HARVEY COUNTY —A Newton woman died in a house fire late Sunday morning in the 500 block of West Fourth Street , according to a statement from Newton Fire and EMS.

Just after 11:30 a.m.&nbsp; crews responded to the call and found the home engulfed in fire and smoke. An active power line was on the ground. Crews pushed through the fire and found the woman inside. She has been identified as Susan Taylor, 74. Two dogs also died in the fire. 

The fire was extinguished but caused heavy damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773605631515.png" alt="Photo Newton Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —A Newton woman died in a house fire late Sunday morning in the 500 block of West Fourth Street , according to a statement from Newton Fire and EMS.Just after 11:30 a.m.&nbsp; crews responded to the call and found the home engulfed in fire and smoke. An active power line was on the ground. Crews pushed through the fire and found the woman inside. She has been identified as Susan Taylor, 74. Two dogs also died in the fire. The fire was extinguished but caused heavy damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Kansas woman, her two dogs killed in house fire

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. flu season winds down, health officials say the flu vaccine didn’t work very well, with one of its worst effectiveness rates in more than a decade.

A new strain that dominated the early winter was not well matched to the vaccine, leading to an intense early onslaught of flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2026-week-09.html" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;that showed a continued decline in doctor’s office and hospital visits for flu symptoms through last week. The number of states reporting high flu activity dropped to 16, many of them in a belt stretching from Colorado to Virginia.

“The winter respiratory virus season is slowly coming to a close, and we’re all very grateful for that,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert.

This season’s vaccines were around 25% to 30% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7509a2.htm?s_cid=OS_mm7509a2_w" target="_blank">CDC report</a>&nbsp;this week. Children who were vaccinated were about 40% less likely to get treatment at a doctor’s office or hospital.

Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective. Judging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/php/effectiveness-studies/index.html" target="_blank">past CDC research</a>, this season saw one of the lowest effectiveness rates in the last two decades.

Flu infections&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-flu-cases-cdc-subclade-k-29cc5a68eb100585c8e0dbd2ec47b3eb">surged in late December</a>&nbsp;and were especially intense in some parts of the country. New York City health officials called it the most intense season in 20 years.

Relatively low flu vaccination rates did not help, but experts also blamed the new flu strain that was causing most infections.

The new strain belonged to a category of flu virus, called A H3N2. This new version, subclade K, seemed to spread more easily — though it did not necessarily cause more severe illness.

The vaccine available for this season was built to address a different version of H3N2, and the new strain’s explosion is a likely explanation for why the vaccine was less effective, Schaffner said.

CDC scientists estimate there have been at least 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 deaths from flu so far this season. At the same point last year, the estimates were at least 40 million illnesses, 520,000 hospitalizations, but about the same number of deaths.

At least 101 children have died so far this season. For those whose vaccination status is known, about 85% were not fully vaccinated against flu.

The flu vaccine may not protect everyone from getting sick, but it can prevent people from becoming severely ill and dying. That’s why getting a flu shot remains worthwhile, Schaffner said.

CDC data suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/adult-coverage.html" target="_blank">adult vaccination rates</a>&nbsp;are up slightly this season, to 46.5%, following an unusually bad season last year that set a record for the most child deaths this century.

An estimated 48% of U.S. kids were vaccinated against flu around the end of last month. That’s about the same as last year, but down from the 52% vaccinated at this point in 2024, according to CDC data.

Starting in 2010, the government recommended annual flu vaccinations for Americans 6 months and older. In January, however, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccine-schedule-trump-rfk-hhs-9b8df9e2767c1261aaac4e2331e77fa3">stopped broadly recommending</a>&nbsp;flu shots for all children, saying instead that it’s up to parents and family doctors to decide.

Meanwhile, work is already underway for next winter’s flu season. Last month, the World Health Organization announced its recommendations for which virus strains to address in the vaccines for the 2026-27 northern hemisphere flu season. The vaccines should be built to handle subclade K, the organization said. This week, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee endorsed the WHO recommendations.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773501065010.png" alt="CDC Flu map from late December 2025" />
 <figcaption>CDC Flu map from late December 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. flu season winds down, health officials say the flu vaccine didn’t work very well, with one of its worst effectiveness rates in more than a decade.A new strain that dominated the early winter was not well matched to the vaccine, leading to an intense early onslaught of flu.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2026-week-09.html" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;that showed a continued decline in doctor’s office and hospital visits for flu symptoms through last week. The number of states reporting high flu activity dropped to 16, many of them in a belt stretching from Colorado to Virginia.“The winter respiratory virus season is slowly coming to a close, and we’re all very grateful for that,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert.This season’s vaccines were around 25% to 30% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7509a2.htm?s_cid=OS_mm7509a2_w" target="_blank">CDC report</a>&nbsp;this week. Children who were vaccinated were about 40% less likely to get treatment at a doctor’s office or hospital.Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective. Judging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/php/effectiveness-studies/index.html" target="_blank">past CDC research</a>, this season saw one of the lowest effectiveness rates in the last two decades.Flu infections&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-flu-cases-cdc-subclade-k-29cc5a68eb100585c8e0dbd2ec47b3eb">surged in late December</a>&nbsp;and were especially intense in some parts of the country. New York City health officials called it the most intense season in 20 years.Relatively low flu vaccination rates did not help, but experts also blamed the new flu strain that was causing most infections.The new strain belonged to a category of flu virus, called A H3N2. This new version, subclade K, seemed to spread more easily — though it did not necessarily cause more severe illness.The vaccine available for this season was built to address a different version of H3N2, and the new strain’s explosion is a likely explanation for why the vaccine was less effective, Schaffner said.CDC scientists estimate there have been at least 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 deaths from flu so far this season. At the same point last year, the estimates were at least 40 million illnesses, 520,000 hospitalizations, but about the same number of deaths.At least 101 children have died so far this season. For those whose vaccination status is known, about 85% were not fully vaccinated against flu.The flu vaccine may not protect everyone from getting sick, but it can prevent people from becoming severely ill and dying. That’s why getting a flu shot remains worthwhile, Schaffner said.CDC data suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/adult-coverage.html" target="_blank">adult vaccination rates</a>&nbsp;are up slightly this season, to 46.5%, following an unusually bad season last year that set a record for the most child deaths this century.An estimated 48% of U.S. kids were vaccinated against flu around the end of last month. That’s about the same as last year, but down from the 52% vaccinated at this point in 2024, according to CDC data.Starting in 2010, the government recommended annual flu vaccinations for Americans 6 months and older. In January, however, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccine-schedule-trump-rfk-hhs-9b8df9e2767c1261aaac4e2331e77fa3">stopped broadly recommending</a>&nbsp;flu shots for all children, saying instead that it’s up to parents and family doctors to decide.Meanwhile, work is already underway for next winter’s flu season. Last month, the World Health Organization announced its recommendations for which virus strains to address in the vaccines for the 2026-27 northern hemisphere flu season. The vaccines should be built to handle subclade K, the organization said. This week, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee endorsed the WHO recommendations.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Officials found flu vaccines didn't work that well in the US

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian early Sunday morning near the Sedgwick County Zoo.

At about 12:06 a.m., deputies along with Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded to a report of a pickup truck striking a pedestrian in the 5800 block of West Windmill Road, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt. Witnesses stopped to assist and called 911 after the pickup truck left the scene.

Despite life-saving measures, the pedestrian, a 29-year-old Wichita man, died at the scene.

Based on preliminary findings and debris recovered at the scene, the suspect vehicle is believed to be a black Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, model years 2013 through 2022. The truck was last seen traveling westbound on Windmill Road toward 13th Street North and Ridge Road and is expected to have noticeable damage to the front driver’s side, including a broken grille.

The Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Team and detectives are continuing to investigate.

Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact the Major Crash Team at 316-660-3760 or Sheriff’s Investigations at 316-660-5300. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County by calling 316-267-2111 or by using the P3 Tips app.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian early Sunday morning near the Sedgwick County Zoo.At about 12:06 a.m., deputies along with Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded to a report of a pickup truck striking a pedestrian in the 5800 block of West Windmill Road, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt. Witnesses stopped to assist and called 911 after the pickup truck left the scene.Despite life-saving measures, the pedestrian, a 29-year-old Wichita man, died at the scene.Based on preliminary findings and debris recovered at the scene, the suspect vehicle is believed to be a black Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, model years 2013 through 2022. The truck was last seen traveling westbound on Windmill Road toward 13th Street North and Ridge Road and is expected to have noticeable damage to the front driver’s side, including a broken grille.The Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Team and detectives are continuing to investigate.Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact the Major Crash Team at 316-660-3760 or Sheriff’s Investigations at 316-660-5300. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County by calling 316-267-2111 or by using the P3 Tips app.

Police looking for pickup in deadly Kan. hit-and-run

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — High winds fueled multiple wildfires across a broad swath of Nebraska’s range and grassland, causing one death in Arthur County, officials said. The victim was not immediately identified, and the sheriff’s office did not disclose other details about the death.

What state officials have dubbed the Morrill County fire has burned at least 735 square miles (about 1,880 square kilometers) so far across four counties. At least 12 structures have been destroyed, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.

Chelle Ladely of Sidney said her home was currently safe, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of the nearest fire. But she worries for other friends and family in the area.

“Smoke is filling the air, and at night I can see the burn of the fires on the horizon,” Ladely said. “My father is a crop agronomist, and his company as well as other local farmers are all gathering their water trucks to help aid with the fires, and truckloads of bottled water and food is being supplied by our good patrons for our volunteer firemen trying to extinguish the blazes.”

Several other wildfires pushed by winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) burned another 225 square miles (about 580 square kilometers) for a total of nearly 938 square miles (about 2,430 square kilometers) by midday Saturday. The strong winds have kept firefighters from containing any of the fires, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said. Gov. Jim Pillen toured areas burned by the Morrill County fire.

Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power Saturday after high winds raked eastward from the Great Lakes region, leaving trees down and substantial property damage in their wake. Farther west, at least one person died in a massive wind-driven wildfire in Nebraska.

About 346,00 customers were still without electricity as of the late afternoon in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

A 66 mph (106 kph) gust at Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday was deemed its fourth-strongest on record that was not caused by a thunderstorm, according to the National Weather Service. Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport saw winds hit 85 mph (137 km) that afternoon.

Winds took down a gas station canopy in New Franklin, Ohio, and an auto parts store sign in Baldwin, Pennsylvania. Trees and tree limbs fell into or onto homes and cars from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The roof of a school building in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois, was severely damaged by wind.

In Chicago, thousands of revelers turned out to see the city's namesake river dyed bright green and a downtown parade celebrating the St. Patrick's Day holiday, despite the threat of snow and stiff winds that drove the feels-like temperature well below freezing.

Dangerous winds were but one piece of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-dome-snow-blizzard-cold-polar-flooding-55e3baf6877e81ee1961aade3cb361c3">wild weather mosaic</a>&nbsp;that included heavy rains in Hawaii, triple-digit heat coming next week in Phoenix and a return of winter cold to the Midwest and Northeast. Chicago was forecast to approach the single digits Fahrenheit by Tuesday, with Minneapolis seeing lows around zero (minus 18 C).

Several Minnesota cities have already declared snow emergencies starting Sunday, when what could be the season’s largest snowfall is expected to hit. Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula are also in the crosshairs.

AccuWeather warned of a “potent triple-threat March megastorm” from Sunday into Monday.

“It’s definitely a very active weather weekend, that’s for sure,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick said. “It’s a highly amplified pattern, which means you get a lot of extremes. Also, not just the Lower 48, but Hawaii’s getting hit hard right now with some very heavy rain.”

Feerick said people along the Wisconsin-Iowa border might see some ice as travel conditions become dangerous in large parts of the Upper Midwest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773543516002.jpeg" alt="Lincoln Fire and Rescue loads for a trip to western Nebraska to help fight Morrill Fire and Cottonwood Fire. Photo Lincoln Fire &amp; Rescue" />
 <figcaption>Lincoln Fire and Rescue loads for a trip to western Nebraska to help fight Morrill Fire and Cottonwood Fire. Photo Lincoln Fire &amp; Rescue</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — High winds fueled multiple wildfires across a broad swath of Nebraska’s range and grassland, causing one death in Arthur County, officials said. The victim was not immediately identified, and the sheriff’s office did not disclose other details about the death.What state officials have dubbed the Morrill County fire has burned at least 735 square miles (about 1,880 square kilometers) so far across four counties. At least 12 structures have been destroyed, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.Chelle Ladely of Sidney said her home was currently safe, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of the nearest fire. But she worries for other friends and family in the area.“Smoke is filling the air, and at night I can see the burn of the fires on the horizon,” Ladely said. “My father is a crop agronomist, and his company as well as other local farmers are all gathering their water trucks to help aid with the fires, and truckloads of bottled water and food is being supplied by our good patrons for our volunteer firemen trying to extinguish the blazes.”Several other wildfires pushed by winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) burned another 225 square miles (about 580 square kilometers) for a total of nearly 938 square miles (about 2,430 square kilometers) by midday Saturday. The strong winds have kept firefighters from containing any of the fires, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said. Gov. Jim Pillen toured areas burned by the Morrill County fire.Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power Saturday after high winds raked eastward from the Great Lakes region, leaving trees down and substantial property damage in their wake. Farther west, at least one person died in a massive wind-driven wildfire in Nebraska.About 346,00 customers were still without electricity as of the late afternoon in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.A 66 mph (106 kph) gust at Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday was deemed its fourth-strongest on record that was not caused by a thunderstorm, according to the National Weather Service. Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport saw winds hit 85 mph (137 km) that afternoon.Winds took down a gas station canopy in New Franklin, Ohio, and an auto parts store sign in Baldwin, Pennsylvania. Trees and tree limbs fell into or onto homes and cars from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The roof of a school building in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois, was severely damaged by wind.In Chicago, thousands of revelers turned out to see the city's namesake river dyed bright green and a downtown parade celebrating the St. Patrick's Day holiday, despite the threat of snow and stiff winds that drove the feels-like temperature well below freezing.Dangerous winds were but one piece of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-dome-snow-blizzard-cold-polar-flooding-55e3baf6877e81ee1961aade3cb361c3">wild weather mosaic</a>&nbsp;that included heavy rains in Hawaii, triple-digit heat coming next week in Phoenix and a return of winter cold to the Midwest and Northeast. Chicago was forecast to approach the single digits Fahrenheit by Tuesday, with Minneapolis seeing lows around zero (minus 18 C).Several Minnesota cities have already declared snow emergencies starting Sunday, when what could be the season’s largest snowfall is expected to hit. Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula are also in the crosshairs.AccuWeather warned of a “potent triple-threat March megastorm” from Sunday into Monday.“It’s definitely a very active weather weekend, that’s for sure,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick said. “It’s a highly amplified pattern, which means you get a lot of extremes. Also, not just the Lower 48, but Hawaii’s getting hit hard right now with some very heavy rain.”Feerick said people along the Wisconsin-Iowa border might see some ice as travel conditions become dangerous in large parts of the Upper Midwest.___Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska.

1 dead as high winds fuel wildfires across Nebraska grassland

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-scolforo">MARK SCOLFORO</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julie-walker">JULIE WALKER</a>

A pilot from Alabama had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">crashed in Iraq</a>&nbsp;this week, killing him and five others, his brother-in-law said Saturday.

