HASKELL COUNTY—A Kansas man injured in an accident February 3 in Haskell County has died.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Polaris ATV driven by&nbsp; Claudy R.&nbsp;Reynolds, 88, Sublette, was eastbound in the 900 Block Edelle Avenue in Sublette.

 The ATV became unstable, crossed the center line, entered the north ditch and overturned.

EMS transported&nbsp;Reynolds and a passenger James H Barton, 69, Sublette, to Satanta District Hospital. Both were later flown to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita where Reynolds died, according to an updated report from the KHP.

HASKELL COUNTY—A Kansas man injured in an accident February 3 in Haskell County has died.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Polaris ATV driven by&nbsp; Claudy R.&nbsp;Reynolds, 88, Sublette, was eastbound in the 900 Block Edelle Avenue in Sublette. The ATV became unstable, crossed the center line, entered the north ditch and overturned.EMS transported&nbsp;Reynolds and a passenger James H Barton, 69, Sublette, to Satanta District Hospital. Both were later flown to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita where Reynolds died, according to an updated report from the KHP.-------------

88-year-old Kansas man injured in ATV accident died

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14457.pdf">Form 14457, Voluntary Disclosure Practice Preclearance Request and Application</a>&nbsp;PDF,
 has been revised, including expanding a section on reporting virtual 
currency. Form 14457 permits taxpayers who may face criminal prosecution
 for willful violation of tax law to voluntarily disclose information to
 the IRS that they failed to previously disclose.

Updates and additions to this form include:

The updates reflect input from practitioners and stakeholders 
and take into account trends in the type of financial asset that 
taxpayers hold.

"This is an important form and process for people who recognize it's 
better to step forward and address their tax situations head-on, before 
facing IRS enforcement action," said Doug O'Donnell, Deputy Commissioner
 Services and Enforcement. "The revised form includes a number of 
updates, and we encourage people to review the guidelines and consult a 
trusted tax professional."

Thousands of taxpayers have used the Voluntary Disclosure Practice 
since its inception. It serves as a compliance option for taxpayers who 
have potential criminal exposure and wish to come into compliance with 
the tax laws. Those making such disclosure are still subject to civil 
examination and the payment of all applicable taxes, interest and 
penalties.

Taxpayers who did not commit any tax or tax-related crimes and wish 
to correct mistakes or file delinquent returns should consider other 
options available to comply with their tax and reporting obligations. 
The IRS encourages taxpayers to consult with professional tax or legal 
advisors in determining which option is the most appropriate.

A taxpayer's voluntary disclosure must be timely, accurate and 
complete. The taxpayer must also cooperate with the IRS in determining 
the correct tax liability, and make full payment of the tax, interest 
and any applicable penalties.

Cooperation includes full payment of all tax, interest and penalties.
 A taxpayer who is unable to make full payment may request that the IRS 
consider other payment arrangements. If a taxpayer anticipates they 
cannot pay the total amount of tax, interest and penalties required, 
they must disclose this and submit a proposed payment arrangement and a 
completed, and executed, Collection Information Statement (Form 433-A). 
The burden is on the taxpayer to establish inability to pay, to the 
satisfaction of the IRS, based on full disclosure of all assets and 
income, domestic and foreign, under the taxpayer's control.

For more information on the Voluntary Disclosure Practice, as well as
 other options to come into compliance with the law please visit:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14457.pdf">Form 14457, Voluntary Disclosure Practice Preclearance Request and Application</a>&nbsp;PDF,
 has been revised, including expanding a section on reporting virtual 
currency. Form 14457 permits taxpayers who may face criminal prosecution
 for willful violation of tax law to voluntarily disclose information to
 the IRS that they failed to previously disclose.Updates and additions to this form include:<ul>
 <li>IRS Criminal Investigation now accepts photocopies, facsimiles 
and scans of taxpayer signatures. Taxpayers can send this form via eFax 
to 844-253-5613 to reduce mailing and processing times. Previously, Part
 II of this form had to be mailed.</li><li>An expanded section for reporting virtual currency.</li><li>A penalty structure for employment tax and estate and gift issues.</li><li>A check-box for inability to pay in full.</li>
 </ul>The updates reflect input from practitioners and stakeholders 
and take into account trends in the type of financial asset that 
taxpayers hold."This is an important form and process for people who recognize it's 
better to step forward and address their tax situations head-on, before 
facing IRS enforcement action," said Doug O'Donnell, Deputy Commissioner
 Services and Enforcement. "The revised form includes a number of 
updates, and we encourage people to review the guidelines and consult a 
trusted tax professional."Thousands of taxpayers have used the Voluntary Disclosure Practice 
since its inception. It serves as a compliance option for taxpayers who 
have potential criminal exposure and wish to come into compliance with 
the tax laws. Those making such disclosure are still subject to civil 
examination and the payment of all applicable taxes, interest and 
penalties.Taxpayers who did not commit any tax or tax-related crimes and wish 
to correct mistakes or file delinquent returns should consider other 
options available to comply with their tax and reporting obligations. 
The IRS encourages taxpayers to consult with professional tax or legal 
advisors in determining which option is the most appropriate.A taxpayer's voluntary disclosure must be timely, accurate and 
complete. The taxpayer must also cooperate with the IRS in determining 
the correct tax liability, and make full payment of the tax, interest 
and any applicable penalties.Cooperation includes full payment of all tax, interest and penalties.
 A taxpayer who is unable to make full payment may request that the IRS 
consider other payment arrangements. If a taxpayer anticipates they 
cannot pay the total amount of tax, interest and penalties required, 
they must disclose this and submit a proposed payment arrangement and a 
completed, and executed, Collection Information Statement (Form 433-A). 
The burden is on the taxpayer to establish inability to pay, to the 
satisfaction of the IRS, based on full disclosure of all assets and 
income, domestic and foreign, under the taxpayer's control.For more information on the Voluntary Disclosure Practice, as well as
 other options to come into compliance with the law please visit:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/irs-criminal-investigation-voluntary-disclosure-practice">IRS Criminal Investigation Voluntary Disclosure Practice</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/irm/part9/irm_09-005-011">IRM 9.5.11, Investigative Process – Other Investigations</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/irm/part4/irm_04-063-003r">IRM
 4.63.3, Withholding and International Individual Compliance – Offshore 
Voluntary Disclosure Program, Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures 
and Voluntary Disclosure Practice</a></li>
 </ul>

IRS expands section on reporting cryptocurrency, other disclosures

KANSAS CITY, KAN.– Five people have now been sentenced to prison terms in connection with an armed robbery at a Kansas City, Kansas cell phone store in which victims were bound, according to the United State's Attorney.

• Mario Lambert, 39, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 61 months;

• Sir Love, 36, of Knoxville, Tenn. was sentenced to 35 months;

• Domonique Walker, 30, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 145 months;

• Sharod Pitts, 40, of Chicago, Ill. was sentenced to 100 months;

• and Terry Curtis, 38, of Rockford, Ill. received a sentence of 72 months.

According to court documents, in September 2016, Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts entered a Verizon store on Village West Parkway. They pulled out handguns, and announced it was a robbery.

The men locked the doors and forced the employees and customers to the back of the store at gunpoint. The assailants made the victims lie face down on the floor and bound their hands behind their back with zip ties. Then they untied one employee, put a gun to his face and demanded he open the store safe. Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts stole cash and merchandise before fleeing the scene with Curtis who was waiting outside as the getaway driver.

Walker, Curtis, Lambert, and Love each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Pitts pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Lambert, Love, and Walker were indicted and sentenced in Tennessee and Illinois on related charges.

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644760450362.png" alt="Walker photo Illinois Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Walker photo Illinois Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN.– Five people have now been sentenced to prison terms in connection with an armed robbery at a Kansas City, Kansas cell phone store in which victims were bound, according to the United State's Attorney.• Mario Lambert, 39, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 61 months;• Sir Love, 36, of Knoxville, Tenn. was sentenced to 35 months;• Domonique Walker, 30, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 145 months;• Sharod Pitts, 40, of Chicago, Ill. was sentenced to 100 months;• and Terry Curtis, 38, of Rockford, Ill. received a sentence of 72 months.According to court documents, in September 2016, Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts entered a Verizon store on Village West Parkway. They pulled out handguns, and announced it was a robbery.The men locked the doors and forced the employees and customers to the back of the store at gunpoint. The assailants made the victims lie face down on the floor and bound their hands behind their back with zip ties. Then they untied one employee, put a gun to his face and demanded he open the store safe. Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts stole cash and merchandise before fleeing the scene with Curtis who was waiting outside as the getaway driver.Walker, Curtis, Lambert, and Love each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Pitts pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Lambert, Love, and Walker were indicted and sentenced in Tennessee and Illinois on related charges.The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.

