GRAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Saturday in Gray County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Dodge Durango driven by Alegandro Santiago, 44, Deming, New Mexico, was westbound on U.S. 50 two miles west of Ingalls.

The SUV veered to the left into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by Rudy&nbsp;Klassen, 37, Copeland.

EMS transported Santiago to St. Catherine Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Klassen was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Two juveniles were present in the semi. The KHP released no information on their status.

GRAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Saturday in Gray County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Dodge Durango driven by Alegandro Santiago, 44, Deming, New Mexico, was westbound on U.S. 50 two miles west of Ingalls.The SUV veered to the left into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by Rudy&nbsp;Klassen, 37, Copeland.EMS transported Santiago to St. Catherine Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Klassen was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Two juveniles were present in the semi. The KHP released no information on their status.

Man dies after head-on crash with a semi on Kansas highway

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Following threats and attacks on public officials, state lawmakers across the U.S. have stepped up efforts to shield personal information from being publicly disclosed about judges, police, elected officeholders and various public employees.

The measures generally are winning widespread support in state capitols — adding a layer of secrecy, in the name of safety, that could make it more difficult to determine whether public officials are complying with residency laws and paying their property taxes.

The efforts to exempt more information from public disclosure come despite the fact that many governments are more transparent than ever when it comes to their meetings — making permanent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-state-legislature-coronavirus-pandemic-4d6cf5821b44cb0ce70587305d5e1175">the online streaming options</a>&nbsp;spurred as a response to coronavirus-related restrictions on public gatherings.

That's led to a split assessment of government openness during Sunshine Week, an annual recognition of public information laws that began Sunday and runs through Saturday.

Though meetings may be more accessible, “basically, government is getting more secretive every year,” said David Cuillier, an associate journalism professor at the University of Arizona who has been analyzing data about government compliance with open-records laws.

People requesting records from the federal government are successful only about one-fifth of the time, down from a greater than 50% success rate more than a decade ago, according to Cuillier's research.

Information requests under state laws typically fair better, Cuillier said, but “every year, we get exemptions being passed in state legislatures all across the country, and that just seems to be accelerating.”

On a case-by-case basis, many public records exceptions may appear reasonable and justified. The movement to shield the home addresses of judges provides one good example.

In 2020, a man disgruntled with U.S. District Judge Esther Salas came to her New Jersey home disguised as a deliveryman and fatally shot her 20-year-old son while wounding her husband. New Jersey officials responded later that year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-laws-9c13dc83bdc9948e8af7249bbea13cde">enacting a law that exempted the home addresses</a>&nbsp;of current or retired judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers from disclosure under public records laws. The measure, called Daniel’s Law in honor of the judge’s son, also allowed covered officials to ask businesses or individuals to remove their home addresses from internet sites they control.

Though some states already had similar laws, the New Jersey case provided an impetus for action elsewhere. Most states now have laws prohibiting governmental entities from disclosing the home addresses of at least some public employees, with judges among the most commonly protected,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23702717-home-address-exemptions-in-state-foi-laws">according to research</a>&nbsp;by Jodie Gil, an associate journalism professor at Southern Connecticut State University.

A study panel of the Uniform Law Commission, a nonprofit organization that drafts potential legislation for state lawmakers, plans to recommend this spring that a common policy be drafted to exclude judges' home addresses and certain personal information from public-record disclosures, said Vince DeLiberato, director of Pennsylvania's Legislative Reference Bureau and chair of the study panel. The policy also could include an option to shield information for other public officials facing threats, he said.

Meanwhile, states are pressing forward with their own information-exemption laws for certain officials.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=44449">Missouri Senate recently voted 30-1 for legislation</a>&nbsp;that allows judges and prosecutors to request that their home addresses, phone numbers, personal email addresses, marital status, children's identities and other information be removed from public display. The shield would apply not only to government records and websites but also to privately run sites such as online phone directories and internet search engines. That bill is now pending in the House.

On the same day as the Missouri vote, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64592">Georgia Senate voted 53-0 for legislation</a>&nbsp;allowing federal, state or local public employees to request that their residential addresses and phone numbers be removed from online property records posted by local governments. That bill is now pending in the House.

“We don’t want people to be able to track these folks down and cause harm," Georgia state Sen. Matt Brass, a Republican, said while explaining his bill to a Senate committee.

But Richard Griffiths, a former president of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, raised concerns about the unintended consequences, asserting that the New Jersey law “turned into a bit of a train wreck.” Some governments shut down entire databases because of uncertainty about exactly whose information should be removed from which public records, he said.

New Jersey lawmakers responded in January 2022 by tweaking the process in Daniel’s Law and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2020/A6171">establishing a state Office of Information Privacy</a>&nbsp;— funded with $3 million — to create an online portal through which judicial and law enforcement officials can request that their information be redacted.

Public records listing the home addresses of government officials can function as an important tool for journalists working on public accountability stories, Gil said. Addresses in voter registration files and property ownership records can be used to determine whether officials actually live in the district they represent or are delinquent on property taxes.

When she was working as a journalist a decade ago, Gil&nbsp;<a href="https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/article/Ansonia_Officials_Owe_Car_Taxes_But_Dont_Suffer_The_Consequences/">reported that a local tax collector</a>&nbsp;was certifying that some public officials had paid their vehicle taxes when they actually had not.

“It's something that I could have never even attempted if public records were not connecting public officials and their addresses,” Gil said. “I didn’t publish any address — I didn't say the mayor lives at this house — but I needed his address to confirm that he was paying his taxes.”

Lawmakers are taking a variety of approaches to address confidentiality this year.&nbsp;<a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3073">An Oregon bill</a>&nbsp;would prohibit the home addresses of elected officials and candidates from being publicly disclosed on voter registration lists.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&amp;bill_num=SB01157&amp;which_year=2023">A Connecticut bill</a>&nbsp;would add court marshals, attorney general's employees and workers in a state unit that determines services for people with disabilities to a list of about a dozen types of public employees whose home addresses are confidential under the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act.

The Connecticut bill is backed by state Attorney General William Tong, a Democrat who told lawmakers that his assistants are getting targeted online.

“People get really angry when they’re the subject of an enforcement action,” Tong said, "and sometimes they retaliate and they threaten people in my office with violence.”

But redacting public employee addresses from state records won't necessarily prevent threats and “provides employees with a false sense of comfort and security,” said Colleen Murphy, executive director of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, a state agency that administers and enforces open-records laws.

"For better or worse, the fact is that the residential addresses of most people are now readily available for free, or for a nominal charge, on the internet and through other commercial services,” Murphy said.

In New Mexico, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-1410b516f5b66c18d62342a0d7a9b60f">series of drive-by shootings</a>&nbsp;at the homes of Democratic elected officials prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=S&amp;legType=B&amp;legNo=180&amp;year=23">the Senate to pass legislation</a>&nbsp;that would let public officials keep secret their home addresses on election-related documents and government websites. The provision was included in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-political-violence-driveby-shootings-b963e0341516ccf6ea61131b88980fbb">a broader election bill</a>&nbsp;that is now pending in the House.

Among the supporters is Democratic state Sen. Linda Lopez, of Albuquerque, whose home was hit by multiple shots while her 10-year-old daughter was sleeping.

