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

Other legislators file bills on school starts, birth centers, taxation and heritage sites

TOPEKA — Sen. Tom Holland introduced a bill that would forbid members of the Kansas Legislature from concurrently holding jobs in an executive branch agency and to block lieutenant governors from simultaneously serving as a Cabinet secretary or department head in state agencies.

Adoption of the Baldwin City Democrat’s reform bill would have implications for Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Republican who serves as senior advisor to Attorney General Kris Kobach, and Democratic Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also works as secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce.

“I am concerned about the appearance of a conflict of interest,” Holland said.

Toland was Gov. Laura Kelly’s campaign treasurer in 2018, became commerce secretary in 2019 and was appointed lieutenant governor in 2021. Claeys lost a GOP primary campaign for secretary of state to Kobach in 2010, but was elected to the House in 2012 and the Senate in 2020. He was campaign manager for Kobach’s successful 2022 race for attorney general, and took the advisory role in Kobach’s office early last year.

Under Senate Bill 328, any member of the Legislature who accepted a job in the executive branch would be compelled by law to resign from the House or Senate. The prohibition wouldn’t apply to legislators also working at universities under management of the Kansas Board of Regents.

Holland, who said he wouldn’t seek reelection to the Senate in 2024, said Department of Commerce secretaries had authority to shape economic development deals valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. He said that work should be guided by the best interests of taxpayers, not the potential political benefit derived by a governor.

Similarly, he said Claeys was in a position to vote, and influence votes of peers, on policy or budget bills of interest to his boss in the attorney general’s office.

Claeys said he cleared in advance his advisory appointment with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. Kelly, who appointed Toland to the post of lieutenant governor, dismissed the idea workplace conflicts of interest would arise from his service in dual roles.

Holland’s was among about a dozen new bills filed ahead of Monday’s opening of the 2024 legislative session at the Capitol. Given the two-year legislative cycle, bills introduced during the 2023 session would remain available for consideration this year at the statehouse.

Republican Reps. Bill Rhiley of Wellington, Randy Garber of Sabetha and Sandy Pickert of Wichita proposed House Bill 2475. It would prohibit Kansas public school districts from starting the academic year prior to Labor Day. In 2024, the national holiday marking end of summer will be Sept. 2. Many districts in Kansas open schools in August.

Another bill would mandate every public school district in Kansas hire a specialist to work on behalf of students with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Olathe Republican Rep. John Resman proposed the change in House Bill 2480. He would need 63 affirmative votes in the House, 21 yes votes in the Senate and the signature of the governor for his idea to become law.

Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John, and 15 colleagues sponsored a bill requiring the Legislature to assume a role in administering national heritage areas or national heritage trails in Kansas. Under House Bill 2476, state funds couldn’t be spent for heritage sites unless specifically appropriated by the Legislature.

Scenic and historic trails are determined by Congress with oversight through the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. These places celebrate natural, cultural and historic elements of the nation’s heritage, but sponsors of the House bill said the federal designations had the potential to interfere with property rights.

“The state of Kansas and private property owners have no ability to remove their property from this designation,” the bill said.

Rep. Pat Proctor, a Republican from Leavenworth, submitted House Bill 2478 for consideration. It would give birth centers — these aren’t hospitals — offering childbirth services in residential settings through midwives an opportunity to secure professional liability insurance through the state health stabilization fund. Insurance companies have withdrawn malpractice coverage from independent midwifery operations, leaving expectant mothers with fewer options for delivery of a baby.

Holland, the Democrat in the Senate, also introduced Senate Bill 329 to discontinue the state’s angel investor tax credit program as early as 2024. The state Department of Commerce program gives deep-pocket investors a state income tax credit for providing capital to certain Kansas start-up companies.

“The way it’s being used today is not optimized,” said Holland, who viewed his bill as a way to start a dialogue among legislators about the tax benefit. “That’s one I want to have conversations about.”

In 2020, the Kansas Legislative Post Audit Division reported the angel investor initiative provided $20.2 million in income tax credits to businesses investing $51.5 million in Kansas from 2015 to 2018. Investments were concentrated in eight of the state’s 105 counties. Auditors said businesses aided by angel investors earning the tax break stayed in operation for three to five years about as often as nonparticipants.

Holland also offered Senate Concurrent Resolution 1613 to amend the Kansas Constitution so the property tax assessment rate for residential real property would be reduced to 10.5% in 2025 and 9.5% for 2026. The current rate is 11.5%.

“My No. 1 message from northeast Kansas constituents is people are really concerned about continued significant increases in residential property taxes,” the senator said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704229372370.png" alt=" Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, introduced a bill forbidding legislators from working simultaneously in executive branch leadership jobs and blocking a lieutenant governor from also being employed as an agency secretary. The 2024 session opens Jan. 8 at the Capital. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, introduced a bill forbidding legislators from working simultaneously in executive branch leadership jobs and blocking a lieutenant governor from also being employed as an agency secretary. The 2024 session opens Jan. 8 at the Capital. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Other legislators file bills on school starts, birth centers, taxation and heritage sites</h2>TOPEKA — Sen. Tom Holland introduced a bill that would forbid members of the Kansas Legislature from concurrently holding jobs in an executive branch agency and to block lieutenant governors from simultaneously serving as a Cabinet secretary or department head in state agencies.Adoption of the Baldwin City Democrat’s reform bill would have implications for Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Republican who serves as senior advisor to Attorney General Kris Kobach, and Democratic Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also works as secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce.“I am concerned about the appearance of a conflict of interest,” Holland said.Toland was Gov. Laura Kelly’s campaign treasurer in 2018, became commerce secretary in 2019 and was appointed lieutenant governor in 2021. Claeys lost a GOP primary campaign for secretary of state to Kobach in 2010, but was elected to the House in 2012 and the Senate in 2020. He was campaign manager for Kobach’s successful 2022 race for attorney general, and took the advisory role in Kobach’s office early last year.Under Senate Bill 328, any member of the Legislature who accepted a job in the executive branch would be compelled by law to resign from the House or Senate. The prohibition wouldn’t apply to legislators also working at universities under management of the Kansas Board of Regents.Holland, who said he wouldn’t seek reelection to the Senate in 2024, said Department of Commerce secretaries had authority to shape economic development deals valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. He said that work should be guided by the best interests of taxpayers, not the potential political benefit derived by a governor.Similarly, he said Claeys was in a position to vote, and influence votes of peers, on policy or budget bills of interest to his boss in the attorney general’s office.Claeys said he cleared in advance his advisory appointment with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. Kelly, who appointed Toland to the post of lieutenant governor, dismissed the idea workplace conflicts of interest would arise from his service in dual roles.Holland’s was among about a dozen new bills filed ahead of Monday’s opening of the 2024 legislative session at the Capitol. Given the two-year legislative cycle, bills introduced during the 2023 session would remain available for consideration this year at the statehouse.<h2>Delay school starts</h2>Republican Reps. Bill Rhiley of Wellington, Randy Garber of Sabetha and Sandy Pickert of Wichita proposed House Bill 2475. It would prohibit Kansas public school districts from starting the academic year prior to Labor Day. In 2024, the national holiday marking end of summer will be Sept. 2. Many districts in Kansas open schools in August.Another bill would mandate every public school district in Kansas hire a specialist to work on behalf of students with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Olathe Republican Rep. John Resman proposed the change in House Bill 2480. He would need 63 affirmative votes in the House, 21 yes votes in the Senate and the signature of the governor for his idea to become law.Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John, and 15 colleagues sponsored a bill requiring the Legislature to assume a role in administering national heritage areas or national heritage trails in Kansas. Under House Bill 2476, state funds couldn’t be spent for heritage sites unless specifically appropriated by the Legislature.Scenic and historic trails are determined by Congress with oversight through the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. These places celebrate natural, cultural and historic elements of the nation’s heritage, but sponsors of the House bill said the federal designations had the potential to interfere with property rights.“The state of Kansas and private property owners have no ability to remove their property from this designation,” the bill said.Rep. Pat Proctor, a Republican from Leavenworth, submitted House Bill 2478 for consideration. It would give birth centers — these aren’t hospitals — offering childbirth services in residential settings through midwives an opportunity to secure professional liability insurance through the state health stabilization fund. Insurance companies have withdrawn malpractice coverage from independent midwifery operations, leaving expectant mothers with fewer options for delivery of a baby.<h2>Ending investor tax credit</h2>Holland, the Democrat in the Senate, also introduced Senate Bill 329 to discontinue the state’s angel investor tax credit program as early as 2024. The state Department of Commerce program gives deep-pocket investors a state income tax credit for providing capital to certain Kansas start-up companies.“The way it’s being used today is not optimized,” said Holland, who viewed his bill as a way to start a dialogue among legislators about the tax benefit. “That’s one I want to have conversations about.”In 2020, the Kansas Legislative Post Audit Division reported the angel investor initiative provided $20.2 million in income tax credits to businesses investing $51.5 million in Kansas from 2015 to 2018. Investments were concentrated in eight of the state’s 105 counties. Auditors said businesses aided by angel investors earning the tax break stayed in operation for three to five years about as often as nonparticipants.Holland also offered Senate Concurrent Resolution 1613 to amend the Kansas Constitution so the property tax assessment rate for residential real property would be reduced to 10.5% in 2025 and 9.5% for 2026. The current rate is 11.5%.“My No. 1 message from northeast Kansas constituents is people are really concerned about continued significant increases in residential property taxes,” the senator said.