5 sentenced for violent Kansas cell phone store armed robbery

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.

Just before 9p.m. Saturday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 35 and the Kansas 31 exit for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics.

The driver of the vehicle, Demarcus M. Richards, 25, of Atchison, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853671925.png" alt="Richards-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Richards-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.Just before 9p.m. Saturday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 35 and the Kansas 31 exit for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics.The driver of the vehicle, Demarcus M. Richards, 25, of Atchison, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kansas man jailed for alleged cocaine distribution

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have two suspects in custody.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Sunday police&nbsp;were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 800 block of N. 5th Street in Garden City, according to a media release.

Officers located Jesus Hector Flores, 36, of&nbsp; Garden City, KS, who had been shot. EMS transported Flores to St. Catherine Hospital where he later died.

Through the investigation police identified 18-year-old Alexander Goetting and 28-year-old Dalton Pister both of Garden City, KS, as being involved in the shooting.

Police located Goetting and took him into custody. Pister was located and arrested in Scott City, with the assistance of the Scott City Police Department and the Scott County Sheriff’s Department. 

Goetting is being held on requested charges of of First-Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery, and weapons violations. Pister is being held on requested charges of First-Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery.

Updated 8:20 a.m. Tuesday to correct photo.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644866390586.png" alt="Goetting-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Goetting-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have two suspects in custody.Just before 10:30 a.m. Sunday police&nbsp;were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 800 block of N. 5th Street in Garden City, according to a media release.Officers located Jesus Hector Flores, 36, of&nbsp; Garden City, KS, who had been shot. EMS transported Flores to St. Catherine Hospital where he later died.Through the investigation police identified 18-year-old Alexander Goetting and 28-year-old Dalton Pister both of Garden City, KS, as being involved in the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644934626650.png" alt="Dalton Pister-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Dalton Pister-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police located Goetting and took him into custody. Pister was located and arrested in Scott City, with the assistance of the Scott City Police Department and the Scott County Sheriff’s Department. Goetting is being held on requested charges of of First-Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery, and weapons violations. Pister is being held on requested charges of First-Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery.Updated 8:20 a.m. Tuesday to correct photo.&nbsp;

Police: 2 accused of murder during SW Kansas robbery

RICE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend chase in Rice County.&nbsp;

Just after 4:30p.m. Saturday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the city of Lyons, according to Sheriff Bryant Evans. The driver, identified as 39-year-old Bradley Wicks, wanted on multiple warrants, fled in his car.&nbsp; 

Police and Rice County deputies chased Wicks to a rural home where a 2-hour standoff began.&nbsp; Wicks had been living at that home. The homeowner was not there and no one else was inside. 

Wicks eventually left the home peacefully. Officers arrested and booked him into the Rice County Jail. Officials are still working to determine charges, according to Evans.&nbsp; There were no injuries. Sterling police and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the investigation, according to&nbsp; Evans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644838855940.png" alt="Wicks has previous convictions for burglary, theft, drugs and aggravated failure to appear, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.- photo Rice County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Wicks has previous convictions for burglary, theft, drugs and aggravated failure to appear, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.- photo Rice County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>RICE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend chase in Rice County.&nbsp;Just after 4:30p.m. Saturday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the city of Lyons, according to Sheriff Bryant Evans. The driver, identified as 39-year-old Bradley Wicks, wanted on multiple warrants, fled in his car.&nbsp; Police and Rice County deputies chased Wicks to a rural home where a 2-hour standoff began.&nbsp; Wicks had been living at that home. The homeowner was not there and no one else was inside. Wicks eventually left the home peacefully. Officers arrested and booked him into the Rice County Jail. Officials are still working to determine charges, according to Evans.&nbsp; There were no injuries. Sterling police and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the investigation, according to&nbsp; Evans.

Sheriff: Kansas felon jailed after chase, 2-hour standoff

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a home in Wichita.

Just after 3:30 p.m.&nbsp; Sunday, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 2100 block of South Erie in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located two victims, a 38-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; Both were pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed a resident of the home found the victims shot and called the police.&nbsp;

This was not a random incident and is believed to involve illegal and dangerous drugs.&nbsp; The victims were known to frequent the home. Police have not released the names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644862888477.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a home in Wichita.Just after 3:30 p.m.&nbsp; Sunday, police responded to a shooting call at a home in the 2100 block of South Erie in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located two victims, a 38-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; Both were pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed a resident of the home found the victims shot and called the police.&nbsp;This was not a random incident and is believed to involve illegal and dangerous drugs.&nbsp; The victims were known to frequent the home. Police have not released the names of the victims.

Double murder: Man, woman found dead in Kansas home

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/14/kansas-panel-balances-transparency-costs-in-open-records-act-update/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Kansas Senate panel 
considered Monday how best to proceed with amending the state’s open 
records act to increase transparency without triggering unintended 
consequences and placing an undue burden on municipalities.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb386/">Senate Bill 386</a>
 would limit fees for copying and providing records, including the cost 
of staff time, under the Kansas Open Records Act to the lowest hourly 
rate of the person qualified to provide the records. The bill would also
 ensure no fee is charged if a search determines the record does not 
exist.

It would also give the record custodian the discretion to waive any fee should it be in the public interest to do so.

Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, 
pointed to a 2020 incident following a series of personnel firings in 
Frontenac where the city attorney wanted to charge $3,500 for records 
without explanation of how he arrived at that figure.

“While a majority of KORA requests from journalists are handled well,
 with efficiency and grace from government entities, there are many 
instances where this is not the case,” Bradbury said. “Because there are
 no real statutory guidelines for what can be charged, newspaper 
reporters and private citizens have had to deal with exorbitant costs 
for gaining access to public records.”

A 2020 Northwestern University Law review labeled Kansas as a 
“transparency desert.” In 2015, the Center for Public Integrity gave 
Kansas an F grade for transparency, placing the state 43rd overall.

An investigation conducted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office 
found the city government of Frontenac to have violated its own policies
 by charging unreasonable rates. Caleb Smith, campaign director for 
Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, pointed to additional 
instances, such KAKE receiving a bill totaling more than $40,000 when 
pursuing records about fraudulent unemployment claims.

“This bill puts in place best practices for limiting the fee barrier 
to transparency,” Smith said. “It limits the charging of staff time to 
the lowest rate of a person qualified to fulfill the request, prevents 
fees from being charged just to determine if a record exists and 
provides for the discretionary waiver of fees if requested records are 
in the public interest.”

However, opponents of the bill say existing law already addresses rare cases, such as Frontenac.

Michael Koss, an attorney for the City of Overland Park, said most 
concerning was that by changing wording regarding furnishing copies, the
 bill could require local taxpayers to subsidize the costs of redacting 
public records. He used a recent request of more than 15,000 emails 
related to multiple lawsuits to illustrate the potential issue.

“Many of those emails contained information about juvenile victims 
and were subject to attorney-client privilege, so staff had to review 
and redact such information from the emails,” Koss said. “That change 
arguably removes the basis for local governments to recoup the cost of 
staff time to redact records, thus creating an expensive unfunded 
mandate on local taxpayers who have to assume that cost.”

If passed, the law would go into effect July 1.

Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican, also noted the laborious 
nature of the redaction process, from her firsthand experience as an 
attorney participating in significant litigation.

“Is there a balance we can bring to the need to keep private 
information private, to allow our responding agencies and departments to
 do the research and to the need for being transparent to the public?” 
Warren said.

Erik Sartorius, executive director for the Kansas League of 
Municipalities, said his organization had already been engaging in 
dialogue with the Kansas Press Association to close these gaps. One area
 he said could easily be bridged was the provision requiring the lowest 
hourly rate of the person qualified to provide the records.

