DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stolen vehicle found in submerged in a river in Douglas County.

Just after 7a.m. Wednesday, a person in the area of Riverfront Park,&nbsp;1594 N 3rd Street in Lawrence, noticed a vehicle in the Kansas River, according to a statement from the Douglas County Sheriff.&nbsp; The caller was unsure if someone was in the vehicle.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical responded to the scene and determined no one was in the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Douglas County Underwater Search and Recovery team responded to remove the the vehicle from the water.

Deputies identified the vehicle owner who reported the vehicle was missing Wednesday morning from their residence in Leavenworth County. He was in the process of making a report of the stolen vehicle to law enforcement.

The underwater search and recovery team eventually removed the Jeep from the water. There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671049640366.png" alt="Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stolen vehicle found in submerged in a river in Douglas County.Just after 7a.m. Wednesday, a person in the area of Riverfront Park,&nbsp;1594 N 3rd Street in Lawrence, noticed a vehicle in the Kansas River, according to a statement from the Douglas County Sheriff.&nbsp; The caller was unsure if someone was in the vehicle.Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical responded to the scene and determined no one was in the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Douglas County Underwater Search and Recovery team responded to remove the the vehicle from the water.Deputies identified the vehicle owner who reported the vehicle was missing Wednesday morning from their residence in Leavenworth County. He was in the process of making a report of the stolen vehicle to law enforcement.The underwater search and recovery team eventually removed the Jeep from the water. There were no injuries.

Sheriff: Stolen Jeep found floating in Kansas River

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/12/audit-shows-kansas-agencies-still-have-significant-it-flaws-gaps-in-it-security-training/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Kansas auditors found serious flaws in several state agencies’ IT 
security measures, according to survey results spanning from January 
2020 to December of this year.

The audit of 21 state agencies and 
school districts tested 40-50 IT security and control items. One entity 
was audited twice and counted as two separate entities. Out of the 21 
entities, 10 scored poorly or very poorly in vulnerability tests — below
 50% in security and IT standards.

During a legislative post audit 
committee meeting Monday, Alex Gard, principal IT auditor in the Kansas 
Legislative Division of Post Audit, said some of the entities surveyed 
hadn’t fixed problem areas since the last time they were audited.

“State agencies and school districts 
continue to have similar IT security issues to those we’ve identified in
 audits we’ve conducted over the past 20 years,” Gard said. “Several 
entities were audited for the second or third time during the past 10 
years or so, and some entities improved from one audit to the next, 
while others had repeated findings.”

Gard said most of the problems 
stemmed from either a lack of proper oversight, or a lack of staff 
resources to address IT security issues. Most of the audited entities 
had some level of unsupported software, and in some cases, the entities 
didn’t have any IT security training or security plans for keeping data 
safe.

Gard said some entities also failed phishing tests, or didn’t dispose of sensitive information in a safe manner.

“Overall, we found significant 
security issues in many systems with respect to account security, data 
protection, scanning and patching and risk and security assessment,” 
Gard said.

Rep. John Barker, R-Abilene, said 
lawmakers needed to actively address gaps in IT security. He said he was
 worried the state was vulnerable to losing sensitive information.

“I just think the Legislature at some
 point needs to address this issue so we can see some improvement,” 
Barker said. “Wait till we get hacked.”

Barker said he wasn’t sure if the 
state’s IT problems came from leadership issues, or a lack of 
experienced personnel, but thought more needed to be done.&nbsp;

“Overall, the state, it doesn’t seem like we’re making any progress,” Barker said.

For future IT security audits, 
starting in 2023, lawmakers decided to choose a broader audit plan that 
would focus on more entities, testing a few set IT areas instead of an 
intensive evaluation of fewer entities.

“It does cast a broader net, and then it does help us identify more potential problems,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee.

During the meeting, lawmakers also 
approved auditing K-12 school districts to evaluate the estimated costs 
of providing educational opportunities for every public school student 
to meet performance outcome standards set by the Kansas State Board of 
Education.

The audit also would evaluate the 
relationship between costs for these educational opportunities and the 
outcome of the expenditures.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670879001205.png" alt="Alex Gard, principal IT auditor in the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit, appears Monday before a legislative committee at the Statehouse in Topeka. In recent surveys, several Kansas state agencies and school districts had significant IT security risks. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Alex Gard, principal IT auditor in the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit, appears Monday before a legislative committee at the Statehouse in Topeka. In recent surveys, several Kansas state agencies and school districts had significant IT security risks. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/12/audit-shows-kansas-agencies-still-have-significant-it-flaws-gaps-in-it-security-training/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Kansas auditors found serious flaws in several state agencies’ IT 
security measures, according to survey results spanning from January 
2020 to December of this year.The audit of 21 state agencies and 
school districts tested 40-50 IT security and control items. One entity 
was audited twice and counted as two separate entities. Out of the 21 
entities, 10 scored poorly or very poorly in vulnerability tests — below
 50% in security and IT standards.During a legislative post audit 
committee meeting Monday, Alex Gard, principal IT auditor in the Kansas 
Legislative Division of Post Audit, said some of the entities surveyed 
hadn’t fixed problem areas since the last time they were audited.“State agencies and school districts 
continue to have similar IT security issues to those we’ve identified in
 audits we’ve conducted over the past 20 years,” Gard said. “Several 
entities were audited for the second or third time during the past 10 
years or so, and some entities improved from one audit to the next, 
while others had repeated findings.”Gard said most of the problems 
stemmed from either a lack of proper oversight, or a lack of staff 
resources to address IT security issues. Most of the audited entities 
had some level of unsupported software, and in some cases, the entities 
didn’t have any IT security training or security plans for keeping data 
safe.Gard said some entities also failed phishing tests, or didn’t dispose of sensitive information in a safe manner.“Overall, we found significant 
security issues in many systems with respect to account security, data 
protection, scanning and patching and risk and security assessment,” 
Gard said.Rep. John Barker, R-Abilene, said 
lawmakers needed to actively address gaps in IT security. He said he was
 worried the state was vulnerable to losing sensitive information.“I just think the Legislature at some
 point needs to address this issue so we can see some improvement,” 
Barker said. “Wait till we get hacked.”Barker said he wasn’t sure if the 
state’s IT problems came from leadership issues, or a lack of 
experienced personnel, but thought more needed to be done.&nbsp;“Overall, the state, it doesn’t seem like we’re making any progress,” Barker said.For future IT security audits, 
starting in 2023, lawmakers decided to choose a broader audit plan that 
would focus on more entities, testing a few set IT areas instead of an 
intensive evaluation of fewer entities.“It does cast a broader net, and then it does help us identify more potential problems,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee.During the meeting, lawmakers also 
approved auditing K-12 school districts to evaluate the estimated costs 
of providing educational opportunities for every public school student 
to meet performance outcome standards set by the Kansas State Board of 
Education.The audit also would evaluate the 
relationship between costs for these educational opportunities and the 
outcome of the expenditures.

Audit: Kan. agencies still have significant IT flaws, training gaps

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reinforced its inflation fight Wednesday by raising its key interest rate for the seventh time this year and signaling more hikes to come. But the Fed announced a smaller hike than it had in its past four meetings at a time when inflation is showing signs of easing.

The Fed boosted its benchmark rate a half-point to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, its highest level in 15 years. Though lower than its previous three-quarter-point hikes, the latest move will further increase the costs of many consumer and business loans and the risk of a recession.

The policymakers also forecast that their key short-term rate will reach a range of 5% to 5.25% by the end of 2023. That suggests that the Fed is prepared to raise its benchmark rate by an additional three-quarters of a point and leave it there through next year. Some economists had expected that the Fed would project only an additional half-point increase.

The prospect of higher-than-expected borrowing rates disappointed Wall Street. Investors immediately sent stock prices falling.

The latest rate hike was announced one day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-november-report-c3764250d475b1149d344462adff53d6">an encouraging report showed that inflation</a>&nbsp;in the United States slowed in November for a fifth straight month. The year-over-year increase of 7.1%, though still high, was sharply below a recent peak of 9.1% in June.

“The inflation data in October and November show a welcome reduction,” Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. “But it will take substantially more evidence to give confidence that inflation is on a sustained downward path.”

In its updated forecasts, the Fed’s policymakers predicted slower growth and higher unemployment for next year and 2024. The unemployment rate is envisioned to jump to 4.6% by the end of 2023, from 3.7% today. That would mark a significant increase in joblessness that typically would reflect a recession.

Consistent with a sharp slowdown, the officials also projected that the economy will barely grow next year, expanding just 0.5%, less than half the forecast it had made in September.

