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

TOPEKA —&nbsp;Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard on Monday said the number of children in foster care has dropped, marking some improvement in the state’s long-criticized child welfare system.

(Click below to watch Secretary Howard's report)

“Lots of great progress, but yet we know that we still have some work to do,” Howard said in a presentation to the House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care.

As of Jan. 16, there were 5,895 youths in the system, a decline of 22% since 2019.

In fiscal year 2023, 61% of entries into foster care were attributed to abuse or neglect, and the other 31% were the result of a family in need of assessment, or FINA, case. FINA cases include children with behavior problems, truancy, runaways, and caregiver substance use, among other issues.

Howard said the average length of time youths spend in foster care is 3.41 years.

“Overall, children stay in care too long,” Howard said. “They stay in care too long if they are on the adoption track, they stay in care too long if they’re reintegrated.”

Howard said her agency was working on an action plan to shorten the amount of time youths spend in care. Part of improving outcomes, she said, has been expanding Family First Prevention Services and Family Resource Center programs, which offer support to struggling families to reduce childhood abuse and neglect. The FFPS program has had 4,280 referrals since implementation. According to DCF data, 90% of youths who have reached 12 months since the first referral remained at home without need for foster care.

“A child shouldn’t have to come into custody to get their mental health needs met, and frankly, coming into custody doesn’t necessarily help them get their mental health needs met,” Howard said.

The state still far outstrips national averages for entry into foster care. The national rate of entry into foster care is 2.37 per 1,000 children, but the rate of entry in Kansas is 4.36 per 1,000 children, according to February 2023 data.

Rep. Paul Waggoner, R-Hutchinson, questioned Howard on the state’s higher rate of entry.

“Why would our kids go into foster care so much more than other kids?” Waggoner said. “It does strike me really odd, the more I think about it.”

Howard said FINA rates, availability of alternatives to the system, and different states’ criteria for entry were factors, but that there “were a lot of facets” to the state’s heightened rates.

With few community resources available, foster care providers have shouldered the majority of juvenile delinquency cases, without proper resources to handle them, and advocates have warned that children are not receiving needed intervention and oversight.

Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican and committee chairwoman, said she had been called by a mother who had to place her daughter into foster care because of uncontrollable behavior.

“There was no abuse or neglect,” Concannon said. “She just couldn’t handle her child and so she got put into foster care.”

Concannon asked if therapeutic family foster homes could help with similar cases to the one she mentioned. Begun as a 2022 initiative, the homes provide 24-hour care for children with higher needs. The state currently has 15 of the homes in place, and the program is set to be expanded using $6 million in allocated funds.

Howard mentioned juvenile crisis centers as another planned option for providing more state mental health resources. The state has millions set aside for juvenile crisis center funding, which would provide about 30 days of treatment for youths experiencing behavioral health crises, but it hasn’t used any of the funding. In 2018, Johnson County applied to create a center, but the state government dropped the project.

Howard said plans were underway again, with licensing regulations for the centers soon to be heard by lawmakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We think both Johnson and Sedgwick County have interest in doing this,” Howard said. “So again, more to come on that but we’re very close to being through the regulatory side of this and being able to move forward.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706024223115.png" alt="Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard during the hearing Monday in House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care-image from the Kan. legislature YouTube channel" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard during the hearing Monday in House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care-image from the Kan. legislature YouTube channel</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp;Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard on Monday said the number of children in foster care has dropped, marking some improvement in the state’s long-criticized child welfare system.(Click below to watch Secretary Howard's report)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GXLkDcov1Ss?si=dgLTq5o7qk_MV-4J&amp;start=623" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“Lots of great progress, but yet we know that we still have some work to do,” Howard said in a presentation to the House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care.As of Jan. 16, there were 5,895 youths in the system, a decline of 22% since 2019.In fiscal year 2023, 61% of entries into foster care were attributed to abuse or neglect, and the other 31% were the result of a family in need of assessment, or FINA, case. FINA cases include children with behavior problems, truancy, runaways, and caregiver substance use, among other issues.Howard said the average length of time youths spend in foster care is 3.41 years.“Overall, children stay in care too long,” Howard said. “They stay in care too long if they are on the adoption track, they stay in care too long if they’re reintegrated.”Howard said her agency was working on an action plan to shorten the amount of time youths spend in care. Part of improving outcomes, she said, has been expanding Family First Prevention Services and Family Resource Center programs, which offer support to struggling families to reduce childhood abuse and neglect. The FFPS program has had 4,280 referrals since implementation. According to DCF data, 90% of youths who have reached 12 months since the first referral remained at home without need for foster care.“A child shouldn’t have to come into custody to get their mental health needs met, and frankly, coming into custody doesn’t necessarily help them get their mental health needs met,” Howard said.The state still far outstrips national averages for entry into foster care. The national rate of entry into foster care is 2.37 per 1,000 children, but the rate of entry in Kansas is 4.36 per 1,000 children, according to February 2023 data.Rep. Paul Waggoner, R-Hutchinson, questioned Howard on the state’s higher rate of entry.“Why would our kids go into foster care so much more than other kids?” Waggoner said. “It does strike me really odd, the more I think about it.”Howard said FINA rates, availability of alternatives to the system, and different states’ criteria for entry were factors, but that there “were a lot of facets” to the state’s heightened rates.With few community resources available, foster care providers have shouldered the majority of juvenile delinquency cases, without proper resources to handle them, and advocates have warned that children are not receiving needed intervention and oversight.Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican and committee chairwoman, said she had been called by a mother who had to place her daughter into foster care because of uncontrollable behavior.“There was no abuse or neglect,” Concannon said. “She just couldn’t handle her child and so she got put into foster care.”Concannon asked if therapeutic family foster homes could help with similar cases to the one she mentioned. Begun as a 2022 initiative, the homes provide 24-hour care for children with higher needs. The state currently has 15 of the homes in place, and the program is set to be expanded using $6 million in allocated funds.Howard mentioned juvenile crisis centers as another planned option for providing more state mental health resources. The state has millions set aside for juvenile crisis center funding, which would provide about 30 days of treatment for youths experiencing behavioral health crises, but it hasn’t used any of the funding. In 2018, Johnson County applied to create a center, but the state government dropped the project.Howard said plans were underway again, with licensing regulations for the centers soon to be heard by lawmakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We think both Johnson and Sedgwick County have interest in doing this,” Howard said. “So again, more to come on that but we’re very close to being through the regulatory side of this and being able to move forward.”

🎥 Kan. foster care system has seen ‘great progress,’ DCF secretary says

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man has been sentenced in federal court for attempting to engage in abusive sexual contact with two court employees in the parking garage of the Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse in Kansas City, according to the United State's Attorney.

Shane Russell Coy, 23, was sentenced&nbsp; Jan. 19, by U.S. Chief District Judge Eric F. Melgren from the District of Kansas to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Coy to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.

On Nov. 1, 2023, Coy pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted abusive sexual contact.

Coy admitted that he unlawfully entered the courthouse underground parking garage on March 7, 2023. As Coy was walking outside by the parking garage exit, the overhead door to the garage exit began to open. As it opened, Coy stepped over the vehicle barricade into the garage exit and approached Victim 1, who was in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, stopped at the exit waiting for the overhead door to open and the vehicle barricade to go down so she could drive out of the garage. Because Victim 1 did not exit the garage soon enough, the exit overhead door and barricade closed, preventing her from driving out.

Coy pulled down his pants and began to masturbate, shouting at Victim 1 to get out of her car. Coy attempted to open a passenger door of the vehicle and punched the driver’s side window with a closed fist. Coy admitted that his actions in attempting to break into Victim 1’s vehicle were done with the specific intent to engage in sexual contact with Victim 1 by some level of force.

Coy then began to approach Victim 2, who had walked into the parking garage from the employee internal entryway door. Victim 2 was able to move away from Coy and position herself behind a vehicle. Coy admitted that he intended to engage in sexual contact with Victim 2 by some level of force.

