The Geary County Historical Society has wrapped up their fourth annual murder mystery event with two weekends of SMOOCH: a 1980s Murder Mystery, which was written and directed by Museum Director Heather Hagedorn and Museum Program Director Kim Neptune. 

Each night of the event asked the audience to help solve the murder of "Jonny Bonny" the lead singer of the one-hit wonder band "SMOOCH."&nbsp;To do so, guests were provided evidence related to the crime and given the opportunity to "interrogate" the suspects of this 1980s mall-themed murder mystery. Cast members included: Dan Horton as Jonny Bonny, Andrew Liebau as Jean Simons, Dave Kappel as Nicci Sevven, Caity Marquez as Krystal Sentz, Jack Lutynski as Alex 'Axel' Tulip, Susan Kamphaus as Zippy Walker, Scott 'Moose' Jury as the Mall Santa, Karren Kilpatrick as Debbie Julius, Bill Powers as Crazy Carl, Curtis Gray as DJ Chippy Chase, and Heather Strafuss as&nbsp; Detective 'Foxxy' Roxie Malone.&nbsp;

Along with the interactive murder mystery, guests had their classic 80s department store photos taken and enjoyed a "food court" dinner of pizza and a salad bar.&nbsp;Sponsors for the event included: Geary County CVB, Twin Valley, Pizza Hut, and Affordable Portables. Costume assistance was provided by the Junction City Little Theater.&nbsp; All proceeds from this event benefited the Geary County Historical Society.&nbsp;Another historic mystery will be heading to Junction City in early 2027.

Historical Society hosted a murder mystery

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 2p.m. Tuesday, officers executed a search warrant in the 1700 block of Winne Drive, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

After their investigation, police arrested 25-year-old&nbsp;DeShell Patterson of Manhattan, was arrested at approximately 5:05 p.m. on requested charges that include three counts of possession of opiate/opium/narcotic or certain stimulant and one count each for distribution/possession with intent to distribute heroin/certain stimulants/fentanyl (3.5-100 grams), distribute material containing fentanyl, distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, and aggravated endangering of a child.

&nbsp;Patterson is being held on a bond of $75,000.

Manhattan man accused of selling pills with fentanyl

SCAM ALERT: Geary County Emergency Managemwnt said that the Kansas Dept of Motor Vehicles will never send you a text message about an outstanding citation on your vehicle.  If you have grandparents, elderly parents or anyone not tech savvy help them understand to never respond to these messages or payment.  

These messages are going over cellular devices.

Scam alert

RILEY COUNTY—Three people were injured in two separate accident on Tuesday in Riley County.

Just before 11:30a.m.,&nbsp;a 2023 Hyundai Tucson driven by Dennis Ortbals, 74, of Manhattan, struck a 2024 Nissan Sentra driven by Aubrey Heier-Gonzalez, 17, of Manhattan&nbsp;in the 400 block of E. Highway 24, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Pottawatomie County EMS transported Ortbals, and a passenger in the Hyundia, Marilyn Ortbals, 72, of Manhattan, to Via Christi Hospital. Dennis Ortbals was also issued a citation for failure to yield at a stop sign.

Just after 10:30p.m., a 2015 Chevy Impala driven by Alexis Trimble, 24, of Marysville, hit two guardrails in the 17000 block of Tuttle Creek Blvd. 

Trimble was transported to Via Christi Hospital by Riley County EMS for her injuries. The RCPD released no additional details.

3 hospitalized after 2 separate accidents in Riley County

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a Fire Weather Watch for low relative humidity, strong wind gusts and dry fuels, which is in effect from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening. * 

AFFECTED AREA COUNTIES... Republic, Washington, Marshall, Nemaha, Brown, Cloud, Clay, Riley, Pottawatomie, Jackson, Ottawa, Dickinson and Geary.&nbsp;

&nbsp;WINDS...Southwest 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 18 percent. * TEMPERATURES...Up to 67. * 

IMPACTS...Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

Fire Weather Watch for Thursday

I.C.A.R.E. announced that 16-year-old Sean Mueller has joined The I.C.A.R.E. Organization’s board of directors. Sean’s involvement will support&nbsp; expanding initiatives to build positive relationships between youth and older adults through intergenerational interaction.

