&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been charged for a deadly crash while racing another car. The crash left two women dead.

Ahmed Juma, 21, Wichita is charged with two counts reckless involuntary manslaughter and two alternative counts of involuntary manslaughter in commission of another crime: racing.

Just before 2:30a.m. November 15, 2023, a Lexus GS350 driven by Juma was westbound in the 6200 Block of East Pawnee, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs. The Lexus left the road, struck a utility pole, rolled and all three occupants were ejected.

The rear passenger Carol Chakra, 19, Wichita, was pronounced deceased on scene, according to Gibbs. EMS transported the front seat passenger Lian Awadi 19, Wichita, to a local hospital in critical condition and she later died.&nbsp; Juma was treated at a local hospital and released.

The second vehicle at the scene did not have any physical contact with the Lexus however the occupants knew the individuals involved in the collision. It does not appear alcohol was a factor in the crash at this time. Speed is a likely factor, Lt. Gibbs reported at the time of the preliminary investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737755349041.png" alt="Scene of the deadly crash photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the deadly crash photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been charged for a deadly crash while racing another car. The crash left two women dead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737649438557.png" alt="Juma-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Juma-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>Ahmed Juma, 21, Wichita is charged with two counts reckless involuntary manslaughter and two alternative counts of involuntary manslaughter in commission of another crime: racing.Just before 2:30a.m. November 15, 2023, a Lexus GS350 driven by Juma was westbound in the 6200 Block of East Pawnee, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs. The Lexus left the road, struck a utility pole, rolled and all three occupants were ejected.The rear passenger Carol Chakra, 19, Wichita, was pronounced deceased on scene, according to Gibbs. EMS transported the front seat passenger Lian Awadi 19, Wichita, to a local hospital in critical condition and she later died.&nbsp; Juma was treated at a local hospital and released.The second vehicle at the scene did not have any physical contact with the Lexus however the occupants knew the individuals involved in the collision. It does not appear alcohol was a factor in the crash at this time. Speed is a likely factor, Lt. Gibbs reported at the time of the preliminary investigation.

Kansas man charged for double-fatal crash while racing

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump vowed to support pro-life protesters in his second term as tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Washington on Friday for the annual March for Life.

“We will again stand proudly for families and for life,” Trump declared in a prerecorded video address.

Protesters had come to the capital for decades to call for the repeal of Roe v. Wade, which affirmed a constitutional right to an abortion. Now, with the repeal of Roe in 2022, they are now on the inside rather than the outside. With Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-cabinet-medication-comstock-act-7faace8a458d637d31d34dfe1f8ab47b">return to the White House</a>&nbsp;and Republicans in control of Congress, the activists want to build on their victories.

“Our country faces the return of the most pro-family, most pro-life American president of our lifetimes," Vice President JD Vance told the crowd in his in-person speech.

Vance hailed Trump’s previous actions on abortion, saying the president “delivered on his promise of ending Roe" and appointed hundreds of anti-abortion judges.

Abortion was largely absent from the stack of dozens of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-executive-orders-3a035a0bbd37b5c12630b92c8c8a9625">executive actions</a>&nbsp;in Trump’s first days of office. But he has already made quieter moves on abortion, including pardoning several right to life activists and using wording related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">executive order</a>&nbsp;rolling back protections for transgender people.

Despite frigid weather, a festive atmosphere surrounded the event as activists showed up with multicolored hats and signs declaring “Life is our revolution” and “MAGA: Make Abortion Gone Again.”

“This is a significant moment in history,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group. “Yes, we have a march every year but this one is pretty special...There is a trifecta of pro-life Republicans in the White House and the House and the Senate.”

Kristen Cooper, 21, was among several thousand Students for Life America members attending. She said she was especially excited to be at the march with anti-abortion Republicans in the White House.

She said this march was her fourth but the first with a Republican administration. “It’s surreal, actually.”

Anna Henderson, a teacher at a Catholic high school near Jackson, Michigan, was also attending her fourth march with a busload of her students.

“Just because we have the backing of the administration doesn’t mean the fight is over,” she said. “We still need to change people’s hearts.”

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said there is still work to be done, including calling on Trump to defund Planned Parenthood and offer resources such as paid family leave to women with unplanned pregnancies.

“The march now ends on the backside of the U.S. Capitol to remind our representatives that abortion is not only a state issue, but also a local issue and also a federal issue,” she said.

Angela Vasquez-Giroux, vice president of communications at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which supports abortion rights, said: “We know exactly what is at risk and we know the hate and lies they will spew at the March for Life."

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-bills-murder-oklahoma-missouri-courts-trump-0a8883ae0cb8d84b13efdb209fab9e47">battle over abortion since the 2022 decision,</a>&nbsp;has been in state courts and at the ballot box where voters in seven states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">approved ballot measures</a>&nbsp;for constitutional amendments on reproductive freedom in November. Legislatures have been fighting back already with proposals that could make such measures more difficult to get passed.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated the 2024 defeat of an abortion rights amendment on the March for Life stage and boasted about his role in the state-funded campaign against the measure. Voters there supported a state constitutional amendment overturning a six-week abortion ban but Florida requires 60% to pass constitutional amendments in the state. Most states require a simple majority.

“Most elected officials will say ‘Look, what’s on the ballot is not their issue — the people can decide,'" DeSantis told the crowd. “And they wash their hands of it and walk away.”

Supporters of abortion rights spoke up, too.

"No matter what they said on the campaign trail to win an election, this shows their intentions to continue to attack abortion access,” Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, said of abortion-rights opponents.

“Each time one of these has taken place since the Dobbs decision, it’s been a day to reflect on how much damage that’s been caused by that decision and the crisis we continue to live in.”

Ellie Smeal, president and founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said her group would counterprotest.

“We want to remind people of the popularity of abortion rights and the importance of this issue, that women and men are supportive of people making their own reproductive health decisions,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump vowed to support pro-life protesters in his second term as tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Washington on Friday for the annual March for Life.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump to <a href="https://twitter.com/March_for_Life?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@March_for_Life</a>: &quot;I know your hearts are warm and your spirits are strong because your mission is just, very, very pure: to forge a society that welcomes and protects every child as a beautiful gift from the hand of our Creator.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GxXL0ibiDr">pic.twitter.com/GxXL0ibiDr</a>&mdash; President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1882891449366138893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We will again stand proudly for families and for life,” Trump declared in a prerecorded video address.Protesters had come to the capital for decades to call for the repeal of Roe v. Wade, which affirmed a constitutional right to an abortion. Now, with the repeal of Roe in 2022, they are now on the inside rather than the outside. With Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-cabinet-medication-comstock-act-7faace8a458d637d31d34dfe1f8ab47b">return to the White House</a>&nbsp;and Republicans in control of Congress, the activists want to build on their victories.“Our country faces the return of the most pro-family, most pro-life American president of our lifetimes," Vice President JD Vance told the crowd in his in-person speech.Vance hailed Trump’s previous actions on abortion, saying the president “delivered on his promise of ending Roe" and appointed hundreds of anti-abortion judges.Abortion was largely absent from the stack of dozens of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-executive-orders-3a035a0bbd37b5c12630b92c8c8a9625">executive actions</a>&nbsp;in Trump’s first days of office. But he has already made quieter moves on abortion, including pardoning several right to life activists and using wording related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">executive order</a>&nbsp;rolling back protections for transgender people.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737759514514.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite frigid weather, a festive atmosphere surrounded the event as activists showed up with multicolored hats and signs declaring “Life is our revolution” and “MAGA: Make Abortion Gone Again.”“This is a significant moment in history,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group. “Yes, we have a march every year but this one is pretty special...There is a trifecta of pro-life Republicans in the White House and the House and the Senate.”Kristen Cooper, 21, was among several thousand Students for Life America members attending. She said she was especially excited to be at the march with anti-abortion Republicans in the White House.She said this march was her fourth but the first with a Republican administration. “It’s surreal, actually.”Anna Henderson, a teacher at a Catholic high school near Jackson, Michigan, was also attending her fourth march with a busload of her students.“Just because we have the backing of the administration doesn’t mean the fight is over,” she said. “We still need to change people’s hearts.”Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said there is still work to be done, including calling on Trump to defund Planned Parenthood and offer resources such as paid family leave to women with unplanned pregnancies.“The march now ends on the backside of the U.S. Capitol to remind our representatives that abortion is not only a state issue, but also a local issue and also a federal issue,” she said.Angela Vasquez-Giroux, vice president of communications at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which supports abortion rights, said: “We know exactly what is at risk and we know the hate and lies they will spew at the March for Life."The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-bills-murder-oklahoma-missouri-courts-trump-0a8883ae0cb8d84b13efdb209fab9e47">battle over abortion since the 2022 decision,</a>&nbsp;has been in state courts and at the ballot box where voters in seven states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">approved ballot measures</a>&nbsp;for constitutional amendments on reproductive freedom in November. Legislatures have been fighting back already with proposals that could make such measures more difficult to get passed.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated the 2024 defeat of an abortion rights amendment on the March for Life stage and boasted about his role in the state-funded campaign against the measure. Voters there supported a state constitutional amendment overturning a six-week abortion ban but Florida requires 60% to pass constitutional amendments in the state. Most states require a simple majority.“Most elected officials will say ‘Look, what’s on the ballot is not their issue — the people can decide,'" DeSantis told the crowd. “And they wash their hands of it and walk away.”Supporters of abortion rights spoke up, too."No matter what they said on the campaign trail to win an election, this shows their intentions to continue to attack abortion access,” Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, said of abortion-rights opponents.“Each time one of these has taken place since the Dobbs decision, it’s been a day to reflect on how much damage that’s been caused by that decision and the crisis we continue to live in.”Ellie Smeal, president and founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said her group would counterprotest.“We want to remind people of the popularity of abortion rights and the importance of this issue, that women and men are supportive of people making their own reproductive health decisions,” she said.

🎥Trump's message at March for Life rally in Washington 

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement in southwest Kanas is asking for the public to help&nbsp; locate 25-year-old Jesus Loya of Garden City.

On Thursday, Loya walked out in the middle of his jury trial in Garden City, according to a media release from police.

Loya has been found guilty and is wanted on a warrant for Kidnapping&nbsp; Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness/Victim, Aggravated Assault and Criminal Threat.

Loya’s Bond had been set at $1,000,000. 

.If you have any information about Loya's whereabouts, please call the Finney County Sheriff's Office at 620-272-3700, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GardenCityPD?__cft__[0]=AZU-2cYlX6rLk-EVW3w5FsGCrOq-EyJOztz7UQjSeXONxCDdzfVBWEJf-206I5hmH8Z3IU7-9xxYNe3xJbU9ijhF130h886ZsWhQTIXs-A9ZkkbGLkKBRxpEKhKOjwIUGLWk1Vk3N0LYNDnNKM0a_IazBLJFa85vWDQtveux3PsxgghE5iGYBNatI_dwElgt_o6OwD89e1Rdp6CirusdzUhjv0bVuoXKSyQaWoRzSqvl3Q&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Garden City Police Department - KS</a> at 620-276-1300. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 620-275-7807 or texting GCTIP and your information to Tip411 (847411).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737757966841.png" alt="Jesus Loya photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Jesus Loya photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement in southwest Kanas is asking for the public to help&nbsp; locate 25-year-old Jesus Loya of Garden City.On Thursday, Loya walked out in the middle of his jury trial in Garden City, according to a media release from police.Loya has been found guilty and is wanted on a warrant for Kidnapping&nbsp; Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness/Victim, Aggravated Assault and Criminal Threat.Loya’s Bond had been set at $1,000,000. .If you have any information about Loya's whereabouts, please call the Finney County Sheriff's Office at 620-272-3700, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GardenCityPD?__cft__[0]=AZU-2cYlX6rLk-EVW3w5FsGCrOq-EyJOztz7UQjSeXONxCDdzfVBWEJf-206I5hmH8Z3IU7-9xxYNe3xJbU9ijhF130h886ZsWhQTIXs-A9ZkkbGLkKBRxpEKhKOjwIUGLWk1Vk3N0LYNDnNKM0a_IazBLJFa85vWDQtveux3PsxgghE5iGYBNatI_dwElgt_o6OwD89e1Rdp6CirusdzUhjv0bVuoXKSyQaWoRzSqvl3Q&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Garden City Police Department - KS</a> at 620-276-1300. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 620-275-7807 or texting GCTIP and your information to Tip411 (847411).

Sheriff: Violent suspect escaped during trial in southwest Kansas 

WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday night in Wichita.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SGSO) and Wichita Police Department (WPD) requested KBI assistance on Thursday, Jan. 23, around 11:55 p.m. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to the scene.

At around 9 p.m., WPD received a call about a man who forced entry into a home and attempted to shoot at a male resident. The subject had bonded out of jail on domestic violence charges earlier that day. The man was later identified as Devario C. Edwards, 28, of Wichita.

Preliminary information indicates that after Edwards attempted to shoot the resident, he fled the scene and began a Facebook livestream. In the video, he is armed with a rifle and indicated he was headed to Spirit Aerosystems.

Once he arrived at Spirit, deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff and Wichita Police officers located the vehicle and a brief car chase ensued. Edwards then jumped out of his vehicle holding the gun. Around 11:10 p.m., he shot several rounds at officers, beginning an exchange of gunfire. Edwards was struck multiple times. Shortly after, officers approached him, secured his weapon, and began performing lifesaving measures. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 12:14 a.m. No law enforcement officers were injured during the exchange.

The preliminary investigation indicated that during the incident two police vehicles were struck by gunfire. Edwards fired over 20 rounds at police. A total of eight law enforcement officers fired over 100 rounds.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737755840677.png" alt="Law enforcement of the scene early Friday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement of the scene early Friday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday night in Wichita.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKBIKansas%2Fvideos%2F603623159208781%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SGSO) and Wichita Police Department (WPD) requested KBI assistance on Thursday, Jan. 23, around 11:55 p.m. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to the scene.At around 9 p.m., WPD received a call about a man who forced entry into a home and attempted to shoot at a male resident. The subject had bonded out of jail on domestic violence charges earlier that day. The man was later identified as Devario C. Edwards, 28, of Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737756332519.png" alt="Edwards was booked into jail on Thursday morning and bonded out later in the day-.&nbsp; photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Edwards was booked into jail on Thursday morning and bonded out later in the day-.&nbsp; photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737755920109.png" alt="Image from Sedgwick County Deputy dash camera of shots fired a the patrol vehicle&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from Sedgwick County Deputy dash camera of shots fired a the patrol vehicle&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary information indicates that after Edwards attempted to shoot the resident, he fled the scene and began a Facebook livestream. In the video, he is armed with a rifle and indicated he was headed to Spirit Aerosystems.Once he arrived at Spirit, deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff and Wichita Police officers located the vehicle and a brief car chase ensued. Edwards then jumped out of his vehicle holding the gun. Around 11:10 p.m., he shot several rounds at officers, beginning an exchange of gunfire. Edwards was struck multiple times. Shortly after, officers approached him, secured his weapon, and began performing lifesaving measures. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 12:14 a.m. No law enforcement officers were injured during the exchange.The preliminary investigation indicated that during the incident two police vehicles were struck by gunfire. Edwards fired over 20 rounds at police. A total of eight law enforcement officers fired over 100 rounds.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Police ID man who died in Kansas officer-shooting 

FLETCHER, N.C. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation's central organization for responding to disasters.