Kan. senator proposes job limits to avoid potential conflicts of interest in state government

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in the violent killing of his mother is going to prison for the rest of his life.

On Tuesday a judge sentenced 44-year-old Kyle Romey of Goddard to life in prison without parole, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 11a.m. Oct. 6, deputies responded to the check the welfare of a person at a trailer home in the 15300 Block of U.S. 54, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.

At the scene, deputies saw a victim on the floor and forced entry into the residence. They found the body of 67-year-old Denyce Briet. It was very obvious to the deputies that there was blunt force trauma to the victim and that this was a homicide, according to Easter.

During the investigation, deputies responded to a related call at a home the 1000 Block of West Dayton. The same caller told deputies they believed the victim, Denyce Breit, had been injured by her son.

Investigators developed a suspect identified as Romey. He is Breit's son. Deputies located him near the area of Taft and McClain and took him into custody.

According to Easter, Romey and his family had a history of violence but investigators don't know what led to Breit's death.&nbsp; Romey had been living at the trailer home since he was paroled in April.&nbsp;Romey has had several previous convictions for criminal threat, aggravated battery; great bodily harm and felon in possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Last fall, a Sedgwick County jury found Romey guilty of murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633632874021.png" alt="Romey-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Romey-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in the violent killing of his mother is going to prison for the rest of his life.On Tuesday a judge sentenced 44-year-old Kyle Romey of Goddard to life in prison without parole, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 11a.m. Oct. 6, deputies responded to the check the welfare of a person at a trailer home in the 15300 Block of U.S. 54, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.At the scene, deputies saw a victim on the floor and forced entry into the residence. They found the body of 67-year-old Denyce Briet. It was very obvious to the deputies that there was blunt force trauma to the victim and that this was a homicide, according to Easter.During the investigation, deputies responded to a related call at a home the 1000 Block of West Dayton. The same caller told deputies they believed the victim, Denyce Breit, had been injured by her son.Investigators developed a suspect identified as Romey. He is Breit's son. Deputies located him near the area of Taft and McClain and took him into custody.According to Easter, Romey and his family had a history of violence but investigators don't know what led to Breit's death.&nbsp; Romey had been living at the trailer home since he was paroled in April.&nbsp;Romey has had several previous convictions for criminal threat, aggravated battery; great bodily harm and felon in possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.Last fall, a Sedgwick County jury found Romey guilty of murder.

Kansas man sentenced for the violent murder of his mother

WASHINGTON — Congress is staring down a funding cliff in mid-January and a second one in early February, but neither of those deadlines have inspired House and Senate leaders to broker agreement on the dozen bills that were supposed to become law by Oct. 1.

Appropriators are concerned the upcoming election year and competing legislative priorities have pushed their work to the back of the line, increasing the odds that Congress stumbles into a partial government shutdown in the new year.

The lawmakers who work on funding bills are equally frustrated that leaders may simply lean on a third stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded for the rest of the fiscal year, throwing months of work on the dozen full-year spending bills out the window.

Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in mid-December that using a stopgap spending bill, also called a continuing resolution, to fund the government for the entire fiscal year would be “unprecedented and reckless.”

“We cannot just throw up our hands, act like nothing in the world has changed in the past 12 months, abdicate our responsibility to our constituents and box in our nation’s future by putting the government on autopilot,” Murray said.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the committee, has also rejected the idea of Congress using another continuing resolution, saying during a floor speech in late November the “temporary funding patches lead to harmful uncertainties, needless inefficiencies and wasted taxpayer dollars.”

“A year-long continuing resolution would simply fail to provide the resources needed to protect our nation,” Collins said.

A full-year stopgap spending bill would cut defense spending by $34.6 billion compared to what the Senate spending panel approved in its bipartisan bill, she said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Tuesday that using a continuing resolution to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year is “unacceptable.”

“It’s devastating, particularly for defense and we’ve got all of these wars going on,” McConnell said. “So we need to reach an agreement on the topline and get about getting an outcome as soon as possible.”

Congress and the Biden administration agreed to spending levels for fiscal year 2024, which began back on Oct. 1, as well as fiscal year 2025 when they brokered the debt limit deal last summer.

The Senate Appropriations Committee wrote all 12 of its annual government funding bills to roughly that level and the committee approved them all following broadly bipartisan votes.

The House spending panel, however, wrote its bills more than $100 billion below those levels and added in dozens of conservative policy changes that infuriated Democrats.

Those differing spending levels are among the many issues that have delayed the House and Senate from heading to conference committees to hammer out their differences.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said before that chamber left for a three-week winter break that he agreed the spending bills should be written to the funding levels in the debt limit law. But he argued the Senate bills are above those numbers.

“We’re awaiting the other team, the other side, the other chamber to come forward with a number that we can agree upon that we write to,” Johnson said. “And that’s the impasse and that’s what we’re waiting on. But the law is the law.”

Collins said Tuesday that her preference would be for the final bills to reflect the topline spending level in the debt limit law “plus the side deal plus filling in with some emergency spending that” she and Chair Murray agreed to.

The stalemate has aggravated both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate and House committees, who say leadership needs to give them the green light to begin talks ahead of the Jan. 19 deadline for four spending bills and the Feb. 2 deadline for the other eight appropriations measures.

Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack, chair of the Financial Services spending panel, said last week that congressional leaders should have told the committee weeks ago what the total spending level would be for the current fiscal year, known as the topline.

“We’re just in a bad spot. We’ve needed these topline numbers,” Womack said. “I’m anxious to go home for Christmas, but at the end of the day, I know if they gave us a topline today, we are just going to absolutely kill our staffs. These do not happen overnight.”

Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, ranking member on the Financial Services spending panel, said January will be “chaotic” since the GOP leaders have “created a crisis.”

“They have created a chaotic, almost impossible situation for themselves and the country,” Hoyer said.

A shutdown, he said, is “more likely than it should be because of the timeframe and because of the irresolution and the deep division within the Republican Party.”

Kentucky Rep. Hal Rogers, the top Republican on the Commerce-Justice-Science spending subcommittee, said not having spending levels puts meeting the Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 deadlines in “severe jeopardy.”

Rogers said he believes Speaker Johnson understands the importance of getting agreement on the spending levels, but said that is challenging at the moment.

“I think he fully understands that,” Roger said. “But he’s got to put together the votes to make that happen.”

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, chair of the Defense spending subcommittee, said Congress should use the topline spending levels that were put in the debt limit law that Republicans and Democrats voted to approve.