I.C.A.R.E. announces a new board member

Kansas lawmakers have approved legislation that would require schools across the state to limit student cell phone use during the school day.

The Kansas House on Tuesday passed House Bill 2299 by a vote of 84–39. The Kansas Senate previously approved the measure March 5 on a 32–4 vote. The bill now heads to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly for consideration.

If signed into law, the legislation would require Kansas school districts and accredited private schools to adopt policies restricting student cell phone use during school hours. Supporters say the move is aimed at reducing classroom distractions and improving student focus.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Sedgwick County, said the legislation is intended to address growing concerns about the impact smartphones and social media have on students’ learning and mental health.

House Majority Leader Chris Croft, a Republican from Johnson County, also voiced support for the bill, calling cell phone use a significant challenge for educators.

However, some lawmakers questioned whether the issue should be handled at the state level.

Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Democrat from Overland Park, said many school districts have already begun addressing student cell phone use through local policies.

Gov. Kelly can sign the bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature. If she vetoes the measure, lawmakers would need a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers to override the veto.

The proposal reflects a broader national trend as states and school districts consider stricter rules on student smartphone use in classrooms. Supporters say the policies help restore focus to learning environments, while critics argue local districts should retain flexibility in determining how to manage devices in schools.

Legislature sends school cell phone use bill to governor's desk

The Flint Hills Discovery Center (FHDC) in Manhattan will present the 11th annual Meet the Makers event&nbsp;Monday through Friday,&nbsp;March 16&nbsp;through 20. 

Each day&nbsp;a local creator, crafter, or maker will present live demonstrations of their work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the first-floor atrium of the Discovery Center in Manhattan. Visitors are encouraged&nbsp;to interact with the artists, ask questions, and see their work come to life.

Meet the Makers is free and open to the public. Those wanting to explore the exhibits beyond the atrium at the FHDC must pay the general admission fee. Some artists may have items for sale.

Meet the Makers is set for the Discovery Center

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCHSUSD475?__cft__[0]=AZbX7_9-zRgmN_Imkif9v9cmOML-gOKmEAgm1-bL9J4asGgsh-KZ-0jUJvGeCv7i2EiSff6qdJQOicKF0d3n2RiZFeDBq_ZI9CvH9yZYQe8cFcBcCu1O35qLOe7p_Gq1hj7M8TpsaTv3UxuUrPVNoUWYJAxbUkWm7v1DjWuit_rGM-W6eEN8TZfSzjjU1hR0C4KcAkdn9BwrS03aWeR_U15jxqX4bYZhF0UEe9_HwU_pQQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Junction City High School USD 475</a> band standouts Keith Thompson, Migyelle Buentipo Ganuelas and Zachary Roberts claimed 2026 All-State accolades by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ksmea?__cft__[0]=AZbX7_9-zRgmN_Imkif9v9cmOML-gOKmEAgm1-bL9J4asGgsh-KZ-0jUJvGeCv7i2EiSff6qdJQOicKF0d3n2RiZFeDBq_ZI9CvH9yZYQe8cFcBcCu1O35qLOe7p_Gq1hj7M8TpsaTv3UxuUrPVNoUWYJAxbUkWm7v1DjWuit_rGM-W6eEN8TZfSzjjU1hR0C4KcAkdn9BwrS03aWeR_U15jxqX4bYZhF0UEe9_HwU_pQQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Kansas Music Educators Association</a>.

Thompson, a sophomore, earned All-State Full Orchestra honors in flute, while Buentipo Ganuelas, a junior, was named to the All-State String Orchestra in violin. Finally, Roberts, a freshman, collected all-state in band as a tuba player.

JCHS band standouts receive 2026 All-State recognition 

RILEY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Monday in Riley County.

According to the Riley County Police Department activity report,&nbsp;a 2026 Chevy Colorado driven by Lily Dorio, 19, of Manhattan, struck a 2021 Kia Sorento driven by Kaleigh Evans, 30, of Junction City,&nbsp;near Casement Road and Hayes Drive.

Riley County EMS transported Evans to Via Christi Hospital. Dorio was issued a citation for failing to stop at a stop sign.