Coy then ran to the employee entrance door and took an elevator up to the first floor, where he found himself within an enclosed vestibule leading out into the main lobby of the federal courthouse. After a brief period of time, law enforcement officers arrived and took Coy into custody without incident.

According to court documents, Coy was convicted of assault in 2020 after he sexually harassed and assaulted an attendant at a convenience store. Within months of being released from confinement for that conviction, Coy was arrested for the attempted sexual abuse of a postal worker while she was delivering mail at an apartment complex. Earlier on the same day, Coy had confronted a woman who was walking her dog. In all three instances, Coy exposed himself to the victims.

Coy has also been charged in Jackson County, Mo., with sexual misconduct and assault for a similar incident at another parking garage on Feb. 21, 2023. Additionally, according to court documents, on March 7, 2023, Coy exposed himself to two other women at the parking garage and chased one of the victims as she drove through the parking garage shortly before he walked over to the federal courthouse and engaged in the criminal conduct in this federal case.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706032539499.png" alt="Coy -photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Coy -photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man has been sentenced in federal court for attempting to engage in abusive sexual contact with two court employees in the parking garage of the Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse in Kansas City, according to the United State's Attorney.Shane Russell Coy, 23, was sentenced&nbsp; Jan. 19, by U.S. Chief District Judge Eric F. Melgren from the District of Kansas to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Coy to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.On Nov. 1, 2023, Coy pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted abusive sexual contact.Coy admitted that he unlawfully entered the courthouse underground parking garage on March 7, 2023. As Coy was walking outside by the parking garage exit, the overhead door to the garage exit began to open. As it opened, Coy stepped over the vehicle barricade into the garage exit and approached Victim 1, who was in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, stopped at the exit waiting for the overhead door to open and the vehicle barricade to go down so she could drive out of the garage. Because Victim 1 did not exit the garage soon enough, the exit overhead door and barricade closed, preventing her from driving out.Coy pulled down his pants and began to masturbate, shouting at Victim 1 to get out of her car. Coy attempted to open a passenger door of the vehicle and punched the driver’s side window with a closed fist. Coy admitted that his actions in attempting to break into Victim 1’s vehicle were done with the specific intent to engage in sexual contact with Victim 1 by some level of force.Coy then began to approach Victim 2, who had walked into the parking garage from the employee internal entryway door. Victim 2 was able to move away from Coy and position herself behind a vehicle. Coy admitted that he intended to engage in sexual contact with Victim 2 by some level of force.Coy then ran to the employee entrance door and took an elevator up to the first floor, where he found himself within an enclosed vestibule leading out into the main lobby of the federal courthouse. After a brief period of time, law enforcement officers arrived and took Coy into custody without incident.According to court documents, Coy was convicted of assault in 2020 after he sexually harassed and assaulted an attendant at a convenience store. Within months of being released from confinement for that conviction, Coy was arrested for the attempted sexual abuse of a postal worker while she was delivering mail at an apartment complex. Earlier on the same day, Coy had confronted a woman who was walking her dog. In all three instances, Coy exposed himself to the victims.Coy has also been charged in Jackson County, Mo., with sexual misconduct and assault for a similar incident at another parking garage on Feb. 21, 2023. Additionally, according to court documents, on March 7, 2023, Coy exposed himself to two other women at the parking garage and chased one of the victims as she drove through the parking garage shortly before he walked over to the federal courthouse and engaged in the criminal conduct in this federal case.This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

KC man admits attempted sexual contact with court employees

NEW YORK (AP) — After a tumultuous movie year marred by strikes and work stoppages, the Academy Awards&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/oscar-nominations-2024">showered nominations</a>&nbsp;Tuesday on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, “Oppenheimer,” which came away with a leading 13 nominations.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-box-office-success-christopher-nolan-imax-413bc36ac6ae68f422c06c9b1cc0ab0a">Nolan’s three-hour opus</a>, viewed as the best picture frontrunner, received nods for best picture; Nolan’s direction; acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt; and multiple honors for the sweeping craft of the J. Robert Oppenheimer drama. Though Nolan is regarded as the big-canvas auteur of his era, he’s never won an Academy Award, nor have any of his films won best picture. This, though, could be his year.

The year’s biggest hit, “Barbie,” came away with a nominations haul slightly less than its partner in Barbenheimer mania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greta-gerwig-interview-barbie-ed61b918097f2fc43e024f4872a7225e">Greta Gerwig’s feminist comedy</a>, with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, was nominated for eight awards, including best picture; Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor; and two best-song candidates in “What Was I Made For” and “I’m Just Ken.”

Gerwig was surprisingly left out of the best director field. She was nominated for best director in 2018 for her solo directorial debut, “Lady Bird.” At the time, Gerwig was just the fifth woman nominated for the award.

Read the complete list of Oscar nominations below

“American Fiction”; “Anatomy of a Fall”; “Barbie”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Past Lives”; “Poor Things”; “The Zone of Interest”

Annette Bening, “Nyad”; Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”; Emma Stone, “Poor Things”

Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”; Colman Domingo, “Rustin”; Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”; Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”; Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer.”

Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”; Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”; Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”; Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”

Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”; Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”; America Ferrera, “Barbie”; Jodie Foster, “Nyad”; Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”

Justine Triet, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”; Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”; Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest”

“The Boy and the Heron”; “Elemental”; “Nimona”; “Robot Dreams”; “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

“Four Daughters”;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/20-days-mariupol-oscar-nominations-documentary-d1256ee3cd3bf1a69787108513a7a761" target="_blank">“20 Days in Mariupol”;</a>&nbsp;“Bobi Wine: The People’s President”; “The Eternal Memory”; “To Kill a Tiger.”

“Society of the Snow,” (Spain); “The Zone of Interest,” (United Kingdom); “The Teachers’ Lounge” (Germany); “Io Capitano” (Italy) ; “Perfect Days” (Japan)

“Barbie”; Killers of the Flower Moon; “Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“American Fiction”; “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”; “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”; “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”; “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony.

“Golda”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”; “Society of the Snow”

“Barbie”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“Barbie”; “Poor Things”; “American Fiction”; “Oppenheimer”; “The Zone of Interest”

“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Past Lives”; “May December”; “Maestro”

“Letter to a Pig”; “Ninety-Five Senses”; “WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John &amp; Yoko”; “Pachyderme”; “Our Uniform”

“The After”; “Invincible”; “Knight of Fortune”; “Red, White and Blue”; “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”

“El Conde”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”

“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon"; “Oppenheimer,"; “Poor Things.”

“The Creator”; “Godzilla Minus One”; “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”; “Napoleon”

“Oppenheimer”; “Maestro”; “The Zone of Interest”; “The Creator”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”