“Toplines on appropriations, in my book, are set,” Tester said. “They were agreed to and the speaker of the House voted for them months ago. And to go back is really bad form, bad business, word is not your bond, very anti-Montanan.”

Tester said he would work to get agreement between the Republican House and Democratic Senate on his bill before funding expires on Feb. 2, but said he wasn’t sure that could happen.

“It’s got me very worried because there are no presents to open in January,” Tester said, alluding to the fact that Congress normally negotiates the bills ahead of the winter break.

The prospect of Congress using a stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded for the rest of the fiscal year doesn’t appeal to Tester, who said “God forbid” when asked about the possibility.

Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole, chair of the Transportation-HUD subcommittee, said using another stopgap spending bill, or a series of them, to fund the government — instead of passing the 12 full-year bills — is “very possible.”

“In some ways, it’s even the most likely, but it should not be the desired outcome,” Cole said.

The odds of a partial government shutdown beginning next year are low, Cole said, though he didn’t rule it out entirely.

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, chair of the Labor-HHS-Education spending subcommittee, said “there’s still nothing from the House” that would allow the chairs and ranking members to begin conference talks.

Given the time crunch, Baldwin said, the best option would be for the House to pass the dozen government funding bills the Senate Appropriations Committee approved earlier this year on broadly bipartisan votes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704223603619.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Congress is staring down a funding cliff in mid-January and a second one in early February, but neither of those deadlines have inspired House and Senate leaders to broker agreement on the dozen bills that were supposed to become law by Oct. 1.Appropriators are concerned the upcoming election year and competing legislative priorities have pushed their work to the back of the line, increasing the odds that Congress stumbles into a partial government shutdown in the new year.The lawmakers who work on funding bills are equally frustrated that leaders may simply lean on a third stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded for the rest of the fiscal year, throwing months of work on the dozen full-year spending bills out the window.Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in mid-December that using a stopgap spending bill, also called a continuing resolution, to fund the government for the entire fiscal year would be “unprecedented and reckless.”“We cannot just throw up our hands, act like nothing in the world has changed in the past 12 months, abdicate our responsibility to our constituents and box in our nation’s future by putting the government on autopilot,” Murray said.Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the committee, has also rejected the idea of Congress using another continuing resolution, saying during a floor speech in late November the “temporary funding patches lead to harmful uncertainties, needless inefficiencies and wasted taxpayer dollars.”“A year-long continuing resolution would simply fail to provide the resources needed to protect our nation,” Collins said.A full-year stopgap spending bill would cut defense spending by $34.6 billion compared to what the Senate spending panel approved in its bipartisan bill, she said.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Tuesday that using a continuing resolution to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year is “unacceptable.”“It’s devastating, particularly for defense and we’ve got all of these wars going on,” McConnell said. “So we need to reach an agreement on the topline and get about getting an outcome as soon as possible.”<h2>Spending levels in debt limit deal</h2>Congress and the Biden administration agreed to spending levels for fiscal year 2024, which began back on Oct. 1, as well as fiscal year 2025 when they brokered the debt limit deal last summer.The Senate Appropriations Committee wrote all 12 of its annual government funding bills to roughly that level and the committee approved them all following broadly bipartisan votes.The House spending panel, however, wrote its bills more than $100 billion below those levels and added in dozens of conservative policy changes that infuriated Democrats.Those differing spending levels are among the many issues that have delayed the House and Senate from heading to conference committees to hammer out their differences.Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said before that chamber left for a three-week winter break that he agreed the spending bills should be written to the funding levels in the debt limit law. But he argued the Senate bills are above those numbers.“We’re awaiting the other team, the other side, the other chamber to come forward with a number that we can agree upon that we write to,” Johnson said. “And that’s the impasse and that’s what we’re waiting on. But the law is the law.”Collins said Tuesday that her preference would be for the final bills to reflect the topline spending level in the debt limit law “plus the side deal plus filling in with some emergency spending that” she and Chair Murray agreed to.The stalemate has aggravated both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate and House committees, who say leadership needs to give them the green light to begin talks ahead of the Jan. 19 deadline for four spending bills and the Feb. 2 deadline for the other eight appropriations measures.Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack, chair of the Financial Services spending panel, said last week that congressional leaders should have told the committee weeks ago what the total spending level would be for the current fiscal year, known as the topline.“We’re just in a bad spot. We’ve needed these topline numbers,” Womack said. “I’m anxious to go home for Christmas, but at the end of the day, I know if they gave us a topline today, we are just going to absolutely kill our staffs. These do not happen overnight.”<h2>‘Chaotic’ month predicted</h2>Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, ranking member on the Financial Services spending panel, said January will be “chaotic” since the GOP leaders have “created a crisis.”“They have created a chaotic, almost impossible situation for themselves and the country,” Hoyer said.A shutdown, he said, is “more likely than it should be because of the timeframe and because of the irresolution and the deep division within the Republican Party.”Kentucky Rep. Hal Rogers, the top Republican on the Commerce-Justice-Science spending subcommittee, said not having spending levels puts meeting the Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 deadlines in “severe jeopardy.”Rogers said he believes Speaker Johnson understands the importance of getting agreement on the spending levels, but said that is challenging at the moment.“I think he fully understands that,” Roger said. “But he’s got to put together the votes to make that happen.”Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, chair of the Defense spending subcommittee, said Congress should use the topline spending levels that were put in the debt limit law that Republicans and Democrats voted to approve.“Toplines on appropriations, in my book, are set,” Tester said. “They were agreed to and the speaker of the House voted for them months ago. And to go back is really bad form, bad business, word is not your bond, very anti-Montanan.”Tester said he would work to get agreement between the Republican House and Democratic Senate on his bill before funding expires on Feb. 2, but said he wasn’t sure that could happen.“It’s got me very worried because there are no presents to open in January,” Tester said, alluding to the fact that Congress normally negotiates the bills ahead of the winter break.The prospect of Congress using a stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded for the rest of the fiscal year doesn’t appeal to Tester, who said “God forbid” when asked about the possibility.Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole, chair of the Transportation-HUD subcommittee, said using another stopgap spending bill, or a series of them, to fund the government — instead of passing the 12 full-year bills — is “very possible.”“In some ways, it’s even the most likely, but it should not be the desired outcome,” Cole said.The odds of a partial government shutdown beginning next year are low, Cole said, though he didn’t rule it out entirely.Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, chair of the Labor-HHS-Education spending subcommittee, said “there’s still nothing from the House” that would allow the chairs and ranking members to begin conference talks.Given the time crunch, Baldwin said, the best option would be for the House to pass the dozen government funding bills the Senate Appropriations Committee approved earlier this year on broadly bipartisan votes.

Congress faces 2 shutdown deadlines; no action yet on spending

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a business burglary have made an arrest.

On Monday, the Coffey County Sheriff's Office reported their work with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and Osage County Sheriff's Office helped them to identify possible suspects involved in the Dec. 26, burglary at&nbsp; Waverly Lumber 109 West 4th in Waverly, Kansas, according to the sheriff's office.

More than an estimated 90% of the property taken has been recovered, including vehicles and trailers, power equipment, tools, and accessories.

Deputies had reported two work trucks, a trailer, various tools, electric wiring and custom doors had been stolen from the business.

The Coffey County Sheriff's Office deputies and investigators continue to develop leads in this investigation with the intention of apprehending and holding responsible all involved. 

Names of suspects will not be released until the conclusion of the investigation, as officers seek more information to provide the best prosecution possible.

