By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-15/ice-muck-and-a-480-million-price-tag-the-keystone-oil-spill-cleanup-carries-on-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

In the two months since the Keystone pipeline erupted in Washington 
County, Mill Creek has gone from being coated in floating oil nearly a 
foot deep, to a layer less than one inch.

About four miles of the creek <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution" target="_blank">remain shut off</a> from the normal flow of water as part of the ongoing, round-the-clock cleanup.

Workers
 have pulled nearly 2 million gallons of oily water out of Mill Creek, 
carrying on in freezing temperatures by breaking and melting ice.

In mid-December, the Environmental Protection Agency says, about 1.5 
miles of the stream were coated bank-to-bank in floating oil that pooled
 more than 10 inches deep in some places.

By Jan. 25, less than 
one-tenth of a mile remained coated bank-to-bank in floating oil that 
had dropped to less than one inch deep.

Now, no areas of the creek remain coated bank-to-bank, the federal agency says, though workers are still recovering oil.

Since workers <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution" target="_blank">bypassed about four miles of Mill Creek</a>
 to help with the cleanup and stop chemicals and bitumen from washing 
downstream, part of the isolated stream now has little water left and 
workers are pulling ice and sediment from the creek bed and banks, the 
EPA says.

The agency says oil company TC Energy and state 
environmental officials have taken samples from drinking water wells 
near the spill site, but tests haven’t turned up any chemicals from the 
spill.

Springtime brings heavier rains to the area, and landowners
 worry about the risk that hard rains could cause the creek to overflow 
its banks.

The EPA says workers built a spillway in case of 
flooding. The National Weather Service provides daily input. And two 
weeks ago, TC Energy began work to increase the pumping capacity for 
diverting water.

The
 nearly 2 million gallons of fluid pulled out of Mill Creek so far go 
into huge tanks or treatment ponds to separate the water and oil before 
transporting the oil to a refinery.

Workers inject air into the contaminated water to help vaporize some of the remaining chemicals. They also treat the water with <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/gac.html" target="_blank">granular activated carbon</a>, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says.

Next,
 samples of the treated water will go to a lab for analysis to determine
 whether workers can pour the water back into the creek downstream from 
the cleanup site.

“If not, the water will be re-treated until all 
contaminants are removed,” said KDHE, which oversees water treatment and
 discharge.

The EPA says construction is ongoing for a large water
 treatment system, including 5 acres of pond or ponds for the 
contaminated surface water. It says the ponds will be more efficient 
than the tanks now that most of the oil has been pulled from Mill Creek.

TC
 Energy says crews have recovered about 90% of the spilled oil. It has 
deleted from its website a counter that showed updates on how many 
barrels have been recovered.

A Nebraska landfill agreed to take the contaminated soil from the Keystone oil spill.

Trucks
 began hauling away the topsoil on Jan. 17 from the site in Washington 
County where the Keystone ruptured on Dec. 7 and sprayed extra sticky 
tar sands oil called diluted bitumen, or dilbit, onto several acres of 
prairie, cropland and Mill Creek.

“Laboratory analysis of the oil and waste defined it as not being hazardous,” KDHE said in an email.

A
 Shawnee County landfill north of Topeka, Rolling Meadows, had 
previously been named as a potential destination for waste from the oil 
spill.

“Landfills have discretion on whether or not they wish to 
receive waste,” KDHE said. “Pheasant Point Landfill (near Omaha) 
accepted the waste.”

In addition to the contaminated soil, 
Pheasant Point will take other waste from the site, such as oily 
protective clothing and absorbent pads, and floating booms used to block
 the oil slick on the surface of Mill Creek.

Separately,
 the Canadian company behind the oil spill will donate $60,000 to 
Washington County Hospital as part of a campaign it launched after the 
incident to match donations from the public.

TC Energy has also said it would give $7,500 to equip local emergency responders with better mobile and radio equipment.

TC Energy reported an annual revenue of nearly $10 billion and a net income of more than $1.5 billion in its most recent <a href="https://www.tcenergy.com/siteassets/pdfs/investors/reports-and-filings/annual-and-quarterly-reports/2021/tc-2021-annual-report.pdf" target="_blank">yearly report</a>.

Last week <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-09/keystone-pipeline-operator-says-faulty-welding-and-other-problems-led-to-the-kansas-oil-spill" target="_blank">the company estimated</a> that cleaning up and investigating the Keystone spill will cost $480 million, and said it has “appropriate insurance coverage.”

The
 company is still investigating why the pipeline erupted, but has so far
 said that “bending stress on the pipe and a weld flaw” played a role.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676492082551.png" alt="In freezing conditions, crews keep up the oil spill cleanup by breaking and melting ice at Mill Creek. EPA photo" />
 <figcaption>In freezing conditions, crews keep up the oil spill cleanup by breaking and melting ice at Mill Creek. EPA photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-15/ice-muck-and-a-480-million-price-tag-the-keystone-oil-spill-cleanup-carries-on-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>In the two months since the Keystone pipeline erupted in Washington 
County, Mill Creek has gone from being coated in floating oil nearly a 
foot deep, to a layer less than one inch.About four miles of the creek <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution" target="_blank">remain shut off</a> from the normal flow of water as part of the ongoing, round-the-clock cleanup.Workers
 have pulled nearly 2 million gallons of oily water out of Mill Creek, 
carrying on in freezing temperatures by breaking and melting ice.In mid-December, the Environmental Protection Agency says, about 1.5 
miles of the stream were coated bank-to-bank in floating oil that pooled
 more than 10 inches deep in some places.By Jan. 25, less than 
one-tenth of a mile remained coated bank-to-bank in floating oil that 
had dropped to less than one inch deep.Now, no areas of the creek remain coated bank-to-bank, the federal agency says, though workers are still recovering oil.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673624165345.png" alt="This map shows where TC Energy will divert Mill Creek to avoid a 4-mile stretch that needs intensive cleanup. TC Energy" />
 <figcaption>This map shows where TC Energy will divert Mill Creek to avoid a 4-mile stretch that needs intensive cleanup. TC Energy</figcaption>
 </figure>Since workers <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution" target="_blank">bypassed about four miles of Mill Creek</a>
 to help with the cleanup and stop chemicals and bitumen from washing 
downstream, part of the isolated stream now has little water left and 
workers are pulling ice and sediment from the creek bed and banks, the 
EPA says.The agency says oil company TC Energy and state 
environmental officials have taken samples from drinking water wells 
near the spill site, but tests haven’t turned up any chemicals from the 
spill.Springtime brings heavier rains to the area, and landowners
 worry about the risk that hard rains could cause the creek to overflow 
its banks.The EPA says workers built a spillway in case of 
flooding. The National Weather Service provides daily input. And two 
weeks ago, TC Energy began work to increase the pumping capacity for 
diverting water.<h2>Contaminated water</h2>The
 nearly 2 million gallons of fluid pulled out of Mill Creek so far go 
into huge tanks or treatment ponds to separate the water and oil before 
transporting the oil to a refinery.Workers inject air into the contaminated water to help vaporize some of the remaining chemicals. They also treat the water with <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/gac.html" target="_blank">granular activated carbon</a>, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says.Next,
 samples of the treated water will go to a lab for analysis to determine
 whether workers can pour the water back into the creek downstream from 
the cleanup site.“If not, the water will be re-treated until all 
contaminants are removed,” said KDHE, which oversees water treatment and
 discharge.The EPA says construction is ongoing for a large water
 treatment system, including 5 acres of pond or ponds for the 
contaminated surface water. It says the ponds will be more efficient 
than the tanks now that most of the oil has been pulled from Mill Creek.TC
 Energy says crews have recovered about 90% of the spilled oil. It has 
deleted from its website a counter that showed updates on how many 
barrels have been recovered.<h2>Soil to Nebraska</h2>A Nebraska landfill agreed to take the contaminated soil from the Keystone oil spill.Trucks
 began hauling away the topsoil on Jan. 17 from the site in Washington 
County where the Keystone ruptured on Dec. 7 and sprayed extra sticky 
tar sands oil called diluted bitumen, or dilbit, onto several acres of 
prairie, cropland and Mill Creek.“Laboratory analysis of the oil and waste defined it as not being hazardous,” KDHE said in an email.A
 Shawnee County landfill north of Topeka, Rolling Meadows, had 
previously been named as a potential destination for waste from the oil 
spill.“Landfills have discretion on whether or not they wish to 
receive waste,” KDHE said. “Pheasant Point Landfill (near Omaha) 
accepted the waste.”In addition to the contaminated soil, 
Pheasant Point will take other waste from the site, such as oily 
protective clothing and absorbent pads, and floating booms used to block
 the oil slick on the surface of Mill Creek.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676492196938.png" alt="EPA photo" />
 <figcaption>EPA photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cleanup costs and corporate donations</h2>Separately,
 the Canadian company behind the oil spill will donate $60,000 to 
Washington County Hospital as part of a campaign it launched after the 
incident to match donations from the public.TC Energy has also said it would give $7,500 to equip local emergency responders with better mobile and radio equipment.TC Energy reported an annual revenue of nearly $10 billion and a net income of more than $1.5 billion in its most recent <a href="https://www.tcenergy.com/siteassets/pdfs/investors/reports-and-filings/annual-and-quarterly-reports/2021/tc-2021-annual-report.pdf" target="_blank">yearly report</a>.Last week <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-09/keystone-pipeline-operator-says-faulty-welding-and-other-problems-led-to-the-kansas-oil-spill" target="_blank">the company estimated</a> that cleaning up and investigating the Keystone spill will cost $480 million, and said it has “appropriate insurance coverage.”The
 company is still investigating why the pipeline erupted, but has so far
 said that “bending stress on the pipe and a weld flaw” played a role.