In recent weeks, Fed officials have indicated that they see some evidence of progress in their drive to defeat the worst inflation bout in four decades and to bring inflation back down to their 2% annual target. The national average for a gallon of regular gas, for example, has&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">tumbled from $5 in June to $3.21</a>.

Many supply chains are no longer clogged, thereby helping reduce goods prices. The better-than-expected November inflation data showed that the prices of used cars, furniture and toys all declined last month.

So did the costs of services from hotels to airfares to car rentals. Rental and home prices are falling, too, though those declines have yet to feed into the government’s data.

And one measure the Fed tracks closely — “core” prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs for a clearer snapshot of underlying inflation — rose only slightly for a second straight month.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-europe-business-prices-consumer-87922b5a6473b1228681e757c007f1f7">Inflation has also eased slightly in Europe</a>&nbsp;and the United Kingdom, leading analysts to expect the European Central Bank and the Bank of England to slow their pace of rate hikes at their meetings Thursday. Both are expected to raise rates by half a point to target still painfully high prices spikes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/british-politics-inflation-germany-economy-prices-8b7274fd39c584c7675dc5b2de9a76bf">big three-quarter-point increases</a>.

Inflation in the 19 countries using the euro currency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-europe-business-prices-consumer-87922b5a6473b1228681e757c007f1f7">fell to 10%</a>&nbsp;from 10.6% in October, the first decline since June 2021. The rate is so far above the bank’s 2% goal that rate hikes are expected to continue into next year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-dec23d793aa97d73da0391f4049e7efb">Britain’s inflation also eased</a>&nbsp;from a 41-year record of 11.1% in October to a still-high 10.7% in November.

At the Fed, Powell has made clear that the central bank isn’t close to declaring victory over high inflation. Fed officials will likely want to see further moderate inflation readings before they would be comfortable suspending their rate hikes.

One reason for caution is that inflation gauges can sometimes reignite after initially slowing. In 2021, for example, core price increases slowed for a couple of months in the summer before accelerating again and reaching new heights.

Cumulatively, the Fed’s hikes have led to much costlier borrowing rates for consumers as well as companies, ranging from mortgages to auto and business loans. The hikes have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-business-home-sales-a0a45edabb18e5cfd5374255ff54ab6a">home sales plummeting</a>&nbsp;and are starting to reduce rents on new apartments, a leading source of high inflation.

The officials have said they want rates to reach “restrictive” levels that slow growth and hiring and bring inflation down to their annual target of 2%. Worries have grown that the Fed is raising rates so much in its drive to curb inflation that it will trigger a recession next year.

The policymakers have stressed that more important than how fast they raise rates is how long they keep them at or near their peak. Wall Street investors are betting that the Fed will reverse course and start cutting rates before the end of next year.

Powell’s biggest focus has been on services prices, which he has said are likely to stay persistently high. In part, that’s because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-pandemics-jerome-powell-federal-reserve-system-01ca0f8ac5439f764827fb89d18a51e7">sharp increases in wages are becoming a key contributor to inflation</a>. Services companies, like hotels and restaurants, are particularly labor-intensive. And with average wages growing at a brisk 5%-6% a year, price pressures keep building in that sector of the economy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reinforced its inflation fight Wednesday by raising its key interest rate for the seventh time this year and signaling more hikes to come. But the Fed announced a smaller hike than it had in its past four meetings at a time when inflation is showing signs of easing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;Today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> raised our policy interest rate by a half percentage point.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/TjxcgVqNFZ">pic.twitter.com/TjxcgVqNFZ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1603112305259995136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed boosted its benchmark rate a half-point to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, its highest level in 15 years. Though lower than its previous three-quarter-point hikes, the latest move will further increase the costs of many consumer and business loans and the risk of a recession.The policymakers also forecast that their key short-term rate will reach a range of 5% to 5.25% by the end of 2023. That suggests that the Fed is prepared to raise its benchmark rate by an additional three-quarters of a point and leave it there through next year. Some economists had expected that the Fed would project only an additional half-point increase.The prospect of higher-than-expected borrowing rates disappointed Wall Street. Investors immediately sent stock prices falling.The latest rate hike was announced one day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-november-report-c3764250d475b1149d344462adff53d6">an encouraging report showed that inflation</a>&nbsp;in the United States slowed in November for a fifth straight month. The year-over-year increase of 7.1%, though still high, was sharply below a recent peak of 9.1% in June.“The inflation data in October and November show a welcome reduction,” Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. “But it will take substantially more evidence to give confidence that inflation is on a sustained downward path.”In its updated forecasts, the Fed’s policymakers predicted slower growth and higher unemployment for next year and 2024. The unemployment rate is envisioned to jump to 4.6% by the end of 2023, from 3.7% today. That would mark a significant increase in joblessness that typically would reflect a recession.Consistent with a sharp slowdown, the officials also projected that the economy will barely grow next year, expanding just 0.5%, less than half the forecast it had made in September.In recent weeks, Fed officials have indicated that they see some evidence of progress in their drive to defeat the worst inflation bout in four decades and to bring inflation back down to their 2% annual target. The national average for a gallon of regular gas, for example, has&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">tumbled from $5 in June to $3.21</a>.Many supply chains are no longer clogged, thereby helping reduce goods prices. The better-than-expected November inflation data showed that the prices of used cars, furniture and toys all declined last month.So did the costs of services from hotels to airfares to car rentals. Rental and home prices are falling, too, though those declines have yet to feed into the government’s data.And one measure the Fed tracks closely — “core” prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs for a clearer snapshot of underlying inflation — rose only slightly for a second straight month.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-europe-business-prices-consumer-87922b5a6473b1228681e757c007f1f7">Inflation has also eased slightly in Europe</a>&nbsp;and the United Kingdom, leading analysts to expect the European Central Bank and the Bank of England to slow their pace of rate hikes at their meetings Thursday. Both are expected to raise rates by half a point to target still painfully high prices spikes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/british-politics-inflation-germany-economy-prices-8b7274fd39c584c7675dc5b2de9a76bf">big three-quarter-point increases</a>.Inflation in the 19 countries using the euro currency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-europe-business-prices-consumer-87922b5a6473b1228681e757c007f1f7">fell to 10%</a>&nbsp;from 10.6% in October, the first decline since June 2021. The rate is so far above the bank’s 2% goal that rate hikes are expected to continue into next year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-dec23d793aa97d73da0391f4049e7efb">Britain’s inflation also eased</a>&nbsp;from a 41-year record of 11.1% in October to a still-high 10.7% in November.At the Fed, Powell has made clear that the central bank isn’t close to declaring victory over high inflation. Fed officials will likely want to see further moderate inflation readings before they would be comfortable suspending their rate hikes.One reason for caution is that inflation gauges can sometimes reignite after initially slowing. In 2021, for example, core price increases slowed for a couple of months in the summer before accelerating again and reaching new heights.Cumulatively, the Fed’s hikes have led to much costlier borrowing rates for consumers as well as companies, ranging from mortgages to auto and business loans. The hikes have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-business-home-sales-a0a45edabb18e5cfd5374255ff54ab6a">home sales plummeting</a>&nbsp;and are starting to reduce rents on new apartments, a leading source of high inflation.The officials have said they want rates to reach “restrictive” levels that slow growth and hiring and bring inflation down to their annual target of 2%. Worries have grown that the Fed is raising rates so much in its drive to curb inflation that it will trigger a recession next year.The policymakers have stressed that more important than how fast they raise rates is how long they keep them at or near their peak. Wall Street investors are betting that the Fed will reverse course and start cutting rates before the end of next year.Powell’s biggest focus has been on services prices, which he has said are likely to stay persistently high. In part, that’s because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-pandemics-jerome-powell-federal-reserve-system-01ca0f8ac5439f764827fb89d18a51e7">sharp increases in wages are becoming a key contributor to inflation</a>. Services companies, like hotels and restaurants, are particularly labor-intensive. And with average wages growing at a brisk 5%-6% a year, price pressures keep building in that sector of the economy.

🎥Fed raises key interest rate again and signals more to come

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;4,153 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Dec. 7 to Dec. 14, for a total of 909,831 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 4,256 new cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;10 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Dec. 7, for a total of 9,702.

<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/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>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 plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;4,153 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Dec. 7 to Dec. 14, for a total of 909,831 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 4,256 new cases the previous week.On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;10 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Dec. 7, for a total of 9,702.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671038844384.png" alt="Wednesday Dec. 14, 2022 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Dec. 14, 2022 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><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/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>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 plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE reports slight drop in COVID cases; 10 more deaths

By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/13/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">States Newsroom</a>

Shoppers
 hoping for a little relief at the grocery store for their holiday meals
 will be disappointed by the Consumer Price Index released Tuesday. The 
CPI shows inflation cooling, but food prices — particularly for some 
holiday staples — remain high.

