By ROBERT ZULLO <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/reliability-watchdog-warns-of-potential-electric-shortfalls-this-winter/">States Newsroom</a>

The nonprofit regulator charged with 
helping ensure the reliability of the North American electric grid is 
warning of potential electric supply shortfalls during severe weather 
this winter in several regions of the country.

Earlier this month, the North 
American Electric Reliability Corporation, which sets and enforces 
reliability standards for the bulk power system in the U.S., Canada and 
part of Mexico, said New England and parts of the South and Midwest, are
 “at risk of having insufficient energy supplies during severe winter 
weather.”

The organization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_WRA_2022.pdf">pointed</a> to fuel supply problems, potential shipping disruptions,
 limited natural gas infrastructure, fossil and nuclear plant 
retirements and high potential peak electric demand as contributing risk
 factors during sustained cold weather.

“While the grid has a sufficient 
supply of capacity resources under normal winter conditions, we are 
concerned that some areas are highly vulnerable to extreme and prolonged
 cold,” said John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessment and 
performance analysis, in a statement. “As a result, load-shedding may be
 required to maintain reliability.” 
(<a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergynewsroom.com/storm-center/restoration/loadshed/#:~:text=When%20the%20demand%20for%20electricity,is%20called%20%E2%80%9Cshedding%20load.%E2%80%9D">Load-shedding</a> means intentionally interrupting the flow of electricity to customers to reduce the strain on the grid.)

For the part of the grid overseen by the <a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/09/26/amid-a-massive-american-clean-energy-shift-grid-operators-play-catch-up/">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a>,
 an area that includes all or parts of 15 U.S. states including Nebraska
 and Iowa. &nbsp;NERC worries that more than 4.2 gigawatts of nuclear and 
coal power plants have been retired. That’s the rough equivalent of four
 large (1,000 megawatt) power plants.

“An extreme cold-weather event that 
extends deep into MISO’s area could lead to high generator outages from 
inadequate weatherization in southern units and unavailability of fuel 
for natural-gas-fired generators,” the report says.

MISO predicts its peak winter demand 
will be 102 gigawatts, with 113 gigawatts of electric generation 
available “under normal grid conditions,” Brandon Morris, a spokesman, 
said in an email. The organization’s all-time peak winter record for 
power demand was 109 gigawatts on Jan. 6, 2017.&nbsp; However, Morris said 
staff members from the organization noted in a winter readiness workshop
 last month that extreme cold weather, intense winter storms and/or fuel
 supply issues could create challenges for MISO and local utilities.

Power generators in MISO, however, 
have shown improvement in preparing their plants for extreme weather, 
according to a winterization survey the organization conducted, Morris 
said.&nbsp;

NERC made a broad series of 
recommendations to mitigate risks to the power grid from extreme 
weather. First, it said power generators should be preparing for winter 
conditions and communicating with grid operators. They also should 
ensure they have adequate fuel on hand and the organizations that 
monitor them should keep tabs on fuel supplies as well. But NERC also 
urged state regulators and policymakers to “preserve critical generation
 resources at risk of retirement prior to the winter season and support 
requests for environmental and transportation waivers.”

Holly Bender, the Sierra Club’s 
senior director of energy campaigns, called NERC’s suggestion to suspend
 environmental rules to keep fossil plants running “the wrong strategy.”
 Rather, Bender said the report makes the case that reliance on fossil 
fuels itself poses risks and she urged state regulators to instead push 
energy efficiency and weatherization programs that will cut power use. 
“Whether it’s water shortages in the summer or frozen coal piles and 
short fuel supply in the winter, fossil fuels like coal and gas struggle
 through extreme weather,” she said. “In addition to the public health, 
environmental, and climate impacts, fossil fuels are increasingly 
unreliable, contributing to energy insecurity and unpredictable price 
spikes that impact the most vulnerable members of our communities the 
most.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670086191293.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROBERT ZULLO <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/reliability-watchdog-warns-of-potential-electric-shortfalls-this-winter/">States Newsroom</a>The nonprofit regulator charged with 
helping ensure the reliability of the North American electric grid is 
warning of potential electric supply shortfalls during severe weather 
this winter in several regions of the country.Earlier this month, the North 
American Electric Reliability Corporation, which sets and enforces 
reliability standards for the bulk power system in the U.S., Canada and 
part of Mexico, said New England and parts of the South and Midwest, are
 “at risk of having insufficient energy supplies during severe winter 
weather.”The organization <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_WRA_2022.pdf">pointed</a> to fuel supply problems, potential shipping disruptions,
 limited natural gas infrastructure, fossil and nuclear plant 
retirements and high potential peak electric demand as contributing risk
 factors during sustained cold weather.“While the grid has a sufficient 
supply of capacity resources under normal winter conditions, we are 
concerned that some areas are highly vulnerable to extreme and prolonged
 cold,” said John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessment and 
performance analysis, in a statement. “As a result, load-shedding may be
 required to maintain reliability.” 
(<a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergynewsroom.com/storm-center/restoration/loadshed/#:~:text=When%20the%20demand%20for%20electricity,is%20called%20%E2%80%9Cshedding%20load.%E2%80%9D">Load-shedding</a> means intentionally interrupting the flow of electricity to customers to reduce the strain on the grid.)For the part of the grid overseen by the <a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/09/26/amid-a-massive-american-clean-energy-shift-grid-operators-play-catch-up/">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a>,
 an area that includes all or parts of 15 U.S. states including Nebraska
 and Iowa. &nbsp;NERC worries that more than 4.2 gigawatts of nuclear and 
coal power plants have been retired. That’s the rough equivalent of four
 large (1,000 megawatt) power plants.“An extreme cold-weather event that 
extends deep into MISO’s area could lead to high generator outages from 
inadequate weatherization in southern units and unavailability of fuel 
for natural-gas-fired generators,” the report says.MISO predicts its peak winter demand 
will be 102 gigawatts, with 113 gigawatts of electric generation 
available “under normal grid conditions,” Brandon Morris, a spokesman, 
said in an email. The organization’s all-time peak winter record for 
power demand was 109 gigawatts on Jan. 6, 2017.&nbsp; However, Morris said 
staff members from the organization noted in a winter readiness workshop
 last month that extreme cold weather, intense winter storms and/or fuel
 supply issues could create challenges for MISO and local utilities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670086259419.png" alt=" Utility area covered by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. (Courtesy of MISO)" />
 <figcaption> Utility area covered by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. (Courtesy of MISO)</figcaption>
 </figure>Power generators in MISO, however, 
have shown improvement in preparing their plants for extreme weather, 
according to a winterization survey the organization conducted, Morris 
said.&nbsp;NERC made a broad series of 
recommendations to mitigate risks to the power grid from extreme 
weather. First, it said power generators should be preparing for winter 
conditions and communicating with grid operators. They also should 
ensure they have adequate fuel on hand and the organizations that 
monitor them should keep tabs on fuel supplies as well. But NERC also 
urged state regulators and policymakers to “preserve critical generation
 resources at risk of retirement prior to the winter season and support 
requests for environmental and transportation waivers.”Holly Bender, the Sierra Club’s 
senior director of energy campaigns, called NERC’s suggestion to suspend
 environmental rules to keep fossil plants running “the wrong strategy.”
 Rather, Bender said the report makes the case that reliance on fossil 
fuels itself poses risks and she urged state regulators to instead push 
energy efficiency and weatherization programs that will cut power use. 
“Whether it’s water shortages in the summer or frozen coal piles and 
short fuel supply in the winter, fossil fuels like coal and gas struggle
 through extreme weather,” she said. “In addition to the public health, 
environmental, and climate impacts, fossil fuels are increasingly 
unreliable, contributing to energy insecurity and unpredictable price 
spikes that impact the most vulnerable members of our communities the 
most.”

Reliability watchdog warns of winter electric shortfalls

ALLEN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead Saturday evening in Chanute, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office contacted the KBI for investigative assistance.

At around 4:50 p.m., Casey M. Dye, 43, of Petrolia, Kansas, arrived at the Allen County Sheriff’s Office and provided a statement to sheriff’s deputies.

Shortly after, law enforcement officers located a deceased man in a vehicle inside an automotive glass shop at&nbsp;7545 Kansas Highway 39, in&nbsp;Chanute. The man, who was identified as Ryan M. Holcomb, 45, from Chanute, had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers arrested Dye on a requested charge of first-degree murder. He was booked into the Allen County Jail. Additional charges are expected.

