood and walked out, taking Secret Service agents with him. His exit came only minutes after the judge, without the jury present, threatened to send Trump attorney Alina Habba to jail for continuing to talk when he told her she was finished.

“You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup. Now sit down,” the judge told Habba, who immediately complied.

The trial reached its conclusion as Trump marches toward winning the Republican presidential nomination a third consecutive time. He has sought to turn his various trials and legal vulnerabilities into an advantage, portraying them as evidence of a weaponized political system.

Though there’s no evidence that President Joe Biden or anyone in the White House has influenced any of the legal cases against him, Trump’s line of argument has resonated with his most loyal supporters who view the proceedings with skepticism.

Carroll testified early in the trial that Trump’s public statements had led to death threats.

“He shattered my reputation,” she said. “I am here to get my reputation back and to stop him from telling lies about me.”

She said she’d had an electronic fence installed around the cabin in upstate New York where she lives, warned neighbors of the threats and bought bullets for a gun she keeps by her bed.

“Previously, I was known as simply as a journalist and had a column, and now I’m known as the liar, the fraud, and the whack job,” Carroll testified.

Trump’s lawyer, Habba, told jurors that Carroll had been enriched by her accusations against Trump and achieved fame she had craved. She said no damages were warranted.

To support Carroll’s request for millions in damages, Northwestern University sociologist Ashlee Humphreys told the jury that Trump’s 2019 statements had caused between $7.2 million and $12.1 million in harm to Carroll’s reputation.

When Trump finally testified, Kaplan gave him little room to maneuver, because Trump could not be permitted to try to revive issues settled in the first trial.

“It is a very well-established legal principle in this country that prevents do-overs by disappointed litigants,” Kaplan said.

“He lost it and he is bound. And the jury will be instructed that, regardless of what he says in court here today, he did it, as far as they’re concerned. That is the law,” Kaplan said shortly before Trump testified.

After he swore to tell the truth, Trump was asked if he stood by a deposition in which he called Carroll a “liar” and a “whack job.” He answered: “100 percent. Yes.”

Asked if he denied the allegation because Carroll made an accusation, he responded: “That’s exactly right. She said something, I consider it a false accusation.” Asked if he ever instructed anyone to hurt Carroll, he said: “No. I just wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly, the presidency.”

