COWLEY COUNTY —Authorities continue working to determine the cause of a fire in Winfield.

Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; crews were dispatched to the VFW building in the 100 Block of East 10th Street in Winfield. First arriving crews found fire on the east side exterior of the building extending to the second floor, according to Chad Mayberry, Winfield Fire Marshal.

&nbsp;The approximately 15 people in the building were evacuated. Investigators have identified the area where the fire started but continue working to determine what caused the fire, according to Mayberry.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.&nbsp;

The building is a total loss, according to Mayberry.&nbsp; Investigators have not released a damage estimate. The Kansas Fire Marshal's office is assisting with the investigation.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

COWLEY COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire in Winfield.

Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; crews were dispatched to the VFW building in the 100 Block of East 10th Street in Winfield that was showing smoke, according to a media release from Winfield Fire and EMS. The building was evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Nine fire departments responded from across the local area. Over 60 firefighters were on scene. As of 7p.m. the building remained an active fire and the building partially collapsed. 

In response to the effort, the City of Winfield put one circuit in outage affecting approximately 450 customers. Electric crew were working to isolate the area to bring as many other customers up as possible.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704712866092.png" alt="Crews on the scene of the fire at the VFW in Winfield. -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of the fire at the VFW in Winfield. -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Authorities continue working to determine the cause of a fire in Winfield.Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; crews were dispatched to the VFW building in the 100 Block of East 10th Street in Winfield. First arriving crews found fire on the east side exterior of the building extending to the second floor, according to Chad Mayberry, Winfield Fire Marshal.&nbsp;The approximately 15 people in the building were evacuated. Investigators have identified the area where the fire started but continue working to determine what caused the fire, according to Mayberry.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.&nbsp;The building is a total loss, according to Mayberry.&nbsp; Investigators have not released a damage estimate. The Kansas Fire Marshal's office is assisting with the investigation.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.----------COWLEY COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire in Winfield.Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; crews were dispatched to the VFW building in the 100 Block of East 10th Street in Winfield that was showing smoke, according to a media release from Winfield Fire and EMS. The building was evacuated and no injuries were reported.Nine fire departments responded from across the local area. Over 60 firefighters were on scene. As of 7p.m. the building remained an active fire and the building partially collapsed. In response to the effort, the City of Winfield put one circuit in outage affecting approximately 450 customers. Electric crew were working to isolate the area to bring as many other customers up as possible.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Fire Marshal: Building a total loss after fire at VFW in Kansas

SUMNER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Sumner County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Mario Alberto Gonzalez-Cuellar, 52, Wichita, was northbound on the Kansas Turnpike just south of Belle Plaine.&nbsp;

The SUV traveled off the right side of the road. When the driver overcorrected, the SUV struck the barrier wall and overturned. A northbound 2004 Toyota Corolla driven by&nbsp;Truong Van Nguyen, 66, Wichita, struck the SUV.

Gonzalez-Cuellar was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Cornejo Funeral Home.

EMS transported Nguyen and a passenger in the SUV identified as Jose Resto-Alamo, 60, Wichita, to Wesley Medical Center. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SUMNER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Sumner County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Mario Alberto Gonzalez-Cuellar, 52, Wichita, was northbound on the Kansas Turnpike just south of Belle Plaine.&nbsp;The SUV traveled off the right side of the road. When the driver overcorrected, the SUV struck the barrier wall and overturned. A northbound 2004 Toyota Corolla driven by&nbsp;Truong Van Nguyen, 66, Wichita, struck the SUV.Gonzalez-Cuellar was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Cornejo Funeral Home.EMS transported Nguyen and a passenger in the SUV identified as Jose Resto-Alamo, 60, Wichita, to Wesley Medical Center. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead, 2 injured after car strikes overturned SUV 

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer</a>

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is more aggressive and openly political in pushing to expand Medicaid in Kansas as the Republican-controlled Legislature prepares to open its annual session Monday following five years of failed efforts to provide state health coverage to another 150,000 people.

Kelly faces leaders of GOP supermajorities whose priorities are to cut income taxes and rein in local property taxes, not to expand Medicaid.

But Kelly's new plan includes hitting expansion-opposing Republicans hard later this year during races for legislative seats, an approach that cuts against years of self-branding as a bipartisan problem-solver who doesn't care about politics.

“My previous approach, which has always been to try to bring people together and work collaboratively and come up with consensus and then get good policy on the books — that hasn’t worked,” Kelly said during a recent interview.

“Taking a more aggressive approach and — to be direct, a more political approach to it — might be the answer," she added.

For months, Kelly has toured the state for news conferences and roundtables to build support for Medicaid expansion. She said she modeled her campaign on one by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-medicaid-expansion-health-care-5c97a73a2d09b77ee9e499928590674a">in North Carolina</a>, where a GOP-dominated legislature expanded coverage as of Dec. 1.

Kansas is among only 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid in line with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, which promises federal funds to cover 90% of the new costs. In two other states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-medicaid-expansion-brian-kemp-health-care-e6931d588c12c9cc13532dbd9b1e78b9">Georgia and Mississippi</a>, top Republicans have signaled willingness to discuss expansion this year so the issue isn't a dead letter.

In Kansas, conservative opposition is rooted in small-government beliefs and decades of skepticism about social services. In the fall, House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, both Wichita-area Republicans, derided Kelly's events with business leaders, hospital administrators and health advocates as a “Welfare Express Tour” for “more government dependency.”

“It’s about not using taxpayer dollars to fund free healthcare for a new population of able-bodied childless adults who don’t want to work,” Hawkins said in an email.

For some Kansas residents, the issue is getting by.

In Newton, 46-year-old Robyn Adams works 15 to 20 hours a week while she cares for her 15-year-old daughter and uses a manufacturer's program to avoid paying $1,500 every two weeks for shots to manage her rheumatoid arthritis.

She lost Medicaid coverage by working more hours, but not enough to qualify for federal subsidies for private insurance. Even covering a $40 copay before a doctor's visit can be a financial challenge, so paying a larger monthly insurance premium is out of the question, she said.

“We need insurance, too,” she said of low-income families. “Without the expansion, I don’t know — a lot of families are going to be in trouble.”

To attract GOP votes, Kelly has mandated that those who would newly qualify for Medicaid verify annually they are working. But Masterson told reporters, "It really doesn’t change the underlying facts.”

In Kansas, childless adults without disabilities don't qualify for Medicaid. Parents like Adams aren't covered when their household incomes hit 38% of the federal poverty level. For a single parent of one child, it's less than $7,500; for a family of four, it's $11,400.

An expansion would make both groups eligible if they earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. A single, childless adult could earn $20,100; a single parent and one child, about $27,200; and a family of four, $41,400.

Of the people who would qualify, 73% are in families with at least one full- or part-time worker, according to KFF, the research organization formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. Many work in services and others are independent contractors, said Sean Gatewood, a former Kansas House member and spokesperson for the KanCare Advocates Network, a pro-expansion coalition.

Kelly's plan would increase the cost of the Kansas Medicaid program by 31%, about $1.35 billion a year. However, federal funds would cover all but $135 million, with the state imposing fees on hospitals and large private health insurance companies for most of the rest.

The federal government also is offering remaining non-expansion states another financial bonus. A promise of an additional $1.8 billion over two years was crucial for GOP lawmakers in North Carolina. Kelly’s office expects Kansas to receive a total bonus of between $370 million and $450 million.

But even if there is enough support to pass a bill expanding eligibility, Hawkins, Masterson and their allies can keep a plan from even clearing committees. Democrats' attempts to offer expansion plans during debates on other measures have been ruled out of order, and even Republicans backing expansion have stood with their leaders on that point.

Yet Kelly and other advocates see plenty of reasons to keep pushing, including North Carolina Gov. Cooper's success.

Cooper argued GOP lawmakers in his state felt pressure from an unusual coalition that included rural chambers of commerce and “tough-on-crime Republican sheriffs” who felt they were dealing with too many people who simply needed access to health care, “not handcuffs.”