“I understand the issue on transparency," Lopez said, “but the day and time that we’re in, we really have to rethink what we are doing.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Following threats and attacks on public officials, state lawmakers across the U.S. have stepped up efforts to shield personal information from being publicly disclosed about judges, police, elected officeholders and various public employees.The measures generally are winning widespread support in state capitols — adding a layer of secrecy, in the name of safety, that could make it more difficult to determine whether public officials are complying with residency laws and paying their property taxes.The efforts to exempt more information from public disclosure come despite the fact that many governments are more transparent than ever when it comes to their meetings — making permanent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-state-legislature-coronavirus-pandemic-4d6cf5821b44cb0ce70587305d5e1175">the online streaming options</a>&nbsp;spurred as a response to coronavirus-related restrictions on public gatherings.That's led to a split assessment of government openness during Sunshine Week, an annual recognition of public information laws that began Sunday and runs through Saturday.Though meetings may be more accessible, “basically, government is getting more secretive every year,” said David Cuillier, an associate journalism professor at the University of Arizona who has been analyzing data about government compliance with open-records laws.People requesting records from the federal government are successful only about one-fifth of the time, down from a greater than 50% success rate more than a decade ago, according to Cuillier's research.Information requests under state laws typically fair better, Cuillier said, but “every year, we get exemptions being passed in state legislatures all across the country, and that just seems to be accelerating.”On a case-by-case basis, many public records exceptions may appear reasonable and justified. The movement to shield the home addresses of judges provides one good example.In 2020, a man disgruntled with U.S. District Judge Esther Salas came to her New Jersey home disguised as a deliveryman and fatally shot her 20-year-old son while wounding her husband. New Jersey officials responded later that year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-laws-9c13dc83bdc9948e8af7249bbea13cde">enacting a law that exempted the home addresses</a>&nbsp;of current or retired judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers from disclosure under public records laws. The measure, called Daniel’s Law in honor of the judge’s son, also allowed covered officials to ask businesses or individuals to remove their home addresses from internet sites they control.Though some states already had similar laws, the New Jersey case provided an impetus for action elsewhere. Most states now have laws prohibiting governmental entities from disclosing the home addresses of at least some public employees, with judges among the most commonly protected,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23702717-home-address-exemptions-in-state-foi-laws">according to research</a>&nbsp;by Jodie Gil, an associate journalism professor at Southern Connecticut State University.A study panel of the Uniform Law Commission, a nonprofit organization that drafts potential legislation for state lawmakers, plans to recommend this spring that a common policy be drafted to exclude judges' home addresses and certain personal information from public-record disclosures, said Vince DeLiberato, director of Pennsylvania's Legislative Reference Bureau and chair of the study panel. The policy also could include an option to shield information for other public officials facing threats, he said.Meanwhile, states are pressing forward with their own information-exemption laws for certain officials.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=44449">Missouri Senate recently voted 30-1 for legislation</a>&nbsp;that allows judges and prosecutors to request that their home addresses, phone numbers, personal email addresses, marital status, children's identities and other information be removed from public display. The shield would apply not only to government records and websites but also to privately run sites such as online phone directories and internet search engines. That bill is now pending in the House.On the same day as the Missouri vote, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64592">Georgia Senate voted 53-0 for legislation</a>&nbsp;allowing federal, state or local public employees to request that their residential addresses and phone numbers be removed from online property records posted by local governments. That bill is now pending in the House.“We don’t want people to be able to track these folks down and cause harm," Georgia state Sen. Matt Brass, a Republican, said while explaining his bill to a Senate committee.But Richard Griffiths, a former president of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, raised concerns about the unintended consequences, asserting that the New Jersey law “turned into a bit of a train wreck.” Some governments shut down entire databases because of uncertainty about exactly whose information should be removed from which public records, he said.New Jersey lawmakers responded in January 2022 by tweaking the process in Daniel’s Law and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2020/A6171">establishing a state Office of Information Privacy</a>&nbsp;— funded with $3 million — to create an online portal through which judicial and law enforcement officials can request that their information be redacted.Public records listing the home addresses of government officials can function as an important tool for journalists working on public accountability stories, Gil said. Addresses in voter registration files and property ownership records can be used to determine whether officials actually live in the district they represent or are delinquent on property taxes.When she was working as a journalist a decade ago, Gil&nbsp;<a href="https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/article/Ansonia_Officials_Owe_Car_Taxes_But_Dont_Suffer_The_Consequences/">reported that a local tax collector</a>&nbsp;was certifying that some public officials had paid their vehicle taxes when they actually had not.“It's something that I could have never even attempted if public records were not connecting public officials and their addresses,” Gil said. “I didn’t publish any address — I didn't say the mayor lives at this house — but I needed his address to confirm that he was paying his taxes.”Lawmakers are taking a variety of approaches to address confidentiality this year.&nbsp;<a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3073">An Oregon bill</a>&nbsp;would prohibit the home addresses of elected officials and candidates from being publicly disclosed on voter registration lists.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&amp;bill_num=SB01157&amp;which_year=2023">A Connecticut bill</a>&nbsp;would add court marshals, attorney general's employees and workers in a state unit that determines services for people with disabilities to a list of about a dozen types of public employees whose home addresses are confidential under the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act.The Connecticut bill is backed by state Attorney General William Tong, a Democrat who told lawmakers that his assistants are getting targeted online.“People get really angry when they’re the subject of an enforcement action,” Tong said, "and sometimes they retaliate and they threaten people in my office with violence.”But redacting public employee addresses from state records won't necessarily prevent threats and “provides employees with a false sense of comfort and security,” said Colleen Murphy, executive director of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, a state agency that administers and enforces open-records laws."For better or worse, the fact is that the residential addresses of most people are now readily available for free, or for a nominal charge, on the internet and through other commercial services,” Murphy said.In New Mexico, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-1410b516f5b66c18d62342a0d7a9b60f">series of drive-by shootings</a>&nbsp;at the homes of Democratic elected officials prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=S&amp;legType=B&amp;legNo=180&amp;year=23">the Senate to pass legislation</a>&nbsp;that would let public officials keep secret their home addresses on election-related documents and government websites. The provision was included in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-political-violence-driveby-shootings-b963e0341516ccf6ea61131b88980fbb">a broader election bill</a>&nbsp;that is now pending in the House.Among the supporters is Democratic state Sen. Linda Lopez, of Albuquerque, whose home was hit by multiple shots while her 10-year-old daughter was sleeping.“I understand the issue on transparency," Lopez said, “but the day and time that we’re in, we really have to rethink what we are doing.”

States shield addresses of judges, workers after threats

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for the rest of his life.

On Thursday, a judge sentenced 38-year-old Landon Lemons to six life sentences for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated criminal sodomy of a child under the age of 14, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

Lemons was originally booked on the charges in 2017, according to online jail records and charged in October of 2018.

The crimes occurred between August 1, 2009 and December 1, 2013.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679598340443.png" alt="Lemons-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Lemons-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for the rest of his life.On Thursday, a judge sentenced 38-year-old Landon Lemons to six life sentences for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated criminal sodomy of a child under the age of 14, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.Lemons was originally booked on the charges in 2017, according to online jail records and charged in October of 2018.The crimes occurred between August 1, 2009 and December 1, 2013.

Kansas man given 6 life sentences for child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY — A Kansas man and woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, according to the United State's attorney.

Alonso Alfredo Nunez, also known as “Bullet,” 19, and Jaloany Garcia-Medina, also known as “J. Lo,” 20, were charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on March 14. They were arrested Thursday and had their initial court appearance.

The federal indictment alleges that Nunez and Garcia-Medina participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from July 25 to Dec. 18, 2022. In addition to the conspiracy, Nunez and Gacia-Medina are also charged together in one count of distributing fentanyl. Garcia-Medina is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664309962436.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A Kansas man and woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, according to the United State's attorney.Alonso Alfredo Nunez, also known as “Bullet,” 19, and Jaloany Garcia-Medina, also known as “J. Lo,” 20, were charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on March 14. They were arrested Thursday and had their initial court appearance.The federal indictment alleges that Nunez and Garcia-Medina participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from July 25 to Dec. 18, 2022. In addition to the conspiracy, Nunez and Gacia-Medina are also charged together in one count of distributing fentanyl. Garcia-Medina is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl.

Kan. suspects nicknamed 'Bullet and J. Lo' accused of selling fentanyl

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a drug bust.

&nbsp;On Wednesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit&nbsp; and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 1700 Block SE Morrison Street in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen property and firearms.