While he accepted the concept, he pushed for a better definition to be applied.

“The person who works the check-in desk at the rec center may have 
the capacity to get a record, but if the record is housed at City Hall” 
it could cause a problem, he said. “If it’s not a workable situation, 
just because that is the lowest possible wage that could conceivably do 
the work, then that’s an area where it seems a little murky.”

Disclosure: Hays Post is a member of the Kansas Press Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644868167712.png" alt="While most KORA requests from journalists are handled well, said Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, Senate Bill 386 would target excessive fees and increase transparency (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature YouTube.)" />
 <figcaption>While most KORA requests from journalists are handled well, said Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, Senate Bill 386 would target excessive fees and increase transparency (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature YouTube.)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/14/kansas-panel-balances-transparency-costs-in-open-records-act-update/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Kansas Senate panel 
considered Monday how best to proceed with amending the state’s open 
records act to increase transparency without triggering unintended 
consequences and placing an undue burden on municipalities.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb386/">Senate Bill 386</a>
 would limit fees for copying and providing records, including the cost 
of staff time, under the Kansas Open Records Act to the lowest hourly 
rate of the person qualified to provide the records. The bill would also
 ensure no fee is charged if a search determines the record does not 
exist.It would also give the record custodian the discretion to waive any fee should it be in the public interest to do so.Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, 
pointed to a 2020 incident following a series of personnel firings in 
Frontenac where the city attorney wanted to charge $3,500 for records 
without explanation of how he arrived at that figure.“While a majority of KORA requests from journalists are handled well,
 with efficiency and grace from government entities, there are many 
instances where this is not the case,” Bradbury said. “Because there are
 no real statutory guidelines for what can be charged, newspaper 
reporters and private citizens have had to deal with exorbitant costs 
for gaining access to public records.”A 2020 Northwestern University Law review labeled Kansas as a 
“transparency desert.” In 2015, the Center for Public Integrity gave 
Kansas an F grade for transparency, placing the state 43rd overall.An investigation conducted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office 
found the city government of Frontenac to have violated its own policies
 by charging unreasonable rates. Caleb Smith, campaign director for 
Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, pointed to additional 
instances, such KAKE receiving a bill totaling more than $40,000 when 
pursuing records about fraudulent unemployment claims.“This bill puts in place best practices for limiting the fee barrier 
to transparency,” Smith said. “It limits the charging of staff time to 
the lowest rate of a person qualified to fulfill the request, prevents 
fees from being charged just to determine if a record exists and 
provides for the discretionary waiver of fees if requested records are 
in the public interest.”However, opponents of the bill say existing law already addresses rare cases, such as Frontenac.Michael Koss, an attorney for the City of Overland Park, said most 
concerning was that by changing wording regarding furnishing copies, the
 bill could require local taxpayers to subsidize the costs of redacting 
public records. He used a recent request of more than 15,000 emails 
related to multiple lawsuits to illustrate the potential issue.“Many of those emails contained information about juvenile victims 
and were subject to attorney-client privilege, so staff had to review 
and redact such information from the emails,” Koss said. “That change 
arguably removes the basis for local governments to recoup the cost of 
staff time to redact records, thus creating an expensive unfunded 
mandate on local taxpayers who have to assume that cost.”If passed, the law would go into effect July 1.Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican, also noted the laborious 
nature of the redaction process, from her firsthand experience as an 
attorney participating in significant litigation.“Is there a balance we can bring to the need to keep private 
information private, to allow our responding agencies and departments to
 do the research and to the need for being transparent to the public?” 
Warren said.Erik Sartorius, executive director for the Kansas League of 
Municipalities, said his organization had already been engaging in 
dialogue with the Kansas Press Association to close these gaps. One area
 he said could easily be bridged was the provision requiring the lowest 
hourly rate of the person qualified to provide the records.While he accepted the concept, he pushed for a better definition to be applied.“The person who works the check-in desk at the rec center may have 
the capacity to get a record, but if the record is housed at City Hall” 
it could cause a problem, he said. “If it’s not a workable situation, 
just because that is the lowest possible wage that could conceivably do 
the work, then that’s an area where it seems a little murky.”Disclosure: Hays Post is a member of the Kansas Press Association.

Kan. panel balances transparency, costs in open records act update

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Law enforcement authorities arrested a Salina man Sunday after his pickup left the interstate, struck a fence and started a grass fire northeast of Salina.

Just after 3 a.m., emergency personnel were sent just east of Niles Road on eastbound Interstate 70 for the report of a vehicle that had left the roadway, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

When they arrived, they found a 1998 Chevrolet S10 pickup up against the fence that runs along the interstate.. Both the pickup and nearby grass were burning.

The driver, identified as Aaron Powers, 24, of Salina, was eastbound in the pickup when he lost control of the vehicle and it traveled off the highway. Powers sustained only minor injuries and refused treatment.

An estimate $500 in damage was done to the fence and the grass, Soldan said. The fire burned approximately 50 acres of grassland before it was extinguished by rural fire department personnel. 

Powers was arrested on the following requested charges of Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and Not wearing a seatbelt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644857056701.jpeg" alt="A grass fire caused by the crash backlights the scene of the single-vehicle wreck along Interstate 70 early Sunday morning. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>A grass fire caused by the crash backlights the scene of the single-vehicle wreck along Interstate 70 early Sunday morning. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostLaw enforcement authorities arrested a Salina man Sunday after his pickup left the interstate, struck a fence and started a grass fire northeast of Salina.Just after 3 a.m., emergency personnel were sent just east of Niles Road on eastbound Interstate 70 for the report of a vehicle that had left the roadway, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.When they arrived, they found a 1998 Chevrolet S10 pickup up against the fence that runs along the interstate.. Both the pickup and nearby grass were burning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644763005553.jpeg" alt="Aaron Powers-photo&nbsp;Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Powers-photo&nbsp;Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, identified as Aaron Powers, 24, of Salina, was eastbound in the pickup when he lost control of the vehicle and it traveled off the highway. Powers sustained only minor injuries and refused treatment.An estimate $500 in damage was done to the fence and the grass, Soldan said. The fire burned approximately 50 acres of grassland before it was extinguished by rural fire department personnel. Powers was arrested on the following requested charges of Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and Not wearing a seatbelt.

50 acres of grass burned after reported I-70 DUI crash

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/14/states-director-of-indigent-defense-argues-budget-woes-undercut-judicial-system/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Criminal defense attorneys taking on challenging work of the
 Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense are struggling under weight of
 insufficient state funding and the burdens of withering caseloads, 
modest wages and high turnover.

Kansas’ indigent defense program provides staff public defenders or 
appointed private defense attorneys to deal with 85% of all adult felony
 cases Kansas. Pressure to come to terms with attorney demand-and-supply
 imbalances has grown as administrators of the program shared 
statistical evidence of difficulties providing sound legal counsel for 
about 25,000 impoverished defendants annually.

Heather Cessna, executive director of the Board of Indigents’ 
Defense, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast that breakdowns in the 
system didn’t serve interests of crime victims, posed ethical issues for
 lawyers and raised constitutional complexities. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2021/07/27/public-defenders/">Other states are facing comparable obstacles</a> to delivering on the promise of representing poor criminal defendants.

The Kansas Legislature raised salaries of attorneys appointed to pick
 up cases the Board of Indigents’ Defense staff lawyers couldn’t get to,
 but that one-year budget provision is set to expire. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/11/21/public-defenders-fight-back-against-budget-cuts-growing-caseloads">An
 argument can be made for adopting a comprehensive approach for bringing
 the public defender system in line with reasonable expectations,</a> Cessna said.

She said people who cherished the U.S. Constitution and the Kansas 
Constitution should be concerned about financial integrity of the 
public-defender system.

“Not to sound too overly pessimistic, but it comes down to the 
ultimate end of the criminal justice system,” Cessna said. “Our 
appointed counsel and our public defenders are an integral part of that 
criminal justice system in Kansas. Without sufficient funding and 
sufficient attorneys to meet those caseload needs, that system will 
fail.”

She said Kansas taxpayers could be part of the budget solution or end
 up paying for consequences of indifference, including wrongful 
convictions that could stem from an insufficiently funded legal system 
for defendants. In the past few years, she said, Kansas has paid out 
millions of dollars in compensation to defendants incorrectly convicted 
of murder. It’s plausible there are more of those cases on the horizon, 
she said.