Alex Klinner, 33, leaves behind three small children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.

Klinner was one of three people killed in the Thursday crash who the U.S. government said were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and who Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said were stationed in Birmingham. On Saturday, the U.S. government identified the other two as Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.

Three additional deceased service members on the aircraft were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. They were identified by federal and state officials as Capt. Seth Koval, 38, Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.

The U.S. government listed Koval from Mooresville, Indiana, while the Ohio National Guard listed his home Stoutsville, Ohio. The Ohio National Guard listed both Angst and Simmons from Columbus, Ohio, while the U.S. government listed Angst as from Wilmington, Ohio.

The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety, U.S. military officials said.

Klinner, a graduate of Auburn University and an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, had just moved with his family into a new home, his wife, Libby Klinner, said in an Instagram post mourning his death.

An outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, Klinner was also ready to help others. When Harrill last saw him in January, Klinner had shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding.

“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, of Atlanta, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”

Libby Klinner said in a post that her heart is broken for their children, who will grow up not knowing their father.

“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”

Simmons was a boom operator responsible for transferring fuel from the tanker to the receiving aircraft, according to his Air Force biography.

His mother, Cheryl Simmons, said Saturday that she was making funeral plans for her son.

In a statement obtained by WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons’ family said it was saddened beyond measure to hear of the fatal crash.

“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” they said.

The Ohio National Guard said Koval was an aircraft commander with 19 years of service. A graduate of Purdue University, he served in the Indiana National Guard before transferring to an Ohio unit in 2017, according to his Air Force biography.

Angst was a pilot with 10 years of service who graduated from the University of Cincinnati, according to his Air Force biography provided by the Ohio National Guard.

The refueling aircraft is a mainstay in the US military

U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, has said the crash occurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">on a combat mission</a>&nbsp;but was over “friendly” territory in western Iraq. Military officials said it is being investigated and was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

The KC-135 aircraft refuels other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.

The Congressional Research Service says the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. It has been in service for more than 60 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773573408043.png" alt="Clockwise from top left: Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, and Maj. John A. Klinner.- Photos provided by the National Guard" />
 <figcaption>Clockwise from top left: Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, and Maj. John A. Klinner.- Photos provided by the National Guard</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-scolforo">MARK SCOLFORO</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julie-walker">JULIE WALKER</a>A pilot from Alabama had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">crashed in Iraq</a>&nbsp;this week, killing him and five others, his brother-in-law said Saturday.Alex Klinner, 33, leaves behind three small children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death.“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.Klinner was one of three people killed in the Thursday crash who the U.S. government said were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and who Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said were stationed in Birmingham. On Saturday, the U.S. government identified the other two as Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.Three additional deceased service members on the aircraft were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. They were identified by federal and state officials as Capt. Seth Koval, 38, Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.The U.S. government listed Koval from Mooresville, Indiana, while the Ohio National Guard listed his home Stoutsville, Ohio. The Ohio National Guard listed both Angst and Simmons from Columbus, Ohio, while the U.S. government listed Angst as from Wilmington, Ohio.The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety, U.S. military officials said.<h2>A new father and a new major</h2>Klinner, a graduate of Auburn University and an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, had just moved with his family into a new home, his wife, Libby Klinner, said in an Instagram post mourning his death.An outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, Klinner was also ready to help others. When Harrill last saw him in January, Klinner had shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding.“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, of Atlanta, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”Libby Klinner said in a post that her heart is broken for their children, who will grow up not knowing their father.“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”<h2>A man with a ready smile</h2>Simmons was a boom operator responsible for transferring fuel from the tanker to the receiving aircraft, according to his Air Force biography.His mother, Cheryl Simmons, said Saturday that she was making funeral plans for her son.In a statement obtained by WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons’ family said it was saddened beyond measure to hear of the fatal crash.“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” they said.The Ohio National Guard said Koval was an aircraft commander with 19 years of service. A graduate of Purdue University, he served in the Indiana National Guard before transferring to an Ohio unit in 2017, according to his Air Force biography.Angst was a pilot with 10 years of service who graduated from the University of Cincinnati, according to his Air Force biography provided by the Ohio National Guard.<h2>The refueling aircraft is a mainstay in the US military</h2>U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, has said the crash occurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">on a combat mission</a>&nbsp;but was over “friendly” territory in western Iraq. Military officials said it is being investigated and was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”The KC-135 aircraft refuels other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.The Congressional Research Service says the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. It has been in service for more than 60 years.

U.S. identifies six airmen killed in KC-135 crash in support of Epic Fury

KANSAS CITY —&nbsp; Six people were injured in an accident just before 1a.m. Saturday outside a nightclub in Kansas City.

According to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez,&nbsp; a Chevrolet Impala carrying five women occupants was stopped in the streetcar lane in front of Aura,&nbsp;3832 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp; while speaking with a bouncer. 

At the same time, a southbound Chevrolet Malibu was traveling on Main from&nbsp;38th Street&nbsp;at a high rate of speed and rear-ended the Impala with significant force.

 All individuals involved were transported to area hospitals for treatment. A passenger in the Malibu was listed in critical condition. impairment appears to be a factor, according to Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY —&nbsp; Six people were injured in an accident just before 1a.m. Saturday outside a nightclub in Kansas City.According to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez,&nbsp; a Chevrolet Impala carrying five women occupants was stopped in the streetcar lane in front of Aura,&nbsp;3832 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp; while speaking with a bouncer. At the same time, a southbound Chevrolet Malibu was traveling on Main from&nbsp;38th Street&nbsp;at a high rate of speed and rear-ended the Impala with significant force. All individuals involved were transported to area hospitals for treatment. A passenger in the Malibu was listed in critical condition. impairment appears to be a factor, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD: 5 women hospitalized after crash outside nightclub

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The American flag was raised Saturday over the U.S. Embassy in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;for the first time since 2019, a move that highlighted the recent shift in relations between the two countries since then President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;was captured by American troops in January.

Though the flag is now waving, the building is undergoing renovations and it remains unclear when it will fully reopen.

The move comes after several statements from U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/venezuela-government-supporters-holds-a-small-solidarity-march-for-iran-e54b05c4cecc45a2b9cd026d05663984">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in support of Maduro’s successor, acting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/machado-trump-venezuela-us-chile-opposition-ddb91c7d22559c0952e4b23433d63edf">President Delcy Rodríguez</a>, who has tried to keep negotiations open with the American government.

The flag was raised “exactly seven years after it was taken down,” the U.S. Embassy team said in a statement published on its social media channels.

The American flag being raised drew immediate attention from local residents.

“It’s a good thing, really, what a joy,” said Caracas resident Luz Verónica López. “Other countries must come back too because that’s what we need; progress, to move forward with good relations with the rest of the world, as it should be.”

Alessandro Di Benedetto, another Caracas resident, noted the positive atmosphere among those witnessing the moment.

“I found several people here surprised and happy because today they raised the U.S. flag at the embassy,” he said. “This is positive; this is another step.”