Junction City woman injured after 2-vehicle crash

Pawnee Mental Health has announced the promotion of Diane “Di” Hinrichs-Toburen to the position of Chief Advancement and Engagement Officer.

Hinrichs-Toburen has been an integral part of Pawnee’s leadership since 2016, when she was appointed to the Governing Board representing Pottawatomie County. In 2018, she joined the organization’s staff as Development Manager and, in 2019, was promoted to Director of Marketing and Development.

Before joining Pawnee Mental Health, Hinrichs-Toburen served as Director of Highland Community College – Wamego, business analyst at Washburn University, and held roles as Functional Reporting Analyst and Director of Donor Relations at the Kansas State University Foundation.

Since joining Pawnee Mental Health, Hinrichs-Toburen has overseen the growth of private and grant funding by millions of dollars, led the development of successful annual fundraising events, strengthened donor communications, and implemented standardized marketing strategies that have expanded the organization’s reach and impact.

In her new role, Hinrichs-Toburen will lead strategies to increase visibility, strengthen partnerships and drive sustainable philanthropic growth. She will oversee philanthropy, marketing and communications, grant and business development, donor relations, and internal process improvements to enhance Pawnee’s impact and client experience.

Pawnee Mental Health promotes Diane “Di” Hinrichs-Toburen to Chief Advancement and Engagement Officer

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LEAVENWORTH — CoreCivic will reopen its private prison in Leavenworth to house immigration detainees after city commissioners approved the company’s special use permit on Tuesday, the result of a process one commissioner called “agonizing.”

One person was arrested and multiple people were ejected as they shouted profanity during an hour of public comments and 30 minutes of discussion before the city commission voted 4 to 1 to approve the permit.

CoreCivic and the city of Leavenworth have been fighting for a year as the company sought to reopen the prison it closed in 2021. With&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/30/corecivic-inks-new-contract-with-ice-while-awaiting-legal-decisions-on-kansas-prison/">a $60 million</a>&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement annual contract in hand, the Nashville-based private prison company tried through the courts to reopen without going through the city’s development process.

Brian Todd, a CoreCivic spokesman, said in a statement that ICE officials would decide when the Midwest Regional Reception Center will begin housing detainees.

“As we have from the start, CoreCivic remains committed to operating a safe, transparent and accountable facility,” he said. “We look forward to our continued partnership with the city and to the benefits the MRRC will bring to Leavenworth and the surrounding communities.”

The vote was a second — and final — consideration of CoreCivic’s special use permit, which sets regulations for how the prison will operate and oversight the city will provide.

Commissioner Rebecca Hollister was the sole vote against the permit, as she was during the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/25/after-marathon-meeting-corecivic-moves-closer-to-reopening-leavenworth-prison/">first consideration on Feb. 24</a>.

Hollister said specific issues outlined in the permit caused her to vote no, including a clause that requires breaches of the agreement to continue for 30 days after a notice before termination could occur.

“There have been valid concerns regarding potential violations that occur intermittently, but not necessarily for 30 days continuously,” she said.

Hollister said CoreCivic officials answered her questions and invited her into the facility, but that she believes the company’s promise of transparency and cooperation “requires a high level of trust” that is difficult for her to have, especially given the company’s problems at other facilities.

“With the knowledge I have right now, I just do not have sufficient faith that their operation would meet all the ‘golden factors’ in development regulations,” she said. “I hope to be wrong, and I think that’s possible based on my last positive conversations with staff.”

Two commissioners made it clear their positive votes swung on fiscal responsibility.

“This has been an agonizing process,” said Commissioner Joe Wilson. “Everybody wants to make this morality over fiduciary responsibility, but I think there is a real risk to the future of the city, based on how the vote turns out that has to be considered, that could have long-term ramifications for our children, for our tax base, for our law enforcement and our firefighters and the services that we can provide.”

Commissioner Holly Pittman agreed, saying leadership doesn’t mean choosing an easy path.

She was mayor last year for much of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/federal-government-accuses-kansas-town-of-aggressive-and-unlawful-interference-in-corecivic-operations/">city’s court fights</a>&nbsp;with CoreCivic and was the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/16/dark-money-ads-target-kansas-mayor-after-town-pushed-back-against-private-prison/">dark-money political ads</a>&nbsp;accusing her of holding back progress by forcing CoreCivic to go through the special permit process.