“The ABCs of Book Banning”; “The Barber of Little Rock”; “Island in Between”; “The Last Repair Shop”; “Nǎi Nai &amp; Wài Pó”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667851376804.jpeg" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — After a tumultuous movie year marred by strikes and work stoppages, the Academy Awards&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/oscar-nominations-2024">showered nominations</a>&nbsp;Tuesday on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, “Oppenheimer,” which came away with a leading 13 nominations.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-box-office-success-christopher-nolan-imax-413bc36ac6ae68f422c06c9b1cc0ab0a">Nolan’s three-hour opus</a>, viewed as the best picture frontrunner, received nods for best picture; Nolan’s direction; acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt; and multiple honors for the sweeping craft of the J. Robert Oppenheimer drama. Though Nolan is regarded as the big-canvas auteur of his era, he’s never won an Academy Award, nor have any of his films won best picture. This, though, could be his year.The year’s biggest hit, “Barbie,” came away with a nominations haul slightly less than its partner in Barbenheimer mania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greta-gerwig-interview-barbie-ed61b918097f2fc43e024f4872a7225e">Greta Gerwig’s feminist comedy</a>, with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, was nominated for eight awards, including best picture; Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor; and two best-song candidates in “What Was I Made For” and “I’m Just Ken.”Gerwig was surprisingly left out of the best director field. She was nominated for best director in 2018 for her solo directorial debut, “Lady Bird.” At the time, Gerwig was just the fifth woman nominated for the award.Read the complete list of Oscar nominations below<h2>BEST PICTURE</h2>“American Fiction”; “Anatomy of a Fall”; “Barbie”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Past Lives”; “Poor Things”; “The Zone of Interest”<h2>BEST ACTRESS</h2>Annette Bening, “Nyad”; Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”; Emma Stone, “Poor Things”<h2>BEST ACTOR</h2>Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”; Colman Domingo, “Rustin”; Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”; Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”; Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer.”<h2>SUPPORTING ACTOR</h2>Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”; Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”; Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”; Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”<h2>SUPPORTING ACTRESS</h2>Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”; Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”; America Ferrera, “Barbie”; Jodie Foster, “Nyad”; Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”<h2>DIRECTOR</h2>Justine Triet, “Anatomy of a Fall”; Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”; Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”; Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest”<h2>ANIMATED FILM</h2>“The Boy and the Heron”; “Elemental”; “Nimona”; “Robot Dreams”; “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”<h2>DOCUMENTARY FEATURE</h2>“Four Daughters”;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/20-days-mariupol-oscar-nominations-documentary-d1256ee3cd3bf1a69787108513a7a761" target="_blank">“20 Days in Mariupol”;</a>&nbsp;“Bobi Wine: The People’s President”; “The Eternal Memory”; “To Kill a Tiger.”<h2>INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM</h2>“Society of the Snow,” (Spain); “The Zone of Interest,” (United Kingdom); “The Teachers’ Lounge” (Germany); “Io Capitano” (Italy) ; “Perfect Days” (Japan)<h2>COSTUME DESIGN</h2>“Barbie”; Killers of the Flower Moon; “Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>ORIGINAL SCORE</h2>“American Fiction”; “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>ORIGINAL SONG</h2>“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”; “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”; “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”; “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony.<h2>MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING</h2>“Golda”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”; “Society of the Snow”<h2>PRODUCTION DESIGN</h2>“Barbie”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Napoleon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>FILM EDITING</h2>“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</h2>“Barbie”; “Poor Things”; “American Fiction”; “Oppenheimer”; “The Zone of Interest”<h2>ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</h2>“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Past Lives”; “May December”; “Maestro”<h2>ANIMATED SHORT FILM</h2>“Letter to a Pig”; “Ninety-Five Senses”; “WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John &amp; Yoko”; “Pachyderme”; “Our Uniform”<h2>LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM</h2>“The After”; “Invincible”; “Knight of Fortune”; “Red, White and Blue”; “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”<h2>CINEMATOGRAPHY</h2>“El Conde”; “Killers of the Flower Moon”; “Maestro”; “Oppenheimer”; “Poor Things”<h2>FILM EDITING</h2>“Anatomy of a Fall”; “The Holdovers”; “Killers of the Flower Moon"; “Oppenheimer,"; “Poor Things.”<h2>VISUAL EFFECTS</h2>“The Creator”; “Godzilla Minus One”; “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”; “Napoleon”<h2>SOUND</h2>“Oppenheimer”; “Maestro”; “The Zone of Interest”; “The Creator”; “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”<h2>DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM</h2>“The ABCs of Book Banning”; “The Barber of Little Rock”; “Island in Between”; “The Last Repair Shop”; “Nǎi Nai &amp; Wài Pó”

See the full list of nominees for the 2024 Oscars

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who was arrested after he fled a deadly crash and returned to the scene is going to avoid prison.

On Thursday, a judge sentenced 22-year-old&nbsp;Jecarlos Kemp to three years of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On a Sunday afternoon in June of 2023, police responded to the intersection of North Roosevelt and East Douglas in Wichita for an injury hit-and-run collision, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders located a victim later identified as 70-year-old Nancy McDonough-Harmening of Wichita in the street unresponsive and being cared for by good Samaritans. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.

During the investigation, officers learned McDonough-Harmening was crossing East Douglas from the south side of Roosevelt towards the north when she was struck by a westbound white Mercury Grand Marquis.

The driver 22-year-old Jecarlos Kemp did not stop, according to Rebolledo. Multiple people witnessed the accident and rendered aid to the victim.

The driver of the Mercury Grand Marquis identified as Kemp returned to the scene approximately 20 minutes after the incident and police arrested him.

In addition to probation, the judge required Kemp to take a defensive driving course, an anger management course and a parenting class, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687193284121.png" alt="Kemp-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Kemp-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who was arrested after he fled a deadly crash and returned to the scene is going to avoid prison.On Thursday, a judge sentenced 22-year-old&nbsp;Jecarlos Kemp to three years of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On a Sunday afternoon in June of 2023, police responded to the intersection of North Roosevelt and East Douglas in Wichita for an injury hit-and-run collision, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located a victim later identified as 70-year-old Nancy McDonough-Harmening of Wichita in the street unresponsive and being cared for by good Samaritans. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.During the investigation, officers learned McDonough-Harmening was crossing East Douglas from the south side of Roosevelt towards the north when she was struck by a westbound white Mercury Grand Marquis.The driver 22-year-old Jecarlos Kemp did not stop, according to Rebolledo. Multiple people witnessed the accident and rendered aid to the victim.The driver of the Mercury Grand Marquis identified as Kemp returned to the scene approximately 20 minutes after the incident and police arrested him.In addition to probation, the judge required Kemp to take a defensive driving course, an anger management course and a parenting class, according to the district attorney's office.

Driver fled, then returned after he struck, killed Kan. woman

BARBER COUNTY —A small Barber County community is mourning the loss of a landmark building to fire.

Early Saturday fire crews from across Barber County responded to fight the fire at the old Methodist Church in the city of Isabel. By the time the first responders learned about the fire the structure was fully engulfed and was beyond saving, according to a social media report from the city.&nbsp;

"While we are heartbroken over the loss of this beautiful old building we are so very thankful that no one was injured, it could have been so much worse."

 Firefighters worked in single digit temperatures to insure neighboring houses and residents were safe.&nbsp; The building has not been used as a church since 2002, according to United Methodist online records. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706016547889.png" alt="Photo City of Isabel" />
 <figcaption>Photo City of Isabel</figcaption>
 </figure>BARBER COUNTY —A small Barber County community is mourning the loss of a landmark building to fire.Early Saturday fire crews from across Barber County responded to fight the fire at the old Methodist Church in the city of Isabel. By the time the first responders learned about the fire the structure was fully engulfed and was beyond saving, according to a social media report from the city.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706017854963.png" alt="Photo credit Wandermore in Kansas via city of Isabel" />
 <figcaption>Photo credit Wandermore in Kansas via city of Isabel</figcaption>
 </figure>"While we are heartbroken over the loss of this beautiful old building we are so very thankful that no one was injured, it could have been so much worse."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706016521547.png" alt="Photo city of Isabel" />
 <figcaption>Photo city of Isabel</figcaption>
 </figure> Firefighters worked in single digit temperatures to insure neighboring houses and residents were safe.&nbsp; The building has not been used as a church since 2002, according to United Methodist online records. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Former church in small Kansas town destroyed by fire

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly weekend shooting have identified the victim as&nbsp;15-year-old Brianna Rachelle Higgins of Lawrence, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

Just before 11 p.m. Friday, police were contacted at Olathe Medical Center about a 15-year-old girl who had been driven to the hospital with an apparent gunshot wound.

Officers on scene assisted with bringing Higgins into the hospital for life-saving measures, but she was pronounced deceased.

It has since been determined the shooting occurred near the 16900 block of West 127th&nbsp;Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At this time, all involved parties have been identified and contacted. Police have not reported an arrest or suspect information.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly weekend shooting have identified the victim as&nbsp;15-year-old Brianna Rachelle Higgins of Lawrence, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.Just before 11 p.m. Friday, police were contacted at Olathe Medical Center about a 15-year-old girl who had been driven to the hospital with an apparent gunshot wound.Officers on scene assisted with bringing Higgins into the hospital for life-saving measures, but she was pronounced deceased.It has since been determined the shooting occurred near the 16900 block of West 127th&nbsp;Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;At this time, all involved parties have been identified and contacted. Police have not reported an arrest or suspect information.