“The Legislature is starting to understand the complexities of the 
problem and the amount of additional funding that we’re in need of,” 
Cessna said. “I’m optimistic, cautiously optimistic, I would say, for 
where we’re going with some of these issues.”

The Board of Indigents’ Defense serves clients with staff public 
defense lawyers and by hiring attorneys to take on defense cases. They 
work out of 11 trial offices in Kansas and six specialty offices dealing
 that concentrate on capital murder trials and cases on appeal.

Cessna said the board needed to retain experienced staff and build a 
larger pipeline of attorneys eager to work as public defenders. 
Recruiting those people to grow the staff wouldn’t be such a hurdle if 
salaries came closer to amounts paid prosecutors with comparable years 
of experience. Twelve percent of attorneys working for the Board of 
Indigents’ Defense left in 2021, she said. Some are poached by 
prosecution offices offering substantive raises, she said.

In addition, Cessna said, compensation of part-time appointed defense
 attorneys needed to be increased so those people weren’t “losing their 
shirts” on the cases. The current rate for outside defense counsel is 
$100 per hour, but without legislative action that would fall back to 
$80 per hour. She’d like the rate to be reset at $120 an hour. For 
comparison sake, she said, a private attorney hired by a defendant in a 
complex case might cost $400 per hour.

“They’re doing this partially as an attempt to provide some pro bono 
services, but we also have to be able to compensate them so that they 
can keep their lights on and keep taking cases,” Cessna said.

Cessna said the staff attorneys with the Board of Indigents’ Defense 
averaged about 13 hours per attorney per case, which would be considered
 below appropriate standards for effective assistance of counsel. She 
said some public defender offices were temporarily refusing cases.

Appointed defense lawyers are being paid for windshield time to drive
 from the Kansas City area to handle cases in Junction City or to drive 
from southcentral Kansas communities to help cover cases in Wichita.

“One of the first conversations I had when I came into this position 
two years ago was with one of our line defenders in one of our regional 
offices,” Cessna said. “She started off the conversation and said, 
‘Look, I’m concerned I’m going to lose my law license.’ We’re all 
capable of making mistakes.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644850091504.png" alt="Heather Cessna, executive director of the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense, said lack of state funding, high case loads, significant attorney turnover, modest wages raise constitutional questions. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Heather Cessna, executive director of the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense, said lack of state funding, high case loads, significant attorney turnover, modest wages raise constitutional questions. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/14/states-director-of-indigent-defense-argues-budget-woes-undercut-judicial-system/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Criminal defense attorneys taking on challenging work of the
 Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense are struggling under weight of
 insufficient state funding and the burdens of withering caseloads, 
modest wages and high turnover.Kansas’ indigent defense program provides staff public defenders or 
appointed private defense attorneys to deal with 85% of all adult felony
 cases Kansas. Pressure to come to terms with attorney demand-and-supply
 imbalances has grown as administrators of the program shared 
statistical evidence of difficulties providing sound legal counsel for 
about 25,000 impoverished defendants annually.Heather Cessna, executive director of the Board of Indigents’ 
Defense, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast that breakdowns in the 
system didn’t serve interests of crime victims, posed ethical issues for
 lawyers and raised constitutional complexities. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2021/07/27/public-defenders/">Other states are facing comparable obstacles</a> to delivering on the promise of representing poor criminal defendants.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1215271558&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/defense-attorney-crisis-in-kansas" title="Defense attorney crisis in Kansas" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Defense attorney crisis in Kansas</a></div></div>The Kansas Legislature raised salaries of attorneys appointed to pick
 up cases the Board of Indigents’ Defense staff lawyers couldn’t get to,
 but that one-year budget provision is set to expire. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/11/21/public-defenders-fight-back-against-budget-cuts-growing-caseloads">An
 argument can be made for adopting a comprehensive approach for bringing
 the public defender system in line with reasonable expectations,</a> Cessna said.She said people who cherished the U.S. Constitution and the Kansas 
Constitution should be concerned about financial integrity of the 
public-defender system.“Not to sound too overly pessimistic, but it comes down to the 
ultimate end of the criminal justice system,” Cessna said. “Our 
appointed counsel and our public defenders are an integral part of that 
criminal justice system in Kansas. Without sufficient funding and 
sufficient attorneys to meet those caseload needs, that system will 
fail.”She said Kansas taxpayers could be part of the budget solution or end
 up paying for consequences of indifference, including wrongful 
convictions that could stem from an insufficiently funded legal system 
for defendants. In the past few years, she said, Kansas has paid out 
millions of dollars in compensation to defendants incorrectly convicted 
of murder. It’s plausible there are more of those cases on the horizon, 
she said.“The Legislature is starting to understand the complexities of the 
problem and the amount of additional funding that we’re in need of,” 
Cessna said. “I’m optimistic, cautiously optimistic, I would say, for 
where we’re going with some of these issues.”The Board of Indigents’ Defense serves clients with staff public 
defense lawyers and by hiring attorneys to take on defense cases. They 
work out of 11 trial offices in Kansas and six specialty offices dealing
 that concentrate on capital murder trials and cases on appeal.Cessna said the board needed to retain experienced staff and build a 
larger pipeline of attorneys eager to work as public defenders. 
Recruiting those people to grow the staff wouldn’t be such a hurdle if 
salaries came closer to amounts paid prosecutors with comparable years 
of experience. Twelve percent of attorneys working for the Board of 
Indigents’ Defense left in 2021, she said. Some are poached by 
prosecution offices offering substantive raises, she said.In addition, Cessna said, compensation of part-time appointed defense
 attorneys needed to be increased so those people weren’t “losing their 
shirts” on the cases. The current rate for outside defense counsel is 
$100 per hour, but without legislative action that would fall back to 
$80 per hour. She’d like the rate to be reset at $120 an hour. For 
comparison sake, she said, a private attorney hired by a defendant in a 
complex case might cost $400 per hour.“They’re doing this partially as an attempt to provide some pro bono 
services, but we also have to be able to compensate them so that they 
can keep their lights on and keep taking cases,” Cessna said.Cessna said the staff attorneys with the Board of Indigents’ Defense 
averaged about 13 hours per attorney per case, which would be considered
 below appropriate standards for effective assistance of counsel. She 
said some public defender offices were temporarily refusing cases.Appointed defense lawyers are being paid for windshield time to drive
 from the Kansas City area to handle cases in Junction City or to drive 
from southcentral Kansas communities to help cover cases in Wichita.“One of the first conversations I had when I came into this position 
two years ago was with one of our line defenders in one of our regional 
offices,” Cessna said. “She started off the conversation and said, 
‘Look, I’m concerned I’m going to lose my law license.’ We’re all 
capable of making mistakes.”

🎙 Kan. director of indigent defense: Budget woes undercut judicial system

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 1,996 to a total of 758,237 since Friday, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The state reported 14 additional COVID-19 deaths since Friday for a total of 7,860.

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

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 1,996 to a total of 758,237 since Friday, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; &nbsp;The state reported 14 additional COVID-19 deaths since Friday for a total of 7,860.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644861542915.png" alt="Monday February 14, 2022 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday February 14, 2022 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

KDHE: 1,996 new cases, 14 more COVID 19 deaths

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democrats, a civil rights group and a national elections watchdog filed two lawsuits Monday against&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;officials over a Republican redistricting law that costs the state's only Democrat in Congress some of the territory in her Kansas City-area district that she carries by wide margins in elections.

Kansas is part of a broader national battle over redrawing congressional districts. Republicans hope to recapture a U.S. House majority in this year’s elections, and both parties are watching states’ redistricting efforts because they could help either pick up or defend individual seats.

Both lawsuits were filed in Wyandotte County District Court in the Kansas City area, on behalf of aggrieved voters. Both sue Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican and the state’s top elections official.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, this year’s presumed GOP nominee for governor, promised a vigorous defense of the new law.

“The plaintiffs are hoping state courts, which in the past have not reviewed federal congressional districts, will write new rules to their advantage,” Schmidt spokesperson John Milburn said in an email.