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a business burglary have made an arrest.On Monday, the Coffey County Sheriff's Office reported their work with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and Osage County Sheriff's Office helped them to identify possible suspects involved in the Dec. 26, burglary at&nbsp; Waverly Lumber 109 West 4th in Waverly, Kansas, according to the sheriff's office.More than an estimated 90% of the property taken has been recovered, including vehicles and trailers, power equipment, tools, and accessories.Deputies had reported two work trucks, a trailer, various tools, electric wiring and custom doors had been stolen from the business.The Coffey County Sheriff's Office deputies and investigators continue to develop leads in this investigation with the intention of apprehending and holding responsible all involved. Names of suspects will not be released until the conclusion of the investigation, as officers seek more information to provide the best prosecution possible.----------

Deputies make arrest in burglary at Kansas lumber yard 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal New Year's Eve crash have identified the victim as 46-year-old Nero K. Bell of Kansas City, Kansas.

The 2-vehicle crash occurred just after 3:30p.m. Sunday at the intersection of N. 70th Street and Parallel Parkway, according to a media release from KCK police.

All occupants were transported to an area hospital where Bell died. The other occupant had non-life threatening injuries. 

The accident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Traffic Division.&nbsp;

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal New Year's Eve crash have identified the victim as 46-year-old Nero K. Bell of Kansas City, Kansas.The 2-vehicle crash occurred just after 3:30p.m. Sunday at the intersection of N. 70th Street and Parallel Parkway, according to a media release from KCK police.All occupants were transported to an area hospital where Bell died. The other occupant had non-life threatening injuries. The accident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Traffic Division.&nbsp;

Police ID Kansas man who died in New Year's Eve crash

JERUSALEM —Just after 9:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), on Tuesday, Iranian-backed Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen into the Southern Red Sea, according to a statement from the. U.S. Central Command.

Multiple commercial ships in the area reported the impact of the ASBMs into the surrounding water though none have reported any damage. 

These illegal actions endangered the lives of dozens of innocent mariners and continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce. This is the 24th attack against merchant shipping in the Southern Red Sea since Nov. 19.

Meanwhile, Israel was on high alert for an escalation with Hezbollah on Wednesday after one of the top leaders of the Palestinian Hamas was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">killed in a strike in Beirut</a>&nbsp;that was widely blamed on Israel and heightened the risk of a broader Middle East conflict.

The killing of Saleh Arouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-beirut-explosion-suburbs-hezbollah-israel-2a43fe948e8cb49c64b34bb963d77f64">the most senior Hamas member slain</a>&nbsp;since the war in Gaza erupted nearly three months ago, provided a morale boost for Israelis still reeling from Hamas'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;as the militants put up stiff resistance in Gaza and continue to hold scores of hostages.

But its implications for the war remain unclear. Israel has killed several top Hamas leaders over the years, only to see them quickly replaced. And the strike in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold could cause the low-intensity fighting along the Lebanon border to boil over into all-out war.

Much depends on how Hassan Nasrallah — who has led Hezbollah since an Israeli strike killed his predecessor in 1992 — chooses to respond. He has previously vowed to retaliate for any Israeli targeting of allied militant leaders in Lebanon, and was expected to deliver a speech at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).

Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been exchanging fire almost daily over the Israeli-Lebanese border since the war in Gaza began, but Nasrallah has appeared reluctant to escalate it further, perhaps fearing a repeat of the monthlong 2006 war, in which Israel heavily bombed Beirut and southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah announced a flurry of rocket launches into northern Israel late Tuesday but did not directly link them to the killing of Arouri. Journalists in southern Lebanon reported heavy Israeli shelling and airstrikes. But there were no reports of casualties, and by early Wednesday the border area was calm.

Israeli officials have not commented on the strike that killed Arouri, but Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, said “we are on high readiness for any scenario.”

The United States has sought to prevent any widening of the conflict, including by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uss-gerald-r-ford-aircraft-carrier-israel-20fb033f78bfd37fb4b0cf1df468a731">deploying two aircraft carriers and other military assets to the region</a>. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected in the region this week.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have repeatedly threatened to kill Hamas leaders wherever they are. The group's Oct. 7 attack from Gaza into southern Israel killed around 1,200 people, and some 240 others were taken hostage.

Israel claims to have killed a number of mid-level Hamas leaders in Gaza, but this would be the first time since the war that it has reached into another country to target the group's top leaders, many of whom live in exile around the region.

Arouri was the deputy of Hamas’ supreme political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and headed the group’s presence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He was also a key liaison with Hezbollah. The U.S. State Department had listed him as a terrorist and&nbsp;<a href="https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/salih-al-aruri/">offered a $5 million reward</a>&nbsp;for information about him.

Haniyeh said Hamas was “more powerful and determined” following the attack, which killed six other members of the group, including two military commanders. “They left behind them strong men who will carry the banner after them,” he said of those killed.

Hezbollah called the strike “a serious attack on Lebanon, its people, its security, sovereignty and resistance.”

“We affirm that this crime will never pass without response and punishment,” it said.

ISRAEL SEEKS A ‘CLEAR VICTORY’ IN GAZA

The focus of the war remains on Gaza, where Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel is seeking a “clear victory” over Hamas, which has ruled the territory since 2007.

Israel's air, ground and sea assault in Gaza has killed more than 22,300 people, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory</a>. The count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

The campaign has driven some 85% of Gaza’s population from their homes, forcing hundreds of thousands of people into overcrowded shelters or teeming tent camps in Israeli-designated safe areas that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-90e02d26420b8fe3157f73c256f9ed6a">military has nevertheless bombed</a>. A quarter of Gaza's population&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-21-2023-7d9718b32bf0d308c44c7c9e3c4e0deb">face starvation</a>, according to the United Nations, as Israeli restrictions and heavy fighting hinder aid delivery.

The unprecedented death and destruction has led South Africa to accuse Israel of genocide in a case filed with the International Court of Justice, allegations Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-02-2024-08e0eeee96bfc559a2390c60c7db351b">has strongly denied and vowed to contest</a>.

Still, Israel appears far from achieving its goals of crushing Hamas and returning the estimated 129 hostages still held by the group after more than 100 were released in a cease-fire deal in November.

Gallant said several thousand Hamas fighters remain in northern Gaza, where Israeli troops have been battling militants for over two months and where entire neighborhoods have been blasted into rubble.

Heavy fighting is also underway in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israeli officials say Hamas' military structure is still largely intact.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-leader-gaza-war-sinwar-7359ae98217aa11aa7c20c2780d5d350">Yehya Sinwar, Hamas' top leader in Gaza</a>, and his deputies have thus far eluded Israeli forces.

Egypt, which along with Qatar has served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, has proposed a multistage plan for ending the war in which all hostages would eventually be released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israel would withdraw from Gaza and a government of Palestinian technocrats would govern Gaza and parts of the occupied West Bank until elections are held.

Neither Israel nor Hamas have accepted the plan in its entirety, but neither has rejected it outright.

An Israeli delegation was in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official who was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said the killing of Arouri was likely to hamper the negotiations for a couple days.