As a result, 43-year-old Jason T. Fisher and 38-year-old Carrie Abram were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections .

They are being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of methamphetamine Possession of Marijuana, Distribution of drug paraphernalia, Possession of stolen property, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful acquire proceeds from drug transaction, Drug tax stamp, Counterfeiting currency and an Arrest Warrant

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679622907333.png" alt="Fisher has four previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Fisher has four previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a drug bust.&nbsp;On Wednesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit&nbsp; and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 1700 Block SE Morrison Street in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen property and firearms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679623014130.png" alt="Abram has three previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Abram has three previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result, 43-year-old Jason T. Fisher and 38-year-old Carrie Abram were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections .They are being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of methamphetamine Possession of Marijuana, Distribution of drug paraphernalia, Possession of stolen property, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful acquire proceeds from drug transaction, Drug tax stamp, Counterfeiting currency and an Arrest Warrant

Police: Two Kansas felons accused of counterfeiting cash 

KANSAS CITY, KS&nbsp;– The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against the owner of two Kansas restaurants who allegedly denied minimum and overtime wages to kitchen staff, servers, hosts and food runners after some worked as many as 66 hours per week, according to a statement from the USDL.

Filed this month, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, the department’s complaint alleges&nbsp;<a>El Toro Loco Legends LLC in Kansas City and El Toro Loco Lenexa LLC in Lenexa, and owner Alfonzo Herrera Hernandez</a>, committed multiple violations of the federal minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements. The suit also names general manager Eugenio Yanez and location manager Yareli Perez.

The court filing comes after an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division identified the violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and ordered the employers to pay $771,794 ­– $385,897 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – to 75 employees of the restaurants to resolve its infractions.

Specifically, division investigators determined the employers paid servers a cash wage of $2.30 per hour and then either paid them for 80 hours a pay period regardless of the number of hours they worked or paid time and one-half their cash wage of $2.30 per hour for overtime. By law, employers must pay tipped workers time-and-one-half the minimum wage minus the tip credit.

The division also found the restaurants paid kitchen workers, hosts and food runners a fixed wage, regardless of how many hours they worked, and denied overtime to a manager who failed to meet exemption requirements.

“Overtime violations in the restaurant industry are far too common, particularly among vulnerable employees who don’t understand their rights to overtime compensation under federal law,” said Wage and Hour District Director Reed Trone in Kansas City, Missouri. “The Wage and Hour Division provides confidential advice, if needed, to workers and employers unsure of federal wage standards and compliance with the law.” ­

The investigation reviewed the employer’s payroll records from May 24, 2020, to May 22, 2022. The department filed its complaint after El Toro Loco Legends LLC, El Toro Loco Lenexa LLC and Hernandez refused to resolve the wage violations administratively.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679618019519.png" alt="The division also found the restaurants paid kitchen workers, hosts and food runners a fixed wage, regardless of how many hours they worked, and denied overtime to a manager who failed to meet exemption requirements.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The division also found the restaurants paid kitchen workers, hosts and food runners a fixed wage, regardless of how many hours they worked, and denied overtime to a manager who failed to meet exemption requirements.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KS&nbsp;– The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against the owner of two Kansas restaurants who allegedly denied minimum and overtime wages to kitchen staff, servers, hosts and food runners after some worked as many as 66 hours per week, according to a statement from the USDL.Filed this month, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, the department’s complaint alleges&nbsp;<a>El Toro Loco Legends LLC in Kansas City and El Toro Loco Lenexa LLC in Lenexa, and owner Alfonzo Herrera Hernandez</a>, committed multiple violations of the federal minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements. The suit also names general manager Eugenio Yanez and location manager Yareli Perez.The court filing comes after an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division identified the violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and ordered the employers to pay $771,794 ­– $385,897 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – to 75 employees of the restaurants to resolve its infractions.Specifically, division investigators determined the employers paid servers a cash wage of $2.30 per hour and then either paid them for 80 hours a pay period regardless of the number of hours they worked or paid time and one-half their cash wage of $2.30 per hour for overtime. By law, employers must pay tipped workers time-and-one-half the minimum wage minus the tip credit.The division also found the restaurants paid kitchen workers, hosts and food runners a fixed wage, regardless of how many hours they worked, and denied overtime to a manager who failed to meet exemption requirements.“Overtime violations in the restaurant industry are far too common, particularly among vulnerable employees who don’t understand their rights to overtime compensation under federal law,” said Wage and Hour District Director Reed Trone in Kansas City, Missouri. “The Wage and Hour Division provides confidential advice, if needed, to workers and employers unsure of federal wage standards and compliance with the law.” ­The investigation reviewed the employer’s payroll records from May 24, 2020, to May 22, 2022. The department filed its complaint after El Toro Loco Legends LLC, El Toro Loco Lenexa LLC and Hernandez refused to resolve the wage violations administratively.&nbsp;

Dept. of Labor sues Kan. restaurants to recover minimum wage losses

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Kansas, Oklahoma and the FBI continue their investigation of a fatal officer-involved shooting.

Just after 12:30p.m. Friday, officers responded to the robbery at Impact Bank, 206 East Harvey in Wellington, according to a media release.

Bank officials reported a man entered the bank wearing a dark jacket with light-colored pants and a surgical mask. He handed a note to a bank employee demanding money. The suspect left the bank with an undetermined amount of cash.

Bank employees were able to obtain a description of the suspect’s vehicle and shared it with law enforcement. The Kansas Turnpike Authority notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that the suspect was southbound on Interstate 35.

A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle.

Oklahoma State Troopers began a pursuit and gunfire was exchanged. The pursuit ended when the suspect fled his vehicle on foot in a wooded area off Interstate 35 and Highway 412. When he attempted to fire at troopers again,&nbsp;he was shot and killed. No troopers were injured.

The OHP also reported the bomb squad was called to the scene because the suspect at one point claimed to have a bomb in his vehicle.&nbsp; Authorities have not released his name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679693670963.png" alt="No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Kansas, Oklahoma and the FBI continue their investigation of a fatal officer-involved shooting.Just after 12:30p.m. Friday, officers responded to the robbery at Impact Bank, 206 East Harvey in Wellington, according to a media release.Bank officials reported a man entered the bank wearing a dark jacket with light-colored pants and a surgical mask. He handed a note to a bank employee demanding money. The suspect left the bank with an undetermined amount of cash.Bank employees were able to obtain a description of the suspect’s vehicle and shared it with law enforcement. The Kansas Turnpike Authority notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that the suspect was southbound on Interstate 35.A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle. Oklahoma State Troopers began a pursuit and gunfire was exchanged. The pursuit ended when the suspect fled his vehicle on foot in a wooded area off Interstate 35 and Highway 412. When he attempted to fire at troopers again,&nbsp;he was shot and killed. No troopers were injured.The OHP also reported the bomb squad was called to the scene because the suspect at one point claimed to have a bomb in his vehicle.&nbsp; Authorities have not released his name.

Kan. bank robbery suspect who died claimed to have bomb

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation this week introduced legislation&nbsp;to prohibit the Federal Reserve from developing a direct-to-consumer central bank digital currency which could be used as a financial surveillance tool by the federal government, according to a statement from Cruz's office.&nbsp; The bill was cosponsored by Sens. Braun (R-Ind.) and Grassley (R-Iowa).&nbsp;

As countries like China develop CBDCs that omit the benefits and protections of cash, as well as the control and security of many existing digital cryptocurrencies, it is more important than ever to ensure the United States’ digital currency policy protects financial privacy, maintains the dollar’s dominance, and cultivates innovation.&nbsp;CBDCs that fail to adhere to these three basic principles could enable an entity like the Federal Reserve to mobilize itself into a retail bank, collect personally identifiable information on users, and track their transactions indefinitely. It is important to note that while the Fed does not, and should not, have the authority to offer retail bank accounts, it is already looking into what establishing a digital currency would look like.