Pittman said the vote wasn’t about immigration policy or national politics, or whether she or anyone else dislikes CoreCivice.

“It is a land use decision governed by law and by the constraints of our political authority,” she said. “After reviewing all the legal framework, the zoning standards and the court rulings, I believe denying this permit would expose our taxpayers to a significant financial risk, and I will not gamble the financial stability of this city.”

Mayor Nancy Bauder said Leavenworth didn’t have a permit when CoreCivic was previously open and if the company violates it, the city can pull the permit.

Commissioner Samuel Maxwell declined to comment.

More than 115 people signed up to speak, but Bauder limited public comment to one hour, which allowed about 45 people to speak, three of whom were in favor of approving the special use permit.

At the February meeting, public comment lasted three hours.

Bauder said commissioners offered multiple opportunities for residents to share their views over the past year, and typically on second consideration of a special use permit, they don’t take public comment.

Many people ceded their time to others with simple statements asking the commissioners to vote against the permit. Others were passionate in their opinions about how CoreCivic and ICE’s presence would change Leavenworth.

“They drug you through the mud by the scalp face first for a year, and I will not see you bend a knee now,” said John Watt, of Junction City. “Stand up.”

Watt expressed a concern echoed by others that once the company is open and holding ICE detainees it will be difficult to enforce stipulations in the permit.

“Like a bloated tick, they’re going to get their head in and they’re going to swell up on those tax dollars and it will be very difficult to get them to move,” he said.

Some acknowledged the challenge facing commissioners.

“Unfortunately, CoreCivic has now put you in a position where your responsibilities to the city’s finances now lie in direct opposition to the responsibilities that you have as leaders to protect our people and our community,” said Daniel McIntosh, of Leavenworth.

The equation comes down to assessing risk, he said.

“If you vote yes, you lessen the risk to the immediate situation of the city’s finances, but you also place at risk the health, safety, welfare and liberty of individuals in that facility and outside,” McIntosh said. “While we appreciate the efforts you’ve taken to mitigate those risks, you run the risk that any oversight granted by this permit may not be enforceable at all.”

After the commission meeting ended, police took CreCivic officials and commissioners out through side doors to avoid the angry crowd of about 150 people who gathered outside, shouting “shame” repeatedly.

William Rogers, a former CoreCivic employee who has been active in protesting the company’s attempts to reopen, said before the commission meeting that he expected the permit to pass. He has little hope CoreCivic will treat incarcerated people better than in the past.

Rogers pointed to the recent death of Emmanuel Damas, an immigrant applying for asylum, who was arrested by ICE in Boston last year. Damas died from an infected tooth and the resulting sepsis infection after being held at the Florence Detention Center in Arizona, which is owned by CoreCivic.

Damas’ death reminded Rogers of the exact same situation that occurred when he was a prison guard at CoreCivic’s facility in Leavenworth. Rogers said he repeatedly sought medical treatment for a prisoner with an infected tooth and was ignored. He was off one day and returned to find the prisoner was in the hospital, near death from sepsis, Rogers said.

The prisoner lived, but Roger said he saw repeated instances like that while working at CoreCivic and that it makes him dread the future for the facility.

He also is concerned about the effects of a larger ICE presence in Leavenworth on people of different ethnicities.

“Let’s just call it what it is —- this is an attack on the brown people,” he said. “In the Hispanic community, people are afraid to come out. It doesn’t matter what their status is right now.”

Rogers said people who are doing everything they are supposed to and are here as asylum seekers are being put in jail by ICE.

At the gathering after the commission meeting, speakers stood to express their frustration but also to offer encouragement.

“Our work here, throughout the entire three years that we’ve been involved in this, is not in vain,” said Karla Juarez, executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. “I see new faces. I see new people advocating. New people making public comments. New people, actually a lot of people who believed that CoreCivic should open, now on our side.”

Leavenworth officials approve permit for CoreCivic to reopen prison for ICE detainees

JOHNSON COUNTY —Fire crews responded to a house fire during a hail storm Tuesday night.