JERUSALEM —Just after 9:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), on Tuesday, Iranian-backed Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen into the Southern Red Sea, according to a statement from the. U.S. Central Command.Multiple commercial ships in the area reported the impact of the ASBMs into the surrounding water though none have reported any damage. These illegal actions endangered the lives of dozens of innocent mariners and continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce. This is the 24th attack against merchant shipping in the Southern Red Sea since Nov. 19.Meanwhile, Israel was on high alert for an escalation with Hezbollah on Wednesday after one of the top leaders of the Palestinian Hamas was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">killed in a strike in Beirut</a>&nbsp;that was widely blamed on Israel and heightened the risk of a broader Middle East conflict.The killing of Saleh Arouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-beirut-explosion-suburbs-hezbollah-israel-2a43fe948e8cb49c64b34bb963d77f64">the most senior Hamas member slain</a>&nbsp;since the war in Gaza erupted nearly three months ago, provided a morale boost for Israelis still reeling from Hamas'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;as the militants put up stiff resistance in Gaza and continue to hold scores of hostages.But its implications for the war remain unclear. Israel has killed several top Hamas leaders over the years, only to see them quickly replaced. And the strike in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold could cause the low-intensity fighting along the Lebanon border to boil over into all-out war.Much depends on how Hassan Nasrallah — who has led Hezbollah since an Israeli strike killed his predecessor in 1992 — chooses to respond. He has previously vowed to retaliate for any Israeli targeting of allied militant leaders in Lebanon, and was expected to deliver a speech at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been exchanging fire almost daily over the Israeli-Lebanese border since the war in Gaza began, but Nasrallah has appeared reluctant to escalate it further, perhaps fearing a repeat of the monthlong 2006 war, in which Israel heavily bombed Beirut and southern Lebanon.Hezbollah announced a flurry of rocket launches into northern Israel late Tuesday but did not directly link them to the killing of Arouri. Journalists in southern Lebanon reported heavy Israeli shelling and airstrikes. But there were no reports of casualties, and by early Wednesday the border area was calm.Israeli officials have not commented on the strike that killed Arouri, but Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, said “we are on high readiness for any scenario.”The United States has sought to prevent any widening of the conflict, including by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uss-gerald-r-ford-aircraft-carrier-israel-20fb033f78bfd37fb4b0cf1df468a731">deploying two aircraft carriers and other military assets to the region</a>. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected in the region this week.A HIGH-PROFILE TARGETPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have repeatedly threatened to kill Hamas leaders wherever they are. The group's Oct. 7 attack from Gaza into southern Israel killed around 1,200 people, and some 240 others were taken hostage.Israel claims to have killed a number of mid-level Hamas leaders in Gaza, but this would be the first time since the war that it has reached into another country to target the group's top leaders, many of whom live in exile around the region.Arouri was the deputy of Hamas’ supreme political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and headed the group’s presence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He was also a key liaison with Hezbollah. The U.S. State Department had listed him as a terrorist and&nbsp;<a href="https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/salih-al-aruri/">offered a $5 million reward</a>&nbsp;for information about him.Haniyeh said Hamas was “more powerful and determined” following the attack, which killed six other members of the group, including two military commanders. “They left behind them strong men who will carry the banner after them,” he said of those killed.Hezbollah called the strike “a serious attack on Lebanon, its people, its security, sovereignty and resistance.”“We affirm that this crime will never pass without response and punishment,” it said.ISRAEL SEEKS A ‘CLEAR VICTORY’ IN GAZAThe focus of the war remains on Gaza, where Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel is seeking a “clear victory” over Hamas, which has ruled the territory since 2007.Israel's air, ground and sea assault in Gaza has killed more than 22,300 people, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory</a>. The count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.The campaign has driven some 85% of Gaza’s population from their homes, forcing hundreds of thousands of people into overcrowded shelters or teeming tent camps in Israeli-designated safe areas that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-90e02d26420b8fe3157f73c256f9ed6a">military has nevertheless bombed</a>. A quarter of Gaza's population&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-21-2023-7d9718b32bf0d308c44c7c9e3c4e0deb">face starvation</a>, according to the United Nations, as Israeli restrictions and heavy fighting hinder aid delivery.The unprecedented death and destruction has led South Africa to accuse Israel of genocide in a case filed with the International Court of Justice, allegations Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-02-2024-08e0eeee96bfc559a2390c60c7db351b">has strongly denied and vowed to contest</a>.Still, Israel appears far from achieving its goals of crushing Hamas and returning the estimated 129 hostages still held by the group after more than 100 were released in a cease-fire deal in November.Gallant said several thousand Hamas fighters remain in northern Gaza, where Israeli troops have been battling militants for over two months and where entire neighborhoods have been blasted into rubble.Heavy fighting is also underway in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israeli officials say Hamas' military structure is still largely intact.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-leader-gaza-war-sinwar-7359ae98217aa11aa7c20c2780d5d350">Yehya Sinwar, Hamas' top leader in Gaza</a>, and his deputies have thus far eluded Israeli forces.Egypt, which along with Qatar has served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, has proposed a multistage plan for ending the war in which all hostages would eventually be released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israel would withdraw from Gaza and a government of Palestinian technocrats would govern Gaza and parts of the occupied West Bank until elections are held.Neither Israel nor Hamas have accepted the plan in its entirety, but neither has rejected it outright.An Israeli delegation was in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official who was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said the killing of Arouri was likely to hamper the negotiations for a couple days.___

US reports another ballistic missile attack in Red Sea

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Gypsy Rose Blanchard said she has found a way to forgive her mother — and herself. But it has been a long journey from years of abuse and the darkest parts of her life splashed across tabloids to living in prison.

Blanchard, now 32, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gypsy-rose-blanchard-munchausen-mother-killed-b3a792e32b72eb13feed9a73df2065fd">paroled</a>&nbsp;last week from a Missouri women's prison. Her release came 8 1/2 years after she persuaded her boyfriend at the time to kill her abusive mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard — in a desperate bid to be free of her.

For years, her mother forced her to pretend that she was suffering from leukemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses.

“At first I was really angry with her, very confused. And I’m still confused," Blanchard told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. “But I understand that she had a lot of mental issues. And so I think that’s brought me to a place of forgiveness by just trying to understand where she was coming from. I don’t believe that she was evil.

"I know, that she was very sick,” she continued. This journey, Blanchard explained, also involved forgiving herself.

Dee Dee Blanchard had essentially kept her daughter prisoner and duped doctors into doing unnecessary procedures by telling them that her daughter's medical records had been lost in Hurricane Katrina. Gypsy Rose Blanchard's attorney said the mother had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder in which parents or caregivers seek sympathy through the exaggerated or made-up illnesses of their children.

The mother-daughter duo received charitable donations, and even a home near Springfield from Habitat for Humanity.

Forced to use a wheelchair and feeding tube, Gypsy felt trapped. She said her mother, who lied about Gypsy's age to make her seem younger, prevented her from having much of a relationship with her father — or with anyone else.

“I wish I could go back and tell my younger self, ‘Call your dad. Reach out for help with people because they will actually believe you,’" she said. "The main reason why I didn’t is because I really felt like nobody would believe me whenever I said that things just wasn’t right at home.”

When she turned 23, she supplied a knife to her boyfriend, and hid in a bathroom while he repeatedly stabbed her mother, according to the probable cause statement. Then Gypsy and Nicholas Godejohn, who she met on a Christian dating website, made their way by bus to Godejohn's home in Wisconsin, where they were arrested.

Godejohn is serving a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-406c475f13654a588dc300afc3c43236">life sentence</a>&nbsp;in Missouri while prosecutors cut Blanchard a deal because of the abuse she had endured.

Incarceration was “nothing but self-discovery,” she said. She made friends, earned her GED and overcame early shortcomings in her education that left her unable to do basic math. While behind bars, she even met and married someone who forged a relationship with Gypsy by writing to her on a whim.

"I was in a little cocoon. And now that I’m free, I’ve emerged as a butterfly,” she said.

She describes her husband Ryan Scott Anderson, a 37-year-old special education teacher from Lake Charles, Louisiana, as a “teddy bear." In the pre-dawn hours last Thursday, Anderson picked her up at the prison. They had planned to go to the Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday; she dreamed she might even bump into superstar Taylor Swift as she cheered on her boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce. Swift's music had been an inspiration to Blanchard.

But going to the game was deemed too much, too soon. Instead she headed to Louisiana and started to settle into post-prison life. Her father also lives in the state, and she said she is finally “getting to know him as an adult.”

“This is what I’ve been wanting for so long," she said. “But it’s an adjustment. But it’s a wonderful adjustment.” She added that given her childhood, it also is her "first taste of actual, real, full fledged freedom.”

This week, she is delighting in the little things. She used a Keurig coffee maker for the first time Tuesday. She played video games with her father using a virtual reality headset. She described both experiences as “amazing.”

She isn't sure yet what will come next and said she wants to give herself a little bit of time before she decides. Eventually, she wants to have children with her husband. But when is a question mark, as is possibilities for employment. The only jobs she has ever had were all in prison, where she took photos and helped out with janitorial tasks.

“Right now, I’m really not sure what my skill is," she said, "so I’m going to have to kind of discover that over time.”