Despite the initiative, large chunks of Venezuelan society and the political establishment remain critics of Trump, his decision to forcefully remove Maduro from office and jail him in New York with his wife, and growing U.S. influence in the South American country’s oil industry.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The American flag was raised Saturday over the U.S. Embassy in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;for the first time since 2019, a move that highlighted the recent shift in relations between the two countries since then President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;was captured by American troops in January.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The morning of March 14, 2019, the American flag was lowered for the final time at U.S. Embassy Caracas. This morning, on March 14, 2026, at the same time, my team and I raised the American flag—exactly seven years after it was lowered. A new era for U.S.-Venezuela relations… <a href="https://t.co/ivyzHfo0j7">pic.twitter.com/ivyzHfo0j7</a>&mdash; Embajada de los EE.UU., Venezuela (@usembassyve) <a href="https://twitter.com/usembassyve/status/2032819261165416506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Though the flag is now waving, the building is undergoing renovations and it remains unclear when it will fully reopen.The move comes after several statements from U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/venezuela-government-supporters-holds-a-small-solidarity-march-for-iran-e54b05c4cecc45a2b9cd026d05663984">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in support of Maduro’s successor, acting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/machado-trump-venezuela-us-chile-opposition-ddb91c7d22559c0952e4b23433d63edf">President Delcy Rodríguez</a>, who has tried to keep negotiations open with the American government.The flag was raised “exactly seven years after it was taken down,” the U.S. Embassy team said in a statement published on its social media channels.The American flag being raised drew immediate attention from local residents.“It’s a good thing, really, what a joy,” said Caracas resident Luz Verónica López. “Other countries must come back too because that’s what we need; progress, to move forward with good relations with the rest of the world, as it should be.”Alessandro Di Benedetto, another Caracas resident, noted the positive atmosphere among those witnessing the moment.“I found several people here surprised and happy because today they raised the U.S. flag at the embassy,” he said. “This is positive; this is another step.”Despite the initiative, large chunks of Venezuelan society and the political establishment remain critics of Trump, his decision to forcefully remove Maduro from office and jail him in New York with his wife, and growing U.S. influence in the South American country’s oil industry.

🎥American flag raised at US Embassy in Venezuela; 1st time since 2019

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused of attempting to kidnap and 8-year-old in Wichita made his first court appearance in the case Wednesday.

Tanner J. Warren, 27, was charged with&nbsp;attempted kidnapping and attempted interference with parental custody, according to online jail records.

Just before 11:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 2800 block of West Central in Wichita for a reported disturbance. The caller told police that their 8-year-old had left home and was walking in the 600 block of North Gordon when a man approached her and grabbed her.

The girl was able to break free and run to her grandparents' location, who called 911.

Officers arrived quickly, located the suspect, later identified in Sedgwick County booking records as Tanner J. Warren, near North Gordon, and detained him without incident.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a bond of $40,000, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772969650307.png" alt="Warren photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Warren photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused of attempting to kidnap and 8-year-old in Wichita made his first court appearance in the case Wednesday.Tanner J. Warren, 27, was charged with&nbsp;attempted kidnapping and attempted interference with parental custody, according to online jail records.Just before 11:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 2800 block of West Central in Wichita for a reported disturbance. The caller told police that their 8-year-old had left home and was walking in the 600 block of North Gordon when a man approached her and grabbed her.The girl was able to break free and run to her grandparents' location, who called 911.Officers arrived quickly, located the suspect, later identified in Sedgwick County booking records as Tanner J. Warren, near North Gordon, and detained him without incident.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a bond of $40,000, according to online jail records.

Kan. man, accused of attempted abduction of 8-year-old, faces a judge

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.

Just before 8a.m. March 9, police&nbsp;were alerted to a burglary in progress in the 1100 block of Hubbard Street in Great Bend, according to a media release.

 The reporting party advised that a woman that he did not know had entered his residence and taken several items, including a firearm. Officers began to search for the suspect with the description provided by the reporting party. 

A short time later, an officer located the suspect in the 1100 block of Holland Street in the alley way. Officers gave several commands to the suspect, who failed to comply.&nbsp; K9 Niko was deployed to subdue the suspect. 

After a successful apprehension, officers located the stolen firearm and several other stolen items. Officers arrested 41-year-old Crystal Caruthers on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and Felony Interference with Law Enforcement.  Caruthers was treated for her minor injuries by the Great Bend Fire Department Emergency Medical Services. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773397243649.png" alt="Caruthers-photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Caruthers-photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.Just before 8a.m. March 9, police&nbsp;were alerted to a burglary in progress in the 1100 block of Hubbard Street in Great Bend, according to a media release. The reporting party advised that a woman that he did not know had entered his residence and taken several items, including a firearm. Officers began to search for the suspect with the description provided by the reporting party. A short time later, an officer located the suspect in the 1100 block of Holland Street in the alley way. Officers gave several commands to the suspect, who failed to comply.&nbsp; K9 Niko was deployed to subdue the suspect. After a successful apprehension, officers located the stolen firearm and several other stolen items. Officers arrested 41-year-old Crystal Caruthers on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and Felony Interference with Law Enforcement. Caruthers was treated for her minor injuries by the Great Bend Fire Department Emergency Medical Services.

Police: Kansas woman jailed after home invasion burglary

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hannah-schoenbaum">HANNAH SCHOENBAUM</a>

PROVO, Utah (AP) — The Utah man accused of killing Charlie Kirk was back in court Friday as a state judge denied some efforts by his attorneys to restrict public access to court documents while not ruling out the possibility of closing portions of an upcoming hearing.

The outcome sets the stage for an April hearing in which attorneys for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-assassination-tyler-robinson-media-e90d404b03383dec9e0d9a327b491920">Tyler Robinson</a>&nbsp;will make their case to exclude TV cameras, microphones and photographers from the courtroom.

Judge Tony Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by defense attorneys that the heightened media attention could undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial. Prosecutors, Kirk’s widow and attorneys for news organizations have urged Graf to keep the proceedings open.

Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Sept. 10 shooting</a>&nbsp;of the conservative activist on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-valley-university-police-charlie-kirk-d7d464c949ec9d4abad0eb3910d6a96b">Utah Valley University</a>&nbsp;campus in Orem. They have said DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing.

Attorneys on Friday debated whether the defense’s written request to exclude cameras, which was classified by the court as private, should be made public.

Graf said the defense failed to make its case to keep the motion private but that he will continue “balancing all the factors” when deciding which portions of the upcoming hearing may be closed.

Staci Visser, an attorney for Robinson, told the judge before the ruling that the defense is not arguing in the court of public opinion.

“There seems to be an idea that flooding the public sphere with information from this courtroom will somehow dispel conspiracy theories or shift public narratives. That, in and of itself, is concerning to the defense,” Visser said. “All we should be worried about is protecting what happens in this courtroom.”

Robinson’s defense team went on to say that the April 17 hearing will involve discussions about prejudicial pretrial publicity, such as evidence that has yet to be admitted, personal opinions about guilt or public statements that would otherwise be inadmissible in court. Revisiting that in open court could end up “reinflicting a wound” to Robinson’s rights, defense attorney Michael Burt said.

Christopher Ballard, a prosecutor with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, dismissed those arguments. He said careful questioning during jury selection and tools like expanding the jury pool can ensure a defendant gets a fair trial.

“So just saying that this is a content tornado or there’s been a barrage of media coverage doesn’t necessarily mean that there is going to be prejudice to the defendant,” Ballard said.

Ballard noted that most of the evidence that will be discussed in April is already public, so most of the hearing should be open.

Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, have been fighting to preserve media access in the case. Michael Judd, an attorney for the news media, urged the judge to keep the upcoming hearing entirely open.

Media access has been a focal point of several recent hearings, with the judge placing temporary restrictions on local TV stations for showing Robinson’s shackles in violation of a court order and filming close-up shots that might allow viewers to interpret what he was discussing with his attorneys.

