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

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

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

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

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

Former church in small Kansas town destroyed by fire

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some New Hampshire voters expressed similar frustration.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KCPD officer responding to emergency involved in crash

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

U.S.  bombed more Iranian-backed terrorist sites 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The FAA issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/media/74751">safety alert</a>&nbsp;late Sunday. As soon as possible, airlines should visually inspect four places where a bolt, nut and pin secure the door plug to the plane, the agency said.

The door plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the plane, they look like a regular window.

The FAA said that 737-900ERs have logged 3.9 million flights without any known issues involving the door plugs. By contrast, the Max 9 that suffered the blowout had made only 145 flights.

One of the two door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off the plane in midflight on Jan. 5. Passengers and investigators have described a violent decompression as air rushed out of the pressured cabin at 16,000 feet over Oregon.

The plane made an emergency landing with a hole in its side, and no serious injuries were reported. On a mostly full plane, no one was sitting in the two seats nearest the panel that blew out.

The FAA has grounded all Max 9s with door plugs instead of regular doors in the back of the cabin. Alaska and United Airlines are the only U.S. carriers to use the plane.

Besides grounding 171 Max 9 jets, the FAA is investigating quality-control measures at Boeing and its suppliers and has increased its oversight of the aircraft maker. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Oregon incident.

“We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action,” a Boeing spokeswoman said in a statement Monday.

Boeing delivered about 500 737-900ERs between 2007 and 2019 – mostly to three U.S. airlines -- and about 380 have door plugs instead of exits.

Alaska said Monday that it began inspecting its 737-900ERs “several days ago” and has turned up no issues. The Seattle-based airline, which has canceled hundreds of flights because of the Max 9 grounding, said it expects no disruption from the inspections of its 737-900ERs.

United said it began inspecting the earlier Boeing model last week and expects to finish the reviews this week with no disruptions for passengers.

Delta Air Lines did not respond to a request for comment about its 737-900ERs.

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

FAA wants door plugs checked on more Boeing jets 

ATLANTA (AP) — Dexter Scott King, the younger son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died Monday after battling prostate cancer.

The King Center in Atlanta, which Dexter King served as chairman, said the 62-year-old son of the civil rights icon died at his home in Malibu, California. His wife, Leah Weber King, said in a statement that he died “peacefully in his sleep.”

The third of the Kings' four children, Dexter King was named for the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father first served as a pastor. He was just 7 years old when his father was assassinated in 1968.

As an adult, Dexter King became an attorney and focused on shepherding his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property. In addition to serving as chairman of the King Center, he was also president of the King estate.

Coretta Scott King died in 2006, followed by the Kings' oldest child Yolanda King in 2007.

“Words cannot express the heart break I feel from losing another sibling," the Rev. Bernice A. King, Dexter King's youngest sibling, said in a statement.

His older brother, Martin Luther King III, said: "The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family“.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705949376786.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Dexter Scott King, the younger son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died Monday after battling prostate cancer.The King Center in Atlanta, which Dexter King served as chairman, said the 62-year-old son of the civil rights icon died at his home in Malibu, California. His wife, Leah Weber King, said in a statement that he died “peacefully in his sleep.”The third of the Kings' four children, Dexter King was named for the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father first served as a pastor. He was just 7 years old when his father was assassinated in 1968.As an adult, Dexter King became an attorney and focused on shepherding his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property. In addition to serving as chairman of the King Center, he was also president of the King estate.Coretta Scott King died in 2006, followed by the Kings' oldest child Yolanda King in 2007.“Words cannot express the heart break I feel from losing another sibling," the Rev. Bernice A. King, Dexter King's youngest sibling, said in a statement.His older brother, Martin Luther King III, said: "The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family“.

Youngest son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., dies at 62

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the deadly shooting of&nbsp;35-year-old LaDonte Ostrander have made a second arrest in the case,&nbsp;according to police spokesperson Andrew Ford. 

Just after 2a.m. Saturday, police arrested 27-year-old Robert Howland in the 1300 block of S. Santa Fe in Wichita, according to Sedgwick County booking records.