Investigators allege Dye killed Holcomb Saturday morning at a rural property in Allen County, and then moved his body to the business in Chanute where he was discovered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670178241829.png" alt="Dye-photo Allen County" />
 <figcaption>Dye-photo Allen County</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead Saturday evening in Chanute, according to a media release from the KBI.Just after 5p.m. Saturday, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office contacted the KBI for investigative assistance.At around 4:50 p.m., Casey M. Dye, 43, of Petrolia, Kansas, arrived at the Allen County Sheriff’s Office and provided a statement to sheriff’s deputies.Shortly after, law enforcement officers located a deceased man in a vehicle inside an automotive glass shop at&nbsp;7545 Kansas Highway 39, in&nbsp;Chanute. The man, who was identified as Ryan M. Holcomb, 45, from Chanute, had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Officers arrested Dye on a requested charge of first-degree murder. He was booked into the Allen County Jail. Additional charges are expected.Investigators allege Dye killed Holcomb Saturday morning at a rural property in Allen County, and then moved his body to the business in Chanute where he was discovered.

KBI: Suspect moved victim's body after rural Kansas murder

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/01/kansas-supreme-court-justice-tackles-states-severe-shortage-of-rural-attorneys/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp; Eighty percent of all 
active Kansas attorneys live in six urban counties, leaving Kansas rural
 communities struggling to find legal help. The newly created Rural 
Justice Initiative Committee plans to tackle the issue, with the goal of
 attracting attorneys to practices in rural areas.

In Kansas, there’s a ratio of two 
attorneys per 535 residents in urban areas, and a ration of one attorney
 per 808 residents in rural areas, according to the Kansas Judicial 
Branch. Wichita and Hodgeman counties have no attorneys at all, and five
 other rural counties have only one practicing attorney in the area. 
Eleven rural counties in the state have only two practicing attorneys in
 the area.

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice 
Marla Luckert created the committee Thursday with an executive order. 
Luckert said the lack of attorneys constituted a crisis, damaging the 
lives of rural residents.

“We have to recognize that there is 
not access to justice, and the system of seeking redress for those 
grievances is unbalanced because it’s financially inaccessible, or 
individuals have no lawyer or otherwise lack the resources to get the 
information they need to navigate the complex system and procedures of 
redressing that grievance,” Luckert said.

The 35-member committee, headed by 
Justice K.J. Wall, will collect data on the legal needs of rural 
populations, make recommendations about existing Kansas rural attorney 
recruitment projects and study demographic trends. At the end of 18 
months, the committee will report back to the Supreme Court with its 
initial recommendations.&nbsp;

The six counties containing most 
attorneys are Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and 
Wyandotte. The attorney shortage isn’t the only shortage rural Kansans 
struggle with. With 57% of the state’s population living in these six 
urban counties, rural areas are left without medical workers, veterans 
and other young professionals who are drawn to urban areas.&nbsp;

Luckert said young attorneys were 
overwhelmingly drawn to larger cities with bigger social scenes, such as
 Kansas City and Lawrence. According to data from the Kansas Judicial 
Branch, there are only 1,578 practicing attorneys available for the 1.25
 million Kansans living in the other 99 counties across the state.&nbsp;

Committee members said they would 
have to address social factors that prevent young attorneys from moving 
to rural areas, such as the lack of shopping centers, activities and 
fewer romantic prospects.&nbsp;

“Good luck,” Luckert said. “It’s a big task.”&nbsp;

Committee member Ashley Comeau, an 
attorney practicing in Plainville, said she had firsthand experience 
with this, moving to Kansas City as a young attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Practically speaking, outside of the
 practice of law, if you are a young, unmarried person fresh out of law 
school, you significantly decrease your dating chance in rural Kansas. I
 couldn’t get to Kansas City fast enough,” Comeau said.&nbsp;

Comeau only moved to rural Kansas 
after marrying her husband, whom she met at a small town festival. She 
said she would still be practicing law in Kansas City had she not met 
him.&nbsp;

“There just aren’t that many young people in rural Kansas as you’d like to see,” Comeau said. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669990030880.png" alt="Chief Justice Marla Luckert said the lack of attorneys in rural Kansas areas was at a crisis point. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Chief Justice Marla Luckert said the lack of attorneys in rural Kansas areas was at a crisis point. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/01/kansas-supreme-court-justice-tackles-states-severe-shortage-of-rural-attorneys/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp; Eighty percent of all 
active Kansas attorneys live in six urban counties, leaving Kansas rural
 communities struggling to find legal help. The newly created Rural 
Justice Initiative Committee plans to tackle the issue, with the goal of
 attracting attorneys to practices in rural areas.In Kansas, there’s a ratio of two 
attorneys per 535 residents in urban areas, and a ration of one attorney
 per 808 residents in rural areas, according to the Kansas Judicial 
Branch. Wichita and Hodgeman counties have no attorneys at all, and five
 other rural counties have only one practicing attorney in the area. 
Eleven rural counties in the state have only two practicing attorneys in
 the area.Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice 
Marla Luckert created the committee Thursday with an executive order. 
Luckert said the lack of attorneys constituted a crisis, damaging the 
lives of rural residents.“We have to recognize that there is 
not access to justice, and the system of seeking redress for those 
grievances is unbalanced because it’s financially inaccessible, or 
individuals have no lawyer or otherwise lack the resources to get the 
information they need to navigate the complex system and procedures of 
redressing that grievance,” Luckert said.The 35-member committee, headed by 
Justice K.J. Wall, will collect data on the legal needs of rural 
populations, make recommendations about existing Kansas rural attorney 
recruitment projects and study demographic trends. At the end of 18 
months, the committee will report back to the Supreme Court with its 
initial recommendations.&nbsp;The six counties containing most 
attorneys are Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and 
Wyandotte. The attorney shortage isn’t the only shortage rural Kansans 
struggle with. With 57% of the state’s population living in these six 
urban counties, rural areas are left without medical workers, veterans 
and other young professionals who are drawn to urban areas.&nbsp;Luckert said young attorneys were 
overwhelmingly drawn to larger cities with bigger social scenes, such as
 Kansas City and Lawrence. According to data from the Kansas Judicial 
Branch, there are only 1,578 practicing attorneys available for the 1.25
 million Kansans living in the other 99 counties across the state.&nbsp;Committee members said they would 
have to address social factors that prevent young attorneys from moving 
to rural areas, such as the lack of shopping centers, activities and 
fewer romantic prospects.&nbsp;“Good luck,” Luckert said. “It’s a big task.”&nbsp;Committee member Ashley Comeau, an 
attorney practicing in Plainville, said she had firsthand experience 
with this, moving to Kansas City as a young attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Practically speaking, outside of the
 practice of law, if you are a young, unmarried person fresh out of law 
school, you significantly decrease your dating chance in rural Kansas. I
 couldn’t get to Kansas City fast enough,” Comeau said.&nbsp;Comeau only moved to rural Kansas 
after marrying her husband, whom she met at a small town festival. She 
said she would still be practicing law in Kansas City had she not met 
him.&nbsp;“There just aren’t that many young people in rural Kansas as you’d like to see,” Comeau said.

Kansas Supreme Court justice tackles rural attorney shortage

KANSAS CITY (AP) —When members of the small Pennsylvania chapter of Secular Democrats of America log on for their monthly meetings, they're not there for a virtual happy hour.

“We don’t sit around at our meetings patting ourselves on the back for not believing in God together,” said David Brown, a founder from the Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore.

The group, mostly consisting of atheists and agnostics, mobilizes to knock on doors and make phone calls on behalf of Democratic candidates “who are pro-science, pro-democracy, whether or not they are actually self-identified secular people,” he said. “We are trying to keep church and state separate. That encompasses LGBTQIA+, COVID science, bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.”

Brown describes his group as “small but mighty," yet they're riding a big wave.

Voters with no religious affiliation supported Democratic candidates and abortion rights by staggering percentages in the 2022 midterm elections.

And they're voting in large numbers. In 2022, some 22% of voters claimed no religious affiliation, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-only-on-ap-congress-a15f6d6ebd6f629c6e92531a0c7172e6">AP VoteCast</a>, an expansive survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide. They contributed to voting coalitions that gave Democrats victories in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona.