Just after 9p.m. firefighters at a “lightning strike investigation” found a fire in the basement near 172nd Place and Hall Street in Olathe, according to a social media report.

 The fire was quickly stopped. Damage to the home’s electrical system is significant. There were no injuries. Two people and their dogs are temporarily displaced.

🎥Crews fight Kansas house fire during hail storm

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man was taken into custody on Wednesday after driving his van into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.

The Secret Service said the man crashed into the temporary security barrier just before 6:30 a.m. He was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.

The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was being interviewed by investigators. Criminal charges were pending, the Secret Service said.

A police bomb squad was called to the scene, checked the vehicle and determined it to be safe.

Van crashed into security gate outside White House, driver arrested

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the area of 55th and Chestnut Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived, they located a man lying in a grassy area, unresponsive, and suffering from gunshot trauma. The victim was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Officers on scene were updated later he was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives continue working to determine what led up to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest and did not release the name of the victim.

&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide at this time and is ongoing.&nbsp;

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KCPD looking for witnesses in man's shooting death

WASHINGTON (AP) — Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday that the Senate will consider a bill to impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/midterms-voting-laws-photo-id-citizenship-republicans-feecb51a6efa41cf32d18fe4b15c08ce">strict new proof-of-citizenship requirements</a>&nbsp;in elections, but says “the votes aren’t there” to pass it through a marathon talking filibuster sought by President Donald Trump.

Trump has said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gop-save-bill-citizenship-id-filibuster-744071b0a3c86ef64aa19aeb3b552509">won’t sign any other legislation</a>&nbsp;until the bill — known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-save-act-citizenship-voting-elections-a37c139461d11eb5f82086680b67ffe7">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility</a>&nbsp;or SAVE America Act — is passed. But it faces unified opposition from Democrats, meaning that the Senate can’t pass it unless Republicans change the rules and eliminate the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-filibuster-shutdown-congress-2b46e610460d1c2448c3c7c816454de6">filibuster</a>.

Thune has said there aren’t enough votes to do that, or to launch a talking filibuster that would force Democrats to hold the floor indefinitely to block the bill.

“That is just a function of math,” Thune told reporters on Tuesday, making his strongest statements yet after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-bill-citizenship-senate-thune-trump-3709f2bd02d2c841e16d501529ec9198">weeks of discussions</a>&nbsp;among GOP senators. “For better or worse, I’m the one who has to be a clear-eyed realist about what we can achieve here.”

Republican senators are discussing, instead, voting on the legislation as soon as next week under regular procedure — meaning it will likely fail. Thune said that Republicans are “going to have a fight on the floor” and will force Democrats to vote on “whether they think noncitizens should vote in American elections.”

Trump’s aggressive effort to dictate Senate procedure has put Thune in an awkward position as he has tried to appease the president and increasingly angry base voters who have called for Republicans to do whatever they can to pass it ahead of the midterm elections. But most Republican senators appear to be backing Thune’s approach.

“There’s been enough dithering,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.. “It’s time to go and let the chips fall where they may.”

Trump has made the SAVE America Act a priority ahead of the midterm elections, arguing that Republicans need it to win — even as his party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-trump-election-certification-capitol-b8284b9b6b22f78ab7f23f8c8b3c3da3">won the presidency</a>&nbsp;and congressional majorities in 2024 without it. Federal law already requires that voters in national elections be U.S. citizens.

“It’ll guarantee the midterms,” he told House Republicans Monday at their annual retreat at his Florida golf club. “If you don’t get it, big trouble.”

But Trump's push is running into the realities of the Senate, where minority Democrats can filibuster any piece of legislation and force Republicans to find 60 votes when they only hold 53 seats. Democrats uniformly oppose the legislation, arguing that it would disenfranchise some 20 million American voters who don’t have birth certificates or other documents readily available.

Republicans could change the rules and eliminate the filibuster to pass it, or they could attempt the talking filibuster. But Thune says they don’t have enough support within the GOP conference to do either.

Even if they did, a talking filibuster would not guarantee passage. Supporters of that approach say that Democrats would eventually tire of speaking or allow the legislation to pass. But Democrats would also be allowed to bring up an indefinite number of amendments on any subject, forcing Republicans to take hard votes in an election year and delaying the process even more.