The judge ordered the jury to disregard the “false accusation” comment and everything Trump said after “No” to the last question.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706306535436.png" alt="&nbsp;E. Jean Carroll E.&nbsp;leaves court in New York City after a jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in her defamation suit against former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?20967/DonaldJTrump">President Donald Trump</a>.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;E. Jean Carroll E.&nbsp;leaves court in New York City after a jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in her defamation suit against former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?20967/DonaldJTrump">President Donald Trump</a>.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A jury awarded $83.3 million in huge additional damages on Friday to longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll from former President Donald Trump, who she says shattered her reputation and opened her to threats by calling her a liar who only accused him of sexual assault to sell a memoir.The award, when coupled with a $5 million sexual assault and defamation verdict last year from another jury in a case brought by Carroll, raised to $88.3 million what Trump must pay her. Protesting vigorously, he said he would appeal.Carroll clutched her lawyers’ hands and smiled as the seven-man, two-woman jury delivered its verdict. Emotional afterward, she shared a three-way hug with her attorneys. She declined comment as she left the Manhattan federal courthouse.Trump had left the courthouse about a half hour before the verdict was read. He had remained for more than two hours while the jury deliberated.“Absolutely ridiculous!” he said in a statement shortly afterward. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon.”Jurors deliberated less than three hours after the two-week trial.It was the second time in nine months that a civil jury returned a verdict related to Carroll's claim that a flirtatious, chance encounter with Trump in 1996 at Bergdorf Goodman's Fifth Avenue store ended violently. She said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.In May, a different jury awarded Carroll $5 million. It found Trump not liable for rape, but responsible for sexually abusing Carroll and then defaming her by claiming she made it up. He is appealing that award, too.Trump is also awaiting a verdict in a New York civil fraud trial, where state lawyers are seeking the return of $370 million in what they say were ill-gotten gains from loans and deals made using financial statements that exaggerated his wealth.As for Trump’s ability to pay, he reported having about $294 million in cash or cash equivalents on his most recent annual financial statement, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. Testifying at his civil fraud trial last November, he Trump boasted: “I have very little debt, and I have a lot of cash.”Trump skipped the first Carroll trial. He later expressed regret for not attending and insisted on testifying in the second trial, though the judge limited what he could say, ruling he had missed his chance to argue that he was innocent. He spent only a few minutes on the witness stand Thursday, during which he denied attacking Carroll, then left court grumbling “this is not America.”This new jury was only asked how much Trump, 77, should pay Carroll, 80, for two statements he made as president when he answered reporters’ questions after excerpts of Carroll’s memoir were published in a magazine — damages that couldn’t be decided earlier because of legal appeals. Jurors were not asked to re-decide the issue of whether the sex attack actually happened.Carroll’s attorneys had requested $24 million in compensatory damages and “an unusually high punitive award.” The jury awarded $18.3 million in compensatory damages and another $65 million in punitive damages — meant to deter future behavior.Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, urged jurors in her closing argument Friday to punish Trump enough that he would stop a steady stream of public statements smearing Carroll as a liar and a “whack job.”Trump shook his head vigorously as Kaplan spoke, then suddenly stood and walked out, taking Secret Service agents with him. His exit came only minutes after the judge, without the jury present, threatened to send Trump attorney Alina Habba to jail for continuing to talk when he told her she was finished.“You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup. Now sit down,” the judge told Habba, who immediately complied.The trial reached its conclusion as Trump marches toward winning the Republican presidential nomination a third consecutive time. He has sought to turn his various trials and legal vulnerabilities into an advantage, portraying them as evidence of a weaponized political system.Though there’s no evidence that President Joe Biden or anyone in the White House has influenced any of the legal cases against him, Trump’s line of argument has resonated with his most loyal supporters who view the proceedings with skepticism.Carroll testified early in the trial that Trump’s public statements had led to death threats.“He shattered my reputation,” she said. “I am here to get my reputation back and to stop him from telling lies about me.”She said she’d had an electronic fence installed around the cabin in upstate New York where she lives, warned neighbors of the threats and bought bullets for a gun she keeps by her bed.“Previously, I was known as simply as a journalist and had a column, and now I’m known as the liar, the fraud, and the whack job,” Carroll testified.Trump’s lawyer, Habba, told jurors that Carroll had been enriched by her accusations against Trump and achieved fame she had craved. She said no damages were warranted.To support Carroll’s request for millions in damages, Northwestern University sociologist Ashlee Humphreys told the jury that Trump’s 2019 statements had caused between $7.2 million and $12.1 million in harm to Carroll’s reputation.When Trump finally testified, Kaplan gave him little room to maneuver, because Trump could not be permitted to try to revive issues settled in the first trial.“It is a very well-established legal principle in this country that prevents do-overs by disappointed litigants,” Kaplan said.“He lost it and he is bound. And the jury will be instructed that, regardless of what he says in court here today, he did it, as far as they’re concerned. That is the law,” Kaplan said shortly before Trump testified.After he swore to tell the truth, Trump was asked if he stood by a deposition in which he called Carroll a “liar” and a “whack job.” He answered: “100 percent. Yes.”Asked if he denied the allegation because Carroll made an accusation, he responded: “That’s exactly right. She said something, I consider it a false accusation.” Asked if he ever instructed anyone to hurt Carroll, he said: “No. I just wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly, the presidency.”The judge ordered the jury to disregard the “false accusation” comment and everything Trump said after “No” to the last question.

Jury: Trump must pay $83.3 million in damages for defamation

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly announced her veto of a sprawling flat tax proposal Friday, calling the plan “reckless,” and one reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s disastrous tax cuts.