$480M Keystone oil spill cleanup carries on in Kansas

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he will challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-michael-pence-donald-trump-subpoenas-866034edd3ce3dfbc722b31a3d0e465f">a subpoena by the special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing Trump investigations to compel his testimony before a grand jury — pursuing it to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by the Justice Department, is investigating efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump spent the days before Jan. 6, 2021, aggressively pressuring Pence to reject the outcome, even though Pence had no power to do so. Pence was at the U.S. Capitol presiding over a joint session of Congress as Trump's supporters violently stormed the building that day.

“Let me first be clear: I’m going to fight the Biden DOJ subpoena for me to appear before the grand jury because I believe it’s unconstitutional and it’s unprecedented," Pence told reporters in Iowa, the state that will hold the first contest of the 2024 nominating sequence.

“Never before in American history has a vice president been summoned to appear in court to testify against the president with whom they serve," he said.

Pence said he was prepared to take the case “as far as it needs to go, if needs be to the Supreme Court of the United States.”

The posture marks an aggressive turn for Pence, who has been laying the groundwork for a likely presidential run. While it remains unclear whether Pence will succeed in delaying or limiting the scope of his testimony, the posture gives the former vice president a new opening to attack the Justice Department, which has become increasingly unpopular among conservatives, in part due to Trump's constant attacks.

Indeed, Pence repeatedly criticized the department Wednesday, complaining of a "two-tiered justice system that Republicans have been dealing with throughout the Biden administration.”

The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-pence-subpoena-trump-special-counsel-3d91f095101d4eca30c22582341f8422">previously reported</a>&nbsp;that Pence was ready to contest Smith's demand for his appearance on constitutional grounds. He argues that because he was serving in his role as president of the Senate on Jan. 6, he is protected under the Constitution’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-georgia-presidential-atlanta-donald-trump-aebfa86c7c9912c3a720f52ae60a1c87">“speech or debate” clause</a>&nbsp;from being forced to testify. That provision is intended to protect members of Congress from questioning about official legislative acts.

A spokesman for Smith declined to comment. The Justice Department, which had earlier declined to comment on Pence’s subpoena, is expected to oppose the former vice president's efforts and make the case that his cooperation is essential.

Pence noted during an earlier stop in Minneapolis that he had written and spoken extensively about Trump's efforts to pressure him to overturn the results of the election —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-275776015398">something he did not have power to do</a>&nbsp;— and has repeatedly denounced Trump's efforts as "reckless" and “dangerous.”

“I have nothing to hide and I’m proud of what we accomplished. But for me, this is a moment where you have to decide where you stand, and I stand on the Constitution of the United States,” he said.

He added that he expects Trump to try to assert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-michael-pence-disaster-planning-and-response-district-of-columbia-donald-trump-58ce3d93baf0c4e1a9567c4a563b658f">executive privilege</a>&nbsp;to block his own testimony. "That’s not my fight. My fight is on the separation of powers,” Pence said.

Pence made his remarks after headlining events in Minneapolis and Cedar Rapids aimed at rallying conservative parents opposed to transgender-affirming policies in public schools. The events came as a federal appeals court was expected to hear oral arguments in St. Paul, Minnesota, in a case brought last summer by a national group representing parents of students in Linn-Mar Community School District in Marion, Iowa, near Cedar Rapids.

Parents Defending Education is trying to overturn a policy adopted by the school board last year allowing transgender students to request a gender support plan to begin socially transitioning at school without the permission of their parents. Pence’s advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, has filed an amicus brief in the case, as have dozens of mostly conservative groups and several conservative states.

“Across the country, parents' rights are being trampled by a politically correct nanny state that’s ruining our schools and telling our parents that they have no role in their children’s most important decisions,” Pence said in Minneapolis, where he argued that parents must be informed of such decisions. “You do not craft a gender transition plan for my child without my knowledge or consent," he said.

Though Pence says he has yet to make a decision about 2024, he has visited leadoff Iowa several times since the 2020 election. And his Wednesday event had the look and feel of a campaign stop, held in a pizza restaurant where candidates commonly hold court with voters.

Pence is hoping to draw the support of social and religious conservatives in what could be a crowded primary contest that already includes Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who formally launched her campaign Wednesday.

To that end, Pence's advocacy group launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-south-carolina-2022-midterm-elections-minnesota-iowa-343e37e3967e52e66b21461401973cf8">new campaign last week on the schools issue</a>, a flashpoint for many on the right, as Haley and other presidential prospects, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, prepare for their own visits to the state this month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676509558775.png" alt="Pence in Iowa Wednesday said he was prepared to take the case “as far as it needs to go, if needs be to the Supreme Court of the United States.”-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pence in Iowa Wednesday said he was prepared to take the case “as far as it needs to go, if needs be to the Supreme Court of the United States.”-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he will challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-michael-pence-donald-trump-subpoenas-866034edd3ce3dfbc722b31a3d0e465f">a subpoena by the special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing Trump investigations to compel his testimony before a grand jury — pursuing it to the Supreme Court if necessary.Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by the Justice Department, is investigating efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump spent the days before Jan. 6, 2021, aggressively pressuring Pence to reject the outcome, even though Pence had no power to do so. Pence was at the U.S. Capitol presiding over a joint session of Congress as Trump's supporters violently stormed the building that day.“Let me first be clear: I’m going to fight the Biden DOJ subpoena for me to appear before the grand jury because I believe it’s unconstitutional and it’s unprecedented," Pence told reporters in Iowa, the state that will hold the first contest of the 2024 nominating sequence.“Never before in American history has a vice president been summoned to appear in court to testify against the president with whom they serve," he said.Pence said he was prepared to take the case “as far as it needs to go, if needs be to the Supreme Court of the United States.”The posture marks an aggressive turn for Pence, who has been laying the groundwork for a likely presidential run. While it remains unclear whether Pence will succeed in delaying or limiting the scope of his testimony, the posture gives the former vice president a new opening to attack the Justice Department, which has become increasingly unpopular among conservatives, in part due to Trump's constant attacks.Indeed, Pence repeatedly criticized the department Wednesday, complaining of a "two-tiered justice system that Republicans have been dealing with throughout the Biden administration.”The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-pence-subpoena-trump-special-counsel-3d91f095101d4eca30c22582341f8422">previously reported</a>&nbsp;that Pence was ready to contest Smith's demand for his appearance on constitutional grounds. He argues that because he was serving in his role as president of the Senate on Jan. 6, he is protected under the Constitution’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-georgia-presidential-atlanta-donald-trump-aebfa86c7c9912c3a720f52ae60a1c87">“speech or debate” clause</a>&nbsp;from being forced to testify. That provision is intended to protect members of Congress from questioning about official legislative acts.A spokesman for Smith declined to comment. The Justice Department, which had earlier declined to comment on Pence’s subpoena, is expected to oppose the former vice president's efforts and make the case that his cooperation is essential.Pence noted during an earlier stop in Minneapolis that he had written and spoken extensively about Trump's efforts to pressure him to overturn the results of the election —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-275776015398">something he did not have power to do</a>&nbsp;— and has repeatedly denounced Trump's efforts as "reckless" and “dangerous.”“I have nothing to hide and I’m proud of what we accomplished. But for me, this is a moment where you have to decide where you stand, and I stand on the Constitution of the United States,” he said.He added that he expects Trump to try to assert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-michael-pence-disaster-planning-and-response-district-of-columbia-donald-trump-58ce3d93baf0c4e1a9567c4a563b658f">executive privilege</a>&nbsp;to block his own testimony. "That’s not my fight. My fight is on the separation of powers,” Pence said.Pence made his remarks after headlining events in Minneapolis and Cedar Rapids aimed at rallying conservative parents opposed to transgender-affirming policies in public schools. The events came as a federal appeals court was expected to hear oral arguments in St. Paul, Minnesota, in a case brought last summer by a national group representing parents of students in Linn-Mar Community School District in Marion, Iowa, near Cedar Rapids.Parents Defending Education is trying to overturn a policy adopted by the school board last year allowing transgender students to request a gender support plan to begin socially transitioning at school without the permission of their parents. Pence’s advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, has filed an amicus brief in the case, as have dozens of mostly conservative groups and several conservative states.“Across the country, parents' rights are being trampled by a politically correct nanny state that’s ruining our schools and telling our parents that they have no role in their children’s most important decisions,” Pence said in Minneapolis, where he argued that parents must be informed of such decisions. “You do not craft a gender transition plan for my child without my knowledge or consent," he said.Though Pence says he has yet to make a decision about 2024, he has visited leadoff Iowa several times since the 2020 election. And his Wednesday event had the look and feel of a campaign stop, held in a pizza restaurant where candidates commonly hold court with voters.Pence is hoping to draw the support of social and religious conservatives in what could be a crowded primary contest that already includes Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who formally launched her campaign Wednesday.To that end, Pence's advocacy group launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-south-carolina-2022-midterm-elections-minnesota-iowa-343e37e3967e52e66b21461401973cf8">new campaign last week on the schools issue</a>, a flashpoint for many on the right, as Haley and other presidential prospects, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, prepare for their own visits to the state this month.

