TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Kansas House on Wednesday approved a bill that would increase the age to purchase or possess cigarettes and tobacco products from 18 to 21.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2340_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;also applies to electronic cigarettes and vaping products, and would prohibit them in school buildings. It would also make selling any tobacco or vaping products to someone younger than 21 or buying them for those under 21 a misdemeanor that can be punished with a $200 fine.

The House voted 79-43 for the bill. It goes next to the full Senate for debate.

In 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-us-news-legislation-laws-tobacco-industry-regulation-1d57bfaacfb8844106bbabca7ac849a6">federal law</a>&nbsp;changed to prohibit those under 21 from legally buying cigarettes, cigars or any other tobacco products in the U.S. Since then, at least 11 states joined the roughly one-third of states that already had their own laws restricting tobacco sales to people 21 and older, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/content/what_we_do/state_local_issues/sales_21/states_localities_MLSA_21.pdf" target="_blank">Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.</a>&nbsp;At least 25 cities and counties in Kansas have enacted similar rules, according to the anti-tobacco group.

Supporters included Kansas’ largest teacher’s union, which says that vaping and electronic cigarettes are causing students to become addicted to nicotine and leading to health problems. The Olathe and Blue Valley school districts also say that the use of electronic cigarettes and vaping among students is causing the districts to divert resources towards monitoring them.

Rep. John Eplee, an Atchison Republican and a physician, said the bill would help prevent young adults from starting bad habits.

“If we raise that minimum age to 21 and have it consistent with federal law, that will really make a tremendous difference for us going forward in how many youngsters get addicted,” Eplee said.

During Wednesday’s debate, no Kansas legislator spoke against the bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648125516603.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Kansas House on Wednesday approved a bill that would increase the age to purchase or possess cigarettes and tobacco products from 18 to 21.The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2340_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;also applies to electronic cigarettes and vaping products, and would prohibit them in school buildings. It would also make selling any tobacco or vaping products to someone younger than 21 or buying them for those under 21 a misdemeanor that can be punished with a $200 fine.The House voted 79-43 for the bill. It goes next to the full Senate for debate.In 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-us-news-legislation-laws-tobacco-industry-regulation-1d57bfaacfb8844106bbabca7ac849a6">federal law</a>&nbsp;changed to prohibit those under 21 from legally buying cigarettes, cigars or any other tobacco products in the U.S. Since then, at least 11 states joined the roughly one-third of states that already had their own laws restricting tobacco sales to people 21 and older, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/content/what_we_do/state_local_issues/sales_21/states_localities_MLSA_21.pdf" target="_blank">Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.</a>&nbsp;At least 25 cities and counties in Kansas have enacted similar rules, according to the anti-tobacco group.Supporters included Kansas’ largest teacher’s union, which says that vaping and electronic cigarettes are causing students to become addicted to nicotine and leading to health problems. The Olathe and Blue Valley school districts also say that the use of electronic cigarettes and vaping among students is causing the districts to divert resources towards monitoring them.Rep. John Eplee, an Atchison Republican and a physician, said the bill would help prevent young adults from starting bad habits.“If we raise that minimum age to 21 and have it consistent with federal law, that will really make a tremendous difference for us going forward in how many youngsters get addicted,” Eplee said.During Wednesday’s debate, no Kansas legislator spoke against the bill.___

Kansas House wants age limit for tobacco, vaping at 21

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea test-fired possibly its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile toward the sea Thursday, according to its neighbors, raising the ante in a pressure campaign aimed at forcing the United States and other rivals to accept it as a nuclear power and remove&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/space-launches-technology-business-united-nations-north-korea-b70d8af96336ee0b19fcde6ced5faa83">crippling sanctions</a>.

The launch, which extended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-space-launches-technology-europe-north-korea-876568625696016c7fb2d7da72add17d">North Korea’s barrage of weapons tests&nbsp;</a>this year, came after the U.S. and South Korean militaries said the country was preparing a flight of a new large ICBM first unveiled in October 2020.

South Korea’s military responded with live-fire drills of its own missiles launched from land vehicles, aircraft and a ship, underscoring a revival of tensions as nuclear negotiations remain frozen. It said it confirmed readiness to execute precision strikes against North Korea’s missile launch points as well as command and support facilities.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North’s ICBM fired from the Sunan area near capital Pyongyang traveled 1,080 kilometers (670 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of over 6,200 kilometers (3,850 miles). The missile was apparently fired on high angle to avoid reaching the territorial waters of Japan.

Japan’s Deputy Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said the flight details suggested a new type of ICBM.

“It’s an unforgivable recklessness. We resolutely condemn the act,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after arriving in Belgium for the Group of Seven meetings.

The missile flew 71 minutes before possibly landing near Japanese territorial waters off the island of Hokkaido, said Tokyo’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. Japan may search for debris inside its exclusive economic zone to analyze the North’s technology, he said. Japan’s coast guard issued a warning to vessels in nearby waters, but there were no immediate reports of damage to boats or aircraft.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in during an emergency National Security Council meeting criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for breaking a self-imposed moratorium on ICBM tests and posing a “serious threat” to the region and the broader international community.

The United States strongly condemns the North’s launch, said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, calling it a “brazen violation” of U.N. Security Council resolutions that risks destabilizing the region’s security.

“The door has not closed on diplomacy, but Pyongyang must immediately cease its destabilizing actions. The United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and Republic of Korea and Japanese allies,” she said, referring to South Korea’s formal name.

Following a highly provocative streak in nuclear explosive and ICBM tests in 2017, Kim suspended such testing in 2018 ahead of his first meeting with then-U.S. President Donald Trump.

North Korea’s resumption of nuclear brinkmanship reflects a determination to cement its status as a nuclear power and wrest badly needed economic concessions from Washington and others from a position of strength, analysts say.

Kim may also feel a need to trumpet his military accomplishments to his domestic audience as he grapples with a broken economy worsened by pandemic border closures.

“Despite economic challenges and technical setbacks, the Kim regime is determined to advance its missile capabilities,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Seoul’s Ewha Womans University. “It would be a mistake for international policymakers to think the North Korean missile threat can be put on the back burner while the world deals with the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

The Biden administration’s passive handling of North Korea so far, while it focuses on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China, is allowing more room for the North to dial up its testing activity, some experts say. The administration’s actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions imposed over its recent tests and offers of open-ended talks that were rejected by Pyongyang.

It was North Korea’s 12th round of weapons launches this year and came after it fired suspected artillery pieces into the sea on Sunday.

The North has also tested a variety of new missiles, including a purported hypersonic weapon and its first launch since 2017 of an intermediate range missile with a potential of reaching Guam, a key U.S. military hub in the Pacific.

It also conducted two medium-range tests in recent weeks from Sunan, home to the country’s main airport, that the U.S. and South Korean militaries assessed to have involved components of the North’s largest ICBM. The allies had said the missile, which the North calls Hwasong-17, could be tested at full range soon.

Those tests were followed by another launch from Sunan last week. But South Korea’s military said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seoul-south-korea-north-korea-joint-chiefs-of-staff-1151a9d8b5436bdc783806e19fa1edef">the missile likely exploded</a>&nbsp;shortly after liftoff.

North Korea’s official media insisted that the two successful tests were aimed at developing cameras and other systems for a spy satellite. Analysts say the North is attempting to simultaneously advance its ICBMs and acquire some level of space-based reconnaissance capability under the pretense of a space launch to reduce international backlash to those moves.

That launch may possibly come around a major political anniversary in April, the birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of current leader Kim.

The North’s previous ICBMs demonstrated potential range to reach the American homeland during three flight tests in 2017. The development of the larger Hwasong-17, which was first revealed in a military parade in October 2020, possibly indicates an aim to arm it with multiple warheads to overwhelm missile defenses.

In North Korea’s last test of an ICBM in November 2017, the Hwasong-15 flew about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) for about 50 minutes at a maximum altitude of 4,000 kilometers (2,400 miles). It wasn’t immediately clear whether the missile from the latest test was the Hwasong-17.

Denuclearization talks with the U.S. have been stalled since 2019, when the Americans rejected North Korea’s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.

Kim presided over a ruling Workers’ Party meeting on Jan. 19, where Politburo members issued a veiled threat to end his moratorium on ICBM and nuclear tests, citing U.S. hostility.