The 5.25% state income tax proposal, encapsulated as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2284/">House Bill 2284</a>, was sent to Kelly’s desk Jan. 18, after the Republican-dominated Legislature<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/17/republican-leadership-in-kansas-legislature-places-income-sales-tax-reform-on-fast-track/">&nbsp;fast tracked</a>&nbsp;the plan early in the legislative session.&nbsp;

“I support responsible tax cuts, but I refuse to sign into law a reckless flat tax that would take us back to Brownback while doing next to nothing for the middle class,” Kelly said in her veto explanation. “This flat tax experiment would overwhelmingly benefit the super wealthy and I’m not going to put our public schools, roads, and stable economy at risk just to give a break to those at the very top.”&nbsp;

The package was estimated to cost $1.589 billion over a three-year period, and contained other elements, such as eliminating the state sales tax on groceries on April 1, instead of the current deadline of Jan. 1, 2025.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/23/kansas-gop-leaders-tout-flat-tax-plan-that-would-save-charles-koch-875k-annually/">A study of the proposal&nbsp;</a>conducted by nonpartisan research organization ITEP estimated that 44.5% of the income tax savings would go to the top 5% of wage earners. The top 20% would have gotten an average tax break of $828, while the bottom 80% of wage earners would get an average annual tax break of $89 under the flat tax.

Kelly vetoed a similar flat tax plan in 2023 that set out a 5.15% flat tax and has voiced general disapproval of a single or flat tax structure. A Republican-driven attempt to veto override fell short by one vote in the Senate.&nbsp;

Top Republican legislators Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both strong flat tax advocates, condemned Kelly’s veto. Hawkins said House Republicans would attempt a veto override. Masterson, an Andover Republican, said the governor was unwilling to work across the aisle.&nbsp;

“Today the governor yet again put her radical ideology ahead of the people,” Masterson said. “She is so focused on hyper-partisan politics that she has again vetoed a compromise tax plan that was primarily designed to increase the take home pay for every Kansan and bring sustainable tax relief for hard-working taxpayers who are suffering under Bidenflation. The governor has proven again that she has abandoned the middle.”

Kelly said she would continue to advocate for a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/08/kelly-bipartisan-contingent-of-legislators-promote-multiyear-1-billion-tax-reduction-plan/">bipartisan tax plan</a>&nbsp;she endorsed earlier in the session.&nbsp;&nbsp;The $1 billion, three-year tax reform bill focus on the reduction of income, sales and property taxes.&nbsp;