Pence says he will fight subpoena as far as Supreme Court

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new charges after

Shortly after midnight on Monday night an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the the 100 block South 4th in Atchison for not having a vehicle license tag, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer subsequently found the driver, Danny Groshong, to be in possession of controlled substances.

Police arrested 32-year-old Danny E. Groshong of Atchison, on requested charges of no vehicle tag, no vehicle insurance, driving without a license, and possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

He has previous convictions for rape of a child under the age of 14 and aggravated indecent liberties. He's been listed as a registered offender since 2011, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676430078346.png" alt="Groshong photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Groshong photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new charges afterShortly after midnight on Monday night an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the the 100 block South 4th in Atchison for not having a vehicle license tag, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer subsequently found the driver, Danny Groshong, to be in possession of controlled substances.Police arrested 32-year-old Danny E. Groshong of Atchison, on requested charges of no vehicle tag, no vehicle insurance, driving without a license, and possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;He has previous convictions for rape of a child under the age of 14 and aggravated indecent liberties. He's been listed as a registered offender since 2011, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kansas sex offender jailed after drugs found during traffic stop

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-kidnapping-missouri-fb3dd5739aaa2a2d037f858163adb322">keeping a woman hidden in his basement</a>&nbsp;while repeatedly sexually assaulting her was indicted by a grand jury on nine new charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Timothy M. Haslett, of Excelsior Springs, was indicted on one count of rape, four counts of sodomy, two counts of second-degree assault and one count each of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said.

Haslett, 40, is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on $3 million bond. If found guilty, he faces up to five life sentences and another 36 years in prison.

The charges supersede charges of rape, kidnapping and assault filed after Haslett was arrested in October when a woman told investigators she was raped repeatedly while being held captive in his basement for about a month.

“We would not be here today if not for the bravery of one woman and the tireless efforts of 16 different agencies,” Thompson said.

He said law enforcement officers have followed more than 100 leads and spent more than 1,200 hours on the case, but he said the investigation continues.

Court documents say the child endangerment charge stems from leaving unsecured weapons accessible to the child, KSHB-TV reported.

Thompson declined to comment on whether detectives are investigating the possibility of other possible victims.

Haslett's public defender, Tiffany Leuty, did not return a call seeking comment. Haslett's next court hearing is scheduled for Friday.

The woman, who has not been named, said she escaped when Haslett left the house to take his child to school and then ran to a neighbor's home for help.

At the time, the victim was wearing latex lingerie and a metal collar with what appeared to be a padlock on the front, according to court documents.

In January, the Excelsior Springs Police Department said it was looking for 36-year-old Jaynie M. Crosdale as a potential witness in case. Thompson said Tuesday that police continue to look for Crosdale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665352038142.png" alt="Haslett-photo Clay Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Haslett-photo Clay Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-arrests-kidnapping-missouri-fb3dd5739aaa2a2d037f858163adb322">keeping a woman hidden in his basement</a>&nbsp;while repeatedly sexually assaulting her was indicted by a grand jury on nine new charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday.Timothy M. Haslett, of Excelsior Springs, was indicted on one count of rape, four counts of sodomy, two counts of second-degree assault and one count each of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said.Haslett, 40, is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on $3 million bond. If found guilty, he faces up to five life sentences and another 36 years in prison.The charges supersede charges of rape, kidnapping and assault filed after Haslett was arrested in October when a woman told investigators she was raped repeatedly while being held captive in his basement for about a month.“We would not be here today if not for the bravery of one woman and the tireless efforts of 16 different agencies,” Thompson said.He said law enforcement officers have followed more than 100 leads and spent more than 1,200 hours on the case, but he said the investigation continues.Court documents say the child endangerment charge stems from leaving unsecured weapons accessible to the child, KSHB-TV reported.Thompson declined to comment on whether detectives are investigating the possibility of other possible victims.Haslett's public defender, Tiffany Leuty, did not return a call seeking comment. Haslett's next court hearing is scheduled for Friday.The woman, who has not been named, said she escaped when Haslett left the house to take his child to school and then ran to a neighbor's home for help.At the time, the victim was wearing latex lingerie and a metal collar with what appeared to be a padlock on the front, according to court documents.In January, the Excelsior Springs Police Department said it was looking for 36-year-old Jaynie M. Crosdale as a potential witness in case. Thompson said Tuesday that police continue to look for Crosdale.

KC-area man accused of confining woman faces new charge

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Adam Kellogg was a nerdy 16-year-old preparing to board a flight from Kansas City to Florida for a space and science camp trip to Cape Canaveral when security held him up for 30 minutes because his driver's license identified him as female.

Three years later, the University of Kansas student's driver's license identifies him as male, but legislative proposals in at least eight states could prevent transgender people like him from changing their driver's licenses and birth certificates. The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is considering a bill that would define male and female in state law and base people's legal gender identities on their anatomy at birth.

Nationally, conservatives are pushing dozens of proposals in statehouses to restrict transgender athletes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-tennessee-state-government-bill-lee-gender-979fc5aaccd5bf6476fcc6942506f6c8">gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-arkansas-children-9ba1ccb44ede4668b10ceb26182cbf24">drag shows.</a>&nbsp;But in measures like Kansas', LGBTQ-rights advocates see a new, sweeping effort to erase trans people's legal existence, deny recognition to nonbinary or gender-fluid people and ignore those who are intersex — people born with genitalia, reproductive organs, chromosomes and/or hormone levels that don’t fit typical definitions for male or female.

“Something that's really important for me is being able to just simply exist as a man, not even think about it," Kellogg said this week while visiting the Statehouse with other transgender people and LGBTQ advocates.

Kellogg laughs now about his experience at the airport, but it was no laughing matter at the time. Back then, he bound the breasts that he'd later have surgically removed and, “They thought I had a bomb strapped to me.”

Doctors say reproductive anatomy at birth doesn’t always align with strict definitions of sex and that binary views of sexual identity can miss biological nuances.

LGBTQ-rights advocates say having a driver's license or birth certificate confirm a transgender person's identity is important by itself but also can prevent daily hassles or harassment. They believe Kansas' bill also would prevent transgender people from using restrooms and other facilities aligned with their gender identities.

Republicans have put transgender issues at the center of their agenda, a tactic that many observers see as an effort to keep conservative voters energized and to push voters sympathetic to Democrats on other issues into the GOP camp. In the Republican response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders derided the Democratic president as “the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t even tell you what a woman is.”