The CPI <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">increased</a> 0.1% in November, which was lower than some economists <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/12/consumer-inflation-expected-to-have-continued-cooling-in-november-but-still-high.html">expected</a>.
 Over the last 12 months, it rose 7.1%. Food went up 0.5% last month 
after an increase of 0.6% in October. The food index climbed 10.6% over 
last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The headline inflation numbers are 
encouraging for the general economy but consumers are not being relieved
 at the grocery store,” said David Ortega, associate professor at the 
department of agricultural food and resource economics at Michigan State
 University. “We’re looking at November being the ninth consecutive 
month of double-digit grocery price inflation. Grocery prices are still 
12% higher than they were a year ago.”

In August, the cost of food shot up 11.4% over last year, which is a level not seen since May 1979, according to Marketwatch’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/we-have-yet-to-see-a-peak-in-food-inflation-food-prices-see-highest-increase-since-1979-with-one-item-up-nearly-40-on-last-year-11663097731">analysis</a> of government data.

“The good news is that food price 
increases and grocery price increases peaked in August,” Ortega added, 
“They’re just slowly starting to come down. We’re headed in the right 
direction but consumers are still not feeling relief at the store and 
that’s because inflation captures the rate of price increases over time,
 so just because the inflation rate starts to calm down a bit doesn’t 
mean that things are getting cheaper. They’re just not rising in price 
as quickly.”

Supply chain disruptions, the conflict in Ukraine, climate change, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/avian-flu-outbreak-wipes-out-5054-mln-us-birds-record-2022-11-24/">deadliest</a>
 bird flu in U.S. history, transportation costs, and increased consumer 
spending on food, are all drivers of higher food prices, Ortega 
explained.&nbsp;

“We have supply chain disruptions and
 they’re starting to ease from the pandemic. But then we have the 
conflict in Ukraine that led to a surge in commodity prices earlier this
 year. Those have come down significantly, but it takes time for that to
 be fully realized at the grocery store.”

Climate change has also affected 
agricultural output, he said, which has meant less food out in the 
market and increased prices. Ortega said that although it’s hard to say 
when food prices will begin to come down, he expects that it could 
happen in the next six months or so. The International Monetary Fund <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/12/09/global-food-prices-to-remain-elevated-amid-war-costly-energy-la-nina">released</a>
 a report in October that said Federal Reserve interest rate increases 
will put “downward pressure on prices through the end of next year.”&nbsp;

Donna McCallister, assistant 
professor at the department of agricultural and applied economics at 
Texas Tech University, said prices always increase this time of year, 
compounding the problem for many Americans this month. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/inflation-holiday-essentials-rising-most/">According to</a>
 Bankrate’s Nov. 23 analysis of the cost of holiday essentials, six of 
10 of the most inflated prices were for food, including turkey, bakery 
items, eggs, flour and prepared mixes.&nbsp;

Consumers preparing a Christmas ham, 
buying a frozen pie, or making sugar cookies for a party this month will
 find significantly higher prices than last year. Ham is up 7.8% year 
over year, frozen and refrigerated bakery products are up 19.4%, and 
eggs are up 49.1%, the CPI. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">shows</a>.

“A lot of that has to do with 
increased cost of production and transportation, but also increased 
demand for these things like butter, where people go out and buy things 
like eggs, butter, and flour for their cooking, so there’s also a demand
 story here as well,” Ortega said.

McCallister suggests cutting down on 
food waste by going to stores more frequently for specific meals, buying
 some items in bulk, or switching from name brand to store brand to save
 money this holiday season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670968091843.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/13/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">States Newsroom</a>Shoppers
 hoping for a little relief at the grocery store for their holiday meals
 will be disappointed by the Consumer Price Index released Tuesday. The 
CPI shows inflation cooling, but food prices — particularly for some 
holiday staples — remain high.The CPI <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">increased</a> 0.1% in November, which was lower than some economists <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/12/consumer-inflation-expected-to-have-continued-cooling-in-november-but-still-high.html">expected</a>.
 Over the last 12 months, it rose 7.1%. Food went up 0.5% last month 
after an increase of 0.6% in October. The food index climbed 10.6% over 
last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The headline inflation numbers are 
encouraging for the general economy but consumers are not being relieved
 at the grocery store,” said David Ortega, associate professor at the 
department of agricultural food and resource economics at Michigan State
 University. “We’re looking at November being the ninth consecutive 
month of double-digit grocery price inflation. Grocery prices are still 
12% higher than they were a year ago.”In August, the cost of food shot up 11.4% over last year, which is a level not seen since May 1979, according to Marketwatch’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/we-have-yet-to-see-a-peak-in-food-inflation-food-prices-see-highest-increase-since-1979-with-one-item-up-nearly-40-on-last-year-11663097731">analysis</a> of government data.“The good news is that food price 
increases and grocery price increases peaked in August,” Ortega added, 
“They’re just slowly starting to come down. We’re headed in the right 
direction but consumers are still not feeling relief at the store and 
that’s because inflation captures the rate of price increases over time,
 so just because the inflation rate starts to calm down a bit doesn’t 
mean that things are getting cheaper. They’re just not rising in price 
as quickly.”Supply chain disruptions, the conflict in Ukraine, climate change, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/avian-flu-outbreak-wipes-out-5054-mln-us-birds-record-2022-11-24/">deadliest</a>
 bird flu in U.S. history, transportation costs, and increased consumer 
spending on food, are all drivers of higher food prices, Ortega 
explained.&nbsp;“We have supply chain disruptions and
 they’re starting to ease from the pandemic. But then we have the 
conflict in Ukraine that led to a surge in commodity prices earlier this
 year. Those have come down significantly, but it takes time for that to
 be fully realized at the grocery store.”Climate change has also affected 
agricultural output, he said, which has meant less food out in the 
market and increased prices. Ortega said that although it’s hard to say 
when food prices will begin to come down, he expects that it could 
happen in the next six months or so. The International Monetary Fund <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/12/09/global-food-prices-to-remain-elevated-amid-war-costly-energy-la-nina">released</a>
 a report in October that said Federal Reserve interest rate increases 
will put “downward pressure on prices through the end of next year.”&nbsp;Donna McCallister, assistant 
professor at the department of agricultural and applied economics at 
Texas Tech University, said prices always increase this time of year, 
compounding the problem for many Americans this month. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/inflation-holiday-essentials-rising-most/">According to</a>
 Bankrate’s Nov. 23 analysis of the cost of holiday essentials, six of 
10 of the most inflated prices were for food, including turkey, bakery 
items, eggs, flour and prepared mixes.&nbsp;Consumers preparing a Christmas ham, 
buying a frozen pie, or making sugar cookies for a party this month will
 find significantly higher prices than last year. Ham is up 7.8% year 
over year, frozen and refrigerated bakery products are up 19.4%, and 
eggs are up 49.1%, the CPI. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">shows</a>.“A lot of that has to do with 
increased cost of production and transportation, but also increased 
demand for these things like butter, where people go out and buy things 
like eggs, butter, and flour for their cooking, so there’s also a demand
 story here as well,” Ortega said.McCallister suggests cutting down on 
food waste by going to stores more frequently for specific meals, buying
 some items in bulk, or switching from name brand to store brand to save
 money this holiday season.

Why food prices remain stubbornly high even as inflation cools

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 243 officials are investigating an alleged school threat.

On Monday, the Coffey County Sheriff's Office received information of a verbal threat that was made by an elementary student toward other elementary students in Waverly, Kansas, according to a media release.

 According to statements made by the students to law enforcement, during the school day a verbal altercation ensued, during which a 12-year-old student became angry and stated he would use a firearm to cause harm to several students. 

No students involved were injured and no physical altercation was reported during the incident.

Law enforcement and school officials identified the student and criminal charges are being considered for adjudication, pending completion of the investigation.&nbsp; A completed report will be submitted to the Coffey County Attorney for review.

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 243 officials are investigating an alleged school threat.On Monday, the Coffey County Sheriff's Office received information of a verbal threat that was made by an elementary student toward other elementary students in Waverly, Kansas, according to a media release. According to statements made by the students to law enforcement, during the school day a verbal altercation ensued, during which a 12-year-old student became angry and stated he would use a firearm to cause harm to several students. No students involved were injured and no physical altercation was reported during the incident.Law enforcement and school officials identified the student and criminal charges are being considered for adjudication, pending completion of the investigation.&nbsp; A completed report will be submitted to the Coffey County Attorney for review.

12-year-old faces charges after alleged threat at Kan. middle school

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The announcement Tuesday of the intent by Kansas Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach to appoint a man who lost to him in the primary to the top post at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation was a long time in the making.