For decades, lawsuits over congressional redistricting in Kansas have been filed and resolved in federal court. The Kansas Constitution doesn't say whether the state courts can review congressional maps.

In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that complaints of partisan gerrymandering are political issues and not for federal courts to resolve. The Kansas lawsuits ask state courts to declare that Republicans' map represents racial and partisan gerrymandering that violate the state Constitution’s guarantee of voting rights,equal rights for all residents and freedom of speech and assembly.

“The dominant party manipulates the district boundaries to dilute the voting power of the minority party’s voters,” said one lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the Washington-based Campaign Legal Center.

The Kansas redistricting law removes the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, from the 3rd District that U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids represents and puts it in the neighboring 2nd District, which includes the state capital of Topeka but also rural communities across eastern Kansas. Kansas City is among Republican-leaning Kansas’ few Democratic strongholds.

The law also moved the liberal northeast Kansas city of Lawrence — another Democratic stronghold and home to the main University of Kansas campus — out of the 2nd District. The city of 95,000 is now in the already sprawling 1st District of central and western Kansas with small conservative communities, some six hours away by car.

The new redistricting law took effect last week after the GOP-controlled Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of it.

Republicans have defended all of their moves as necessary to make the state’s four congressional districts as close in population in possible after a decade of population shifts. Under the law, each district has the ideal population of 734,470 residents.

Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins dismissed the lawsuits as arising from "just the partisan nature of things.”

“I'm not too upset about anything that they say,” the Wichita Republican said.

Prominent Democratic attorney Marc Elias' firm filed one lawsuit. Elias has been involved in lawsuits in multiple states, including&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;North Carolina&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ohio. His firm represents five voters and a Kansas voting-rights group, Loud Light, and sued both Schwab and the election commissioner for Kansas City, Kansas.

Shortly afterward, the ACLU and Campaign Legal Center filed their lawsuit on behalf of 11 voters against Schwab.

The lawsuits argue that Republicans set out to draw Davids out of her seat, and diluted Black and Hispanic voters' clout by cutting their numbers in her district. They also argue that the new map is unacceptable because it fails to keep the core of the state's side of the Kansas City area in a single district.

“It unnecessarily and inexplicably shifts large numbers of Kansans out of their prior districts, with no population-based need or other legitimate justification,” the Elias group's lawsuit alleges.

As evidence of Republicans' intentions, both lawsuits quote comments to a Republican gathering in September 2020 by then-retiring Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle. She said if Republicans won legislative supermajorities — which they did — GOP lawmakers could ensure that Republicans captured all four Kansas congressional districts.

“I guarantee you,” she said in remarks captured on video.

The Kansas City area has too many residents for a single congressional district. Republicans opted to split more diverse Kansas City, Kansas, rather than whiter and wealthier suburbs to the south because those suburbs have never been divided between two districts.

GOP lawmakers also rejected criticism of the map as racial gerrymandering, noting that while the percentages of Black and Hispanic voters dropped in the 3rd District, they increased in the 2nd. They argued that even with the new lines, Davids would have won in 2020.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democrats sued&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;officials on Monday over a Republican redistricting law that costs the state's only Democrat in Congress some of the territory in her Kansas City-area district that she carries by wide margins in elections.

A team of attorneys led by Democratic attorney Marc Elias' firm filed the lawsuit in Wyandotte County District Court in the Kansas City area. Elias has been involved in lawsuits in multiple states, including&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;North Carolina&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ohio, and he promised that the new Kansas map would be challenged when the GOP-controlled Legislature on Wednesday overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of it.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five voters and a Kansas voting-rights group, Loud Light. The defendants are the elections commissioner for Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the state's top elections official.

Kansas is part of a broader national battle over redrawing congressional districts. Republicans hope to recapture a U.S. House majority in this year's elections, and both parties are watching states' redistricting efforts because they could help either pick up or defend individual seats.

The Kansas redistricting law removes the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, from the 3rd District that U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids represents and puts it in the neighboring 2nd District, which includes the state capital of Topeka but also rural communities across eastern Kansas. Kansas City is among Republican-leaning Kansas' few Democratic strongholds.

Elias has said the GOP map for Kansas is “blatantly unconstitutional.” Democrats argued that it amounts to partisan gerrymandering aimed at costing Davids' her seat, while diluting the clout of Black and Hispanic voters by cutting their numbers in her district. They also have argued that the map is unacceptable because it fails to keep the core of the state's side of the Kansas City area in a single district.

“I think Sharice has always been a target,” Kelly said in an interview after her veto was overridden. “Now, would it be Sharice specifically? It's the fact that there's a Democrat in the 3rd District congressional seat. They want that to change.”

The redistricting law also moved the liberal northeast Kansas city of Lawrence — another Democratic stronghold and home to the main University of Kansas campus — out of the 2nd District. The city of 95,000 about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Kansas is now in the already sprawling 1st District of central and western Kansas with small conservative communities, some six hours away by car.

Republicans have defended all of those moves as necessary to make the state's four congressional districts as close in population in possible after a decade of population shifts. Under the law, each of the districts has the ideal population of 734,470 residents.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the presumed Republican nominee for governor this year, said of the new district lines: "We are prepared to vigorously defend them against any partisan political lawsuits that long have been threatened.”

The Kansas City area has too many residents for a single congressional districts, and Republicans opted to split more diverse Kansas City, Kansas, rather than whiter and wealthier suburbs to the south. They've noted that those suburbs have never been divided between two districts.

GOP lawmakers also rejected criticism of the map as racial gerrymandering, noting that while the percentages of Black and Hispanic voters dropped in the 3rd District, they increased in the 2nd. And they argued that even with the new lines, Davids would have won in 2020.

For decades, lawsuits over congressional redistricting in Kansas have been filed in federal court and decided by a panel of three federal judges. But in 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that complaints of partisan gerrymandering are political issues and not for federal courts to resolve.

The Kansas Supreme Court traditionally has not reviewed congressional maps, and the state constitution doesn't deal specifically with congressional redistricting. But some lawyers argue that fact doesn't prevent the Kansas Supreme Court from weighing in.