“While I urge the legislature to take this irresponsible flat tax experiment off the table once and for all, know that I will not let legislators leave Topeka this year without meaningfully and responsibly cutting taxes for middle-class families,” Kelly said. “I will call a special session if I have to – anything to ensure Kansans see tax relief, immediately.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704940624118.png" alt="-Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a flat tax proposal, calling the plan one that primarily benefited the state's wealthiest residents. File photo" />
 <figcaption>-Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a flat tax proposal, calling the plan one that primarily benefited the state's wealthiest residents. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly announced her veto of a sprawling flat tax proposal Friday, calling the plan “reckless,” and one reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s disastrous tax cuts.The 5.25% state income tax proposal, encapsulated as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2284/">House Bill 2284</a>, was sent to Kelly’s desk Jan. 18, after the Republican-dominated Legislature<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/17/republican-leadership-in-kansas-legislature-places-income-sales-tax-reform-on-fast-track/">&nbsp;fast tracked</a>&nbsp;the plan early in the legislative session.&nbsp;“I support responsible tax cuts, but I refuse to sign into law a reckless flat tax that would take us back to Brownback while doing next to nothing for the middle class,” Kelly said in her veto explanation. “This flat tax experiment would overwhelmingly benefit the super wealthy and I’m not going to put our public schools, roads, and stable economy at risk just to give a break to those at the very top.”&nbsp;The package was estimated to cost $1.589 billion over a three-year period, and contained other elements, such as eliminating the state sales tax on groceries on April 1, instead of the current deadline of Jan. 1, 2025.<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/23/kansas-gop-leaders-tout-flat-tax-plan-that-would-save-charles-koch-875k-annually/">A study of the proposal&nbsp;</a>conducted by nonpartisan research organization ITEP estimated that 44.5% of the income tax savings would go to the top 5% of wage earners. The top 20% would have gotten an average tax break of $828, while the bottom 80% of wage earners would get an average annual tax break of $89 under the flat tax.Kelly vetoed a similar flat tax plan in 2023 that set out a 5.15% flat tax and has voiced general disapproval of a single or flat tax structure. A Republican-driven attempt to veto override fell short by one vote in the Senate.&nbsp;Top Republican legislators Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both strong flat tax advocates, condemned Kelly’s veto. Hawkins said House Republicans would attempt a veto override. Masterson, an Andover Republican, said the governor was unwilling to work across the aisle.&nbsp;“Today the governor yet again put her radical ideology ahead of the people,” Masterson said. “She is so focused on hyper-partisan politics that she has again vetoed a compromise tax plan that was primarily designed to increase the take home pay for every Kansan and bring sustainable tax relief for hard-working taxpayers who are suffering under Bidenflation. The governor has proven again that she has abandoned the middle.”Kelly said she would continue to advocate for a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/08/kelly-bipartisan-contingent-of-legislators-promote-multiyear-1-billion-tax-reduction-plan/">bipartisan tax plan</a>&nbsp;she endorsed earlier in the session.&nbsp;&nbsp;The $1 billion, three-year tax reform bill focus on the reduction of income, sales and property taxes.&nbsp;“While I urge the legislature to take this irresponsible flat tax experiment off the table once and for all, know that I will not let legislators leave Topeka this year without meaningfully and responsibly cutting taxes for middle-class families,” Kelly said. “I will call a special session if I have to – anything to ensure Kansans see tax relief, immediately.”

Kansas governor vetoes ‘reckless’ flat tax proposal

HARVEY COUNTY —A Kansas woman died from injuries in an accident that occurred just before noon Friday in Newton.

Wanda Hoyle, 69, of Newton had a medical emergency and her car crashed into the vision center area at Walmart at 1701 South Kansas Avenue, according to Newton Police.

&nbsp;Newton Fire/EMS personnel pronounced Hoyle dead at the scene. . No one else was injured in the crash.

Walmart was evacuated because of structural damage to the building. City of Newton code enforcement has ordered the building to remain closed until the building can be evaluated by a structural engineer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706300181577.png" alt="Photo Newton Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Police</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —A Kansas woman died from injuries in an accident that occurred just before noon Friday in Newton.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706296633788.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Wanda Hoyle, 69, of Newton had a medical emergency and her car crashed into the vision center area at Walmart at 1701 South Kansas Avenue, according to Newton Police.&nbsp;Newton Fire/EMS personnel pronounced Hoyle dead at the scene. . No one else was injured in the crash.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706300777364.png" alt="Photo Newton Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Walmart was evacuated because of structural damage to the building. City of Newton code enforcement has ordered the building to remain closed until the building can be evaluated by a structural engineer.

Woman dies after crash into Kansas Walmart vision center

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.

A U.S. military official confirmed the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney was sailing toward the stricken ship to provide assistance but had not reached it as of Friday evening.

The Houthi's now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of it's campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi's strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

Despite the Carney being directly targeted, a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command Friday said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney.

In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try to stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.

“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”

The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, the U.S. military said Friday.

The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.

That contradicted a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command, which said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. As it has in previous strikes, the Pentagon said it was difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis were trying to hit.

Ever since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, the U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the strikes targeting its bases and warships to try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

Acknowledging Friday's assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Tempering the language, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further enabling the Houthis, he said.

In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try and stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.