The unaffiliated — often nicknamed the “nones” — voted for Democratic House candidates nationwide over Republicans by more than a 2-1 margin (65% to 31%), according to VoteCast. That echoes the 2020 president election, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/votecast-trump-wins-white-evangelicals-d0cb249ea7eae29187a21a702dc84706">Democrat Joe Biden took 72% of voters</a>&nbsp;with no religious affiliation, while Republican Donald Trump took 25%, according to VoteCast.

For all the talk of the overwhelmingly Republican voting by white evangelical Christians in recent elections, the unaffiliated are making their presence felt.

Among all U.S. adults, 29% are nones — those who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — according a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/12/14/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-now-religiously-unaffiliated/">2021 report</a>&nbsp;by the Pew Research Center. That’s up 10 percentage points from a decade earlier, according to Pew. And the younger the adults, the more likely they are to be unaffiliated, according to a 2019 Pew analysis, further signaling the growing clout of the nones.

“People talk about how engaged white evangelicals are, but you don’t know the half of it,” said Ryan Burge, a professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University who focuses on the interaction of religious and political behavior.

Atheists and agnostics form only a subset of nones and are less numerous than evangelicals. But they are more likely than evangelicals to make a campaign donation, attend a political meeting or join a protest, Burge said, citing the Harvard-affiliated Cooperative Election Study.

“When you consider how involved they are in political activity, you realize how important they are at the ballot box,” he said.

The nones equaled Catholics at 22% of the electorate, though they were barely half the figure for Protestants and other Christians (43%), according to VoteCast. Other religious groups totaled 13%, including 3% Jewish and 1% Muslim.

Separately, 30% of voters identified as born again or evangelical Christians.

In several bellwether races this year, the secular vote made its impact felt, according to AP VoteCast.

__About four in five people with no religious affiliation voted against abortion restrictions in referendums in Michigan and Kentucky.

__Between two-thirds and three-quarters of nones supported Democratic candidates in statewide races in Arizona and Wisconsin.

__About four in five people with no religion voted for Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman, the Democrats elected Pennsylvania's newest governor and senator, respectively.

While Shapiro openly speaks about his Jewish values motivating his public service, Fetterman has not incorporated any discernible religious tradition in his public statements. He often frames issues in ethical terms— such as promoting criminal justice reform and raising the minimum wage, even calling abortion rights “sacred” — without reference to a religious tradition.

Fetterman's campaign did not return a request for comment.

The secular population is a diverse group, Pew reported in 2021. Two-thirds identify as “nothing in particular” — a group that is alienated from politics as well as religion, Burge said.

But atheists and agnostics, though only a third of the nones, punch above their weight, given their heavy involvement in politics.

The twin trends of a growing secular cohort among Democrats and the increased religiosity of Republicans are not coincidental.

Several prominent Republican candidates and their supporters have promoted Christian nationalism, which fuses an American and Christian sense of identity, mission and symbols.

That prompts a reaction by many secular voters, Burge said: “At least among white people, it’s become clear the Democratic Party has become the party for the non-religious people.”

Yet it's not their party alone. The Democratic coalition draws heavily from religious groups — Black Protestants, liberal Jews, Catholics of color. The Black church tradition, in particular, has a highly devout base in support of moderate and progressive policies.

“I think the Democrats have the biggest problem in the world because they have to keep atheists and Black Protestants happy at the same time,” Burge said.

Tensions surfaced in 2019 when the Democratic National Committee passed a resolution praising the religiously unaffiliated in language that some saw as overstating their clout and denigrating religious values.

Differences between secular and religious Democrats showed up in VoteCast. Majorities of Democratic voters across all religious affiliations say abortion should be legal at least most of the time, but 6 in 10 Democratic voters unaffiliated with a religion say it should always be legal, compared with about 4 in 10 Democratic voters affiliated with Christian traditions. In general, 69% of Democratic voters unaffiliated with a religion identify as liberal, compared with 46% of Christians who voted for Democrats.

But growing secular constituency doesn't worry Bishop William Barber, a leader in one of the nation's most prominent faith-based progressive movements.

“Jesus didn’t worry about it, so why would I?” said Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, which calls for moral advocacy by faith and other leaders on behalf of the poor, immigrants and other marginalized communities. “Jesus said the one who is not against me is for me.”

“We have a lot of people who claim they’re agnostic or atheist, and they will come to our rallies,” said Barber, who is also co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. “They will say, ‘I don’t necessarily believe in God, but I believe in right. I believe in love. I do believe in justice.’”

Brown, of the Secular Democrats group in Pennsylvania, said he had no problem supporting Democratic candidates like Shapiro, who talked openly about his Jewish values on the campaign trail. His opponent, Republican Doug Mastriano, incorporated Christian nationalist themes and imagery in his campaign.

“While on the one hand I am frustrated that politicians feel the need to justify their doing the right thing by religious affiliation, I also appreciate that this was a calculated decision to appeal to religious voters,” Brown said. “I have no problem with it because I feel it was in the service of defeating a Christian nationalist candidate on the other side.”

In fact, Brown even traveled to Georgia in late November to campaign door-to-door for an ordained minister — Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, the Democrat in a runoff election. And for the same reason — despite religious differences, he sees Warnock as sharing many of the values of secular voters.

By PETER SMITH&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —When members of the small Pennsylvania chapter of Secular Democrats of America log on for their monthly meetings, they're not there for a virtual happy hour.“We don’t sit around at our meetings patting ourselves on the back for not believing in God together,” said David Brown, a founder from the Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore.The group, mostly consisting of atheists and agnostics, mobilizes to knock on doors and make phone calls on behalf of Democratic candidates “who are pro-science, pro-democracy, whether or not they are actually self-identified secular people,” he said. “We are trying to keep church and state separate. That encompasses LGBTQIA+, COVID science, bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.”Brown describes his group as “small but mighty," yet they're riding a big wave.Voters with no religious affiliation supported Democratic candidates and abortion rights by staggering percentages in the 2022 midterm elections.And they're voting in large numbers. In 2022, some 22% of voters claimed no religious affiliation, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-only-on-ap-congress-a15f6d6ebd6f629c6e92531a0c7172e6">AP VoteCast</a>, an expansive survey of more than 94,000 voters nationwide. They contributed to voting coalitions that gave Democrats victories in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona.The unaffiliated — often nicknamed the “nones” — voted for Democratic House candidates nationwide over Republicans by more than a 2-1 margin (65% to 31%), according to VoteCast. That echoes the 2020 president election, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/votecast-trump-wins-white-evangelicals-d0cb249ea7eae29187a21a702dc84706">Democrat Joe Biden took 72% of voters</a>&nbsp;with no religious affiliation, while Republican Donald Trump took 25%, according to VoteCast.For all the talk of the overwhelmingly Republican voting by white evangelical Christians in recent elections, the unaffiliated are making their presence felt.Among all U.S. adults, 29% are nones — those who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — according a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/12/14/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-now-religiously-unaffiliated/">2021 report</a>&nbsp;by the Pew Research Center. That’s up 10 percentage points from a decade earlier, according to Pew. And the younger the adults, the more likely they are to be unaffiliated, according to a 2019 Pew analysis, further signaling the growing clout of the nones.“People talk about how engaged white evangelicals are, but you don’t know the half of it,” said Ryan Burge, a professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University who focuses on the interaction of religious and political behavior.Atheists and agnostics form only a subset of nones and are less numerous than evangelicals. But they are more likely than evangelicals to make a campaign donation, attend a political meeting or join a protest, Burge said, citing the Harvard-affiliated Cooperative Election Study.“When you consider how involved they are in political activity, you realize how important they are at the ballot box,” he said.The nones equaled Catholics at 22% of the electorate, though they were barely half the figure for Protestants and other Christians (43%), according to VoteCast. Other religious groups totaled 13%, including 3% Jewish and 1% Muslim.Separately, 30% of voters identified as born again or evangelical Christians.In several bellwether races this year, the secular vote made its impact felt, according to AP VoteCast.__About four in five people with no religious affiliation voted against abortion restrictions in referendums in Michigan and Kentucky.__Between two-thirds and three-quarters of nones supported Democratic candidates in statewide races in Arizona and Wisconsin.__About four in five people with no religion voted for Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman, the Democrats elected Pennsylvania's newest governor and senator, respectively.While Shapiro openly speaks about his Jewish values motivating his public service, Fetterman has not incorporated any discernible religious tradition in his public statements. He often frames issues in ethical terms— such as promoting criminal justice reform and raising the minimum wage, even calling abortion rights “sacred” — without reference to a religious tradition.Fetterman's campaign did not return a request for comment.The secular population is a diverse group, Pew reported in 2021. Two-thirds identify as “nothing in particular” — a group that is alienated from politics as well as religion, Burge said.But atheists and agnostics, though only a third of the nones, punch above their weight, given their heavy involvement in politics.The twin trends of a growing secular cohort among Democrats and the increased religiosity of Republicans are not coincidental.Several prominent Republican candidates and their supporters have promoted Christian nationalism, which fuses an American and Christian sense of identity, mission and symbols.That prompts a reaction by many secular voters, Burge said: “At least among white people, it’s become clear the Democratic Party has become the party for the non-religious people.”Yet it's not their party alone. The Democratic coalition draws heavily from religious groups — Black Protestants, liberal Jews, Catholics of color. The Black church tradition, in particular, has a highly devout base in support of moderate and progressive policies.“I think the Democrats have the biggest problem in the world because they have to keep atheists and Black Protestants happy at the same time,” Burge said.Tensions surfaced in 2019 when the Democratic National Committee passed a resolution praising the religiously unaffiliated in language that some saw as overstating their clout and denigrating religious values.Differences between secular and religious Democrats showed up in VoteCast. Majorities of Democratic voters across all religious affiliations say abortion should be legal at least most of the time, but 6 in 10 Democratic voters unaffiliated with a religion say it should always be legal, compared with about 4 in 10 Democratic voters affiliated with Christian traditions. In general, 69% of Democratic voters unaffiliated with a religion identify as liberal, compared with 46% of Christians who voted for Democrats.But growing secular constituency doesn't worry Bishop William Barber, a leader in one of the nation's most prominent faith-based progressive movements.“Jesus didn’t worry about it, so why would I?” said Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, which calls for moral advocacy by faith and other leaders on behalf of the poor, immigrants and other marginalized communities. “Jesus said the one who is not against me is for me.”“We have a lot of people who claim they’re agnostic or atheist, and they will come to our rallies,” said Barber, who is also co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. “They will say, ‘I don’t necessarily believe in God, but I believe in right. I believe in love. I do believe in justice.’”Brown, of the Secular Democrats group in Pennsylvania, said he had no problem supporting Democratic candidates like Shapiro, who talked openly about his Jewish values on the campaign trail. His opponent, Republican Doug Mastriano, incorporated Christian nationalist themes and imagery in his campaign.“While on the one hand I am frustrated that politicians feel the need to justify their doing the right thing by religious affiliation, I also appreciate that this was a calculated decision to appeal to religious voters,” Brown said. “I have no problem with it because I feel it was in the service of defeating a Christian nationalist candidate on the other side.”In fact, Brown even traveled to Georgia in late November to campaign door-to-door for an ordained minister — Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, the Democrat in a runoff election. And for the same reason — despite religious differences, he sees Warnock as sharing many of the values of secular voters.