Speaking while on the first trip of his second term, Trump made the comment in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-helene">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;during a briefing on the monthslong recovery from Hurricane Helene.

“FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.”

Trump said Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the storm continue to linger. Whatley is a North Carolina native but does not hold an official government position.

While Trump emphasized his desire to help North Carolina, a battleground state that's voted for him in all of his presidential campaigns, he was much less generous toward California, where he plans to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-gofundme-01bc1eaec701d862f442c35a8438519f">wildfire-ravaged</a>&nbsp;Los Angeles later in the day.

Trump reiterated that he wants to extract concessions from the Democratic-led state in return for disaster assistance, including changes to water policies and requirements that voters need to show identification when casting ballots.

Beyond Trump's criticisms of FEMA, he's suggested a dramatic overhaul of the federal government's role in responding to disasters.

“I’d like to see the states take care of disasters," he said after landing in the Asheville area. “Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.”

Trump said that would be quicker than sending in FEMA.

“FEMA just hasn’t done the job," the president said. "We’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-fema-trump-disasters-b191d88e2ab77d3b79eeeb860e4ae13b">The agency helps respond</a>&nbsp;to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state's ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents. Some of Trump's conservative allies have proposed reducing how much money the agency should provide.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/helene-hurricane-damage-fema-trump-biden-harris-e5c1feed690765bac4d7096ce9dceb96">has criticized</a>&nbsp;former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;for his administration's response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. As he left the White House on Friday morning, he told reporters that “it’s been a horrible thing the way that’s been allowed to fester” since the storm hit in September, and "we're going to get it fixed up.”

After the briefing recovery efforts, Trump traveled to a small town outside Asheville to meet with residents who have been helped by Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian organization headed by evangelical leader Franklin Graham.

Once in California, Trump plans to tour the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where rows of homes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">burned to the ground.</a>&nbsp;He’s expected to receive a briefing on the fires,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-los-angeles-winds-300bac5d21394adf9d44493c4ccd337b">which are ongoing</a>, with thousands of people under evacuation orders.

Trump has showered California leaders with disdain for water policies that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republicans-taxes-eea4754a0f580d451aa0588f0639d52c">he falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;worsened the recent blazes. He said he would “take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn’t let the water flow.”

Members of Congress will be at the briefing, and the meeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-conditional-aid-washington-trump-johnson-12c779b96e04d564802d4d06348aa0fc">could prove contentious.</a>&nbsp;Trump has suggested using federal disaster assistance as a bargaining chip during unrelated legislative negotiations over government borrowing, or as leverage to persuade California to change its water policies.

“Playing politics with people’s livelihoods is unacceptable and a slap in the face to the Southern California wildfire victims and to our brave first responders,” said Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from Orange County, south of Los Angeles, in a recent statement.

Trump has a history of injecting politics and falsehoods into disaster response. During his first term, he talked about limiting help for Democratic states that didn't support him, according to former administration officials. While running for president last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-hurricane-helene-3097f1706455929adf5a4eb67f9cdf0f">he claimed without evidence</a>&nbsp;that Democrats were “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” of the battleground state of North Carolina.

He's also been focused on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republicans-taxes-eea4754a0f580d451aa0588f0639d52c">California water policies</a>, specifically fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state.

“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity.

The president also suggested shifting more responsibility to individual states for managing disasters.

“I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” he told Hannity, adding that “FEMA is getting in the way of everything.”

Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was “misinformed” about an agency that provides critical help to states when they're overwhelmed by catastrophe.

In addition, Coen criticized the idea of attaching strings to assistance.

“You’re going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government," he said. "I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live.”

The last time Trump was president, he visited numerous disaster zones, including the aftermaths of hurricanes and tornadoes. He sometimes sparked criticism, like when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-maria-puerto-rico-donald-trump-ap-top-news-hurricanes-2055da43223a456e8ad635a22348fafc">tossed paper towels</a>&nbsp;to survivors of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

“If you’re a disaster survivor, no matter who you voted for, it’s always good when the president comes to town,” said Pete Gaynor, who headed FEMA during the first Trump administration between 2019 and 2021. “You can see him and hopefully talk to him about what you need in your community.”

Laurie Carpenter, a 62-year-old retiree in Newland, North Carolina, said she's looking forward to Trump's visit because she's been disappointed by the federal response. She said there's still debris and trash strewn around her part of the state months after Hurricane Helene.

“If anybody’s going to do something about it, I think he will,” Carpenter said.

Trump tapped Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL with limited experience managing natural disasters, as FEMA’s acting director. He also said individual states should be in charge of directing response to natural disasters rather than FEMA, and that the federal government should only step in subsequently to provide funding.

Biden vowed before leaving office that the federal government would cover all the costs of responding to the wildfires around Los Angeles, which could end up being the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest natural disasters in U.S. history</a>. However, that promise won't be kept unless Congress comes up with more funding.

Friday's trip could prompt some uncomfortable conversations about climate change, which Trump has played down and denied. Both Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires were exacerbated by global warming.

In Helene’s case, a study by international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution found that climate change&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-science-fatalities-8a0d4f072669fd1d0031a23d7fc4b29c">boosted the storm’s rainfall by 10%.</a>&nbsp;In California, the state suffered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">a record dry fall and winter</a>&nbsp;— its traditional wet season — which made the area around Los Angeles more vulnerable to blazes.

“This is just breaking our comfort zone of what is supposed to be normal,” said University of Oregon researcher Amanda Stasiewicz.

After visiting North Carolina and California, Trump plans to hold a rally Saturday in Las Vegas.