Unlike decentralized digital currencies like Bitcoin, CBDCs are issued and backed by a government entity and transact on a centralized, permissioned blockchain. Not only would this CBDC model centralize Americans’ financial information, leaving it vulnerable to attack, it could be used as direct surveillance tool into the private transactions of Americans.

Upon introducing the legislation, Sen. Cruz said:

“The federal government has no authority to unilaterally establish a central bank currency. This bill goes a long way in making sure big government doesn’t attempt to centralize or control cryptocurrency and instead, allows it to thrive in the United States. We should be empowering entrepreneurs, enabling innovation, and increasing individual freedom—not stifling it.

"Allowing the government to centralize Americans’ financial information and increase surveillance of Americans’ financial activity is simply a bad idea. The federal government should not have even more control over your own money. I support this legislation to allow entrepreneurship to prosper and keep the federal government from further encroaching on your privacy rights."

“The American people ought to be able to spend their money how they choose without the possibility that every transaction could be tracked by the government. Policy this impactful should be made by Congress, not government bureaucrats, and our bill would ensure that no one is snooping on the finances of hardworking Americans. Every American deserves that peace of mind.”&nbsp;

Adam Brandon, president and CEO of FreedomWorks, said:

"The Federal Reserve’s exploration into Central Bank Digital Currency raises serious questions regarding the continued development of the digital economy, consumer privacy, and the eventual transition to a cashless system of payments. One of the most significant features that draw people to digital assets is decentralization, and there is no central authority that manages the supply and value of most digital assets. The United States must not follow countries like China down the path of digital authoritarianism but instead preserve a payment system that promotes consumer privacy and security."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation this week introduced legislation&nbsp;to prohibit the Federal Reserve from developing a direct-to-consumer central bank digital currency which could be used as a financial surveillance tool by the federal government, according to a statement from Cruz's office.&nbsp; The bill was cosponsored by Sens. Braun (R-Ind.) and Grassley (R-Iowa).&nbsp;As countries like China develop CBDCs that omit the benefits and protections of cash, as well as the control and security of many existing digital cryptocurrencies, it is more important than ever to ensure the United States’ digital currency policy protects financial privacy, maintains the dollar’s dominance, and cultivates innovation.&nbsp;CBDCs that fail to adhere to these three basic principles could enable an entity like the Federal Reserve to mobilize itself into a retail bank, collect personally identifiable information on users, and track their transactions indefinitely. It is important to note that while the Fed does not, and should not, have the authority to offer retail bank accounts, it is already looking into what establishing a digital currency would look like.Unlike decentralized digital currencies like Bitcoin, CBDCs are issued and backed by a government entity and transact on a centralized, permissioned blockchain. Not only would this CBDC model centralize Americans’ financial information, leaving it vulnerable to attack, it could be used as direct surveillance tool into the private transactions of Americans.Upon introducing the legislation, Sen. Cruz said:“The federal government has no authority to unilaterally establish a central bank currency. This bill goes a long way in making sure big government doesn’t attempt to centralize or control cryptocurrency and instead, allows it to thrive in the United States. We should be empowering entrepreneurs, enabling innovation, and increasing individual freedom—not stifling it.Sen. Braun said:"Allowing the government to centralize Americans’ financial information and increase surveillance of Americans’ financial activity is simply a bad idea. The federal government should not have even more control over your own money. I support this legislation to allow entrepreneurship to prosper and keep the federal government from further encroaching on your privacy rights."Sen. Grassley said:“The American people ought to be able to spend their money how they choose without the possibility that every transaction could be tracked by the government. Policy this impactful should be made by Congress, not government bureaucrats, and our bill would ensure that no one is snooping on the finances of hardworking Americans. Every American deserves that peace of mind.”&nbsp;Adam Brandon, president and CEO of FreedomWorks, said:"The Federal Reserve’s exploration into Central Bank Digital Currency raises serious questions regarding the continued development of the digital economy, consumer privacy, and the eventual transition to a cashless system of payments. One of the most significant features that draw people to digital assets is decentralization, and there is no central authority that manages the supply and value of most digital assets. The United States must not follow countries like China down the path of digital authoritarianism but instead preserve a payment system that promotes consumer privacy and security."

GOP bill seeks to ban central bank digital currency in US

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Wichita Police Department officer who retired this week is facing criminal charges.

Friday afternoon, investigators with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department notified the Wichita Police Department that the Sedgwick County District Attorney had charged former Police Captain Wendell Nicholson on eight counts of computer crimes.

Nicholson had been with the Wichita Police Department for 29 years prior to retiring. His last day with the department was March 23.

The district attorney's office released no additional details

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679705722312.png" alt="Nicholson has been with the police dept. for 29-years photo Wichita.gov" />
 <figcaption>Nicholson has been with the police dept. for 29-years photo Wichita.gov</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Wichita Police Department officer who retired this week is facing criminal charges.Friday afternoon, investigators with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department notified the Wichita Police Department that the Sedgwick County District Attorney had charged former Police Captain Wendell Nicholson on eight counts of computer crimes.Nicholson had been with the Wichita Police Department for 29 years prior to retiring. His last day with the department was March 23.The district attorney's office released no additional details

Kan. officer who retired Thursday charged with computer crimes

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Child care regulations would be lowered in Kansas under a bill that has won Senate approval and created a debate over how best to address a shortage of day care spots without compromising safety.

The 21 to 17 vote Thursday sends the measure, backed by the parents of two young children, to the Kansas House.

The bill would roll back some of the changes put in place under a law named after Lexie Engelman, a 13-month-old child who suffered fatal injuries in a Johnson County day care in 2004. It would decrease training and continuing education requirements from teachers and staff in child care facilities while increasing the child-to-adult maximum ratio requirement for facilities.

“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka.

She and fellow Republican Sen. Chase Blasi of Wichita described their bill as the beginning of an answer in Kansas to a shortage of child care spots.

The state needs more than 85,000 new child care slots to meet existing demand, according to Child Care Aware of Kansas, a chapter of a national organization aimed at promoting quality child care.

But Kelly Davydov, executive director of Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the changes made after Lexie’s Law put Kansas at the top of the nation in terms of child safety.

“It really at that time launched us to the front of the line in terms of quality early care and education,” Davydov said. “Some of the changes in this bill are moving us away from national health and safety standards and best practices.”

Furthermore, Davydov said, the decreased continuing education could put Kansas out of compliance with existing requirements to receive federal child care funding.

Blasi said any issues regarding federal funding could be addressed as the bill works its way through the statehouse. He argued Kansas is more stringent than most other states, and the bill would bring the state’s requirements closer to the national averages.

But Sen. Mary Ware, a Wichita Democrat, called the bill rushed. While it may create more slots, she said it might do so by harming the safety of children and workers.

“It is not child-centered. It isn’t even child care worker-centered,” Ware said.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has prioritized child care in her second term and announced a task force earlier this year to study the child care system in Kansas.

Her office said in a statement she would evaluate the legislation if it reaches her desk. Last year the Kansas Department of Health and Environment considered ratio changes similar to what was proposed in the bill. But those regulatory changes were halted after some providers expressed concern.