The attack was the latest assault by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed a missile attack on a commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda. The Associated Press could not immediately reach the ship's British managers.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone had been hurt.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">ordered Israel</a>&nbsp;to limit deaths and damage but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the Palestinian territory.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures included ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.

Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case, which the panel of 17 judges refused to do.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.A U.S. military official confirmed the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney was sailing toward the stricken ship to provide assistance but had not reached it as of Friday evening.The Houthi's now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of it's campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi's strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.Despite the Carney being directly targeted, a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command Friday said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney.Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try to stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.----------------JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, the U.S. military said Friday.The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.That contradicted a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command, which said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. As it has in previous strikes, the Pentagon said it was difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis were trying to hit.Ever since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, the U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the strikes targeting its bases and warships to try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.Acknowledging Friday's assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further enabling the Houthis, he said.In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try and stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”The attack was the latest assault by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed a missile attack on a commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda. The Associated Press could not immediately reach the ship's British managers.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone had been hurt.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.Meanwhile, the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">ordered Israel</a>&nbsp;to limit deaths and damage but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the Palestinian territory.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures included ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case, which the panel of 17 judges refused to do.

Terrorists fire missile at a US warship, escalating Mideast sea conflict 

ELLIS COUNTY —&nbsp;A KHP K9 injured in an accident on Interstate 70 in Ellis County January 12, is now recovering at home, according to a social media update from Trooper Tod Heilman.&nbsp; Igor is also expected to be back at work in a few weeks.

Trooper Budke also thanked Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Hays and Veterinary Health Center at KSU for the excellent care they provided to Igor.

On January 12, KHP troopers briefly shutdown Interstate 70 westbound between Walker and Hays to allow tow-trucks to remove a semi, involved in an earlier accident, from the median at the Walker bridge.

During the shutdown, a westbound semi struck&nbsp; State Trooper's Budke's vehicle with his K9 partner Igor in the kennel.&nbsp; 

The trooper was outside the vehicle directing traffic and not injured.&nbsp; The K9 was rushed to a local veterinarian in Hays for treatment and later spent time in Intensive Care. Igor has been with the KHP less than a year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706290916835.png" alt="Igor photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Igor photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —&nbsp;A KHP K9 injured in an accident on Interstate 70 in Ellis County January 12, is now recovering at home, according to a social media update from Trooper Tod Heilman.&nbsp; Igor is also expected to be back at work in a few weeks.Trooper Budke also thanked Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Hays and Veterinary Health Center at KSU for the excellent care they provided to Igor.On January 12, KHP troopers briefly shutdown Interstate 70 westbound between Walker and Hays to allow tow-trucks to remove a semi, involved in an earlier accident, from the median at the Walker bridge.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705102910212.png" alt="View of the crash scene" />
 <figcaption>View of the crash scene</figcaption>
 </figure>During the shutdown, a westbound semi struck&nbsp; State Trooper's Budke's vehicle with his K9 partner Igor in the kennel.&nbsp; The trooper was outside the vehicle directing traffic and not injured.&nbsp; The K9 was rushed to a local veterinarian in Hays for treatment and later spent time in Intensive Care. Igor has been with the KHP less than a year.

KHP K-9 injured in I-70 crash is recovering at home

KANSAS CITY —A space heater started a house fire Thursday in Kansas City.

Just before 10:30p.m., crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 5900 block of Agnes, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First responders reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a single-story residence. . A search of the home came back all clear. 

After an investigation by the KCFD, it was determined that this fire was started by a space heater too close to other flammable items.&nbsp;There were no injuries reported at this incident. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

KANSAS CITY —A space heater started a house fire Thursday in Kansas City.Just before 10:30p.m., crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 5900 block of Agnes, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First responders reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a single-story residence. . A search of the home came back all clear. After an investigation by the KCFD, it was determined that this fire was started by a space heater too close to other flammable items.&nbsp;There were no injuries reported at this incident. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

Battalion Chief: Space heater started Kansas City house fire

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the theft of a Jackie Robinson statue in Wichita released security camera video of the crime. It shows the vandals cut the League 42 statue off just above Jackie Robinson's feet, load it into a truck and take it away.&nbsp;

According to the city, the crime occurred around midnight Wednesday, at the Jackie Robinson Pavilion in McAdams Park,&nbsp; 1329 E 16th Street N, Interstate 135 and 13th Street area.