On Jan. 16, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the 1000 block of S. Market, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; 

In the 900 block of S. Market Street, first responders discovered Ostrander with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. Sedgwick County EMS transported him in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

&nbsp;On January 18, police arrested 37-year-old Yancy Hermosillo, a<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415">ccording to online arrest</a>&nbsp;records. He is being held on<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415"> requested charges </a>of murder and interference with law enforcement in connection with the death.&nbsp;

Howland<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=230072"> is being held</a> on requested charges of murder, probation violations and contempt of court, according to<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=230072"> online jail </a>records.

Hermosillo has previous felony convictions for domestic battery, criminal threat,&nbsp; and aggravated interference with parental custody, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705588462988.png" alt="Hermosillo-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hermosillo-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the deadly shooting of&nbsp;35-year-old LaDonte Ostrander have made a second arrest in the case,&nbsp;according to police spokesperson Andrew Ford. Just after 2a.m. Saturday, police arrested 27-year-old Robert Howland in the 1300 block of S. Santa Fe in Wichita, according to Sedgwick County booking records.On Jan. 16, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the 1000 block of S. Market, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; In the 900 block of S. Market Street, first responders discovered Ostrander with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. Sedgwick County EMS transported him in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705851796859.png" alt="Howland-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Howland-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;On January 18, police arrested 37-year-old Yancy Hermosillo, a<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415">ccording to online arrest</a>&nbsp;records. He is being held on<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415"> requested charges </a>of murder and interference with law enforcement in connection with the death.&nbsp;Howland<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=230072"> is being held</a> on requested charges of murder, probation violations and contempt of court, according to<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=230072"> online jail </a>records.Hermosillo has previous felony convictions for domestic battery, criminal threat,&nbsp; and aggravated interference with parental custody, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

Homicide: Police report another arrest in death of Kansas man 

GRAND RAPIDS, MN. (AP) —The aging reformed mobster who has admitted stealing a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-5d142469ad5f052f6af053d20dbf20c4">ruby slippers</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/judy-garland">Judy Garland</a>&nbsp;wore in “The Wizard of Oz” gave into the temptation of “one last score” after an old mob associate led him to believe the famous shoes must be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.

Terry Jon Martin's defense attorney finally revealed the 76-year-old's motive for the 2005 theft from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in a new memo filed ahead of his Jan. 29 sentencing in Duluth, Minnesota.

The FBI recovered the shoes in 2018 when someone else tried to claim an insurance reward on them, but Martin wasn't charged with stealing them until last year.

Martin pleaded guilty in October to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum door and display case to take the slippers. He had hoped to harvest real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a fence, a person who deals in stolen goods, informed him the rubies were glass and Martin got rid of the slippers less than two days after he took them, he said.

Defense attorney Dane DeKrey said in his memo that an unidentified former mob associate tempted Martin to steal the shoes, even though he hadn't committed a crime in nearly 10 years after his last prison stint.

“At first, Terry declined the invitation to participate in the heist. But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night," DeKrey wrote. "After much contemplation, Terry had a criminal relapse and decided to participate in the theft.”

DeKrey and prosecutors are recommending the judge sentence Martin to time served because he is physically incapable of presenting a threat to society. Martin is in hospice care with a life expectancy of less than six months. He needs oxygen at all times because of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and was in a wheelchair at his most recent court appearance. Even if he were sentenced to prison, his poor health might be grounds for a compassionate release.

Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen the movie. Instead, DeKrey said he was just looking for one last big score, and the “old Terry” with a lifelong history of crimes like burglary and receiving stolen property beat out the “new Terry” who seemed to “finally put his demons to rest” after being released from prison in 1996 and became “a contributing member of society.”

DeKrey urged the judge to consider the major events of Martin's life when deciding whether a lenient sentence is appropriate.

Martin suffered under a cruel stepmother who mistreated him and his three brothers so badly for several years that he left home at the age of 16 and began drinking and stealing.

While on parole from prison, Martin's girlfriend became pregnant with twins, but he missed their birth after his parole was revoked. Right after his girlfriend brought the 1-month-old twins to prison to meet him, they died after a train struck her vehicle.

“This was truly the turning point in Terry’s life — his villain origin story — and the reason he not only went down his dark path but accelerated towards it,” DeKrey wrote. "His son said it best: ‘the twins’ death made (my dad) just give up on life; he decided on a life of crime.’”