In a statement Matt Lara, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the agency is currently conducting a comprehensive review of existing regulations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679710207921.png" alt="“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka. -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka. -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Child care regulations would be lowered in Kansas under a bill that has won Senate approval and created a debate over how best to address a shortage of day care spots without compromising safety.The 21 to 17 vote Thursday sends the measure, backed by the parents of two young children, to the Kansas House.The bill would roll back some of the changes put in place under a law named after Lexie Engelman, a 13-month-old child who suffered fatal injuries in a Johnson County day care in 2004. It would decrease training and continuing education requirements from teachers and staff in child care facilities while increasing the child-to-adult maximum ratio requirement for facilities.“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka.She and fellow Republican Sen. Chase Blasi of Wichita described their bill as the beginning of an answer in Kansas to a shortage of child care spots.The state needs more than 85,000 new child care slots to meet existing demand, according to Child Care Aware of Kansas, a chapter of a national organization aimed at promoting quality child care.But Kelly Davydov, executive director of Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the changes made after Lexie’s Law put Kansas at the top of the nation in terms of child safety.“It really at that time launched us to the front of the line in terms of quality early care and education,” Davydov said. “Some of the changes in this bill are moving us away from national health and safety standards and best practices.”Furthermore, Davydov said, the decreased continuing education could put Kansas out of compliance with existing requirements to receive federal child care funding.Blasi said any issues regarding federal funding could be addressed as the bill works its way through the statehouse. He argued Kansas is more stringent than most other states, and the bill would bring the state’s requirements closer to the national averages.But Sen. Mary Ware, a Wichita Democrat, called the bill rushed. While it may create more slots, she said it might do so by harming the safety of children and workers.“It is not child-centered. It isn’t even child care worker-centered,” Ware said.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has prioritized child care in her second term and announced a task force earlier this year to study the child care system in Kansas.Her office said in a statement she would evaluate the legislation if it reaches her desk. Last year the Kansas Department of Health and Environment considered ratio changes similar to what was proposed in the bill. But those regulatory changes were halted after some providers expressed concern.In a statement Matt Lara, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the agency is currently conducting a comprehensive review of existing regulations.

Bill lowering child care rules passes Kansas Senate

GRANBY (AP) —As heavy rains and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-texas-severe-weather-mississippi-valley-65e553e6358b56b2630ff5c588850505">flash floods doused southwestern Missouri</a>&nbsp;Friday, Layton Hoyer wanted to get a closer look at the rising river levels. That is when he noticed an SUV caught in the flash floods near Granby.

At first, Hoyer thought the car might have been abandoned, but flashing brake lights caught his eye. The lights were blinking as if someone was intentionally tapping the brakes. He got on top of the train tracks near the ditch where the SUV was trapped and saw someone inside.

“I could see this elderly woman lying in this car trying to stay in the air bubble,” he said.

The 33-year-old quickly called 911, but he said the woman didn’t have much time left as the car continued to sink. Hoyer tried to reach her car from the passenger side, but the current was too strong. He then waded through the cold water before he too was submerged and then lunged, grabbing onto her car.

“I got a hold of the back door and started trying to pull the door open. But the vacuum on the door was so tight,” he said.

He said he was able to break the seal at the top of her window jam and open the door.

“I swear there was only a foot of air gap left in the back part of her car,” he said. “I just grabbed her by both arms and pulled her out of there.”

Hoyer rushed to get them both inside his truck to warm up.

Jim Channel, assistant Granby fire chief, was responding to a call of an 80-year-old woman trapped in a car when he arrived on the scene. Channel had been called to water rescues by Old Ritchey Road before, but he wasn't surprised to see who was there.

“I’ve known the young man all his life, and he will do it again tomorrow,” Channel said of Hoyer. “He didn’t even think about what he was doing.”

Channel said he along with other rescue workers attempted to save the women’s three dogs inside the car, who were trapped in cages, but they couldn’t reach them in time before getting called to another water rescue.

Hoyer didn’t get a chance to get the woman’s full name. But he said he would like to see her again.

“I would love to put my arms around her 'cause she just cried in my arms and told me how thankful she was when the ambulance got there,” he said. “I was so thankful that God put me there to help her.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679741775995.png" alt="Photo National Weather Service Springfield" />
 <figcaption>Photo National Weather Service Springfield</figcaption>
 </figure>GRANBY (AP) —As heavy rains and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-texas-severe-weather-mississippi-valley-65e553e6358b56b2630ff5c588850505">flash floods doused southwestern Missouri</a>&nbsp;Friday, Layton Hoyer wanted to get a closer look at the rising river levels. That is when he noticed an SUV caught in the flash floods near Granby.At first, Hoyer thought the car might have been abandoned, but flashing brake lights caught his eye. The lights were blinking as if someone was intentionally tapping the brakes. He got on top of the train tracks near the ditch where the SUV was trapped and saw someone inside.“I could see this elderly woman lying in this car trying to stay in the air bubble,” he said.The 33-year-old quickly called 911, but he said the woman didn’t have much time left as the car continued to sink. Hoyer tried to reach her car from the passenger side, but the current was too strong. He then waded through the cold water before he too was submerged and then lunged, grabbing onto her car.“I got a hold of the back door and started trying to pull the door open. But the vacuum on the door was so tight,” he said.He said he was able to break the seal at the top of her window jam and open the door.“I swear there was only a foot of air gap left in the back part of her car,” he said. “I just grabbed her by both arms and pulled her out of there.”Hoyer rushed to get them both inside his truck to warm up.Jim Channel, assistant Granby fire chief, was responding to a call of an 80-year-old woman trapped in a car when he arrived on the scene. Channel had been called to water rescues by Old Ritchey Road before, but he wasn't surprised to see who was there.“I’ve known the young man all his life, and he will do it again tomorrow,” Channel said of Hoyer. “He didn’t even think about what he was doing.”Channel said he along with other rescue workers attempted to save the women’s three dogs inside the car, who were trapped in cages, but they couldn’t reach them in time before getting called to another water rescue.Hoyer didn’t get a chance to get the woman’s full name. But he said he would like to see her again.“I would love to put my arms around her 'cause she just cried in my arms and told me how thankful she was when the ambulance got there,” he said. “I was so thankful that God put me there to help her.”

Missouri man makes harrowing rescue in flash flood

BANGKOK (AP) — China threatened “serious consequences” Friday after the United States Navy sailed a destroyer around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea for the second day in a row, in a move Beijing claimed was a violation of its sovereignty and security.

The warning comes amid growing tensions between China and the United States in the region, as Washington pushes back at Beijing's growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway it claims virtually in its entirety.

On Thursday, after the U.S. sailed the USS Milius guided-missile destroyer near the Paracel Islands, China said its navy and air force had forced the American vessel away,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-destroyer-ship-paracel-south-china-sea-a146fa95de728afb0b3a9d8a49dceeb8">a claim the U.S. military denied</a>.

The U.S. on Friday sailed the ship again in the vicinity of the islands, which are occupied by China but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, as part of what it called a “freedom of navigation operation" challenging requirements from all three nations requiring either advance notification or permission before a military vessel sails by.

“Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations,” U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson Lt. j.g. Luka Bakic said in an emailed statement.

“The United States challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant,” Bakic said.

China's Ministry of National Defense responded by accusing the U.S. of “undermining the peace and stability of the South China Sea” with its actions.

“The act of the U.S. military seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security, severely breached international laws, and is more ironclad evidence of the U.S. pursuing navigation hegemony and militarizing the South China Sea,” ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei said. “We solemnly request that the US. immediately stop such actions of provocation, otherwise it will bear the serious consequences of unexpected incidents caused by this.”

He said China would take “all necessary measures” to ensure its security but did not elaborate.

Like its statement on the Thursday incident, China again said it drove the American ship away from the islands, which are in the South China Sea a few hundred kilometers (miles) off the coast of Vietnam and the Chinese province of Hainan.

Both sides said their actions were justified under international law.

Bakic told The Associated Press that the ship “was not driven away” and “continued on to conduct routine maritime security operations in international waters” after concluding its mission near the Paracel Islands.

“The operation reflects our commitment to uphold freedom of navigation and lawful uses of the sea for all nations,” he said. "The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as Milius did today.”

The U.S. has no South China Sea claims itself, but has deployed Naval and Air Force assets for decades to patrol the strategic waterway, through which around $5 trillion in global trade transits each year and which holds highly valuable fish stocks and undersea mineral resources.

A United Nations-backed arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that the historical claim from China on the waters had no legal basis under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, and Washington maintains that freedom of navigation and overflight of the waterway are in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">American national interest</a>.