As she adjusts, there has been a fresh round of media coverage. A Lifetime docuseries “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gypsyrose_a_blanchard/">and her own eBook, </a>“Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom” (Penguin Random House) are coming out this month.

Around the U.S. people learned about the bizarre case from the 2017 HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest” and the 2019 Hulu miniseries “The Act."

While there have been many TV specials and interviews over the years, she steered clear of watching them, fearing it would be “emotionally traumatizing,” she said. This docuseries will be the first she has ever watched.

“I am at least putting myself out there to be a cautionary tale,” she said. "because I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I went through.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704246799693.png" alt="Blanchard-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Blanchard-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Gypsy Rose Blanchard said she has found a way to forgive her mother — and herself. But it has been a long journey from years of abuse and the darkest parts of her life splashed across tabloids to living in prison.Blanchard, now 32, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gypsy-rose-blanchard-munchausen-mother-killed-b3a792e32b72eb13feed9a73df2065fd">paroled</a>&nbsp;last week from a Missouri women's prison. Her release came 8 1/2 years after she persuaded her boyfriend at the time to kill her abusive mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard — in a desperate bid to be free of her.For years, her mother forced her to pretend that she was suffering from leukemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses.“At first I was really angry with her, very confused. And I’m still confused," Blanchard told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. “But I understand that she had a lot of mental issues. And so I think that’s brought me to a place of forgiveness by just trying to understand where she was coming from. I don’t believe that she was evil."I know, that she was very sick,” she continued. This journey, Blanchard explained, also involved forgiving herself.Dee Dee Blanchard had essentially kept her daughter prisoner and duped doctors into doing unnecessary procedures by telling them that her daughter's medical records had been lost in Hurricane Katrina. Gypsy Rose Blanchard's attorney said the mother had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder in which parents or caregivers seek sympathy through the exaggerated or made-up illnesses of their children.The mother-daughter duo received charitable donations, and even a home near Springfield from Habitat for Humanity.Forced to use a wheelchair and feeding tube, Gypsy felt trapped. She said her mother, who lied about Gypsy's age to make her seem younger, prevented her from having much of a relationship with her father — or with anyone else.“I wish I could go back and tell my younger self, ‘Call your dad. Reach out for help with people because they will actually believe you,’" she said. "The main reason why I didn’t is because I really felt like nobody would believe me whenever I said that things just wasn’t right at home.”When she turned 23, she supplied a knife to her boyfriend, and hid in a bathroom while he repeatedly stabbed her mother, according to the probable cause statement. Then Gypsy and Nicholas Godejohn, who she met on a Christian dating website, made their way by bus to Godejohn's home in Wisconsin, where they were arrested.Godejohn is serving a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-406c475f13654a588dc300afc3c43236">life sentence</a>&nbsp;in Missouri while prosecutors cut Blanchard a deal because of the abuse she had endured.Incarceration was “nothing but self-discovery,” she said. She made friends, earned her GED and overcame early shortcomings in her education that left her unable to do basic math. While behind bars, she even met and married someone who forged a relationship with Gypsy by writing to her on a whim."I was in a little cocoon. And now that I’m free, I’ve emerged as a butterfly,” she said.She describes her husband Ryan Scott Anderson, a 37-year-old special education teacher from Lake Charles, Louisiana, as a “teddy bear." In the pre-dawn hours last Thursday, Anderson picked her up at the prison. They had planned to go to the Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday; she dreamed she might even bump into superstar Taylor Swift as she cheered on her boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce. Swift's music had been an inspiration to Blanchard.But going to the game was deemed too much, too soon. Instead she headed to Louisiana and started to settle into post-prison life. Her father also lives in the state, and she said she is finally “getting to know him as an adult.”“This is what I’ve been wanting for so long," she said. “But it’s an adjustment. But it’s a wonderful adjustment.” She added that given her childhood, it also is her "first taste of actual, real, full fledged freedom.”This week, she is delighting in the little things. She used a Keurig coffee maker for the first time Tuesday. She played video games with her father using a virtual reality headset. She described both experiences as “amazing.”She isn't sure yet what will come next and said she wants to give herself a little bit of time before she decides. Eventually, she wants to have children with her husband. But when is a question mark, as is possibilities for employment. The only jobs she has ever had were all in prison, where she took photos and helped out with janitorial tasks.“Right now, I’m really not sure what my skill is," she said, "so I’m going to have to kind of discover that over time.”As she adjusts, there has been a fresh round of media coverage. A Lifetime docuseries “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gypsyrose_a_blanchard/">and her own eBook, </a>“Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom” (Penguin Random House) are coming out this month.Around the U.S. people learned about the bizarre case from the 2017 HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest” and the 2019 Hulu miniseries “The Act."While there have been many TV specials and interviews over the years, she steered clear of watching them, fearing it would be “emotionally traumatizing,” she said. This docuseries will be the first she has ever watched.“I am at least putting myself out there to be a cautionary tale,” she said. "because I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I went through.”

Mo. woman is free and reflecting on prison term for conspiring to kill her abusive mother

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Someone in Michigan won an $842.4 million Powerball jackpot on the first day of 2024, the first time it has been won on New Year’s Day since the game’s start in 1992.

The winning numbers drawn were: 12, 21, 42, 44, 49 and red Powerball: 1.

Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond its earlier estimate of $810 million to $842.4 million at the time of the drawing, making it the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot and 10th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won.

The lucky ticket was sold at the Food Castle convenience store in Grand Blanc Township, near Flint. According to WJRT, Food Castle has been a fixture in the community for nearly 40 years.

“Usually, you hear stuff like that happening in different states,” store owner Bill Nannoshi told the station. “So, it’s great. It’s great for this community. I mean, Grand Blanc is an awesome place to work.”

Before the big win on New Year's, the jackpot had been growing since mid-October.

The chance of winning the Powerball jackpot is 1 in 292.2 million.

The lucky ticket holder will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $842.4 million, payable over 30 years, or a lump sum payment of $425.2 million. Both prize options are before taxes.

Other top-winning tickets include four sold in California, Connecticut, Florida and Maryland, that matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. Two tickets, from Florida and Texas, matched all five white balls and won $2 million prizes by including the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Someone in Michigan won an $842.4 million Powerball jackpot on the first day of 2024, the first time it has been won on New Year’s Day since the game’s start in 1992.The winning numbers drawn were: 12, 21, 42, 44, 49 and red Powerball: 1.Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond its earlier estimate of $810 million to $842.4 million at the time of the drawing, making it the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot and 10th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won.The lucky ticket was sold at the Food Castle convenience store in Grand Blanc Township, near Flint. According to WJRT, Food Castle has been a fixture in the community for nearly 40 years.“Usually, you hear stuff like that happening in different states,” store owner Bill Nannoshi told the station. “So, it’s great. It’s great for this community. I mean, Grand Blanc is an awesome place to work.”Before the big win on New Year's, the jackpot had been growing since mid-October.The chance of winning the Powerball jackpot is 1 in 292.2 million.The lucky ticket holder will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $842.4 million, payable over 30 years, or a lump sum payment of $425.2 million. Both prize options are before taxes.Other top-winning tickets include four sold in California, Connecticut, Florida and Maryland, that matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. Two tickets, from Florida and Texas, matched all five white balls and won $2 million prizes by including the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play.

$842 million Powerball ticket: 1st time game has been won on New Year's Day

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug allegations.

On Dec. 3o, deputies executed a search warrant was executed at 2941 Thrasher Road in BrownCounty, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;

Deputies arrested 65-year-old Kent Denton and 56-year-old Yvette Denton on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of&nbsp; Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; B

Both were released on $5,000&nbsp;own recognizance bonds per Judge Weingart.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704142234868.png" alt="Denton-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Denton-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug allegations.On Dec. 3o, deputies executed a search warrant was executed at 2941 Thrasher Road in BrownCounty, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704142216147.png" alt="Denton-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Denton-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested 65-year-old Kent Denton and 56-year-old Yvette Denton on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of&nbsp; Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; BBoth were released on $5,000&nbsp;own recognizance bonds per Judge Weingart.