South Korea’s military has also detected signs that North Korea was possibly restoring some of the tunnels at its nuclear testing ground that were detonated in May 2018, weeks ahead of Kim’s first meeting with Trump.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565180589720.png" alt="Before he was appointed Secretary of State, former Kansas congressman Mike Pompeo met with&nbsp; North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018.&nbsp; Kim then suspended missile testing ahead of his first meeting with then-U.S. President Donald Trump-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Before he was appointed Secretary of State, former Kansas congressman Mike Pompeo met with&nbsp; North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018.&nbsp; Kim then suspended missile testing ahead of his first meeting with then-U.S. President Donald Trump-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea test-fired possibly its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile toward the sea Thursday, according to its neighbors, raising the ante in a pressure campaign aimed at forcing the United States and other rivals to accept it as a nuclear power and remove&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/space-launches-technology-business-united-nations-north-korea-b70d8af96336ee0b19fcde6ced5faa83">crippling sanctions</a>.The launch, which extended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-space-launches-technology-europe-north-korea-876568625696016c7fb2d7da72add17d">North Korea’s barrage of weapons tests&nbsp;</a>this year, came after the U.S. and South Korean militaries said the country was preparing a flight of a new large ICBM first unveiled in October 2020.South Korea’s military responded with live-fire drills of its own missiles launched from land vehicles, aircraft and a ship, underscoring a revival of tensions as nuclear negotiations remain frozen. It said it confirmed readiness to execute precision strikes against North Korea’s missile launch points as well as command and support facilities.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North’s ICBM fired from the Sunan area near capital Pyongyang traveled 1,080 kilometers (670 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of over 6,200 kilometers (3,850 miles). The missile was apparently fired on high angle to avoid reaching the territorial waters of Japan.Japan’s Deputy Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said the flight details suggested a new type of ICBM.“It’s an unforgivable recklessness. We resolutely condemn the act,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after arriving in Belgium for the Group of Seven meetings.The missile flew 71 minutes before possibly landing near Japanese territorial waters off the island of Hokkaido, said Tokyo’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. Japan may search for debris inside its exclusive economic zone to analyze the North’s technology, he said. Japan’s coast guard issued a warning to vessels in nearby waters, but there were no immediate reports of damage to boats or aircraft.South Korean President Moon Jae-in during an emergency National Security Council meeting criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for breaking a self-imposed moratorium on ICBM tests and posing a “serious threat” to the region and the broader international community.The United States strongly condemns the North’s launch, said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, calling it a “brazen violation” of U.N. Security Council resolutions that risks destabilizing the region’s security.“The door has not closed on diplomacy, but Pyongyang must immediately cease its destabilizing actions. The United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and Republic of Korea and Japanese allies,” she said, referring to South Korea’s formal name.Following a highly provocative streak in nuclear explosive and ICBM tests in 2017, Kim suspended such testing in 2018 ahead of his first meeting with then-U.S. President Donald Trump.North Korea’s resumption of nuclear brinkmanship reflects a determination to cement its status as a nuclear power and wrest badly needed economic concessions from Washington and others from a position of strength, analysts say.Kim may also feel a need to trumpet his military accomplishments to his domestic audience as he grapples with a broken economy worsened by pandemic border closures.“Despite economic challenges and technical setbacks, the Kim regime is determined to advance its missile capabilities,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Seoul’s Ewha Womans University. “It would be a mistake for international policymakers to think the North Korean missile threat can be put on the back burner while the world deals with the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”The Biden administration’s passive handling of North Korea so far, while it focuses on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China, is allowing more room for the North to dial up its testing activity, some experts say. The administration’s actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions imposed over its recent tests and offers of open-ended talks that were rejected by Pyongyang.It was North Korea’s 12th round of weapons launches this year and came after it fired suspected artillery pieces into the sea on Sunday.The North has also tested a variety of new missiles, including a purported hypersonic weapon and its first launch since 2017 of an intermediate range missile with a potential of reaching Guam, a key U.S. military hub in the Pacific.It also conducted two medium-range tests in recent weeks from Sunan, home to the country’s main airport, that the U.S. and South Korean militaries assessed to have involved components of the North’s largest ICBM. The allies had said the missile, which the North calls Hwasong-17, could be tested at full range soon.Those tests were followed by another launch from Sunan last week. But South Korea’s military said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seoul-south-korea-north-korea-joint-chiefs-of-staff-1151a9d8b5436bdc783806e19fa1edef">the missile likely exploded</a>&nbsp;shortly after liftoff.North Korea’s official media insisted that the two successful tests were aimed at developing cameras and other systems for a spy satellite. Analysts say the North is attempting to simultaneously advance its ICBMs and acquire some level of space-based reconnaissance capability under the pretense of a space launch to reduce international backlash to those moves.That launch may possibly come around a major political anniversary in April, the birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of current leader Kim.The North’s previous ICBMs demonstrated potential range to reach the American homeland during three flight tests in 2017. The development of the larger Hwasong-17, which was first revealed in a military parade in October 2020, possibly indicates an aim to arm it with multiple warheads to overwhelm missile defenses.In North Korea’s last test of an ICBM in November 2017, the Hwasong-15 flew about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) for about 50 minutes at a maximum altitude of 4,000 kilometers (2,400 miles). It wasn’t immediately clear whether the missile from the latest test was the Hwasong-17.Denuclearization talks with the U.S. have been stalled since 2019, when the Americans rejected North Korea’s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.Kim presided over a ruling Workers’ Party meeting on Jan. 19, where Politburo members issued a veiled threat to end his moratorium on ICBM and nuclear tests, citing U.S. hostility.South Korea’s military has also detected signs that North Korea was possibly restoring some of the tunnels at its nuclear testing ground that were detonated in May 2018, weeks ahead of Kim’s first meeting with Trump.

U.S. condemns North Korea test of new long-range missile 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are close to approving plans for new state House and Senate districts that have bipartisan support even though they’re expected to preserve Republican supermajorities.

The House on Wednesday added&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/House/Freestate_3F-packet.pdf" target="_blank">proposed boundaries</a>&nbsp;for its members’ districts to a Senate-passed bill&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/Senate/Liberty_3.pdf" target="_blank">that revised senators’ districts.</a>&nbsp;House members passed the legislation,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220323133645_939925/" target="_blank">112-9.</a>

Legislative leaders plan to have House and Senate negotiators next week add a plan for new State Board of Education districts. The package would then face an up-or-down vote in each chamber to send it to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Lawmakers redraw the lines every 10 years to make districts as equal in population as possible after a decade of population shifts.

Republicans said the new maps are likely to keep roughly the same GOP majorities of 29-11 in the Senate and 86-39 in the House.

GOP Reps. Tatum Lee and Jim Minnix, of Scott City would share a district. Top Republicans said declining population required western Kansas to lose a district and it was fairest to put two freshmen together.

Lee argued it was retaliation for her clashing with GOP leaders on “a plethora of issues.”

“I’ve continued to stand for liberty for Kansas, and if liberty is offensive to some, I guess we’ll deal with it at the polls,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648125310088.png" alt="2022 Kansas Legislature Proposed Redistricting Plans" />
 <figcaption>2022 Kansas Legislature Proposed Redistricting Plans</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are close to approving plans for new state House and Senate districts that have bipartisan support even though they’re expected to preserve Republican supermajorities.The House on Wednesday added&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/House/Freestate_3F-packet.pdf" target="_blank">proposed boundaries</a>&nbsp;for its members’ districts to a Senate-passed bill&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-web/Publications/Redistricting/2022-Plans/Senate/Liberty_3.pdf" target="_blank">that revised senators’ districts.</a>&nbsp;House members passed the legislation,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220323133645_939925/" target="_blank">112-9.</a>Legislative leaders plan to have House and Senate negotiators next week add a plan for new State Board of Education districts. The package would then face an up-or-down vote in each chamber to send it to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.Lawmakers redraw the lines every 10 years to make districts as equal in population as possible after a decade of population shifts.Republicans said the new maps are likely to keep roughly the same GOP majorities of 29-11 in the Senate and 86-39 in the House.But not all Republicans are happy.GOP Reps. Tatum Lee and Jim Minnix, of Scott City would share a district. Top Republicans said declining population required western Kansas to lose a district and it was fairest to put two freshmen together.Lee argued it was retaliation for her clashing with GOP leaders on “a plethora of issues.”“I’ve continued to stand for liberty for Kansas, and if liberty is offensive to some, I guess we’ll deal with it at the polls,” she said.

Kansas lawmakers are close to approving their new districts

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and world leaders opened a trio of emergency summits on Thursday with a sober warning from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that the alliance must boost its defenses to counter Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and “respond to a new security reality in Europe.”

Stoltenberg commented as he called to order a NATO summit focused on increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the assault on Ukraine while tending to the economic and security fallout spreading across Europe and the world.

“We gather at a critical time for our security,” Stoltenberg said, addressing the leaders seated at a large round table. “We are united in condemning the Kremlin’s unprovoked aggression and in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He said the alliance is “determined to continue to impose costs on Russia to bring about the end of this brutal war.”

Over the course of Thursday, the European diplomatic capital is hosting the emergency NATO summit, a gathering of the Group of Seven industrialized nations and a summit of the European Union. Biden will attend all three meetings and hold a news conference afterward.

The schedule left Brussels interlaced with multiple police checkpoints and road closures to help motorcades crisscross the city as the leaders go from one meeting to the next.

Biden arrived late Wednesday with the hopes of nudging allies to enact new sanctions on Russia, which has seen its economy crippled by several weeks of bans, boycotts and penalties.

While the West has been largely unified in confronting Russia after it invaded Ukraine, there’s wide acknowledgement that unity will be tested as the costs of war chip at the global economy.