Police ID 15-year-old Kan. girl who died in shooting

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is aiming for a commanding victory Tuesday in New Hampshire, securing a sweep of the first two Republican primary races that would make a November rematch with President Joe Biden look more likely than ever.

The biggest question is whether Trump's last major rival, former U.N. Ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>, will be able to eat into his margin — or pull off an upset outright. Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire, hoping to appeal to its famously independent-minded electorate.

In the first results released early Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dixville-notch-primary-voting-new-hampshire-tuesday-0f7f420054403510364469ad52255270">all six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch</a>&nbsp;cast their ballots for Haley over Trump. The resort town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight.

Trump won New Hampshire's Republican primary big during his first run for president in 2016, but some of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. Haley also has to contend with an opponent who has a deep bond with the GOP base and has concentrated on winning the state decisively enough that it would effectively end the competitive phase of the Republican primary.

If successful, Trump would be the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976 — a clear sign of his continued grip on the party's most-loyal voters.

Trump’s allies are already pressuring Haley to leave the race and those calls will intensify if he wins New Hampshire easily. Were she to drop out, that would effectively decide the GOP primary on its second stop, well before the vast majority of Republican voters across the country have been able to vote.

Haley has been campaigning with New Hampshire’s popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Trump critic. She insists she’s in the race for the long run, telling supporters at a VFW hall in Franklin on Monday that “America does not do coronations.”

“This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone who’s going to take us forward with new solutions,” Haley told reporters, also saying that, “We can either do the whole thing that we’ve always done and live in that chaos world that we’ve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people.”

“This is a two-person race,” she added.

Haley and Trump were both hoping to capitalize on high-profile recent departures from the race. Haley could get a lift from some supporters of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who campaigned around decrying Trump but ended his bid shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-caucus-haley-desantis-cold-voting-begins-0af10f1ba21d488af54776b2c8d4028c">Iowa's caucus</a>&nbsp;last week. Trump, meanwhile, may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-250c8ed4b49843350e258f0c2754c8ba">who dropped his White House bid</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.

Trump, who appeared at a pre-primary rally in Laconia with one of his former primary rivals, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, was already looking ahead to being the race's last Republican candidate. Asked during a Monday interview with Newsmax about Haley possibly abandoning her campaign after New Hampshire, the former president said he’d never call on her to do that but added, “Maybe she’ll be dropping out Tuesday.”

Scot Stebbins Sr., who attended Trump's rally in a Make America Great Again baseball cap, called him “the greatest president we’ve had since Abraham Lincoln” adding that Trump “has done nothing but good for our nation.”

Stebbins said he thought the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">91 felony counts</a>&nbsp;Trump is facing constituted “a witch hunt” and said Trump would “get rid of all the corrupt politicians who have been in there too long that are getting paid off.”

“He can’t be bought,” Stebbins said. “He’s a true American. He always has been.”

Democrats were also holding a primary Tuesday, but it was unlike any in recent memory.

Biden championed new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-democrats-dnc-state-parties-ac8fba0ab1117ebf75cc16ebe0c735e4">Democratic National Committee</a>&nbsp;rules that have the party's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-georgia-2022-midterm-elections-south-carolina-83f6ea9bd64e567bb1ed55d734474b89">2024 primary process beginning on Feb. 3 in South Carolina</a>, rather than in Iowa or New Hampshire. He argued that Black voters, the party’s most reliable constituency and a critical part of his win in South Carolina that revived his 2020 primary campaign after three opening loses, should have a larger and earlier role in determining its nominee.

New Hampshire’s Democrats, citing state laws dictating that their state hold the nation’s first primary after Iowa’s caucus, defied the revamped order and pushed ahead with their primary as scheduled.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-democratic-party-biden-writein-phillips-ba0e883caf8402e853a72d775bb22293">Biden didn’t campaign here</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-new-hampshire-primary-delegates-2024-election-d2bad477a8505d9ae953bb4772f2161b">his name won’t be on the ballot</a>, meaning the state’s Democrats can vote for the president’s two little-known major primary challengers, Minnesota Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phillips-2024-presidential-campaign-biden-democratic-challenger-0f38b80ba00566014a4d59fdb516d52c">Dean Phillips</a>&nbsp;and self-help author&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marianne-williamson-president-2024-biden-democratic-primary-14e59754bed9e0c54dad4fdfbbc1fa6b">Marianne Williamson</a>. Still, many of New Hampshire’s top Democrats backed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-new-hampshire-ballot-primary-shakeup-1df2712ebf31ffecdaf2bceb4c74bb2f">write-in campaign that they expect Biden to handily win</a>.

Some voters who might otherwise back Democrats could also vote in the more-competitive Republican primary if they are undeclared.

Karen Padgett is an undeclared voter who saw Haley on Monday. She said she’d voted for Trump in the last two elections but didn’t plan to do so again but also is “really annoyed with Joe Biden that he kind of wrote New Hampshire off.”

“Her statement is everybody’s so old there, they’re so entrenched,” Padgett said of Haley’s promises to shake up Washington in ways that Trump pledged to, but never did. “Let’s get some new people in there.”

Instead of focusing on New Hampshire, Biden was joining Vice President Kamala in northern Virginia for a rally in defense of abortion rights, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">Democrats see as a winning issue</a>&nbsp;for them across the country in November.

There's nonetheless a growing sense of inevitability around November being a reprisal of Biden versus Trump. Both men have been criticized by their opponents over age — Biden is 81, Trump 77 — and each has painted the other as woefully unfit for another White House term.

Public opinion polls suggest most Americans oppose a rematch. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in December found that 56% of U.S. adults would be very or somewhat dissatisfied with Biden as the Democratic nominee — and 58% felt the same about Trump as the GOP pick.

Some New Hampshire voters expressed similar frustration.