Martin's lawyer also said the judge should consider that Martin had not committed any other crimes in nearly a decade before stealing the slippers nor in the years since then. DeKrey said Martin didn't even try to claim a slice of the insurance reward money when some of his former associates tried to collect.

Garland wore several pairs of ruby slippers during filming of the classic 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain. The stolen slippers were insured for $1 million, but federal prosecutors put the current market value at about $3.5 million.

The FBI said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">recovered during an FBI sting</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis. The FBI has never disclosed how it tracked down the slippers, which remain in the agency’s custody.

The slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw when Martin stole them. Three other pairs worn by Garland in the movie are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector.

Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/958ee83929104907b80b387d92bb71e8">rewards were offered</a>&nbsp;over the years in hopes of figuring out who stole the slippers, which were key props in the film. Garland’s character, Dorothy, has to click the heels of the slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return to Kansas.

Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids</a>, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;located in the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684352824766.png" alt="FILE - Ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" are displayed at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Terry Jon Martin, the aging reformed mobster who has admitted stealing the slippers, gave into the temptation of “one last score” after an old mob associate led him to believe the famous shoes must be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value according to a new memo filed ahead of his Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, sentencing in Duluth, Minn. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" are displayed at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Terry Jon Martin, the aging reformed mobster who has admitted stealing the slippers, gave into the temptation of “one last score” after an old mob associate led him to believe the famous shoes must be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value according to a new memo filed ahead of his Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, sentencing in Duluth, Minn. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAND RAPIDS, MN. (AP) —The aging reformed mobster who has admitted stealing a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-5d142469ad5f052f6af053d20dbf20c4">ruby slippers</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/judy-garland">Judy Garland</a>&nbsp;wore in “The Wizard of Oz” gave into the temptation of “one last score” after an old mob associate led him to believe the famous shoes must be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.Terry Jon Martin's defense attorney finally revealed the 76-year-old's motive for the 2005 theft from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in a new memo filed ahead of his Jan. 29 sentencing in Duluth, Minnesota.The FBI recovered the shoes in 2018 when someone else tried to claim an insurance reward on them, but Martin wasn't charged with stealing them until last year.Martin pleaded guilty in October to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum door and display case to take the slippers. He had hoped to harvest real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a fence, a person who deals in stolen goods, informed him the rubies were glass and Martin got rid of the slippers less than two days after he took them, he said.Defense attorney Dane DeKrey said in his memo that an unidentified former mob associate tempted Martin to steal the shoes, even though he hadn't committed a crime in nearly 10 years after his last prison stint.“At first, Terry declined the invitation to participate in the heist. But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night," DeKrey wrote. "After much contemplation, Terry had a criminal relapse and decided to participate in the theft.”DeKrey and prosecutors are recommending the judge sentence Martin to time served because he is physically incapable of presenting a threat to society. Martin is in hospice care with a life expectancy of less than six months. He needs oxygen at all times because of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and was in a wheelchair at his most recent court appearance. Even if he were sentenced to prison, his poor health might be grounds for a compassionate release.Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen the movie. Instead, DeKrey said he was just looking for one last big score, and the “old Terry” with a lifelong history of crimes like burglary and receiving stolen property beat out the “new Terry” who seemed to “finally put his demons to rest” after being released from prison in 1996 and became “a contributing member of society.”DeKrey urged the judge to consider the major events of Martin's life when deciding whether a lenient sentence is appropriate.Martin suffered under a cruel stepmother who mistreated him and his three brothers so badly for several years that he left home at the age of 16 and began drinking and stealing.While on parole from prison, Martin's girlfriend became pregnant with twins, but he missed their birth after his parole was revoked. Right after his girlfriend brought the 1-month-old twins to prison to meet him, they died after a train struck her vehicle.“This was truly the turning point in Terry’s life — his villain origin story — and the reason he not only went down his dark path but accelerated towards it,” DeKrey wrote. "His son said it best: ‘the twins’ death made (my dad) just give up on life; he decided on a life of crime.’”Martin's lawyer also said the judge should consider that Martin had not committed any other crimes in nearly a decade before stealing the slippers nor in the years since then. DeKrey said Martin didn't even try to claim a slice of the insurance reward money when some of his former associates tried to collect.Garland wore several pairs of ruby slippers during filming of the classic 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain. The stolen slippers were insured for $1 million, but federal prosecutors put the current market value at about $3.5 million.The FBI said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">recovered during an FBI sting</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis. The FBI has never disclosed how it tracked down the slippers, which remain in the agency’s custody.The slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw when Martin stole them. Three other pairs worn by Garland in the movie are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector.Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/958ee83929104907b80b387d92bb71e8">rewards were offered</a>&nbsp;over the years in hopes of figuring out who stole the slippers, which were key props in the film. Garland’s character, Dorothy, has to click the heels of the slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return to Kansas.Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids</a>, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969.The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;located in the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.

Reformed mobster went after 'one last score' when he stole ruby slippers from 'Oz'

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly crash in Saline County.

&nbsp;Just after 2.am. Saturday, a 2005 Ford Mustang driven by 24-year-old&nbsp;Thomas A. Brandt of Salina was traveling on North Broadway and he did not properly navigate the curve in the road, according to Salina Police Department Capt. James Feldman.

The car struck the viaduct on the west side of the road and continued into a&nbsp;into a frozen creek bed. First responders found Brandt inside the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A witness saw him go off the roadway," Feldman said. "The case is still being investigated, but it is believed speed and alcohol are determining factors."&nbsp;&nbsp;Brandt was not wearing a seat belt and road conditions did not contribute to the crash, according to Feldman.&nbsp;

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly crash in Saline County.&nbsp;Just after 2.am. Saturday, a 2005 Ford Mustang driven by 24-year-old&nbsp;Thomas A. Brandt of Salina was traveling on North Broadway and he did not properly navigate the curve in the road, according to Salina Police Department Capt. James Feldman.The car struck the viaduct on the west side of the road and continued into a&nbsp;into a frozen creek bed. First responders found Brandt inside the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene."A witness saw him go off the roadway," Feldman said. "The case is still being investigated, but it is believed speed and alcohol are determining factors."&nbsp;&nbsp;Brandt was not wearing a seat belt and road conditions did not contribute to the crash, according to Feldman.&nbsp;

Kansas man dies after car lands in frozen creek bed

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a business robbery and have made an arrest.

Just after 2:30p.m. January 19, police responded to the report of a robbery at Milk and Honey Coffee Co. located at 2200 SE 29th Street, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

It was reported that a woman walked into the business and demanded money. Responding officers quickly located the vehicle believed to be involved and detained two occupants.

On Saturday, police arrested 21-year-old&nbsp; Julia Mendez of Topeka and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated assault, Criminal Restraint, Vehicle registration violation, Displaying a plate not assigned to the vehicle, Driving while license is suspended, Vehicle liability insurance required&nbsp; and a warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705777917675.png" alt="Mendez-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mendez-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a business robbery and have made an arrest.Just after 2:30p.m. January 19, police responded to the report of a robbery at Milk and Honey Coffee Co. located at 2200 SE 29th Street, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.It was reported that a woman walked into the business and demanded money. Responding officers quickly located the vehicle believed to be involved and detained two occupants.On Saturday, police arrested 21-year-old&nbsp; Julia Mendez of Topeka and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated assault, Criminal Restraint, Vehicle registration violation, Displaying a plate not assigned to the vehicle, Driving while license is suspended, Vehicle liability insurance required&nbsp; and a warrant.

Police: Kan. woman walked into coffee shop, demanded money

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is taking center stage in the Democrats'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">renewed push for abortion rights</a>&nbsp;during this year's election and she will mark the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling on Monday in Wisconsin.

It will be the first in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-abortion-election-2024-9ed95b8363236078e8769c362177bd8a">a series of events</a>&nbsp;hosted by Harris, and it comes one day before she joins President Joe Biden at another campaign event focused on abortion in Virginia. First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are also expected to be there.

In her speech in Wisconsin, Harris plans to hammer former President Donald Trump for saying he is “proud” to have helped overturn Roe v. Wade, which he enabled by nominating three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court during his term.

“Proud that women across our nation are suffering?" Harris will say, according to excerpts released by her office. "Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom? That doctors could be thrown in prison for caring for patients? That young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers?”

Back in Washington, Biden on Monday will convene a meeting of his reproductive health care access task force to discuss threats to emergency care and new steps for implementing executive orders on the subject.

The Democratic president said in a statement that “tens of millions of women now live in states with extreme and dangerous abortion bans,” and “because of Republican elected officials, women’s health and lives are at risk.”

The administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/22/fact-sheet-white-house-task-force-on-reproductive-healthcare-access-announces-new-actions-and-marks-the-51st-anniversary-of-roe-v-wade/">announced new steps</a> to strengthen access to contraception and help file complaints under a law that's intended to ensure emergency health care access. The law is the subject of another legal battle that will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">decided by the U.S. Supreme Court</a>, which will consider whether it requires providing abortions in situations where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emergency-abortion-law-hospitals-kansas-missouri-emtala-2f993d2869fa801921d7e56e95787567">a woman's health is at risk</a>.

“President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the vast majority of Americans who believe that the right to choose should be fundamental, and that healthcare decisions should be made by a woman with the help of her doctor — not politicians,” White House gender policy adviser Jen Klein said in previewing the effort. “We’ve shown and will continue to show that commitment by decisively taking action to protect access to reproductive health care.”

Although the loss of Roe v. Wade was a historic defeat for Democrats, the party successfully harnessed anger over the decision during the 2022 midterm elections, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">they hope to do the same thing this year</a>&nbsp;as Biden runs for a second term.

The White House has repeatedly turned to Harris, the first woman to serve as vice president, to make its case.

“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body," she said in a recent appearance on ABC's “The View.” "If she chooses she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam. But it should not be the government telling her what to do.”

Harris also suggested that too many people took Roe v. Wade for granted before it was overturned.

“We kind of believed that it was always going to be there,” she said. “And look what happened.”

Harris' outspokenness on abortion contrasts with Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-health-religion-32fbfb858d7d3314427e5cdd88308b8b">more reticent approach</a>. Although he is a longtime supporter of abortion rights, he mentions less often and sometimes avoids using the word abortion even when he discusses the issue.

“I think the real star from a messaging standpoint is the vice president,” said Mini Timmaraju, head of Reproductive Freedom for All, the activist organization formerly known as the National Abortion Rights Action League. “Look, Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris. Joe Biden has asked Kamala Harris to lead on this issue. This is going to set us up for a great contrast with the other side."

After Harris' appearance on “The View,” she received a notable assessment from Kayleigh McEnany, a former Trump spokeswoman who co-hosts a show on Fox News.

“She brought up abortion again and again and again,” McEnany said. No matter the topic, “she pivoted right back to abortion because she knows what is true, which is the GOP has lost every single abortion ballot initiative post-Roe.”

McEnany described herself as pro-life, but said “what Kamala is doing, right or wrong, is very powerful among young women.”

While Harris and Democrats have embraced abortion as a campaign issue, Republicans are shying away or calling for a truce.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is taking center stage in the Democrats'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">renewed push for abortion rights</a>&nbsp;during this year's election and she will mark the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling on Monday in Wisconsin.It will be the first in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-abortion-election-2024-9ed95b8363236078e8769c362177bd8a">a series of events</a>&nbsp;hosted by Harris, and it comes one day before she joins President Joe Biden at another campaign event focused on abortion in Virginia. First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are also expected to be there.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We trust women to make decisions about their own body and their own future. <a href="https://t.co/SJ6kc4KQTf">pic.twitter.com/SJ6kc4KQTf</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1749203565648728548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In her speech in Wisconsin, Harris plans to hammer former President Donald Trump for saying he is “proud” to have helped overturn Roe v. Wade, which he enabled by nominating three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court during his term.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, I vowed that I wouldn&#39;t back down in the fight to ensure women have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions. Today, over a year and a half later, that promise stands. <a href="https://t.co/ZcQuOSROiq">pic.twitter.com/ZcQuOSROiq</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1749117513189769219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Proud that women across our nation are suffering?" Harris will say, according to excerpts released by her office. "Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom? That doctors could be thrown in prison for caring for patients? That young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers?”Back in Washington, Biden on Monday will convene a meeting of his reproductive health care access task force to discuss threats to emergency care and new steps for implementing executive orders on the subject.The Democratic president said in a statement that “tens of millions of women now live in states with extreme and dangerous abortion bans,” and “because of Republican elected officials, women’s health and lives are at risk.”The administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/22/fact-sheet-white-house-task-force-on-reproductive-healthcare-access-announces-new-actions-and-marks-the-51st-anniversary-of-roe-v-wade/">announced new steps</a> to strengthen access to contraception and help file complaints under a law that's intended to ensure emergency health care access. The law is the subject of another legal battle that will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">decided by the U.S. Supreme Court</a>, which will consider whether it requires providing abortions in situations where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emergency-abortion-law-hospitals-kansas-missouri-emtala-2f993d2869fa801921d7e56e95787567">a woman's health is at risk</a>.“President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the vast majority of Americans who believe that the right to choose should be fundamental, and that healthcare decisions should be made by a woman with the help of her doctor — not politicians,” White House gender policy adviser Jen Klein said in previewing the effort. “We’ve shown and will continue to show that commitment by decisively taking action to protect access to reproductive health care.”Although the loss of Roe v. Wade was a historic defeat for Democrats, the party successfully harnessed anger over the decision during the 2022 midterm elections, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">they hope to do the same thing this year</a>&nbsp;as Biden runs for a second term.The White House has repeatedly turned to Harris, the first woman to serve as vice president, to make its case.“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body," she said in a recent appearance on ABC's “The View.” "If she chooses she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam. But it should not be the government telling her what to do.”Harris also suggested that too many people took Roe v. Wade for granted before it was overturned.“We kind of believed that it was always going to be there,” she said. “And look what happened.”Harris' outspokenness on abortion contrasts with Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-health-religion-32fbfb858d7d3314427e5cdd88308b8b">more reticent approach</a>. Although he is a longtime supporter of abortion rights, he mentions less often and sometimes avoids using the word abortion even when he discusses the issue.“I think the real star from a messaging standpoint is the vice president,” said Mini Timmaraju, head of Reproductive Freedom for All, the activist organization formerly known as the National Abortion Rights Action League. “Look, Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris. Joe Biden has asked Kamala Harris to lead on this issue. This is going to set us up for a great contrast with the other side."After Harris' appearance on “The View,” she received a notable assessment from Kayleigh McEnany, a former Trump spokeswoman who co-hosts a show on Fox News.“She brought up abortion again and again and again,” McEnany said. No matter the topic, “she pivoted right back to abortion because she knows what is true, which is the GOP has lost every single abortion ballot initiative post-Roe.”McEnany described herself as pro-life, but said “what Kamala is doing, right or wrong, is very powerful among young women.”While Harris and Democrats have embraced abortion as a campaign issue, Republicans are shying away or calling for a truce.Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, recently made a plea to “find consensus” on the divisive issue.“As much as I’m pro-life, I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life,” she said during a primary debate in November.Trump has taken credit for helping to overturn Roe v. Wade, but he has balked at laws like Florida's ban on abortions after six weeks, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, another Republican candidate.“You have to win elections,” Trump said during a recent Fox News town hall.Harris' team is still working out the schedule for the rest of her events focused on abortion. Each stop is likely to feature a speech and a more intimate conversation with healthcare providers or women who have been affected by restrictions.Wisconsin, Harris' first stop, is a key battleground state with an ongoing legal battle over abortion. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Republicans argued that an 1849 law that was still on the books would effectively ban the procedure except in situations where a mother's life was at risk.“These extremists want to roll back the clock to a time before women were treated as full citizens," Harris plans to say in her speech on Monday.Clinics across the state stopped offering abortions until a court ruled the law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-ban-challenge-lawsuit-866eed85d2918113bfe644459e62171a">did not apply to abortions</a>. Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-ban-appeal-00e04a5e90931891afd2e0adcd0bcbca">appealed the decision</a>, and the case will likely be decided by the state supreme court.Abortion has reshaped Harris' tenure as vice president after earlier struggles when dealing with intractable issues like migration from Central America.Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Harris, said abortion “focused her attention and her office in a way that nothing had before."“Focusing on abortion rights tapped into the vice president’s legal background, her political values and her substantive knowledge in a way that I saw no other issue do while I was there," he said.Vice presidents are rarely decisive figures in reelection campaigns. However, Harris has faced additional scrutiny because of Biden's age — he would be 82 at the start of a second term — and her status as the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve in her position.The battle over abortion will also bolster her visibility.“The president and the vice president appeal to different parts of the party," Simmons said. “They’re stronger as a team."