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_00_0000.pdf">The Kansas bill</a>&nbsp;had a hearing Wednesday before the state Senate's health committee and is similar to a Republican measure&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-resolution/1136/text">introduced in the U.S. House</a>&nbsp;last year. Oklahoma's Legislature is weighing a similar proposal, while&nbsp;<a href="https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/68-2023/regular/documents/23-3027-03000.pdf">North Dakota lawmakers</a>&nbsp;are considering a resolution that would urge public schools and other “public entities” to distinguish “between the sexes according to biological sex at birth.” Mississippi lawmakers had three proposals like Kansas', but none advanced this year.

New Hampshire, Tennessee and Texas also have proposals to define male and female in state law, and a Republican lawmaker in South Carolina has proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/276.htm">an amendment to the state's constitution</a>&nbsp;to declare that legally, a person's gender would be based on anatomy at birth, not a “psychological, chosen, or subjective experience of gender.”

“They’re afraid of what they don’t understand," said Luc Bensimon, a transgender man who serves on Topeka's anti-discrimination commission and is an activist for the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition. ”Anything or any lifestyle that is different or outside the norm, they’re not OK."

The Kansas measure would declare that legally, “sex” means “biological” sex, “either male or female, at birth.” It says females have a reproductive system “developed to produce ova,” while males have one “developed to fertilize the ova.”

It's not clear how far the measure will go, though the state Senate committee could vote on it next week. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/topeka-kansas-legislature-libraries-9ffb07cf3b25faf848dda6d78bff8856">twice vetoed bills</a>&nbsp;to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's club, K-12 and college sports, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-city-state-government-gender-7f11f63aaf26e193aa9d30d935747002">she opposes restricting</a>&nbsp;gender affirming care.

Supporters of the Kansas bill contend that they're responding to parents and others who are uncomfortable with “biological men” or “biological boys” sharing spaces meant for women and girls — especially bathrooms and locker rooms but also prisons and domestic violence shelters.

They also are trying to frame the debate as protecting the rights of “biological” women, and the Kansas bill is called, “The Women's Bill of Rights.”

In Kansas, Republican state Sen. Renee Erickson, the Senate health committee's vice chair, asked it to sponsor the measure. A former college basketball player, she has also led the push to restrict transgender athletes. She said defining male and female in state law would not prevent anyone from “living how they choose to live."

In North Dakota, Republican state Rep. SuAnn Olson decried what she called “radical gender ideologues” and said they want to redefine womanhood as a subjective state. In Kansas, conservative activist and Statehouse lobbyist Phillip Cosby called young people's increased identity as transgender or nonbinary “a social contagion.”

Dr. Kristyn Brandi, a fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said she doesn’t automatically assume female reproductive anatomy means female gender.

“It’s helpful to know what anatomical structures are present when I’m doing an exam, when I’m recommending tests,” she said. “I often ask my patient, how do they like to be identified? And I go with that.’’

Brandi also said proclaiming that sex is binary ignores that intersex conditions and differences in gender identity exist.

At birth, external genital anatomy can be ambiguous, sometimes because of differences in sex development, or intersex conditions, which affect about 1% of the population.

Intersex conditions can involve external genitals that don’t match a person’s sex chromosomes. In one condition, testes develop internally but external genitals and breasts appear female. These babies are usually assigned female at birth, but their bodies will never produce eggs.

“There’s variation,’’ Brandi said. “Not everyone fits into this exact box.’’

Jae Moyer, a Kansas City-area activist, has a driver's license and birth certificate identifying them as male, although they identify as nonbinary. The Kansas measure feels designed to force them into “molds that I personally don’t fit into.”

“They want to make sure that they’re taking every avenue possible to just erase who I am as a person,” Moyer said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676486487293.png" alt="Members of the Kansas House LGBTQ caucus Rep. Brandon Woodard,&nbsp;Rep. Heather Meyer and Rep. Susan Ruiz-photo courtesy Rep. Woodard" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Kansas House LGBTQ caucus Rep. Brandon Woodard,&nbsp;Rep. Heather Meyer and Rep. Susan Ruiz-photo courtesy Rep. Woodard</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Adam Kellogg was a nerdy 16-year-old preparing to board a flight from Kansas City to Florida for a space and science camp trip to Cape Canaveral when security held him up for 30 minutes because his driver's license identified him as female.Three years later, the University of Kansas student's driver's license identifies him as male, but legislative proposals in at least eight states could prevent transgender people like him from changing their driver's licenses and birth certificates. The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is considering a bill that would define male and female in state law and base people's legal gender identities on their anatomy at birth.Nationally, conservatives are pushing dozens of proposals in statehouses to restrict transgender athletes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-tennessee-state-government-bill-lee-gender-979fc5aaccd5bf6476fcc6942506f6c8">gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-arkansas-children-9ba1ccb44ede4668b10ceb26182cbf24">drag shows.</a>&nbsp;But in measures like Kansas', LGBTQ-rights advocates see a new, sweeping effort to erase trans people's legal existence, deny recognition to nonbinary or gender-fluid people and ignore those who are intersex — people born with genitalia, reproductive organs, chromosomes and/or hormone levels that don’t fit typical definitions for male or female.“Something that's really important for me is being able to just simply exist as a man, not even think about it," Kellogg said this week while visiting the Statehouse with other transgender people and LGBTQ advocates.Kellogg laughs now about his experience at the airport, but it was no laughing matter at the time. Back then, he bound the breasts that he'd later have surgically removed and, “They thought I had a bomb strapped to me.”Doctors say reproductive anatomy at birth doesn’t always align with strict definitions of sex and that binary views of sexual identity can miss biological nuances.LGBTQ-rights advocates say having a driver's license or birth certificate confirm a transgender person's identity is important by itself but also can prevent daily hassles or harassment. They believe Kansas' bill also would prevent transgender people from using restrooms and other facilities aligned with their gender identities.Republicans have put transgender issues at the center of their agenda, a tactic that many observers see as an effort to keep conservative voters energized and to push voters sympathetic to Democrats on other issues into the GOP camp. In the Republican response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders derided the Democratic president as “the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t even tell you what a woman is.”<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_00_0000.pdf">The Kansas bill</a>&nbsp;had a hearing Wednesday before the state Senate's health committee and is similar to a Republican measure&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-resolution/1136/text">introduced in the U.S. House</a>&nbsp;last year. Oklahoma's Legislature is weighing a similar proposal, while&nbsp;<a href="https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/68-2023/regular/documents/23-3027-03000.pdf">North Dakota lawmakers</a>&nbsp;are considering a resolution that would urge public schools and other “public entities” to distinguish “between the sexes according to biological sex at birth.” Mississippi lawmakers had three proposals like Kansas', but none advanced this year.New Hampshire, Tennessee and Texas also have proposals to define male and female in state law, and a Republican lawmaker in South Carolina has proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/276.htm">an amendment to the state's constitution</a>&nbsp;to declare that legally, a person's gender would be based on anatomy at birth, not a “psychological, chosen, or subjective experience of gender.”“They’re afraid of what they don’t understand," said Luc Bensimon, a transgender man who serves on Topeka's anti-discrimination commission and is an activist for the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition. ”Anything or any lifestyle that is different or outside the norm, they’re not OK."The Kansas measure would declare that legally, “sex” means “biological” sex, “either male or female, at birth.” It says females have a reproductive system “developed to produce ova,” while males have one “developed to fertilize the ova.”It's not clear how far the measure will go, though the state Senate committee could vote on it next week. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/topeka-kansas-legislature-libraries-9ffb07cf3b25faf848dda6d78bff8856">twice vetoed bills</a>&nbsp;to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's club, K-12 and college sports, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-city-state-government-gender-7f11f63aaf26e193aa9d30d935747002">she opposes restricting</a>&nbsp;gender affirming care.Supporters of the Kansas bill contend that they're responding to parents and others who are uncomfortable with “biological men” or “biological boys” sharing spaces meant for women and girls — especially bathrooms and locker rooms but also prisons and domestic violence shelters.They also are trying to frame the debate as protecting the rights of “biological” women, and the Kansas bill is called, “The Women's Bill of Rights.”In Kansas, Republican state Sen. Renee Erickson, the Senate health committee's vice chair, asked it to sponsor the measure. A former college basketball player, she has also led the push to restrict transgender athletes. She said defining male and female in state law would not prevent anyone from “living how they choose to live."In North Dakota, Republican state Rep. SuAnn Olson decried what she called “radical gender ideologues” and said they want to redefine womanhood as a subjective state. In Kansas, conservative activist and Statehouse lobbyist Phillip Cosby called young people's increased identity as transgender or nonbinary “a social contagion.”Dr. Kristyn Brandi, a fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said she doesn’t automatically assume female reproductive anatomy means female gender.“It’s helpful to know what anatomical structures are present when I’m doing an exam, when I’m recommending tests,” she said. “I often ask my patient, how do they like to be identified? And I go with that.’’Brandi also said proclaiming that sex is binary ignores that intersex conditions and differences in gender identity exist.At birth, external genital anatomy can be ambiguous, sometimes because of differences in sex development, or intersex conditions, which affect about 1% of the population.Intersex conditions can involve external genitals that don’t match a person’s sex chromosomes. In one condition, testes develop internally but external genitals and breasts appear female. These babies are usually assigned female at birth, but their bodies will never produce eggs.“There’s variation,’’ Brandi said. “Not everyone fits into this exact box.’’Jae Moyer, a Kansas City-area activist, has a driver's license and birth certificate identifying them as male, although they identify as nonbinary. The Kansas measure feels designed to force them into “molds that I personally don’t fit into.”“They want to make sure that they’re taking every avenue possible to just erase who I am as a person,” Moyer said.