U.S. forces currently operate daily in the South China Sea, and have been present for more than a century. China regularly responds angrily, accusing the U.S. of meddling in Asian affairs and impinging upon its sovereignty.

China's claims have frequently brought it into conflict with other nations in the region as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-philippines-south-china-sea-disputes-70ea7983dbf67b1f9ae5264c6ce9271a">Filipino diplomats unleashed a slew of protests</a>&nbsp;Friday over China's recent targeting of a Philippine coast guard ship with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-philippines-government-manila-china-8ee5459dcac872b14a49c4a428029259">powerful military laser</a>&nbsp;and other aggressive behavior.

BANGKOK (AP) — China threatened “serious consequences” Friday after the United States Navy sailed a destroyer around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea for the second day in a row, in a move Beijing claimed was a violation of its sovereignty and security.The warning comes amid growing tensions between China and the United States in the region, as Washington pushes back at Beijing's growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway it claims virtually in its entirety.On Thursday, after the U.S. sailed the USS Milius guided-missile destroyer near the Paracel Islands, China said its navy and air force had forced the American vessel away,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-destroyer-ship-paracel-south-china-sea-a146fa95de728afb0b3a9d8a49dceeb8">a claim the U.S. military denied</a>.The U.S. on Friday sailed the ship again in the vicinity of the islands, which are occupied by China but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, as part of what it called a “freedom of navigation operation" challenging requirements from all three nations requiring either advance notification or permission before a military vessel sails by.“Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations,” U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson Lt. j.g. Luka Bakic said in an emailed statement.“The United States challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant,” Bakic said.China's Ministry of National Defense responded by accusing the U.S. of “undermining the peace and stability of the South China Sea” with its actions.“The act of the U.S. military seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security, severely breached international laws, and is more ironclad evidence of the U.S. pursuing navigation hegemony and militarizing the South China Sea,” ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei said. “We solemnly request that the US. immediately stop such actions of provocation, otherwise it will bear the serious consequences of unexpected incidents caused by this.”He said China would take “all necessary measures” to ensure its security but did not elaborate.Like its statement on the Thursday incident, China again said it drove the American ship away from the islands, which are in the South China Sea a few hundred kilometers (miles) off the coast of Vietnam and the Chinese province of Hainan.Both sides said their actions were justified under international law.Bakic told The Associated Press that the ship “was not driven away” and “continued on to conduct routine maritime security operations in international waters” after concluding its mission near the Paracel Islands.“The operation reflects our commitment to uphold freedom of navigation and lawful uses of the sea for all nations,” he said. "The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as Milius did today.”The U.S. has no South China Sea claims itself, but has deployed Naval and Air Force assets for decades to patrol the strategic waterway, through which around $5 trillion in global trade transits each year and which holds highly valuable fish stocks and undersea mineral resources.A United Nations-backed arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that the historical claim from China on the waters had no legal basis under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, and Washington maintains that freedom of navigation and overflight of the waterway are in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">American national interest</a>.U.S. forces currently operate daily in the South China Sea, and have been present for more than a century. China regularly responds angrily, accusing the U.S. of meddling in Asian affairs and impinging upon its sovereignty.China's claims have frequently brought it into conflict with other nations in the region as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-philippines-south-china-sea-disputes-70ea7983dbf67b1f9ae5264c6ce9271a">Filipino diplomats unleashed a slew of protests</a>&nbsp;Friday over China's recent targeting of a Philippine coast guard ship with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-philippines-government-manila-china-8ee5459dcac872b14a49c4a428029259">powerful military laser</a>&nbsp;and other aggressive behavior.___

China threatens consequences over US warship's actions

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been sentenced to prison for a double-murder in 2021.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=192023">&nbsp;Michael Wilking,</a> 34,&nbsp;was sentenced this week to 34-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. He had plead guilty to second-degree murder.

Just after 8p.m. Dec. 29, 2021, police responded to a shooting in the 3900 Block of W. Fairhaven in Wichita. They found&nbsp;43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece and 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt both of Wichita. 

Reece was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Schmidt, later identified as Wilking's girlfriend, to a local hospital. She died on New Year's Eve 2021,&nbsp;according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

&nbsp;In January of 2022, Wilking, Jacquellynn Arthur, 28 and Joshua Halstead, 34, all of Wichita, were charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated burglary, and aggravated robbery in connection with the murders.

 She remains jailed on a requested charge of failure to comply, according to online jail records.

 in three criminal cases, including one where he shot a man to death on Dec. 29, 2020, after a confrontation over a drug debt that was allegedly unpaid. Michael C. Wilking, 34, pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to one count of second-degree murder for gunning down 43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece of Wichita in the front yard of 3935 W. Fairhaven after going to Reece’s home with others, sparking violence that also led to the shooting death of Wilking’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt. An affidavit released by the court says the group went to Reece’s house to teach him a lesson for collecting money from a woman “and for not paying a drug debt” and decided on the way there to rob him “to pay for the disrespect.” Wilking was armed with a shotgun, according to the document. TOP VIDEOS After breaking in, Wilking demanded to know the whereabouts of drugs and cash and ordered others to search dresser drawers and take methamphetamine and computer equipment, the affidavit says. Reece died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds during an apparent exchange of gunfire with Wilking after Reece escaped to a neighbor’s house for help, the affidavit says. Wilking’s girlfriend died later at a hospital where he and others left her after fleeing from Reece’s address, court records say. Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush on Wednesday afternoon sentenced Wilking to nearly 24 years in prison for Reece’s death; more than 8 1/2 years for his role in a June 2020 robbery in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and kidnapping; and 19 months in connection with a September 2018 aggravated assault where he pleaded guilty to one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, court records show. Get unlimited digital access Try 1 month for $1 CLAIM OFFER Roush ordered the sentences be served consecutively, or back to back, resulting in the 34-year prison term, a spokeswoman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, Kristin Johnson, said by email. He’ll be subject to three years of post-release supervision after he gets out, Johnson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610403967578.png" alt="Wilking-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wilking-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been sentenced to prison for a double-murder in 2021.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=192023">&nbsp;Michael Wilking,</a> 34,&nbsp;was sentenced this week to 34-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. He had plead guilty to second-degree murder.Just after 8p.m. Dec. 29, 2021, police responded to a shooting in the 3900 Block of W. Fairhaven in Wichita. They found&nbsp;43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece and 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt both of Wichita. Reece was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Schmidt, later identified as Wilking's girlfriend, to a local hospital. She died on New Year's Eve 2021,&nbsp;according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610023320599.png" alt="-Halstead has a previous convictions for theft, burglary, aggravated weapons and for drug possession and distribution, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections He was reported as an absconder in August of 2021-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>-Halstead has a previous convictions for theft, burglary, aggravated weapons and for drug possession and distribution, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections He was reported as an absconder in August of 2021-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;In January of 2022, Wilking, Jacquellynn Arthur, 28 and Joshua Halstead, 34, all of Wichita, were charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated burglary, and aggravated robbery in connection with the murders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610023377783.png" alt="Arthur -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Arthur -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure> She remains jailed on a requested charge of failure to comply, according to online jail records. in three criminal cases, including one where he shot a man to death on Dec. 29, 2020, after a confrontation over a drug debt that was allegedly unpaid. Michael C. Wilking, 34, pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to one count of second-degree murder for gunning down 43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece of Wichita in the front yard of 3935 W. Fairhaven after going to Reece’s home with others, sparking violence that also led to the shooting death of Wilking’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt. An affidavit released by the court says the group went to Reece’s house to teach him a lesson for collecting money from a woman “and for not paying a drug debt” and decided on the way there to rob him “to pay for the disrespect.” Wilking was armed with a shotgun, according to the document. TOP VIDEOS After breaking in, Wilking demanded to know the whereabouts of drugs and cash and ordered others to search dresser drawers and take methamphetamine and computer equipment, the affidavit says. Reece died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds during an apparent exchange of gunfire with Wilking after Reece escaped to a neighbor’s house for help, the affidavit says. Wilking’s girlfriend died later at a hospital where he and others left her after fleeing from Reece’s address, court records say. Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush on Wednesday afternoon sentenced Wilking to nearly 24 years in prison for Reece’s death; more than 8 1/2 years for his role in a June 2020 robbery in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and kidnapping; and 19 months in connection with a September 2018 aggravated assault where he pleaded guilty to one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, court records show. Get unlimited digital access Try 1 month for $1 CLAIM OFFER Roush ordered the sentences be served consecutively, or back to back, resulting in the 34-year prison term, a spokeswoman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, Kristin Johnson, said by email. He’ll be subject to three years of post-release supervision after he gets out, Johnson said.