___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Seth Borenstein and Makiya Seminera contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737737414942.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>FLETCHER, N.C. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation's central organization for responding to disasters.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump in North Carolina: &quot;FEMA has really let us down. Let the country down. I don&#39;t know if that&#39;s Biden&#39;s fault or whose fault it is, but we&#39;re going to take over an we&#39;re going to do a good job.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pNpY8NyOyL">pic.twitter.com/pNpY8NyOyL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1882829420219498686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking while on the first trip of his second term, Trump made the comment in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-helene">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;during a briefing on the monthslong recovery from Hurricane Helene.“FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and First Lady <a href="https://twitter.com/MELANIATRUMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELANIATRUMP</a> hug a woman who lost everything in Hurricane Helene 🙏❤️ <a href="https://t.co/ZWQQbcwKcG">pic.twitter.com/ZWQQbcwKcG</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1882922429925949742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump said Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the storm continue to linger. Whatley is a North Carolina native but does not hold an official government position.While Trump emphasized his desire to help North Carolina, a battleground state that's voted for him in all of his presidential campaigns, he was much less generous toward California, where he plans to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-gofundme-01bc1eaec701d862f442c35a8438519f">wildfire-ravaged</a>&nbsp;Los Angeles later in the day.Trump reiterated that he wants to extract concessions from the Democratic-led state in return for disaster assistance, including changes to water policies and requirements that voters need to show identification when casting ballots.Beyond Trump's criticisms of FEMA, he's suggested a dramatic overhaul of the federal government's role in responding to disasters.“I’d like to see the states take care of disasters," he said after landing in the Asheville area. “Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.”Trump said that would be quicker than sending in FEMA.“FEMA just hasn’t done the job," the president said. "We’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-fema-trump-disasters-b191d88e2ab77d3b79eeeb860e4ae13b">The agency helps respond</a>&nbsp;to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state's ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents. Some of Trump's conservative allies have proposed reducing how much money the agency should provide.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/helene-hurricane-damage-fema-trump-biden-harris-e5c1feed690765bac4d7096ce9dceb96">has criticized</a>&nbsp;former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;for his administration's response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. As he left the White House on Friday morning, he told reporters that “it’s been a horrible thing the way that’s been allowed to fester” since the storm hit in September, and "we're going to get it fixed up.”After the briefing recovery efforts, Trump traveled to a small town outside Asheville to meet with residents who have been helped by Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian organization headed by evangelical leader Franklin Graham.Once in California, Trump plans to tour the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where rows of homes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">burned to the ground.</a>&nbsp;He’s expected to receive a briefing on the fires,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-los-angeles-winds-300bac5d21394adf9d44493c4ccd337b">which are ongoing</a>, with thousands of people under evacuation orders.Trump has showered California leaders with disdain for water policies that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republicans-taxes-eea4754a0f580d451aa0588f0639d52c">he falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;worsened the recent blazes. He said he would “take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn’t let the water flow.”Members of Congress will be at the briefing, and the meeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-conditional-aid-washington-trump-johnson-12c779b96e04d564802d4d06348aa0fc">could prove contentious.</a>&nbsp;Trump has suggested using federal disaster assistance as a bargaining chip during unrelated legislative negotiations over government borrowing, or as leverage to persuade California to change its water policies.“Playing politics with people’s livelihoods is unacceptable and a slap in the face to the Southern California wildfire victims and to our brave first responders,” said Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from Orange County, south of Los Angeles, in a recent statement.Trump has a history of injecting politics and falsehoods into disaster response. During his first term, he talked about limiting help for Democratic states that didn't support him, according to former administration officials. While running for president last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-hurricane-helene-3097f1706455929adf5a4eb67f9cdf0f">he claimed without evidence</a>&nbsp;that Democrats were “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” of the battleground state of North Carolina.He's also been focused on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republicans-taxes-eea4754a0f580d451aa0588f0639d52c">California water policies</a>, specifically fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state.“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity.The president also suggested shifting more responsibility to individual states for managing disasters.“I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” he told Hannity, adding that “FEMA is getting in the way of everything.”Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was “misinformed” about an agency that provides critical help to states when they're overwhelmed by catastrophe.In addition, Coen criticized the idea of attaching strings to assistance.“You’re going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government," he said. "I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live.”The last time Trump was president, he visited numerous disaster zones, including the aftermaths of hurricanes and tornadoes. He sometimes sparked criticism, like when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-maria-puerto-rico-donald-trump-ap-top-news-hurricanes-2055da43223a456e8ad635a22348fafc">tossed paper towels</a>&nbsp;to survivors of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.“If you’re a disaster survivor, no matter who you voted for, it’s always good when the president comes to town,” said Pete Gaynor, who headed FEMA during the first Trump administration between 2019 and 2021. “You can see him and hopefully talk to him about what you need in your community.”Laurie Carpenter, a 62-year-old retiree in Newland, North Carolina, said she's looking forward to Trump's visit because she's been disappointed by the federal response. She said there's still debris and trash strewn around her part of the state months after Hurricane Helene.“If anybody’s going to do something about it, I think he will,” Carpenter said.Trump tapped Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL with limited experience managing natural disasters, as FEMA’s acting director. He also said individual states should be in charge of directing response to natural disasters rather than FEMA, and that the federal government should only step in subsequently to provide funding.Biden vowed before leaving office that the federal government would cover all the costs of responding to the wildfires around Los Angeles, which could end up being the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest natural disasters in U.S. history</a>. However, that promise won't be kept unless Congress comes up with more funding.Friday's trip could prompt some uncomfortable conversations about climate change, which Trump has played down and denied. Both Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires were exacerbated by global warming.In Helene’s case, a study by international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution found that climate change&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-science-fatalities-8a0d4f072669fd1d0031a23d7fc4b29c">boosted the storm’s rainfall by 10%.</a>&nbsp;In California, the state suffered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">a record dry fall and winter</a>&nbsp;— its traditional wet season — which made the area around Los Angeles more vulnerable to blazes.“This is just breaking our comfort zone of what is supposed to be normal,” said University of Oregon researcher Amanda Stasiewicz.After visiting North Carolina and California, Trump plans to hold a rally Saturday in Las Vegas.___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Seth Borenstein and Makiya Seminera contributed to this report.

🎥Trump proposes ‘getting rid of FEMA’ on North Carolina visit

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. -&nbsp;The wife of a Sedgwick County Commission has been granted diversion in an electioneering case from last year's general election.  

Meghan Blubaugh, wife of Sedgwick County Commissioner Jeff Blubaugh was granted diversion in her first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court. &nbsp;Judge Shawn Elliot granted the diversion order on Thursday.&nbsp;

Blubaugh was charged with one count of electioneering. &nbsp;She is alleged to have been wearing a shirt with her husband's campaign logo on it while voting last fall. Election workers at the poling location told her she needed to turn the shirt inside out but she refused. &nbsp;

Under Kansas law election campaign information is not to be displayed or distributed within any polling site on election day or at any advanced voting site. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732103072923.png" alt="Jeff Blubaugh and family photo from his campaign website" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Blubaugh and family photo from his campaign website</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. -&nbsp;The wife of a Sedgwick County Commission has been granted diversion in an electioneering case from last year's general election. Meghan Blubaugh, wife of Sedgwick County Commissioner Jeff Blubaugh was granted diversion in her first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court. &nbsp;Judge Shawn Elliot granted the diversion order on Thursday.&nbsp;Blubaugh was charged with one count of electioneering. &nbsp;She is alleged to have been wearing a shirt with her husband's campaign logo on it while voting last fall. Election workers at the poling location told her she needed to turn the shirt inside out but she refused. &nbsp;Under Kansas law election campaign information is not to be displayed or distributed within any polling site on election day or at any advanced voting site. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Commissioner's wife granted diversion in electioneering case

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rebecca-santana">REBECCA SANTANA</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration announced Friday that it is expanding a fast-track&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-us-news-ap-top-news-az-state-wire-arrests-fbbdebf6e4aa4024873105dcbe570446">deportation authority</a>&nbsp;nationwide, allowing immigration officers to deport migrants without appearing before a judge as President Donald Trump seeks to make good on a sweeping agenda of removing everyone who is in the U.S. illegally.

The administration said it is expanding the use of “expedited removal” authority so it can be used across the country.