The judge also has prevented full&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-biased-jurors-robinson-video-40d48c3427590c45c8b5e67517a117ef">video recordings of Kirk’s shooting</a>&nbsp;from being shown in court after defense attorneys argued the graphic footage would interfere with a fair trial. An estimated 3,000 people attended the outdoor rally to hear Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-turning-point-trump-cf2a68e4303c5628299ffe383d09c1e9">steer young voters toward conservatism</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765490146270.jpeg" alt="File photo Tyler Robinson, accused of the murder of Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court in Provo, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Tyler Robinson, accused of the murder of Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court in Provo, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hannah-schoenbaum">HANNAH SCHOENBAUM</a>PROVO, Utah (AP) — The Utah man accused of killing Charlie Kirk was back in court Friday as a state judge denied some efforts by his attorneys to restrict public access to court documents while not ruling out the possibility of closing portions of an upcoming hearing.The outcome sets the stage for an April hearing in which attorneys for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-assassination-tyler-robinson-media-e90d404b03383dec9e0d9a327b491920">Tyler Robinson</a>&nbsp;will make their case to exclude TV cameras, microphones and photographers from the courtroom.Judge Tony Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by defense attorneys that the heightened media attention could undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial. Prosecutors, Kirk’s widow and attorneys for news organizations have urged Graf to keep the proceedings open.Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Sept. 10 shooting</a>&nbsp;of the conservative activist on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-valley-university-police-charlie-kirk-d7d464c949ec9d4abad0eb3910d6a96b">Utah Valley University</a>&nbsp;campus in Orem. They have said DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing.Robinson has not yet entered a plea.Attorneys on Friday debated whether the defense’s written request to exclude cameras, which was classified by the court as private, should be made public.Graf said the defense failed to make its case to keep the motion private but that he will continue “balancing all the factors” when deciding which portions of the upcoming hearing may be closed.Staci Visser, an attorney for Robinson, told the judge before the ruling that the defense is not arguing in the court of public opinion.“There seems to be an idea that flooding the public sphere with information from this courtroom will somehow dispel conspiracy theories or shift public narratives. That, in and of itself, is concerning to the defense,” Visser said. “All we should be worried about is protecting what happens in this courtroom.”Robinson’s defense team went on to say that the April 17 hearing will involve discussions about prejudicial pretrial publicity, such as evidence that has yet to be admitted, personal opinions about guilt or public statements that would otherwise be inadmissible in court. Revisiting that in open court could end up “reinflicting a wound” to Robinson’s rights, defense attorney Michael Burt said.Christopher Ballard, a prosecutor with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, dismissed those arguments. He said careful questioning during jury selection and tools like expanding the jury pool can ensure a defendant gets a fair trial.“So just saying that this is a content tornado or there’s been a barrage of media coverage doesn’t necessarily mean that there is going to be prejudice to the defendant,” Ballard said.Ballard noted that most of the evidence that will be discussed in April is already public, so most of the hearing should be open.Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, have been fighting to preserve media access in the case. Michael Judd, an attorney for the news media, urged the judge to keep the upcoming hearing entirely open.Media access has been a focal point of several recent hearings, with the judge placing temporary restrictions on local TV stations for showing Robinson’s shackles in violation of a court order and filming close-up shots that might allow viewers to interpret what he was discussing with his attorneys.The judge also has prevented full&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-biased-jurors-robinson-video-40d48c3427590c45c8b5e67517a117ef">video recordings of Kirk’s shooting</a>&nbsp;from being shown in court after defense attorneys argued the graphic footage would interfere with a fair trial. An estimated 3,000 people attended the outdoor rally to hear Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-turning-point-trump-cf2a68e4303c5628299ffe383d09c1e9">steer young voters toward conservatism</a>.

Judge issues new ruling on media access in Charlie Kirk killing case

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp;Advocates, medical providers and recipients of public assistance programs rallied Thursday at the Statehouse with a clear message: restricting access to these programs would hurt Kansans.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb363/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 363</a>&nbsp;imposes a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/10/kansas-senate-bill-may-add-17m-to-oversight-of-health-and-welfare-programs/">sweeping set of steps</a>&nbsp;to verify Kansans’ eligibility for the state’s medical and food assistance programs. April Holman, executive director for Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, said opponents disapprove of the whole bill, but have stronger concerns for two elements.&nbsp;

The first is eliminating self-attestation. That means applicants no longer could self-attest their income, residency, age, household composition, caretaker relative status or other coverage. State agencies would have to verify those claims.

Income and residency are already verified by state agencies, but Holman said the bill would ask the agencies to verify things like household size, which she said are difficult to identify.&nbsp;

“The first is the self-attestation, the prohibition,” Holman said. “The second tends to be the thing that we are most concerned about.”&nbsp;

The second thing is the quarterly redetermination process, a switch-up from the current one-year reapplication.&nbsp;

“We know that all of the people who are in the Medicaid program in Kansas, because we don’t have expansion, tend to be very vulnerable,” Holman said. “They are people who have a disability that’s been determined by the Social Security Administration. So it’s very difficult to get determination.”

Amendments to the bill would exempt pregnant people, seniors, those younger than 19 years old, and those on home and community-based service waivers from the quarterly redetermination.&nbsp;

The bill still applies to people with mental illness.&nbsp;

Angela Watson, a mental health provider from Wichita who spoke at the rally, said she is a Medicaid success story. She was on Medicaid for 13 years.

“This proposal to move Medicaid eligibility checks to quarterly redeterminations may sound like a single administrative change,” Watson said. “For people living with serious mental illness, it has the potential to create very harmful consequences.”&nbsp;

She said the red tape of managing paperwork can be difficult for people with severe depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis or delusions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Changing this process to every three months means quadrupling the chances that someone will lose coverage simply because a form was missed, a letter arrived late, or a document wasn’t submitted in time,” Watson said.&nbsp;

“This doesn’t mean they’re no longer eligible. It means they got lost in the system,” she added. “And when people lose Medicaid coverage, even temporarily, the consequences are immediate. Mental health treatment depends on continuity of care.”

Kari Rinker, who represents the American Heart Association, said she has a masters degree and has spent years navigating paperwork. She helped her son fill out the public assistance programs’ paperwork after he suffered a life-altering car crash.&nbsp;

“I found myself overwhelmed,” Rinker said. “It is complex. We would receive paperwork well past deadlines and feel abject panic.”

Her son would be subject to the quarterly redeterminations.&nbsp;

After the rally, opponents of the bill flooded Thursday’s House Welfare Reform Committee.&nbsp;

Along with ending self-attestation and implementing quarterly redeterminations, the bill would:&nbsp;

The process would cost the state an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_sb363_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">$17 million</a>. Republicans in both the Senate and House raised their eyebrows at that.&nbsp;

The Florida-based FGA Action, the lobbying arm of the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability, which is dedicated to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/06/nx-s1-5387527/fga-foundation-for-government-accountability-states-snap-work-requirements" target="_blank">limiting government benefits</a>, brought forward the sole two proponents of the bill — who said it would eventually pay for itself. They also said it would bring Kansas in step with President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“That’s not the case,” Holman said.&nbsp;

Holman said federal law would control what happens in Kansas regardless of if it is codified in Kansas law. But she said there are two elements of the bill that go beyond federal law that would hurt both Kansans on public assistance programs and the departments that administer those.&nbsp;

In an interview, vice chair of the House committee Rep. Dale Helwig, a Republican from Columbus, said he believes the bill brings Kansas into compliance with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is also called H.R. 1.&nbsp;

“There are some things that probably are a little more restrictive than H.R. 1, which we need to work through, but I think we will. We do need to get rid of the self attestation on some of this stuff,” Helwig said.&nbsp;

He pointed to the recent state audit that estimated Kansas subsidized&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/kansas-house-studies-free-lunch-enrollment-audit-implications-of-at-risk-overpayment-to-schools/">a jarring amount</a>&nbsp;of free-and-reduced lunches that shouldn’t have been.&nbsp;

Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Republican from Salina also on the House Welfare Reform Committee, said he isn’t a fan of self-attestation either.&nbsp;

“The problem, of course, is that’s gonna take more people to get that done. And we probably don’t have enough as it is now,” Sanders said in an interview.&nbsp;