Couple accused of meth possession at Kansas home

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man injured in a 2-vehicle crash last month in Topeka has died.

On Monday, police reported&nbsp; 29-year-old Joshua P. Harmer, 29, of Topeka died on December 22, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

Just after 11:30 p.m. Dec. 20, police responded to an injury crash involving a vehicle and a motorcycle near SW 29th Street and SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka.

First responders found the two vehicles had crashed. An ambulance transported the driver of motorcycle later identified as Harmer to a local hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries and he died.

The driver of the other involved vehicle was identified as Shana L. Estes, 36, of Topeka. It was determined that she had a warrant for her arrest and she was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on that warrant.&nbsp; Police have not indicated whether Estes faces additional charges in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703284509788.png" alt="Estes-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Estes-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man injured in a 2-vehicle crash last month in Topeka has died.On Monday, police reported&nbsp; 29-year-old Joshua P. Harmer, 29, of Topeka died on December 22, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704285048561.png" alt="Police on the scene of the deadly crash -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the deadly crash -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11:30 p.m. Dec. 20, police responded to an injury crash involving a vehicle and a motorcycle near SW 29th Street and SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka.First responders found the two vehicles had crashed. An ambulance transported the driver of motorcycle later identified as Harmer to a local hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries and he died.The driver of the other involved vehicle was identified as Shana L. Estes, 36, of Topeka. It was determined that she had a warrant for her arrest and she was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on that warrant.&nbsp; Police have not indicated whether Estes faces additional charges in the case.

Motorcyclist injured in crash with wanted Kansas woman has died

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for a weekend incident in southwest Kansas.

Garden City, KS (January 1, 2024): A Garden City man was arrested Saturday morning in connection to an aggravated assault. Fray Membreno-Sanabria, 50, faces charges from the incident.

At 7:30 a.m Dec. 30, police were dispatched to the southeast part of Garden City for a disturbance, according to a media release.

When Officers arrived, they observed 50-year-old Fray Membreno-Sanabria with family members in front of their residence when Membreno-Sanabria shot a firearm into the driveway. 

Officers instructed Membreno-Sanabria to drop the weapon, and after several commands, Membreno-Sanabria dropped the firearm and was taken into custody without incident.

The investigation revealed that Membreno-Sanabria was allegedly intoxicated, and family members left the residence out of safety but later returned.

 Upon their return, Membreno-Sanabria allegedly pointed the firearm and threatened harm against the family members multiple times.

Membreno-Sanabria remains in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Criminal Threat, and Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704204716514.png" alt="Membreno-Sanabria" />
 <figcaption>Membreno-Sanabria</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for a weekend incident in southwest Kansas.Garden City, KS (January 1, 2024): A Garden City man was arrested Saturday morning in connection to an aggravated assault. Fray Membreno-Sanabria, 50, faces charges from the incident.At 7:30 a.m Dec. 30, police were dispatched to the southeast part of Garden City for a disturbance, according to a media release.When Officers arrived, they observed 50-year-old Fray Membreno-Sanabria with family members in front of their residence when Membreno-Sanabria shot a firearm into the driveway. Officers instructed Membreno-Sanabria to drop the weapon, and after several commands, Membreno-Sanabria dropped the firearm and was taken into custody without incident.The investigation revealed that Membreno-Sanabria was allegedly intoxicated, and family members left the residence out of safety but later returned. Upon their return, Membreno-Sanabria allegedly pointed the firearm and threatened harm against the family members multiple times.Membreno-Sanabria remains in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Criminal Threat, and Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm.

Police: SW Kan. man threatens family with a firearm

TOPEKA&nbsp;–The State of Kansas ends December 2023 with total tax collections at $1.043 billion. That is $36.9 million, or 3.4%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 3.8% from December 2022, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYnVkZ2V0LmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzA2X0RlY2VtYmVyX1JldmVudWVfRlkyMDI0XzAxLTAyLTIwMjRfRmluYWwucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDEwMi44Nzg3OTc3MSJ9.Np2NTncfjtbgQasspKhbAnVW2NtQj8_pCE7FmVm67uo/s/1303160919/br/234033500728-l" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;view the December 2023 revenue numbers.

Individual income tax collections were $397.1 million. That is $17.1 million, or 4.5%, above the estimate, and up 5.9% from December 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $235.7 million. That is $39.3 million, or 14.3%, below the estimate and down 16.1% from December 2022.

“Withholding tax, the largest component of the individual income tax receipts, was 9.2% greater than December 2022”,&nbsp;said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart. “This comes as no real surprise as the growth is entirely consistent with recent findings of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which showed that personal income and earnings in Kansas grew during the second and third quarters of 2023 at some of the highest rates in the country.”

Secretary Burghart further observed that the corporate income tax receipts were lower than expected because there was one less deposit day this December compared to December 2022. Nearly $34.4 million was deposited on that additional day in December 2022.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $302.4 million, which is $5.6 million, or 1.8%, below the estimate and down $4.9 million, or 1.6%, from December 2022.&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;–The State of Kansas ends December 2023 with total tax collections at $1.043 billion. That is $36.9 million, or 3.4%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 3.8% from December 2022, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Revenue.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYnVkZ2V0LmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzA2X0RlY2VtYmVyX1JldmVudWVfRlkyMDI0XzAxLTAyLTIwMjRfRmluYWwucGRmIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDEwMi44Nzg3OTc3MSJ9.Np2NTncfjtbgQasspKhbAnVW2NtQj8_pCE7FmVm67uo/s/1303160919/br/234033500728-l" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;view the December 2023 revenue numbers.Individual income tax collections were $397.1 million. That is $17.1 million, or 4.5%, above the estimate, and up 5.9% from December 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $235.7 million. That is $39.3 million, or 14.3%, below the estimate and down 16.1% from December 2022.“Withholding tax, the largest component of the individual income tax receipts, was 9.2% greater than December 2022”,&nbsp;said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart. “This comes as no real surprise as the growth is entirely consistent with recent findings of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which showed that personal income and earnings in Kansas grew during the second and third quarters of 2023 at some of the highest rates in the country.”Secretary Burghart further observed that the corporate income tax receipts were lower than expected because there was one less deposit day this December compared to December 2022. Nearly $34.4 million was deposited on that additional day in December 2022.Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $302.4 million, which is $5.6 million, or 1.8%, below the estimate and down $4.9 million, or 1.6%, from December 2022.&nbsp;

Kansas 2023 total tax collections below the estimate

BARBER COUNTY—Law enforcement and fire officials are investigating a deadly Kansas house fire.

On New Year's Eve, the Medicine Lodge Fire Department and Barber County Sheriff contacted the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal’s (OSFM) Investigation Division to assist in the investigation of house fire at&nbsp;401 West Stolp Street in Medicine Lodge, according to a media release.

Investigators learned the fire department had discovered two fatalities in the home.

Investigators determined that the fire originated within the garage of the property.&nbsp; The cause of the fire is currently classified as undetermined. The victims have not been positively identified at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704231386868.png" alt="New Year's Eve fire photo KWCH" />
 <figcaption>New Year's Eve fire photo KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>BARBER COUNTY—Law enforcement and fire officials are investigating a deadly Kansas house fire.On New Year's Eve, the Medicine Lodge Fire Department and Barber County Sheriff contacted the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal’s (OSFM) Investigation Division to assist in the investigation of house fire at&nbsp;401 West Stolp Street in Medicine Lodge, according to a media release.Investigators learned the fire department had discovered two fatalities in the home.Investigators determined that the fire originated within the garage of the property.&nbsp; The cause of the fire is currently classified as undetermined. The victims have not been positively identified at this time.