The bolstering of forces along NATO’s eastern flank, almost certainly for at least the next five to 10 years if Russia is to be effectively dissuaded, will also put pressure on national budgets.

“We need to do more, and therefore we need to invest more. There is a new sense of urgency and I expect that the leaders will agree to accelerate the investments in defense,” Stoltenberg said before the summit.

Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the U.S. wants to hear “that the resolve and unity that we’ve seen for the past month will endure for as long as it takes.”

The energy crisis exacerbated by the war will be a particularly hot topic at the European Council summit, where leaders from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are hoping for an urgent, coordinated bloc-wide response. EU officials have said they will seek U.S. help on a plan to top up natural gas storage facilities for next winter, and they also want the bloc to jointly purchase gas.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed calls to boycott Russian energy supplies, saying it would cause significant damage to his country’s economy. Scholz is facing pressure from environmental activists to quickly wean Germany off Russian energy, but he said the process will have to be gradual.

“To do so from one day to the next would mean plunging our country and all of Europe into recession,” Scholz said Wednesday.

Poland and other eastern flank NATO countries will also be looking for clarity on how the United States and fellow European nations can assist in dealing with their growing concerns about Russian aggression as well as a spiraling refugee crisis. More than 3.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine in recent weeks, including more than 2 million to Poland.

Biden is scheduled to visit Poland on Friday, where both issues are expected to be at the center of talks with President Andrzej Duda. Another significant moment could come shortly before Biden returns to Washington on Saturday. The White House said he plans to “deliver remarks on the united efforts of the free world to support the people of Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its brutal war, and defend a future that is rooted in democratic principles.”

Sullivan said Biden and fellow leaders would aim to “set out a longer-term game plan” for what forces and capabilities are going to be required for the alliance’s eastern flank countries.

Four new NATO battlegroups, which usually number between 1,000-1,500 troops, are being set up in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to address the NATO summit by video, said late Wednesday that he wants the alliance to “declare that it will fully assist Ukraine to win this war” by supplying any weapons necessary.

All the while, national security officials from Washington to Warsaw are increasingly worried that Putin might deploy chemical, biological or even nuclear weaponry. Sullivan said the allies would consult on how to respond to “potential contingencies” of that sort.

Biden said this week that the possibility of Russia deploying chemical weapons was a “real threat.”

Stoltenberg declined Thursday to discuss whether such a strike is a red line that would draw the alliance into war with Russia. “I will not speculate beyond the fact that NATO is always ready to defend, to protect and to react to any type of attack on a NATO allied country,” he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a CNN interview this week said that Russia could consider using its nuclear weapons if it felt there was “an existential threat for our country.”

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s executive arm, said before Biden’s visit that she wants to discuss the possibility of securing extra deliveries of liquefied natural gas from the United States for the 27-nation bloc “for the next two winters.”

The EU imports 90% of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40% of EU gas and a quarter of its oil. The bloc is looking at ways to reduce its dependence on Russian gas by diversifying suppliers.

Sullivan said the United States was looking for ways to “surge” LNG supplies to Europe to help.

Biden, for his part, was expected to detail plans for new sanctions against Russia and humanitarian assistance for the region.

One new sanctions option that Biden is weighing is to target members of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of parliament, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The new sanctions would be rolled out in coordination with Western allies.

Biden arrived in Brussels with Americans increasingly accepting of the need for the U.S. to help stop Putin, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

But even as concern among Americans has swelled and and support for a major U.S. role in the conflict strengthened in the last month, Biden’s negative approval rating has not budged, the AP-NORC poll found. Few are very confident that he can handle a crisis, and a majority thinks he lacks toughness in dealing with Russia.

Biden promised voters that he had the experience to navigate a complicated international emergency like the one unfolding in Europe and his trip will be the latest test of that proposition as he tries to maintain unity among Western allies and brace for potentially even bigger challenges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648126473753.png" alt="President Biden and&nbsp;NATO leaders met Thursday in Brussels — one month since the start of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden and&nbsp;NATO leaders met Thursday in Brussels — one month since the start of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and world leaders opened a trio of emergency summits on Thursday with a sober warning from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that the alliance must boost its defenses to counter Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and “respond to a new security reality in Europe.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today in Brussels I’m meeting with our NATO Allies, G7 members, and the European Council to discuss our ongoing response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine. We stand united in defense of democracy and with the people of Ukraine.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1506966779721138179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Stoltenberg commented as he called to order a NATO summit focused on increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the assault on Ukraine while tending to the economic and security fallout spreading across Europe and the world.“We gather at a critical time for our security,” Stoltenberg said, addressing the leaders seated at a large round table. “We are united in condemning the Kremlin’s unprovoked aggression and in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”He said the alliance is “determined to continue to impose costs on Russia to bring about the end of this brutal war.”Over the course of Thursday, the European diplomatic capital is hosting the emergency NATO summit, a gathering of the Group of Seven industrialized nations and a summit of the European Union. Biden will attend all three meetings and hold a news conference afterward.The schedule left Brussels interlaced with multiple police checkpoints and road closures to help motorcades crisscross the city as the leaders go from one meeting to the next.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648117303062.jpeg" alt="The Belgian Prime Minister welcomed President Biden upon his arrival in Brussels. -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The Belgian Prime Minister welcomed President Biden upon his arrival in Brussels. -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden arrived late Wednesday with the hopes of nudging allies to enact new sanctions on Russia, which has seen its economy crippled by several weeks of bans, boycotts and penalties.While the West has been largely unified in confronting Russia after it invaded Ukraine, there’s wide acknowledgement that unity will be tested as the costs of war chip at the global economy.The bolstering of forces along NATO’s eastern flank, almost certainly for at least the next five to 10 years if Russia is to be effectively dissuaded, will also put pressure on national budgets.“We need to do more, and therefore we need to invest more. There is a new sense of urgency and I expect that the leaders will agree to accelerate the investments in defense,” Stoltenberg said before the summit.Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the U.S. wants to hear “that the resolve and unity that we’ve seen for the past month will endure for as long as it takes.”The energy crisis exacerbated by the war will be a particularly hot topic at the European Council summit, where leaders from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are hoping for an urgent, coordinated bloc-wide response. EU officials have said they will seek U.S. help on a plan to top up natural gas storage facilities for next winter, and they also want the bloc to jointly purchase gas.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed calls to boycott Russian energy supplies, saying it would cause significant damage to his country’s economy. Scholz is facing pressure from environmental activists to quickly wean Germany off Russian energy, but he said the process will have to be gradual.“To do so from one day to the next would mean plunging our country and all of Europe into recession,” Scholz said Wednesday.Poland and other eastern flank NATO countries will also be looking for clarity on how the United States and fellow European nations can assist in dealing with their growing concerns about Russian aggression as well as a spiraling refugee crisis. More than 3.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine in recent weeks, including more than 2 million to Poland.Biden is scheduled to visit Poland on Friday, where both issues are expected to be at the center of talks with President Andrzej Duda. Another significant moment could come shortly before Biden returns to Washington on Saturday. The White House said he plans to “deliver remarks on the united efforts of the free world to support the people of Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its brutal war, and defend a future that is rooted in democratic principles.”Sullivan said Biden and fellow leaders would aim to “set out a longer-term game plan” for what forces and capabilities are going to be required for the alliance’s eastern flank countries.Four new NATO battlegroups, which usually number between 1,000-1,500 troops, are being set up in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to address the NATO summit by video, said late Wednesday that he wants the alliance to “declare that it will fully assist Ukraine to win this war” by supplying any weapons necessary.All the while, national security officials from Washington to Warsaw are increasingly worried that Putin might deploy chemical, biological or even nuclear weaponry. Sullivan said the allies would consult on how to respond to “potential contingencies” of that sort.Biden said this week that the possibility of Russia deploying chemical weapons was a “real threat.”Stoltenberg declined Thursday to discuss whether such a strike is a red line that would draw the alliance into war with Russia. “I will not speculate beyond the fact that NATO is always ready to defend, to protect and to react to any type of attack on a NATO allied country,” he said.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a CNN interview this week said that Russia could consider using its nuclear weapons if it felt there was “an existential threat for our country.”Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s executive arm, said before Biden’s visit that she wants to discuss the possibility of securing extra deliveries of liquefied natural gas from the United States for the 27-nation bloc “for the next two winters.”The EU imports 90% of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40% of EU gas and a quarter of its oil. The bloc is looking at ways to reduce its dependence on Russian gas by diversifying suppliers.Sullivan said the United States was looking for ways to “surge” LNG supplies to Europe to help.Biden, for his part, was expected to detail plans for new sanctions against Russia and humanitarian assistance for the region.One new sanctions option that Biden is weighing is to target members of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of parliament, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The new sanctions would be rolled out in coordination with Western allies.Biden arrived in Brussels with Americans increasingly accepting of the need for the U.S. to help stop Putin, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.But even as concern among Americans has swelled and and support for a major U.S. role in the conflict strengthened in the last month, Biden’s negative approval rating has not budged, the AP-NORC poll found. Few are very confident that he can handle a crisis, and a majority thinks he lacks toughness in dealing with Russia.Biden promised voters that he had the experience to navigate a complicated international emergency like the one unfolding in Europe and his trip will be the latest test of that proposition as he tries to maintain unity among Western allies and brace for potentially even bigger challenges.---

Biden, Western allies hold emergency summit on Russian war

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

HAYS — An Ellis County District Court judge sentenced a Victoria man to life in prison this week for a pair of sex crimes involving two young girls and the rape of an 18 year-old nearly six years ago.