Some Democrats hope that the Kansas courts will limit or prohibit partisan gerrymandering or set other guidelines that doom the GOP map. Five of the Kansas Supreme Court's seven justices were appointed by Democratic governors, including three by Kelly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and ROXANA HEGEMANTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democrats, a civil rights group and a national elections watchdog filed two lawsuits Monday against&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;officials over a Republican redistricting law that costs the state's only Democrat in Congress some of the territory in her Kansas City-area district that she carries by wide margins in elections.Kansas is part of a broader national battle over redrawing congressional districts. Republicans hope to recapture a U.S. House majority in this year’s elections, and both parties are watching states’ redistricting efforts because they could help either pick up or defend individual seats.Both lawsuits were filed in Wyandotte County District Court in the Kansas City area, on behalf of aggrieved voters. Both sue Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican and the state’s top elections official.Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, this year’s presumed GOP nominee for governor, promised a vigorous defense of the new law.“The plaintiffs are hoping state courts, which in the past have not reviewed federal congressional districts, will write new rules to their advantage,” Schmidt spokesperson John Milburn said in an email.For decades, lawsuits over congressional redistricting in Kansas have been filed and resolved in federal court. The Kansas Constitution doesn't say whether the state courts can review congressional maps.In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that complaints of partisan gerrymandering are political issues and not for federal courts to resolve. The Kansas lawsuits ask state courts to declare that Republicans' map represents racial and partisan gerrymandering that violate the state Constitution’s guarantee of voting rights,equal rights for all residents and freedom of speech and assembly.“The dominant party manipulates the district boundaries to dilute the voting power of the minority party’s voters,” said one lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the Washington-based Campaign Legal Center.The Kansas redistricting law removes the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, from the 3rd District that U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids represents and puts it in the neighboring 2nd District, which includes the state capital of Topeka but also rural communities across eastern Kansas. Kansas City is among Republican-leaning Kansas’ few Democratic strongholds.The law also moved the liberal northeast Kansas city of Lawrence — another Democratic stronghold and home to the main University of Kansas campus — out of the 2nd District. The city of 95,000 is now in the already sprawling 1st District of central and western Kansas with small conservative communities, some six hours away by car.The new redistricting law took effect last week after the GOP-controlled Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of it.Republicans have defended all of their moves as necessary to make the state’s four congressional districts as close in population in possible after a decade of population shifts. Under the law, each district has the ideal population of 734,470 residents.Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins dismissed the lawsuits as arising from "just the partisan nature of things.”“I'm not too upset about anything that they say,” the Wichita Republican said.Prominent Democratic attorney Marc Elias' firm filed one lawsuit. Elias has been involved in lawsuits in multiple states, including&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;North Carolina&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ohio. His firm represents five voters and a Kansas voting-rights group, Loud Light, and sued both Schwab and the election commissioner for Kansas City, Kansas.Shortly afterward, the ACLU and Campaign Legal Center filed their lawsuit on behalf of 11 voters against Schwab.The lawsuits argue that Republicans set out to draw Davids out of her seat, and diluted Black and Hispanic voters' clout by cutting their numbers in her district. They also argue that the new map is unacceptable because it fails to keep the core of the state's side of the Kansas City area in a single district.“It unnecessarily and inexplicably shifts large numbers of Kansans out of their prior districts, with no population-based need or other legitimate justification,” the Elias group's lawsuit alleges.As evidence of Republicans' intentions, both lawsuits quote comments to a Republican gathering in September 2020 by then-retiring Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle. She said if Republicans won legislative supermajorities — which they did — GOP lawmakers could ensure that Republicans captured all four Kansas congressional districts.“I guarantee you,” she said in remarks captured on video.The Kansas City area has too many residents for a single congressional district. Republicans opted to split more diverse Kansas City, Kansas, rather than whiter and wealthier suburbs to the south because those suburbs have never been divided between two districts.GOP lawmakers also rejected criticism of the map as racial gerrymandering, noting that while the percentages of Black and Hispanic voters dropped in the 3rd District, they increased in the 2nd. They argued that even with the new lines, Davids would have won in 2020.-------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democrats sued&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;officials on Monday over a Republican redistricting law that costs the state's only Democrat in Congress some of the territory in her Kansas City-area district that she carries by wide margins in elections.A team of attorneys led by Democratic attorney Marc Elias' firm filed the lawsuit in Wyandotte County District Court in the Kansas City area. Elias has been involved in lawsuits in multiple states, including&nbsp;Georgia,&nbsp;North Carolina&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ohio, and he promised that the new Kansas map would be challenged when the GOP-controlled Legislature on Wednesday overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of it.The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five voters and a Kansas voting-rights group, Loud Light. The defendants are the elections commissioner for Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the state's top elections official.Kansas is part of a broader national battle over redrawing congressional districts. Republicans hope to recapture a U.S. House majority in this year's elections, and both parties are watching states' redistricting efforts because they could help either pick up or defend individual seats.The Kansas redistricting law removes the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, from the 3rd District that U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids represents and puts it in the neighboring 2nd District, which includes the state capital of Topeka but also rural communities across eastern Kansas. Kansas City is among Republican-leaning Kansas' few Democratic strongholds.Elias has said the GOP map for Kansas is “blatantly unconstitutional.” Democrats argued that it amounts to partisan gerrymandering aimed at costing Davids' her seat, while diluting the clout of Black and Hispanic voters by cutting their numbers in her district. They also have argued that the map is unacceptable because it fails to keep the core of the state's side of the Kansas City area in a single district.“I think Sharice has always been a target,” Kelly said in an interview after her veto was overridden. “Now, would it be Sharice specifically? It's the fact that there's a Democrat in the 3rd District congressional seat. They want that to change.”The redistricting law also moved the liberal northeast Kansas city of Lawrence — another Democratic stronghold and home to the main University of Kansas campus — out of the 2nd District. The city of 95,000 about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Kansas is now in the already sprawling 1st District of central and western Kansas with small conservative communities, some six hours away by car.Republicans have defended all of those moves as necessary to make the state's four congressional districts as close in population in possible after a decade of population shifts. Under the law, each of the districts has the ideal population of 734,470 residents.Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the presumed Republican nominee for governor this year, said of the new district lines: "We are prepared to vigorously defend them against any partisan political lawsuits that long have been threatened.”The Kansas City area has too many residents for a single congressional districts, and Republicans opted to split more diverse Kansas City, Kansas, rather than whiter and wealthier suburbs to the south. They've noted that those suburbs have never been divided between two districts.GOP lawmakers also rejected criticism of the map as racial gerrymandering, noting that while the percentages of Black and Hispanic voters dropped in the 3rd District, they increased in the 2nd. And they argued that even with the new lines, Davids would have won in 2020.For decades, lawsuits over congressional redistricting in Kansas have been filed in federal court and decided by a panel of three federal judges. But in 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that complaints of partisan gerrymandering are political issues and not for federal courts to resolve.The Kansas Supreme Court traditionally has not reviewed congressional maps, and the state constitution doesn't deal specifically with congressional redistricting. But some lawyers argue that fact doesn't prevent the Kansas Supreme Court from weighing in.Some Democrats hope that the Kansas courts will limit or prohibit partisan gerrymandering or set other guidelines that doom the GOP map. Five of the Kansas Supreme Court's seven justices were appointed by Democratic governors, including three by Kelly.

Democrats, ACLU sue over new Kansas Congressional districts

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities searching for a meth distribution point in Great Bend have made three arrests.

Just after 3:30 p.m. Friday,&nbsp; sheriff's detectives and deputies executed a search warrant at 5210 10th Street, Apt. 9 in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.&nbsp;

When the occupants of the apartment failed to answer the door, the Sheriff’s Office forced entry. Deputies located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia at the location.

They arrested 51-year-old Kenneth Reed of Great Bend on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and no drug tax stamp. Reed is being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

Misty Bryant, age 42 of Hoisington, and Michael Hurd age 44, of Great Bend, were also arrested. Both Bryant on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine. They are both being held on a $10,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644858103513.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities searching for a meth distribution point in Great Bend have made three arrests.Just after 3:30 p.m. Friday,&nbsp; sheriff's detectives and deputies executed a search warrant at 5210 10th Street, Apt. 9 in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644858124560.jpeg" alt="Kenneth Reed-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Kenneth Reed-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>When the occupants of the apartment failed to answer the door, the Sheriff’s Office forced entry. Deputies located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia at the location.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644858138992.jpeg" alt="Misty Bryant-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Misty Bryant-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>They arrested 51-year-old Kenneth Reed of Great Bend on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and no drug tax stamp. Reed is being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644858153313.jpeg" alt="Michael Hurd" />
 <figcaption>Michael Hurd</figcaption>
 </figure>Misty Bryant, age 42 of Hoisington, and Michael Hurd age 44, of Great Bend, were also arrested. Both Bryant on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine. They are both being held on a $10,000 bond.

Deputies force entry into Kan. apartment during drug investigation

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — First responders have rescued a baby who was born on an Omaha sidewalk and left there by his mother in sub-freezing temperatures. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that a woman gave birth to the baby around 10 a.m. Sunday on a pile of blankets on the sidewalk in southeast Omaha. The temperature at the time was around 16 degrees, with wind chills in the single digits.

 Firefighters called to the scene found the newborn boy being attended by two passersby and took the baby to a hospital. Witnesses told officials that the woman who had given birth to the baby wrapped herself in a black coat and wandered off. 

Firefighters found her a short distance away and also took her to a hospital.

From the Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — First responders have rescued a baby who was born on an Omaha sidewalk and left there by his mother in sub-freezing temperatures. The Omaha World-Herald reports that a woman gave birth to the baby around 10 a.m. Sunday on a pile of blankets on the sidewalk in southeast Omaha. The temperature at the time was around 16 degrees, with wind chills in the single digits. Firefighters called to the scene found the newborn boy being attended by two passersby and took the baby to a hospital. Witnesses told officials that the woman who had given birth to the baby wrapped herself in a black coat and wandered off. Firefighters found her a short distance away and also took her to a hospital.

First responders rescue baby born, left on Omaha sidewalk

JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp; — Authorities investigating the cause of a fatal Kansas house fire say the victim was an infant boy,&nbsp;according to Deputy Fire Chief Corey Sands.