States' push to define sex decried as erasing trans people

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Fans lined up Wednesday to get a prime spot in downtown Kansas City as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs' second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;championship in four NFL seasons.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes were riding in double-decker buses, joined by teammates, family and Chiefs officials, in front of fans standing up to 10 people deep as the parade rolled down a main downtown street on the way to a rally at Union Station.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt stood in one of the buses holding the Lombardi Trophy, denoting the Chiefs 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on Sunday. He later handed it off to players, who passed it around.

Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/e93ae229-1f73-4427-8e55-f5c93e6ac7d2">and beyond</a> were closed to allow fans to enjoy the festivities.

Fans were generally happy and in good spirits while waiting in long lines for food trucks, merchandise trucks and, of course, portable toilets. Some people slept overnight to get prime spots across from Union Station.

But Shellie Diehl, 46, of Kansas City, was seated along a street about a block from Union Station as the crowd became more congested in front of the rally site. She was joined by her 8-year-old daughter, Skyler; 16-year-old daughter, Taylor; and a friend.

Diehl said she came to the Chiefs parade in 2020 and decided to have mother-daughter time while celebrating Skyler's first parade.

“The last one was so much fun, we decided we had to come to this one,” Diehl said. “We're big Chiefs fans, and we wanted to celebrate a great day with the community.”

After decades of championship drought, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Four seasons ago, the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers for the team’s first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city’s first baseball championship in 30 years.

Some fans admitted that Kansas City might be getting a little spoiled.

“Kind of getting used to it, but that's OK,” said Liz Barber, 50, of Shawnee, Kansas. “It is good.”

David Cordray, 38, from Kansas City, said “We had a 50-year-drought, so it's about time we had our own dynasty.”

A group of about 25 Chiefs fans from Kansas City who arrived about 6 a.m. cooked up a breakfast feast, complete with corn on the cob, bacon and potatoes and all the trimmings — and they had steaks ready for later in the day.

Dominic Zamora, 18, of Kansas City, said the friends arrived about 6 a.m. to set up their tailgate, continuing a tradition whenever he and his friends attend Chiefs games. He said he expects to return for more parades in the coming years.

“With Mahomes, there's more to come,” Zamora said. “It's going to be fun, and I'm excited to show up."

Manuel Palacio, 48, of Kansas City, was dressed in a cow's suit in a tribute to Kansas City's “Cowtown” nickname. He said he was a longtime Buffalo Bills fan who converted to the Chiefs in about 1993 after losing a bet with a Chiefs fan.

“I had to convert,” Palacio said. “It's like being an Oakland Raiders fan; at some point you have to cheer for the team who keeps winning,” he said, laughing.

Palacio said he and his extended family spend the season watching the Chiefs games at home and decided “when — not if — we win the Super Bowl, we're going to go down there and have some fun, celebrate together.”

Officials began planning the parade weeks before the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">defeated the Eagles</a>&nbsp;on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.

Kansas City police said about 675 law enforcement officers from more than 20 agencies, along with fire departments and transportation leaders, were fanned out along the route for the anticipated crowd.

The City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to earmark $750,000 for parade-related expenses, and Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated overtime costs for police and firefighters would total more than $1.5 million.

The the Kansas City Sports Commission is expected to contribute another $1 million in private donations, and the Jackson County Legislature voted to add $75,000.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Fans lined up Wednesday morning to get a prime spot in downtown Kansas City as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs' second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;championship in two years.

<a href="https://www.visitkc.com/chiefs/champions-parade-live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;the parade that begins at noon courtesy Visit KC and KSHB-TV

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes will join teammates, family and Chiefs officials as they ride in open-air vehicles down a main downtown streets to a rally at Union Station.

Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area were closed to allow fans to enjoy the festivities.

Fans endured a chilly wind as the sun came up to wait in long lines for food trucks and merchandise trucks, and even at a tent where a barber was giving free haircuts. Tents of those who slept overnight to get a prime spot dotted the area around Union Station, and some people were fast asleep hours before the parade began.

A group of about 25 Chiefs fans from Kansas City cooked up a breakfast feast, complete with corn on the cob, bacon and potatoes and all the trimmings — and they had steaks ready for later in the day.

Manuel Palacio, 48, of Kansas City, was dressed in a cow's suit in a tribute to Kansas City's “Cowtown” nickname.

He said he was a longtime Buffalo Bills fan who converted to the Chiefs in about 1993 after losing a bet with a Chiefs fan.

Officials began planning the parade even before the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35</a>&nbsp;Sunday on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.

Officials said that more than 19 local and area law enforcement agencies, along with fire departments and transportation leaders are ready for the anticipated crowd.

After decades of championship drought, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Two years ago, the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-49ers-sports-general-super-bowl-football-ap-top-news-8f6178fbfa3844677b5fc374bc53b80f">defeated the San Francisco 49ers</a>&nbsp;for the team's first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city's first baseball championship in 30 years.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets of downtown Kansas City on Wednesday as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs' second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;championship in two years.

<a href="https://www.visitkc.com/chiefs/champions-parade-live">Click here to watch</a> the parade that begins at noon.

The rally at Union Station&nbsp;and the National&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn&nbsp;</a>will begin at approximately 1:45p.m and last approximately 1 hour.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be joined by teammates, family and Chiefs officials as they ride in open-air vehicles down one of the city’s main downtown streets.

Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area will be closed so people can celebrate. The event starts at noon and will end with a victory rally at the city’s Union Station.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676490712326.png" alt="Photos courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Fans lined up Wednesday to get a prime spot in downtown Kansas City as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs' second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;championship in four NFL seasons.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676491690062.png" alt="Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledges the crowd during the Union Station portion of the celebration-image courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledges the crowd during the Union Station portion of the celebration-image courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes were riding in double-decker buses, joined by teammates, family and Chiefs officials, in front of fans standing up to 10 people deep as the parade rolled down a main downtown street on the way to a rally at Union Station.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676492639699.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Chiefs owner Clark Hunt stood in one of the buses holding the Lombardi Trophy, denoting the Chiefs 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on Sunday. He later handed it off to players, who passed it around.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676491667840.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/e93ae229-1f73-4427-8e55-f5c93e6ac7d2">and beyond</a> were closed to allow fans to enjoy the festivities.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is an honor to be in the Victory Parade today in <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KansasCity</a> to continue to celebrate our <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>. It’s always a good day to be part of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a>! <a href="https://t.co/G9X6XnbUpg">pic.twitter.com/G9X6XnbUpg</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1625936503871250434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Fans were generally happy and in good spirits while waiting in long lines for food trucks, merchandise trucks and, of course, portable toilets. Some people slept overnight to get prime spots across from Union Station.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676492703682.png" alt="photo courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>But Shellie Diehl, 46, of Kansas City, was seated along a street about a block from Union Station as the crowd became more congested in front of the rally site. She was joined by her 8-year-old daughter, Skyler; 16-year-old daughter, Taylor; and a friend.Diehl said she came to the Chiefs parade in 2020 and decided to have mother-daughter time while celebrating Skyler's first parade.“The last one was so much fun, we decided we had to come to this one,” Diehl said. “We're big Chiefs fans, and we wanted to celebrate a great day with the community.”After decades of championship drought, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Four seasons ago, the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers for the team’s first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city’s first baseball championship in 30 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676487685664.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some fans admitted that Kansas City might be getting a little spoiled.“Kind of getting used to it, but that's OK,” said Liz Barber, 50, of Shawnee, Kansas. “It is good.”David Cordray, 38, from Kansas City, said “We had a 50-year-drought, so it's about time we had our own dynasty.”A group of about 25 Chiefs fans from Kansas City who arrived about 6 a.m. cooked up a breakfast feast, complete with corn on the cob, bacon and potatoes and all the trimmings — and they had steaks ready for later in the day.Dominic Zamora, 18, of Kansas City, said the friends arrived about 6 a.m. to set up their tailgate, continuing a tradition whenever he and his friends attend Chiefs games. He said he expects to return for more parades in the coming years.“With Mahomes, there's more to come,” Zamora said. “It's going to be fun, and I'm excited to show up."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676477589551.png" alt="photo 10 a.m. from the KC Police helicopter&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>photo 10 a.m. from the KC Police helicopter&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Manuel Palacio, 48, of Kansas City, was dressed in a cow's suit in a tribute to Kansas City's “Cowtown” nickname. He said he was a longtime Buffalo Bills fan who converted to the Chiefs in about 1993 after losing a bet with a Chiefs fan.“I had to convert,” Palacio said. “It's like being an Oakland Raiders fan; at some point you have to cheer for the team who keeps winning,” he said, laughing.Palacio said he and his extended family spend the season watching the Chiefs games at home and decided “when — not if — we win the Super Bowl, we're going to go down there and have some fun, celebrate together.”Officials began planning the parade weeks before the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">defeated the Eagles</a>&nbsp;on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.Kansas City police said about 675 law enforcement officers from more than 20 agencies, along with fire departments and transportation leaders, were fanned out along the route for the anticipated crowd.The City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to earmark $750,000 for parade-related expenses, and Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated overtime costs for police and firefighters would total more than $1.5 million.The the Kansas City Sports Commission is expected to contribute another $1 million in private donations, and the Jackson County Legislature voted to add $75,000.---------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Fans lined up Wednesday morning to get a prime spot in downtown Kansas City as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs' second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;championship in two years.<a href="https://www.visitkc.com/chiefs/champions-parade-live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;the parade that begins at noon courtesy Visit KC and KSHB-TVChiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes will join teammates, family and Chiefs officials as they ride in open-air vehicles down a main downtown streets to a rally at Union Station.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Celebration ready ❤️💛 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a> <a href="https://t.co/HL1ErOwoPW">pic.twitter.com/HL1ErOwoPW</a>&mdash; Union Station KC (@UnionStationKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnionStationKC/status/1625850767293947904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area were closed to allow fans to enjoy the festivities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676467622628.png" alt="Fans along the parade route 7:30a.m. Wednesday-image courtesy KSHB" />
 <figcaption>Fans along the parade route 7:30a.m. Wednesday-image courtesy KSHB</figcaption>
 </figure>Fans endured a chilly wind as the sun came up to wait in long lines for food trucks and merchandise trucks, and even at a tent where a barber was giving free haircuts. Tents of those who slept overnight to get a prime spot dotted the area around Union Station, and some people were fast asleep hours before the parade began.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Good morning, Chiefs Kingdom! Who’s ready to celebrate our SUPER BOWL CHAMPION Kansas City Chiefs! Parking is currently still available in Union Station’s West Yards Garage with access from Pershing and Broadway. <a href="https://t.co/3gDvXjQQty">pic.twitter.com/3gDvXjQQty</a>&mdash; Union Station KC (@UnionStationKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnionStationKC/status/1625830189266796545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A group of about 25 Chiefs fans from Kansas City cooked up a breakfast feast, complete with corn on the cob, bacon and potatoes and all the trimmings — and they had steaks ready for later in the day.Dominic Zamora, 18, of Kansas City, said the friends arrived about 6 a.m. to set up their tailgate, continuing a tradition whenever he and his friends attend Chiefs games. He said he expects to return for more parades in the coming years.“With Mahomes, there's more to come,” Zamora said. “It's going to be fun, and I'm excited to show up."Manuel Palacio, 48, of Kansas City, was dressed in a cow's suit in a tribute to Kansas City's “Cowtown” nickname.He said he was a longtime Buffalo Bills fan who converted to the Chiefs in about 1993 after losing a bet with a Chiefs fan.“I had to convert,” Palacio said. “It's like being an Oakland Raiders fan; at some point you have to cheer for the team who keeps winning,” he said, laughing.Palacio said he and his extended family spend the season watching the Chiefs games at home and decided “when — not if — we win the Super Bowl, we're going to go down there and have some fun, celebrate together.”Officials began planning the parade even before the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35</a>&nbsp;Sunday on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.Officials said that more than 19 local and area law enforcement agencies, along with fire departments and transportation leaders are ready for the anticipated crowd.The City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to earmark $750,000 for parade-related expenses, and Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated overtime costs for police and firefighters would total more than $1.5 million.The the Kansas City Sports Commission is expected to contribute another $1 million in private donations, and the Jackson County Legislature voted to add $75,000.After decades of championship drought, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Two years ago, the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-49ers-sports-general-super-bowl-football-ap-top-news-8f6178fbfa3844677b5fc374bc53b80f">defeated the San Francisco 49ers</a>&nbsp;for the team's first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city's first baseball championship in 30 years.---------KANSAS CITY(AP) — Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets of downtown Kansas City on Wednesday as the city celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs' second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;championship in two years.<a href="https://www.visitkc.com/chiefs/champions-parade-live">Click here to watch</a> the parade that begins at noon. The rally at Union Station&nbsp;and the National&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theworldwar.org/">WWI Museum and Memorial north lawn&nbsp;</a>will begin at approximately 1:45p.m and last approximately 1 hour.Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be joined by teammates, family and Chiefs officials as they ride in open-air vehicles down one of the city’s main downtown streets.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Good morning, Chiefs Kingdom! Who’s ready to celebrate our SUPER BOWL CHAMPION Kansas City Chiefs! Parking is currently still available in Union Station’s West Yards Garage with access from Pershing and Broadway. <a href="https://t.co/3gDvXjQQty">pic.twitter.com/3gDvXjQQty</a>&mdash; Union Station KC (@UnionStationKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnionStationKC/status/1625830189266796545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Most schools, many businesses and some government offices in the Kansas City metro area will be closed so people can celebrate. The event starts at noon and will end with a victory rally at the city’s Union Station.Officials began planning the parade even before the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95">defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35</a>&nbsp;Sunday on a field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the game.Officials said that more than 19 local and area law enforcement agencies, along with fire departments and transportation leaders are ready for the anticipated crowd.The City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee agreed to earmark $750,000 for parade-related expenses, and Mayor Quinton Lucas estimated overtime costs for police and firefighters would total more than $1.5 million.The the Kansas City Sports Commission is expected to contribute another $1 million in private donations, and the Jackson County Legislature voted to add $75,000.After decades of championship drought, the city is gaining experience with victory parades. Two years ago, the Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-49ers-sports-general-super-bowl-football-ap-top-news-8f6178fbfa3844677b5fc374bc53b80f">defeated the San Francisco 49ers</a>&nbsp;for the team's first Super Bowl championship in 50 years. That followed the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2015, the city's first baseball championship in 30 years.

'Our own dynasty': Kansas City celebrates latest Super Bowl win

NEW YORK (AP) — Raquel Welch, whose emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film “One Million Years B.C.” would propel her to international sex symbol status throughout the 1960s and '70s, has died. She was 82.

Welch died early Wednesday after a brief illness, according to her agent, Stephen LaManna of the talent agency Innovative Artists.

Welch’s breakthrough came in 1966's campy prehistoric flick “One Million Years B.C.,” despite having a grand total of three lines. Clad in a brown doeskin bikini, she successfully evaded pterodactyls but not the notice of the public.

"I just thought it was a goofy dinosaur epic we'd be able to sweep under the carpet one day," she told The Associated Press in 1981. "Wrong. It turned out that I was the Bo Derek of the season, the lady in the loin cloth about whom everyone said, 'My God, what a bod' and they expected to disappear overnight."

She did not, playing Lust for the comedy team of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in their film “Bedazzled” in 1967 and playing a secret agent in the sexy spy spoof “Fathom” that same year.