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Cody Schultz was sentenced to life in prison with the possibly of parole after 25 years for aggravated indecent liberties with a child under the age of 14, 15 years and six months in prison for electronic solicitation of a child under the age of 14, and an additional 15 years and six months in prison for raping a woman in 2014.

Following m<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/09511767-3e23-4f78-a871-885fb807f5ea">ediation in February</a>, Schultz was found guilty on all three charges.

At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Schultz attempted to get Chief Judge Glenn Braun to issue a shorter prison sentence than the one agreed upon in the February mediation.

During the more than two-hour long hearing Tuesday, several family members testified on Schultz’s behalf, insisting he was not a predator and claimed he made a mistake.

In handing down his sentence, Braun disagreed, saying, “this defendant was a predator. The evidence in this case clearly evidences that.”

The almost six years between the rape and the solicitation of the young girls also proved that, according to Braun.

Sentencing Schultz to the prison sentence was, according to Braun, a public safety issue.

Braun called it, “one of the strangest sentencing I’ve been involved in, from the defendant's perspective.”

According to Braun, in voluntary statements submitted to the court by Schultz, he admitted to one of the three crimes he was convicted of but also blamed the victims.

In the court filings, Schultz said he believes the two young victims, ages 12 and 13 at the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">time of the assaults</a>, should “be held accountable for lying.”

In another court filing, Schultz blamed one of the victims multiple times.

“It’s a 12 year-old girl,"&nbsp;Braun said.

Braun presented court records showing the girls told Schultz their ages before the crimes took place.

Charges in a similar incident involving Schultz messaging a 10-year-old girl in Barton County were dropped as part of the mediation agreement. Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson said the state has evidence of dozensof other attempts by Schultz to solicit young girls for sex.

In a statement to Hays Post,&nbsp; Anderson said, “these two cases have been a top priority of mine since taking office. A lot of time and effort was expended into the investigation and prosecution. I know law enforcement is pleased with the result, and they should be very proud of the work they did. Now that these cases are over with at the trial court level, I hope the victims and their families can begin to put this behind them and heal.”

During his allocution before his sentence was handed down, Schultz claimed to have a list of other offenders who have gotten lighter prison sentences.

“I have never reduced a sentence on a sex offender," he said.

Anderson said of those allegations, “The criminal justice system simply does not have the time or resources to prosecute every case to the fullest extent of the law. My job is to decide what cases and charges get filed and how aggressively to pursue certain convictions and punishment. Any leniency I give must be viewed in that context. I’ve never seen the court give undeserved leniency. Since taking office last year, I have filed approximately twenty sexual assault cases. No two cases are alike. The nuance of each case, coupled with the wishes of the victims, dictates how aggressively I pursue a given result.”

Both Braun and Anderson applauded the efforts of the Hays Police Department for solving the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">2014 rape case</a>. Schultz lived near the woman at the time and DNA evidence proved that he attacked the woman, they said.

Anderson said, “This community should be very proud of all of the agencies, organizations, and people who were part of the result achieved today. Obviously, law enforcement, in particular the investigative unit for Hays PD, did a stellar job in both of these cases, but I would be remiss if I didn’t also praise the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program at Hays Med; the KBI forensic examiners; the forensic interviewer and advocates from the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center; the Department of Children &amp; Families; St. Francis Ministries; and my office staff —if I’ve left anyone out, I apologize. All of these people come together to make our community a better place to live.”

Schultz has already indicated that he plans to appeal the sentencing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648072335461.jpeg" alt="Schultz" />
 <figcaption>Schultz</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostHAYS — An Ellis County District Court judge sentenced a Victoria man to life in prison this week for a pair of sex crimes involving two young girls and the rape of an 18 year-old nearly six years ago.On Tuesday, 33-year-old Cody Schultz was sentenced to life in prison with the possibly of parole after 25 years for aggravated indecent liberties with a child under the age of 14, 15 years and six months in prison for electronic solicitation of a child under the age of 14, and an additional 15 years and six months in prison for raping a woman in 2014.Following m<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/09511767-3e23-4f78-a871-885fb807f5ea">ediation in February</a>, Schultz was found guilty on all three charges.At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Schultz attempted to get Chief Judge Glenn Braun to issue a shorter prison sentence than the one agreed upon in the February mediation.During the more than two-hour long hearing Tuesday, several family members testified on Schultz’s behalf, insisting he was not a predator and claimed he made a mistake.In handing down his sentence, Braun disagreed, saying, “this defendant was a predator. The evidence in this case clearly evidences that.”The almost six years between the rape and the solicitation of the young girls also proved that, according to Braun.Sentencing Schultz to the prison sentence was, according to Braun, a public safety issue.Braun called it, “one of the strangest sentencing I’ve been involved in, from the defendant's perspective.”According to Braun, in voluntary statements submitted to the court by Schultz, he admitted to one of the three crimes he was convicted of but also blamed the victims.In the court filings, Schultz said he believes the two young victims, ages 12 and 13 at the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">time of the assaults</a>, should “be held accountable for lying.”In another court filing, Schultz blamed one of the victims multiple times.“It’s a 12 year-old girl,"&nbsp;Braun said.Braun presented court records showing the girls told Schultz their ages before the crimes took place.Charges in a similar incident involving Schultz messaging a 10-year-old girl in Barton County were dropped as part of the mediation agreement. Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson said the state has evidence of dozensof other attempts by Schultz to solicit young girls for sex.In a statement to Hays Post,&nbsp; Anderson said, “these two cases have been a top priority of mine since taking office. A lot of time and effort was expended into the investigation and prosecution. I know law enforcement is pleased with the result, and they should be very proud of the work they did. Now that these cases are over with at the trial court level, I hope the victims and their families can begin to put this behind them and heal.”During his allocution before his sentence was handed down, Schultz claimed to have a list of other offenders who have gotten lighter prison sentences.Braun dismissed the accusation.“I have never reduced a sentence on a sex offender," he said.Anderson said of those allegations, “The criminal justice system simply does not have the time or resources to prosecute every case to the fullest extent of the law. My job is to decide what cases and charges get filed and how aggressively to pursue certain convictions and punishment. Any leniency I give must be viewed in that context. I’ve never seen the court give undeserved leniency. Since taking office last year, I have filed approximately twenty sexual assault cases. No two cases are alike. The nuance of each case, coupled with the wishes of the victims, dictates how aggressively I pursue a given result.”Both Braun and Anderson applauded the efforts of the Hays Police Department for solving the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">2014 rape case</a>. Schultz lived near the woman at the time and DNA evidence proved that he attacked the woman, they said.Anderson said, “This community should be very proud of all of the agencies, organizations, and people who were part of the result achieved today. Obviously, law enforcement, in particular the investigative unit for Hays PD, did a stellar job in both of these cases, but I would be remiss if I didn’t also praise the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program at Hays Med; the KBI forensic examiners; the forensic interviewer and advocates from the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center; the Department of Children &amp; Families; St. Francis Ministries; and my office staff —if I’ve left anyone out, I apologize. All of these people come together to make our community a better place to live.”Schultz has already indicated that he plans to appeal the sentencing.

Kansas man sentenced to life in prison for multiple sex crimes

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 373 officials are reporting an unfortunate miscommunication that startled students in Newton.

Just after 4p.m. Wednesday, Chisholm Middle School, 900 East First Street in Newton, was running a staff training drill for an active shooter situation, according to a social media report from Newton Police.

 Unfortunately, a small group of students who were still in the building heard an announcement over the PA system but did not hear the word “drill” and believed it was a real active shooter. 

The students hid in a restroom and called 911. Law enforcement from around the county began to respond, and Newton officers arrived at the school almost immediately.

Newton Police said, "this was a very scary situation for those students, but thankfully they were not in danger. Drills are an important part of preparing for emergencies to keep students and staff safe, and this was an unfortunate misunderstanding."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621026307289.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 373 officials are reporting an unfortunate miscommunication that startled students in Newton.Just after 4p.m. Wednesday, Chisholm Middle School, 900 East First Street in Newton, was running a staff training drill for an active shooter situation, according to a social media report from Newton Police. Unfortunately, a small group of students who were still in the building heard an announcement over the PA system but did not hear the word “drill” and believed it was a real active shooter. The students hid in a restroom and called 911. Law enforcement from around the county began to respond, and Newton officers arrived at the school almost immediately.Newton Police said, "this was a very scary situation for those students, but thankfully they were not in danger. Drills are an important part of preparing for emergencies to keep students and staff safe, and this was an unfortunate misunderstanding."