"I reached out to Kris the night of the election and congratulated him, of course," Mattivi said. "We went to lunch not long after. The more we talked, one of the things that we found is, when it comes to criminal justice issues, there's really just not any daylight between Kris and me. He's a conservative. He's also a law and order guy. The same is true for me. He's excited about doing what we can do to bring the crime rate down. He's anxious to tackle violent crime and the fentanyl crisis. He wants to make sure that law enforcement has the support that they need. We're just completely in alignment on those issues. Over time, this just sort of fell into place."

The KBI is brought to the forefront in investigations where an outside agency is needed for additional resources, particularly in the state's smaller counties, but that's not all that they do.

"They do criminal justice record keeping," Mattivi said. "Whether it's criminal histories or sex offender registries or fingerprint databases, it's the KBI's task to maintain all of that information for the state, that's one. Secondly, they have a laboratory, that's forensic examination and analysis. Whether it's a DUI or a drug case, fingerprints, DNA, firearm and tool mark analysis. There's a unit of the KBI that does that kind of work. Oftentimes, when you're investigating complex criminal organizations, some of the most valuable information that you gather, isn't gathered by an agent. It's gathered by an analyst. The KBI has a division devoted to criminal intelligence analysis. Then, finally, they have the investigations division."

Mattivi will be looking at the KBI from the perspective of a prosecutor, and he believes that has value.

A prosecutor is sort of the end user of all of those products created by the KBI," Mattivi said. "The criminal history information. That's something a prosecutor uses in making a charging decision. The forensic lab, over the course of my career, I can't even count the number of times I put a KBI chemist or analyst on the stand to talk about DNA evidence or fingerprint evidence. The criminal intelligence analysis? Again, that's some of the most important information that's gathered for a prosecutor. Then, finally, the agents. I had KBI agents testify in so many of my cases over the years."

Mattivi is subject to Kansas Senate confirmation, which will be scheduled after the session gets started in January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658251336825.png" alt="Kan. Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach, right, and Mattivi, left during a primary election debate -photo Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kan. Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach, right, and Mattivi, left during a primary election debate -photo Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The announcement Tuesday of the intent by Kansas Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach to appoint a man who lost to him in the primary to the top post at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation was a long time in the making."I reached out to Kris the night of the election and congratulated him, of course," Mattivi said. "We went to lunch not long after. The more we talked, one of the things that we found is, when it comes to criminal justice issues, there's really just not any daylight between Kris and me. He's a conservative. He's also a law and order guy. The same is true for me. He's excited about doing what we can do to bring the crime rate down. He's anxious to tackle violent crime and the fentanyl crisis. He wants to make sure that law enforcement has the support that they need. We're just completely in alignment on those issues. Over time, this just sort of fell into place."The KBI is brought to the forefront in investigations where an outside agency is needed for additional resources, particularly in the state's smaller counties, but that's not all that they do."They do criminal justice record keeping," Mattivi said. "Whether it's criminal histories or sex offender registries or fingerprint databases, it's the KBI's task to maintain all of that information for the state, that's one. Secondly, they have a laboratory, that's forensic examination and analysis. Whether it's a DUI or a drug case, fingerprints, DNA, firearm and tool mark analysis. There's a unit of the KBI that does that kind of work. Oftentimes, when you're investigating complex criminal organizations, some of the most valuable information that you gather, isn't gathered by an agent. It's gathered by an analyst. The KBI has a division devoted to criminal intelligence analysis. Then, finally, they have the investigations division."Mattivi will be looking at the KBI from the perspective of a prosecutor, and he believes that has value.A prosecutor is sort of the end user of all of those products created by the KBI," Mattivi said. "The criminal history information. That's something a prosecutor uses in making a charging decision. The forensic lab, over the course of my career, I can't even count the number of times I put a KBI chemist or analyst on the stand to talk about DNA evidence or fingerprint evidence. The criminal intelligence analysis? Again, that's some of the most important information that's gathered for a prosecutor. Then, finally, the agents. I had KBI agents testify in so many of my cases over the years."Mattivi is subject to Kansas Senate confirmation, which will be scheduled after the session gets started in January.

Mattivi sees from unique perspective as KBI director nominee

CAPE GIRARDEU, Mo. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6784aa5915e56eb6cc451588503bc20e">hate crime and arson charges</a>&nbsp;for setting a fire that destroyed an Islamic center in&nbsp; Missouri two years ago, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday.

Nicholas John Proffitt, 44, entered the plea in the case of the torching of the Cape Girardeau Islamic Center on April 24, 2020, which was the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the department said. It was the second time he had attacked the building.

Security video showed Proffitt breaking the building's glass window and throwing two containers inside. He then entered, poured the contents of two gallon-size containers throughout the foyer and the hallway and lit the blaze, according to court records.

About a dozen people were inside at the time but escaped unharmed. The fire made the building unsuitable for use as a center.

Proffitt admitted he set the blaze because of the religious nature of the building, prosecutors said.

His public defender did not immediately return an after-hours phone call seeking comment.

Sentencing is set for May 22. Proffitt faces up to 20 years in prison for damage to religious property and a mandatory minimum of 10 years, consecutive to any other sentence, for using fire to commit a federal felony. He also could be fined up to $250,000 on each charge.

In 2009, Proffitt pleaded guilty to state charges for throwing rocks that damaged the same mosque and a vehicle in the parking lot. He was sentenced to three years in prison in that incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588100869003.png" alt="Nicholas Proffitt-photo&nbsp;Cape Girardeau, Mo., Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Nicholas Proffitt-photo&nbsp;Cape Girardeau, Mo., Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE GIRARDEU, Mo. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6784aa5915e56eb6cc451588503bc20e">hate crime and arson charges</a>&nbsp;for setting a fire that destroyed an Islamic center in&nbsp; Missouri two years ago, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday.Nicholas John Proffitt, 44, entered the plea in the case of the torching of the Cape Girardeau Islamic Center on April 24, 2020, which was the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the department said. It was the second time he had attacked the building.Security video showed Proffitt breaking the building's glass window and throwing two containers inside. He then entered, poured the contents of two gallon-size containers throughout the foyer and the hallway and lit the blaze, according to court records.About a dozen people were inside at the time but escaped unharmed. The fire made the building unsuitable for use as a center.Proffitt admitted he set the blaze because of the religious nature of the building, prosecutors said.His public defender did not immediately return an after-hours phone call seeking comment.Sentencing is set for May 22. Proffitt faces up to 20 years in prison for damage to religious property and a mandatory minimum of 10 years, consecutive to any other sentence, for using fire to commit a federal felony. He also could be fined up to $250,000 on each charge.In 2009, Proffitt pleaded guilty to state charges for throwing rocks that damaged the same mosque and a vehicle in the parking lot. He was sentenced to three years in prison in that incident.

Man admits to hate crime for setting Islamic center fire

OSAGE COUNTY—Officials with USD 420 announced the schools in the district will be closed for the remainder of the semester starting on Wednesday, due to a high number of student absences and increasing staff absences. 

On Tuesday, over 40 percent of the student population was absent due to illness, according to Superintendent Ted Hessong. All student grades were final as of Tuesday.

&nbsp;Student activities during the closure will be canceled except for High School Regional Debate the weekend of December 17.

The USD 420 school board will have its regularly scheduled meeting&nbsp; Wednesday. Sports practices will be able to resume on Monday, December 19, during Christmas Break.. Transportation will be provided for Washburn and Flint Hills Tech for them to attend during the closure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643994445130.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Officials with USD 420 announced the schools in the district will be closed for the remainder of the semester starting on Wednesday, due to a high number of student absences and increasing staff absences. On Tuesday, over 40 percent of the student population was absent due to illness, according to Superintendent Ted Hessong. All student grades were final as of Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">USD 420 School Closure Due to Illness Osage City Schools will be closed for the remainder of the semester starting Wed, Dec. 14 due to a high number of absences. Today, over 40% of the student population was absent due to illness. See you January 3rd. <a href="https://t.co/XYHuFeMq2X">pic.twitter.com/XYHuFeMq2X</a>&mdash; USD420 Osage City Schools (@USD420SCHOOLS) <a href="https://twitter.com/USD420SCHOOLS/status/1602793984140648449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Student activities during the closure will be canceled except for High School Regional Debate the weekend of December 17.The USD 420 school board will have its regularly scheduled meeting&nbsp; Wednesday. Sports practices will be able to resume on Monday, December 19, during Christmas Break.. Transportation will be provided for Washburn and Flint Hills Tech for them to attend during the closure.School will resume on January 3, 2023.