2 dead in Kansas house fire on New Year's Eve

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-crossings-asylum-ukraine-aid-biden-dba31c3f461e1fa940f9cf00988444f7">grueling negotiations</a>, the contours of a bipartisan border security and immigration deal are beginning to take shape, emerging even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-congress-border-biden-064246982c828ed820c1c5a47c85901b">Congress leaves town</a>&nbsp;having failed to publicly unveil any details of the package that's central to unlocking stalled aid for Ukraine.

Talks between the White House and key senators have not veered widely from three main areas of discussion: toughening asylum protocols for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border</a>; bolstering border enforcement with more personnel and high-tech systems; and deterring migrants from making the journey in the first place.

As the Senate broke for the holidays, due back Jan. 8, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a rare joint statement indicated negotiations are progressing. They also met Wednesday to discuss how to advance the border policy alongside President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$110 billion package</a>&nbsp;of wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other national security priorities.

“We all know there’s a problem at the border,” Schumer said before sending senators home. “Our goal is, as soon as we get back, to get something done.”

McConnell said the negotiations “continue to make headway.”

And as aid for his country hangs in balance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-news-conference-5440b3d3034a34461d93d0740e0c1ae6">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;said at his own press conference in Kyiv he was confident “the U.S. will not let us down.”

Here’s a look at what’s being discussed as key Senate negotiators and the White House plan to dig in during the weeks ahead:

Senate negotiators have focused on asylum, by which the U.S. offers protection for people facing persecution in their home countries. The senators say they are trying to ensure that migrants who have a credible claim to asylum can safely apply, but that officials can also quickly turn away those who don't qualify.

Critics often say that too many people who pass their initial asylum interview end up ultimately failing in their efforts to win asylum. But because the immigration courts are so backlogged by the time the final determination happens, many have been in the country for years, making it more difficult and expensive to deport them.

The senators and the Biden administration have considered toughening the so-called credible fear standard that's used in the initial interviews to determine if migrants seeking asylum would likely have a winnable case before an immigration judge.

Advocates for immigrants argue that the credible fear standard is deliberately low in recognition of the fact that migrants being interviewed have usually fled desperate conditions, don't have legal representation and are still shaken by their journeys.

It was the Republicans who demanded negotiations over the border, refusing to provide aid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion</a>, unless Biden also agreed to changes to cut immigration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="Photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>Photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-crossings-asylum-ukraine-aid-biden-dba31c3f461e1fa940f9cf00988444f7">grueling negotiations</a>, the contours of a bipartisan border security and immigration deal are beginning to take shape, emerging even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-congress-border-biden-064246982c828ed820c1c5a47c85901b">Congress leaves town</a>&nbsp;having failed to publicly unveil any details of the package that's central to unlocking stalled aid for Ukraine.Talks between the White House and key senators have not veered widely from three main areas of discussion: toughening asylum protocols for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border</a>; bolstering border enforcement with more personnel and high-tech systems; and deterring migrants from making the journey in the first place.As the Senate broke for the holidays, due back Jan. 8, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a rare joint statement indicated negotiations are progressing. They also met Wednesday to discuss how to advance the border policy alongside President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$110 billion package</a>&nbsp;of wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other national security priorities.“We all know there’s a problem at the border,” Schumer said before sending senators home. “Our goal is, as soon as we get back, to get something done.”McConnell said the negotiations “continue to make headway.”And as aid for his country hangs in balance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-news-conference-5440b3d3034a34461d93d0740e0c1ae6">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;said at his own press conference in Kyiv he was confident “the U.S. will not let us down.”Here’s a look at what’s being discussed as key Senate negotiators and the White House plan to dig in during the weeks ahead:TOUGHER ASYLUM CLAIMSSenate negotiators have focused on asylum, by which the U.S. offers protection for people facing persecution in their home countries. The senators say they are trying to ensure that migrants who have a credible claim to asylum can safely apply, but that officials can also quickly turn away those who don't qualify.Critics often say that too many people who pass their initial asylum interview end up ultimately failing in their efforts to win asylum. But because the immigration courts are so backlogged by the time the final determination happens, many have been in the country for years, making it more difficult and expensive to deport them.The senators and the Biden administration have considered toughening the so-called credible fear standard that's used in the initial interviews to determine if migrants seeking asylum would likely have a winnable case before an immigration judge.Advocates for immigrants argue that the credible fear standard is deliberately low in recognition of the fact that migrants being interviewed have usually fled desperate conditions, don't have legal representation and are still shaken by their journeys.BORDER SECURITYIt was the Republicans who demanded negotiations over the border, refusing to provide aid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion</a>, unless Biden also agreed to changes to cut immigration.While Biden had initially proposed $14 billion to bolster border security in the national security package, Republicans said money was not enough. They want to enshrine policy changes at the border into law, some echoing Donald Trump, the party’s frontrunner for the presidential nomination, who takes a hard line against immigration.Still, billions of dollars of funding will almost certainly be part of any deal.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">Border Patrol officers are overwhelmed</a>&nbsp;processing migrants who turn themselves in seeking asylum. Biden had proposed $3.1 billion for additional border agents as well more asylum officers, immigration judge teams and processing personnel. Supporters say the money for the asylum system is crucial to addressing the backlog in immigration courts and essentially getting the process moving faster.Biden has also suggested $1.2 billion for Customs and Border Protection officers and inspection systems to stop the flow of deadly fentanyl.While the president also proposed funds to help communities in the U.S. that are taking in the record numbers of new arrivals, Republicans have resisted sending money to the cities, largely Democratic, that are helping house and provide care for the migrants.REDUCING BORDER BUILD-UPOver and over, senators have emerged from hours of closed-door talks with an exasperated conclusion: Immigration policy is complicated.“Millions of decisions,” said Sen. James Lankford, a Republican of Oklahoma. “Underneath every big idea is 100 smaller decisions that all have to be made, and every one is complicated.”Sen. Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, said: “It’s interconnected. So if you press in one side and it pops out the other, it takes time to get this right.”One of the toughest issues to resolve has been how to dissuade migrants from even embarking on their journeys to the U.S. in the first place, particularly from countries experiencing unrest, economic calamity or widespread gang violence.Senators have discussed ways to encourage people to apply for asylum before they arrive at the border — either in their home country, or if that’s not plausible, a country they travel through on their way to the U.S.The Biden administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-united-states-government-caribbean-mexico-mobile-apps-49b38b18869ed3b2260fb6d774153456">launched a new system</a>&nbsp;earlier this year that encourages people seeking asylum to schedule an appointment, via a smartphone app, to seek entry at the border.In talks, the White House has also insisted on keeping in place&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-immigration-af0643a4fb8f45388fe247e44c9b2c5e">its ability to allow 30,000 people a month</a>&nbsp;from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti entry into the U.S. if they have a financial sponsor and fly into the country.The idea is to create a more orderly, efficient asylum system that reduces chaos at the border.But record numbers of migrants are still arriving. Illegal crossings topped 10,000 some days in December.ENFORCEMENTNegotiators have run into trouble in the talks when it comes to enforcement measures. One potential compromise would set a threshold for the number of border crossings, and once the number is reached, stricter enforcement measures would take effect.Under that system, if the crossings get too high authorities would shut down the border for asylum claims, enable fast-track removals of migrants who have already entered unlawfully, and detain some migrants while they are screened for valid asylum claims.Funding in the package could also go to bolstering immigration enforcement, including detention facilities, according to one person familiar with the private negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity.Advocates for immigrants worry that some of the restrictions under discussion could just push the build-up of migrants south of the U.S.-Mexico border.“We’re turning Mexico into a staging area for migrants moving north,” said Dylan Corbett, who heads the Hope Border Institute, in a call with reporters. “Mexico doesn’t have the infrastructure to be able to deal with this.”They also warn that the expedited removal measures would strike fear in the millions of immigrants lacking permanent legal status while effectively turning Trump-style administrative policies into law, making them potentially more difficult to challenge in court.Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent central to the negotiations, said that the potentially lasting impact of their work hangs over the talks.“A mistake here will matter for many years,” she said.