“We can’t find a piece of legislation in history that’s been passed that way,” Thune said this week.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who has led the talking filibuster push with Trump, posted on X Tuesday that the “Senate should do everything it can in an effort to pass” the bill.

“While passage isn’t guaranteed, we can be certain that failure will be the outcome if we don’t try," Lee wrote.

But leaving a GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, several senators said it was time to move on the legislation, even if they couldn’t accommodate the president’s procedural demands.

“I think we just go ahead and try to get on the bill,” said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas.

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson suggested that they should debate the bill on the floor for an extended time. There should not be a “one and done vote,” he said.

“Our base would scream about that and that wouldn’t be smart,” Johnson said.

There was little anger at Thune, as many of his GOP colleagues agree that eliminating the filibuster would be unwise and the talking filibuster would be risky. Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-filibuster-resistance-senate-thune-shutdown-e2facc2a1a32811d294b1bd16853f307">long pushed back on efforts to “nuke” the filibuster</a>, arguing that minority rights need to be preserved for legislation.

“There’s a right way to do it, there’s a wrong way to do it,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “Nuking the filibuster doesn’t work. The talking filibuster would be a goat rodeo.”

Tillis said Thune “has the toughest job in Washington, D.C. He’s doing just fine. And he, quite honestly, has taken on a lot for the members.”

Trump said over the weekend that he also wants to add new priorities to the legislation, including a ban on mail-in ballots that he has pushed since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-fbi-seize-georgia-ballots-fulton-county-87300edb3ea86961c69132e6a2dfd6e8">losing the 2020 presidential election</a>. He said he also wants to add on two unrelated provisions around transgender rights issues — one that would ban those born as men from playing in women’s sports and another to block sex reassignment surgeries on some minors.

“Let’s go for the gold,” Trump told the House Republicans.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday at the Florida retreat that they are “looking at mechanisms” to do that, even though the House has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/midterms-voting-laws-photo-id-citizenship-republicans-feecb51a6efa41cf32d18fe4b15c08ce">passed the bill</a>&nbsp;and sent it to the Senate. But it’s unclear if a ban on mail-in ballots would pass the House, as they are popular in many states.

Thune said that the House would probably have to pass a new bill to add those issues.

“It would probably make sense for them to send over another version,” he said.

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Steven Sloan in Doral, Florida contributed to this report.

Senate to consider voting bill co-sponsored by Kan. U.S. Senator

LYON COUNTY —A Kansas Highway Trooper in southeast Kansas stopped a car for failing to maintain its lane, according to a social media report from the patrol

During the stop, he noticed blood on the outside of the bed of the truck and upon further investigation, located a deceased buck which had just been poached. 

The Trooper contacted Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was to assist. The game warden seized 2 rifles and the poachers were given over $5,500 in fines.

Kansas game warden seized rifles and issued fines after traffic stop

SHAWNEE COUNTY. —Law enforcement are investigating a violent domestic incident and have made an arrest.

Just after 3:38 p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported domestic disturbance in the 4200 block of SE 85th Street in rural Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the incident, a 61-year-old man sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being physically assaulted by his daughter. During the disturbance, the suspect, later identified as 39-year-old&nbsp;Chelsea M. Sinning of Berryton, Kansas,&nbsp;also discharged a firearm in the victim’s direction, striking the cell phone he was holding.

Deputies responded to the area and began searching for Sinning. At approximately 4:42 p.m., Sinning was located and taken into custody in the 2100 block of SW 66th Street. The firearm involved was also recovered.

Deputies arrested Sinning and booked her into the Shawnee County

Department of Corrections on requested charges of Attempted murder in the 1st degree; intentional and premeditated, Aggravated assault; use of a deadly weapon,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal damage to property,&nbsp;&nbsp;Domestic battery, Possession of marijuana and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.

Kansas woman jailed for alleged violent attack on her father

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects involved in a chase and crash involving an SUV stolen from a dealership.

Just after 9:30a.m. Tuesday, Kansas City Police officers were pursuing a stolen blue Ford Explorer that was involved in numerous property crimes, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

The stolen Ford was traveling westbound on Independence Avenue at a high rate of speed. The driver attempted to make a left turn from Independence Avenue onto southbound Indiana. As the driver was making the turn, the SUV went into a slide and struck the curb. The Ford overturned, striking a wooden electrical pole and the east side of the building at&nbsp;3253 Independence Avenue. 