Non-religious voters wield clout, tilt heavily Democratic

SUMNER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a dead body found in rural Sumner County, believed to be connected to an ongoing investigation in Wichita and have arrested one suspect.

On November 29th, WPD officers were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as 31-year-old Saul Chavez Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita. 

It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.

On Wednesday, November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence.

Police located the vehicle on Thursday, December 1st near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.

Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. Investigators with WPD and members of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office are working to confirm the body's identity, but at this time, it is believed to be Boone.

The investigation is still in the early stages, but at this time, it is not believed to be a random incident, and it is believed that the victim and suspects are known to each other.

Police took Turner into custody on Saturday and are actively searching for Saul Chavez&nbsp;Valenciana and in connection to this case. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073183">Turner is being held</a> on requested charges of first degree murder, burglary and possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.

If anyone has information regarding his location, please call 911. Additionally, should you wish to remain anonymous, you can submit tips to Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670023341610.png" alt="Valenciana-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Valenciana-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a dead body found in rural Sumner County, believed to be connected to an ongoing investigation in Wichita and have arrested one suspect.On November 29th, WPD officers were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances, according to Officer Chad Ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670173983028.png" alt="Turner-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Turner-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as 31-year-old Saul Chavez Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita. It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.On Wednesday, November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence.Police located the vehicle on Thursday, December 1st near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. Investigators with WPD and members of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office are working to confirm the body's identity, but at this time, it is believed to be Boone.The investigation is still in the early stages, but at this time, it is not believed to be a random incident, and it is believed that the victim and suspects are known to each other.Police took Turner into custody on Saturday and are actively searching for Saul Chavez&nbsp;Valenciana and in connection to this case. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073183">Turner is being held</a> on requested charges of first degree murder, burglary and possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.If anyone has information regarding his location, please call 911. Additionally, should you wish to remain anonymous, you can submit tips to Crime Stoppers by calling 316-267-2111.

Police capture 1 suspect in Kansas murder investigation

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — When BNSF railroad conductor Justin Schaaf needed to take time off from work this summer, he had to make a choice: go to the dentist to get a cavity in his molar filled or attend a party for his son's 7th birthday.

"Ultimately I decided to take the day off for my kid’s birthday party,” Schaaf said. “Then when I am finally able to get into the dentist four, five, six months later, the tooth is too bad to repair at that point, so I have to get the tooth pulled out.”

Those are the kind of tradeoffs that railroad workers worry they might still have to make after Congress voted this week to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-pete-buttigieg-strikes-congress-c95510555dcd4cdc2d839e61d1195b06">impose a contract</a>&nbsp;on them to avoid the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">economic disaster</a>&nbsp;that would accompany a railroad strike. Workers and their unions say the deal didn’t do enough to address their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns</a>&nbsp;and didn’t add any sick days.

President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-fe5f657b036b2b612d072368584e00cd">signed a bill</a>&nbsp;Friday to block a strike and force workers to accept the agreements union leaders made in September, even though four of the 12 unions — which include a majority of rail workers — voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">reject them.</a>&nbsp;Business groups had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">urging</a>&nbsp;Biden to intervene for weeks.

For Schaaf, he's not sure if the new contract will make it any easier to find another day off sometime next year to pay to have a fake tooth implanted in his mouth.

“If I had the option of taking a sick day ... I would have never been in that situation,” he said from his home in Glasgow, Montana.

Schaaf said it was discouraging, but not surprising, to see Congress step in to settle the contract dispute ahead of next Friday's strike deadline. Lawmakers have made a habit of stepping in to impose contracts when railroads and their unions reach the brink of a strike — 18 times since the passage of the 1926 Railway Labor Act, by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uschamber.com/security/supply-chain/fact-sheet-congress-has-intervened-18-times-in-railroad-labor-negotiations">U.S. Chamber of Commerce's count</a>&nbsp;— because of the potential economic consequences.

Many businesses rely on railroads to deliver raw materials and ship their final products, so a rail strike would send a catastrophic ripple through the economy. Passenger railroads also would be disrupted because so many use tracks owned by the freight railroads.

The five-year deals that rail workers wound up with include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. But concerns about the lack of paid sick time and the demanding schedules that unions say make it hard for workers to ever take a day off dominated the contract talks. The rail unions say they weren’t able to get more concessions out of the railroads because the big companies knew Congress would intervene.

The railroads&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">refused</a>&nbsp;to add paid sick days to the deal at the end of three years of negotiations because they didn’t want to pay much more than a special board of arbitrators appointed by Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">recommended</a>&nbsp;this summer. Plus, the railroads say the unions have agreed over the years to forego paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits that kick in after as little as four days.

The railroads agreed to offer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-government-and-politics-6172442e20ccf3295b39c2f3184e03cf">three unpaid days</a>&nbsp;for engineers and conductors to tend to medical needs as long as they are scheduled at least 30 days in advance. They also promised to negotiate further to improve the way regular days off are scheduled to help workers better know when they will be off.

But to retired engineer Jeff Kurtz, there is still a lot of work to be done to restore the quality of life he enjoyed before he left the railroad eight years ago. He doubts rail workers today would be able to get time off for key family events on short notice the way he did when he found out his son was getting his doctorate right before Christmas in 2009.

“You hear when you hire out on the railroad you’re going to miss some things. But you’re not supposed to miss everything,” said Kurtz, who remains active even in retirement with the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from every union. “You shouldn’t miss your kids growing up. You shouldn’t miss the seminal moments in your family’s life.”

Over the past six years, the major railroads have eliminated nearly one-third of their jobs as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">overhauled operations</a>, making the work more demanding for those who remain.