Both are apprehensive about the quarterly redetermination process for different reasons. Helwig said it could be more efficient — there was a five-minute long conversation during the committee about state agencies’ use of fax machines.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sanders thinks redetermination once a year is enough. He thinks there will be amendments proposed when the committee works the bill.&nbsp;

“I think once those get on, I’ll be able to support it,” Sanders said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773492885319.png" alt=" Kansans rallied against Senate Bill 363, which would force Kansans to recertify their eligibility for public assistance programs every quarter March 12, in the Statehouse. (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansans rallied against Senate Bill 363, which would force Kansans to recertify their eligibility for public assistance programs every quarter March 12, in the Statehouse. (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp;Advocates, medical providers and recipients of public assistance programs rallied Thursday at the Statehouse with a clear message: restricting access to these programs would hurt Kansans.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb363/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 363</a>&nbsp;imposes a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/10/kansas-senate-bill-may-add-17m-to-oversight-of-health-and-welfare-programs/">sweeping set of steps</a>&nbsp;to verify Kansans’ eligibility for the state’s medical and food assistance programs. April Holman, executive director for Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, said opponents disapprove of the whole bill, but have stronger concerns for two elements.&nbsp;The first is eliminating self-attestation. That means applicants no longer could self-attest their income, residency, age, household composition, caretaker relative status or other coverage. State agencies would have to verify those claims.Income and residency are already verified by state agencies, but Holman said the bill would ask the agencies to verify things like household size, which she said are difficult to identify.&nbsp;“The first is the self-attestation, the prohibition,” Holman said. “The second tends to be the thing that we are most concerned about.”&nbsp;The second thing is the quarterly redetermination process, a switch-up from the current one-year reapplication.&nbsp;“We know that all of the people who are in the Medicaid program in Kansas, because we don’t have expansion, tend to be very vulnerable,” Holman said. “They are people who have a disability that’s been determined by the Social Security Administration. So it’s very difficult to get determination.”Amendments to the bill would exempt pregnant people, seniors, those younger than 19 years old, and those on home and community-based service waivers from the quarterly redetermination.&nbsp;The bill still applies to people with mental illness.&nbsp;Angela Watson, a mental health provider from Wichita who spoke at the rally, said she is a Medicaid success story. She was on Medicaid for 13 years.“This proposal to move Medicaid eligibility checks to quarterly redeterminations may sound like a single administrative change,” Watson said. “For people living with serious mental illness, it has the potential to create very harmful consequences.”&nbsp;She said the red tape of managing paperwork can be difficult for people with severe depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis or delusions.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Changing this process to every three months means quadrupling the chances that someone will lose coverage simply because a form was missed, a letter arrived late, or a document wasn’t submitted in time,” Watson said.&nbsp;“This doesn’t mean they’re no longer eligible. It means they got lost in the system,” she added. “And when people lose Medicaid coverage, even temporarily, the consequences are immediate. Mental health treatment depends on continuity of care.”Kari Rinker, who represents the American Heart Association, said she has a masters degree and has spent years navigating paperwork. She helped her son fill out the public assistance programs’ paperwork after he suffered a life-altering car crash.&nbsp;“I found myself overwhelmed,” Rinker said. “It is complex. We would receive paperwork well past deadlines and feel abject panic.”Her son would be subject to the quarterly redeterminations.&nbsp;After the rally, opponents of the bill flooded Thursday’s House Welfare Reform Committee.&nbsp;<h2>Committee conversations&nbsp;</h2>Along with ending self-attestation and implementing quarterly redeterminations, the bill would:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Cross-check eligibility data across state agencies on a rolling basis. The state would check sources from various offices and departments to search death records, employment and wage changes, income and residency changes, and incarceration status. Out-of-state Electronic Benefits Transfer transactions would be monitored as a signal that a recipient may have moved out of the state. Lottery and gambling winnings of $3,000 or more would also trigger a review.&nbsp;</li><li>Share Medicaid enrollment data with federal offices. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment would submit medical assistance enrollment data monthly to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove anyone enrolled in Medicaid in multiple states.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The process would cost the state an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_sb363_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">$17 million</a>. Republicans in both the Senate and House raised their eyebrows at that.&nbsp;The Florida-based FGA Action, the lobbying arm of the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability, which is dedicated to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/06/nx-s1-5387527/fga-foundation-for-government-accountability-states-snap-work-requirements" target="_blank">limiting government benefits</a>, brought forward the sole two proponents of the bill — who said it would eventually pay for itself. They also said it would bring Kansas in step with President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.&nbsp;&nbsp;“That’s not the case,” Holman said.&nbsp;Holman said federal law would control what happens in Kansas regardless of if it is codified in Kansas law. But she said there are two elements of the bill that go beyond federal law that would hurt both Kansans on public assistance programs and the departments that administer those.&nbsp;In an interview, vice chair of the House committee Rep. Dale Helwig, a Republican from Columbus, said he believes the bill brings Kansas into compliance with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is also called H.R. 1.&nbsp;“There are some things that probably are a little more restrictive than H.R. 1, which we need to work through, but I think we will. We do need to get rid of the self attestation on some of this stuff,” Helwig said.&nbsp;He pointed to the recent state audit that estimated Kansas subsidized&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/kansas-house-studies-free-lunch-enrollment-audit-implications-of-at-risk-overpayment-to-schools/">a jarring amount</a>&nbsp;of free-and-reduced lunches that shouldn’t have been.&nbsp;Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Republican from Salina also on the House Welfare Reform Committee, said he isn’t a fan of self-attestation either.&nbsp;“The problem, of course, is that’s gonna take more people to get that done. And we probably don’t have enough as it is now,” Sanders said in an interview.&nbsp;Both are apprehensive about the quarterly redetermination process for different reasons. Helwig said it could be more efficient — there was a five-minute long conversation during the committee about state agencies’ use of fax machines.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sanders thinks redetermination once a year is enough. He thinks there will be amendments proposed when the committee works the bill.&nbsp;“I think once those get on, I’ll be able to support it,” Sanders said.&nbsp;The bill passed the Senate 25-12.

Kansans rally against restrictions to public assistance programs 

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach launched a statewide public awareness campaign to address the growing fentanyl crisis that is taking a devastating toll on our communities.

More than 1,500 Kansans have already lost their lives to fentanyl overdoses, and the threat continues to rise. This deadly drug is not only consumed by those who seek it out, but is increasingly laced into other substances, a social event, with friends, online, or unknowingly consuming pills that contain fentanyl. Since an overdose can happen anywhere at any time, it’s critical to have easy access to Naloxone to save a life.

Each distribution box contains naloxone -&nbsp;2 doses per box.

To maximize access, we have collaborated with 40 colleges and universities across Kansas to place these boxes in visible, public, temperature-controlled locations where community members could easily find and use them.

Every host site receives ongoing support, including box refills and assistance asneeded,&nbsp;from the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and DCCA. Throughout the program, Emily’s Hope tracks distribution data toevaluate impact and guide future efforts.