“The effect of this change will be to enhance national security and public safety — while reducing government costs — by facilitating prompt immigration determinations,” the administration said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/24/2025-01720/designating-aliens-for-expedited-removal?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=federalregister.gov" target="_blank">notice in the Federal Register</a>&nbsp;on Friday outlining the new rules.

In Trump’s first week in office, his administration has taken action on a number of different fronts on his signature campaign promise of cracking down on illegal immigration.

After declaring a national emergency and describing immigration at the southern border as an invasion, he sent military troops to the border; lifted longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-sensitive-locations-trump-ab0d2d2652e9df696f14410ebb52a1fc">near schools and churches</a>; indefinitely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/refugees-flights-trump-immigration-border-resettlement-33ebaa34bc4d0c069a22ee7aa5f8ff6d">suspended the refugee program</a>; and halted key Biden-era immigration pathways.

In executive orders signed Monday, Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">laid out a vision for future actions</a>&nbsp;designed to dramatically boost immigration enforcement in the interior of the country while ratcheting down access at the southern border.

Friday’s news of the expanded use of expedited removal comes as Newark, N.J., officials are lashing out over what they say were illegal arrests by federal immigration officers at a local business. About half of the city’s population of 305,000 is Black and nearly 40% is Hispanic, according to census figures.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat who is seeking the party’s nomination for governor this year, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained “undocumented residents” along with U.S. citizens on Thursday. City officials are slated to have a news conference Friday.

“Expedited removal” gives enforcement agencies broad authority to deport people without requiring them to appear before an immigration judge. There are limited exceptions, including if they express fear of returning home and pass an initial screening interview for asylum.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-lawsuits-us-news-tx-state-wire-fl-state-wire-60cd287465724b10a6a70d300d8e9b55">Critics have said there’s</a>&nbsp;too much risk that people who have the right to be in the country will be mistakenly swept up by agents and officers and that not enough is done to protect migrants who have genuine reason to fear being sent home.

The powers were created under a 1996 law. But these powers weren’t really widely used until 2004, when Homeland Security said they would use expedited removal authority for people arrested within two weeks of entering the U.S. by land and caught within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the border. That meant it was used mostly against migrants recently arrived in the country.

In the notice Friday the administration said the authority could be used across the country and would go into effect immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737727787494.png" alt="A C-17 Military Transport with the 301st Airlift Squadron of the 60th Air Mobility Wing from Travis Air Force Base loading Illegal Aliens from Guatemala on a deportation flight Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>A C-17 Military Transport with the 301st Airlift Squadron of the 60th Air Mobility Wing from Travis Air Force Base loading Illegal Aliens from Guatemala on a deportation flight Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rebecca-santana">REBECCA SANTANA</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration announced Friday that it is expanding a fast-track&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-us-news-ap-top-news-az-state-wire-arrests-fbbdebf6e4aa4024873105dcbe570446">deportation authority</a>&nbsp;nationwide, allowing immigration officers to deport migrants without appearing before a judge as President Donald Trump seeks to make good on a sweeping agenda of removing everyone who is in the U.S. illegally.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ZdvukddhtA">pic.twitter.com/ZdvukddhtA</a>&mdash; ICE (@ICEgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1882591102684758226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The administration said it is expanding the use of “expedited removal” authority so it can be used across the country.“The effect of this change will be to enhance national security and public safety — while reducing government costs — by facilitating prompt immigration determinations,” the administration said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/24/2025-01720/designating-aliens-for-expedited-removal?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=federalregister.gov" target="_blank">notice in the Federal Register</a>&nbsp;on Friday outlining the new rules.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The US Marine Corps Is On The Border Assisting CBP With The Mission To Secure America Promise Made --&gt; Promise KEPT! <a href="https://t.co/t384DH1FDl">pic.twitter.com/t384DH1FDl</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1882842972150288732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In Trump’s first week in office, his administration has taken action on a number of different fronts on his signature campaign promise of cracking down on illegal immigration.After declaring a national emergency and describing immigration at the southern border as an invasion, he sent military troops to the border; lifted longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-sensitive-locations-trump-ab0d2d2652e9df696f14410ebb52a1fc">near schools and churches</a>; indefinitely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/refugees-flights-trump-immigration-border-resettlement-33ebaa34bc4d0c069a22ee7aa5f8ff6d">suspended the refugee program</a>; and halted key Biden-era immigration pathways.In executive orders signed Monday, Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">laid out a vision for future actions</a>&nbsp;designed to dramatically boost immigration enforcement in the interior of the country while ratcheting down access at the southern border.Friday’s news of the expanded use of expedited removal comes as Newark, N.J., officials are lashing out over what they say were illegal arrests by federal immigration officers at a local business. About half of the city’s population of 305,000 is Black and nearly 40% is Hispanic, according to census figures.Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat who is seeking the party’s nomination for governor this year, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained “undocumented residents” along with U.S. citizens on Thursday. City officials are slated to have a news conference Friday.“Expedited removal” gives enforcement agencies broad authority to deport people without requiring them to appear before an immigration judge. There are limited exceptions, including if they express fear of returning home and pass an initial screening interview for asylum.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-lawsuits-us-news-tx-state-wire-fl-state-wire-60cd287465724b10a6a70d300d8e9b55">Critics have said there’s</a>&nbsp;too much risk that people who have the right to be in the country will be mistakenly swept up by agents and officers and that not enough is done to protect migrants who have genuine reason to fear being sent home.The powers were created under a 1996 law. But these powers weren’t really widely used until 2004, when Homeland Security said they would use expedited removal authority for people arrested within two weeks of entering the U.S. by land and caught within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the border. That meant it was used mostly against migrants recently arrived in the country.In the notice Friday the administration said the authority could be used across the country and would go into effect immediately.

U.S. begins migrant deportation flights using military aircraft 

BANGKOK (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling 272,827 Broncos and Mavericks due to a power problem that can cause vehicles to stop unexpectedly or fail to start.

Information from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration says the problem is related to a 12 volt battery made by Camel Battery of China that has “internal manufacturing defects,” including weld failures that can cause open circuits.

It said there were no reports of accidents, fires or injuries caused by the problem.

The vehicles were made between February 2021 and October 2023, when Ford stopped using those specific batteries. The defects are thought to affect only 1% of the vehicles equipped with the batteries.

<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-11/ford-consent-order-web.pdf">Ford pledged</a>&nbsp;in November to review and improve its recall decision-making process and to submit to monitoring by an independent third party that will oversee its recall performance for three years after the U.S. government fine it for moving too slowly on an earlier recall.

The NHTSA said that after a previous recall of 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and 2022-2023 Ford Maverick pickups, some vehicles lost power including the ability to turn on hazard lights, without warning. The remedy involves software updates to improve detection of battery problems and provide warnings to drivers, it said.

BANGKOK (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling 272,827 Broncos and Mavericks due to a power problem that can cause vehicles to stop unexpectedly or fail to start.Information from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration says the problem is related to a 12 volt battery made by Camel Battery of China that has “internal manufacturing defects,” including weld failures that can cause open circuits.It said there were no reports of accidents, fires or injuries caused by the problem.The vehicles were made between February 2021 and October 2023, when Ford stopped using those specific batteries. The defects are thought to affect only 1% of the vehicles equipped with the batteries.<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-11/ford-consent-order-web.pdf">Ford pledged</a>&nbsp;in November to review and improve its recall decision-making process and to submit to monitoring by an independent third party that will oversee its recall performance for three years after the U.S. government fine it for moving too slowly on an earlier recall.The NHTSA said that after a previous recall of 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and 2022-2023 Ford Maverick pickups, some vehicles lost power including the ability to turn on hazard lights, without warning. The remedy involves software updates to improve detection of battery problems and provide warnings to drivers, it said.