Jeff Caira, 66, a Republican from Sanbornton, said he was undecided in the primary but that he wanted a candidate who will tackle “the issues, rather than address the baggage that the other two candidates seem to have.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705977175994.png" alt="In Oct. of 2018 Haley announced her resignation as UN Ambassador-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In Oct. of 2018 Haley announced her resignation as UN Ambassador-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is aiming for a commanding victory Tuesday in New Hampshire, securing a sweep of the first two Republican primary races that would make a November rematch with President Joe Biden look more likely than ever.The biggest question is whether Trump's last major rival, former U.N. Ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>, will be able to eat into his margin — or pull off an upset outright. Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire, hoping to appeal to its famously independent-minded electorate.In the first results released early Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dixville-notch-primary-voting-new-hampshire-tuesday-0f7f420054403510364469ad52255270">all six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch</a>&nbsp;cast their ballots for Haley over Trump. The resort town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705958478983.png" alt="It's an uphill battle for the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor-photo courtesy Team Haley" />
 <figcaption>It's an uphill battle for the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor-photo courtesy Team Haley</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump won New Hampshire's Republican primary big during his first run for president in 2016, but some of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. Haley also has to contend with an opponent who has a deep bond with the GOP base and has concentrated on winning the state decisively enough that it would effectively end the competitive phase of the Republican primary.If successful, Trump would be the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976 — a clear sign of his continued grip on the party's most-loyal voters.Trump’s allies are already pressuring Haley to leave the race and those calls will intensify if he wins New Hampshire easily. Were she to drop out, that would effectively decide the GOP primary on its second stop, well before the vast majority of Republican voters across the country have been able to vote.Haley has been campaigning with New Hampshire’s popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Trump critic. She insists she’s in the race for the long run, telling supporters at a VFW hall in Franklin on Monday that “America does not do coronations.”“This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone who’s going to take us forward with new solutions,” Haley told reporters, also saying that, “We can either do the whole thing that we’ve always done and live in that chaos world that we’ve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people.”“This is a two-person race,” she added.Haley and Trump were both hoping to capitalize on high-profile recent departures from the race. Haley could get a lift from some supporters of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who campaigned around decrying Trump but ended his bid shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-caucus-haley-desantis-cold-voting-begins-0af10f1ba21d488af54776b2c8d4028c">Iowa's caucus</a>&nbsp;last week. Trump, meanwhile, may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-250c8ed4b49843350e258f0c2754c8ba">who dropped his White House bid</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.Trump, who appeared at a pre-primary rally in Laconia with one of his former primary rivals, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, was already looking ahead to being the race's last Republican candidate. Asked during a Monday interview with Newsmax about Haley possibly abandoning her campaign after New Hampshire, the former president said he’d never call on her to do that but added, “Maybe she’ll be dropping out Tuesday.”Scot Stebbins Sr., who attended Trump's rally in a Make America Great Again baseball cap, called him “the greatest president we’ve had since Abraham Lincoln” adding that Trump “has done nothing but good for our nation.”Stebbins said he thought the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">91 felony counts</a>&nbsp;Trump is facing constituted “a witch hunt” and said Trump would “get rid of all the corrupt politicians who have been in there too long that are getting paid off.”“He can’t be bought,” Stebbins said. “He’s a true American. He always has been.”Democrats were also holding a primary Tuesday, but it was unlike any in recent memory.Biden championed new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-democrats-dnc-state-parties-ac8fba0ab1117ebf75cc16ebe0c735e4">Democratic National Committee</a>&nbsp;rules that have the party's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-georgia-2022-midterm-elections-south-carolina-83f6ea9bd64e567bb1ed55d734474b89">2024 primary process beginning on Feb. 3 in South Carolina</a>, rather than in Iowa or New Hampshire. He argued that Black voters, the party’s most reliable constituency and a critical part of his win in South Carolina that revived his 2020 primary campaign after three opening loses, should have a larger and earlier role in determining its nominee.New Hampshire’s Democrats, citing state laws dictating that their state hold the nation’s first primary after Iowa’s caucus, defied the revamped order and pushed ahead with their primary as scheduled.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-democratic-party-biden-writein-phillips-ba0e883caf8402e853a72d775bb22293">Biden didn’t campaign here</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-new-hampshire-primary-delegates-2024-election-d2bad477a8505d9ae953bb4772f2161b">his name won’t be on the ballot</a>, meaning the state’s Democrats can vote for the president’s two little-known major primary challengers, Minnesota Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phillips-2024-presidential-campaign-biden-democratic-challenger-0f38b80ba00566014a4d59fdb516d52c">Dean Phillips</a>&nbsp;and self-help author&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marianne-williamson-president-2024-biden-democratic-primary-14e59754bed9e0c54dad4fdfbbc1fa6b">Marianne Williamson</a>. Still, many of New Hampshire’s top Democrats backed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-new-hampshire-ballot-primary-shakeup-1df2712ebf31ffecdaf2bceb4c74bb2f">write-in campaign that they expect Biden to handily win</a>.Some voters who might otherwise back Democrats could also vote in the more-competitive Republican primary if they are undeclared.Karen Padgett is an undeclared voter who saw Haley on Monday. She said she’d voted for Trump in the last two elections but didn’t plan to do so again but also is “really annoyed with Joe Biden that he kind of wrote New Hampshire off.”“Her statement is everybody’s so old there, they’re so entrenched,” Padgett said of Haley’s promises to shake up Washington in ways that Trump pledged to, but never did. “Let’s get some new people in there.”Instead of focusing on New Hampshire, Biden was joining Vice President Kamala in northern Virginia for a rally in defense of abortion rights, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">Democrats see as a winning issue</a>&nbsp;for them across the country in November.There's nonetheless a growing sense of inevitability around November being a reprisal of Biden versus Trump. Both men have been criticized by their opponents over age — Biden is 81, Trump 77 — and each has painted the other as woefully unfit for another White House term.Public opinion polls suggest most Americans oppose a rematch. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in December found that 56% of U.S. adults would be very or somewhat dissatisfied with Biden as the Democratic nominee — and 58% felt the same about Trump as the GOP pick.Some New Hampshire voters expressed similar frustration.Jeff Caira, 66, a Republican from Sanbornton, said he was undecided in the primary but that he wanted a candidate who will tackle “the issues, rather than address the baggage that the other two candidates seem to have.”

Decision Day: Haley hopes to stop Trump's march to nomination 

KANSAS CITY—A police officer and another driver were injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Kansas City.

According to Kansas City Police, a marked police cruiser with lights and sirens activated was southbound on Indiana responding to an emergency call for service.

The cruiser struck an eastbound Chevy Malibu at the Linwood intersection. The KCPD&nbsp;officer and driver of the Chevy suffered minor injuries.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Police did not release names of those involved.

KANSAS CITY—A police officer and another driver were injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Kansas City.According to Kansas City Police, a marked police cruiser with lights and sirens activated was southbound on Indiana responding to an emergency call for service.The cruiser struck an eastbound Chevy Malibu at the Linwood intersection. The KCPD&nbsp;officer and driver of the Chevy suffered minor injuries.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Police did not release names of those involved.

KCPD officer responding to emergency involved in crash

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University will undergo a mandatory password reset early on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 23, according to a statement from the university. This step is being taken out of an abundance of caution to protect our systems and your information.&nbsp;All students, faculty and staff will be required to change their passwords in order to regain access to centralized IT services, including systems like Webmail, Canvas, HRIS and more.

How you will know it’s time to reset your eID password:Starting Tuesday, Jan. 23, all students, faculty and staff will be required to change their eID password. At this time,&nbsp;your former password will no longer grant you access.

How the password reset process will work:Visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/update/2024-it-password-reset/">password reset page</a>&nbsp;available on&nbsp;k-state.edu/update&nbsp;for detailed instructions on how to reset your eID password.

Where do I go if I have questions or need assistance?If you have any issues changing your password, please contact the IT Service Desk at 785-532-7722. You may also start an online chat with the IT Service Desk at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/it">k-state.edu/it</a>. The IT Service Desk is available to support you from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Hours differ from Friday-Sunday and are posted on the IT website listed above.

Please note that we are working to assemble additional resources to support the potential service volume required by our IT Service Desk, and we anticipate being able to release contact information for those additional resources tomorrow morning.&nbsp;

What you can expect upon system reentry:When your password has been reset and you are back in the system, you will be able to access centrally managed IT services, which include services like Webmail, Canvas, HRIS and more.

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University will undergo a mandatory password reset early on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 23, according to a statement from the university. This step is being taken out of an abundance of caution to protect our systems and your information.&nbsp;All students, faculty and staff will be required to change their passwords in order to regain access to centralized IT services, including systems like Webmail, Canvas, HRIS and more.How you will know it’s time to reset your eID password:Starting Tuesday, Jan. 23, all students, faculty and staff will be required to change their eID password. At this time,&nbsp;your former password will no longer grant you access.How the password reset process will work:Visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/update/2024-it-password-reset/">password reset page</a>&nbsp;available on&nbsp;k-state.edu/update&nbsp;for detailed instructions on how to reset your eID password.<ol>
 <li>Faculty, staff and students whose cell phone numbers are in our alerts system will receive a text alert when it is time. Please note that you do not have to reset your password within a specific timeframe upon receipt, but you will have to do it before you are able to regain access to K-State systems.</li><li>If you do not receive a text alert but notice you are locked out of your email account when you attempt to access, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-state.edu/update">k-state.edu/update</a>&nbsp;for instructions, or see below.</li><li>Please do not attempt to reset your password prior to this mandatory reset. This process is purposeful, and your efforts to assist us in this are needed and greatly appreciated.</li>
 </ol>Where do I go if I have questions or need assistance?If you have any issues changing your password, please contact the IT Service Desk at 785-532-7722. You may also start an online chat with the IT Service Desk at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/it">k-state.edu/it</a>. The IT Service Desk is available to support you from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Hours differ from Friday-Sunday and are posted on the IT website listed above.Please note that we are working to assemble additional resources to support the potential service volume required by our IT Service Desk, and we anticipate being able to release contact information for those additional resources tomorrow morning.&nbsp;What you can expect upon system reentry:When your password has been reset and you are back in the system, you will be able to access centrally managed IT services, which include services like Webmail, Canvas, HRIS and more.<ol>
 <li>Students:&nbsp;We do not anticipate you will experience any noticeable changes upon reentry to K-State systems.</li><li>Faculty/Staff: If you notice you are unable to access any systems you normally access, it is likely that those systems are not centrally managed and, therefore, have not been brought back online following the reset. Please report any outages you experience to your supervisor, and supervisors should report these instances to their dean or vice president.We do anticipate some system outages that may appear as new issues to users, but we assure you much work is already underway to re-route any processes derived utilizing these departmentally owned or distributed systems into centrally owned systems. This is a necessary step forward in our ongoing efforts, and we appreciate your patience while we work through this transition.</li>
 </ol>