Just before 1a.m. Sunday, fire crews responded to the fire in a home at 10502 west 69th Terrace in Shawnee. The home was fully engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived.

Crews located the boy inside the home who was pronounced dead at the scene. Sands said three or four people lived at the home. Investigators were on the scene most of Sunday working to determine what caused the fire, according to Sands.&nbsp; Name of the victim has not been released.

JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp; — Authorities investigating the cause of a fatal Kansas house fire say the victim was an infant boy,&nbsp;according to Deputy Fire Chief Corey Sands.Just before 1a.m. Sunday, fire crews responded to the fire in a home at 10502 west 69th Terrace in Shawnee. The home was fully engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived.Crews located the boy inside the home who was pronounced dead at the scene. Sands said three or four people lived at the home. Investigators were on the scene most of Sunday working to determine what caused the fire, according to Sands.&nbsp; Name of the victim has not been released.

Deputy Fire Chief: Baby boy dies in Kansas house fire

WASHINGTON — To help taxpayers and tax professionals, the Internal Revenue Service today announced <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">a special new page</a>
 on IRS.gov to provide the latest details and information affecting the 
2022 filing season and ongoing efforts by the agency to address the 
inventory of previously filed tax returns.

During this tax season, taxpayers face a number of issues due to 
critical tax law changes that took place in 2021 and ongoing challenges 
related to the pandemic. To raise awareness about these issues and 
provide people with the latest timely information, the IRS has created a
 special tax season web page. This page will provide people with a quick
 overview of information to help people filing tax returns as well as 
those who have previous year tax returns awaiting processing by the IRS.

"The IRS is taking numerous steps to keep this tax season going 
smoothly while also taking additional action to address the inventory of
 tax returns filed last year," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. 
"We're off to a good start processing tax returns and issuing refunds. 
But we want people to have an easy way to see the latest information. 
This new page provides a one-stop shop for the latest key information 
people and the tax community may need."

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">"special tax season alerts" page</a> will be available through the IRS.gov home page and shared through social media and other channels.

The page will include the latest filing season updates. The IRS began
 tax season on January 24, and in less than two weeks more than 4 
million tax refunds have <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-by-year">gone out</a> worth nearly $10 billon. Millions more will go out in the weeks ahead as the IRS enters an important period of the tax season.

The page also includes links to important information related to 
ongoing efforts by the IRS to address the inventory of unprocessed tax 
returns filed before this year. This includes steps to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-continues-work-to-help-taxpayers-suspends-mailing-of-additional-letters">stop more than a dozen common letters</a> to taxpayers, and updates on IRS operations and the number of unprocessed tax returns.

"The combination of the pandemic, new tax laws and numerous other 
factors led to an unprecedented amount of unprocessed tax returns and 
correspondence remaining in the IRS inventory during 2021," Rettig said.
 "We must continue pursuing innovative strategies while supporting the 
hard work and dedication of our employees to fulfill our commitment to 
return inventories to a healthy level before entering the 2023 filing 
season. These steps are making a difference. Refunds for tax returns and
 amended tax returns in the inventory continue to flow out to 
taxpayers."

The IRS continues to urge taxpayers to carefully review their tax 
filings for accuracy and file electronically with direct deposit to 
speed refunds. Special tips are available in several places on IRS.gov, 
including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-5-things-to-remember-when-filing-income-tax-returns-in-2022">these top 5 tips</a>; <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-2022-tax-season-urges-extra-caution-for-taxpayers-to-file-accurate-tax-returns-electronically-to-speed-refunds-avoid-delays">basics on the 2022 tax season</a> and IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — To help taxpayers and tax professionals, the Internal Revenue Service today announced <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">a special new page</a>
 on IRS.gov to provide the latest details and information affecting the 
2022 filing season and ongoing efforts by the agency to address the 
inventory of previously filed tax returns.During this tax season, taxpayers face a number of issues due to 
critical tax law changes that took place in 2021 and ongoing challenges 
related to the pandemic. To raise awareness about these issues and 
provide people with the latest timely information, the IRS has created a
 special tax season web page. This page will provide people with a quick
 overview of information to help people filing tax returns as well as 
those who have previous year tax returns awaiting processing by the IRS."The IRS is taking numerous steps to keep this tax season going 
smoothly while also taking additional action to address the inventory of
 tax returns filed last year," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. 
"We're off to a good start processing tax returns and issuing refunds. 
But we want people to have an easy way to see the latest information. 
This new page provides a one-stop shop for the latest key information 
people and the tax community may need."The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/help-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-special-filing-season-alerts">"special tax season alerts" page</a> will be available through the IRS.gov home page and shared through social media and other channels.The page will include the latest filing season updates. The IRS began
 tax season on January 24, and in less than two weeks more than 4 
million tax refunds have <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-by-year">gone out</a> worth nearly $10 billon. Millions more will go out in the weeks ahead as the IRS enters an important period of the tax season.The page also includes links to important information related to 
ongoing efforts by the IRS to address the inventory of unprocessed tax 
returns filed before this year. This includes steps to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-continues-work-to-help-taxpayers-suspends-mailing-of-additional-letters">stop more than a dozen common letters</a> to taxpayers, and updates on IRS operations and the number of unprocessed tax returns."The combination of the pandemic, new tax laws and numerous other 
factors led to an unprecedented amount of unprocessed tax returns and 
correspondence remaining in the IRS inventory during 2021," Rettig said.
 "We must continue pursuing innovative strategies while supporting the 
hard work and dedication of our employees to fulfill our commitment to 
return inventories to a healthy level before entering the 2023 filing 
season. These steps are making a difference. Refunds for tax returns and
 amended tax returns in the inventory continue to flow out to 
taxpayers."The IRS continues to urge taxpayers to carefully review their tax 
filings for accuracy and file electronically with direct deposit to 
speed refunds. Special tips are available in several places on IRS.gov, 
including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-5-things-to-remember-when-filing-income-tax-returns-in-2022">these top 5 tips</a>; <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-2022-tax-season-urges-extra-caution-for-taxpayers-to-file-accurate-tax-returns-electronically-to-speed-refunds-avoid-delays">basics on the 2022 tax season</a> and IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>.

IRS resource page offers latest guidance on tax filing season

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A plane flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., was diverted to Kansas City after an unruly passenger reportedly tried to open a door on the aircraft.

American Airlines says flight 1775 landed safely Sunday afternoon at Kansas City International Airport and law enforcement met the plane upon arrival. The FBI says in statement that the passenger was “interfering with the flight crew” and was taken into custody. Details about the person weren’t immediately released. 

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants said on Twitter that the passenger attempted to open a forward passenger door and passengers helped subdue the person. The flight, which had originated at Los Angeles International Airport, later continued on to Reagan National Airport.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A plane flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., was diverted to Kansas City after an unruly passenger reportedly tried to open a door on the aircraft.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement regarding a diverted flight to <a href="https://twitter.com/KCIAirport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KCIAirport</a> earlier today, from FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub. <a href="https://t.co/ql5cQRpbZM">pic.twitter.com/ql5cQRpbZM</a>&mdash; FBI Kansas City (@FBIKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIKansasCity/status/1493011499098517510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>American Airlines says flight 1775 landed safely Sunday afternoon at Kansas City International Airport and law enforcement met the plane upon arrival. The FBI says in statement that the passenger was “interfering with the flight crew” and was taken into custody. Details about the person weren’t immediately released. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants said on Twitter that the passenger attempted to open a forward passenger door and passengers helped subdue the person. The flight, which had originated at Los Angeles International Airport, later continued on to Reagan National Airport.

Flight diverted to Kansas City due to unruly passenger

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-russia-europe-moscow-dce9b30db290a6e82f5aaa0f35a3125a">Even if a Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;doesn’t happen in the next few days, the crisis is reaching a critical inflection point with European stability and the future of East-West relations hanging in the balance.

A convergence of events over the coming week could determine whether the stalemate is resolved peacefully or Europe is at war. At stake are Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture and long-agreed limits on the deployment of conventional military and nuclear forces there.

“This next 10 days or so will be critical,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Georgia who now teaches international relations at Northwestern University.

The Biden administration on Friday said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-boris-johnson-joe-biden-europe-moscow-4d1e75eb68e1396bef885425c65039fb">an invasion could happen at any moment</a>, with a possible target date of Wednesday, according to intelligence picked up by the United States, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-states-europe-russia-kyiv-ff41abf90650aa5f456cbb6aafa4c5b3">Washington was evacuating almost all of its embassy staff&nbsp;</a>in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-emmanuel-macron-europe-moscow-1f353699f0be1609da5435c98cfc8022">A phone call between President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Saturday did nothing to ease tensions. Biden and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke on Sunday.

Even before the latest U.S. warnings and diplomatic moves, analysts saw this as a critical week for the future of Ukraine.

“Russia and the United States are approaching a peak of the conflict of their interests regarding a future shape of the European order,” Timofei Bordachev, said head of the Center for European Research at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics. “The parties may take action against each other that will go much farther than what was considered admissible quite recently,” he said in a recent analysis.

In the week ahead,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-united-states-moscow-72856781c3b92640d03c5e954488ba90">Washington and NATO</a>&nbsp;are expecting Moscow’s formal response after they rejected its main&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-nato-87d17dd0c1943ac40b3903b54f31939a">security demands</a>, and major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-moscow-europe-belarus-614ecda6a45f8e60bb4322c3ac9c2877">Russian military drills in Belarus</a>, conducted as part of a deployment near Ukraine, are to end. The fate of the Russian troops now in Belarus will be key to judging the Kremlin’s intentions.

At the same time, the Winter Olympics in China,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-putin-xi-meet-0e9127176250c0cab19b36e75800052e">often cited as a potential deterrent to immediate Russian action</a>, will conclude Feb. 20. Although U.S. officials have said they believe an invasion could take place before then, the date is still considered important.

And an important international security conference is taking place in Munich next weekend, with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top European officials planning to attend.

Putin has warned the West that he will not back down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-soviet-union-4619a72d1597673e4112b673a9f6fd9c">his demand to keep Ukraine out of NATO.&nbsp;</a>While Ukraine has long aspired to join, the alliance is not about to offer an invitation.

Still, he contends that if Ukraine becomes a member and tries to use force to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014, it would draw Russia and NATO into a conflict.

His foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, has asked Western nations to explain how they interpret the principle of the “indivisibility of security” enshrined in international agreements they signed. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it would not accept a collective response from the European Union and NATO, insisting on an individual response from each country.

Seeking to counter NATO’s argument that every nation is free to choose alliances, Moscow has charged that NATO violated the principle and jeopardized Russia’s security by expanding eastward.

“Russia’s bold demands and equally blunt U.S. rejection of them have pushed the international agenda toward the confrontation more than ever since the height of the Cold War,” Bordachev said.

He argued that closer relations with China have strengthened Moscow’s hand. “Whatever goals Russia could pursue now, it can plan its future in conditions of a full rupture of ties with the West,” Bordachev said.

Russian officials have emphasized that negotiating a settlement over Ukraine depends squarely on the United States and that Western allies just march to Washington’s orders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644692713491.png" alt="A phone call between President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin&nbsp;on Saturday did nothing to ease tensions-White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>A phone call between President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin&nbsp;on Saturday did nothing to ease tensions-White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-russia-europe-moscow-dce9b30db290a6e82f5aaa0f35a3125a">Even if a Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;doesn’t happen in the next few days, the crisis is reaching a critical inflection point with European stability and the future of East-West relations hanging in the balance.A convergence of events over the coming week could determine whether the stalemate is resolved peacefully or Europe is at war. At stake are Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture and long-agreed limits on the deployment of conventional military and nuclear forces there.“This next 10 days or so will be critical,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Georgia who now teaches international relations at Northwestern University.The Biden administration on Friday said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-boris-johnson-joe-biden-europe-moscow-4d1e75eb68e1396bef885425c65039fb">an invasion could happen at any moment</a>, with a possible target date of Wednesday, according to intelligence picked up by the United States, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-states-europe-russia-kyiv-ff41abf90650aa5f456cbb6aafa4c5b3">Washington was evacuating almost all of its embassy staff&nbsp;</a>in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-emmanuel-macron-europe-moscow-1f353699f0be1609da5435c98cfc8022">A phone call between President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Saturday did nothing to ease tensions. Biden and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke on Sunday.Even before the latest U.S. warnings and diplomatic moves, analysts saw this as a critical week for the future of Ukraine.“Russia and the United States are approaching a peak of the conflict of their interests regarding a future shape of the European order,” Timofei Bordachev, said head of the Center for European Research at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics. “The parties may take action against each other that will go much farther than what was considered admissible quite recently,” he said in a recent analysis.In the week ahead,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-united-states-moscow-72856781c3b92640d03c5e954488ba90">Washington and NATO</a>&nbsp;are expecting Moscow’s formal response after they rejected its main&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-nato-87d17dd0c1943ac40b3903b54f31939a">security demands</a>, and major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-moscow-europe-belarus-614ecda6a45f8e60bb4322c3ac9c2877">Russian military drills in Belarus</a>, conducted as part of a deployment near Ukraine, are to end. The fate of the Russian troops now in Belarus will be key to judging the Kremlin’s intentions.At the same time, the Winter Olympics in China,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-putin-xi-meet-0e9127176250c0cab19b36e75800052e">often cited as a potential deterrent to immediate Russian action</a>, will conclude Feb. 20. Although U.S. officials have said they believe an invasion could take place before then, the date is still considered important.And an important international security conference is taking place in Munich next weekend, with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top European officials planning to attend.Putin has warned the West that he will not back down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-soviet-union-4619a72d1597673e4112b673a9f6fd9c">his demand to keep Ukraine out of NATO.&nbsp;</a>While Ukraine has long aspired to join, the alliance is not about to offer an invitation.Still, he contends that if Ukraine becomes a member and tries to use force to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014, it would draw Russia and NATO into a conflict.His foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, has asked Western nations to explain how they interpret the principle of the “indivisibility of security” enshrined in international agreements they signed. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it would not accept a collective response from the European Union and NATO, insisting on an individual response from each country.Seeking to counter NATO’s argument that every nation is free to choose alliances, Moscow has charged that NATO violated the principle and jeopardized Russia’s security by expanding eastward.“Russia’s bold demands and equally blunt U.S. rejection of them have pushed the international agenda toward the confrontation more than ever since the height of the Cold War,” Bordachev said.He argued that closer relations with China have strengthened Moscow’s hand. “Whatever goals Russia could pursue now, it can plan its future in conditions of a full rupture of ties with the West,” Bordachev said.Russian officials have emphasized that negotiating a settlement over Ukraine depends squarely on the United States and that Western allies just march to Washington’s orders.In the past, Russia had sought to build close contacts with France and Germany in the hope that friendly ties with Europe’s biggest economies would help offset the U.S. pressure. But those ties were strained by the poisoning in 2020 of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who spent five months in Germany convalescing from what he described as a nerve agent attack he blamed on the Kremlin. Russia has denied its involvement.More recently, Russian officials have criticized the position of France and Germany in the deadlocked peace talks on eastern Ukraine, holding them responsible for the failure to persuade Ukrainian authorities to grant broad self-rule to the Russia-backed separatist region, as required by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-berlin-france-germany-484403ab653ca00e926892f936ccb079">a 2015 agreement</a>.In a break with diplomatic rules, the Russian Foreign Ministry last fall published confidential letters that Lavrov exchanged with his French and German counterparts in a bid to prove their failure to help make progress in talks.Speaking after the latest fruitless round of those talks, Kremlin representative Dmitry Kozak bemoaned the failure by French and German envoys to persuade Ukraine to commit to a dialogue with the separatists, as the agreement stipulated.Despite the tensions with both Paris and Berlin, Putin spent more than five hours talking to French President Emmanuel Macron last Monday and will host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday. Putin said he was grateful to Macron for trying to help negotiate a way to ease the tensions and said they would talk again.Moscow also just reopened a window for diplomatic contacts with Britain, hosting the foreign and defense secretaries for the first round of talks since ties were ruptured by the 2018 poisoning in Britain of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter.Lavrov’s meeting with Liz Truss was frosty, but British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace’s talks with Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, appeared more businesslike, with the parties emphasizing the need to maintain regular contact to reduce the threat of military incidents.___