The unions say they won’t stop fighting for more paid sick leave, but now they may have to wait for negotiations on the next contract beginning in 2025.

The head of the Association of American Railroads trade group, Ian Jefferies, acknowledged “there is more to be done to further address our employees’ work-life balance concerns” but he said the compromise deals that Congress voted to impose should help make schedules more predictable while delivering the biggest raises rail workers have seen in more than four decades.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669996927368.png" alt="President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-fe5f657b036b2b612d072368584e00cd">signed a bill</a>&nbsp;Friday to block a strike and force workers to accept the agreements union leaders made in September-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-fe5f657b036b2b612d072368584e00cd">signed a bill</a>&nbsp;Friday to block a strike and force workers to accept the agreements union leaders made in September-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — When BNSF railroad conductor Justin Schaaf needed to take time off from work this summer, he had to make a choice: go to the dentist to get a cavity in his molar filled or attend a party for his son's 7th birthday.He chose his son."Ultimately I decided to take the day off for my kid’s birthday party,” Schaaf said. “Then when I am finally able to get into the dentist four, five, six months later, the tooth is too bad to repair at that point, so I have to get the tooth pulled out.”Those are the kind of tradeoffs that railroad workers worry they might still have to make after Congress voted this week to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-pete-buttigieg-strikes-congress-c95510555dcd4cdc2d839e61d1195b06">impose a contract</a>&nbsp;on them to avoid the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">economic disaster</a>&nbsp;that would accompany a railroad strike. Workers and their unions say the deal didn’t do enough to address their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality-of-life concerns</a>&nbsp;and didn’t add any sick days.President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-government-and-politics-fe5f657b036b2b612d072368584e00cd">signed a bill</a>&nbsp;Friday to block a strike and force workers to accept the agreements union leaders made in September, even though four of the 12 unions — which include a majority of rail workers — voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">reject them.</a>&nbsp;Business groups had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">urging</a>&nbsp;Biden to intervene for weeks.For Schaaf, he's not sure if the new contract will make it any easier to find another day off sometime next year to pay to have a fake tooth implanted in his mouth.“If I had the option of taking a sick day ... I would have never been in that situation,” he said from his home in Glasgow, Montana.Schaaf said it was discouraging, but not surprising, to see Congress step in to settle the contract dispute ahead of next Friday's strike deadline. Lawmakers have made a habit of stepping in to impose contracts when railroads and their unions reach the brink of a strike — 18 times since the passage of the 1926 Railway Labor Act, by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uschamber.com/security/supply-chain/fact-sheet-congress-has-intervened-18-times-in-railroad-labor-negotiations">U.S. Chamber of Commerce's count</a>&nbsp;— because of the potential economic consequences.Many businesses rely on railroads to deliver raw materials and ship their final products, so a rail strike would send a catastrophic ripple through the economy. Passenger railroads also would be disrupted because so many use tracks owned by the freight railroads.The five-year deals that rail workers wound up with include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. But concerns about the lack of paid sick time and the demanding schedules that unions say make it hard for workers to ever take a day off dominated the contract talks. The rail unions say they weren’t able to get more concessions out of the railroads because the big companies knew Congress would intervene.The railroads&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">refused</a>&nbsp;to add paid sick days to the deal at the end of three years of negotiations because they didn’t want to pay much more than a special board of arbitrators appointed by Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">recommended</a>&nbsp;this summer. Plus, the railroads say the unions have agreed over the years to forego paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits that kick in after as little as four days.The railroads agreed to offer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-government-and-politics-6172442e20ccf3295b39c2f3184e03cf">three unpaid days</a>&nbsp;for engineers and conductors to tend to medical needs as long as they are scheduled at least 30 days in advance. They also promised to negotiate further to improve the way regular days off are scheduled to help workers better know when they will be off.But to retired engineer Jeff Kurtz, there is still a lot of work to be done to restore the quality of life he enjoyed before he left the railroad eight years ago. He doubts rail workers today would be able to get time off for key family events on short notice the way he did when he found out his son was getting his doctorate right before Christmas in 2009.“You hear when you hire out on the railroad you’re going to miss some things. But you’re not supposed to miss everything,” said Kurtz, who remains active even in retirement with the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from every union. “You shouldn’t miss your kids growing up. You shouldn’t miss the seminal moments in your family’s life.”Over the past six years, the major railroads have eliminated nearly one-third of their jobs as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">overhauled operations</a>, making the work more demanding for those who remain.The unions say they won’t stop fighting for more paid sick leave, but now they may have to wait for negotiations on the next contract beginning in 2025.The head of the Association of American Railroads trade group, Ian Jefferies, acknowledged “there is more to be done to further address our employees’ work-life balance concerns” but he said the compromise deals that Congress voted to impose should help make schedules more predictable while delivering the biggest raises rail workers have seen in more than four decades.

Railroad workers: Deal won't resolve quality-of-life concerns

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season keeps getting worse.

Health officials said Friday that 7.5% of outpatient medical visits last week were due to flu-like illnesses. That's as high as the peak of the 2017-18 flu season and higher than any season since.

The annual winter flu season usually doesn’t get going until December or January, but this one began early and has been complicated by the simultaneous spread of other viruses.

The measure of traffic in doctor's offices is based on reports of symptoms like coughs and sore throats, not on lab-confirmed diagnoses. So it may include other respiratory illnesses.

That makes it hard to compare to flu seasons from before the COVID-19 pandemic. Other years also didn't have this year's unusually strong wave of RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of cold-like symptoms that can be serious for infants and the elderly.

Meanwhile, 44 states reported high or very high flu activity last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

That may not bode well for the near future. It's likely there was more spread of respiratory viruses during Thanksgiving gatherings and at crowded airports, experts say.

The dominant flu strain so far is the kind typically associated with higher rates of hospitalizations and deaths, particularly in people 65 and older.

The CDC estimates there have been at least 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths from flu so far this season. The deaths include at least 14 children.

Flu shots are recommended for nearly all Americans who are at least 6 months old or older.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670014458189.png" alt="CDC Flu map&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>CDC Flu map&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season keeps getting worse.Health officials said Friday that 7.5% of outpatient medical visits last week were due to flu-like illnesses. That's as high as the peak of the 2017-18 flu season and higher than any season since.The annual winter flu season usually doesn’t get going until December or January, but this one began early and has been complicated by the simultaneous spread of other viruses.The measure of traffic in doctor's offices is based on reports of symptoms like coughs and sore throats, not on lab-confirmed diagnoses. So it may include other respiratory illnesses.That makes it hard to compare to flu seasons from before the COVID-19 pandemic. Other years also didn't have this year's unusually strong wave of RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of cold-like symptoms that can be serious for infants and the elderly.Meanwhile, 44 states reported high or very high flu activity last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.That may not bode well for the near future. It's likely there was more spread of respiratory viruses during Thanksgiving gatherings and at crowded airports, experts say.The dominant flu strain so far is the kind typically associated with higher rates of hospitalizations and deaths, particularly in people 65 and older.The CDC estimates there have been at least 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths from flu so far this season. The deaths include at least 14 children.Flu shots are recommended for nearly all Americans who are at least 6 months old or older.___

Flu season worsens as Kan. and Mo. report high activity

NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;&nbsp;an apparent drowning accident at the <a href="https://cityofcentraliaks.org/Centralia-Lake">Centralia Lake</a>, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's office.

&nbsp;The&nbsp; lake reopened to the public on Saturday. The sheriff's office reported no additional details.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

&nbsp;The&nbsp; lake is currently closed to the public and no boats will be allowed on the water at this time.

The sheriff's office reported no additional details.&nbsp;

NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;&nbsp;an apparent drowning accident at the <a href="https://cityofcentraliaks.org/Centralia-Lake">Centralia Lake</a>, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;The&nbsp; lake reopened to the public on Saturday. The sheriff's office reported no additional details.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.------------NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp;&nbsp;an apparent drowning accident at the <a href="https://cityofcentraliaks.org/Centralia-Lake">Centralia Lake</a>, according to a social media report from the Nemaha County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;The&nbsp; lake is currently closed to the public and no boats will be allowed on the water at this time.The sheriff's office reported no additional details.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Kansas lake now open to the public after drowning investigation

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas providers might not be ready for months to do telemedicine abortions even though a state-court judge has blocked the state from enforcing its ban on teleconferencing with patients seeking pregnancy-ending medications.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains said it is evaluating its options following the order from Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson. It operates three clinics in Kansas providing abortions.