Double-murder: Kan. man's girlfriend died on New Year's Eve

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol, where she invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters.

Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-pennsylvania-riots-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-34be1139127837ec787ea841a01c784e">A federal jury convicted Williams in November</a>&nbsp;of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder, after a two-week trial. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting" the laptop's theft.

Jurors also deadlocked on a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated the House and Senate chambers when rioters attacked the Capitol.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to sentence Williams to seven years and three months in prison.

“Everywhere she went, Williams acted as an accelerant, exacerbating the mayhem. Where others turned back, she pushed forward,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292.139.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote in a court filing.</a>

Defense lawyers requested a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for Williams, who was 22 in January 2021.

“In some respects, she is starkly different from the average January 6th defendant – particularly given her youth and that she is a female,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291.137.0.pdf">they wrote</a>. “In other ways she is similar to many of other January 6th defendants with no prior criminal record, that were caught up with the mob that day, acting on impulse and without thought to the consequences of their actions.”

Jackson also sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release after her prison term and ordered her to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.

Williams was an ardent supporter of the white nationalist “Groyper” movement led by internet personality Nick Fuentes, according to prosecutors. They said Williams was “obsessed" with Fuentes and fixated on baseless claims — amplified by Fuentes — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.

Williams' attorneys argued that her political beliefs shouldn't be a factor in her sentencing. They said the First Amendment protects her interest in Fuentes and his “Groyper Army” of followers.

Fuentes has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric. In November, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">Trump dined at his Mar-a-Lago club with Fuentes</a>&nbsp;and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who is now known as Ye.

Other Fuentes followers have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, including former UCLA student Christian Secor, who waved a flag associated with Fuentes’ movement when he entered the Capitol. Secor was sentenced last year to three years and six months in prison.

Williams wore a green “I’m with Groyper” T-shirt when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father and his friends on Jan. 6. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally before heading to the Capitol. Williams entered the building through the Senate Wing Door two minutes after other rioters breached the entrance.

Williams used men wearing helmets and body armor like a “human battering ram,” pushing them forward to break through police lines inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. Entering Pelosi's main conference room, she stole a gavel and encouraged another rioter to take a laptop from atop a table, according to prosecutors.

“As the other rioter later manipulated the laptop and its cords, Williams filmed the theft that she had just commanded and encouraged, and further instructed the rioter, 'Dude, put on gloves!'” prosecutors wrote.

Williams then went to the Rotunda, where she shouted insults at police and urged other rioters to join her in pushing against officers.

Williams spent roughly 90 minutes in the Capitol. After leaving, she climbed on the roof of a parked police car.

Williams destroyed evidence before her arrest, deleting her social media accounts, resetting her iPhone and using software to wipe her computer, according to prosecutors.

Williams bragged online that she stole Pelosi’s gavel, laptop and hard drives and that she “gave the electronic devices, or attempted to give them, to unspecified Russian individuals,” prosecutors said in a June 2022 court filing.

“To date, neither the laptop nor the gavel has been recovered,” they added.

A witness described as a former romantic partner of Williams told the FBI that she intended to send the stolen laptop or hard drive to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. But the witness said Williams kept the device or destroyed it when the transfer fell through, according to the FBI.

When the FBI questioned her, Williams denied stealing the laptop. She accused an ex-boyfriend of fabricating the allegation.

Williams was taken into custody after the jury convicted her on Nov. 21.

<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.</a>&nbsp;More than 400 have been sentenced, with over half of them receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679667473441.png" alt="Williams-photo&nbsp;(Dauphin County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo&nbsp;(Dauphin County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol, where she invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters.Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-pennsylvania-riots-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-34be1139127837ec787ea841a01c784e">A federal jury convicted Williams in November</a>&nbsp;of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder, after a two-week trial. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting" the laptop's theft.Jurors also deadlocked on a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated the House and Senate chambers when rioters attacked the Capitol.Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to sentence Williams to seven years and three months in prison.“Everywhere she went, Williams acted as an accelerant, exacerbating the mayhem. Where others turned back, she pushed forward,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292.139.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote in a court filing.</a>Defense lawyers requested a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for Williams, who was 22 in January 2021.“In some respects, she is starkly different from the average January 6th defendant – particularly given her youth and that she is a female,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291.137.0.pdf">they wrote</a>. “In other ways she is similar to many of other January 6th defendants with no prior criminal record, that were caught up with the mob that day, acting on impulse and without thought to the consequences of their actions.”Jackson also sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release after her prison term and ordered her to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.Williams was an ardent supporter of the white nationalist “Groyper” movement led by internet personality Nick Fuentes, according to prosecutors. They said Williams was “obsessed" with Fuentes and fixated on baseless claims — amplified by Fuentes — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.Williams' attorneys argued that her political beliefs shouldn't be a factor in her sentencing. They said the First Amendment protects her interest in Fuentes and his “Groyper Army” of followers.Fuentes has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric. In November, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">Trump dined at his Mar-a-Lago club with Fuentes</a>&nbsp;and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who is now known as Ye.Other Fuentes followers have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, including former UCLA student Christian Secor, who waved a flag associated with Fuentes’ movement when he entered the Capitol. Secor was sentenced last year to three years and six months in prison.Williams wore a green “I’m with Groyper” T-shirt when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father and his friends on Jan. 6. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally before heading to the Capitol. Williams entered the building through the Senate Wing Door two minutes after other rioters breached the entrance.Williams used men wearing helmets and body armor like a “human battering ram,” pushing them forward to break through police lines inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. Entering Pelosi's main conference room, she stole a gavel and encouraged another rioter to take a laptop from atop a table, according to prosecutors.“As the other rioter later manipulated the laptop and its cords, Williams filmed the theft that she had just commanded and encouraged, and further instructed the rioter, 'Dude, put on gloves!'” prosecutors wrote.Williams then went to the Rotunda, where she shouted insults at police and urged other rioters to join her in pushing against officers.Williams spent roughly 90 minutes in the Capitol. After leaving, she climbed on the roof of a parked police car.Williams destroyed evidence before her arrest, deleting her social media accounts, resetting her iPhone and using software to wipe her computer, according to prosecutors.Williams bragged online that she stole Pelosi’s gavel, laptop and hard drives and that she “gave the electronic devices, or attempted to give them, to unspecified Russian individuals,” prosecutors said in a June 2022 court filing.“To date, neither the laptop nor the gavel has been recovered,” they added.A witness described as a former romantic partner of Williams told the FBI that she intended to send the stolen laptop or hard drive to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. But the witness said Williams kept the device or destroyed it when the transfer fell through, according to the FBI.When the FBI questioned her, Williams denied stealing the laptop. She accused an ex-boyfriend of fabricating the allegation.Williams was taken into custody after the jury convicted her on Nov. 21.<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.</a>&nbsp;More than 400 have been sentenced, with over half of them receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

Jan. 6 rioter charged in theft of Nancy Pelosi's laptop sentenced 

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.

On Friday afternoon, the Kansas Turnpike Authorities notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that a bank robbery suspect was southbound on Interstate 35, according to a statement from the Patrol.

A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle.