Kan. middle school miscommunicates active shooter drill

Cryptocurrency is the hot new trend 
in investing, and much is still not understood about this buzzy, 
volatile digital payment system that does not rely on banks to verify 
transactions. This has created a fertile environment for scams, 
according to a new in-depth investigative study by Better Business 
Bureau® (BBB®), which states: “A virtual tug of war exists between the legitimate and fraudulent use of cryptocurrency.”&nbsp;

The study – Cryptocurrency
 scams: BBB study finds lack of regulation and consumer education 
results in dramatic increase in fraud and financial losses
 – examines the many facets of cryptocurrency and the variety of ways 
criminals are exploiting the cryptocurrency market to steal from 
investors and victims of common scams. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/scamstudies/cryptocurrency_scams/cryptocurrency_scams_study" target="_blank">Read the full study</a>.&nbsp;

Cryptocurrency is a form of digital money 
whereby encryption technology can enable anyone anywhere to send and 
receive payments. It does not exist in a physical form such as paper 
money, but as lines of computer code, supported by a decentralized 
computer system known as blockchain and stored in a “crypto wallet.” 
Bitcoin, developed in 2009, is the most popular form of cryptocurrency, 
available for purchase at tens of thousands of Bitcoin ATMs and 
increasingly accepted as payment in certain retail transactions. 
Ethereum is the second most common cryptocurrency and is centrally 
involved in the increasingly popular non-fungible tokens (NFTs), digital
 assets such as pictures or music that are purchased with cryptocurrency
 as an investment. Critically, cryptocurrency operates outside the 
traditional banking system and is not subject to the same protections as
 bank deposits or credit card transactions.&nbsp;

Reports from victims of large financial 
losses to cryptocurrency related scams are skyrocketing. In 2021, BBB 
received more than 2,400 complaints with monetary losses of nearly $8 
million involving cryptocurrency companies. BBB Scam Tracker reports 
about crypto scams numbered more than 1,200 in 2021 and likewise totaled
 nearly $8 million in losses. Scam Tracker reports to BBB tripled between 2019 and 2021, and reported losses tripled over the last two years.&nbsp;

Cryptocurrency accounted for the second 
highest scam losses reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 
2021, with losses of $750 million. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint 
Center (IC3) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) also had major 
increases in reports received and major increases in losses. BBB’s study
 notes that research shows that most people do not make a report when 
they are scammed, so actual losses suggested to be substantially 
greater.&nbsp;

Cryptocurrency has some key traits that 
make it attractive to scammers: It is relatively unregulated and 
difficult to recoup once lost; it is wildly popular, fueled in part by 
celebrity endorsements; and it is not well understood by the general 
public. The study states that the cryptocurrency market offers new 
opportunities for tried-and-true investment frauds such as Ponzi schemes
 and fraudulent ICOs (initial coin offerings), particularly given the 
development of new currencies and the lack of protections that 
government regulation has made available to more traditional investors.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Many victims report that after purchasing 
cryptocurrency, they&nbsp;were directed to websites where they had to create 
an account in order to monitor their investments. The websites are 
sophisticated, with many offering live customer service chats. But 
victims who want to withdraw their “earnings” are told they must 
contribute more money to cover taxes, commissions, or other fees. 
Ultimately, they can never withdraw money..&nbsp;

A consumer told BBB that she began 
learning about Bitcoin investing in the summer of 2021, reaching out via
 WhatsApp to an investing service she saw mentioned repeatedly in the 
comments of a YouTube video about Bitcoin. The woman was instructed to 
buy $1,500 in Bitcoin via CashApp; 10 days later, she received a 
screenshot displaying an account balance of more than $7,300. However, 
when she decided to withdraw her earnings, she was told to pay a 10% 
commission and a broker’s fee of more than $800. After she paid both, 
she received an email instructing her to pay an additional sum of nearly
 $1,200 to withdraw her money. She concluded it was a scam and reported 
it to BBB.&nbsp;

BBB Scam Tracker data shows that 
cryptocurrency scams most commonly originate on social media, with the 
FTC noting that 25% of crypto fraud reported in 2021 began on social 
media. Scammers may impersonate a victim’s friends to tell them about 
their success in crypto investing, or they may make Facebook posts 
promising big gains.&nbsp;

Cryptocurrency figures prominently in 
other scams as well. Law enforcement and BBB report that romance 
scammers have begun convincing their victims to invest in cryptocurrency
 via sophisticated fake apps, disappearing with the money when the 
victim attempts to withdraw proceeds. Ransomware scams also demand 
cryptocurrency as payment in many cases, BBB’s study notes. BBB Scam 
Tracker data shows that cryptocurrency also is a commonly requested 
payment method in fraudulent online sales, advance fee loan scams, 
employment scams, extortion scams, government impostor fees and more. 
Illicit transactions on the so-called dark web are often conducted using
 cryptocurrency, and it is used in money laundering.&nbsp;

Law enforcement agencies have pursued 
cases involving large cryptocurrency losses and the use of 
cryptocurrency in criminal activity. The U.S. Department of Justice has 
made arrests this year in cases involving billions of dollars in 
cryptocurrency laundering.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tips to avoid cryptocurrency scams:&nbsp;

Recommendations for industry and regulators:&nbsp;