A spokesperson for Wichita clinic operator Trust Women said it hopes to resume telemedicine abortions but will move slowly. It provided them for a few months in 2018,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/990b0aab4eb54e598f088ffec8d88178">filing a lawsuit challenging the ban</a>&nbsp;just before it took effect at the start of 2019.

“There is a lot of infrastructure that needs to go into place to make sure it’s the right way to do it,” said Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, the Trust Women spokesperson, citing more staffing as a big need.

Kansas has required doctors to be physically present when a patient takes the first dose of what often is two doses of pregnancy-ending medication.

The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in April 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state constitution, but Watson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c20774f4be7945f8a9a3e931557e65bd">refused in July 2019</a>&nbsp;to block enforcement of the ban while Trust Women's legal challenge moved forward. The state Court of Appeals overturned that decision in May and ordered Watson to reconsider not blocking the ban's enforcement.

Kansas voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the state constitution to declare that it doesn't grant a right to abortion.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas providers might not be ready for months to do telemedicine abortions even though a state-court judge has blocked the state from enforcing its ban on teleconferencing with patients seeking pregnancy-ending medications.Planned Parenthood Great Plains said it is evaluating its options following the order from Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson. It operates three clinics in Kansas providing abortions.A spokesperson for Wichita clinic operator Trust Women said it hopes to resume telemedicine abortions but will move slowly. It provided them for a few months in 2018,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/990b0aab4eb54e598f088ffec8d88178">filing a lawsuit challenging the ban</a>&nbsp;just before it took effect at the start of 2019.“There is a lot of infrastructure that needs to go into place to make sure it’s the right way to do it,” said Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, the Trust Women spokesperson, citing more staffing as a big need.Kansas has required doctors to be physically present when a patient takes the first dose of what often is two doses of pregnancy-ending medication.The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in April 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state constitution, but Watson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c20774f4be7945f8a9a3e931557e65bd">refused in July 2019</a>&nbsp;to block enforcement of the ban while Trust Women's legal challenge moved forward. The state Court of Appeals overturned that decision in May and ordered Watson to reconsider not blocking the ban's enforcement.Kansas voters in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment to the state constitution to declare that it doesn't grant a right to abortion.

Kansas providers cautious about doing telemedicine abortions

WICHITA —A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography according to the United State's Attorney.

As part of a 7 month investigation, Cherokee County Sheriff's Detectives arrested Joel Cypert, 35, of Columbus on Friday,&nbsp;according to Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

He is accused of creating sexually explicit images of a prepubescent, minor victim and accused of sending child pornography.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) are investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669913644714.png" alt="Cypert-photo Cherokee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cypert-photo Cherokee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography according to the United State's Attorney.As part of a 7 month investigation, Cherokee County Sheriff's Detectives arrested Joel Cypert, 35, of Columbus on Friday,&nbsp;according to Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.He is accused of creating sexually explicit images of a prepubescent, minor victim and accused of sending child pornography.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) are investigating the case.

Kansas man accused of creating, sending child porn

PAWNEE COUNTY — Judi Lynn Allison, 50 of Delphos, Kansas, faced a jury trial in&nbsp;Pawnee County District Court this week regarding a felony criminal complaint, according to County Attorney Doug McNett.

The jury heard testimony that on September 28, 2019, the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residence north of Garfield, Kansas, regarding a possible theft. Upon arrival, the deputy was advised the owner of the property passed away in December of 2018 and his eldest daughter named executrix of the estate. 

The deceased had been a self-employed farm mechanic. An estate auction was scheduled for October 5, 2019, to sell his equipment and shop tools. However, when the executrix and auctioneer arrived at the property to start putting items on trailers in preparation for the upcoming auction, they discovered all of the tools had been removed from her father's service truck which had been locked in a tool shed. There was no evidence of forced entry.

The auctioneer testified that approximately a month before he had gone through the property with the executrix’s husband making notes for a sale bill, and at that time the service trucks’ approximate eight toolboxes had been full of miscellaneous shop tools. At trial, the auctioneer valued the missing property at approximately $1,200 but acknowledged he had testified at the Preliminary Hearing he believed the items to be worth between $1,700 and $2,500.

Additional testimony was presented that over Labor Day weekend the executrix had invited her father’s siblings to come to the property and take items that held sentimental value to them from the house and outbuildings. Allison, who was the deceased’s youngest sister, selected a few large items that would not fit in her vehicle. The family moved those selected items to the locked tool shed and granted Allison permission to come back to the property at a later date to retrieve them.

A neighbor came forward after the auction and advised law enforcement that one evening he’d noticed the tool shed door open and so he stopped because he knew no one should be there. He testified at trial that he discovered Allison and her husband in the shed. He further testified that he saw approximately six large boxes of what he believed to be tools loaded in their enclosed trailer. Trail cam video confirmed that the Allisons spent approximately two hours on the property the evening of September 5, 2019.

When contacted by family and law enforcement, Allison denied any knowledge of the missing tools. A search warrant was executed on the Allison’s Ottawa County rural residence on December 12, 2019. The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for 21 missing shop tools that were clearly identified on the auction sale bill. Law enforcement seized nine items from the Allison residence which they believed matched the property descriptions. At the time the search warrant was executed, Allison claimed the items seized were her husband’s.

At trial, however, Allison took the stand in her own defense and testified that four of the nine tools seized from her home had in fact came from her brother’s estate but argued her niece had given her permission to take the items.

The jury made up of 7 women and 5 men deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning Guilty verdict Wednesday evening of Theft of Property worth less than $1,500.

After accepting the verdict, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman ordered a presentence investigation report be completed to determine a restitution amount. Sentencing will scheduled once the report is completed. The defendant remains free on her own recognizance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618667325929.jpeg" alt="Allison photo from an earlier arrest in Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Allison photo from an earlier arrest in Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY — Judi Lynn Allison, 50 of Delphos, Kansas, faced a jury trial in&nbsp;Pawnee County District Court this week regarding a felony criminal complaint, according to County Attorney Doug McNett.The jury heard testimony that on September 28, 2019, the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residence north of Garfield, Kansas, regarding a possible theft. Upon arrival, the deputy was advised the owner of the property passed away in December of 2018 and his eldest daughter named executrix of the estate. The deceased had been a self-employed farm mechanic. An estate auction was scheduled for October 5, 2019, to sell his equipment and shop tools. However, when the executrix and auctioneer arrived at the property to start putting items on trailers in preparation for the upcoming auction, they discovered all of the tools had been removed from her father's service truck which had been locked in a tool shed. There was no evidence of forced entry.The auctioneer testified that approximately a month before he had gone through the property with the executrix’s husband making notes for a sale bill, and at that time the service trucks’ approximate eight toolboxes had been full of miscellaneous shop tools. At trial, the auctioneer valued the missing property at approximately $1,200 but acknowledged he had testified at the Preliminary Hearing he believed the items to be worth between $1,700 and $2,500.Additional testimony was presented that over Labor Day weekend the executrix had invited her father’s siblings to come to the property and take items that held sentimental value to them from the house and outbuildings. Allison, who was the deceased’s youngest sister, selected a few large items that would not fit in her vehicle. The family moved those selected items to the locked tool shed and granted Allison permission to come back to the property at a later date to retrieve them.A neighbor came forward after the auction and advised law enforcement that one evening he’d noticed the tool shed door open and so he stopped because he knew no one should be there. He testified at trial that he discovered Allison and her husband in the shed. He further testified that he saw approximately six large boxes of what he believed to be tools loaded in their enclosed trailer. Trail cam video confirmed that the Allisons spent approximately two hours on the property the evening of September 5, 2019.When contacted by family and law enforcement, Allison denied any knowledge of the missing tools. A search warrant was executed on the Allison’s Ottawa County rural residence on December 12, 2019. The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for 21 missing shop tools that were clearly identified on the auction sale bill. Law enforcement seized nine items from the Allison residence which they believed matched the property descriptions. At the time the search warrant was executed, Allison claimed the items seized were her husband’s.At trial, however, Allison took the stand in her own defense and testified that four of the nine tools seized from her home had in fact came from her brother’s estate but argued her niece had given her permission to take the items.The jury made up of 7 women and 5 men deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning Guilty verdict Wednesday evening of Theft of Property worth less than $1,500.After accepting the verdict, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman ordered a presentence investigation report be completed to determine a restitution amount. Sentencing will scheduled once the report is completed. The defendant remains free on her own recognizance.