The driver of the Ford sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The front seat passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries but refused medical treatment/transport at the scene. 

The building and electrical pole sustained minor damage from the crash. The driver was reported in stable condition. There were no injuries to any of the involved officers and or uninvolved civilians as a result of the pursuit, according to&nbsp;Gonzalez.

KCPD: Driver hospitalized after police chase, crash with stolen SUV 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">took out multiple Iranian vessels</a>&nbsp;Tuesday as the Islamic Republic vowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-gas-infrastructure-iran-war-persian-gulf-24c4b439d2c6a5b571fea90e4d1227d8">block the region's oil exports</a>&nbsp;and concerns grew about the country's threats to stop tankers from using a waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil is shipped.

The U.S. destroyed 16 mine-laying Iranian vessels, though President Donald Trump said in social media posts that there were no reports of Iran planting explosives in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-strait-hormuz-us-protests-persian-gulf-db7159d715453977279ab9cfd918e6e4">Strait of Hormuz</a>.

The American military released the figure, along with unclassified footage of some of the vessels, after Trump earlier warned Iran against laying mines in the strait.

Both sides sharpened their rhetoric as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump--03-10-2026">the war entered its 11th day</a>&nbsp;with Trump threatening to hit Iran at “a level never seen before” if the country failed to immediately remove any mines it might have deployed in the channel.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised the most intense strikes yet while the Pentagon detailed the broader toll of injuries sustained by U.S. troops.

The conflict's effects rippled across the Middle East&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-oil-prices-gasoline-economy-consumers-a5b47c09f83406adf2a00616382003f6">and beyond</a>. Iranian leaders ruled out talks, threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;and launched new attacks against Israel and Gulf Arab countries.

In Iran, residents of Tehran said they experienced some of the war's heaviest strikes. A woman said she saw a residential building get hit. She and others reached by The Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity to prevent reprisals. Tens of thousands of Iranians have sought shelter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iranians-fleeing-war-73ed7f61f88e411b5fb13a888eb45cb3">in the countryside</a>.

🎥New details as US strikes 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal apartment fire in Topeka have&nbsp;identified the woman who died as Lynette Newman, 60, of Topeka, according to a statement released Tuesday from the Topeka Fire Department.

Just after 9p.m. March 4, crews&nbsp;responded to an apartment fire located at 715 SW Western Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp;

Crews reported on arrival that there was heavy smoke coming from the multi-family apartment complex. Firefighters began an aggressive interior attack on the fire from within the structure. Firefighters rescued several residents from the structure. Four people were transported to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries.

Newman was pronounced deceased at the scene. 9 apartment units were displaced by the fire.

&nbsp;The preliminary cause of the fire was determined unattended cooking and not an accidental electrical fire.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details on Tuesday.

Kansas woman identified as victim in deadly apartment fire

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — AJ Dybantsa had 40 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and No. 10 seed BYU use a big second-half run to break open a close game with No. 15 seed Kansas State and roll to a 105-91 victory in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.

Robert Wright III added 14 points and six assists, and Kennard Davis Jr. had 15 points for the Cougars (22-10), who set a single-game tournament scoring record while advancing to play seventh-seeded West Virginia on Wednesday night.

P.J. Haggerty matched Dybantsa into the second half and finished with 27 points for the Wildcats (12-20), who played their final game for interim coach Matthew Driscoll, who had taken control of the program after the firing of Jerome Tang last month.

Nate Johnson had 19 points for Kansas State. Khamari McGriff finished with 13.

The fact that BYU was playing at all Tuesday night was somewhat surprising.

Dybantsa could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft this year. Wright has been a star in his own right. At one point early in the season, the Cougars were ranked seventh in the AP Top 25 and living up to the lofty expectations of their expensive lineup.

But things went sideways beginning with a four-game skid in January and February, and floor leader Richie Saunders was lost for the rest of the season to a torn ACL. The Cougars lost three of their last four games, and tiebreakers put them at the No. 10 seed.

They jumped out to a quick lead Tuesday night, though, as Haggerty and Dybantsa began to duel. And while they led just 50-49 at the break, the Cougars went on a 17-2 run beginning with about 9 1/2 minutes to play that allowed them to pull away.

The Cougars march on to face West Virginia, which beat them 79-71 a couple of weeks ago.

Kansas State turns its focus toward hiring its next permanent coach.

🏀 Despite 27 from P.J. Haggerty K-State falls to BYU in Big 12 Tournament

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior guard P.J. Haggerty was named to the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team, as the conference announced its annual men’s basketball awards on Monday (March 9).

It marked the third time in Haggerty’s career that he earned all-conference honors after being an All-AAC Third Team selection at Tulsa in 2023-24 and a unanimous All-AAC First Team pick at Memphis in 2024-25. He was also the AAC’s Player of the Year in 2024-25 and the league's Freshman of the Year in 2023-24.

Big 12 regular season champion Arizona headlined the individual awards, as senior Jaden Bradley was the league Player of the Year and senior Tobe Awaka was the Sixth Man of the Year, while head coach Tommy Lloyd was named the Coach of the Year for the first time. Kansas had both the Defensive Player of the Year (Flory Bidunga) and Newcomer of the Year (Melvin Council Jr.), while BYU’s AJ Dybantsa was the Freshman of the Year and Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson was Most Improved. Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey was the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The All-Big 12 awards are selected by league’s 16 coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.

The nation’s No. 4 scorers at 23.3 points per game, Haggerty has scored in double figures in all 30 games he has played this season, which includes 22 games of 20 or more points and five games of 30 or more points. He is the first Wildcat since Jacob Pullen in 2009-10 to score in double figures in 30 consecutive&nbsp; games, while his 698 points are the fifth-most in a single season.

Haggerty’s 22 games of 20 or more points tied the legendary Bob Boozer (1958-59) for the second-most in school history, while his five 30-point games are the fifth-most in school history and the most since Michael Beasley set the school record with 13 in 2007-08.

Haggerty reached a career milestone at Houston on Feb. 14 when he became the fifth current Division I player to eclipse 2,000 career points.

For the season, Haggerty is averaging 23.3 points per game on 49.3 percent (263-of-534) shooting, including 34.5 percent (38-of-110) from 3-point range, with 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 35.1 minutes per game.

Haggerty and the Wildcats are the No. 15 seed at this week’s Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament and will face 10-seed BYU (21-10, 9-9 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on Tuesday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The winner will get No. 7 seed West Virginia (18-13, 9-9 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on Wednesday.

2026 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards

Player of the Year: Jaden Bradley, Arizona

Defensive Player of the Year: Flory Bidunga, Kansas

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

Newcomer of the Year: Melvin Council Jr., Kansas

Most Improved: Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

A tie resulted in an extra position on the team

🏀 Haggerty Named to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team

The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association (KWCA) and the Shrine Bowl of Kansas have announced the high school senior wrestlers who have accepted their invitation to wrestle in the 3rd annual KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals. &nbsp;The KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals will be held on Saturday, March 28th, 2026, at Fugate Gymnasium on the campus of Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. Gates open at 1:00 pm and the opening ceremony will begin at 2:00 pm. Tickets, event information, and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.KansasShrineDuals.com.

Selected from Junction City was a member of the Lady Jay team, Bree Villaneuva. She went 36-0 and was a state champion for JCHS at 117 pounds.

The KWCA selections for the 2026 rosters include 22 state champions from this year’s KSHSAA State Championships, along with an additional 11 state finalists and 54 overall 2026 state medalists. The coaches selected by the KWCA for this year’s event are Billy Broeckelman (Norton HS) and Paul Lappin (Garden City HS) for the West team and Adam Ludwin (Tonganoxie HS) and Brett Delich (Tonganoxie HS) for the East team. Wrestler selections are finalized by the KWCA after a review of applications submitted by wrestlers and are contingent upon that wrestler’s acceptance of the invitation. The East/West dividing line used to assign wrestlers to the East or West team is marked by the territories of the five Kansas Shrine Centers, however, some exceptions are made to ensure fulfillment of all weight classes. The rosters are subject to change and the final official match pairings will be determined and released the week of the event.

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