Where to report a scam or register a complaint:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBCryptocurrency is the hot new trend 
in investing, and much is still not understood about this buzzy, 
volatile digital payment system that does not rely on banks to verify 
transactions. This has created a fertile environment for scams, 
according to a new in-depth investigative study by Better Business 
Bureau® (BBB®), which states: “A virtual tug of war exists between the legitimate and fraudulent use of cryptocurrency.”&nbsp;The study – Cryptocurrency
 scams: BBB study finds lack of regulation and consumer education 
results in dramatic increase in fraud and financial losses
 – examines the many facets of cryptocurrency and the variety of ways 
criminals are exploiting the cryptocurrency market to steal from 
investors and victims of common scams. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/scamstudies/cryptocurrency_scams/cryptocurrency_scams_study" target="_blank">Read the full study</a>.&nbsp;Cryptocurrency is a form of digital money 
whereby encryption technology can enable anyone anywhere to send and 
receive payments. It does not exist in a physical form such as paper 
money, but as lines of computer code, supported by a decentralized 
computer system known as blockchain and stored in a “crypto wallet.” 
Bitcoin, developed in 2009, is the most popular form of cryptocurrency, 
available for purchase at tens of thousands of Bitcoin ATMs and 
increasingly accepted as payment in certain retail transactions. 
Ethereum is the second most common cryptocurrency and is centrally 
involved in the increasingly popular non-fungible tokens (NFTs), digital
 assets such as pictures or music that are purchased with cryptocurrency
 as an investment. Critically, cryptocurrency operates outside the 
traditional banking system and is not subject to the same protections as
 bank deposits or credit card transactions.&nbsp;Reports from victims of large financial 
losses to cryptocurrency related scams are skyrocketing. In 2021, BBB 
received more than 2,400 complaints with monetary losses of nearly $8 
million involving cryptocurrency companies. BBB Scam Tracker reports 
about crypto scams numbered more than 1,200 in 2021 and likewise totaled
 nearly $8 million in losses. Scam Tracker reports to BBB tripled between 2019 and 2021, and reported losses tripled over the last two years.&nbsp;Cryptocurrency accounted for the second 
highest scam losses reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 
2021, with losses of $750 million. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint 
Center (IC3) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) also had major 
increases in reports received and major increases in losses. BBB’s study
 notes that research shows that most people do not make a report when 
they are scammed, so actual losses suggested to be substantially 
greater.&nbsp;Cryptocurrency has some key traits that 
make it attractive to scammers: It is relatively unregulated and 
difficult to recoup once lost; it is wildly popular, fueled in part by 
celebrity endorsements; and it is not well understood by the general 
public. The study states that the cryptocurrency market offers new 
opportunities for tried-and-true investment frauds such as Ponzi schemes
 and fraudulent ICOs (initial coin offerings), particularly given the 
development of new currencies and the lack of protections that 
government regulation has made available to more traditional investors.&nbsp;&nbsp;Many victims report that after purchasing 
cryptocurrency, they&nbsp;were directed to websites where they had to create 
an account in order to monitor their investments. The websites are 
sophisticated, with many offering live customer service chats. But 
victims who want to withdraw their “earnings” are told they must 
contribute more money to cover taxes, commissions, or other fees. 
Ultimately, they can never withdraw money..&nbsp;A consumer told BBB that she began 
learning about Bitcoin investing in the summer of 2021, reaching out via
 WhatsApp to an investing service she saw mentioned repeatedly in the 
comments of a YouTube video about Bitcoin. The woman was instructed to 
buy $1,500 in Bitcoin via CashApp; 10 days later, she received a 
screenshot displaying an account balance of more than $7,300. However, 
when she decided to withdraw her earnings, she was told to pay a 10% 
commission and a broker’s fee of more than $800. After she paid both, 
she received an email instructing her to pay an additional sum of nearly
 $1,200 to withdraw her money. She concluded it was a scam and reported 
it to BBB.&nbsp;BBB Scam Tracker data shows that 
cryptocurrency scams most commonly originate on social media, with the 
FTC noting that 25% of crypto fraud reported in 2021 began on social 
media. Scammers may impersonate a victim’s friends to tell them about 
their success in crypto investing, or they may make Facebook posts 
promising big gains.&nbsp;Cryptocurrency figures prominently in 
other scams as well. Law enforcement and BBB report that romance 
scammers have begun convincing their victims to invest in cryptocurrency
 via sophisticated fake apps, disappearing with the money when the 
victim attempts to withdraw proceeds. Ransomware scams also demand 
cryptocurrency as payment in many cases, BBB’s study notes. BBB Scam 
Tracker data shows that cryptocurrency also is a commonly requested 
payment method in fraudulent online sales, advance fee loan scams, 
employment scams, extortion scams, government impostor fees and more. 
Illicit transactions on the so-called dark web are often conducted using
 cryptocurrency, and it is used in money laundering.&nbsp;Law enforcement agencies have pursued 
cases involving large cryptocurrency losses and the use of 
cryptocurrency in criminal activity. The U.S. Department of Justice has 
made arrests this year in cases involving billions of dollars in 
cryptocurrency laundering.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Tips to avoid cryptocurrency scams:&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Guard your wallet.
 If you buy cryptocurrency, the security of the wallet is of prime 
importance. If you lose the key, then your funds are gone permanently.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Look carefully at email addresses and website addresses. Phishing
 scams often try to trick people into logging in and then capture the 
log in credentials. Those then can be used to steal money. Looking for 
an exchange with an internet search engine may lead to fake sites which 
advertise and impersonate real companies. Be especially careful when 
viewing these on a phone.&nbsp;</li><li>Do not pay for products with cryptocurrency.
 Be careful if someone asks you to pay with Bitcoin or another 
cryptocurrency. No one with the government will ever ask for this form 
of payment.&nbsp;</li><li>Beware of fake recovery companies. Scam companies sometimes claim that they can recover stolen money – for a fee. These are usually scammers.</li><li>Watch out for fake reviews. Scammers often create fake reviews for their own companies.</li><li>Be wary of celebrity endorsements.
 It can be tempting to rely on a prominent figure who has invested in 
cryptocurrency. But those endorsements are often not authorized and even
 if they are, the celebrity may be paid for the effort and may not know 
more about it than you do.&nbsp;</li><li>Be careful about claims made on social media. This is the most common place for people to encounter investment scams.&nbsp;</li><li>Be wary of “friends” who reach out to you on social media and tell you how they made money with cryptocurrency. Accounts are frequently compromised. Call your friend by phone to see if it is really them.&nbsp;</li><li>Only download apps from Google Play or the App Store. Trusted
 app stores do not eliminate the threat of app scams, but they do offer a
 basic level of protection. Be careful with apps. Some contain malicious
 software.&nbsp;</li><li>Do not believe promises of guaranteed returns. No one can guarantee how an investment will perform.&nbsp;</li><li>Seek help and support. Cybercrime Support Network offers a free, confidential support program for romance scam survivors.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Recommendations for industry and regulators:&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Social media should do more to:&nbsp;&nbsp;
Prevent hijacking of profiles&nbsp;Stop scam advertisements for cryptocurrency investment schemes&nbsp;&nbsp;Prevent the illegal use of celebrity names to promote cryptocurrency scams&nbsp;
</li><li>Prevent hijacking of profiles&nbsp;</li><li>Stop scam advertisements for cryptocurrency investment schemes&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Prevent the illegal use of celebrity names to promote cryptocurrency scams&nbsp;</li><li>Regulators should carefully monitor Bitcoin ATMs to prevent use by scammers.&nbsp;</li><li>BBB, media, trade groups and government agencies should continue to educate the public about risks.</li><li>U.S. Department of Treasury and security regulators should provide stringent oversight and regulation of cryptocurrencies.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Where to report a scam or register a complaint:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Better Business Bureau — file a complaint with your local BBB at <a href="https://www.bbb.org/complain" target="_blank">BBB.org</a> if you lost money or report a scam online at <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/scamtracker</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — file a complaint online at <a href="https://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov" target="_blank">reportfraud.ftc.gov</a> or call 877-FTC-Help.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) — file a complaint online at ic3.gov/complaint and include:&nbsp;
All transaction IDs&nbsp;&nbsp;Where you sent your crypto from (private wallet, account at exchange X, etc.)Where you believed you were sending your funds (perpetrator’s private wallet, arbitrage account, etc.)&nbsp;Any details regarding the scam and scammers.
</li><li>All transaction IDs&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Where you sent your crypto from (private wallet, account at exchange X, etc.)</li><li>Where you believed you were sending your funds (perpetrator’s private wallet, arbitrage account, etc.)&nbsp;</li><li>Any details regarding the scam and scammers.</li><li>Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre — file a report online at <a href="https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/" target="_blank">antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca</a> or call 1-888-495-8501.&nbsp;</li><li>U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — <a href="https://www.SEC.gov/tcr" target="_blank">SEC.gov/tcr</a>&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Study: Cryptocurrency is ripe for fraud and financial loss

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City will resume his duties after an investigation into sexual abuse allegations. Bishop John Brungardt voluntarily stepped down after the allegation was lodged last year. 

The Kansas City Star reports that Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann said Wednesday the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the allegations and prosecutors chose not to file charges. 

He says church authorities also investigated and determined the evidence did not support the allegations. An allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was filed against Brungardt in February 2021. Naumann said Brungardt consistently denied the allegations and cooperated with the investigations.

FORD COUNTY – The Diocese of Dodge City announced on February 8th that Bishop John Brungardt has been accused of sexual abuse of a minor, according to a media release from the Diocese of Salina.

 The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation. Bishop Brungardt denies the allegation.

Bishop Brungardt has willingly asked to be placed on a leave of absence during the&nbsp;investigation.

&nbsp;The Congregation for Bishops has appointed Most Reverend Gerald L. Vincke the&nbsp;temporary Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dodge City, effective immediately.

Bishop&nbsp;Vincke remains as the Bishop of Salina in addition to his role as Apostolic Administrator of the&nbsp;Diocese of Dodge City.

Chancery officials answered the following questions about Bishop Brungardt’s absence:

Q. What kind of authority does an apostolic administrator have? A. An apostolic administrator is equivalent in canon law to the diocesan bishop and has,&nbsp;essentially, the same authority as a diocesan bishop.

Q. How long will Bishop Brungardt be on leave? A. The length of leave will be determined by the results of the investigation, along with the&nbsp;decision of the Holy Father.

Q. Is the see of the Diocese of Dodge City currently vacant? A. Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Vincke apostolic administrator sede plena, meaning that the see is still full. Bishop Brungardt remains the Bishop of Dodge City.

Q. How do I reach Bishop Vincke with any questions or concerns? A. To contact Bishop Vincke regarding matters related to the Diocese of Dodge City, please&nbsp;send correspondence through U.S. Mail to:

Bishop Jerry Vincke Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Dodge City 103 N. Ninth Salina, KS 67401

For daily administrative inquiries, please contact Rev. Ted Stoecklein, vicar general, or Sr.&nbsp;Janice Grochowsky, chancellor. For matters related to the Diocese of Dodge City, please send&nbsp;to the Chancery of the Diocese of Dodge City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612817171854.jpeg" alt="Bishop John Brungardt, Dodge City (Photo by Diocese of Dodge City)" />
 <figcaption>Bishop John Brungardt, Dodge City (Photo by Diocese of Dodge City)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City will resume his duties after an investigation into sexual abuse allegations. Bishop John Brungardt voluntarily stepped down after the allegation was lodged last year. The Kansas City Star reports that Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann said Wednesday the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the allegations and prosecutors chose not to file charges. He says church authorities also investigated and determined the evidence did not support the allegations. An allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was filed against Brungardt in February 2021. Naumann said Brungardt consistently denied the allegations and cooperated with the investigations.---------FORD COUNTY – The Diocese of Dodge City announced on February 8th that Bishop John Brungardt has been accused of sexual abuse of a minor, according to a media release from the Diocese of Salina. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation. Bishop Brungardt denies the allegation.Bishop Brungardt has willingly asked to be placed on a leave of absence during the&nbsp;investigation.&nbsp;The Congregation for Bishops has appointed Most Reverend Gerald L. Vincke the&nbsp;temporary Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dodge City, effective immediately.Bishop&nbsp;Vincke remains as the Bishop of Salina in addition to his role as Apostolic Administrator of the&nbsp;Diocese of Dodge City.Chancery officials answered the following questions about Bishop Brungardt’s absence:Q. What kind of authority does an apostolic administrator have? A. An apostolic administrator is equivalent in canon law to the diocesan bishop and has,&nbsp;essentially, the same authority as a diocesan bishop.Q. How long will Bishop Brungardt be on leave? A. The length of leave will be determined by the results of the investigation, along with the&nbsp;decision of the Holy Father.Q. Is the see of the Diocese of Dodge City currently vacant? A. Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Vincke apostolic administrator sede plena, meaning that the see is still full. Bishop Brungardt remains the Bishop of Dodge City.Q. How do I reach Bishop Vincke with any questions or concerns? A. To contact Bishop Vincke regarding matters related to the Diocese of Dodge City, please&nbsp;send correspondence through U.S. Mail to:Bishop Jerry Vincke Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Dodge City 103 N. Ninth Salina, KS 67401For daily administrative inquiries, please contact Rev. Ted Stoecklein, vicar general, or Sr.&nbsp;Janice Grochowsky, chancellor. For matters related to the Diocese of Dodge City, please send&nbsp;to the Chancery of the Diocese of Dodge City.