K-State requires password resets for students, faculty

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Dozens of Missouri Department of Corrections staff members are urging Gov. Mike Parson to grant clemency to a man scheduled to die in April for killing his cousin and her husband, with a former warden calling him a “model inmate.”

Sixty corrections officers and other staff members signed onto a letter to the Republican governor in support of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-brian-dorsey-306c6e0cb8cc344004eb4b7a5ea9a0b4">Brian Dorsey</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article284308253.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported Monday. The letter says Dorsey, 51, “has stayed out of trouble, never gotten himself into any situations, and been respectful of us and of his fellow inmates.” It says he is housed in an “honor dorm” at the Potosi Correctional Center, a housing area for inmates with good conduct.

“We are part of the law enforcement community who believe in law and order,” the group wrote in the letter urging Parson to commute the sentence to life without parole. “Generally, we believe in the use of capital punishment. But we are in agreement that the death penalty is not the appropriate punishment for Brian Dorsey.”

Dorsey was convicted in the 2006 killings of his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Ben Bonnie, in the central Missouri town of New Bloomfield. His scheduled execution on April 9 would be the first in Missouri this year after four were carried out in 2023.

A message seeking comment was left Monday with a spokesman for Parson.

Troy Steele, a former warden at Potosi, wrote in a review of Dorsey's prison record that he was a “model inmate” — so much so that he's allowed to serve as a barber. Steele said Dorsey has cut hair for prisoners, officers and even Steele, himself.

Dorsey’s execution also is opposed by his cousin, Jenni Gerhauser, who was also related to Sarah Bonnie.

“We’re very much living in the middle of eye-for-an-eye country. But I wish people would understand it’s not that black and white,” she told the newspaper.

In an 80-page petition filed last month, Megan Crane, an attorney for Dorsey, wrote that her client was denied effective counsel before he pleaded guilty. She also said Dorsey was “experiencing drug psychosis the night of the crime and thus incapable of deliberation — the requisite intent for capital murder.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702497047087.png" alt="Dorsey killed his cousin and her husband in 2006 -photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Dorsey killed his cousin and her husband in 2006 -photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Dozens of Missouri Department of Corrections staff members are urging Gov. Mike Parson to grant clemency to a man scheduled to die in April for killing his cousin and her husband, with a former warden calling him a “model inmate.”Sixty corrections officers and other staff members signed onto a letter to the Republican governor in support of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-brian-dorsey-306c6e0cb8cc344004eb4b7a5ea9a0b4">Brian Dorsey</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article284308253.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported Monday. The letter says Dorsey, 51, “has stayed out of trouble, never gotten himself into any situations, and been respectful of us and of his fellow inmates.” It says he is housed in an “honor dorm” at the Potosi Correctional Center, a housing area for inmates with good conduct.“We are part of the law enforcement community who believe in law and order,” the group wrote in the letter urging Parson to commute the sentence to life without parole. “Generally, we believe in the use of capital punishment. But we are in agreement that the death penalty is not the appropriate punishment for Brian Dorsey.”Dorsey was convicted in the 2006 killings of his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Ben Bonnie, in the central Missouri town of New Bloomfield. His scheduled execution on April 9 would be the first in Missouri this year after four were carried out in 2023.A message seeking comment was left Monday with a spokesman for Parson.Troy Steele, a former warden at Potosi, wrote in a review of Dorsey's prison record that he was a “model inmate” — so much so that he's allowed to serve as a barber. Steele said Dorsey has cut hair for prisoners, officers and even Steele, himself.Dorsey’s execution also is opposed by his cousin, Jenni Gerhauser, who was also related to Sarah Bonnie.“We’re very much living in the middle of eye-for-an-eye country. But I wish people would understand it’s not that black and white,” she told the newspaper.In an 80-page petition filed last month, Megan Crane, an attorney for Dorsey, wrote that her client was denied effective counsel before he pleaded guilty. She also said Dorsey was “experiencing drug psychosis the night of the crime and thus incapable of deliberation — the requisite intent for capital murder.”

Corrections officers urge gov. to halt execution of 'model inmate'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Legislators in Jackson County, Missouri, voted Monday to override the veto of Jackson County Executive Frank White and place the renewal of a sales tax on the April ballot to help fund a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals.

The tax of three-eighth of a cent, which is used under the current lease agreement for stadium upkeep at the Truman Sports Complex, also would help pay for future renovations to Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs.

As recently as last week, it appeared there would not be enough votes to override the veto. But legislators Jalen Anderson and Sean Smith changed their minds after an outpouring of public pressure, and after continued negotiations with the teams, and the result was a 7-2 vote in favor of advancing the proposal to the April 2 ballot.

“I am grateful that so many of my colleagues joined me in voting the overturn,” said Jackson County legislator DaRon McGee, who called White's decision to veto the proposal “tone deaf" by taking away the rights of voters to make their own decisions.

White was a five-time All-Star for the Royals and is a member of their Hall of Fame.

“Thanks to overwhelming support from our citizens, including business, labor, nonprofit and other community organizations, we prevailed, and can now proceed to do the important work ahead,” McGee said. “There is much work to do so that the voters are fully informed before the April election. I join my colleagues in saying we are prepared to do that work.”

Legislators initially voted 8-1 to approve ballot language for the tax, but White said in vetoing it that “it’s not a good deal for taxpayers” because it did not provide enough assurance of the franchises’ commitment to the county.

The Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement after White’s veto that said they respected his authority but that “we will continue working with the legislators to ensure that this ordinance is on the ballot.” The teams also ramped up their social and traditional media campaigns for public support, and they had support of many commerce groups and labor unions.

“We took an important step forward today,” the teams said in a statement Monday. “We thank Jackson County legislators for their attention and care in this matter. We look forward to continuing to work with them and enabling the voters to decide on extending the longstanding partnership between the county and our teams on April 2.”

The Royals had been weighing competing offers from Jackson County and Clay County, which sits just across the Missouri River, for locations for their new ballpark. They intended to make their decision in September but pushed it back indefinitely, and only in recent weeks have said they plan to build in Jackson County.