League 42, named in honor of the great Jackie Robinson, the first African-American in Major League Baseball, is a youth baseball league comprised primarily of urban children ages 5 – 14 in the Wichita area, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://league42.org/">organization's web site.</a>

Police are asking for help to find the perpetrators of this crime. Please call investigators at 316-268-4407 or call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706281113254.png" alt="Image from the security camera from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from the security camera from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the theft of a Jackie Robinson statue in Wichita released security camera video of the crime. It shows the vandals cut the League 42 statue off just above Jackie Robinson's feet, load it into a truck and take it away.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706274871424.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the city, the crime occurred around midnight Wednesday, at the Jackie Robinson Pavilion in McAdams Park,&nbsp; 1329 E 16th Street N, Interstate 135 and 13th Street area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706214143377.png" alt="photo City of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>photo City of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706214116336.png" alt="photo city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>photo city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>League 42, named in honor of the great Jackie Robinson, the first African-American in Major League Baseball, is a youth baseball league comprised primarily of urban children ages 5 – 14 in the Wichita area, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://league42.org/">organization's web site.</a>Police are asking for help to find the perpetrators of this crime. Please call investigators at 316-268-4407 or call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111

Security camera shows theft of $75K statue from Kan. youth baseball facility  

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Interest in industrial hemp among farmers weakened by regulatory, economic forces

TOPEKA — The Kansas House agriculture committee voted to perform a gut-and-go overhaul of a hemp regulation bill to narrow scope of the legislation to reductions in annual licensing fees for the plant’s producers and processors to invigorate interest in the alternative crop.

The measure adopted on a voice vote by the Republican-led committee would reduce the state licensing fee for hemp producers from $1,200 per year to no more than $500.

In terms of hemp processors, the new version of House Bill 2168 would cap the state’s licensing fee at $500. Currently, the fee has stood at $1,000 for businesses extracting cannabinoids and $500 for those not extracting that substance.

Rep. Ken Rahjes, the Agra Republican who chairs the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, said the adjustments had the potential to inspire interest in working with hemp as a field crop while sidestepping opposition in the Legislature to the original bill.

“As folks have discussed,” Rahjes said, “in order to get industrial hemp moving forward this was where most agreement was. This is one to try to move the industry forward. I see this as a building block.”

Dropped from the House bill introduced during the 2023 session was a plan to offer more convenient two-year license and registration periods rather than the current one-year approach. It would have permitted the secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture to adopt a less-intrusive inspection method for industrial hemp. The previous version would have exempted certain hemp processors from fingerprinting and background check requirements.

Finally, the abandoned bill would had invited dissension with a provision advancing the idea of using hemp fiber, grain and seeds to feed livestock, poultry or pets.

Kelly Rippel, co-founder and president of Kansans for Hemp and a member of the industrial hemp advisory board with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, said Kansas had about 200 hemp farmers in 2019, but the number had fallen to about 40.

Rippel said early interest was in growing floral varieties of hemp, while the future in Kansas agriculture was in fiber, grain and seed production. Other states had significantly lower fees than Kansas, he said, including some with no fees that treated farmers who grew hemp as they would farmers working with corn, soybeans or wheat.

“They wish there wasn’t so much red tape,” said Rippel, who said environmental conditions in Kansas were good for hemp. “Kansas is extremely favorable to hemp. It grows wild in every corner of the state.”

Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John and a farmer, said adoption of lower fees could lead farmers to experiment with hemp as a crop.