Her curves and beauty captured pop culture attention, with Playboy crowning her the "most desired woman" of the '70s, despite never being completely naked in the magazine. In 2013, she graced the No. 2 spot on Men's Health's “Hottest Women of All Time” list. In the film “The Shawshank Redemption,” a poster of Welch is used to cover an escape tunnel, the last of three women he used images of after Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe.

In addition to acting, Welch was a singer and dancer. She surprised many critics — and won positive reviews — when she starred in the 1981 musical "Woman of the Year" on Broadway, replacing a vacationing Lauren Bacall. She returned to the Great White Way in 1997 in “Victor/Victoria.”

She knew that some people didn’t take her seriously because of her glamorous image. "I'm not Penny Marshall or Barbra Streisand," she told the AP in 1993. "They'll say, 'Raquel Welch wants to direct? Give me a break."'

Welch was born Jo-Raquel Tejada in Chicago and raised in La Jolla, California. (The Jo in her name was from her mother, Josephine). Welch was a divorced mother when she met ex-actor turned press agent, Patrick Curtis.

“The irony of it all is that even though people thought of me as a sex symbol, in reality I was a single mother of two small children!” she wrote in her autobiography, “Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage.”

Curtis became her manager and second husband and helped shape her into a glamor-girl with hundreds of magazine covers and a string of movies, plus exercise videos and books like "The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program."

Though she would appear in exploitative films, she also surprised many in the industry with fine performances, including in Richard Lester's "The Three Musketeers," which earned her a Golden Globe, and opposite James Coco in "Wild Party." She was also nominated for a Globe in 1988 for the TV movie “Right to Die.”

Married and divorced four times, she is survived by two children, Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch, who also became an actress, including landing a featured role in 1985’s “Cocoon.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Raquel Welch, whose emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film “One Million Years B.C.” would propel her to international sex symbol status throughout the 1960s and '70s, has died. She was 82.Welch died early Wednesday after a brief illness, according to her agent, Stephen LaManna of the talent agency Innovative Artists.Welch’s breakthrough came in 1966's campy prehistoric flick “One Million Years B.C.,” despite having a grand total of three lines. Clad in a brown doeskin bikini, she successfully evaded pterodactyls but not the notice of the public."I just thought it was a goofy dinosaur epic we'd be able to sweep under the carpet one day," she told The Associated Press in 1981. "Wrong. It turned out that I was the Bo Derek of the season, the lady in the loin cloth about whom everyone said, 'My God, what a bod' and they expected to disappear overnight."She did not, playing Lust for the comedy team of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in their film “Bedazzled” in 1967 and playing a secret agent in the sexy spy spoof “Fathom” that same year.Her curves and beauty captured pop culture attention, with Playboy crowning her the "most desired woman" of the '70s, despite never being completely naked in the magazine. In 2013, she graced the No. 2 spot on Men's Health's “Hottest Women of All Time” list. In the film “The Shawshank Redemption,” a poster of Welch is used to cover an escape tunnel, the last of three women he used images of after Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe.In addition to acting, Welch was a singer and dancer. She surprised many critics — and won positive reviews — when she starred in the 1981 musical "Woman of the Year" on Broadway, replacing a vacationing Lauren Bacall. She returned to the Great White Way in 1997 in “Victor/Victoria.”She knew that some people didn’t take her seriously because of her glamorous image. "I'm not Penny Marshall or Barbra Streisand," she told the AP in 1993. "They'll say, 'Raquel Welch wants to direct? Give me a break."'Welch was born Jo-Raquel Tejada in Chicago and raised in La Jolla, California. (The Jo in her name was from her mother, Josephine). Welch was a divorced mother when she met ex-actor turned press agent, Patrick Curtis.“The irony of it all is that even though people thought of me as a sex symbol, in reality I was a single mother of two small children!” she wrote in her autobiography, “Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage.”Curtis became her manager and second husband and helped shape her into a glamor-girl with hundreds of magazine covers and a string of movies, plus exercise videos and books like "The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program."Though she would appear in exploitative films, she also surprised many in the industry with fine performances, including in Richard Lester's "The Three Musketeers," which earned her a Golden Globe, and opposite James Coco in "Wild Party." She was also nominated for a Globe in 1988 for the TV movie “Right to Die.”Married and divorced four times, she is survived by two children, Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch, who also became an actress, including landing a featured role in 1985’s “Cocoon.”___

Hollywood sex symbol Raquel Welch dies at 82

KANSAS CITY — Thousands of fans attended the Kansas City Chiefs Champions parade celebration on Wednesday. Police were busy with crowd control, directing traffic and reuniting children with their families.

Just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City Police used social media to ask, "Are you at the parade and missing a child?"

"We have located multiple children who have gotten separated from their parents/guardians. Please contact the officer closest to you to learn where you can reunite."

A short time later, police asked any parent who needs to report a child missing should now respond to Pershing and Grand to contact an officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676477589551.png" alt="Photo of the crowd at 10a.m. from the KC Police helicopter " />
 <figcaption>Photo of the crowd at 10a.m. from the KC Police helicopter </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Thousands of fans attended the Kansas City Chiefs Champions parade celebration on Wednesday. Police were busy with crowd control, directing traffic and reuniting children with their families.Just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City Police used social media to ask, "Are you at the parade and missing a child?""We have located multiple children who have gotten separated from their parents/guardians. Please contact the officer closest to you to learn where you can reunite."A short time later, police asked any parent who needs to report a child missing should now respond to Pershing and Grand to contact an officer.

Police: Multiple children separated from parents at Chiefs parade

SALINE COUNTY—A Salina woman died in an accident just after 1a.m. Wednesday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; Abygail E Aaron, 20, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 135 just south of Water Well Road.

The pickup crossed the center median and struck a 2016 Ford F150 driven by Jose M.&nbsp;Rodriguez, 41, Salina, on the shoulder of the northbound lanes.

EMS transported Rodriguez and a passenger in the Ford identified as Daisha J. Endsley, 26, Salina, to Salina Regional Health Center where Endsley was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; EMS also transported&nbsp;Aaron to Wesley Medical Center.

All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SALINE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol and Salina Police are investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred overnight south of Salina.

The highway is now open to all northbound traffic on Interstate 135&nbsp; according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

SALINE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol and Salina Police are investigating a two-vehicle crash that occurred overnight south of Salina.

All northbound traffic on Interstate 135 will exit off the interstate at the Mentor Road-Smolan Road milepost 86 ramp in Saline county, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

SALINE COUNTY—A Salina woman died in an accident just after 1a.m. Wednesday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; Abygail E Aaron, 20, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 135 just south of Water Well Road.The pickup crossed the center median and struck a 2016 Ford F150 driven by Jose M.&nbsp;Rodriguez, 41, Salina, on the shoulder of the northbound lanes.EMS transported Rodriguez and a passenger in the Ford identified as Daisha J. Endsley, 26, Salina, to Salina Regional Health Center where Endsley was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; EMS also transported&nbsp;Aaron to Wesley Medical Center.All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.------------SALINE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol and Salina Police are investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred overnight south of Salina.The highway is now open to all northbound traffic on Interstate 135&nbsp; according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.------SALINE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol and Salina Police are investigating a two-vehicle crash that occurred overnight south of Salina.All northbound traffic on Interstate 135 will exit off the interstate at the Mentor Road-Smolan Road milepost 86 ramp in Saline county, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Kansas woman dies, 2 injured after 2-vehicle crash

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/14/kansas-lawmaker-questions-fairness-of-flat-tax-proposal-that-would-mostly-benefit-states-top-earners/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Lawmakers on Tuesday debated the merits of a flat tax proposal that 
would lower revenues by an estimated $1.5 billion annually and disproportionately benefit the state’s wealthiest residents.

Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence 
Democrat, questioned during a House committee hearing why the 
Legislature should favor the flat tax over more equitable tax cut 
proposals. Democrats, including Gov. Laura Kelly, favor the immediate 
elimination of the sales tax on food, feminine hygiene products and 
back-to-school supplies.

The proposed flat tax, Haswood says, “puts the burden on more working class folks.”

The Kansas Chamber and associated proponents pointed to declining 
populations and said the flat tax would help bring people back to the 
state. Eric Stafford, lobbyist for the Kansas Chamber, said the flat tax would make the state competitive with others.

“Our state has many great things to 
offer its residents,” Stafford. “However, money walks and families or 
individuals considering a move will weigh all financial decisions when 
considering job openings.”

Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave 
Trabert also testified in support of the bill and its potential to 
reinvigorate the population. Lawmakers questioned him on the link 
between tax rates and population losses, to which Trabert said there 
were no statistics.

“There’s no hard data on why people 
leave because there’s no exit interviews that are done,” Trabert said. 
“But we know talking to a lot of taxpayers, especially senior citizens, 
that taxes are the reason they’re going. It’s all combined.”

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2061/">House Bill 2061</a> would set a 5% income tax rate for corporations and individuals. An impact study estimated the proposal <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/analysis-show-kansas-chambers-flat-tax-proposal-costs-1-5b-favors-top-20-of-wage-earners/">would dramatically lower state revenues</a> in the next few years, jeopardizing the state’s ability to pay for basic services.

The Kansas Chamber proposed the bill, along with its companion, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb61/">Senate Bill 61</a>.

Adam Proffitt, the state budget 
director, estimated that the proposal would decrease the state’s general
 fund revenue by $428 million in fiscal year 2024, and then by $1.452 
billion and $1.541 billion in the next two fiscal years.

Under the plan, the individual income
 tax rate would be set at 5% for annual income above $15,000. Current 
law sets the state’s graduated individual income tax rates at 3.1% for 
income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000, and 
5.7% for income above $30,000. For couples filing jointly, the numbers 
are doubled.

The current assessments on corporate 
income in Kansas stands at 4% on taxable income with a 3% surtax on 
taxable income in excess of $50,000. The bill would set the corporation 
tax rate at 5% for taxable income. Under the proposal, surtax rates for 
bank, trusts, and savings and loan associations would be cut by more 
than 50%, along with other provisions. All of the rate changes would be 
set for tax year 2024.&nbsp;

The Kansas Reflector asked the <a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/">Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>,
 a nonprofit that provides research on state and federal tax policies, 
for an analysis of the legislation. The institute calculated that 49% of
 the individual income tax reduction would go to the richest 20% of 
Kansans. The state’s bottom 20% of earners would get about 4.1% of the 
tax reduction.

&nbsp;The bill also creates a procedure to allow individual and corporate income tax rates to decrease in future years.

The governor has<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/31/gov-kelly-condemns-flat-tax-proposal-touts-plan-to-cut-taxes-on-groceries-and-other-supplies/"> spoken against the proposed tax plan</a>, comparing it to former Gov. Sam Brownback’s disastrous tax policies.

“There’s actually a proposal out 
there that would do more damage more quickly than the Brownback tax 
experiment of 2012 and 2013,” Kelly said during a Jan. 31 “Axe the Tax” 
public conference.

The bill’s opponents include Kansas 
Action for Children and the Kansas National Education Association, which
 opposed the legislation on the grounds of fairness and feasibility, 
saying the bill would disproportionately harm middle- and lower-class 
Kansas families.

KNEA spokesman Timothy Graham drew a 
correlation between tax policy and unconstitutionally low funding of 
public schools during the Brownback years.

“Kansas tried similar tax strategies 
in the recent past that left the fiscal health of the state in a state 
of chaos and uncertainty. Let’s not go through this pain again,” KNEA 
spokesman Timothy Graham said.

The House panel was scheduled to hear testimony Wednesday on the 
corporate tax cuts included in the bill, which would primarily favor 
out-of-state shareholders of large corporations. A Senate panel also 
planned to begin hearings Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676472736553.png" alt="Rep. Christina Haswood questioned the fairness of a flat tax proposal that would mainly benefit wealthy Kansans. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Christina Haswood questioned the fairness of a flat tax proposal that would mainly benefit wealthy Kansans. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/14/kansas-lawmaker-questions-fairness-of-flat-tax-proposal-that-would-mostly-benefit-states-top-earners/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Lawmakers on Tuesday debated the merits of a flat tax proposal that 
would lower revenues by an estimated $1.5 billion annually and disproportionately benefit the state’s wealthiest residents.Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence 
Democrat, questioned during a House committee hearing why the 
Legislature should favor the flat tax over more equitable tax cut 
proposals. Democrats, including Gov. Laura Kelly, favor the immediate 
elimination of the sales tax on food, feminine hygiene products and 
back-to-school supplies.The proposed flat tax, Haswood says, “puts the burden on more working class folks.”The Kansas Chamber and associated proponents pointed to declining 
populations and said the flat tax would help bring people back to the 
state. Eric Stafford, lobbyist for the Kansas Chamber, said the flat tax would make the state competitive with others.“Our state has many great things to 
offer its residents,” Stafford. “However, money walks and families or 
individuals considering a move will weigh all financial decisions when 
considering job openings.”Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave 
Trabert also testified in support of the bill and its potential to 
reinvigorate the population. Lawmakers questioned him on the link 
between tax rates and population losses, to which Trabert said there 
were no statistics.“There’s no hard data on why people 
leave because there’s no exit interviews that are done,” Trabert said. 
“But we know talking to a lot of taxpayers, especially senior citizens, 
that taxes are the reason they’re going. It’s all combined.”<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2061/">House Bill 2061</a> would set a 5% income tax rate for corporations and individuals. An impact study estimated the proposal <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/analysis-show-kansas-chambers-flat-tax-proposal-costs-1-5b-favors-top-20-of-wage-earners/">would dramatically lower state revenues</a> in the next few years, jeopardizing the state’s ability to pay for basic services.The Kansas Chamber proposed the bill, along with its companion, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb61/">Senate Bill 61</a>. Adam Proffitt, the state budget 
director, estimated that the proposal would decrease the state’s general
 fund revenue by $428 million in fiscal year 2024, and then by $1.452 
billion and $1.541 billion in the next two fiscal years.Under the plan, the individual income
 tax rate would be set at 5% for annual income above $15,000. Current 
law sets the state’s graduated individual income tax rates at 3.1% for 
income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000, and 
5.7% for income above $30,000. For couples filing jointly, the numbers 
are doubled.The current assessments on corporate 
income in Kansas stands at 4% on taxable income with a 3% surtax on 
taxable income in excess of $50,000. The bill would set the corporation 
tax rate at 5% for taxable income. Under the proposal, surtax rates for 
bank, trusts, and savings and loan associations would be cut by more 
than 50%, along with other provisions. All of the rate changes would be 
set for tax year 2024.&nbsp;The Kansas Reflector asked the <a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/">Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>,
 a nonprofit that provides research on state and federal tax policies, 
for an analysis of the legislation. The institute calculated that 49% of
 the individual income tax reduction would go to the richest 20% of 
Kansans. The state’s bottom 20% of earners would get about 4.1% of the 
tax reduction.&nbsp;The bill also creates a procedure to allow individual and corporate income tax rates to decrease in future years.The governor has<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/31/gov-kelly-condemns-flat-tax-proposal-touts-plan-to-cut-taxes-on-groceries-and-other-supplies/"> spoken against the proposed tax plan</a>, comparing it to former Gov. Sam Brownback’s disastrous tax policies.“There’s actually a proposal out 
there that would do more damage more quickly than the Brownback tax 
experiment of 2012 and 2013,” Kelly said during a Jan. 31 “Axe the Tax” 
public conference.The bill’s opponents include Kansas 
Action for Children and the Kansas National Education Association, which
 opposed the legislation on the grounds of fairness and feasibility, 
saying the bill would disproportionately harm middle- and lower-class 
Kansas families.KNEA spokesman Timothy Graham drew a 
correlation between tax policy and unconstitutionally low funding of 
public schools during the Brownback years.“Kansas tried similar tax strategies 
in the recent past that left the fiscal health of the state in a state 
of chaos and uncertainty. Let’s not go through this pain again,” KNEA 
spokesman Timothy Graham said.The House panel was scheduled to hear testimony Wednesday on the 
corporate tax cuts included in the bill, which would primarily favor 
out-of-state shareholders of large corporations. A Senate panel also 
planned to begin hearings Wednesday.

Kansas lawmaker questions fairness of flat tax plan

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 2,057&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">new </a>coronavirus cases in Kansas from Feb. 8 to Feb. 15, for a total of 932,205 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 1,963 cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>34&nbsp;additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Feb. 8, for a total of 10,029 since the state started reported COVID illness and deaths. The state has reported 500 deaths since Sept. 28.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 2,057&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">new </a>coronavirus cases in Kansas from Feb. 8 to Feb. 15, for a total of 932,205 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 1,963 cases the previous week.On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>34&nbsp;additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Feb. 8, for a total of 10,029 since the state started reported COVID illness and deaths. The state has reported 500 deaths since Sept. 28.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.