Kansas woman found guilty of estate sale theft

PALMDALE , Calif. (AP) — America’s newest nuclear stealth bomber made its debut Friday after years of secret development and as part of the Pentagon’s answer to rising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-middle-east-china-united-states-beijing-4521a349b4171b4e9792a5ed96f6f44f">concerns over a future conflict with China</a>.

The B-21 Raider is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-air-force-technology-mo-state-wire-politics-df0e81b91ad9a945032ba4972c754426">first new American bomber aircraft</a>&nbsp;in more than 30 years. Almost every aspect of the program is classified.

As evening fell over the Air Force’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, the public got its first glimpse of the Raider in a tightly controlled ceremony. It started with a flyover of the three bombers still in service: the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit. Then the hangar doors slowly opened and the B-21 was towed partially out of the building.

“This isn’t just another airplane,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. “It’s the embodiment of America’s determination to defend the republic that we all love.”

The B-21 is part of the Pentagon’s efforts to modernize all three legs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-nuclear-weapons-politics-01ec89ceb9224443880acd4213ef6c73">its nuclear triad</a>, which includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads, as it shifts from the counterterrorism campaigns of recent decades to meet China’s rapid military modernization.

China is on track to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-europe-china-united-states-beijing-af4dd76e993f450df7af8e63d1a0187c">1,500 nuclear weapons</a>&nbsp;by 2035, and its gains in hypersonics, cyber warfare and space capabilities present “the most consequential and systemic challenge to U.S. national security and the free and open international system,” the Pentagon said this week in its annual China report.

”We needed a new bomber for the 21st Century that would allow us to take on much more complicated threats, like the threats that we fear we would one day face from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-china-beijing-moscow-europe-3d694c61d318e083076b681cd913102d">China, Russia,</a>&nbsp;” said Deborah Lee James, the Air Force secretary when the Raider contract was announced in 2015.

While the Raider may resemble the B-2, once you get inside, the similarities stop, said Kathy Warden, chief executive of Northrop Grumman Corp., which is building the bomber.

“The way it operates internally is extremely advanced compared to the B-2, because the technology has evolved so much in terms of the computing capability that we can now embed in the software of the B-21,” Warden said.

Other changes include advanced materials used in coatings to make the bomber harder to detect, Austin said.

“Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft,” Austin said. “Even the most sophisticated air defense systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky.”

Other advances likely include new ways to control electronic emissions, so the bomber could spoof adversary radars and disguise itself as another object, and use of new propulsion technologies, several defense analysts said.

“It is incredibly low observability,” Warden said. “You’ll hear it, but you really won’t see it.”

Six Raiders are in production. The Air Force plans to build 100 that can deploy either nuclear weapons or conventional bombs and can be used with or without a human crew. Both the Air Force and Northrop also point to the Raider’s relatively quick development: The bomber went from contract award to debut in seven years. Other new fighter and ship programs have taken decades.

The cost of the bombers is unknown. The Air Force previously put the price at an average cost of $550 million each in 2010 dollars — roughly $753 million today — but it’s unclear how much is actually being spent. The total will depend on how many bombers the Pentagon buys.

“We will soon fly this aircraft, test it, and then move it into production. And we will build the bomber force in numbers suited to the strategic environment ahead,” Austin said.

The undisclosed cost troubles government watchdogs.

“It might be a big challenge for us to do our normal analysis of a major program like this,” said Dan Grazier, a senior defense policy fellow at the Project on Government Oversight. “It’s easy to say that the B-21 is still on schedule before it actually flies. Because it’s only when one of these programs goes into the actual testing phase when real problems are discovered." That, he said, is when schedules start to slip and costs rise.

The B-2 was also envisioned to be a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, but the Air Force built only 21, due to cost overruns and a changed security environment after the Soviet Union fell. Fewer than that are ready to fly on any given day due to the significant maintenance needs of the aging bomber.

The B-21 Raider, which takes its name from the 1942 Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, will be slightly smaller than the B-2 to increase its range, Warden said. It won’t make its first flight until 2023. However, Warden said Northrop Grumman has used advanced computing to test the bomber’s performance using a digital twin, a virtual replica of the one unveiled Friday.

Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota will house the bomber’s first training program and squadron, though the bombers are also expected to be stationed at bases in Texas and Missouri.

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican of South Dakota, led the state’s bid to host the bomber program. In a statement, he called it “the most advanced weapon system ever developed by our country to defend ourselves and our allies.”

Northrop Grumman has also incorporated maintenance lessons learned from the B-2, Warden said.

In October 2001, B-2 pilots set a record when they flew 44 hours straight to drop the first bombs in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. The B-2 often does long round-trip missions because there are few hangars globally that can accommodate its wingspan, which limits where it can land for maintenance. The hangars also must be air-conditioned because the Spirit’s windows don’t open and hot climates can cook cockpit electronics.

The new Raider will also get new hangars to accommodate its size and complexity, Warden said.

However, with the Raider’s extended range, ’it won’t need to be based in-theater,” Austin said. “It won’t need logistical support to hold any target at risk.”

A final noticeable difference was in the debut itself. While both went public in Palmdale, the B-2 was rolled outdoors in 1988 amid much public fanfare. Given advances in surveillance satellites and cameras, the Raider was just partially exposed, keeping its sensitive propulsion systems and sensors under the hangar and protected from overhead eyes.

“The magic of the platform,” Warden said, “is what you don’t see.”

PALMDALE , Calif. (AP) — America’s newest nuclear stealth bomber made its debut Friday after years of secret development and as part of the Pentagon’s answer to rising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-middle-east-china-united-states-beijing-4521a349b4171b4e9792a5ed96f6f44f">concerns over a future conflict with China</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Unveiled today, the B-21 Raider will be a dual-capable, penetrating-strike stealth bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. The B-21 will form the backbone of the future Air Force bomber force consisting of B-21s and B-52s.(U.S. Air Force photo) <a href="https://t.co/X6KSU7sy6U">pic.twitter.com/X6KSU7sy6U</a>&mdash; U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) <a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce/status/1598858254615912448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The B-21 Raider is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-air-force-technology-mo-state-wire-politics-df0e81b91ad9a945032ba4972c754426">first new American bomber aircraft</a>&nbsp;in more than 30 years. Almost every aspect of the program is classified.As evening fell over the Air Force’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, the public got its first glimpse of the Raider in a tightly controlled ceremony. It started with a flyover of the three bombers still in service: the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit. Then the hangar doors slowly opened and the B-21 was towed partially out of the building.“This isn’t just another airplane,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. “It’s the embodiment of America’s determination to defend the republic that we all love.”The B-21 is part of the Pentagon’s efforts to modernize all three legs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-nuclear-weapons-politics-01ec89ceb9224443880acd4213ef6c73">its nuclear triad</a>, which includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads, as it shifts from the counterterrorism campaigns of recent decades to meet China’s rapid military modernization.China is on track to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-europe-china-united-states-beijing-af4dd76e993f450df7af8e63d1a0187c">1,500 nuclear weapons</a>&nbsp;by 2035, and its gains in hypersonics, cyber warfare and space capabilities present “the most consequential and systemic challenge to U.S. national security and the free and open international system,” the Pentagon said this week in its annual China report.”We needed a new bomber for the 21st Century that would allow us to take on much more complicated threats, like the threats that we fear we would one day face from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-china-beijing-moscow-europe-3d694c61d318e083076b681cd913102d">China, Russia,</a>&nbsp;” said Deborah Lee James, the Air Force secretary when the Raider contract was announced in 2015.While the Raider may resemble the B-2, once you get inside, the similarities stop, said Kathy Warden, chief executive of Northrop Grumman Corp., which is building the bomber.“The way it operates internally is extremely advanced compared to the B-2, because the technology has evolved so much in terms of the computing capability that we can now embed in the software of the B-21,” Warden said.Other changes include advanced materials used in coatings to make the bomber harder to detect, Austin said.“Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft,” Austin said. “Even the most sophisticated air defense systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky.”Other advances likely include new ways to control electronic emissions, so the bomber could spoof adversary radars and disguise itself as another object, and use of new propulsion technologies, several defense analysts said.“It is incredibly low observability,” Warden said. “You’ll hear it, but you really won’t see it.”Six Raiders are in production. The Air Force plans to build 100 that can deploy either nuclear weapons or conventional bombs and can be used with or without a human crew. Both the Air Force and Northrop also point to the Raider’s relatively quick development: The bomber went from contract award to debut in seven years. Other new fighter and ship programs have taken decades.The cost of the bombers is unknown. The Air Force previously put the price at an average cost of $550 million each in 2010 dollars — roughly $753 million today — but it’s unclear how much is actually being spent. The total will depend on how many bombers the Pentagon buys.“We will soon fly this aircraft, test it, and then move it into production. And we will build the bomber force in numbers suited to the strategic environment ahead,” Austin said.The undisclosed cost troubles government watchdogs.“It might be a big challenge for us to do our normal analysis of a major program like this,” said Dan Grazier, a senior defense policy fellow at the Project on Government Oversight. “It’s easy to say that the B-21 is still on schedule before it actually flies. Because it’s only when one of these programs goes into the actual testing phase when real problems are discovered." That, he said, is when schedules start to slip and costs rise.The B-2 was also envisioned to be a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, but the Air Force built only 21, due to cost overruns and a changed security environment after the Soviet Union fell. Fewer than that are ready to fly on any given day due to the significant maintenance needs of the aging bomber.The B-21 Raider, which takes its name from the 1942 Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, will be slightly smaller than the B-2 to increase its range, Warden said. It won’t make its first flight until 2023. However, Warden said Northrop Grumman has used advanced computing to test the bomber’s performance using a digital twin, a virtual replica of the one unveiled Friday.Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota will house the bomber’s first training program and squadron, though the bombers are also expected to be stationed at bases in Texas and Missouri.U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican of South Dakota, led the state’s bid to host the bomber program. In a statement, he called it “the most advanced weapon system ever developed by our country to defend ourselves and our allies.”Northrop Grumman has also incorporated maintenance lessons learned from the B-2, Warden said.In October 2001, B-2 pilots set a record when they flew 44 hours straight to drop the first bombs in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. The B-2 often does long round-trip missions because there are few hangars globally that can accommodate its wingspan, which limits where it can land for maintenance. The hangars also must be air-conditioned because the Spirit’s windows don’t open and hot climates can cook cockpit electronics.The new Raider will also get new hangars to accommodate its size and complexity, Warden said.However, with the Raider’s extended range, ’it won’t need to be based in-theater,” Austin said. “It won’t need logistical support to hold any target at risk.”A final noticeable difference was in the debut itself. While both went public in Palmdale, the B-2 was rolled outdoors in 1988 amid much public fanfare. Given advances in surveillance satellites and cameras, the Raider was just partially exposed, keeping its sensitive propulsion systems and sensors under the hangar and protected from overhead eyes.“The magic of the platform,” Warden said, “is what you don’t see.”