Ford recalls more than 270,000 vehicles  due to loss of power problem

By NATE KING Salina Post

Coperion K-Tron, a bulk handling manufacturing company in Salina announced plans to close its facility by the end of the year, resulting in the loss of 98 jobs.

The company notified Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and KansasWorks on Jan. 22 through a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice. This federal law mandates that employers provide 60 days advance notice to employees in the event of plant closures or mass layoffs.

According to Salina City Manager Mike Schrage, the Salina Community Economic Development Organization in partnership with Kansas Works and Kansas Department of Commerce’s rapid response team are working to assist those affected by the layoffs. The team will help connect displaced workers with new employment opportunities and other Salina resources.

Salina Post reached out to Coperion K-Tron for comment but was unable to connect with a company representative.

Additional details about the closure and support efforts have not been announced.

By NATE KING Salina PostCoperion K-Tron, a bulk handling manufacturing company in Salina announced plans to close its facility by the end of the year, resulting in the loss of 98 jobs.The company notified Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and KansasWorks on Jan. 22 through a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice. This federal law mandates that employers provide 60 days advance notice to employees in the event of plant closures or mass layoffs.According to Salina City Manager Mike Schrage, the Salina Community Economic Development Organization in partnership with Kansas Works and Kansas Department of Commerce’s rapid response team are working to assist those affected by the layoffs. The team will help connect displaced workers with new employment opportunities and other Salina resources.Salina Post reached out to Coperion K-Tron for comment but was unable to connect with a company representative.Additional details about the closure and support efforts have not been announced.

Bulk handling manufacturing company will close Kan. facility

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon who left his 11-month-old daughter in the canal in Wichita is going back to prison.

Judge Tyler Roush sentence 34-year-old Vincent Perez to 54 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Perez pleaded&nbsp; guilty in December to aggravated endangering a child and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In July, police were dispatched to conduct a welfare check in the vicinity of Interstate 135 and Pawnee in Wichita after receiving a report of a child in the canal, according to Officer Kristopher Gupilan.

Officers, with the assistance of the Wichita Fire Department, located the child within the canal. She was safely extracted from the canal and transported to a local hospital for precautionary medical evaluation and later placed into police protective custody, according to Gupilan.&nbsp;

Police believed Perez had information pertinent to the investigation and asked the public for assistance in locating him for questioning. The following day police booked&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=320252">Perez&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;into the Sedgwick County jail.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Perez has previous convictions for theft, aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721927142112.png" alt="Perez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Perez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon who left his 11-month-old daughter in the canal in Wichita is going back to prison.Judge Tyler Roush sentence 34-year-old Vincent Perez to 54 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Perez pleaded&nbsp; guilty in December to aggravated endangering a child and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In July, police were dispatched to conduct a welfare check in the vicinity of Interstate 135 and Pawnee in Wichita after receiving a report of a child in the canal, according to Officer Kristopher Gupilan.Officers, with the assistance of the Wichita Fire Department, located the child within the canal. She was safely extracted from the canal and transported to a local hospital for precautionary medical evaluation and later placed into police protective custody, according to Gupilan.&nbsp;Police believed Perez had information pertinent to the investigation and asked the public for assistance in locating him for questioning. The following day police booked&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=320252">Perez&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;into the Sedgwick County jail.&nbsp; &nbsp;Perez has previous convictions for theft, aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. felon who left baby daughter in canal is going back to prison

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

State law enables complaint-based and scheduled annual inspections

TOPEKA — The acting child advocate for Kansas recommended Wednesday that lawmakers mandate annual unannounced inspection of residential facilities serving children in the state’s welfare system.

Surprise assessments of congregate care settings, including group homes and treatment facilities, would be in addition to a yearly scheduled inspection and complaint-based inspections authorized by the state.

“Are you saying there are currently no unannounced inspections of these facilities right now?” said Sen. Adam Thomas, an Olathe Republican on the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.

Kerri Lonard, acting child advocate for the state of Kansas, told the Senate committee there was no statutory requirement in Kansas for unannounced inspections for benefit of children in the welfare system.

Her recommendation was included in a series of proposals prepared for consideration during the 2025 legislative session.

Lonard urged lawmakers to consider altering the definition of “neglect” in relation to children to make certain a parent or guardian’s level of poverty wasn’t a determinant in child-welfare assessments. She also suggested the Legislature change the frequency of court hearings on a child permanency from 12 months to nine months.

She recommended the state authorize issuance of a best-practices handbook for benefit of attorneys working on behalf of children and their families.

Lawmakers could consider a child-welfare certification program for employees and contract staff at the Kansas Department for Children and Families or DCF, she said.

In addition, she said, the state ought to study the possibility of creating bed space for youth in detoxification facilities and expanding availability of substance abuse and behavioral health services for youth.

Kansas could work toward better collaboration among DCF and law enforcement agencies when making decisions on removal of children from the home, placing children in police protective custody and when resolving placement decisions, she said.

“There is a lot of interplay around prevention and then those services that may or may not be available when they enter the system,” Lonard said.

Lonard said reforms adopted by the 2024 Legislature, including a provision in state law creating the neutral and independent office of child advocate, were proving beneficial. Originally, the office was established by an executive order issued by Gov. Laura Kelly.

Lonard said it was important the Legislature granted the child advocate access to court records of foster care cases.

“We find we are utilizing that system quite often to really get a better understanding of what’s going on — where the case is at procedurally,” Lonard said.

In the office’s annual report, Lonard said there were 235 formal complaints filed in 2024 regarding the welfare of 377 children. She said investigations supported allegations in 68 cases. In 22 instances, allegations were unsupported by the child advocate office but recommendations were issued on unrelated concerns. There were 42 cases in which the complaint was unsupported and no recommendation was made for correction action.

She said most complaints were about DCF or foster care case managers, but others involved judges, attorneys, state agencies, KanCare contractors and mental health providers. There were 72 complaints last year about state agency bias, conflict of interest or unprofessionalism. There were 88 complaints filed in 2024 regarding family separation and reunification.

From 2017 to 2021, the Legislature was unable to reach consensus on a way to amend state law to make permanent the office of child advocate. In 2021, Kelly signed an executive order launching the administrative office.

Some legislators were hesitant to make the office part of state statute unless it was placed under control of a Republican attorney general rather than Democratic governor.

In the 2024 session, the compromise bill passed 117-3 in the House and 36-3 in the Senate. The leader of child advocate office is subject to appointment by the governor and Senate confirmation. The confirmed director of the office would serve a five-year term.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737665979713.png" alt=" Kerrie Lonard, acting director of the Kansas office of child advocate, asked members of the Kansas Senate to support legislation requiring annual unannounced inspection of residential facilities serving children and their families. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kerrie Lonard, acting director of the Kansas office of child advocate, asked members of the Kansas Senate to support legislation requiring annual unannounced inspection of residential facilities serving children and their families. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>State law enables complaint-based and scheduled annual inspections</h2>TOPEKA — The acting child advocate for Kansas recommended Wednesday that lawmakers mandate annual unannounced inspection of residential facilities serving children in the state’s welfare system.Surprise assessments of congregate care settings, including group homes and treatment facilities, would be in addition to a yearly scheduled inspection and complaint-based inspections authorized by the state.“Are you saying there are currently no unannounced inspections of these facilities right now?” said Sen. Adam Thomas, an Olathe Republican on the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.Kerri Lonard, acting child advocate for the state of Kansas, told the Senate committee there was no statutory requirement in Kansas for unannounced inspections for benefit of children in the welfare system.Her recommendation was included in a series of proposals prepared for consideration during the 2025 legislative session.Lonard urged lawmakers to consider altering the definition of “neglect” in relation to children to make certain a parent or guardian’s level of poverty wasn’t a determinant in child-welfare assessments. She also suggested the Legislature change the frequency of court hearings on a child permanency from 12 months to nine months.She recommended the state authorize issuance of a best-practices handbook for benefit of attorneys working on behalf of children and their families.Lawmakers could consider a child-welfare certification program for employees and contract staff at the Kansas Department for Children and Families or DCF, she said.In addition, she said, the state ought to study the possibility of creating bed space for youth in detoxification facilities and expanding availability of substance abuse and behavioral health services for youth.Kansas could work toward better collaboration among DCF and law enforcement agencies when making decisions on removal of children from the home, placing children in police protective custody and when resolving placement decisions, she said.“There is a lot of interplay around prevention and then those services that may or may not be available when they enter the system,” Lonard said.Lonard said reforms adopted by the 2024 Legislature, including a provision in state law creating the neutral and independent office of child advocate, were proving beneficial. Originally, the office was established by an executive order issued by Gov. Laura Kelly.Lonard said it was important the Legislature granted the child advocate access to court records of foster care cases.“We find we are utilizing that system quite often to really get a better understanding of what’s going on — where the case is at procedurally,” Lonard said.In the office’s annual report, Lonard said there were 235 formal complaints filed in 2024 regarding the welfare of 377 children. She said investigations supported allegations in 68 cases. In 22 instances, allegations were unsupported by the child advocate office but recommendations were issued on unrelated concerns. There were 42 cases in which the complaint was unsupported and no recommendation was made for correction action.She said most complaints were about DCF or foster care case managers, but others involved judges, attorneys, state agencies, KanCare contractors and mental health providers. There were 72 complaints last year about state agency bias, conflict of interest or unprofessionalism. There were 88 complaints filed in 2024 regarding family separation and reunification.From 2017 to 2021, the Legislature was unable to reach consensus on a way to amend state law to make permanent the office of child advocate. In 2021, Kelly signed an executive order launching the administrative office.Some legislators were hesitant to make the office part of state statute unless it was placed under control of a Republican attorney general rather than Democratic governor.In the 2024 session, the compromise bill passed 117-3 in the House and 36-3 in the Senate. The leader of child advocate office is subject to appointment by the governor and Senate confirmation. The confirmed director of the office would serve a five-year term.

Kansas’ child advocate wants to require unannounced inspection of residential facilities

WASHINGTON —A Capitol Police officer has been suspended after a man with a gun was able to get past a security check at the Capitol Visitor Center.

“On Tuesday, the United States Capitol Police (USCP) received a lookout for a man with reported mental health issues and suicidal thoughts who was believed to be armed and in the area, according to a media release.

Just after 1p.m. Capitol Police officers spotted the man’s car on First Street, near East Capitol Street, NE. Officers conducted a canvass of the area and discovered that the man had recently entered the Capitol Visitor Center&nbsp; and taken a Capitol tour.

At 2:15 p.m., the man identified as 27-year-old James A. Faber of Massachusetts, was found leaving the Library of Congress, after the tour, and walking towards his car. He was stopped, searched, and arrested. 

Officers discovered a small 9mm handgun concealed in his waistband. 

Faber is being held on requested charges of Unlawful Activities, Carrying a Pistol Without a License, Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Resisting Arrest. 

The case is currently with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

USCP security video shows Faber entered through the south Capitol Visitors Center checkpoint. After the magnetometers sounded, an officer performed a secondary hand search, and Faber was let into the building.&nbsp; The officer is suspended while the USCP’s Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting an administrative investigation into the officer’s performance of that search. 

At this time, there is no indication that the man was coming to harm the Congress. Nobody was hurt. The USCP demands the highest standards when it comes to screening visitors, so a full review of this incident has already been ordered, as well as mandatory refresher training on security screening, so this never happens again.”

WASHINGTON —A Capitol Police officer has been suspended after a man with a gun was able to get past a security check at the Capitol Visitor Center.“On Tuesday, the United States Capitol Police (USCP) received a lookout for a man with reported mental health issues and suicidal thoughts who was believed to be armed and in the area, according to a media release.Just after 1p.m. Capitol Police officers spotted the man’s car on First Street, near East Capitol Street, NE. Officers conducted a canvass of the area and discovered that the man had recently entered the Capitol Visitor Center&nbsp; and taken a Capitol tour.At 2:15 p.m., the man identified as 27-year-old James A. Faber of Massachusetts, was found leaving the Library of Congress, after the tour, and walking towards his car. He was stopped, searched, and arrested. Officers discovered a small 9mm handgun concealed in his waistband. Faber is being held on requested charges of Unlawful Activities, Carrying a Pistol Without a License, Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Resisting Arrest. The case is currently with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. USCP security video shows Faber entered through the south Capitol Visitors Center checkpoint. After the magnetometers sounded, an officer performed a secondary hand search, and Faber was let into the building.&nbsp; The officer is suspended while the USCP’s Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting an administrative investigation into the officer’s performance of that search. At this time, there is no indication that the man was coming to harm the Congress. Nobody was hurt. The USCP demands the highest standards when it comes to screening visitors, so a full review of this incident has already been ordered, as well as mandatory refresher training on security screening, so this never happens again.”

Man with a loaded gun got past security at U.S. Capitol

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting in Wyandotte County have identified the victim as 40-year-old&nbsp;James Adam Jackson.

Just after 2:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1600 block of S. Valley Street, in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders discovered Jackson inside a residence, the victim of apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene. 

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp; This is the first homicide reported in Kansas City, Kansas in 2025. There were 22 reported in 2024, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737559024633.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting in Wyandotte County have identified the victim as 40-year-old&nbsp;James Adam Jackson.Just after 2:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1600 block of S. Valley Street, in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders discovered Jackson inside a residence, the victim of apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene. This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp; This is the first homicide reported in Kansas City, Kansas in 2025. There were 22 reported in 2024, according to police.

Police ID 40-year-old homicide victim found in Kansas home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Police in Wichita issued an alert Thursday of an uptick in fake $100 bills being used to purchase merchandise. The $100 d bills are very close in size and design, however, on the front of the bill where “The United States of America” is printed, these bills have “For Motion Picture Purposes” or “Movie Money” printed. 

If your business receives or someone attempts to use this fake money, report the incident to law enforcement immediately.  You can make a report by calling 911, or by calling the Wichita Police Case Desk at 316-268-4221.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737683056596.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Police in Wichita issued an alert Thursday of an uptick in fake $100 bills being used to purchase merchandise. The $100 d bills are very close in size and design, however, on the front of the bill where “The United States of America” is printed, these bills have “For Motion Picture Purposes” or “Movie Money” printed. If your business receives or someone attempts to use this fake money, report the incident to law enforcement immediately. You can make a report by calling 911, or by calling the Wichita Police Case Desk at 316-268-4221.

Police issue alert for use of fake $100 bills used in Kansas

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Kansas U.S. Senators&nbsp; Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall on Thursday questioned Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of Agriculture, during a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing.

“It has been described here the dangerous and dramatic circumstances that farmers and ranchers find themselves in across the country – it is certainly true in Kansas,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “We have the same difficulties that everybody else has across the country with high input costs and low commodity prices, but I would add that almost 80 percent of the counties in Kansas are in a drought, and so you add to those problems that we can’t grow a crop.”

Sen. Moran raised the importance of quickly administering the disaster and economic assistance passed by Congress in December and emphasized the need for transparency on how the assistance will be distributed so famers will be in a better position to financially plan for the planting season.&nbsp;

Sen. Moran also highlighted to Mrs. Rollins the importance of passing a new Farm Bill, the need to have USDA employees in office, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/1/sen-moran-leads-colleagues-in-reintroducing-farm-to-fly-act-to-expand-use-of-biofuels-for-aviation?trk=feed-detail_main-feed-card_feed-article-content">Farm to Fly Act</a>,&nbsp;the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, and important research at land-grant universities across the United States.

&nbsp;Senator Marshall discussed Brooke’s life-long passion for agriculture and her extensive professional experience in the White House and domestic policy. Having grown up on a farm in a small town, Brooke’s love for agriculture started at a young age, participating in Future Farmers of America, 4H, and earning her agriculture degree from Texas A&amp;M. Brooke shared her heart for America’s farmers and ranchers, and her commitment to defending our food producers and rural Americans’ way of life.&nbsp;

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Kansas U.S. Senators&nbsp; Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall on Thursday questioned Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of Agriculture, during a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Agriculture Secretary Nominee Brooke Rollins Opening Statement <a href="https://t.co/HaKyWnGYHm">pic.twitter.com/HaKyWnGYHm</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1882467774548885802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It has been described here the dangerous and dramatic circumstances that farmers and ranchers find themselves in across the country – it is certainly true in Kansas,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “We have the same difficulties that everybody else has across the country with high input costs and low commodity prices, but I would add that almost 80 percent of the counties in Kansas are in a drought, and so you add to those problems that we can’t grow a crop.”<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xz76gRRkX9M?si=eDO-2iLm8QpRv8vT&amp;start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Sen. Moran raised the importance of quickly administering the disaster and economic assistance passed by Congress in December and emphasized the need for transparency on how the assistance will be distributed so famers will be in a better position to financially plan for the planting season.&nbsp;Sen. Moran also highlighted to Mrs. Rollins the importance of passing a new Farm Bill, the need to have USDA employees in office, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/1/sen-moran-leads-colleagues-in-reintroducing-farm-to-fly-act-to-expand-use-of-biofuels-for-aviation?trk=feed-detail_main-feed-card_feed-article-content">Farm to Fly Act</a>,&nbsp;the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, and important research at land-grant universities across the United States.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YARqFl2aoj8?si=42W7vARxUQfzhQGM&amp;start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>&nbsp;Senator Marshall discussed Brooke’s life-long passion for agriculture and her extensive professional experience in the White House and domestic policy. Having grown up on a farm in a small town, Brooke’s love for agriculture started at a young age, participating in Future Farmers of America, 4H, and earning her agriculture degree from Texas A&amp;M. Brooke shared her heart for America’s farmers and ranchers, and her commitment to defending our food producers and rural Americans’ way of life.&nbsp;

🎥Kan. U.S. Senators quiz Ag Secretary nominee during confirmation hearing

GRAHAM COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after noon Thursday in Graham County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Nissan Frontier driven by Jeremiah Lacey Bell, 41, Hill City, was westbound on U.S. 24 five and one half miles west of Hill City.&nbsp;

The pickup traveled into the eastbound lane. The pickup and an eastbound 2018 Peterbilt 389 driven by Gregory Chad&nbsp;Burger, 54, Kensington, collided in the eastbound lanes.

Both drivers were pronounced dead and were transported to&nbsp;Stinemetz Funeral Home. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

GRAHAM COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after noon Thursday in Graham County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Nissan Frontier driven by Jeremiah Lacey Bell, 41, Hill City, was westbound on U.S. 24 five and one half miles west of Hill City.&nbsp;The pickup traveled into the eastbound lane. The pickup and an eastbound 2018 Peterbilt 389 driven by Gregory Chad&nbsp;Burger, 54, Kensington, collided in the eastbound lanes.Both drivers were pronounced dead and were transported to&nbsp;Stinemetz Funeral Home. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Two Kansas men dead after after 2-vehicle crash

JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director accused of sex crimes made a court appearance Friday.

Micah Horton, 35, the former Choir Director at Olathe North High School pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations.

After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 28, according to the District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710373305440.png" alt="Horton-photo Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Horton-photo Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director accused of sex crimes made a court appearance Friday.Micah Horton, 35, the former Choir Director at Olathe North High School pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations.After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 28, according to the District Attorney's office.

Former Kan. school choir director admits to sex crimes with student

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged with 14 felonies in connection with a shooting and multi-hour standoff with police at a residence around East 26th Street and Montgall Avenue on January 14, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2485/Afterhours-Complaint-Packet-Coleman">Steve Coleman, 43,&nbsp; faces</a>&nbsp;Assault in the 1st Degree, six counts of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Kidnapping in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, two counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree, and Assault in the 3rd Degree.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2486/KC25002340---ColemanSteve---PC-Statement_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the residence on a call for help. After officers knocked on the door, they heard a woman screaming and then two gunshots fired inside the residence.&nbsp;

Officers made forcible entry into the residence and the victim was observed lying on the ground with a gunshot injury to the face. She was transported from the scene by EMS. She sustained a non-survivable injury to the head and is not expected to survive without life support.&nbsp;

The scene turned into a standoff with the defendant and KCPD negotiators responded to the scene and communicated with the defendant by phone. The defendant surrendered&nbsp; without incident. A second victim in the residence with non-life-threatening injuries and several other innocent unrelated parties in the apartment building were also safely evacuated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737147850081.png" alt="Coleman-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Coleman-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged with 14 felonies in connection with a shooting and multi-hour standoff with police at a residence around East 26th Street and Montgall Avenue on January 14, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2485/Afterhours-Complaint-Packet-Coleman">Steve Coleman, 43,&nbsp; faces</a>&nbsp;Assault in the 1st Degree, six counts of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Kidnapping in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, two counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree, and Assault in the 3rd Degree.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2486/KC25002340---ColemanSteve---PC-Statement_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the residence on a call for help. After officers knocked on the door, they heard a woman screaming and then two gunshots fired inside the residence.&nbsp;Officers made forcible entry into the residence and the victim was observed lying on the ground with a gunshot injury to the face. She was transported from the scene by EMS. She sustained a non-survivable injury to the head and is not expected to survive without life support.&nbsp;The scene turned into a standoff with the defendant and KCPD negotiators responded to the scene and communicated with the defendant by phone. The defendant surrendered&nbsp; without incident. A second victim in the residence with non-life-threatening injuries and several other innocent unrelated parties in the apartment building were also safely evacuated.Coleman is being held on no bond.&nbsp;