Catholic bishop resumes duties after KBI abuse investigation

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are asking the public to help locate an inmate who was released from jail by mistake.

Just after 11:30 a.m. Monday, inmate Elijah Nehemiah Reed was released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility in error, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

 Reed was in custody on two writs to detain through the Juvenile District Court and a criminal possession of a firearm charge through the Adult District Court. After the adult case was dismissed by the District Court a paperwork error in the Sheriff’s Office was made concerning the sentencing status of the two juvenile cases and Reed was released from custody in error.

Reed is a 20 year old African-American who was last known to live in Wichita. He is 6-foot -2,&nbsp; weighs approximately 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Reed could be dangerous and possibly armed.

If you know of Reed’s whereabouts please call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648080074670.png" alt="Reed-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Reed-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are asking the public to help locate an inmate who was released from jail by mistake.Just after 11:30 a.m. Monday, inmate Elijah Nehemiah Reed was released from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility in error, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. Reed was in custody on two writs to detain through the Juvenile District Court and a criminal possession of a firearm charge through the Adult District Court. After the adult case was dismissed by the District Court a paperwork error in the Sheriff’s Office was made concerning the sentencing status of the two juvenile cases and Reed was released from custody in error.Reed is a 20 year old African-American who was last known to live in Wichita. He is 6-foot -2,&nbsp; weighs approximately 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Reed could be dangerous and possibly armed.If you know of Reed’s whereabouts please call 911.

Kan. inmate released by mistake; considered armed, dangerous

LINCOLN COUNTY- Thirty-three dogs were removed from a residence in Barnard on Monday and the owner was later arrested on requested cruelty to animals charges.

"On Monday, March 21, 2022 the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at a residence in Barnard, Kansas. As a result of the search warrant, 33 dogs of various ages and breeds were removed from the deplorable conditions they were living in," Sheriff Dustin Florence noted in a news release on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LincolnCountyKSSheriff">Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Facebook page</a> today.

Barnard is located in northeastern Lincoln County.

Cruelty to animals charges have been requested for the owner of the dogs, who has not been named. He was being held in the Lincoln County Jail, the release noted. The case has been forwarded to the Lincoln County Attorney's Office.

The sheriff's office thanked several organizations for assisting with the rescue of the dogs, including the Sedgwick County Animal Shelter, All Dogs Bark and Play Rescue, Golden Belt Humane Society, the State of Kansas Animal Facilities inspectors, Solomon Valley Veterinarian Hospital, and a number of volunteers.

"The Sheriff's Office would also add that owning animals is a huge commitment. Dogs, cats and other domestic animals require food, water and shelter at all times, as well as proper medical care. We understand that sometimes the love people have for animals outweighs their abilities to properly care for them; either financially or proper shelter or medically. We encourage anyone who may be struggling to properly care for their animals to reach out before the problem becomes much larger than anyone can handle," Florence wrote in the news release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648075681765.jpeg" alt="Some of the dogs removed from the residence in Barnard. Photo courtesy the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LincolnCountyKSSheriff">Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Facebook page</a>" />
 <figcaption>Some of the dogs removed from the residence in Barnard. Photo courtesy the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LincolnCountyKSSheriff">Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Facebook page</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POST LINCOLN COUNTY- Thirty-three dogs were removed from a residence in Barnard on Monday and the owner was later arrested on requested cruelty to animals charges."On Monday, March 21, 2022 the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at a residence in Barnard, Kansas. As a result of the search warrant, 33 dogs of various ages and breeds were removed from the deplorable conditions they were living in," Sheriff Dustin Florence noted in a news release on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LincolnCountyKSSheriff">Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Facebook page</a> today.Barnard is located in northeastern Lincoln County.Cruelty to animals charges have been requested for the owner of the dogs, who has not been named. He was being held in the Lincoln County Jail, the release noted. The case has been forwarded to the Lincoln County Attorney's Office.The sheriff's office thanked several organizations for assisting with the rescue of the dogs, including the Sedgwick County Animal Shelter, All Dogs Bark and Play Rescue, Golden Belt Humane Society, the State of Kansas Animal Facilities inspectors, Solomon Valley Veterinarian Hospital, and a number of volunteers."The Sheriff's Office would also add that owning animals is a huge commitment. Dogs, cats and other domestic animals require food, water and shelter at all times, as well as proper medical care. We understand that sometimes the love people have for animals outweighs their abilities to properly care for them; either financially or proper shelter or medically. We encourage anyone who may be struggling to properly care for their animals to reach out before the problem becomes much larger than anyone can handle," Florence wrote in the news release.

Owner faces charges after 33 dogs removed from Kansas home

WICHITA — Robert M. Gates, U.S. secretary of defense from 2006-2011 and former director of the
                        CIA, will kick off Wichita State University’s inaugural Craig W. Barton Speaker Series
                        this spring.
                     

Gates, who grew up in Wichita, will be the featured speaker in the moderated discussion
                        at 6 p.m. April 27, in WSU’s Wiedemann Hall.
                     

The event is free and open to campus and the public. Media are welcome to attend but
                        are asked to take photos for only the first five minutes of the event and to not record
                        any audio or video.
                     

The new speaker series was created as another opportunity to encourage free expression,
                        critical thinking, and the engaging in discourse of various perspectives.
                     

Individuals can reserve their free seat and learn more about the Craig W. Barton Series
 at <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/administration/president/events/barton_speaker_series/index.php">wichita.edu/BartonSeries</a>.

The new speaker series picks up where the <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/about/free_expression/our_history.php">WSU Forum Board Lecture Series</a> left off. Originally established in 1937 and discontinued in 2002, the series brought
 in over that time more than 500 national and internally known speakers, from poets
 to politicians.

Gates served as the 22nd secretary of defense (2006-2011). He is the only secretary
                        of defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in office by a newly elected President.
                        Dr. Gates served eight U.S. presidents across both parties.
                     

On Gates’ last day in office, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential
                        Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.
                     

Gates joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1966 and spent nearly 27 years
                        as an intelligence professional. During that period, he spent nearly nine years on
                        the National Security Council at the White House, serving four presidents of both
                        political parties.
                     

He served as director of Central Intelligence from 1991 until 1993. He is the only
                        career officer in CIA’s history to rise from entry-level employee to director. He
                        served as deputy director of Central Intelligence from 1986 until 1989 and as assistant
                        to the president and deputy national security adviser at the White House from Jan.
                        20, 1989, until Nov. 6, 1991, for President George H.W. Bush.
                     

Gates has been awarded the National Security Medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal,
                        has three times received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and
                        has three times received CIA’s highest award, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal.
                     

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648067750308.png" alt="Gates" />
 <figcaption>Gates</figcaption>
 </figure>WSU Strategic CommunicationsWICHITA — Robert M. Gates, U.S. secretary of defense from 2006-2011 and former director of the
 CIA, will kick off Wichita State University’s inaugural Craig W. Barton Speaker Series
 this spring.
 Gates, who grew up in Wichita, will be the featured speaker in the moderated discussion
 at 6 p.m. April 27, in WSU’s Wiedemann Hall.
 The event is free and open to campus and the public. Media are welcome to attend but
 are asked to take photos for only the first five minutes of the event and to not record
 any audio or video.
 The new speaker series was created as another opportunity to encourage free expression,
 critical thinking, and the engaging in discourse of various perspectives.
 Individuals can reserve their free seat and learn more about the Craig W. Barton Series
 at <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/administration/president/events/barton_speaker_series/index.php">wichita.edu/BartonSeries</a>.
 The new speaker series picks up where the <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/about/free_expression/our_history.php">WSU Forum Board Lecture Series</a> left off. Originally established in 1937 and discontinued in 2002, the series brought
 in over that time more than 500 national and internally known speakers, from poets
 to politicians.
 <h2>Robert M. Gates biography</h2>Gates served as the 22nd secretary of defense (2006-2011). He is the only secretary
 of defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in office by a newly elected President.
 Dr. Gates served eight U.S. presidents across both parties.
 On Gates’ last day in office, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential
 Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.
 Gates joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1966 and spent nearly 27 years
 as an intelligence professional. During that period, he spent nearly nine years on
 the National Security Council at the White House, serving four presidents of both
 political parties.
 He served as director of Central Intelligence from 1991 until 1993. He is the only
 career officer in CIA’s history to rise from entry-level employee to director. He
 served as deputy director of Central Intelligence from 1986 until 1989 and as assistant
 to the president and deputy national security adviser at the White House from Jan.
 20, 1989, until Nov. 6, 1991, for President George H.W. Bush.
 Gates has been awarded the National Security Medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal,
 has three times received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and
 has three times received CIA’s highest award, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal.

Former Defense Secretary Gates to speak at Wichita State

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-03-23/kansas-is-on-path-to-make-it-easier-to-get-your-seized-property-back-from-police">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Police can keep seized property “as long as 
necessary,” state statute says, if they believe it could be evidence in a
 trial. A proposed change to state law would require police to give 
items back.

Police hold the power to seize property believed to be
 used in a crime. Some cases stall or charges don’t move forward and 
critics of existing state law said getting back property even when it 
doesn’t link to criminal activity is too hard.

“Many (people) opt 
not to fight the forfeiture and reluctantly give up their property, 
rather than rack up legal bills exceeding the property’s value,” Alieen 
Berquist, community engagement manager for the ACLU of Kansas, wrote in 
testimony to lawmakers.

Berquist said the process gets further 
complicated because people aren’t entitled to legal help when asking for
 their items back and have to fight that legal battle alone. Other 
supporters of the bill worry that property may be seized even if it 
isn’t necessary to a case. The bill was supported by law enforcement and
 passed out of the Senate 40-0 and 122-0 in the House.

The 
legislation also requires law enforcement to file receipts of seized 
property with the judge who approved the search warrant. It clarifies 
what qualifies as a “dangerous drug” and should be destroyed.

The 
bill also adds steps police will take when contacting owners of seized 
weapons and allows them to transfer weapons to firearm dealers. People 
with felonies could be ineligible to own a firearm, but they might 
regain eligibility if they have charges expunged. Navigating that 
process now can be confusing. Lawmakers hope the law change will make 
that clearer.

Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, said law 
enforcement is concerned weapons used in crimes end up back on the 
street. He said this bill doesn’t completely address that issue but will
 help.

“This bill does straighten things out and gives law enforcement some parameters that they can work within,” the legislator said.

Other
 bills requiring a conviction or creating a new process for civil asset 
forfeiture were introduced this session. One such bill would prevent 
police from taking money under $200. Both got hearings in committee but 
were not voted on.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_h_jud_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_h_jud_1_20220216_34_testimony.html" target="_blank">The 2020 civil asset seizure report by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation</a>
 says a total of $6.2 million in property and money was seized. The 
Kansas Highway patrol seized $3 million in cash, the most of any agency 
listed on that report.

“These provisions,” Berquist said, “could 
go a long way toward protecting the rights of Kansans and preventing 
policing for profit.”

Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice 
and social services for the Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can 
follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648056220753.png" alt="Supporters of the bill say it could prevent “policing for profit” while clarifying steps law enforcement should take when returning property. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Supporters of the bill say it could prevent “policing for profit” while clarifying steps law enforcement should take when returning property. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-03-23/kansas-is-on-path-to-make-it-easier-to-get-your-seized-property-back-from-police">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Police can keep seized property “as long as 
necessary,” state statute says, if they believe it could be evidence in a
 trial. A proposed change to state law would require police to give 
items back.Police hold the power to seize property believed to be
 used in a crime. Some cases stall or charges don’t move forward and 
critics of existing state law said getting back property even when it 
doesn’t link to criminal activity is too hard.“Many (people) opt 
not to fight the forfeiture and reluctantly give up their property, 
rather than rack up legal bills exceeding the property’s value,” Alieen 
Berquist, community engagement manager for the ACLU of Kansas, wrote in 
testimony to lawmakers.Berquist said the process gets further 
complicated because people aren’t entitled to legal help when asking for
 their items back and have to fight that legal battle alone. Other 
supporters of the bill worry that property may be seized even if it 
isn’t necessary to a case. The bill was supported by law enforcement and
 passed out of the Senate 40-0 and 122-0 in the House.The 
legislation also requires law enforcement to file receipts of seized 
property with the judge who approved the search warrant. It clarifies 
what qualifies as a “dangerous drug” and should be destroyed.The 
bill also adds steps police will take when contacting owners of seized 
weapons and allows them to transfer weapons to firearm dealers. People 
with felonies could be ineligible to own a firearm, but they might 
regain eligibility if they have charges expunged. Navigating that 
process now can be confusing. Lawmakers hope the law change will make 
that clearer.Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, said law 
enforcement is concerned weapons used in crimes end up back on the 
street. He said this bill doesn’t completely address that issue but will
 help.“This bill does straighten things out and gives law enforcement some parameters that they can work within,” the legislator said.Other
 bills requiring a conviction or creating a new process for civil asset 
forfeiture were introduced this session. One such bill would prevent 
police from taking money under $200. Both got hearings in committee but 
were not voted on.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/committees/ctte_h_jud_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_h_jud_1_20220216_34_testimony.html" target="_blank">The 2020 civil asset seizure report by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation</a>
 says a total of $6.2 million in property and money was seized. The 
Kansas Highway patrol seized $3 million in cash, the most of any agency 
listed on that report.“These provisions,” Berquist said, “could 
go a long way toward protecting the rights of Kansans and preventing 
policing for profit.”Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice 
and social services for the Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can 
follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Kansas on path to make it easier to get seized property back from police

<a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON — The Kansas Court of Appeals has upheld a lower 
court's decision to deny a motion to correct an illegal sentence against
 a Hutchinson man convicted of kidnapping in a home invasion case.

Dakota
 Anderson is serving just over 20 years in prison for convictions of 
aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of 
aggravated burglary and felony theft of a firearm. He was convicted in 
the abduction of Brent Rump in May 2015.

Anderson was one of 
four men accused of breaking into Rump's home in Hutchinson the night of May 14, 
beating him and then stealing several items, including two vehicles.&nbsp;

Anderson
 claims he was not properly sentenced on the kidnapping charge, noting 
that it was simple kidnapping and not aggravated kidnapping. Anderson 
all but conceded that he did the crime against Rump but felt he should 
have received less time behind bars. Anderson noted that he never 
inflicted bodily harm on Rump, which constitutes aggravated kidnapping.&nbsp;

But
 the court disagreed. The Court of Appeals upheld the conviction and 
sentence, noting that the state properly charged Anderson with 
aggravated kidnapping. The trial court properly instructed the jury on 
aggravated kidnapping. The jury convicted Anderson of aggravated 
kidnapping. The trial court did not impose an illegal sentence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648049594797.jpeg" alt="Anderson" />
 <figcaption>Anderson</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON — The Kansas Court of Appeals has upheld a lower 
court's decision to deny a motion to correct an illegal sentence against
 a Hutchinson man convicted of kidnapping in a home invasion case.Dakota
 Anderson is serving just over 20 years in prison for convictions of 
aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of 
aggravated burglary and felony theft of a firearm. He was convicted in 
the abduction of Brent Rump in May 2015.Anderson was one of 
four men accused of breaking into Rump's home in Hutchinson the night of May 14, 
beating him and then stealing several items, including two vehicles.&nbsp;Anderson
 claims he was not properly sentenced on the kidnapping charge, noting 
that it was simple kidnapping and not aggravated kidnapping. Anderson 
all but conceded that he did the crime against Rump but felt he should 
have received less time behind bars. Anderson noted that he never 
inflicted bodily harm on Rump, which constitutes aggravated kidnapping.&nbsp;But
 the court disagreed. The Court of Appeals upheld the conviction and 
sentence, noting that the state properly charged Anderson with 
aggravated kidnapping. The trial court properly instructed the jury on 
aggravated kidnapping. The jury convicted Anderson of aggravated 
kidnapping. The trial court did not impose an illegal sentence.

Kan. high court upholds sentence in home invasion, kidnapping case

BARTON COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal fire in Hoisington identified the victim as 80-year-old Stanley Jantz, according to Police Chief Kenton Doze.

Just before 8 a.m. Tuesday, crews with Barton County Fire District 2 responded to the fire at a home in the 500 Block of East Third Street in Hoisington, according to Fire Chief Jerry Stricker. Crews learned there was possibly a person still inside the residence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;After attacking the fire and venting out the smoke, personnel located Jantz who was deceased.

Cause of the fire remains undetermined, according to Stricker.

BARTON COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal fire in Hoisington identified the victim as 80-year-old Stanley Jantz, according to Police Chief Kenton Doze.Just before 8 a.m. Tuesday, crews with Barton County Fire District 2 responded to the fire at a home in the 500 Block of East Third Street in Hoisington, according to Fire Chief Jerry Stricker. Crews learned there was possibly a person still inside the residence.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After attacking the fire and venting out the smoke, personnel located Jantz who was deceased.Cause of the fire remains undetermined, according to Stricker.