<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/reports-resources/emily-s-hope-naloxone-distribution-program?fbclid=IwY2xjawQdBilleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCZGtWNnBXaHREREJCdmZhc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmrKcrsqrxJ1He_Glz-i0Gt229RZ6DnW96Wtt3oIlyUu_BDZtLwS4cgBKoZB_aem_gsRusthn-mjqRIEqfF55HA">Click here to</a> find a box near you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773151867930.png" alt="Naloxone box at Fort Hays Tech Northwest" />
 <figcaption>Naloxone box at Fort Hays Tech Northwest</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Kansas Attorney GeneralKansas Attorney General Kris Kobach launched a statewide public awareness campaign to address the growing fentanyl crisis that is taking a devastating toll on our communities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773152077450.png" alt="--This week, the Kansas AG's office delivered a naloxone distribution box to Washburn University, providing free, easy access to this critical overdose-reversal medication for students, faculty, and visitors.- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>--This week, the Kansas AG's office delivered a naloxone distribution box to Washburn University, providing free, easy access to this critical overdose-reversal medication for students, faculty, and visitors.- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>More than 1,500 Kansans have already lost their lives to fentanyl overdoses, and the threat continues to rise. This deadly drug is not only consumed by those who seek it out, but is increasingly laced into other substances, a social event, with friends, online, or unknowingly consuming pills that contain fentanyl. Since an overdose can happen anywhere at any time, it’s critical to have easy access to Naloxone to save a life.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773152109117.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Locations so far include:<ul>
 <li>Feb. 6th:&nbsp;&nbsp;The University of Kansas - Watkins Memorial Health Center&nbsp;1200 Schwegler Drive - Located in the Health Department Lobby</li><li>Feb. 6th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas University Medical Center&nbsp; 39th and Rainbow Boulvard - Located In the Health Education Building</li><li>Feb. 10th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Butler Community College&nbsp;901 S Haverhill Road - Located in the Student Union lobby</li><li>Feb. 11th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Wichita State University&nbsp;1845 Fairmount Street - Located in the Rhatigan Student Center</li><li>Feb. 12th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Pittsburg State University&nbsp;1701 S Broadway - Located in the Student Union</li><li>Feb. 12th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Fort Scott Community College&nbsp;2108 S Horton Street - Located in Bailey Hall Student Center</li><li>Feb. 17th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Sterling College&nbsp;- 125 W. Cooper Street - Located in the Student Union</li><li>Feb 17th:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dodge City Community College&nbsp;- 2501 N 14th Avenue – Located in the Student Union</li><li>Feb 17th:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hutchinson Community College&nbsp;- 1300 N Plum Street - Located in the Student Union</li><li>Feb. 18th:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Garden City Community College&nbsp;- 801 Campus Drive - Located in the Student Center</li><li>Feb. 18th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Fort Hays State University&nbsp;- 600 Park Street - Located in the Student Center</li><li>Feb. 18th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas State University&nbsp;- 919 Mid-Campus Drive North - Located in the Student Union</li><li>Feb. 19th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Pratt Community College&nbsp;348 KS-61 - Located in the Main Campus Building</li><li>Feb. 25th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Allen Community College&nbsp;- 1801 N Cottonwood Street – Located in Student Center</li><li>Feb. 25th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Coffeyville Community College&nbsp;- 400 W 11th Street – Located in Student Center</li><li>Feb. 25th:&nbsp; Independence Community College&nbsp;- 1057 W College Avenue – Located in Resource Center</li><li>Feb. 25th:&nbsp; Labette Community College&nbsp;- 200 S 14th Street – Located in Student Union</li><li>Feb. 25th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Neosho Community College&nbsp;– 800 West 14th Street – Located in Student Union</li><li>Feb 25th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Southwestern College&nbsp;- Winfield100 N College Street – Located in Student Union</li><li>March 3rd:&nbsp;&nbsp;Colby Community College&nbsp;-&nbsp;1255 S Range Avenue – Located in Barnett Student Union</li><li>March 3rd:&nbsp;&nbsp;Fort Hays Tech-Northwest&nbsp;-1209 Harrison Avenue – Located in Main Building</li><li>March 4th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Seward County Community College&nbsp;-1801 N Kansas Avenue – Located in Student Union</li><li>March 4th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Barton Community College&nbsp;-245 NE 30 Road – Located in Student Union</li><li>March 4th:&nbsp;&nbsp;Bethany College&nbsp;- 335 E Swensson Street – Located in Student Union</li>
 </ul>Each distribution box contains naloxone -&nbsp;2 doses per box.To maximize access, we have collaborated with 40 colleges and universities across Kansas to place these boxes in visible, public, temperature-controlled locations where community members could easily find and use them.Every host site receives ongoing support, including box refills and assistance asneeded,&nbsp;from the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and DCCA. Throughout the program, Emily’s Hope tracks distribution data toevaluate impact and guide future efforts.<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/reports-resources/emily-s-hope-naloxone-distribution-program?fbclid=IwY2xjawQdBilleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCZGtWNnBXaHREREJCdmZhc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmrKcrsqrxJ1He_Glz-i0Gt229RZ6DnW96Wtt3oIlyUu_BDZtLwS4cgBKoZB_aem_gsRusthn-mjqRIEqfF55HA">Click here to</a> find a box near you.

Kansas AG's statewide campaign to address the growing fentanyl crisis

KANSAS CITY – A Missouri man has been indicted with two counts of willful transmission of national defense information.&nbsp; The indictment was returned by a grand jury under seal and was made public this week after the arrest and initial appearance of the defendant, according to the United State's Attorney.

Seth Chambers, 35, a former United States Marine Corps. Intelligence Analyst, was employed as a civilian contractor and stationed in Iraq during the time frame alleged in the indictment.&nbsp;The indictment states that, as part of his duties, he held a security clearance that authorized him to view classified material up to a TOP SECRET level and therefore had access to national defense and classified information.

According to court documents, on two separate occasions, the defendant willfully transmitted SECRET level documents to two separate individuals who were not entitled or authorized to receive it.&nbsp; 

The first transmission occurred on Dec. 10, 2022, when the defendant transmitted a white paper containing verbatim and near verbatim excerpts from classified U.S. government documents and was sent to an individual in Maryland.&nbsp; The second transmission of a document containing verbatim and near verbatim excerpts from classified U.S. government documents occurred on April 20, 2023, and was sent to an individual believed to be in the People’s Republic of China.

If convicted, under federal statutes, Chambers is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Kelleher and Trial Attorneys Nicolas Hunter and Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It was investigated by FBI Kansas City Field Office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773437840937.png" alt="Chambers photo Greene Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Chambers photo Greene Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A Missouri man has been indicted with two counts of willful transmission of national defense information.&nbsp; The indictment was returned by a grand jury under seal and was made public this week after the arrest and initial appearance of the defendant, according to the United State's Attorney.Seth Chambers, 35, a former United States Marine Corps. Intelligence Analyst, was employed as a civilian contractor and stationed in Iraq during the time frame alleged in the indictment.&nbsp;The indictment states that, as part of his duties, he held a security clearance that authorized him to view classified material up to a TOP SECRET level and therefore had access to national defense and classified information.According to court documents, on two separate occasions, the defendant willfully transmitted SECRET level documents to two separate individuals who were not entitled or authorized to receive it.&nbsp; The first transmission occurred on Dec. 10, 2022, when the defendant transmitted a white paper containing verbatim and near verbatim excerpts from classified U.S. government documents and was sent to an individual in Maryland.&nbsp; The second transmission of a document containing verbatim and near verbatim excerpts from classified U.S. government documents occurred on April 20, 2023, and was sent to an individual believed to be in the People’s Republic of China.If convicted, under federal statutes, Chambers is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Kelleher and Trial Attorneys Nicolas Hunter and Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It was investigated by FBI Kansas City Field Office.&nbsp;

Former U.S. intelligence analyst accused of sending classified info to China

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jaimie-ding">JAIMIE DING</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.

Representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, pi is approximately equal to 3.14159 — but its digits go on forever. In school, you might have used it to calculate the area of a circle or the volume of a cylinder. But the applications of pi are endless and part of every corner of our world.

The holiday was created in 1988 by Larry Shaw, a physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco.

“He had a very open and expansive view of the world and saw an opportunity with this number, mathematical concept, to invite people into the joy of mathematical learning,” said Sam Sharkland, program director of public programs at the museum, who worked with Shaw before he died in 2017.