They still have not decided on a site, though. The initial plan was to build in an area known as the East Village, but they are also considering a location closer to the Power &amp; Light District, where there are existing shops and restaurants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705687592823.jpeg" alt="FILE - Kauffman stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Kauffman stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Legislators in Jackson County, Missouri, voted Monday to override the veto of Jackson County Executive Frank White and place the renewal of a sales tax on the April ballot to help fund a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/0Tk4c7099h">pic.twitter.com/0Tk4c7099h</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1749545076383007187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tax of three-eighth of a cent, which is used under the current lease agreement for stadium upkeep at the Truman Sports Complex, also would help pay for future renovations to Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs.As recently as last week, it appeared there would not be enough votes to override the veto. But legislators Jalen Anderson and Sean Smith changed their minds after an outpouring of public pressure, and after continued negotiations with the teams, and the result was a 7-2 vote in favor of advancing the proposal to the April 2 ballot.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As I have consistently said during this process, my goal is to reach a fair &amp; equitable agreement for Jackson County, one that respects the significant financial commitment of our taxpayers &amp; contributes positively to the legacy &amp; future of our community. Statement &amp; Scorecard⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/BOHLhMQHDF">pic.twitter.com/BOHLhMQHDF</a>&mdash; Frank White (@JCEFrankWhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCEFrankWhite/status/1749530650376356240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I am grateful that so many of my colleagues joined me in voting the overturn,” said Jackson County legislator DaRon McGee, who called White's decision to veto the proposal “tone deaf" by taking away the rights of voters to make their own decisions.White was a five-time All-Star for the Royals and is a member of their Hall of Fame.“Thanks to overwhelming support from our citizens, including business, labor, nonprofit and other community organizations, we prevailed, and can now proceed to do the important work ahead,” McGee said. “There is much work to do so that the voters are fully informed before the April election. I join my colleagues in saying we are prepared to do that work.”Legislators initially voted 8-1 to approve ballot language for the tax, but White said in vetoing it that “it’s not a good deal for taxpayers” because it did not provide enough assurance of the franchises’ commitment to the county.The Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement after White’s veto that said they respected his authority but that “we will continue working with the legislators to ensure that this ordinance is on the ballot.” The teams also ramped up their social and traditional media campaigns for public support, and they had support of many commerce groups and labor unions.“We took an important step forward today,” the teams said in a statement Monday. “We thank Jackson County legislators for their attention and care in this matter. We look forward to continuing to work with them and enabling the voters to decide on extending the longstanding partnership between the county and our teams on April 2.”The Royals had been weighing competing offers from Jackson County and Clay County, which sits just across the Missouri River, for locations for their new ballpark. They intended to make their decision in September but pushed it back indefinitely, and only in recent weeks have said they plan to build in Jackson County.They still have not decided on a site, though. The initial plan was to build in an area known as the East Village, but they are also considering a location closer to the Power &amp; Light District, where there are existing shops and restaurants.

County legislators override executive, ensuring vote for potential KC stadium funding

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed eight locations used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">the Iranian-backed Houthis</a>&nbsp;in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities.

According to officials, the U.S. and U.K. used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation, said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance.

In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities. They added, “Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets struck “multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield” with precision-guided bombs. The strikes, said Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, were “aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities” and would “deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade.”

The joint operation comes about 10 days after U.S. and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

The Houthis' media office said in an online statement that raids targeted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday.

Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said there were multiple air raids on three areas of Sanaa: al-Dailami Air Base just north of the capital, Sarif, northeast of the city center, and al-Hafa, which is south of Sanaa.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Monday. Sunak’s office said the two leaders agreed to take “as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities.”

The latest barrage of allied attacks marks the eighth time the U.S. has conducted strikes on Houthi sites since Jan. 12. And it follows an almost-daily assault on Houthi missile launchers by U.S. fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks over the past week. The rapid response missions, which officials said go after launchers that are armed and ready to fire, demonstrate the military’s increasing ability to watch, detect and strike militant activities in Yemen.

The chaotic wave of attacks and reprisals involving the United States, its allies and foes suggests that the retaliatory strikes haven’t deterred the Houthis from their campaign against Red Sea shipping, and that the broader regional war that the U.S. has spent months trying to avoid is becoming closer to reality.

For months, the Houthis have attacked ships in the region’s waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel</a>. But any such links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue.

The U.S. and allies warned of retaliation for weeks, and the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 3 to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action.

That threat, however, had little noticeable effect. The Houthis continued to attack ships in the region, including at times appearing to target U.S. Navy and U.S.-owned ships, in addition to the wide range of commercial vessels.

Of the eight strike missions on Yemen this month, all but the two with Britain were conducted by the U.S. military alone. Five of the latest strikes were labeled self-defense to take out missiles ready to fire. The most recent, on Saturday, struck and destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and was prepared to launch, according to Central Command.

The Biden administration has also put the Houthis back on its list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/">specially designated global terrorists</a>. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis.

U.S. defense officials have said they believe the strikes have degraded the Houthis’ weapons and strike capabilities. But Biden and others have acknowledged that the rebels are well-equipped by Iran and are likely to continue the attacks.

The Houthis, meanwhile, have made it clear that they have no intention of scaling back their assault. In the wake of the first U.S. and British joint attack, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”

The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which they provide a protective umbrella for vessels traveling the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

About 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. And the ongoing violence has prompted companies to reroute their ships, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead — a much longer and less efficient passage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969554059.png" alt="U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed eight locations used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">the Iranian-backed Houthis</a>&nbsp;in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities.According to officials, the U.S. and U.K. used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation, said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance.In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities. They added, “Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets struck “multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield” with precision-guided bombs. The strikes, said Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, were “aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities” and would “deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969629635.png" alt="-U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen" />
 <figcaption>-U.S. Central Command image shows F/A-18E “Super Hornets” with Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) launching to conduct Airstrikes against the Houthi Terrorist Group in Yemen</figcaption>
 </figure>The joint operation comes about 10 days after U.S. and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.The Houthis' media office said in an online statement that raids targeted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday.Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said there were multiple air raids on three areas of Sanaa: al-Dailami Air Base just north of the capital, Sarif, northeast of the city center, and al-Hafa, which is south of Sanaa.British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Monday. Sunak’s office said the two leaders agreed to take “as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities.”The latest barrage of allied attacks marks the eighth time the U.S. has conducted strikes on Houthi sites since Jan. 12. And it follows an almost-daily assault on Houthi missile launchers by U.S. fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks over the past week. The rapid response missions, which officials said go after launchers that are armed and ready to fire, demonstrate the military’s increasing ability to watch, detect and strike militant activities in Yemen.The chaotic wave of attacks and reprisals involving the United States, its allies and foes suggests that the retaliatory strikes haven’t deterred the Houthis from their campaign against Red Sea shipping, and that the broader regional war that the U.S. has spent months trying to avoid is becoming closer to reality.For months, the Houthis have attacked ships in the region’s waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel</a>. But any such links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue.The U.S. and allies warned of retaliation for weeks, and the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 3 to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action.That threat, however, had little noticeable effect. The Houthis continued to attack ships in the region, including at times appearing to target U.S. Navy and U.S.-owned ships, in addition to the wide range of commercial vessels.Of the eight strike missions on Yemen this month, all but the two with Britain were conducted by the U.S. military alone. Five of the latest strikes were labeled self-defense to take out missiles ready to fire. The most recent, on Saturday, struck and destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and was prepared to launch, according to Central Command.The Biden administration has also put the Houthis back on its list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/">specially designated global terrorists</a>. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis.U.S. defense officials have said they believe the strikes have degraded the Houthis’ weapons and strike capabilities. But Biden and others have acknowledged that the rebels are well-equipped by Iran and are likely to continue the attacks.The Houthis, meanwhile, have made it clear that they have no intention of scaling back their assault. In the wake of the first U.S. and British joint attack, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which they provide a protective umbrella for vessels traveling the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.About 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. And the ongoing violence has prompted companies to reroute their ships, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead — a much longer and less efficient passage.___

U.S.  bombed more Iranian-backed terrorist sites 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-border-buoys-wire-abbott-5f138e354e88fc319f46c55344d7335c">razor wire that Texas installed</a>&nbsp;on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.

The justices, by a 5-4 vote, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state.

The concertina wire along roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the Rio Grande near the border city of Eagle Pass is part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's broader fight with the administration over immigration enforcement.

Abbott also has authorized installing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-buoys-border-immigration-12bc8abddef1c9384b25222b92d0840b">floating barriers in the Rio Grande</a>&nbsp;near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-texas-immigration-c33939110eff92670d1d2b5488181bb0">to arrest and jail thousands of migrants</a>&nbsp;on trespassing charges. The administration also is challenging those actions in federal court.