Illness forces closure of Kansas school district until January

By LOLITA C. BALDOR and MATTHEW LEE&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

The approval is likely to come later this week and could be announced as early as Thursday, said three officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision is not final and has not been made public. Two of the officials said the Patriot will come from Pentagon stocks and be moved from another country overseas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed Western leaders as recently as Monday to provide more advanced weapons to help his country in its war with Russia. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine to help repel Russian aerial attacks.

During a video conference on Monday, Zelenskyy told host Germany and other leaders of the Group of Seven industrial powers that his country needed long-range missiles, modern tanks, artillery, missile batteries and other high-tech air defense systems to counter Russian attacks that have knocked out electricity and water supplies for millions of Ukrainians.

He acknowledged that, "Unfortunately, Russia still has an advantage in artillery and missiles." And he said protecting Ukraine's energy facilities from Russian missiles and Iranian drones "will be the protection of the whole of Europe, since with these strikes Russia is provoking a humanitarian and migration catastrophe not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire EU."

White House and Pentagon leaders have said consistently that providing Ukraine with additional air defenses is a priority, and Patriot missiles have been under consideration for some time. Officials said that as the winter closed in and the Russian bombardment of civilian infrastructure escalated, that consideration took on increased priority.

Pentagon and State Department officials at briefings on Tuesday would not confirm the plan to provide Patriots to Ukraine, repeatedly saying they had nothing to announce.

U.S. officials had balked at providing the weapons to Ukraine because they could be considered a escalation that would trigger a response from Moscow. The Patriot also requires significant training and there were concerns that U.S. troops would have been required to operate it. Biden has flatly rejected sending any U.S. combat troops to Ukraine.

Asked about training, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said that in general the U.S. takes those needs into consideration when providing complicated weapons systems to Ukraine, such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS. Currently U.S. forces are training Ukrainian troops on a number of systems, including the HIMARS, in other European countries, such as Germany.

The administration's potential approval of a Patriot battery was first reported by CNN.

According to officials, the U.S. plan would be to send one Patriot battery. A truck-mounter Patriot battery includes up to eight launchers, each of which can hold four missiles.

The entire system, which includes a phased array radar, a control station, computers and generators, typically requires about 90 soldiers to operate and maintain, however only three soldiers are needed to actually fire it, according to the Army.

Patriot missile systems and other similar sophisticated surface-to-air weapons are in major demand among U.S. allies, including eastern European nations worried that they could be Russia's next targets. The U.S. has a limited number of the systems, and has deployed them across the the Middle East and Europe in recent years to help allies protect against the threat of incoming ballistic missiles from countries such as Iran.

By LOLITA C. BALDOR and MATTHEW LEE&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles, U.S. officials said Tuesday.The approval is likely to come later this week and could be announced as early as Thursday, said three officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision is not final and has not been made public. Two of the officials said the Patriot will come from Pentagon stocks and be moved from another country overseas.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed Western leaders as recently as Monday to provide more advanced weapons to help his country in its war with Russia. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine to help repel Russian aerial attacks.During a video conference on Monday, Zelenskyy told host Germany and other leaders of the Group of Seven industrial powers that his country needed long-range missiles, modern tanks, artillery, missile batteries and other high-tech air defense systems to counter Russian attacks that have knocked out electricity and water supplies for millions of Ukrainians.He acknowledged that, "Unfortunately, Russia still has an advantage in artillery and missiles." And he said protecting Ukraine's energy facilities from Russian missiles and Iranian drones "will be the protection of the whole of Europe, since with these strikes Russia is provoking a humanitarian and migration catastrophe not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire EU."White House and Pentagon leaders have said consistently that providing Ukraine with additional air defenses is a priority, and Patriot missiles have been under consideration for some time. Officials said that as the winter closed in and the Russian bombardment of civilian infrastructure escalated, that consideration took on increased priority.Pentagon and State Department officials at briefings on Tuesday would not confirm the plan to provide Patriots to Ukraine, repeatedly saying they had nothing to announce.U.S. officials had balked at providing the weapons to Ukraine because they could be considered a escalation that would trigger a response from Moscow. The Patriot also requires significant training and there were concerns that U.S. troops would have been required to operate it. Biden has flatly rejected sending any U.S. combat troops to Ukraine.Asked about training, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said that in general the U.S. takes those needs into consideration when providing complicated weapons systems to Ukraine, such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS. Currently U.S. forces are training Ukrainian troops on a number of systems, including the HIMARS, in other European countries, such as Germany.The administration's potential approval of a Patriot battery was first reported by CNN.According to officials, the U.S. plan would be to send one Patriot battery. A truck-mounter Patriot battery includes up to eight launchers, each of which can hold four missiles.The entire system, which includes a phased array radar, a control station, computers and generators, typically requires about 90 soldiers to operate and maintain, however only three soldiers are needed to actually fire it, according to the Army.Patriot missile systems and other similar sophisticated surface-to-air weapons are in major demand among U.S. allies, including eastern European nations worried that they could be Russia's next targets. The U.S. has a limited number of the systems, and has deployed them across the the Middle East and Europe in recent years to help allies protect against the threat of incoming ballistic missiles from countries such as Iran._____

US poised to approve sending Patriot missile battery to Ukraine

GRAY&nbsp; COUNTY —A Kansas high school principal warned parents of a deadly TikTok challenge.

Principal Leona Engelcke alerted parents of students at&nbsp;Cimarron Junior and Senior High School&nbsp;participating in or possessing videos&nbsp;of the deadly TikTok challenge called “blackout,” “ghosting,” or “the pass out challenge.”

According to her statement on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=617376786855107&amp;set=a.430909895501798">school's Facebook page</a>, "The TikTok challenge encourages people to choke out for a temporary high. The individual chokes themselves or is choked by someone until they lose consciousness."

“There have been fatalities from this challenge, though not here in Cimarron, and we would like to keep it that way,” according to Engelck's statement. "Losing consciousness by being choked out can lead to injury, from minor to even death."

She urged parents to talk with their children and encourage them not to support or participate in the challenge.

GRAY&nbsp; COUNTY —A Kansas high school principal warned parents of a deadly TikTok challenge.Principal Leona Engelcke alerted parents of students at&nbsp;Cimarron Junior and Senior High School&nbsp;participating in or possessing videos&nbsp;of the deadly TikTok challenge called “blackout,” “ghosting,” or “the pass out challenge.”According to her statement on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=617376786855107&amp;set=a.430909895501798">school's Facebook page</a>, "The TikTok challenge encourages people to choke out for a temporary high. The individual chokes themselves or is choked by someone until they lose consciousness." “There have been fatalities from this challenge, though not here in Cimarron, and we would like to keep it that way,” according to Engelck's statement. "Losing consciousness by being choked out can lead to injury, from minor to even death."She urged parents to talk with their children and encourage them not to support or participate in the challenge.

SW Kansas high school warns of deadly TikTok challenge

JOHNSON COUNTY—From Dec. 6-10, police conducted a special operation to combat retail thefts in Lenexa, according to a media release.

 This operation comprised personnel from our various units including the K9 Unit, Bike Unit, Directed Patrol Unit, Uniform Patrol, and Communications.&nbsp; These individuals worked to saturate the high-density shopping areas around W. 95th Street and Quivira. 

As a result of this operation, 20 individuals were arrested. The requsted charges included theft, felony theft, possession of stolen property, distribution of narcotics, and possession of narcotics. Police also recovered 3 firearms and recovered nearly $8000 in stolen property.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY—From Dec. 6-10, police conducted a special operation to combat retail thefts in Lenexa, according to a media release. This operation comprised personnel from our various units including the K9 Unit, Bike Unit, Directed Patrol Unit, Uniform Patrol, and Communications.&nbsp; These individuals worked to saturate the high-density shopping areas around W. 95th Street and Quivira. As a result of this operation, 20 individuals were arrested. The requsted charges included theft, felony theft, possession of stolen property, distribution of narcotics, and possession of narcotics. Police also recovered 3 firearms and recovered nearly $8000 in stolen property.&nbsp;

20 arrested, $8K in stolen property recovered in Kan. police operation

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government charged Samuel Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, with a host of financial crimes on Tuesday, alleging he intentionally deceived customers and investors to enrich himself and others, while playing a central role in the company's multibillion-dollar collapse.

Federal prosecutors say that beginning in 2019 Bankman-Fried devised “a scheme and artifice to defraud” FTX's customers and investors. He illegally diverted their money to cover expenses, debts and risky trades at his crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research, and to make lavish real estate purchases and large political donations, prosecutors said in a 13-page indictment.

Bankman-Fried, 30, was arrested Monday in the Bahamas at the request of the U.S. government, which charged him with eight criminal violations, ranging from wire fraud to money laundering to conspiracy to commit fraud. If convicted of all the charges, Bankman-Fried — referred to by crypto enthusiasts as “SBF” — could face decades in jail.