While it began as a small staff celebration featuring pie, it soon turned into a grand procession where hundreds of visitors marched around the pi shrine, each carrying a digit. Attendees often show up early to claim their favorite digit for the parade. One woman who has the symbol tattooed on her neck comes every year and marches near the front with a pi flag, Sharkland said.

The celebration begins at 1:59 p.m., signifying the next three digits of pi.

Here are a few ways pi is being used on the cutting edge of science.

In Artur Davoyan’s field of mechanical and aerospace engineering, pi is so fundamental that it would be hard to pinpoint one use case for it, he said.

Pi is part of “literally every single formula that you would use to do any calculation, like for spacecraft motion, for materials and how they work, or propulsion systems,” said Davoyan, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Anything that is round or has cyclical or repeating properties — such as radio waves — involves pi. Even squares or irregular blobs can be broken down into a series of progressively smaller circles and calculated using pi, Davoyan said.

Davoyan’s research looks at how to create new propulsion systems to send spacecrafts more quickly to the far reaches of the solar system to gather and send back information to Earth. He pointed to NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2, which launched in 1977 but didn’t reach interstellar space until 2012 and 2018.

To send a signal to those space probes, NASA must calculate Earth’s exact position in orbit around the sun and design antennas for communication using pi. Then scientists use pi once more when receiving and breaking down complex signals that are being beamed back to Earth.

“Say aliens send something to us, something that we don’t know how to deal with,” Davoyan said. “So the very first thing that you would do, you would try to split it into simple functions... and turns out that when you do this operation, you will naturally have pis in it.”

Pi also comes up frequently when studying small amounts of fluids.

Dino Di Carlo, chair of the bioengineering department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, conducts research that involves creating little particles out of polymers that act as tiny test tubes for cells. This is used as an important tool to examine cells closely and learn about their functions and what’s inside them.

The pi constant is used in calculating how to form those droplets, surface tension calculations that define how droplets can break up, and how researchers can control the size of those volumes, Di Carlo said.

Di Carlo is using this technique to find antibodies — small proteins that fight diseases in your body — that could block signals put out by cancer cells.

Pi is also an important part of calculations when looking at how liquids flow through tubes and barriers. One example is when the fluid sample slowly flows sideways in a take-home COVID-19 test.

Di Carlo used these properties to devise a new test for Lyme disease that can be completed in 20 minutes, rather than days or weeks like previously.

“As an engineer and scientist, (pi) is just a part of life,” Di Carlo said. “Maybe I’ve taken it for granted.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773504520733.jpg" alt="Image Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jaimie-ding">JAIMIE DING</a>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.Representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, pi is approximately equal to 3.14159 — but its digits go on forever. In school, you might have used it to calculate the area of a circle or the volume of a cylinder. But the applications of pi are endless and part of every corner of our world.The holiday was created in 1988 by Larry Shaw, a physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco.“He had a very open and expansive view of the world and saw an opportunity with this number, mathematical concept, to invite people into the joy of mathematical learning,” said Sam Sharkland, program director of public programs at the museum, who worked with Shaw before he died in 2017.While it began as a small staff celebration featuring pie, it soon turned into a grand procession where hundreds of visitors marched around the pi shrine, each carrying a digit. Attendees often show up early to claim their favorite digit for the parade. One woman who has the symbol tattooed on her neck comes every year and marches near the front with a pi flag, Sharkland said.The celebration begins at 1:59 p.m., signifying the next three digits of pi.Here are a few ways pi is being used on the cutting edge of science.<h2>Pi in outer space</h2>In Artur Davoyan’s field of mechanical and aerospace engineering, pi is so fundamental that it would be hard to pinpoint one use case for it, he said.Pi is part of “literally every single formula that you would use to do any calculation, like for spacecraft motion, for materials and how they work, or propulsion systems,” said Davoyan, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.Anything that is round or has cyclical or repeating properties — such as radio waves — involves pi. Even squares or irregular blobs can be broken down into a series of progressively smaller circles and calculated using pi, Davoyan said.Davoyan’s research looks at how to create new propulsion systems to send spacecrafts more quickly to the far reaches of the solar system to gather and send back information to Earth. He pointed to NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2, which launched in 1977 but didn’t reach interstellar space until 2012 and 2018.To send a signal to those space probes, NASA must calculate Earth’s exact position in orbit around the sun and design antennas for communication using pi. Then scientists use pi once more when receiving and breaking down complex signals that are being beamed back to Earth.“Say aliens send something to us, something that we don’t know how to deal with,” Davoyan said. “So the very first thing that you would do, you would try to split it into simple functions... and turns out that when you do this operation, you will naturally have pis in it.”<h2>Tiny droplets of pi</h2>Pi also comes up frequently when studying small amounts of fluids.Dino Di Carlo, chair of the bioengineering department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, conducts research that involves creating little particles out of polymers that act as tiny test tubes for cells. This is used as an important tool to examine cells closely and learn about their functions and what’s inside them.The pi constant is used in calculating how to form those droplets, surface tension calculations that define how droplets can break up, and how researchers can control the size of those volumes, Di Carlo said.Di Carlo is using this technique to find antibodies — small proteins that fight diseases in your body — that could block signals put out by cancer cells.Pi is also an important part of calculations when looking at how liquids flow through tubes and barriers. One example is when the fluid sample slowly flows sideways in a take-home COVID-19 test.Di Carlo used these properties to devise a new test for Lyme disease that can be completed in 20 minutes, rather than days or weeks like previously.“As an engineer and scientist, (pi) is just a part of life,” Di Carlo said. “Maybe I’ve taken it for granted.”

Pi Day 2026: How the number pi is embedded in our lives

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-scolforo">MARK SCOLFORO</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julie-walker">JULIE WALKER</a> Associated Press

Also aboard the aircraft was an Ohio man whose loved ones remembered him for his smile, his parents said.

The Pentagon hasn’t yet revealed the identities of the six, but families began revealing who had died Saturday.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-scolforo">MARK SCOLFORO</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julie-walker">JULIE WALKER</a> Associated PressA pilot from Alabama had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">crashed in Iraq</a>&nbsp;this week, killing him and five others, his brother-in-law said Saturday.Alex Klinner, 33, leaves behind three small children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fauburnu%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0Zv54mLi25sGc5YTn4BoxS2d9coyiTZxtoMw5VLudHVDA64AG4q6Czbc6HdKEzwsel&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="499" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.Also aboard the aircraft was an Ohio man whose loved ones remembered him for his smile, his parents said.The Pentagon hasn’t yet revealed the identities of the six, but families began revealing who had died Saturday.The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety, U.S. military officials said.The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing said in a Facebook post late Friday that three of the dead were airmen who served in the Columbus-based unit.“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization,” according to the 121st Air Refueling Wing’s post.<h2>A new father and a new major</h2>Klinner, an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, had just moved with his family into a new home, his wife, Libby Klinner, said in an Instagram post mourning his death.An outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, Klinner was also ready to help others. When Harrill last saw him in January, Klinner had shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding.“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”Libby Klinner said in a post that her heart is broken for their children, who will grow up not knowing their father.“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”<h2>A man with a ready smile</h2>Sgt. Tyler Simmons of Columbus, Ohio, also was among six service members who died Thursday in the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker, his mother, Cheryl Simmons, confirmed on Saturday. Cheryl Simmons said she was making funeral plans for her son.In a statement obtained by WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons’ family said it was saddened beyond measure to hear of the fatal crash.“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” they said.<h2>The refueling aircraft is a mainstay in the US military</h2>U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, has said the crash occurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">on a combat mission</a>&nbsp;but was over “friendly” territory in western Iraq. Military officials said it is being investigated and was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”The KC-135 aircraft refuels other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.The Congressional Research Service says the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. It has been in service for more than 60 years.___Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri; Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Walker from New York.