“I talked to a lot of people in my area who said they would be interested in farming hemp, but the fees on it right now are so high it really is hardly possible for people to do it,” Fairchild said.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials, an independent organization that has been guiding state, federal and international feed regulators with ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory protocols, recently granted tentative approval for incorporation of hemp seed meal into feed for laying hens.

Rep. Fred Gardner, a Garnett Republican and a veterinarian, said he would be concerned about introducing hemp meal to livestock and poultry because CBD concentrations could become excessive. He also said a common cause of poisoning among dogs was ingestion of CBD.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706277422677.png" alt="Reps. Jim Minnix of Scott City, Lisa Moser of Wheaton and Ken Rahjes, left to right, wrap up a House Agriculture Committee meeting after endorsing a bill lowering state fees for hemp producers and processors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Reps. Jim Minnix of Scott City, Lisa Moser of Wheaton and Ken Rahjes, left to right, wrap up a House Agriculture Committee meeting after endorsing a bill lowering state fees for hemp producers and processors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Interest in industrial hemp among farmers weakened by regulatory, economic forces</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas House agriculture committee voted to perform a gut-and-go overhaul of a hemp regulation bill to narrow scope of the legislation to reductions in annual licensing fees for the plant’s producers and processors to invigorate interest in the alternative crop.The measure adopted on a voice vote by the Republican-led committee would reduce the state licensing fee for hemp producers from $1,200 per year to no more than $500.In terms of hemp processors, the new version of House Bill 2168 would cap the state’s licensing fee at $500. Currently, the fee has stood at $1,000 for businesses extracting cannabinoids and $500 for those not extracting that substance.Rep. Ken Rahjes, the Agra Republican who chairs the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, said the adjustments had the potential to inspire interest in working with hemp as a field crop while sidestepping opposition in the Legislature to the original bill.“As folks have discussed,” Rahjes said, “in order to get industrial hemp moving forward this was where most agreement was. This is one to try to move the industry forward. I see this as a building block.”Dropped from the House bill introduced during the 2023 session was a plan to offer more convenient two-year license and registration periods rather than the current one-year approach. It would have permitted the secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture to adopt a less-intrusive inspection method for industrial hemp. The previous version would have exempted certain hemp processors from fingerprinting and background check requirements.Finally, the abandoned bill would had invited dissension with a provision advancing the idea of using hemp fiber, grain and seeds to feed livestock, poultry or pets.Kelly Rippel, co-founder and president of Kansans for Hemp and a member of the industrial hemp advisory board with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, said Kansas had about 200 hemp farmers in 2019, but the number had fallen to about 40.Rippel said early interest was in growing floral varieties of hemp, while the future in Kansas agriculture was in fiber, grain and seed production. Other states had significantly lower fees than Kansas, he said, including some with no fees that treated farmers who grew hemp as they would farmers working with corn, soybeans or wheat.“They wish there wasn’t so much red tape,” said Rippel, who said environmental conditions in Kansas were good for hemp. “Kansas is extremely favorable to hemp. It grows wild in every corner of the state.”Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John and a farmer, said adoption of lower fees could lead farmers to experiment with hemp as a crop.“I talked to a lot of people in my area who said they would be interested in farming hemp, but the fees on it right now are so high it really is hardly possible for people to do it,” Fairchild said.The Association of American Feed Control Officials, an independent organization that has been guiding state, federal and international feed regulators with ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory protocols, recently granted tentative approval for incorporation of hemp seed meal into feed for laying hens.Rep. Fred Gardner, a Garnett Republican and a veterinarian, said he would be concerned about introducing hemp meal to livestock and poultry because CBD concentrations could become excessive. He also said a common cause of poisoning among dogs was ingestion of CBD.In addition, Gardner said hemp plant were vulnerable to invasion by toxic fungus that could be transferred to the nation’s milk supply. The plant was a known accumulator of heavy metals such as lead and mercury, he said.“At what point do we need to be concerned about the safety of animals that are consuming this product?” he said.