At a press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams called it “one of the biggest frauds in American history,” and said the investigation is ongoing and fast-moving. He urged anyone who believes they were victims of the alleged scheme to contact his office.

Bankman-Fried has fallen hard and fast from the top of the cryptocurrency industry he helped to evangelize. FTX filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11, when it ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run.

Before the bankruptcy, he was considered by many in Washington and on Wall Street as a wunderkind of digital currencies, someone who could help take them mainstream, in part by working with policymakers to bring more oversight and trust to the industry.

Bankman-Fried had been worth tens of billions of dollars -- at least on paper -- and was able to attract celebrities like Tom Brady or former politicians like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton to his conferences at luxury resorts in the Bahamas.

Sporting shorts and t-shirts to contrast himself with the buttoned-down world of Wall Street, he was the subject of fawning profiles in media, was considered a prominent advocate for a type of charitable giving known as “effective altruism,” and commanded millions of followers on Twitter.

But since FTX’s implosion, Bankman-Fried and his company have been likened to other disgraced financiers and companies, such as Bernie Madoff and Enron.

The criminal indictment against Bankman-Fried and “others” at FTX is on top of civil charges announced Tuesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The SEC alleges Bankman-Fried defrauded investors and illegally used their money to buy real estate on behalf of himself and his family.

U.S. authorities said they will try to claw back any of Bankman-Fried’s financial gains from the alleged scheme.

A lawyer for Bankman-Fried, Mark S. Cohen, said Tuesday he is “reviewing the charges with his legal team and considering all of his legal options.”

At a congressional hearing Tuesday that was scheduled before Bankman-Fried's arrest, the new CEO brought in to steer FTX through its bankruptcy proceedings leveled harsh criticism. He said there was scant oversight of customers' money and “very few rules” about how their funds could be used.

John Ray III told members of the House Financial Services Committee that the collapse of FTX, resulting in the loss of more than $7 billion, was the culmination of months, or even years, of bad decisions and poor financial controls.

“This is not something that happened overnight or in a context of a week,” he said.

He added: “This is just plain, old-fashioned embezzlement, taking money from others and using it for your own purposes.”

Before his arrest, Bankman-Fried had been holed up in his luxury compound in the Bahamas. U.S. authorities are expected to request his extradition to the U.S., although the timing of that request is unclear.

At a court hearing in the Bahamas on Tuesday, prosecutors argued that Bankman-Fried was a flight risk and should be held without bail, according to Our News, a broadcast news company based there. His lawyers said he is likely to request a formal extradition hearing.

Bankman-Fried's was previously one of the world’s wealthiest people on paper; at one point his net worth reached $26.5 billion, according to Forbes. He was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-crypto-downfall-a2eaec231027dfd9f18426ff8982bbf8">prominent personality in Washington</a>, donating millions of dollars to Democrats and Republicans. U.S. Attorney Williams said Tuesday that Bankman-Fried made “tens of millions of dollars" in illegal campaign donations.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-financial-crisis-a729281a5ef02a03ab3fcd95e152c2a8">His wealth unraveled quickly last month</a>, when reports called into question&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-trading-former-ceo-d2c2b881dc0eb0ec37b454674f446b52">the strength of FTX’s balance sheet</a>. As customers sought to withdraw billions of dollars, FTX could not satisfy the requests: their money was gone.

“We allege that Sam Bankman-Fried built a house of cards on a foundation of deception while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

The SEC complaint alleges that Bankman-Fried had raised more than $1.8 billion from investors since May 2019 by promoting FTX as a safe, responsible platform for trading crypto assets.

Instead, the complaint says, Bankman-Fried diverted customers' funds to Alameda Research without telling them.

"He then used Alameda as his personal piggy bank to buy luxury condominiums, support political campaigns, and make private investments, among other uses," the complaint reads.

In the weeks after FTX's collapse, but before his arrest, Bankman-Fried gave interviews to several news organizations in which he grasped for ways to explain what happened.

For example, Bankman-Fried said he did not “knowingly” misuse customers’ funds, and that he believes angry customers will eventually get their money back.

At Tuesday's congressional hearing, the new FTX CEO bluntly disputed those assertions: “We will never get all these assets back,” Ray said.

Jack Sharman, an attorney at Lightfoot, Franklin &amp; White, said Bankman-Fried's recent comments to the media could be damaging, admissible evidence in court. "Those statements in that speaking tour were in no way helpful to his cause,” Sharman said.

In its complaint, the SEC challenged Bankman-Fried's recent statements that FTX and its customers were victims of a sudden market collapse that overwhelmed safeguards that had been in place.

“FTX operated behind a veneer of legitimacy," said Gurbir Grewal, director of the SEC’s enforcement division. "That veneer wasn’t just thin, it was fraudulent.”

The collapse of FTX — which followed other cryptocurrency debacles earlier this year — is adding urgency to efforts to regulate the industry.

Yesha Yadav, a law professor at Vanderbilt University who specializes in financial and securities regulation, said U.S. lawmakers and regulators have been too slow to act, but that is likely to change.

“Lawmakers are clearly under pressure to do something, given that so many people have lost their money,” she said.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government charged Samuel Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, with a host of financial crimes on Tuesday, alleging he intentionally deceived customers and investors to enrich himself and others, while playing a central role in the company's multibillion-dollar collapse.Federal prosecutors say that beginning in 2019 Bankman-Fried devised “a scheme and artifice to defraud” FTX's customers and investors. He illegally diverted their money to cover expenses, debts and risky trades at his crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research, and to make lavish real estate purchases and large political donations, prosecutors said in a 13-page indictment.Bankman-Fried, 30, was arrested Monday in the Bahamas at the request of the U.S. government, which charged him with eight criminal violations, ranging from wire fraud to money laundering to conspiracy to commit fraud. If convicted of all the charges, Bankman-Fried — referred to by crypto enthusiasts as “SBF” — could face decades in jail.At a press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams called it “one of the biggest frauds in American history,” and said the investigation is ongoing and fast-moving. He urged anyone who believes they were victims of the alleged scheme to contact his office.Bankman-Fried has fallen hard and fast from the top of the cryptocurrency industry he helped to evangelize. FTX filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11, when it ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run.Before the bankruptcy, he was considered by many in Washington and on Wall Street as a wunderkind of digital currencies, someone who could help take them mainstream, in part by working with policymakers to bring more oversight and trust to the industry.Bankman-Fried had been worth tens of billions of dollars -- at least on paper -- and was able to attract celebrities like Tom Brady or former politicians like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton to his conferences at luxury resorts in the Bahamas.Sporting shorts and t-shirts to contrast himself with the buttoned-down world of Wall Street, he was the subject of fawning profiles in media, was considered a prominent advocate for a type of charitable giving known as “effective altruism,” and commanded millions of followers on Twitter.But since FTX’s implosion, Bankman-Fried and his company have been likened to other disgraced financiers and companies, such as Bernie Madoff and Enron.The criminal indictment against Bankman-Fried and “others” at FTX is on top of civil charges announced Tuesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The SEC alleges Bankman-Fried defrauded investors and illegally used their money to buy real estate on behalf of himself and his family.U.S. authorities said they will try to claw back any of Bankman-Fried’s financial gains from the alleged scheme.A lawyer for Bankman-Fried, Mark S. Cohen, said Tuesday he is “reviewing the charges with his legal team and considering all of his legal options.”At a congressional hearing Tuesday that was scheduled before Bankman-Fried's arrest, the new CEO brought in to steer FTX through its bankruptcy proceedings leveled harsh criticism. He said there was scant oversight of customers' money and “very few rules” about how their funds could be used.John Ray III told members of the House Financial Services Committee that the collapse of FTX, resulting in the loss of more than $7 billion, was the culmination of months, or even years, of bad decisions and poor financial controls.“This is not something that happened overnight or in a context of a week,” he said.He added: “This is just plain, old-fashioned embezzlement, taking money from others and using it for your own purposes.”Before his arrest, Bankman-Fried had been holed up in his luxury compound in the Bahamas. U.S. authorities are expected to request his extradition to the U.S., although the timing of that request is unclear.At a court hearing in the Bahamas on Tuesday, prosecutors argued that Bankman-Fried was a flight risk and should be held without bail, according to Our News, a broadcast news company based there. His lawyers said he is likely to request a formal extradition hearing.Bankman-Fried's was previously one of the world’s wealthiest people on paper; at one point his net worth reached $26.5 billion, according to Forbes. He was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-crypto-downfall-a2eaec231027dfd9f18426ff8982bbf8">prominent personality in Washington</a>, donating millions of dollars to Democrats and Republicans. U.S. Attorney Williams said Tuesday that Bankman-Fried made “tens of millions of dollars" in illegal campaign donations.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-financial-crisis-a729281a5ef02a03ab3fcd95e152c2a8">His wealth unraveled quickly last month</a>, when reports called into question&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-trading-former-ceo-d2c2b881dc0eb0ec37b454674f446b52">the strength of FTX’s balance sheet</a>. As customers sought to withdraw billions of dollars, FTX could not satisfy the requests: their money was gone.“We allege that Sam Bankman-Fried built a house of cards on a foundation of deception while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler.The SEC complaint alleges that Bankman-Fried had raised more than $1.8 billion from investors since May 2019 by promoting FTX as a safe, responsible platform for trading crypto assets.Instead, the complaint says, Bankman-Fried diverted customers' funds to Alameda Research without telling them."He then used Alameda as his personal piggy bank to buy luxury condominiums, support political campaigns, and make private investments, among other uses," the complaint reads.In the weeks after FTX's collapse, but before his arrest, Bankman-Fried gave interviews to several news organizations in which he grasped for ways to explain what happened.For example, Bankman-Fried said he did not “knowingly” misuse customers’ funds, and that he believes angry customers will eventually get their money back.At Tuesday's congressional hearing, the new FTX CEO bluntly disputed those assertions: “We will never get all these assets back,” Ray said.Jack Sharman, an attorney at Lightfoot, Franklin &amp; White, said Bankman-Fried's recent comments to the media could be damaging, admissible evidence in court. "Those statements in that speaking tour were in no way helpful to his cause,” Sharman said.In its complaint, the SEC challenged Bankman-Fried's recent statements that FTX and its customers were victims of a sudden market collapse that overwhelmed safeguards that had been in place.“FTX operated behind a veneer of legitimacy," said Gurbir Grewal, director of the SEC’s enforcement division. "That veneer wasn’t just thin, it was fraudulent.”The collapse of FTX — which followed other cryptocurrency debacles earlier this year — is adding urgency to efforts to regulate the industry.Yesha Yadav, a law professor at Vanderbilt University who specializes in financial and securities regulation, said U.S. lawmakers and regulators have been too slow to act, but that is likely to change.“Lawmakers are clearly under pressure to do something, given that so many people have lost their money,” she said.