 A trooper located the vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. During that pursuit, the suspect fired at troopers, who also fired back. The suspect fled on foot in the area of Interstate 35 and Highway 412. 

There was another exchange of gunfire. The suspect is deceased. No troopers were harmed. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679693670963.png" alt="No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.On Friday afternoon, the Kansas Turnpike Authorities notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that a bank robbery suspect was southbound on Interstate 35, according to a statement from the Patrol.A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle. A trooper located the vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. During that pursuit, the suspect fired at troopers, who also fired back. The suspect fled on foot in the area of Interstate 35 and Highway 412. There was another exchange of gunfire. The suspect is deceased. No troopers were harmed. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or additional details.

Kan. bank robbery suspect killed in gunfight on turnpike

BARTON COUNTY—Authorities investigating the home explosion in Great Bend have confirmed the identity of the man who died as&nbsp;48-year-old Ryan Neil Kleweno, according to Police Lt. Heather Smith.&nbsp; "He lived in the home."

The explosion at the home in the 700 Block of 10th Street just after 3a.m. Wednesday&nbsp;was caused by a gas leak, according to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Brent Smith.

&nbsp;Kleweno was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later to the burn unit in a Wichita hospital where he died.

 Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and secure the scene. Tenth street was closed for approximately an hour while debris was removed from the roadway.

Testing showed that the gas line from the main to the structure was intact and was not leaking, according to Smith.

 There was significant damage to neighboring structures and vehicles. The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679599027514.png" alt="The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal. Photo courtesy Great Bend Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal. Photo courtesy Great Bend Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Authorities investigating the home explosion in Great Bend have confirmed the identity of the man who died as&nbsp;48-year-old Ryan Neil Kleweno, according to Police Lt. Heather Smith.&nbsp; "He lived in the home."The explosion at the home in the 700 Block of 10th Street just after 3a.m. Wednesday&nbsp;was caused by a gas leak, according to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Brent Smith.&nbsp;Kleweno was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later to the burn unit in a Wichita hospital where he died. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and secure the scene. Tenth street was closed for approximately an hour while debris was removed from the roadway.Testing showed that the gas line from the main to the structure was intact and was not leaking, according to Smith. There was significant damage to neighboring structures and vehicles. The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal.&nbsp;

Police confirm ID of man who died in Kansas home explosion

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.

On Friday night, two Syrian opposition activist groups reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant that has a base housing American troops. It was not immediately clear if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.

While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim. The drone hit a coalition base in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka. The wounded included five American service members and a U.S. contractor.

Austin said the strikes were a response to the drone attack “as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.

Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy. The U.S. has had forces in northeast Syria since 2015, when they deployed as part of the fight against the Islamic State group, and maintains some 900 troops there, working with Kurdish-led forces that control around a third of Syria.

The U.S. airstrikes hit targets in three towns in eastern Syria, activists said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iranian-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.

According to a defense official, the U.S. counter strikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

According to a U.S. official, the U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour.

The activist group Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in the province, said the American strikes killed four people and wounded a number of others, including Iraqis.

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> on U.S. retaliatory air strikes in Syria: &quot;These precision strikes were intended to protect and defend U.S. personnel and the U.S. took proportionate and deliberate action intended to limit the risk of escalation and minimize casualties.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1KyclVOhWi">pic.twitter.com/1KyclVOhWi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1639335261984129046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Friday night, two Syrian opposition activist groups reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant that has a base housing American troops. It was not immediately clear if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim. The drone hit a coalition base in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka. The wounded included five American service members and a U.S. contractor.Austin said the strikes were a response to the drone attack “as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy. The U.S. has had forces in northeast Syria since 2015, when they deployed as part of the fight against the Islamic State group, and maintains some 900 troops there, working with Kurdish-led forces that control around a third of Syria.The U.S. airstrikes hit targets in three towns in eastern Syria, activists said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iranian-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.According to a defense official, the U.S. counter strikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.According to a U.S. official, the U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour.The activist group Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in the province, said the American strikes killed four people and wounded a number of others, including Iraqis.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, put the death toll from U.S. strikes at 11 Iranian-backed fighters — including six at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour and five others at military posts near the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal.Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Observatory said three rockets were fired earlier Friday at al-Omar oil field in Deir el-Zour that houses U.S. troops, an apparent retaliation to the American strikes.An official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq said the strikes on eastern Syria early Friday killed seven Iranians. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.Deir Ezzor 24 and the Observatory had no details on whether the new wave of airstrikes Friday night on the city of Deir el-Zour inflicted any casualties.The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports. Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from the AP.Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.The exchange of strikes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-iran-diplomatic-relations-middle-east-d78f3ceac0561f4fb20301e4f32eef88">Saudi Arabia and Iran</a>&nbsp;have been working toward reopening embassies in each other’s countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-syria-restore-relations-192c4b2086b34288bdd530e06fc4a32a">reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria</a>, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country’s long war.U.S. Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the head of the American military’s Central Command, warned that its forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,” Kurilla said in a statement.Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the “Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago.” He pointed to Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.“What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies,” Kurilla said.According to officials, Iran has launched 80 attacks against U.S. forces and locations in Iraq and Syria since January 2021. The vast majority of those have been in Syria.Diplomacy to deescalate the exchange appeared to begin immediately. The foreign minister of Qatar spoke by phone with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Qatari state news agency report. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden.“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran — in February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022.Dareen Khalifa, a senior Syria analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said that while Thursday’s exchange of strikes comes at a sensitive political moment due to the “overall deterioration of U.S.-Iran relations and the stalling of the nuclear talks,” she does not expect a significant escalation.“These tit-for-tat strikes have been ongoing for a long time,” Khalifa said, although she noted that they usually do not result in casualties.While “the risk of an escalatory cycle is there,” she said, “I think the Biden administration won’t be eager to escalate in Syria now and will instead have a relatively measured response.”Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought “to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.“Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area,” Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. “Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province.”The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Syria’s war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.--------------BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with "precision airstrikes" in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, with activist groups saying they killed at least four people.The attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim."The airstrikes were conducted in response to today's attack as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria" by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said.Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy.The Pentagon said two of the wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the injured contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq.Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria's Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.The activist group Deir Ezzor 24 put the death toll from the American strikes at four people. Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in Deir el-Zour province, said the strikes hit the city of Deir el-Zour as well as militiamen posts near Mayadeen and Boukamal. It said the strikes also wounded people, including Iraqis.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the American strikes killed six Iranian-backed fighters at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory, which relies on a network of local contacts in Syria, said U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed two fighters.A separate American strike hit a military post near the town of Boukamal along the border with Iraq, killing another three fighters, the Observatory said.The AP could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports.Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.In recent months, Russia has begun using Iranian drones in its attacks on sites across Ukraine as part of its war on Kyiv. Iran has issued a series of conflicting denials about its drones being used in the war, though Western nations and experts have tied components in the drones back to Tehran.The exchange of strikes came as Saudi Arabia and Iran have been working toward reopening embassies in each other's countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country's long war.U.S. Army Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of the American military's Central Command, warned that American forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. "We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks," Kurilla said in a statement.Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the "Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago." He pointed to Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.Kurilla also alleged that Iran had launched some 78 attacks on U.S. positions in Syria since January 2021."What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies," Kurilla said.Diplomacy to deescalate the crisis appeared to begin immediately around the strikes. Qatar's state-run news agency reported a call between its foreign minister and Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.Qatar's foreign minister also spoke around the same time with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden."As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing," Austin said. "No group will strike our troops with impunity."The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran. In February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022, Biden launched attacks there.U.S. forces entered Syria in 2015, backing allied forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. The U.S. still maintains the base near Hasakah in northeast Syria where Thursday's drone strike happened. There are roughly 900 U.S. troops, and even more contractors, in Syria, including in the north and farther south and east.Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought "to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates," said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs."Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area," Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. "Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province."The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Syria's war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.__Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Kesten reported from Washington.