As for non-expansion states, Cooper said in a news conference: “I hope that they can take some of the lessons of the coalitions of people that we’ve been able to put together to try to succeed.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704631381127.png" alt="In December, Governor Kelly unveiled her new plan to expand Medicaid in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>In December, Governor Kelly unveiled her new plan to expand Medicaid in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer</a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is more aggressive and openly political in pushing to expand Medicaid in Kansas as the Republican-controlled Legislature prepares to open its annual session Monday following five years of failed efforts to provide state health coverage to another 150,000 people.Kelly faces leaders of GOP supermajorities whose priorities are to cut income taxes and rein in local property taxes, not to expand Medicaid.But Kelly's new plan includes hitting expansion-opposing Republicans hard later this year during races for legislative seats, an approach that cuts against years of self-branding as a bipartisan problem-solver who doesn't care about politics.“My previous approach, which has always been to try to bring people together and work collaboratively and come up with consensus and then get good policy on the books — that hasn’t worked,” Kelly said during a recent interview.“Taking a more aggressive approach and — to be direct, a more political approach to it — might be the answer," she added.For months, Kelly has toured the state for news conferences and roundtables to build support for Medicaid expansion. She said she modeled her campaign on one by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-medicaid-expansion-health-care-5c97a73a2d09b77ee9e499928590674a">in North Carolina</a>, where a GOP-dominated legislature expanded coverage as of Dec. 1.Kansas is among only 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid in line with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, which promises federal funds to cover 90% of the new costs. In two other states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-medicaid-expansion-brian-kemp-health-care-e6931d588c12c9cc13532dbd9b1e78b9">Georgia and Mississippi</a>, top Republicans have signaled willingness to discuss expansion this year so the issue isn't a dead letter.In Kansas, conservative opposition is rooted in small-government beliefs and decades of skepticism about social services. In the fall, House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, both Wichita-area Republicans, derided Kelly's events with business leaders, hospital administrators and health advocates as a “Welfare Express Tour” for “more government dependency.”“It’s about not using taxpayer dollars to fund free healthcare for a new population of able-bodied childless adults who don’t want to work,” Hawkins said in an email.For some Kansas residents, the issue is getting by.In Newton, 46-year-old Robyn Adams works 15 to 20 hours a week while she cares for her 15-year-old daughter and uses a manufacturer's program to avoid paying $1,500 every two weeks for shots to manage her rheumatoid arthritis.She lost Medicaid coverage by working more hours, but not enough to qualify for federal subsidies for private insurance. Even covering a $40 copay before a doctor's visit can be a financial challenge, so paying a larger monthly insurance premium is out of the question, she said.“We need insurance, too,” she said of low-income families. “Without the expansion, I don’t know — a lot of families are going to be in trouble.”To attract GOP votes, Kelly has mandated that those who would newly qualify for Medicaid verify annually they are working. But Masterson told reporters, "It really doesn’t change the underlying facts.”In Kansas, childless adults without disabilities don't qualify for Medicaid. Parents like Adams aren't covered when their household incomes hit 38% of the federal poverty level. For a single parent of one child, it's less than $7,500; for a family of four, it's $11,400.An expansion would make both groups eligible if they earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. A single, childless adult could earn $20,100; a single parent and one child, about $27,200; and a family of four, $41,400.Of the people who would qualify, 73% are in families with at least one full- or part-time worker, according to KFF, the research organization formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. Many work in services and others are independent contractors, said Sean Gatewood, a former Kansas House member and spokesperson for the KanCare Advocates Network, a pro-expansion coalition.Kelly's plan would increase the cost of the Kansas Medicaid program by 31%, about $1.35 billion a year. However, federal funds would cover all but $135 million, with the state imposing fees on hospitals and large private health insurance companies for most of the rest.The federal government also is offering remaining non-expansion states another financial bonus. A promise of an additional $1.8 billion over two years was crucial for GOP lawmakers in North Carolina. Kelly’s office expects Kansas to receive a total bonus of between $370 million and $450 million.But even if there is enough support to pass a bill expanding eligibility, Hawkins, Masterson and their allies can keep a plan from even clearing committees. Democrats' attempts to offer expansion plans during debates on other measures have been ruled out of order, and even Republicans backing expansion have stood with their leaders on that point.Yet Kelly and other advocates see plenty of reasons to keep pushing, including North Carolina Gov. Cooper's success.Cooper argued GOP lawmakers in his state felt pressure from an unusual coalition that included rural chambers of commerce and “tough-on-crime Republican sheriffs” who felt they were dealing with too many people who simply needed access to health care, “not handcuffs.”As for non-expansion states, Cooper said in a news conference: “I hope that they can take some of the lessons of the coalitions of people that we’ve been able to put together to try to succeed.”

A push to expand Medicaid has Kan. governor embracing politics, cutting against her brand

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a deadly house fire in Kansas City and have recovered the body of a teen girl.

Just after 2:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to the report a house fire in the 8300 block of NE 103rd Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First responders reported heavy fire and smoke from the two-story house. Evacuated occupants reported that one individual was still in the structure. 

Crews attempted an interior attack, but the fire was two far advanced. EMS transported five individuals for further evaluation of injuries and smoke inhalation. Three children were transported to Children's Mercy and two adults were transported to North Kansas City Hospital.

Fire crews initially reported they were unable to locate one additional occupant identified as a 17-year-old girl with special needs, due to the extensive fire damage to the house.

Several hours later, investigators found the body of the girl in the basement of the home, according to Hopkins.

Officials have not released a damage estimate or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704635613163.png" alt="A view of the rear of the home -photo KCMO Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>A view of the rear of the home -photo KCMO Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a deadly house fire in Kansas City and have recovered the body of a teen girl.Just after 2:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to the report a house fire in the 8300 block of NE 103rd Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First responders reported heavy fire and smoke from the two-story house. Evacuated occupants reported that one individual was still in the structure. Crews attempted an interior attack, but the fire was two far advanced. EMS transported five individuals for further evaluation of injuries and smoke inhalation. Three children were transported to Children's Mercy and two adults were transported to North Kansas City Hospital.Fire crews initially reported they were unable to locate one additional occupant identified as a 17-year-old girl with special needs, due to the extensive fire damage to the house.Several hours later, investigators found the body of the girl in the basement of the home, according to Hopkins.Officials have not released a damage estimate or additional details.

17-year-old girl dead, 5 injured in fire at Kansas City home

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hezbollah has struck an air traffic control base in northern Israel, the Israeli military said Sunday, and warned of “another war” with the Iran-backed militant group

The increase in fighting across the border with Lebanon as Israel battles Hamas militants in Gaza gave new urgency to U.S. diplomatic efforts as Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-israel-gaza-hamas-war-59407385030f96c3cbdc219c80f692f5">prepared to visit Israel</a>&nbsp;on his latest Mideast tour.

“This is a conflict that could easily metastasize, causing even more insecurity and even more suffering,” Blinken told reporters after talks in Qatar, a key mediator. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-06-2024-4ea42d6459496468ae39258e31832011">escalation of cross-border fighting</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hezbollah has complicated a U.S. push to prevent a regional conflict.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah fire hit the sensitive air traffic control base on Mount Meron on Saturday but air defenses were not affected because backup systems were in place. It said that no soldiers were hurt and all damage will be repaired.

Nonetheless, it was one of the most serious attacks by Hezbollah in the months of fighting that has accompanied Israel's war in Gaza and forced tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate communities near the Lebanese border.

Hezbollah described its rocket barrage as an “initial response” to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-286d5fad24b8ddbbd2e1cb1bfbb306eb">targeted killing of a top Hamas leader</a>&nbsp;in a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut last week, which is presumed to have been carried out by Israel.

The Israeli military chief of staff, Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi, said military pressure on Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, was rising and it would either be effective “or we will get to another war.” Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari asserted that Israel’s focus on Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force was pushing it away from the border.

Israel has mostly sought to limit the fighting in its north.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-nasrallah-gaza-burkan-drones-07701a32f07c172bccbf6bc6a3086ce8">Hezbollah’s military capabilities</a>&nbsp;are far superior to those of Hamas. But Israeli leaders have said their patience is wearing thin, and that if the tensions cannot be resolved through diplomacy, they are prepared to use force.

“I suggest that Hezbollah learn what Hamas has already learned in recent months: No terrorist is immune," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet. We are determined to defend our citizens and to return the residents of the north safely to their homes.”

Lower-intensity fighting along Israel’s northern border broke out when Hezbollah began firing rockets shortly after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel</a>&nbsp;triggered the war in Gaza, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking some 250 people hostage. Hezbollah has said its attacks aim to ease pressure on Gaza.

In a joint news briefing with Blinken, Qatar’s government acknowledged that the killing of the senior Hamas leader in Lebanon can affect the complicated negotiations for the potential release of more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza but “we are continuing our discussions with the parties and trying to achieve as soon as possible an agreement.”

Inside Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the war</a>&nbsp;against the militant group entered its fourth month Sunday.

The Israeli military has signaled that it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-3b77b0c36bf2cd9922b7a484234bef5f">wrapped up major combat</a>&nbsp;in northern Gaza, saying it has completed dismantling Hamas’ military infrastructure there. Now it presses its offensive in the south, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-refugee-israel-palestinian-rafah-a7e14cc4d7029019f59183b3b0225975">squeezed into smaller areas</a>&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-21-2023-7d9718b32bf0d308c44c7c9e3c4e0deb">humanitarian disaster</a>&nbsp;while being pounded by Israeli airstrikes.

Netanyahu insists the war will not end until the objectives of eliminating Hamas, getting Israel’s hostages returned and ensuring that Gaza won’t host a threat to Israel are met.

Biden administration officials have urged Israel to wind down its blistering air and ground offensive and shift to more targeted attacks against Hamas leaders.

More than 22,800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 58,000 wounded since the war began, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.</a>&nbsp;The death toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Health officials say about two-thirds of those killed have been women and minors.

Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates in heavily populated residential areas.

An airstrike near the southern city of Rafah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-journalist-killed-jazeera-86db4604dde19caa9c29366225a6648e">killed two journalists</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, including Hamza Dahdouh, the oldest son of Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera's chief correspondent in Gaza, according to the Qatari-owned Arabic-language channel and local medical officials. Al Jazeera broadcast footage of Dahdouh weeping and holding his son's hand. Israel's military had no immediate comment.

Al Jazeera strongly condemned the killings and other “brutal attacks against journalists and their families” by Israeli forces. Dahdouh also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dahdouh-aljazeera-war-israel-palestinians-968a24495e1ce420dfe2f9257528c5c4">lost his wife, two children and a grandchild</a>&nbsp;in an Oct. 26 airstrike, and was wounded in an Israeli strike last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-dahdouh-aljazeera-conflict-journalism-b17e6f5c5d987e4f834a0cc3fdc043de">killed a co-worker</a>.

“The world is blind to what’s happening in the Gaza Strip,” he said, blinking back tears.

Another airstrike hit a house between Khan Younis and the southern city of Rafah, killing at least seven people whose bodies were taken to the nearby European Gaza Hospital, according to an Associated Press journalist at the facility. One man hurried in carrying a baby, and later walked the blanket-wrapped child to the morgue.

“Everything happening here is outside the realms of law, outside the realms of reason. Our brains can’t fully comprehend all this that is happening to us,” said a grieving relative, Inas Abu al-Najja, her quavering voice rising. Men worked the rubble with picks and bare hands.

On Sunday, officials at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies of 18 people, including 12 children, killed in an Israeli strike late Saturday on a home in the Khan Younis camp set up decades ago to house refugees from the 1948 war over Israel’s creation.

Israeli forces pushed deeper into the central city of Deir al-Balah, where residents in several neighborhoods were warned that they must evacuate.

The international medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known by the French acronym MSF, said it was evacuating its medical staff from Deir al-Balah's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital.

A bullet penetrated a wall of the hospital’s intensive care unit on Friday, and “drone attacks and sniper fire were just a few hundred meters from the hospital” over the past couple of days, said Carolina Lopez, the group’s emergency coordinator there. She said the hospital received between 150 and 200 wounded people daily in recent weeks.

The International Rescue Committee and Medical Aid for Palestinians said they also were forced to withdraw from the hospital. “The amount of injuries being brought in over the last few days has been horrific,” surgeon Nick Maynard with the IRC medical team said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704675337845.png" alt="Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East Sunday- State Department&nbsp; social media" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East Sunday- State Department&nbsp; social media</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Hezbollah has struck an air traffic control base in northern Israel, the Israeli military said Sunday, and warned of “another war” with the Iran-backed militant groupThe increase in fighting across the border with Lebanon as Israel battles Hamas militants in Gaza gave new urgency to U.S. diplomatic efforts as Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-israel-gaza-hamas-war-59407385030f96c3cbdc219c80f692f5">prepared to visit Israel</a>&nbsp;on his latest Mideast tour.“This is a conflict that could easily metastasize, causing even more insecurity and even more suffering,” Blinken told reporters after talks in Qatar, a key mediator. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-06-2024-4ea42d6459496468ae39258e31832011">escalation of cross-border fighting</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hezbollah has complicated a U.S. push to prevent a regional conflict.The Israeli military said Hezbollah fire hit the sensitive air traffic control base on Mount Meron on Saturday but air defenses were not affected because backup systems were in place. It said that no soldiers were hurt and all damage will be repaired.Nonetheless, it was one of the most serious attacks by Hezbollah in the months of fighting that has accompanied Israel's war in Gaza and forced tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate communities near the Lebanese border.Hezbollah described its rocket barrage as an “initial response” to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-286d5fad24b8ddbbd2e1cb1bfbb306eb">targeted killing of a top Hamas leader</a>&nbsp;in a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut last week, which is presumed to have been carried out by Israel.The Israeli military chief of staff, Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi, said military pressure on Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, was rising and it would either be effective “or we will get to another war.” Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari asserted that Israel’s focus on Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force was pushing it away from the border.Israel has mostly sought to limit the fighting in its north.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-nasrallah-gaza-burkan-drones-07701a32f07c172bccbf6bc6a3086ce8">Hezbollah’s military capabilities</a>&nbsp;are far superior to those of Hamas. But Israeli leaders have said their patience is wearing thin, and that if the tensions cannot be resolved through diplomacy, they are prepared to use force.“I suggest that Hezbollah learn what Hamas has already learned in recent months: No terrorist is immune," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet. We are determined to defend our citizens and to return the residents of the north safely to their homes.”Lower-intensity fighting along Israel’s northern border broke out when Hezbollah began firing rockets shortly after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel</a>&nbsp;triggered the war in Gaza, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking some 250 people hostage. Hezbollah has said its attacks aim to ease pressure on Gaza.In a joint news briefing with Blinken, Qatar’s government acknowledged that the killing of the senior Hamas leader in Lebanon can affect the complicated negotiations for the potential release of more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza but “we are continuing our discussions with the parties and trying to achieve as soon as possible an agreement.”Inside Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the war</a>&nbsp;against the militant group entered its fourth month Sunday.The Israeli military has signaled that it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-3b77b0c36bf2cd9922b7a484234bef5f">wrapped up major combat</a>&nbsp;in northern Gaza, saying it has completed dismantling Hamas’ military infrastructure there. Now it presses its offensive in the south, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-refugee-israel-palestinian-rafah-a7e14cc4d7029019f59183b3b0225975">squeezed into smaller areas</a>&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-21-2023-7d9718b32bf0d308c44c7c9e3c4e0deb">humanitarian disaster</a>&nbsp;while being pounded by Israeli airstrikes.Netanyahu insists the war will not end until the objectives of eliminating Hamas, getting Israel’s hostages returned and ensuring that Gaza won’t host a threat to Israel are met.Biden administration officials have urged Israel to wind down its blistering air and ground offensive and shift to more targeted attacks against Hamas leaders.More than 22,800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 58,000 wounded since the war began, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.</a>&nbsp;The death toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Health officials say about two-thirds of those killed have been women and minors.Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates in heavily populated residential areas.An airstrike near the southern city of Rafah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-journalist-killed-jazeera-86db4604dde19caa9c29366225a6648e">killed two journalists</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, including Hamza Dahdouh, the oldest son of Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera's chief correspondent in Gaza, according to the Qatari-owned Arabic-language channel and local medical officials. Al Jazeera broadcast footage of Dahdouh weeping and holding his son's hand. Israel's military had no immediate comment.Al Jazeera strongly condemned the killings and other “brutal attacks against journalists and their families” by Israeli forces. Dahdouh also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dahdouh-aljazeera-war-israel-palestinians-968a24495e1ce420dfe2f9257528c5c4">lost his wife, two children and a grandchild</a>&nbsp;in an Oct. 26 airstrike, and was wounded in an Israeli strike last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-dahdouh-aljazeera-conflict-journalism-b17e6f5c5d987e4f834a0cc3fdc043de">killed a co-worker</a>.“The world is blind to what’s happening in the Gaza Strip,” he said, blinking back tears.Another airstrike hit a house between Khan Younis and the southern city of Rafah, killing at least seven people whose bodies were taken to the nearby European Gaza Hospital, according to an Associated Press journalist at the facility. One man hurried in carrying a baby, and later walked the blanket-wrapped child to the morgue.“Everything happening here is outside the realms of law, outside the realms of reason. Our brains can’t fully comprehend all this that is happening to us,” said a grieving relative, Inas Abu al-Najja, her quavering voice rising. Men worked the rubble with picks and bare hands.On Sunday, officials at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies of 18 people, including 12 children, killed in an Israeli strike late Saturday on a home in the Khan Younis camp set up decades ago to house refugees from the 1948 war over Israel’s creation.Israeli forces pushed deeper into the central city of Deir al-Balah, where residents in several neighborhoods were warned that they must evacuate.The international medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known by the French acronym MSF, said it was evacuating its medical staff from Deir al-Balah's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital.A bullet penetrated a wall of the hospital’s intensive care unit on Friday, and “drone attacks and sniper fire were just a few hundred meters from the hospital” over the past couple of days, said Carolina Lopez, the group’s emergency coordinator there. She said the hospital received between 150 and 200 wounded people daily in recent weeks.The International Rescue Committee and Medical Aid for Palestinians said they also were forced to withdraw from the hospital. “The amount of injuries being brought in over the last few days has been horrific,” surgeon Nick Maynard with the IRC medical team said.

Terror group Hezbollah warns of 'another war' in Middle East

PLATTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted bank robbery and continue to search for a suspect.

Agents with Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City are searching for a suspect involved in an attempted bank robbery in Platte City, Missouri.

Just before 11a.m.&nbsp; Friday, a suspect entered the Bank of Weston,&nbsp;4001 State Rte 92, Platte City, according to a media release. The suspect demanded cash, threatened staff with a weapon and left without receiving any money. No injuries were reported.

The suspect was described as a man, 5-foot-7, with long hair and a stocky build. He was wearing a black jacket, black pants, black gloves and a medical mask. The suspect fled the bank in a black car westbound on US 92 Highway.&nbsp; Anyone with information on the crime should contact law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704640104548.png" alt="Security camera images FBI Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images FBI Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attempted bank robbery and continue to search for a suspect.Agents with Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City are searching for a suspect involved in an attempted bank robbery in Platte City, Missouri.Just before 11a.m.&nbsp; Friday, a suspect entered the Bank of Weston,&nbsp;4001 State Rte 92, Platte City, according to a media release. The suspect demanded cash, threatened staff with a weapon and left without receiving any money. No injuries were reported.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704640246023.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect was described as a man, 5-foot-7, with long hair and a stocky build. He was wearing a black jacket, black pants, black gloves and a medical mask. The suspect fled the bank in a black car westbound on US 92 Highway.&nbsp; Anyone with information on the crime should contact law enforcement.

KC-area bank robbery suspect had long hair, wore medical mask

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on multiple allegations after an arrest at a Kansas home.

On January 4, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 500 Block of NE Fairchild Street in Topeka, related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

&nbsp;Officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and stolen property.

As a result police arrested 40-year-old Candice King; 24-year-old Tiffani Armstrong; 33-year-old Thomas Lathrom and 25-year-old Dillon Sonnier.

Candice King is being held on requested charges of Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of a Simulated Controlled Substance.

Dillon Sonnier is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of Methamphetamine,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Stolen Property and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Tiffani Armstrong is in jail on a requested charge of Possession of Methamphetamine

Thomas Lathrom is no longer in custody on a requested charge for Possession of Marijuana.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704464597326.png" alt="Armstrong-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Armstrong-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on multiple allegations after an arrest at a Kansas home.On January 4, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 500 Block of NE Fairchild Street in Topeka, related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704464671968.png" alt="Sonnier-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sonnier-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and stolen property.As a result police arrested 40-year-old Candice King; 24-year-old Tiffani Armstrong; 33-year-old Thomas Lathrom and 25-year-old Dillon Sonnier.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704464528833.png" alt="King-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>King-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Candice King is being held on requested charges of Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of a Simulated Controlled Substance.Dillon Sonnier is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of Methamphetamine,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Stolen Property and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704464597326.png" alt="Armstrong-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Armstrong-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Tiffani Armstrong is in jail on a requested charge of Possession of Methamphetamine<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704465108426.png" alt="Lathrom-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lathrom-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Thomas Lathrom is no longer in custody on a requested charge for Possession of Marijuana.

Police find stolen property during drug bust at Kansas home

MCPHERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after following chase in McPherson County.

Just before 10p.m. Friday, a deputy with the McPherson County Sheriff's Office attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Interstate 135, according to a media release.

 The vehicle fled into the City of Moundridge where it wrecked and two individuals fled from the vehicle.

A McPherson County Sheriff K-9 unit was deployed. The K-9 located one of the suspects and he was apprehended. The man was evaluated and transported to McPherson Hospital by Moundridge EMS. He was later released and transported to the McPherson County Jail.

Newton Police Department deployed their UAV drone where it located the second suspect. He was taken into custody, evaluated by McPherson EMS, and then transported to McPherson County Jail.

Kasey Haag, 31, is being held on requested charges of assault of a law enforcement officer; use of a deadly weapon, flee or attempt to elude; driving the wrong way in opposing traffic, interference with law enforcement, reckless driving, driving while suspended, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, failure to stop at an accident, probation violation, transporting an open container and possession of opiates and drug paraphernalia. Haag has four previous convictions for burglary and additional convictions for theft and aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Malek Halabi, 22, is being held on requested charges that include interference with law enforcement, knowingly flee, drug possession and transporting an open container.

&nbsp;Newton Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Inman Police Department, Moundridge Police Department, Moundridge EMS, &amp; McPherson EMS all assisted in the sheriff's office with the arrest and transport.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704632339056.png" alt="Halabi-photo McPherson Co." />
 <figcaption>Halabi-photo McPherson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after following chase in McPherson County.Just before 10p.m. Friday, a deputy with the McPherson County Sheriff's Office attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Interstate 135, according to a media release. The vehicle fled into the City of Moundridge where it wrecked and two individuals fled from the vehicle.A McPherson County Sheriff K-9 unit was deployed. The K-9 located one of the suspects and he was apprehended. The man was evaluated and transported to McPherson Hospital by Moundridge EMS. He was later released and transported to the McPherson County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704631722442.png" alt="Haag-photo McPherson Co." />
 <figcaption>Haag-photo McPherson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Newton Police Department deployed their UAV drone where it located the second suspect. He was taken into custody, evaluated by McPherson EMS, and then transported to McPherson County Jail.Kasey Haag, 31, is being held on requested charges of assault of a law enforcement officer; use of a deadly weapon, flee or attempt to elude; driving the wrong way in opposing traffic, interference with law enforcement, reckless driving, driving while suspended, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, failure to stop at an accident, probation violation, transporting an open container and possession of opiates and drug paraphernalia. Haag has four previous convictions for burglary and additional convictions for theft and aggravated robbery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Malek Halabi, 22, is being held on requested charges that include interference with law enforcement, knowingly flee, drug possession and transporting an open container.&nbsp;Newton Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Inman Police Department, Moundridge Police Department, Moundridge EMS, &amp; McPherson EMS all assisted in the sheriff's office with the arrest and transport.

Drone helped catch wanted Kansas felon after chase, crash 

Business lobbying organization’s political roadmap conflicts with governor’s plans

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Chamber released a legislative policy agenda Thursday endorsing a proposed single rate state income tax, opposing expansion of Medicaid health coverage to 150,000 low-income Kansans and supporting investment of state tax dollars in private K-12 education.

These issues are poised to receive plenty of attention during the 2024 legislative session convening Monday, but it’s not clear the business lobbying organization and conservative Republican allies can push through the tax reform vetoed last year by Gov. Laura Kelly.

Nor is it known whether the Democratic governor could complete a six-year campaign as governor to broaden Medicaid eligibility to the working poor. Or, whether enough members of the House and Senate were willing to advance the cause of school choice by shifting hundreds of millions of dollars in public school funding to finance vouchers for private school students.

Alan Cobb, president and CEO of the Kansas Chamber, said the projected $2.5 billion cash surplus in the state treasury was sufficient to implement tax reductions. The 2023 version of the 5.15% single-rate approach would slice as much as $330 million annually from state revenue. It would deliver a $250 per month benefit to Kansans earning $250,000 per year, but $8 per month for people making $75,000 annually.

“Lots of states, including blue states, are moving — some rushing — to a single-rate tax,” Cobb said. “It’s partly keeping Kansas competitive. And, it is a tax reduction for everyone.”

Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs for the influential business lobbying organization, said Kansas would be “very, very competitive” with neighboring states if it dropped the single-rate personal income tax closer to 4%. He said Kansas had the highest individual income tax rate in the region.

Under Kansas law, the state income tax obligation of a single person or a married individual filing separately or as head of a household would be 3.1% on the first $15,000 of taxable income, 5.25% on the next $15,000 and at 5.7% on all income above $30,000.

In an interview, Kelly compared the push for a massive personal income tax cut to the law signed in 2012 by GOP Gov. Sam Brownback that aggressively diminished state income tax collections. His approach led to years of extreme budget problems and eventually to a substantial increase in the state’s sales tax. The Brownback agenda, which centered on gradually eliminating the state income tax in Kansas, was repealed by bipartisan action in 2017 over his objections.

Kelly ran successful campaigns for governor in 2018 and 2022 that relentlessly pointed to financial lessons learned from the Brownback-style income tax cuts. The former state senator from Topeka urged Republican legislators not to repeat that taxation misstep.

“Flat tax will ultimately have the same impact as Brownback’s tax experiment. Just won’t be quite as abrupt and quite as deep, but over time it would have the same impact,” Kelly said.

The Kansas Chamber, which operates a political action committee to influence elections, released its 2024 agenda during a news conference in Topeka. The document touched on taxes, workforce development, legal and regulatory reform, energy policy, education, government efficiency and health care.

Cobb said the Kansas Chamber would join House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, to block the governor’s call for expansion of Medicaid.

Kelly conducted a statewide tour last fall to promote expansion and vowed to include her sixth plan for expansion in next week’s State of the State speech.&nbsp;Forty states and the four states surrounding Kansas have expanded Medicaid eligibility under a federal law in which the U.S. government pays 90% of expansion costs and states cover 10%.

“There is a cost. It’s not free,” Cobb said. “I think we’ve made the better fiscal argument. You look at the cost overruns that in some states have been astronomical.”

Stafford said approximately half of 150,000 people who would benefit from Medicaid expansion in Kansas had some form of private health insurance. It would be imprudent to remove those Kansans from the private marketplace in favor of a government program, he said.

In a twist, Kelly has sought to win over GOP lawmakers in 2024 by including a work requirement for individuals who would benefit from Medicaid expansion. A work mandate has been among the GOP’s frequent demands in terms of Medicaid reform.

“I&nbsp;think&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;got&nbsp;an&nbsp;honest&nbsp;shot&nbsp;at&nbsp;it,” the governor said. “Most&nbsp;people&nbsp;who&nbsp;are&nbsp;eligible&nbsp;for&nbsp;Medicaid&nbsp;expansion,&nbsp;I&nbsp;think&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;73% or 75%&nbsp;of&nbsp;them,&nbsp;are&nbsp;working.&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;rather&nbsp;propose&nbsp;this,&nbsp;even&nbsp;though&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;never&nbsp;been&nbsp;a&nbsp;fan&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;work&nbsp;requirements,&nbsp;I’d&nbsp;rather&nbsp;do&nbsp;this&nbsp;and&nbsp;get&nbsp;Medicaid&nbsp;expansion&nbsp;out.”

The Kansas Chamber said it would lobby on behalf of legislation that would earmark state tax dollars to private schools or homeschools. In the 2023 legislative session, there were insufficient votes to advance a bill that would have provided $5,000 to state support to every private school student in Kansas.

Critics said it was unfair to strip public schools of state aid. They argued transfer of cash would primarily benefit existing parochial or homeschooled students, not draw at-risk children to those alternatives. And, skeptics said, private schools weren’t held accountable in terms of student achievement. Also, they said the Kansas Constitution mandated the state deliver a suitable education to public school students — not students who choose to enroll in private schools.

“We’re all of the above, whether it’s public school, homeschool, private school,” Cobb said. “Some of the educational attainments, looking at test scores, seem to be dropping. Kansas isn’t alone. That’s across the country. Declining math and reading scores is not a good thing. I think 20% of Kansas high school graduates are considered prepared for academic higher education.”

In October, the Kansas Department of Education reported Kansas state assessment results for math were the highest since 2017. The 2023 math assessment indicated 10% of all students assessed scored at Level 4, which was an increase from 8.6% in 2022. Overall, more students in Kansas scored at proficient levels in math and English in 2023 than they did last year, state officials said.

Kelly said she would veto school voucher legislation as she had in the past. She asserted Democrats were solidly opposed to additional school choice funding and rural Republicans had their own doubts about the value of private school vouchers. In urban areas where Kansas’ private schools congregate, she said, there was no evidence those schools would be dedicated to welcoming at-risk students.

“Rural&nbsp;school&nbsp;districts&nbsp;really&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;want&nbsp;this.&nbsp;They&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;have&nbsp;any&nbsp;private&nbsp;schools,” Kelly said. “I&nbsp;think&nbsp;there’s&nbsp;been&nbsp;so&nbsp;much&nbsp;more&nbsp;evidence&nbsp;coming&nbsp;from&nbsp;states&nbsp;that&nbsp;have&nbsp;done&nbsp;vouchers,&nbsp;that&nbsp;these&nbsp;aren’t&nbsp;impacting&nbsp;those&nbsp;at-risk&nbsp;kids.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704491116037.png" alt=" Kansas Chamber executives Alan Cobb, left, and Eric Stafford outlined Thursday elements of the business lobbying organization’s priorities for the 2024 legislative session that opens Monday. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Chamber executives Alan Cobb, left, and Eric Stafford outlined Thursday elements of the business lobbying organization’s priorities for the 2024 legislative session that opens Monday. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Business lobbying organization’s political roadmap conflicts with governor’s plans</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Chamber released a legislative policy agenda Thursday endorsing a proposed single rate state income tax, opposing expansion of Medicaid health coverage to 150,000 low-income Kansans and supporting investment of state tax dollars in private K-12 education.These issues are poised to receive plenty of attention during the 2024 legislative session convening Monday, but it’s not clear the business lobbying organization and conservative Republican allies can push through the tax reform vetoed last year by Gov. Laura Kelly.Nor is it known whether the Democratic governor could complete a six-year campaign as governor to broaden Medicaid eligibility to the working poor. Or, whether enough members of the House and Senate were willing to advance the cause of school choice by shifting hundreds of millions of dollars in public school funding to finance vouchers for private school students.Alan Cobb, president and CEO of the Kansas Chamber, said the projected $2.5 billion cash surplus in the state treasury was sufficient to implement tax reductions. The 2023 version of the 5.15% single-rate approach would slice as much as $330 million annually from state revenue. It would deliver a $250 per month benefit to Kansans earning $250,000 per year, but $8 per month for people making $75,000 annually.“Lots of states, including blue states, are moving — some rushing — to a single-rate tax,” Cobb said. “It’s partly keeping Kansas competitive. And, it is a tax reduction for everyone.”Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs for the influential business lobbying organization, said Kansas would be “very, very competitive” with neighboring states if it dropped the single-rate personal income tax closer to 4%. He said Kansas had the highest individual income tax rate in the region.Under Kansas law, the state income tax obligation of a single person or a married individual filing separately or as head of a household would be 3.1% on the first $15,000 of taxable income, 5.25% on the next $15,000 and at 5.7% on all income above $30,000.In an interview, Kelly compared the push for a massive personal income tax cut to the law signed in 2012 by GOP Gov. Sam Brownback that aggressively diminished state income tax collections. His approach led to years of extreme budget problems and eventually to a substantial increase in the state’s sales tax. The Brownback agenda, which centered on gradually eliminating the state income tax in Kansas, was repealed by bipartisan action in 2017 over his objections.Kelly ran successful campaigns for governor in 2018 and 2022 that relentlessly pointed to financial lessons learned from the Brownback-style income tax cuts. The former state senator from Topeka urged Republican legislators not to repeat that taxation misstep.“Flat tax will ultimately have the same impact as Brownback’s tax experiment. Just won’t be quite as abrupt and quite as deep, but over time it would have the same impact,” Kelly said.<h2>Health care: Medicaid</h2>The Kansas Chamber, which operates a political action committee to influence elections, released its 2024 agenda during a news conference in Topeka. The document touched on taxes, workforce development, legal and regulatory reform, energy policy, education, government efficiency and health care.Cobb said the Kansas Chamber would join House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, to block the governor’s call for expansion of Medicaid.Kelly conducted a statewide tour last fall to promote expansion and vowed to include her sixth plan for expansion in next week’s State of the State speech.&nbsp;Forty states and the four states surrounding Kansas have expanded Medicaid eligibility under a federal law in which the U.S. government pays 90% of expansion costs and states cover 10%.“There is a cost. It’s not free,” Cobb said. “I think we’ve made the better fiscal argument. You look at the cost overruns that in some states have been astronomical.”Stafford said approximately half of 150,000 people who would benefit from Medicaid expansion in Kansas had some form of private health insurance. It would be imprudent to remove those Kansans from the private marketplace in favor of a government program, he said.In a twist, Kelly has sought to win over GOP lawmakers in 2024 by including a work requirement for individuals who would benefit from Medicaid expansion. A work mandate has been among the GOP’s frequent demands in terms of Medicaid reform.“I&nbsp;think&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;got&nbsp;an&nbsp;honest&nbsp;shot&nbsp;at&nbsp;it,” the governor said. “Most&nbsp;people&nbsp;who&nbsp;are&nbsp;eligible&nbsp;for&nbsp;Medicaid&nbsp;expansion,&nbsp;I&nbsp;think&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;73% or 75%&nbsp;of&nbsp;them,&nbsp;are&nbsp;working.&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;rather&nbsp;propose&nbsp;this,&nbsp;even&nbsp;though&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;never&nbsp;been&nbsp;a&nbsp;fan&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;work&nbsp;requirements,&nbsp;I’d&nbsp;rather&nbsp;do&nbsp;this&nbsp;and&nbsp;get&nbsp;Medicaid&nbsp;expansion&nbsp;out.”<h2>School choice: Vouchers</h2>The Kansas Chamber said it would lobby on behalf of legislation that would earmark state tax dollars to private schools or homeschools. In the 2023 legislative session, there were insufficient votes to advance a bill that would have provided $5,000 to state support to every private school student in Kansas.Critics said it was unfair to strip public schools of state aid. They argued transfer of cash would primarily benefit existing parochial or homeschooled students, not draw at-risk children to those alternatives. And, skeptics said, private schools weren’t held accountable in terms of student achievement. Also, they said the Kansas Constitution mandated the state deliver a suitable education to public school students — not students who choose to enroll in private schools.“We’re all of the above, whether it’s public school, homeschool, private school,” Cobb said. “Some of the educational attainments, looking at test scores, seem to be dropping. Kansas isn’t alone. That’s across the country. Declining math and reading scores is not a good thing. I think 20% of Kansas high school graduates are considered prepared for academic higher education.”In October, the Kansas Department of Education reported Kansas state assessment results for math were the highest since 2017. The 2023 math assessment indicated 10% of all students assessed scored at Level 4, which was an increase from 8.6% in 2022. Overall, more students in Kansas scored at proficient levels in math and English in 2023 than they did last year, state officials said.Kelly said she would veto school voucher legislation as she had in the past. She asserted Democrats were solidly opposed to additional school choice funding and rural Republicans had their own doubts about the value of private school vouchers. In urban areas where Kansas’ private schools congregate, she said, there was no evidence those schools would be dedicated to welcoming at-risk students.“Rural&nbsp;school&nbsp;districts&nbsp;really&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;want&nbsp;this.&nbsp;They&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;have&nbsp;any&nbsp;private&nbsp;schools,” Kelly said. “I&nbsp;think&nbsp;there’s&nbsp;been&nbsp;so&nbsp;much&nbsp;more&nbsp;evidence&nbsp;coming&nbsp;from&nbsp;states&nbsp;that&nbsp;have&nbsp;done&nbsp;vouchers,&nbsp;that&nbsp;these&nbsp;aren’t&nbsp;impacting&nbsp;those&nbsp;at-risk&nbsp;kids.”

Kansas Chamber puts shoulder behind 2024 income tax, health care, education reforms

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Leavenworth, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, a man called 911 to request police so that he could report a crime. He also stated that he was armed.

A short time later officers from the Leavenworth Police Department arrived at the location, which was in the 400 block of N. 5th&nbsp;Street in Leavenworth. 

When officers arrived, they observed a 44-year-old man in the front yard of the residence armed with a knife. Several verbal commands were given to him to stop and to drop the knife. The man charged toward an officer and that officer fired multiple rounds striking him.

Medical aid was provided, and EMS transported the man to a Leavenworth hospital. Despite life-saving measures, he died from his injuries. The KBI did not release the name of the man who died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704655735251.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Leavenworth, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, a man called 911 to request police so that he could report a crime. He also stated that he was armed.A short time later officers from the Leavenworth Police Department arrived at the location, which was in the 400 block of N. 5th&nbsp;Street in Leavenworth. When officers arrived, they observed a 44-year-old man in the front yard of the residence armed with a knife. Several verbal commands were given to him to stop and to drop the knife. The man charged toward an officer and that officer fired multiple rounds striking him.Medical aid was provided, and EMS transported the man to a Leavenworth hospital. Despite life-saving measures, he died from his injuries. The KBI did not release the name of the man who died.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KBI: Man dead after Kansas officer-involved shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday allowed Idaho to enforce its strict abortion ban, even in medical emergencies, while a legal fight continues.

The justices said they would hear arguments in April and put on hold a lower court ruling that had blocked the Idaho law in hospital emergencies, based on a lawsuit filed by the Biden administration.

The Idaho case gives the court its second major abortion dispute since the justices in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and allowed states to severely restrict or ban abortion. The court also in the coming months is hearing a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration's rules for obtaining mifepristone, one of two medications used in the most common method of abortion in the United States.

In the case over hospital emergencies, the Biden administration has argued that hospitals that receive Medicare funds are required by federal law to provide emergency care, potentially including abortion, no matter if there's a state law banning abortion.

The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-government-and-politics-4221f9306a596904b9af2e0d1fad23b9">issued guidance about the federal law</a>, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, two weeks after the high court ruling in 2022. The Democratic administration sued Idaho a month later.

U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill in Idaho&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-xavier-becerra-4ccc7296f015270b0dc66c64e975689c">agreed with the administration</a>. But in a separate case in Texas, a judge sided with the state.

In a statement Friday night, President Joe Biden objected to the high court's decision and said his administration “will continue to defend a woman’s ability to access emergency care under federal law.”

Idaho makes it a crime with a prison term of up to five years for anyone who performs or assists in an abortion.

The administration argues that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-idaho-government-and-politics-7c316e07d0889ec5f9c9657a4da2a1d3">EMTALA</a>&nbsp;requires health care providers to perform abortions for emergency room patients when needed to treat an emergency medical condition, even if doing so might conflict with a state’s abortion restrictions.

Those conditions include severe bleeding, preeclampsia and certain pregnancy-related infections.

“For certain medical emergencies, abortion care is the necessary stabilizing treatment,” Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in an administration filing at the Supreme Court.

The state argued that the administration was misusing a law intended to prevent hospitals from dumping patients and imposing “a federal abortion mandate” on states. “EMTALA says nothing about abortion,” Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador told the court in a brief.

Just Tuesday, the federal appeals court in New Orleans came to the same conclusion as Labrador. A three-judge panel ruled that the administration cannot use EMTALA to require hospitals in Texas to provide abortions for women whose lives are at risk due to pregnancy. Two of the three judges are appointees of President Donald Trump, and the other was appointed by another Republican president, George W. Bush.

The appeals court affirmed a ruling by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, also a Trump appointee. Hendrix wrote that adopting the Biden administration's view would force physicians to place the health of the pregnant person over that of the fetus or embryo even though EMTALA “is silent as to abortion.”

After Winmill, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton, issued his ruling, Idaho lawmakers won an order allowing the law to be fully enforced from an all-Republican, Trump-appointed panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But a larger contingent of 9th Circuit judges threw out the panel’s ruling and had set arguments in the case for late January.

The justices' order Friday takes the case away from the appeals court. A decision is expected by early summer.

Friday’s development is just one of several legal battles currently making their way through the courts in Idaho.

Separately, four women and several physicians have filed a lawsuit asking an Idaho court to clarify the circumstances that qualify patients to legally receive an abortion. That lawsuit was recently granted the greenlight to move forward despite attempts by the Attorney General’s office to dismiss the case.

Meanwhile, a federal judge in November temporarily blocked Idaho’s “abortion trafficking” law from being enforced while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is underway. That law, which Idaho lawmakers passed last year, was designed to prevent minors from getting abortions in states where the procedure is legal if they don’t have their parents’ permission.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday allowed Idaho to enforce its strict abortion ban, even in medical emergencies, while a legal fight continues.The justices said they would hear arguments in April and put on hold a lower court ruling that had blocked the Idaho law in hospital emergencies, based on a lawsuit filed by the Biden administration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today’s Supreme Court order allows Idaho’s abortion ban to go back into effect, denying women emergency abortion care required by law. These bans threaten women’s health, force them to travel, and make it harder for doctors to provide care. This should never happen in America. <a href="https://t.co/jfPOI2DXmI">pic.twitter.com/jfPOI2DXmI</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1743454834223641073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Idaho case gives the court its second major abortion dispute since the justices in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and allowed states to severely restrict or ban abortion. The court also in the coming months is hearing a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration's rules for obtaining mifepristone, one of two medications used in the most common method of abortion in the United States.In the case over hospital emergencies, the Biden administration has argued that hospitals that receive Medicare funds are required by federal law to provide emergency care, potentially including abortion, no matter if there's a state law banning abortion.The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-government-and-politics-4221f9306a596904b9af2e0d1fad23b9">issued guidance about the federal law</a>, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, two weeks after the high court ruling in 2022. The Democratic administration sued Idaho a month later.U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill in Idaho&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-xavier-becerra-4ccc7296f015270b0dc66c64e975689c">agreed with the administration</a>. But in a separate case in Texas, a judge sided with the state.In a statement Friday night, President Joe Biden objected to the high court's decision and said his administration “will continue to defend a woman’s ability to access emergency care under federal law.”Idaho makes it a crime with a prison term of up to five years for anyone who performs or assists in an abortion.The administration argues that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-idaho-government-and-politics-7c316e07d0889ec5f9c9657a4da2a1d3">EMTALA</a>&nbsp;requires health care providers to perform abortions for emergency room patients when needed to treat an emergency medical condition, even if doing so might conflict with a state’s abortion restrictions.Those conditions include severe bleeding, preeclampsia and certain pregnancy-related infections.“For certain medical emergencies, abortion care is the necessary stabilizing treatment,” Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in an administration filing at the Supreme Court.The state argued that the administration was misusing a law intended to prevent hospitals from dumping patients and imposing “a federal abortion mandate” on states. “EMTALA says nothing about abortion,” Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador told the court in a brief.Just Tuesday, the federal appeals court in New Orleans came to the same conclusion as Labrador. A three-judge panel ruled that the administration cannot use EMTALA to require hospitals in Texas to provide abortions for women whose lives are at risk due to pregnancy. Two of the three judges are appointees of President Donald Trump, and the other was appointed by another Republican president, George W. Bush.The appeals court affirmed a ruling by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, also a Trump appointee. Hendrix wrote that adopting the Biden administration's view would force physicians to place the health of the pregnant person over that of the fetus or embryo even though EMTALA “is silent as to abortion.”After Winmill, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton, issued his ruling, Idaho lawmakers won an order allowing the law to be fully enforced from an all-Republican, Trump-appointed panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But a larger contingent of 9th Circuit judges threw out the panel’s ruling and had set arguments in the case for late January.The justices' order Friday takes the case away from the appeals court. A decision is expected by early summer.Friday’s development is just one of several legal battles currently making their way through the courts in Idaho.Separately, four women and several physicians have filed a lawsuit asking an Idaho court to clarify the circumstances that qualify patients to legally receive an abortion. That lawsuit was recently granted the greenlight to move forward despite attempts by the Attorney General’s office to dismiss the case.Meanwhile, a federal judge in November temporarily blocked Idaho’s “abortion trafficking” law from being enforced while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is underway. That law, which Idaho lawmakers passed last year, was designed to prevent minors from getting abortions in states where the procedure is legal if they don’t have their parents’ permission.

Biden rips latest Supreme Court ruling on abortion ban even in medical emergencies

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

Just after midnight officers responded to 62nd and Prospect on a medical call, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

First responders found a man lying in a parking lot, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;The incident is being investigated as a homicide. Police has not reported an arrest or identified the victim.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704631133794.png" alt="Police on the scene early Sunday-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene early Sunday-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide in Kansas City.Just after midnight officers responded to 62nd and Prospect on a medical call, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.First responders found a man lying in a parking lot, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;The incident is being investigated as a homicide. Police has not reported an arrest or identified the victim.&nbsp;

Homicide: Man found dead in Kansas City parking lot

BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;AND&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

GOP legislators question merit of a task force mandated by statute

TOPEKA — Rep. Kristey Williams and Sen. Renee Erickson agreed there was little value in convening a task force to study the state’s shortfall in funding public school special education programs because the financial issues were too complex and the only remedy suggested by education advocacy groups was too simplistic.

The lawmakers said it would be folly to hold hearings of the Special Education and Related Services Task Force with legislators, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to gather testimony and shape recommendations on a fix for the 2024 Legislature.

The goal of the task force, required by a bill approved by the 2023 Legislature, was to figure out how best to comply with an older statute mandating that state funding cover 92% of the extra cost of providing services to K-12 special education students statewide. Currently, state aid was sufficient to address 69% of school districts’ excess special education costs. The balance must be made up by local school districts.

“There is no way a funding task force could begin to crack that code,” said Williams, an Augusta Republican.

Erickson, a Wichita Republican, said the Kansas State Board of Education and an assortment of public education organizations had offered one remedy to the 92% dilemma — appropriation of nearly $200 million annually to close the gap.

“We do not need a special education task force meeting to consider their position,” she said. “We have their input, which is just more money. We don’t need a task force to convene to discuss that part.”

On Friday afternoon, however, Williams and Erickson were expected to sit down with others on the task force for their first and, perhaps, only meeting. The gathering might not have occurred had a six-person majority of task force members not invoked parliamentary procedure in November to force Williams’ hand. She relented and set the meeting for three days prior to start of the 2024 session.

Interim legislative meetings typically take place in summer and fall to give committee members time to write reports pulling together expert testimony and outlining reform proposals for review by lawmakers during the next legislative session.

Williams, who was placed in charge of the task force pending the members’ election of a chair, said a mere two hours would be dedicated to oral testimony of subject-matter experts and for task force deliberations. She said written testimony would be accepted by the task force comprised of five members of the House or Senate — four Republicans, one Democrat — and six people not in the Legislature.

The list of 13 given a chance to speak for five minutes each to the task force included people with the Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas PTA, Game On for Kansas Schools as well as the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Policy Institute. School administrators and a teacher will be give a turn at the microphone, but its not clear the task force could comprehensively take input, consider options and prepare recommendations for legislators in 120 minutes.

The first order of business must be to select a chairperson of the task force. Legislators, lobbyists and educators said that step became a flash point several months ago when it appeared Williams lacked votes among task force peers to retain the position of task force chair. In response, special education advocates said, Williams stonewalled and publicly expressed skepticism the task force was worthwhile.

In an interview in October, Louisburg GOP Sen. Molly Baumgardner, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, dismissed that theory. She said the delay wasn’t inspired by Williams’ unwillingness to give up narrative control of the task force.

“Anytime you’re trying to schedule when we’re not in session, it is a real juggling match to get folks together,” said Baumgardner, who is on the special education task force. “You’re trying to satisfy a variety of different schedules so that the largest number of folks can be there and participate and we’ve had some problems with interim meetings, just scheduling times.”

A majority of the task force made multiple requests of Williams to move ahead with the task force’s work before deploying a procedural maneuver to compel the meeting. Williams set the meeting for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Friday in Room 112-North of the Capitol.

Kansas spends more than $500 million annually in federal, state and local funding on special education services in public schools, but hasn’t complied with the 92% requirement since 2011. However, the statute didn’t include enforcement mechanisms to compel the Legislature to meet the obligation.

The idea of convening a task force was viewed as an alternative to the 2023 Legislature dealing with a situation in which districts had to pull money from the general education budget to fill the special education gap. Instead of allocating $182 million to meet the statewide shortfall in the 2023-2024 school year, the Legislature agreed to increase appropriations for special education by $7.6 million for the year.

Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, endorsed a plan to add $72 million in 2024 to initiate a five-year plan to surge special education aid to 92%. The state Board of Education preferred a four-year strategy that would infuse $82 million annually to reach that threshold.

Williams and other legislators rejected the phased concepts and endorsed appointment of a task force on special education. She also urged the Legislature to complete a rewrite of the state’s special education funding blueprint by 2027.

Rep. Adam Thomas, an Olathe Republican on the task force, said he was convinced the Legislature had to rework the state’s special education formula to correct inconsistencies in distribution of money to districts.

“The formula itself is confusing. There’s some flaws in statute,” he said. “Obviously, we know after all these conversations about special ed, it’s not something that’s going to go away.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704491538276.png" alt=" Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, belatedly called the first meeting of a state task force required by law to consider solutions to the state's underfunding of special education programs in K-12 public schools. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, belatedly called the first meeting of a state task force required by law to consider solutions to the state's underfunding of special education programs in K-12 public schools. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;AND&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>GOP legislators question merit of a task force mandated by statute</h2>TOPEKA — Rep. Kristey Williams and Sen. Renee Erickson agreed there was little value in convening a task force to study the state’s shortfall in funding public school special education programs because the financial issues were too complex and the only remedy suggested by education advocacy groups was too simplistic.The lawmakers said it would be folly to hold hearings of the Special Education and Related Services Task Force with legislators, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to gather testimony and shape recommendations on a fix for the 2024 Legislature.The goal of the task force, required by a bill approved by the 2023 Legislature, was to figure out how best to comply with an older statute mandating that state funding cover 92% of the extra cost of providing services to K-12 special education students statewide. Currently, state aid was sufficient to address 69% of school districts’ excess special education costs. The balance must be made up by local school districts.“There is no way a funding task force could begin to crack that code,” said Williams, an Augusta Republican.Erickson, a Wichita Republican, said the Kansas State Board of Education and an assortment of public education organizations had offered one remedy to the 92% dilemma — appropriation of nearly $200 million annually to close the gap.“We do not need a special education task force meeting to consider their position,” she said. “We have their input, which is just more money. We don’t need a task force to convene to discuss that part.”On Friday afternoon, however, Williams and Erickson were expected to sit down with others on the task force for their first and, perhaps, only meeting. The gathering might not have occurred had a six-person majority of task force members not invoked parliamentary procedure in November to force Williams’ hand. She relented and set the meeting for three days prior to start of the 2024 session.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704491498246.png" alt=" Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican, said a task force on special education didn’t need to meet because public school advocates were only interested in expanding state appropriations to districts rather than explore reform of the state financing formula. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican, said a task force on special education didn’t need to meet because public school advocates were only interested in expanding state appropriations to districts rather than explore reform of the state financing formula. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Task force rebellion</h2>Interim legislative meetings typically take place in summer and fall to give committee members time to write reports pulling together expert testimony and outlining reform proposals for review by lawmakers during the next legislative session.Williams, who was placed in charge of the task force pending the members’ election of a chair, said a mere two hours would be dedicated to oral testimony of subject-matter experts and for task force deliberations. She said written testimony would be accepted by the task force comprised of five members of the House or Senate — four Republicans, one Democrat — and six people not in the Legislature.The list of 13 given a chance to speak for five minutes each to the task force included people with the Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas PTA, Game On for Kansas Schools as well as the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Policy Institute. School administrators and a teacher will be give a turn at the microphone, but its not clear the task force could comprehensively take input, consider options and prepare recommendations for legislators in 120 minutes.The first order of business must be to select a chairperson of the task force. Legislators, lobbyists and educators said that step became a flash point several months ago when it appeared Williams lacked votes among task force peers to retain the position of task force chair. In response, special education advocates said, Williams stonewalled and publicly expressed skepticism the task force was worthwhile.In an interview in October, Louisburg GOP Sen. Molly Baumgardner, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, dismissed that theory. She said the delay wasn’t inspired by Williams’ unwillingness to give up narrative control of the task force.“Anytime you’re trying to schedule when we’re not in session, it is a real juggling match to get folks together,” said Baumgardner, who is on the special education task force. “You’re trying to satisfy a variety of different schedules so that the largest number of folks can be there and participate and we’ve had some problems with interim meetings, just scheduling times.”A majority of the task force made multiple requests of Williams to move ahead with the task force’s work before deploying a procedural maneuver to compel the meeting. Williams set the meeting for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Friday in Room 112-North of the Capitol.<h2>‘Not … going away’</h2>Kansas spends more than $500 million annually in federal, state and local funding on special education services in public schools, but hasn’t complied with the 92% requirement since 2011. However, the statute didn’t include enforcement mechanisms to compel the Legislature to meet the obligation.The idea of convening a task force was viewed as an alternative to the 2023 Legislature dealing with a situation in which districts had to pull money from the general education budget to fill the special education gap. Instead of allocating $182 million to meet the statewide shortfall in the 2023-2024 school year, the Legislature agreed to increase appropriations for special education by $7.6 million for the year.Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, endorsed a plan to add $72 million in 2024 to initiate a five-year plan to surge special education aid to 92%. The state Board of Education preferred a four-year strategy that would infuse $82 million annually to reach that threshold.Williams and other legislators rejected the phased concepts and endorsed appointment of a task force on special education. She also urged the Legislature to complete a rewrite of the state’s special education funding blueprint by 2027.Rep. Adam Thomas, an Olathe Republican on the task force, said he was convinced the Legislature had to rework the state’s special education formula to correct inconsistencies in distribution of money to districts.“The formula itself is confusing. There’s some flaws in statute,” he said. “Obviously, we know after all these conversations about special ed, it’s not something that’s going to go away.”

Kansas special ed task force to convene — finally — for quick study of funding shortfall

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — The search continues for an inmate who escaped from a satellite camp at the Leavenworth Penitentiary, according to a statement from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Just after 4p.m. Nov. 10, authorities discovered&nbsp; 50-year-old James Thompson was missing.

Thompson is described as white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6-foot-2 and weighs approximately 202 pounds.

U.S. Marshals and the FBI were informed that he’s missing from the minimum security facility. 

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted James Thompson on one count of escape from custody.&nbsp;

Thompson was sentenced to 80 months in prison in the Northern District of Georgia for mail fraud.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699585891299.png" alt="Thompson-photo U.S. Bureau of Prisons" />
 <figcaption>Thompson-photo U.S. Bureau of Prisons</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — The search continues for an inmate who escaped from a satellite camp at the Leavenworth Penitentiary, according to a statement from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.Just after 4p.m. Nov. 10, authorities discovered&nbsp; 50-year-old James Thompson was missing.Thompson is described as white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6-foot-2 and weighs approximately 202 pounds.U.S. Marshals and the FBI were informed that he’s missing from the minimum security facility. Last week, a federal grand jury indicted James Thompson on one count of escape from custody.&nbsp;Thompson was sentenced to 80 months in prison in the Northern District of Georgia for mail fraud.

Inmate who escaped from Kan. penitentiary camp is still missing

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on child sex allegations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704386510889.png" alt="Belk-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Belk-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on child sex allegations.Just before 10:30p.m. Jan. 3, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff's office responded to the Law Enforcement Center to assist Topeka Police with a child sex crime investigation, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.Some of the alleged crimes occurred outside the city limits of Topeka in the 6700 Block of SW Windwood Lane in the unincorporated community of Montara. Deputies arrested 18-year-old Christopher M. Belk of Topeka on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to Wanamaker.