A federal appeals court last month forced federal agents to stop cutting the concertina wire.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-california-border-asylum-seekers-314698bfb5644be8f8f6085ebe9b9b98">Large numbers of migrants have crossed</a>&nbsp;at Eagle Pass in recent months.

In court papers, the administration said the wire impedes Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river and that, in any case, federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country.

Texas officials have argued that federal agents cut the wire to help groups crossing illegally through the river before taking them in for processing.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor sided with the administration. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas voted with Texas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683770770241.png" alt="photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-border-buoys-wire-abbott-5f138e354e88fc319f46c55344d7335c">razor wire that Texas installed</a>&nbsp;on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.The justices, by a 5-4 vote, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state.The concertina wire along roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the Rio Grande near the border city of Eagle Pass is part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's broader fight with the administration over immigration enforcement.Abbott also has authorized installing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-buoys-border-immigration-12bc8abddef1c9384b25222b92d0840b">floating barriers in the Rio Grande</a>&nbsp;near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-texas-immigration-c33939110eff92670d1d2b5488181bb0">to arrest and jail thousands of migrants</a>&nbsp;on trespassing charges. The administration also is challenging those actions in federal court.A federal appeals court last month forced federal agents to stop cutting the concertina wire.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-california-border-asylum-seekers-314698bfb5644be8f8f6085ebe9b9b98">Large numbers of migrants have crossed</a>&nbsp;at Eagle Pass in recent months.In court papers, the administration said the wire impedes Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river and that, in any case, federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country.Texas officials have argued that federal agents cut the wire to help groups crossing illegally through the river before taking them in for processing.Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor sided with the administration. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas voted with Texas.

Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire at Texas border

Preventing spread of pathogen a challenge, especially in backyard poultry flocks

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed Monday the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 amid a national outbreak that began in 2022 and spread to all but three states and more than 450 commercial flocks across the country.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam said proliferation of the pathogen was concentrated in Kansas at egg-laying facilities in McPherson and Rice counties and in gamebird facilities in Mitchell County. The most recent case in Kansas was identified Friday, Beam said.

Unlike an outbreak in 2015 that was driven by farm-to-farm transmission, he said, this round of avian flu appeared to be transmitted primarily by wild birds interacting with flocks. In most cases, entire commercial and backyard flocks at an infected location must be euthanized.

“The industry has taken significant action to attempt to slow the ongoing spread of this disease to protect the rest of the nation’s flock,” Beam said. “Until this winter, Kansas hadn’t had any positive cases since the spring of 2023. The fall brought a resurgence nationwide, including in our neighboring states, so we expected to see positive cases in Kansas.”

Beam said the state Department of Agriculture had a role in euthanizing infected flocks through “approved, humane methods” and in the safe disposal of carcasses to curtail spread to other flocks. Pace of that slaughter was a key to reducing loss of animals and minimizing disruption of poultry farms, he said.

“Quickly eliminating infected birds reduces the amount of virus in the environment, minimizes the risk of the disease spreading to and killing other birds, and reduces amount of time that birds suffer the effects of the disease,” Beam said.

In testimony to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the agriculture secretary said a contributing factor in spread of avian influenza was the presence of backyard flocks in which birds were allowed to roam property and more easily came in contact with migratory birds.

Small residential operations were less likely to adopt biosecurity methods typical of commercial facilities invested in limiting movement of pathogens from farm to farm, Beam said.

“We’re most vulnerable in what we call backyard flocks,” he said. “There’s a lot of backyard flocks that we probably don’t know about that’s had the disease.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture characterized Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza, or PHAI, as a “serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705959960045.png" alt=" The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 in a nationwide outbreak hitting 47 states and diminishing commercial and backyard flocks. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of image provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)" />
 <figcaption> The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 in a nationwide outbreak hitting 47 states and diminishing commercial and backyard flocks. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of image provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Preventing spread of pathogen a challenge, especially in backyard poultry flocks</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed Monday the 15th case of avian influenza since Dec. 1 amid a national outbreak that began in 2022 and spread to all but three states and more than 450 commercial flocks across the country.Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam said proliferation of the pathogen was concentrated in Kansas at egg-laying facilities in McPherson and Rice counties and in gamebird facilities in Mitchell County. The most recent case in Kansas was identified Friday, Beam said.Unlike an outbreak in 2015 that was driven by farm-to-farm transmission, he said, this round of avian flu appeared to be transmitted primarily by wild birds interacting with flocks. In most cases, entire commercial and backyard flocks at an infected location must be euthanized.“The industry has taken significant action to attempt to slow the ongoing spread of this disease to protect the rest of the nation’s flock,” Beam said. “Until this winter, Kansas hadn’t had any positive cases since the spring of 2023. The fall brought a resurgence nationwide, including in our neighboring states, so we expected to see positive cases in Kansas.”Beam said the state Department of Agriculture had a role in euthanizing infected flocks through “approved, humane methods” and in the safe disposal of carcasses to curtail spread to other flocks. Pace of that slaughter was a key to reducing loss of animals and minimizing disruption of poultry farms, he said.“Quickly eliminating infected birds reduces the amount of virus in the environment, minimizes the risk of the disease spreading to and killing other birds, and reduces amount of time that birds suffer the effects of the disease,” Beam said.In testimony to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the agriculture secretary said a contributing factor in spread of avian influenza was the presence of backyard flocks in which birds were allowed to roam property and more easily came in contact with migratory birds.Small residential operations were less likely to adopt biosecurity methods typical of commercial facilities invested in limiting movement of pathogens from farm to farm, Beam said.“We’re most vulnerable in what we call backyard flocks,” he said. “There’s a lot of backyard flocks that we probably don’t know about that’s had the disease.”The U.S. Department of Agriculture characterized Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza, or PHAI, as a “serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.”

Kansas ag secretary confirms state’s 15th case of deadly avian influenza since Dec. 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that airlines inspect the door plugs on certain Boeing 737s that are older than the Max 9 jetliner that suffered a blowout of a similar panel during a flight this month.

The FAA said door plugs on one older version of the 737, called the 737-900ER, are identical in design to those on the Max 9, and some airlines “have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705012450283.png" alt="This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that airlines inspect the door plugs on certain Boeing 737s that are older than the Max 9 jetliner that suffered a blowout of a similar panel during a flight this month.The FAA said door plugs on one older version of the 737, called the 737-900ER, are identical in design to those on the Max 9, and some airlines “have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections.”The FAA issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/media/74751">safety alert</a>&nbsp;late Sunday. As soon as possible, airlines should visually inspect four places where a bolt, nut and pin secure the door plug to the plane, the agency said.The door plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the plane, they look like a regular window.The FAA said that 737-900ERs have logged 3.9 million flights without any known issues involving the door plugs. By contrast, the Max 9 that suffered the blowout had made only 145 flights.One of the two door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off the plane in midflight on Jan. 5. Passengers and investigators have described a violent decompression as air rushed out of the pressured cabin at 16,000 feet over Oregon.The plane made an emergency landing with a hole in its side, and no serious injuries were reported. On a mostly full plane, no one was sitting in the two seats nearest the panel that blew out.The FAA has grounded all Max 9s with door plugs instead of regular doors in the back of the cabin. Alaska and United Airlines are the only U.S. carriers to use the plane.Besides grounding 171 Max 9 jets, the FAA is investigating quality-control measures at Boeing and its suppliers and has increased its oversight of the aircraft maker. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Oregon incident.“We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action,” a Boeing spokeswoman said in a statement Monday.Boeing delivered about 500 737-900ERs between 2007 and 2019 – mostly to three U.S. airlines -- and about 380 have door plugs instead of exits.Alaska said Monday that it began inspecting its 737-900ERs “several days ago” and has turned up no issues. The Seattle-based airline, which has canceled hundreds of flights because of the Max 9 grounding, said it expects no disruption from the inspections of its 737-900ERs.United said it began inspecting the earlier Boeing model last week and expects to finish the reviews this week with no disruptions for passengers.Delta Air Lines did not respond to a request for comment about its 737-900ERs.