U.S. Attorney: FTX CEO gave millions in illegal campaign donations

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers 
and self-employed individuals that chose to defer paying part of their 
2020 Social Security tax liability that their second annual installment 
of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2022.

As part of the COVID relief provided during 2020, employers could 
choose to put off paying the employer's share of their Social Security 
tax liability, which is 6.2% of wages. Self-employed individuals could 
also choose to defer a similar amount of their self-employment tax. 
Generally, half of that deferral was due on December 31, 2021. The other
 half is due on December 31, 2022.

Earlier this fall, the IRS sent reminder notices to affected 
employers and self-employed individuals. The agency noted, however, that
 those affected are still required to make the payment on time, even if 
they did not receive a notice.

Employers and individuals have several options for making this payment. Deferral payments can made through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>, or with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-by-check-or-money-order">check or money order</a>.
 No matter which payment option is chosen, it must be made separately 
from other tax payments and deposits. This will ensure that it is 
credited properly and will help avoid follow-up bills or notices.

Employers and individuals can make the deferral payments through enrollment in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a>, a free service available from the Treasury Department. On the Tax Type Selection screen, choose Deferred Social Security Tax and then change the date to the applicable tax period (the calendar quarter in 2020 for which tax was deferred). Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">EFTPS.gov</a>&nbsp;or call <a href="tel:800-555-4477">800-555-4477</a> or <a href="tel:800-733-4829">800-733-4829</a> for details.

Alternatively, self-employed individual taxpayers can choose Direct 
Pay to pay directly from a checking or savings account. This service is 
available free only on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay With Bank Account</a>.
 Select the "Balance Due" reason for payment and apply the payment to 
the 2020 tax year where the payment was deferred. Direct Pay is not 
available to pay employment taxes.

Debit card, credit card or digital wallet

If paying with a credit card, debit card or digital wallet, select 
"installment agreement." Apply the payment to the 2020 tax year where 
the payment was deferred. Note that the IRS does not charge a fee for 
this service, but the authorized third-party payment processors do. 
Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a> for details.

Make any check or money order payable to United States Treasury, not IRS. For more information on where to mail payments see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i941#en_US_202206_publink100065907">Instructions for Form 941</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers 
and self-employed individuals that chose to defer paying part of their 
2020 Social Security tax liability that their second annual installment 
of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2022.As part of the COVID relief provided during 2020, employers could 
choose to put off paying the employer's share of their Social Security 
tax liability, which is 6.2% of wages. Self-employed individuals could 
also choose to defer a similar amount of their self-employment tax. 
Generally, half of that deferral was due on December 31, 2021. The other
 half is due on December 31, 2022.Earlier this fall, the IRS sent reminder notices to affected 
employers and self-employed individuals. The agency noted, however, that
 those affected are still required to make the payment on time, even if 
they did not receive a notice.<h2>How to repay the deferred taxes</h2>Employers and individuals have several options for making this payment. Deferral payments can made through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>, or with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-by-check-or-money-order">check or money order</a>.
 No matter which payment option is chosen, it must be made separately 
from other tax payments and deposits. This will ensure that it is 
credited properly and will help avoid follow-up bills or notices.<h2>EFTPS</h2>Employers and individuals can make the deferral payments through enrollment in the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a>, a free service available from the Treasury Department. On the Tax Type Selection screen, choose Deferred Social Security Tax and then change the date to the applicable tax period (the calendar quarter in 2020 for which tax was deferred). Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">EFTPS.gov</a>&nbsp;or call <a href="tel:800-555-4477">800-555-4477</a> or <a href="tel:800-733-4829">800-733-4829</a> for details.<h2>Direct Pay</h2>Alternatively, self-employed individual taxpayers can choose Direct 
Pay to pay directly from a checking or savings account. This service is 
available free only on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay With Bank Account</a>.
 Select the "Balance Due" reason for payment and apply the payment to 
the 2020 tax year where the payment was deferred. Direct Pay is not 
available to pay employment taxes.<h2>Debit card, credit card or digital wallet</h2>If paying with a credit card, debit card or digital wallet, select 
"installment agreement." Apply the payment to the 2020 tax year where 
the payment was deferred. Note that the IRS does not charge a fee for 
this service, but the authorized third-party payment processors do. 
Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a> for details.<h2>Check or money order</h2>Make any check or money order payable to United States Treasury, not IRS. For more information on where to mail payments see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i941#en_US_202206_publink100065907">Instructions for Form 941</a>.

IRS deadline looms for many employers, self-employed people

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman charged in connection with a fatal DUI crash in January has entered a guilty plea.

Haley Wilkinson, 30, admitted to driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident in connection to the death of 44-year-old John Eyster of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.

Just after 12:20 a.m. Sunday January 9, officers contacted the Wilkinson who was driving erratically in the 100 block of South Woodlawn Court, according to officer Paul Cruz.

First responders discovered the 2006 Nissan Maxima she was driving struck Eyster at the intersection of Ridgewood Drive and Douglas. EMS arrived on scene and pronounced Eyster dead at the scene.

Investigators determined Wilkinson was traveling on Douglas when she struck Eyster as he crossed the intersection of Ridgewood and Douglas and continued driving and until contacted by officers in the area. Alcohol was believed to be a factor at the time of the incident, according to Cruz.

Wilkinson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670949288437.png" alt="Wilkinson-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Wilkinson-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman charged in connection with a fatal DUI crash in January has entered a guilty plea.Haley Wilkinson, 30, admitted to driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident in connection to the death of 44-year-old John Eyster of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.Just after 12:20 a.m. Sunday January 9, officers contacted the Wilkinson who was driving erratically in the 100 block of South Woodlawn Court, according to officer Paul Cruz.First responders discovered the 2006 Nissan Maxima she was driving struck Eyster at the intersection of Ridgewood Drive and Douglas. EMS arrived on scene and pronounced Eyster dead at the scene.Investigators determined Wilkinson was traveling on Douglas when she struck Eyster as he crossed the intersection of Ridgewood and Douglas and continued driving and until contacted by officers in the area. Alcohol was believed to be a factor at the time of the incident, according to Cruz.Wilkinson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. woman admits driving drunk in crash that killed pedestrian

KANSAS CITY—A jury&nbsp; convicted Dmarius M. Bozeman in the fatal shooting in February 2021 of Khasheme Strother, who was inside a Kansas City residence on W. Pennway with her three children, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In September, a Jackson County jury convicted 34-year-old Bozeman of Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree, one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child 2nd Degree and three additional counts of Armed Criminal Action.