Pentagon debuts new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Chris Wray is raising national security concerns about TikTok, warning Friday that control of the popular video sharing app is in the hands of a Chinese government “that doesn't share our values.”

Wray said the FBI was concerned that the Chinese had the ability to control the app’s recommendation algorithm, “which allows them to manipulate content, and if they want to, to use it for influence operations.” He also asserted that China could use the app to collect data on its users that could be used for traditional espionage operations.

"All of these things are in the hands of a government that doesn’t share our values and that has a mission that's very much at odds with what’s in the best interests of the United States. That should concern us,” Wray told an audience at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

Those concerns are similar to ones he raised during congressional appearances last month when the issue came up. And they come during ongoing dialogue in Washington about the app.

TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. A TikTok spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking comment on Friday.

But at a Senate hearing in September, TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas responded to questions from members of both parties by saying that the company protects all data from American users and that Chinese government officials have no access to it.

“We will never share data, period,” Pappas said.

Concerned about China’s influence over TikTok, the Trump administration in 2020 threatened to ban the app within the U.S. and pressured ByteDance to sell TikTok to a U.S. company. U.S. officials and the company are now in talks over a possible agreement that would resolve American security concerns, a process that Wray said was taking place across U.S. government agencies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670097767255.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Chris Wray is raising national security concerns about TikTok, warning Friday that control of the popular video sharing app is in the hands of a Chinese government “that doesn't share our values.”Wray said the FBI was concerned that the Chinese had the ability to control the app’s recommendation algorithm, “which allows them to manipulate content, and if they want to, to use it for influence operations.” He also asserted that China could use the app to collect data on its users that could be used for traditional espionage operations."All of these things are in the hands of a government that doesn’t share our values and that has a mission that's very much at odds with what’s in the best interests of the United States. That should concern us,” Wray told an audience at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.Those concerns are similar to ones he raised during congressional appearances last month when the issue came up. And they come during ongoing dialogue in Washington about the app.TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. A TikTok spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking comment on Friday.But at a Senate hearing in September, TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas responded to questions from members of both parties by saying that the company protects all data from American users and that Chinese government officials have no access to it.“We will never share data, period,” Pappas said.Concerned about China’s influence over TikTok, the Trump administration in 2020 threatened to ban the app within the U.S. and pressured ByteDance to sell TikTok to a U.S. company. U.S. officials and the company are now in talks over a possible agreement that would resolve American security concerns, a process that Wray said was taking place across U.S. government agencies.

FBI director raises national security concerns about TikTok

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen on connection with a series of alleged drug crimes.

On Friday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit made an arrest following an extensive investigation into multiple recent juvenile narcotics related overdoses in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Deputies arrested and booked Jackson C. Miller, 17, Topeka, into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of distribution of an opiate, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, use of a communication facility in committing a felony drug crime and possession with intent to sell prescription drugs.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen on connection with a series of alleged drug crimes.On Friday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit made an arrest following an extensive investigation into multiple recent juvenile narcotics related overdoses in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Deputies arrested and booked Jackson C. Miller, 17, Topeka, into the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested charges of distribution of an opiate, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, use of a communication facility in committing a felony drug crime and possession with intent to sell prescription drugs.

Kan. teen arrested following recent juvenile overdoses 

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A hotel proposal to address the city's needs for additional rooms to retain large events like the NJCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is on the agenda for the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday.

From the legal description of the land involved, it would be on parcels behind the Olive Garden and Mattress Firm where Waldron curves around between Aldi and 23rd.

According to agenda documents, the city of Hutchinson has been in need of additional hotel accommodations for the activities and events which occur within its city limits. Further, the city of Hutchinson is in need of a functioning conference center for meeting space for community groups and guests of hotel properties. Multiple studies and attempts to develop a hotel and conference center within the city have been made over the past several years without success.

The Resolution and Development Agreement before the council Tuesday proposes the construction of a hotel, conference center and restaurant by Amber Hotel, LLC. The developer will make an initial investment of at least $18 millions to construct an upper mid-scale hotel with 165 sleeping rooms, a conference room of a minimum 15,000 square feet including pre-function space and a franchise sit-down restaurant.

The city of Hutchinson will commit to the following:

1. One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) will be paid to the developer upon the completed construction of the hotel, conference center and franchise restaurant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670085786844.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — A hotel proposal to address the city's needs for additional rooms to retain large events like the NJCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is on the agenda for the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday.From the legal description of the land involved, it would be on parcels behind the Olive Garden and Mattress Firm where Waldron curves around between Aldi and 23rd.According to agenda documents, the city of Hutchinson has been in need of additional hotel accommodations for the activities and events which occur within its city limits. Further, the city of Hutchinson is in need of a functioning conference center for meeting space for community groups and guests of hotel properties. Multiple studies and attempts to develop a hotel and conference center within the city have been made over the past several years without success.The Resolution and Development Agreement before the council Tuesday proposes the construction of a hotel, conference center and restaurant by Amber Hotel, LLC. The developer will make an initial investment of at least $18 millions to construct an upper mid-scale hotel with 165 sleeping rooms, a conference room of a minimum 15,000 square feet including pre-function space and a franchise sit-down restaurant.The city of Hutchinson will commit to the following:1. One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) will be paid to the developer upon the completed construction of the hotel, conference center and franchise restaurant.2. The City will approve a Community Improvement District for the hotel project of two percent (2%).3. The City will issue a Letter of Intent to issue Eighteen Million Dollars ($18,000,000.00) in Industrial Revenue Bonds.4. The City shall pay to the developer Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per year for the first three (3) years of operation of the hotel after the Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.5. The City of Hutchinson will pay three percent (3%) of the seven percent (7%) transient guest taxes to the developer as long as the facility is operated as an upper mid-scale hotel pursuant to the Smith Travel Research Standards.The Hutchinson City Council meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall.