By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — It began as a lark. Then, it caught fire.

The Peterson Farm Brothers might just be farm kids from
central Kansas, but they have become social media sensations with their
farm-based parodies of popular songs drawing millions of views.

Greg Peterson, a Kansas State University communications
graduate, says these videos might seem light-hearted, but they have a serious
mission.

“Well, it’s kind of two-fold,” Peterson tells KFEQ Ag Director
Dionne Bertling. “Reaching people outside of agriculture and hoping to make a
difference there, but also hopefully providing some inspiration for younger
kids who want to be farmers some day; anyone who’s in agriculture who our
videos give them a sense of pride in what they do.”

Greg and his brother, Nathan, spoke recently to a large crowd
at the 18th Annual Farm City Breakfast in St. Joseph. 

Nathan Peterson says he’s been shocked and pleased by the
success of the videos.

“Seeing other people enjoy the finished product and seeing
some of the comments,” Nathan Peterson says has been the highlight for him. “(Comments)
like, I’ve seen more farming in this video than I’ve have my whole life or
something like that; seeing them actually make a difference and seeing kids
really enjoy them, kids really into farming, because they can go to YouTube and
watch all sorts of different farmers.”

The Peterson Brothers parody of Katie Perry’s Roar, called
Chore, has been seen by more than five million YouTube viewers. Their parody of
AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, called Tractor Struck, has nearly four million views.

Greg Peterson says it does take time to produce the videos.

“Obviously, it varies quite a bit depending on the complexity
of the video,” according to Peterson. “Anywhere from a week to a month, I
guess. We don’t spend full days on the videos.”

That’s because their main job is farming and raising cattle in
central Kansas between Salina and McPherson, where they call Lindsborg and
Assaria, Kansas. They are 5th generation farmers who have become
famous, thanks to music video parodies.

Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/PetersonFarmBros">here</a> for the Peterson Farm Brothers YouTube page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648133168539.png" alt="Two of the Peterson Farm Brothers speak to a packed crowd at the Farm-City Breakfast in St. Joseph / Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Two of the Peterson Farm Brothers speak to a packed crowd at the Farm-City Breakfast in St. Joseph / Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — It began as a lark. Then, it caught fire.The Peterson Farm Brothers might just be farm kids from
central Kansas, but they have become social media sensations with their
farm-based parodies of popular songs drawing millions of views.Greg Peterson, a Kansas State University communications
graduate, says these videos might seem light-hearted, but they have a serious
mission.“Well, it’s kind of two-fold,” Peterson tells KFEQ Ag Director
Dionne Bertling. “Reaching people outside of agriculture and hoping to make a
difference there, but also hopefully providing some inspiration for younger
kids who want to be farmers some day; anyone who’s in agriculture who our
videos give them a sense of pride in what they do.”Greg and his brother, Nathan, spoke recently to a large crowd
at the 18th Annual Farm City Breakfast in St. Joseph. Nathan Peterson says he’s been shocked and pleased by the
success of the videos.“Seeing other people enjoy the finished product and seeing
some of the comments,” Nathan Peterson says has been the highlight for him. “(Comments)
like, I’ve seen more farming in this video than I’ve have my whole life or
something like that; seeing them actually make a difference and seeing kids
really enjoy them, kids really into farming, because they can go to YouTube and
watch all sorts of different farmers.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648133221915.png" alt="The Peterson Farm Brothers perform some of their parodies during the Farm-City Breakfast / Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>The Peterson Farm Brothers perform some of their parodies during the Farm-City Breakfast / Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>The Peterson Brothers parody of Katie Perry’s Roar, called
Chore, has been seen by more than five million YouTube viewers. Their parody of
AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, called Tractor Struck, has nearly four million views.Greg Peterson says it does take time to produce the videos.“Obviously, it varies quite a bit depending on the complexity
of the video,” according to Peterson. “Anywhere from a week to a month, I
guess. We don’t spend full days on the videos.”That’s because their main job is farming and raising cattle in
central Kansas between Salina and McPherson, where they call Lindsborg and
Assaria, Kansas. They are 5th generation farmers who have become
famous, thanks to music video parodies.Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/PetersonFarmBros">here</a> for the Peterson Farm Brothers YouTube page.

Petersons: Just some Kansas farm kids with a message ... and it's funny!

LECOMPTON, Kan. (AP) — Holes in the sidewalk outside Lecompton City Hall are a reminder that voters can drop their ballots in a box bolted there during elections. But as Republicans question the security of drop boxes, this small northeast Kansas town — and plenty of others — stands to lose them.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2056_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">A proposal</a>&nbsp;approved early Thursday by the GOP-controlled Kansas Senate would cut the number of drop boxes statewide by more than 40% from the 2020 elections. It’s part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-georgia-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-gubernatorial-elections-c083f5e0af7855c9dbb5a1659840c4a9">a national Republican effort&nbsp;</a>to tighten election laws and roll back voter conveniences adopted during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.

The measure would likely hit small towns like Lecompton on the outskirts of more populated places and some villages dotting rural vistas miles from the county courthouse.

With mid-term elections approaching, Republicans are appealing to supporters of former President Donald Trump, who falsely blames his 2020 election loss on widespread voter fraud.

“That would probably be ironic, that they might end up hurting some of their own base,” said Davis Hammet, leader of Loud Light, a Kansas voting-rights group. “It’s about making sure that citizens who want to vote can easily vote.”

The Kansas Senate&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220324020114_831514/" target="_blank">passed its bill 22-17,</a>&nbsp;sending it to the state House for consideration next week. Counties could have no more than one box for every 30,000 registered voters — and all but 10 of the state’s 105 counties don’t have that many. Forty-eight of the state’s counties — almost half — would have to cut back on their drop boxes. They would lose 80 of the 191 boxes deployed in 2020.

During Wednesday’s debate, senators added a provision to require counties to staff each box — something that could further discourage their use. Drop boxes would have to remain locked when the county elections office is closed; many were unlocked around-the-clock in 2020.

Supporters argued they are addressing people’s doubts about the 2020 elections. And Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from rural northeast Kansas, said he worried about boxes being burned or wrenched away by trucks with chains.

“You know, I’ve seen some crazy things happen on YouTube,” Pyle said.

Even in liberal California, drop boxes are only allowed inside government buildings and are guarded. Georgia sets a 100,000 active-voter threshold for additional drop boxes; Iowa limits them to one per county, and Idaho lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-donald-trump-elections-idaho-aae184ab764b0ebce3d4f6cc77c15150">are considering a ban</a>.

But Colorado, New Jersey and Washington have set minimum numbers of drop boxes rather than limiting them, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vopp-table-9-ballot-drop-box-definitions-design-features-location-and-number.aspx" target="_blank">the National Conference of State Legislatures.</a>&nbsp;Democrats in Congress pushed to require a drop box&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-georgia-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-gubernatorial-elections-c083f5e0af7855c9dbb5a1659840c4a9">for every 20,000&nbsp;</a>registered voters.

Kansas — currently without limits — averaged one box for about every 10,000 registered voters in 2020, according to data compiled by the secretary of state’s office. Nineteen counties with fewer than 5,000 registered voters had two or more in 2020.

Wabaunsee County, west of Topeka, had four drop boxes in 2020 for about 5,200 registered voters, including one outside city hall in Harveyville, population 178. By the shortest route, over three state highways twisting through the hills, it’s 40 minutes from there to the county courthouse.

“We do have people that will call, you know, the last day and say, ‘I didn’t get my ballot in the mail,’” said Abby Amick, the elected Republican county clerk.

More than a dozen Kansas counties — including its most populous one, Johnson County in the Kansas City area — wouldn’t have hit their box limits in 2020 under the bill. Thirteen, most with fewer than 3,000 registered voters, had no drop boxes.

In Cherokee County in far southeastern Kansas, County Clerk Rebecca Brassart, an elected Republican, is skeptical that drop boxes can be secure. With about 14,000 registered voters, her county was the most populous without a drop box in 2020.

She said most voters who ask for absentee ballots bring them to the county courthouse in Columbus.

“We live in small communities, but thieving is getting bad,” she said. “If somebody wants to break into something, they’re going to break into it, right?”

But Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a conservative Republican, said Wednesday that drop boxes are more secure than using the U.S. mail, which for Kansas communities is processed outside the state.

As for stuffing the boxes, local elections officials said, each ballot has a county code and requires a secure envelope that must have a voter’s signature that will be checked. Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew showed in a recent tour of his warehouse how it takes two people — each with a separate key at the same time — to unlock a box to collect ballots.

“The argument around it doesn’t hold up — against drop boxes,” Schwab said.

The counties set to lose drop boxes include liberal-for-Kansas bastion Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus and Lecompton, population 588. Shew, an elected Democrat, had nine deployed, including Lecompton’s, which collected 95 ballots in the November 2020 election. His county would be allowed only two.

“It really hurts the outlying communities in our county,” he said.

Heavily Democratic Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area would lose four of its six boxes. Its appointed election commissioner said only about 3% of the county’s registered voters used them in the 2020 general election.

But local voting-rights activist Connie Brown Collins argues that the county ought to have even more drop boxes because they help shift workers and people who can’t easily get to a polling place.

“We need to have greater representation, not less, in terms of voting,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605037521150.png" alt="photo by Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>photo by Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNALECOMPTON, Kan. (AP) — Holes in the sidewalk outside Lecompton City Hall are a reminder that voters can drop their ballots in a box bolted there during elections. But as Republicans question the security of drop boxes, this small northeast Kansas town — and plenty of others — stands to lose them.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2056_01_0000.pdf" target="_blank">A proposal</a>&nbsp;approved early Thursday by the GOP-controlled Kansas Senate would cut the number of drop boxes statewide by more than 40% from the 2020 elections. It’s part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-georgia-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-gubernatorial-elections-c083f5e0af7855c9dbb5a1659840c4a9">a national Republican effort&nbsp;</a>to tighten election laws and roll back voter conveniences adopted during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.The measure would likely hit small towns like Lecompton on the outskirts of more populated places and some villages dotting rural vistas miles from the county courthouse.With mid-term elections approaching, Republicans are appealing to supporters of former President Donald Trump, who falsely blames his 2020 election loss on widespread voter fraud.“That would probably be ironic, that they might end up hurting some of their own base,” said Davis Hammet, leader of Loud Light, a Kansas voting-rights group. “It’s about making sure that citizens who want to vote can easily vote.”The Kansas Senate&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20220324020114_831514/" target="_blank">passed its bill 22-17,</a>&nbsp;sending it to the state House for consideration next week. Counties could have no more than one box for every 30,000 registered voters — and all but 10 of the state’s 105 counties don’t have that many. Forty-eight of the state’s counties — almost half — would have to cut back on their drop boxes. They would lose 80 of the 191 boxes deployed in 2020.During Wednesday’s debate, senators added a provision to require counties to staff each box — something that could further discourage their use. Drop boxes would have to remain locked when the county elections office is closed; many were unlocked around-the-clock in 2020.Supporters argued they are addressing people’s doubts about the 2020 elections. And Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from rural northeast Kansas, said he worried about boxes being burned or wrenched away by trucks with chains.“You know, I’ve seen some crazy things happen on YouTube,” Pyle said.Even in liberal California, drop boxes are only allowed inside government buildings and are guarded. Georgia sets a 100,000 active-voter threshold for additional drop boxes; Iowa limits them to one per county, and Idaho lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-donald-trump-elections-idaho-aae184ab764b0ebce3d4f6cc77c15150">are considering a ban</a>.But Colorado, New Jersey and Washington have set minimum numbers of drop boxes rather than limiting them, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vopp-table-9-ballot-drop-box-definitions-design-features-location-and-number.aspx" target="_blank">the National Conference of State Legislatures.</a>&nbsp;Democrats in Congress pushed to require a drop box&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-georgia-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-gubernatorial-elections-c083f5e0af7855c9dbb5a1659840c4a9">for every 20,000&nbsp;</a>registered voters.Kansas — currently without limits — averaged one box for about every 10,000 registered voters in 2020, according to data compiled by the secretary of state’s office. Nineteen counties with fewer than 5,000 registered voters had two or more in 2020.Wabaunsee County, west of Topeka, had four drop boxes in 2020 for about 5,200 registered voters, including one outside city hall in Harveyville, population 178. By the shortest route, over three state highways twisting through the hills, it’s 40 minutes from there to the county courthouse.“We do have people that will call, you know, the last day and say, ‘I didn’t get my ballot in the mail,’” said Abby Amick, the elected Republican county clerk.More than a dozen Kansas counties — including its most populous one, Johnson County in the Kansas City area — wouldn’t have hit their box limits in 2020 under the bill. Thirteen, most with fewer than 3,000 registered voters, had no drop boxes.In Cherokee County in far southeastern Kansas, County Clerk Rebecca Brassart, an elected Republican, is skeptical that drop boxes can be secure. With about 14,000 registered voters, her county was the most populous without a drop box in 2020.She said most voters who ask for absentee ballots bring them to the county courthouse in Columbus.“We live in small communities, but thieving is getting bad,” she said. “If somebody wants to break into something, they’re going to break into it, right?”But Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a conservative Republican, said Wednesday that drop boxes are more secure than using the U.S. mail, which for Kansas communities is processed outside the state.As for stuffing the boxes, local elections officials said, each ballot has a county code and requires a secure envelope that must have a voter’s signature that will be checked. Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew showed in a recent tour of his warehouse how it takes two people — each with a separate key at the same time — to unlock a box to collect ballots.“The argument around it doesn’t hold up — against drop boxes,” Schwab said.The counties set to lose drop boxes include liberal-for-Kansas bastion Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus and Lecompton, population 588. Shew, an elected Democrat, had nine deployed, including Lecompton’s, which collected 95 ballots in the November 2020 election. His county would be allowed only two.“It really hurts the outlying communities in our county,” he said.Heavily Democratic Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area would lose four of its six boxes. Its appointed election commissioner said only about 3% of the county’s registered voters used them in the 2020 general election.But local voting-rights activist Connie Brown Collins argues that the county ought to have even more drop boxes because they help shift workers and people who can’t easily get to a polling place.“We need to have greater representation, not less, in terms of voting,” she said.

GOP push against ballot drop boxes hits rural places, too

BRUSSELS (AP) — The United States will expand its sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, targeting members of the country’s parliament and the central bank’s gold reserves, the White House announced Thursday and President Biden confirmed during a news conference.

At the same time, Washington will increase its humanitarian assistance by welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and providing an additional $1 billion in food, medicine, water and other supplies.

The White House announced the initiatives as U.S. President Joe Biden and world leaders gathered in Brussels for a trio of summits in response to the Russian invasion, seeking new ways to limit the economic and security fallout from the conflict.

During the news conference,&nbsp; Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was wrong to assume NATO would be divided over Ukraine.

Biden said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has built greater unity within NATO, the European Union and the Group of Seven economies.

Biden says of Putin, “He didn’t think we could sustain this cohesion,” adding that NATO has “never been more united than it is today.”

NATO countries and other allies have imposed harsh sanctions against Russia, crippling that country’s economy. Still, the EU has refrained from taking the same steps as the U.S. by banning oil and natural gas from Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the day’s first meeting, an emergency NATO summit, where he called for “military assistance without limitations.” He pleaded for anti-air and anti-ship weapons, asking “is it possible to survive in such a war without this?”

“It feels like we’re in a gray area, between the West and Russia, defending our common values,” Zelenskyy said during the video address. “This is the scariest thing during a war — not to have clear answers to requests for help!”

A U.S. official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Western nations are discussing the possibility of providing anti-ship weapons amid concerns that Russia will launch amphibious assaults along the Black Sea coast.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg opened the closed-door summit with a sober warning that the alliance must boost its defenses and “respond to a new security reality in Europe.”

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

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

In addition to the NATO summit, Brussels is also hosting separate summits of the Group of Seven industrialized nations and if the European Union. Biden is attending all three meetings and will hold a news conference afterward.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Biden promised voters that he had the experience to navigate a complicated international emergency like the one unfolding in Europe and his trip will be the latest test of that proposition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648129667368.png" alt="President Biden met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Thursday to address Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Thursday to address Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BRUSSELS (AP) — The United States will expand its sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, targeting members of the country’s parliament and the central bank’s gold reserves, the White House announced Thursday and President Biden confirmed during a news conference.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F3161092110827503%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=32" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>At the same time, Washington will increase its humanitarian assistance by welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and providing an additional $1 billion in food, medicine, water and other supplies.The White House announced the initiatives as U.S. President Joe Biden and world leaders gathered in Brussels for a trio of summits in response to the Russian invasion, seeking new ways to limit the economic and security fallout from the conflict.During the news conference,&nbsp; Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was wrong to assume NATO would be divided over Ukraine.Biden said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has built greater unity within NATO, the European Union and the Group of Seven economies.Biden says of Putin, “He didn’t think we could sustain this cohesion,” adding that NATO has “never been more united than it is today.”NATO countries and other allies have imposed harsh sanctions against Russia, crippling that country’s economy. Still, the EU has refrained from taking the same steps as the U.S. by banning oil and natural gas from Russia.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the day’s first meeting, an emergency NATO summit, where he called for “military assistance without limitations.” He pleaded for anti-air and anti-ship weapons, asking “is it possible to survive in such a war without this?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648143875128.png" alt="President Biden held a press conference about his meetings in Europe with Allies and partners on our response to Russia’s war on Ukraine." />
 <figcaption>President Biden held a press conference about his meetings in Europe with Allies and partners on our response to Russia’s war on Ukraine.</figcaption>
 </figure>“It feels like we’re in a gray area, between the West and Russia, defending our common values,” Zelenskyy said during the video address. “This is the scariest thing during a war — not to have clear answers to requests for help!”A U.S. official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Western nations are discussing the possibility of providing anti-ship weapons amid concerns that Russia will launch amphibious assaults along the Black Sea coast.Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg opened the closed-door summit with a sober warning that the alliance must boost its defenses and “respond to a new security reality in Europe.”“We gather at a critical time for our security,” he said, addressing the leaders seated at a large round table. “We are united in condemning the Kremlin’s unprovoked aggression and in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”Stoltenberg said the alliance is “determined to continue to impose costs on Russia to bring about the end of this brutal war.”In addition to the NATO summit, Brussels is also hosting separate summits of the Group of Seven industrialized nations and if the European Union. Biden is attending all three meetings and will hold a news conference afterward.While the West has been largely unified in confronting Russia after it invaded Ukraine, there’s wide acknowledgement that unity will be tested as the costs of war chip at the global economy.The bolstering of forces along NATO’s eastern flank, almost certainly for at least the next five to 10 years if Russia is to be effectively dissuaded, will also put pressure on national budgets.“We need to do more, and therefore we need to invest more. There is a new sense of urgency and I expect that the leaders will agree to accelerate the investments in defense,” Stoltenberg said before the summit.Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the U.S. wants to hear “that the resolve and unity that we’ve seen for the past month will endure for as long as it takes.”The energy crisis exacerbated by the war will be a particularly hot topic at the European Council summit, where leaders from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are hoping for an urgent, coordinated bloc-wide response. EU officials have said they will seek U.S. help on a plan to top up natural gas storage facilities for next winter, and they also want the bloc to jointly purchase gas.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed calls to boycott Russian energy supplies, saying it would cause significant damage to his country’s economy. Scholz is facing pressure from environmental activists to quickly wean Germany off Russian energy, but he said the process will have to be gradual.“To do so from one day to the next would mean plunging our country and all of Europe into recession,” Scholz said Wednesday.Poland and other eastern flank NATO countries will also be looking for clarity on how the United States and fellow European nations can assist in dealing with their growing concerns about Russian aggression as well as a spiraling refugee crisis. More than 3.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine in recent weeks, including more than 2 million to Poland.Biden is scheduled to visit Poland on Friday, where both issues are expected to be at the center of talks with President Andrzej Duda. Another significant moment could come shortly before Biden returns to Washington on Saturday. The White House said he plans to “deliver remarks on the united efforts of the free world to support the people of Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its brutal war, and defend a future that is rooted in democratic principles.”Sullivan said Biden and fellow leaders would aim to “set out a longer-term game plan” for what forces and capabilities are going to be required for the alliance’s eastern flank countries.Four new NATO battlegroups, which usually number between 1,000-1,500 troops, are being set up in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.All the while, national security officials from Washington to Warsaw are increasingly worried that Putin might deploy chemical, biological or even nuclear weaponry. Sullivan said the allies would consult on how to respond to “potential contingencies” of that sort.Biden said this week that the possibility of chemical weapons use by Russia was a “real threat.”Stoltenberg declined Thursday to discuss whether such a strike is a red line that would draw the alliance into war with Russia. “I will not speculate beyond the fact that NATO is always ready to defend, to protect and to react to any type of attack on a NATO allied country,” he said.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a CNN interview this week said that Russia could consider using its nuclear weapons if it felt there was “an existential threat for our country.”Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s executive arm, said before Biden’s visit that she wants to discuss the possibility of securing extra deliveries of liquefied natural gas from the United States for the 27-nation bloc “for the next two winters.”The EU imports 90% of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40% of EU gas and a quarter of its oil. The bloc is looking at ways to reduce its dependence on Russian gas by diversifying suppliers.Sullivan said the United States was looking for ways to “surge” LNG supplies to Europe to help.One new sanctions option that Biden is weighing is to target members of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of parliament, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The new sanctions would be rolled out in coordination with Western allies.Biden arrived in Brussels with Americans increasingly accepting of the need for the U.S. to help stop Putin, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.But even as concern among Americans has swelled and and support for a major U.S. role in the conflict strengthened in the last month, Biden’s negative approval rating has not budged, the AP-NORC poll found. Few are very confident that he can handle a crisis, and a majority thinks he lacks toughness in dealing with Russia.Biden promised voters that he had the experience to navigate a complicated international emergency like the one unfolding in Europe and his trip will be the latest test of that proposition.___

🎥 US to welcome Ukraine refugees, provide $1 billion in food, medicine

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thinkkc.com/">Kansas City Area Development Council</a>&nbsp;and its partners announced Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://about.facebook.com/meta/">Meta</a>&nbsp;selected the Kansas City region for its new hyperscale data center, according to a media release from the organization. Locating in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.diodeventures.com/projects/gptp">Golden Plains Technology Park</a>, a 5.5 million-square-foot data center campus in Kansas City, Missouri, Meta will invest more than $800 million over the next several years to build out its nearly 1 million-square-foot facility. “Meta is excited to call Kansas City our new home. It stands out with so much to offer - good access to infrastructure and fiber, a strong pool of talent for both construction and operations, and more than anything, great community partners,” said&nbsp;Darcy Nothnagle, director of community and economic development, Meta. “Meta is committed to being a good neighbor and investing in the long-term vitality of the region for years to come.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The development will boost the local economy, supporting up to 100 operational jobs and more than 1,300 jobs at peak construction. The tech company is starting construction and plans to be operational in 2024.

“We’re proud to welcome Meta to Kansas City for this historic, cutting-edge development that will positively impact our state’s economy for years to come,” said&nbsp;Missouri Governor Mike Parson. “The Show-Me State stands out as a rising technology hub due to our strategic location, skilled workforce, and prime business climate. This unprecedented investment signals Missouri is open for business, and that our state is a prime destination for high-tech leaders and innovators alike.”&nbsp;

Meta’s Kansas City location will be one of the most sustainable data centers in the world and will add additional renewable energy to the region’s local grid. The facility will achieve net-zero carbon emissions and will aim to be LEED® Gold level certified. Meta’s Kansas City data center will use 32% less energy and will be 80% more water-efficient on average than the industry standard. “It’s an exciting day in Kansas City as we celebrate Meta’s investment in our community — yet another example of Kansas City’s growing influence in the technology sector. We look forward to growing this partnership and creating new jobs,” said&nbsp;Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

“Kansas City is a wonderful place to live and work, and I’m glad to see new investment and job growth coming to the area. With our central location and first rate colleges and universities, Missouri is well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the tech sector. I look forward to seeing Meta’s data center anchor new partnerships with schools and local organizations and become part of a great community,” said&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.)

As a central U.S. location, Kansas City is a midpoint that provides improved network connectivity between coastal data centers. Additionally, the region offers more security with less risk of natural disasters and other threats. The Midwest offers competitive energy prices and more options to power facilities using renewable energy resources.

“Meta’s data center at Golden Plains Technology Park is a significant economic development investment and win for the Kansas City region. We know the company had a choice regarding where to site this major project, and we’re proud to be an essential partner to help make this a reality,” said&nbsp;David Campbell, president and CEO, Evergy. “We look forward to delivering clean, safe and reliable energy to Meta’s facility, supporting one of the most sustainable data centers in the world.”

The Kansas City area is the third fastest-growing tech market in the U.S., and among the top large metros for its number of tech jobs per capita. In addition to being ranked one of the best startup cities in the U.S., the KC region has 102,000+ technology jobs and 3,900+ established tech firms. The pool of available talent within IT (67,800+) is strong due to the concentration of financial services, telecommunications, data processing, software and engineering firms in the Kansas City area.

“KC is the most connected region in the U.S. with more than 5.5 million miles of fiber deployed. This infrastructure, coupled with a dynamic and robust talent pool, provides Meta the resources it needs for long-term success in our market, said&nbsp;Tim Cowden, president and CEO, Kansas City Area Development Council. “Meta’s selection of KC, joining many other global tech brands in our region, puts a spotlight on our thriving tech industry. The region’s new state-of-the-art single terminal airport opening in March 2023 and our collaborative business community make KC a top location of choice for other tech companies seeking growth.”&nbsp;

The following organizations helped bring Meta to Kansas City: State of Missouri; Missouri Partnership; Missouri Department of Economic Development; City of Kansas City, Missouri; Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City Missouri; Port KC; Evergy; Diode Ventures; Platte County; Clay County; Turner Construction; Burns &amp; McDonnell; Kimley-Horn; Black &amp; Veatch; BNIM; Olsson; Husch Blackwell; Rouse, Frets, White, Goss, P.C.; Spire; KC Tech Council; Metropolitan Community College; North Kansas City School District; Platte County R-3 School District; Smithville School District; Greater KC Building &amp; Construction Trades Council; Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council; Union Station.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648138430746.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo courtesy Kansas City Area Development Council&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo courtesy Kansas City Area Development Council&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thinkkc.com/">Kansas City Area Development Council</a>&nbsp;and its partners announced Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://about.facebook.com/meta/">Meta</a>&nbsp;selected the Kansas City region for its new hyperscale data center, according to a media release from the organization. Locating in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.diodeventures.com/projects/gptp">Golden Plains Technology Park</a>, a 5.5 million-square-foot data center campus in Kansas City, Missouri, Meta will invest more than $800 million over the next several years to build out its nearly 1 million-square-foot facility. “Meta is excited to call Kansas City our new home. It stands out with so much to offer - good access to infrastructure and fiber, a strong pool of talent for both construction and operations, and more than anything, great community partners,” said&nbsp;Darcy Nothnagle, director of community and economic development, Meta. “Meta is committed to being a good neighbor and investing in the long-term vitality of the region for years to come.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/Meta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Meta</a>&#39;s nearly 1 million-square-foot <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KC</a> hyperscale data center will be located in Golden Plains Technology Park, supporting up to 100 operational employees and more than 1,300 jobs at peak construction. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hyperscaledatacenter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hyperscaledatacenter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/datacenter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#datacenter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/meta?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#meta</a> <a href="https://t.co/Pbzh8ggrY2">pic.twitter.com/Pbzh8ggrY2</a>&mdash; KCADC (@ithinkKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ithinkKC/status/1507010436054409218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The development will boost the local economy, supporting up to 100 operational jobs and more than 1,300 jobs at peak construction. The tech company is starting construction and plans to be operational in 2024.“We’re proud to welcome Meta to Kansas City for this historic, cutting-edge development that will positively impact our state’s economy for years to come,” said&nbsp;Missouri Governor Mike Parson. “The Show-Me State stands out as a rising technology hub due to our strategic location, skilled workforce, and prime business climate. This unprecedented investment signals Missouri is open for business, and that our state is a prime destination for high-tech leaders and innovators alike.”&nbsp;Meta’s Kansas City location will be one of the most sustainable data centers in the world and will add additional renewable energy to the region’s local grid. The facility will achieve net-zero carbon emissions and will aim to be LEED® Gold level certified. Meta’s Kansas City data center will use 32% less energy and will be 80% more water-efficient on average than the industry standard. “It’s an exciting day in Kansas City as we celebrate Meta’s investment in our community — yet another example of Kansas City’s growing influence in the technology sector. We look forward to growing this partnership and creating new jobs,” said&nbsp;Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City: the third fastest-growing tech market in the country. 👏&mdash; Mayor Quinton Lucas (@MayorLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorLucasKC/status/1506997891931463688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Kansas City is a wonderful place to live and work, and I’m glad to see new investment and job growth coming to the area. With our central location and first rate colleges and universities, Missouri is well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the tech sector. I look forward to seeing Meta’s data center anchor new partnerships with schools and local organizations and become part of a great community,” said&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.)As a central U.S. location, Kansas City is a midpoint that provides improved network connectivity between coastal data centers. Additionally, the region offers more security with less risk of natural disasters and other threats. The Midwest offers competitive energy prices and more options to power facilities using renewable energy resources.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648138538395.png" alt="Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parson participated in the ground breaking on Thursday morning." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parson participated in the ground breaking on Thursday morning.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Meta’s data center at Golden Plains Technology Park is a significant economic development investment and win for the Kansas City region. We know the company had a choice regarding where to site this major project, and we’re proud to be an essential partner to help make this a reality,” said&nbsp;David Campbell, president and CEO, Evergy. “We look forward to delivering clean, safe and reliable energy to Meta’s facility, supporting one of the most sustainable data centers in the world.”The Kansas City area is the third fastest-growing tech market in the U.S., and among the top large metros for its number of tech jobs per capita. In addition to being ranked one of the best startup cities in the U.S., the KC region has 102,000+ technology jobs and 3,900+ established tech firms. The pool of available talent within IT (67,800+) is strong due to the concentration of financial services, telecommunications, data processing, software and engineering firms in the Kansas City area.“KC is the most connected region in the U.S. with more than 5.5 million miles of fiber deployed. This infrastructure, coupled with a dynamic and robust talent pool, provides Meta the resources it needs for long-term success in our market, said&nbsp;Tim Cowden, president and CEO, Kansas City Area Development Council. “Meta’s selection of KC, joining many other global tech brands in our region, puts a spotlight on our thriving tech industry. The region’s new state-of-the-art single terminal airport opening in March 2023 and our collaborative business community make KC a top location of choice for other tech companies seeking growth.”&nbsp;The following organizations helped bring Meta to Kansas City: State of Missouri; Missouri Partnership; Missouri Department of Economic Development; City of Kansas City, Missouri; Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City Missouri; Port KC; Evergy; Diode Ventures; Platte County; Clay County; Turner Construction; Burns &amp; McDonnell; Kimley-Horn; Black &amp; Veatch; BNIM; Olsson; Husch Blackwell; Rouse, Frets, White, Goss, P.C.; Spire; KC Tech Council; Metropolitan Community College; North Kansas City School District; Platte County R-3 School District; Smithville School District; Greater KC Building &amp; Construction Trades Council; Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council; Union Station.

Facebook parent company selects KC for new $800m data center 

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Saline County man is out $30,000 after falling for a texting scam involving an alleged woman.

An elderly Saline County man started a texting conversation with someone claiming to be a woman, according to Saline County Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes. At first, the conversation was just friendly chat between two people who supposedly had being older and lonely in common, he said.

Then the alleged woman began discussing visiting the man and even possibly moving to Saline County. The alleged woman also began asking for money. Initially, the man wired $1,000 to the alleged woman, and then began wiring multiple increments of money via Western Union until the total reached $30,000, Hughes said. At that point, the fraud department of the man's bank took notice and intervened.

Hughes said that in this type of scam, the scammer most often will take on a role that is gender opposite from that of the person being scammed, playing on the emotions of the person being scammed.

Regardless of how nice people seem, Hughes said it is important to remember to not wire money to people you don't know. If someone asks you to wire money or to purchase gift cards and then provide the card numbers, it's a scam.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Saline County man is out $30,000 after falling for a texting scam involving an alleged woman.An elderly Saline County man started a texting conversation with someone claiming to be a woman, according to Saline County Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes. At first, the conversation was just friendly chat between two people who supposedly had being older and lonely in common, he said.Then the alleged woman began discussing visiting the man and even possibly moving to Saline County. The alleged woman also began asking for money. Initially, the man wired $1,000 to the alleged woman, and then began wiring multiple increments of money via Western Union until the total reached $30,000, Hughes said. At that point, the fraud department of the man's bank took notice and intervened.Hughes said that in this type of scam, the scammer most often will take on a role that is gender opposite from that of the person being scammed, playing on the emotions of the person being scammed.Regardless of how nice people seem, Hughes said it is important to remember to not wire money to people you don't know. If someone asks you to wire money or to purchase gift cards and then provide the card numbers, it's a scam.

Sheriff: Kansas man lost $30,000 in texting scam

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even though it looks like bipartisan consensus has been reached on the state house and state senate redistricting maps, the Kansas Attorney General's Office still has litigation to deal with when it comes to the state's Congressional maps. That litigation is going to start in district court in the counties where the suits have been filed, Wyandotte and Douglas.

"We're going to have to litigate it in state District Court," said Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. "Then, there will inevitably be an appeal to the state Supreme Court by whichever side loses in the district court. That's going to stretch out the time line."

There isn't a ton of time to get these maps done, the candidate filing deadline is June 1.

"Federal law sets out the timelines and rules for mailing ballots to military voters who are overseas," Schmidt said. "You have to comply with that law so that our deployed service personnel who vote in Kansas have the ability to receive their ballots and get them back before the primary in August."

In case there is a primary on August 2 for any of the congressional seats, 45 days before that election would be June 18. That's a Saturday, so the last business day before that 45 days would be Friday, June 17.

"This really needs to be wrapped up, I hope in April," Schmidt said. "May is pushing it, but we can make that work. If we get into June, that would be trouble."

Schmidt is confident that whatever you think about the maps from a political perspective, they follow the rules as the legislature knew them when they voted on it, but it remains to be seen what state courts might do. There is already precedent that if the U.S. Supreme Court gets involved, they might allow the maps to stand for 2022 while briefing for full argument after that, but Schmidt doesn't think the case will go that far.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even though it looks like bipartisan consensus has been reached on the state house and state senate redistricting maps, the Kansas Attorney General's Office still has litigation to deal with when it comes to the state's Congressional maps. That litigation is going to start in district court in the counties where the suits have been filed, Wyandotte and Douglas."We're going to have to litigate it in state District Court," said Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. "Then, there will inevitably be an appeal to the state Supreme Court by whichever side loses in the district court. That's going to stretch out the time line."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There isn't a ton of time to get these maps done, the candidate filing deadline is June 1."Federal law sets out the timelines and rules for mailing ballots to military voters who are overseas," Schmidt said. "You have to comply with that law so that our deployed service personnel who vote in Kansas have the ability to receive their ballots and get them back before the primary in August."In case there is a primary on August 2 for any of the congressional seats, 45 days before that election would be June 18. That's a Saturday, so the last business day before that 45 days would be Friday, June 17."This really needs to be wrapped up, I hope in April," Schmidt said. "May is pushing it, but we can make that work. If we get into June, that would be trouble."Schmidt is confident that whatever you think about the maps from a political perspective, they follow the rules as the legislature knew them when they voted on it, but it remains to be seen what state courts might do. There is already precedent that if the U.S. Supreme Court gets involved, they might allow the maps to stand for 2022 while briefing for full argument after that, but Schmidt doesn't think the case will go that far.

Kansas AG: Congressional map litigation on tight timeline

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas House wants age limit for tobacco, vaping at 21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas lawmakers are close to approving their new districts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Biden, Western allies hold emergency summit on Russian war

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas man sentenced to life in prison for multiple sex crimes

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

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

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

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

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

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