The judge on Friday sentenced the defendant to 25 years on Murder 2nd Degree and five years on the other counts. He set the 25-year sentence and the 5-year sentence to run consecutively for a total of 30 years.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded to the 1900 block of W. Pennway Terrace on a reported shooting. Police found two deceased adults and another injured adult. The injured adult stated he had called 911. In the 911 recording he indicates he shot the adult male, Ramond Hill, 19 in self defense and that he also shot Strother after he was jumped. 

Bozeman said Strother was his girlfriend and the other victim was her son. Three juveniles were in the residence at the time of the shooting. Bozeman told police he had been in a struggle with Strother and he fired what he thought were two warning shots. Soon after he saw she had been shot. Bozeman said he fired at Hill after he came back inside the residence and fired shots at him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613846513415.png" alt="Bozeman-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Bozeman-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A jury&nbsp; convicted Dmarius M. Bozeman in the fatal shooting in February 2021 of Khasheme Strother, who was inside a Kansas City residence on W. Pennway with her three children, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In September, a Jackson County jury convicted 34-year-old Bozeman of Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree, one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child 2nd Degree and three additional counts of Armed Criminal Action.The judge on Friday sentenced the defendant to 25 years on Murder 2nd Degree and five years on the other counts. He set the 25-year sentence and the 5-year sentence to run consecutively for a total of 30 years.According to court records, Kansas City police responded to the 1900 block of W. Pennway Terrace on a reported shooting. Police found two deceased adults and another injured adult. The injured adult stated he had called 911. In the 911 recording he indicates he shot the adult male, Ramond Hill, 19 in self defense and that he also shot Strother after he was jumped. Bozeman said Strother was his girlfriend and the other victim was her son. Three juveniles were in the residence at the time of the shooting. Bozeman told police he had been in a struggle with Strother and he fired what he thought were two warning shots. Soon after he saw she had been shot. Bozeman said he fired at Hill after he came back inside the residence and fired shots at him.

KC man sentenced for killing girlfriend in front of her kids

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;signed gay marriage legislation into law Tuesday before a crowd of thousands, a ceremony that reflected growing acceptance of same-sex unions.

Click the video below to watch the performers and the signing ceremony

“This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms," Biden said on the South Lawn of the White House. "And that’s why this law matters to every single American.”

Lawmakers from both parties were there, as well as first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. Singers Sam Smith and Cyndi Lauper performed.

“For once, our families, mine and a lot of my friends — and people you know, sometimes your neighbors — we can rest easy tonight, because our families are validated," Lauper said at the White House briefing room before the ceremony.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wore the same purple tie to the ceremony that he wore to his daughter's wedding. His daughter and her wife are expecting their first child in the spring.

“Thanks to the dogged work of many of my colleagues, my grandchild will live in a world that will respect and honor their mothers' marriage," Schumer said on the Senate floor in the morning.

The triumphant mood played out against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-legislature-gay-rights-raleigh-government-and-politics-84892bee21af98cfd80d56481ca05458">a right-wing backlash</a>&nbsp;over gender issues, which has alarmed gay and transgender people and their advocates. Biden criticized the “callous, cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who give children the care they need."

“Racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, they’re all connected," Biden said. “But the antidote to hate is love.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670966508355.png" alt="Kansas 3rd Dist. Congresswoman Sharice Davids standing next to Vice President Harris during the bill signing. White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 3rd Dist. Congresswoman Sharice Davids standing next to Vice President Harris during the bill signing. White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;signed gay marriage legislation into law Tuesday before a crowd of thousands, a ceremony that reflected growing acceptance of same-sex unions.Click the video below to watch the performers and the signing ceremony<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Eazf0tm_rE?start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms," Biden said on the South Lawn of the White House. "And that’s why this law matters to every single American.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670966716167.png" alt="Cyndi Lauper performed "True Colors" and&nbsp; and Sam Smith performed "Stay With Me."-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Cyndi Lauper performed "True Colors" and&nbsp; and Sam Smith performed "Stay With Me."-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Lawmakers from both parties were there, as well as first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. Singers Sam Smith and Cyndi Lauper performed.“For once, our families, mine and a lot of my friends — and people you know, sometimes your neighbors — we can rest easy tonight, because our families are validated," Lauper said at the White House briefing room before the ceremony.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wore the same purple tie to the ceremony that he wore to his daughter's wedding. His daughter and her wife are expecting their first child in the spring.“Thanks to the dogged work of many of my colleagues, my grandchild will live in a world that will respect and honor their mothers' marriage," Schumer said on the Senate floor in the morning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670967401299.png" alt="A gay men's chorus from the District of Columbia performed during the event-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>A gay men's chorus from the District of Columbia performed during the event-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>The triumphant mood played out against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-legislature-gay-rights-raleigh-government-and-politics-84892bee21af98cfd80d56481ca05458">a right-wing backlash</a>&nbsp;over gender issues, which has alarmed gay and transgender people and their advocates. Biden criticized the “callous, cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who give children the care they need."“Racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, they’re all connected," Biden said. “But the antidote to hate is love.”Among the attendees were the owner of Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado where five people were killed in a shooting last month, and two survivors of the attack. The suspect has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-colorado-hate-crimes-springs-b9be567920a55986c57af59535ac9f61">charged with hate crimes.</a>Plaintiffs from lawsuits that originally helped secure the nationwide right to gay marriage were also there.“It's not lost on me that our struggle for freedom hasn't been achieved," said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "But this is a huge step forward, and we have to celebrate the victories we achieve and use that to fuel the future of the fight.”Robinson attended the ceremony with her wife and 1-year-old child.“Our kids are watching this moment,” she said. “It's very special to have them here and show them that we're on the right side of history.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ten years ago, President Biden announced his support for marriage equality – becoming the highest-ranking U.S. government official to do so. Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> signed historic legislation to protect marriage for same-sex and interracial couples. <a href="https://t.co/ylZ8hYF86m">pic.twitter.com/ylZ8hYF86m</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1602779023511363584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new law is intended to safeguard gay marriages if the U.S. Supreme Court ever reverses Obergefell v. Hodges, its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marriage-anthony-kennedy-ohio-state-government-united-states-tennessee-9dc57b83f3ae2fc7d2e007aa80bf33a3">2015 decision legalizing same-sex unions nationwide</a>. The new law also protects interracial marriages. In 1967, the Supreme Court in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-courts-supreme-courts-c6df18d20eb141e1b55bd5c3b02bf91d">Loving v. Virginia</a>&nbsp;struck down laws in 16 states barring interracial marriage.The signing marks the culmination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-wisconsin-rob-portman-marriage-tammy-baldwin-91b12650871afaa87a479d3018a4fded">a monthslong bipartisan effort</a>&nbsp;sparked by the Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion available across the country.In a concurring opinion in the case that overturned Roe, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested revisiting other decisions, including the legalization of gay marriage, generating fear that more civil rights could be imperiled by the court’s conservative majority. Thomas did not include interracial marriage with other cases he said should be reconsidered.Lawmakers crafted a compromise that was intended to assuage conservative concerns about religious liberty, such as ensuring churches could still refuse to perform gay marriages.In addition, states will not be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But they will be required to recognize marriages conducted elsewhere in the country.A majority of Republicans in Congress still voted against the legislation. However, enough supported it to sidestep a filibuster in the Senate and ensure its passage.Tuesday’s ceremony marks another chapter in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-ohio-state-government-and-texas-4d369bd85e52b030ff1813dcafc9f7bd">Biden’s legacy on gay rights.</a>He memorably — and unexpectedly — endorsed same-sex unions in a television interview in 2012, when he was vice president. Days later, President Barack Obama announced that he also supported gay marriage.A clip of the interview was played at the ceremony."What this is all about is a simple proposition: Who do you love?" Biden said on NBC's “Meet the Press" a decade ago. "Who do you love and will you be loyal to the person you love? And that is what people are finding out is what all marriages at their root are about."A Gallup poll showed only 27% of U.S. adults supported same-sex unions in 1996, when President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, which said the federal government would only recognize heterosexual marriages. Biden voted for the legislation.By the time of Biden's 2012 interview, gay marriage remained controversial, but support had expanded to roughly half of U.S. adults, according to Gallup. Earlier this year, 71% said same-sex unions should be recognized by law.Biden has pushed to expand LGBT rights since taking office. He reversed President Donald Trump’s efforts to strip transgender people of anti-discrimination protections. His administration includes the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-climate-cabinets-transportation-adaccf75c41ecf0b1628c009521d425f">first openly gay Cabinet member</a>, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-religion-biden-cabinet-pennsylvania-coronavirus-pandemic-fce5cef9b8f3c99a5c5d20d3a68207b5">first transgender person to receive Senate confirmation</a>, Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine.